New Year, New Consumption Methods: Suppositories + Transdermal Patches
Kayla Zadow
As we look ahead at the year to come, we find ourselves setting new intentions for ourselves. Ideas that we hope to take with us through the new year, which takes soooo soo much fortitude.
One thing we sometimes hear in the shop is folks looking to cut back on their smoking, but not necessarily their cannabinoid consumption. Towing that line between the benefits cannabis is bringing to our lives and the risks associated with smoking any combusted product is a tricky balance. We’ve been really excited to see more non-smoking options, besides your typical edibles, coming over from the medical market to recreational shops like ours.
The first option we want to highlight is the Prairie Grass Relief Pods, which are THC suppositories that can be used vaginally or rectally. Formulated for localized effects, each suppository delivers 10mg of full-spectrum THC. Suppositories offer a targeted dose that can help facilitate higher absorption rates of cannabinoids in the body. When we saw these Pods, we knew there must be some cool women behind them and, sure enough, there are.
Co-owners Olivia Penner & Rebecca Thomson are sisters whose “commitment to holistic wellness is centered in [their] bond as sisters.” Both raised on the Prairie Grass farm, they feel personally attached to each and every product that leaves their hands. “The land is part of who we are out here, our family and this farm are one. We learned from an early age that you don’t just plant a seed in the ground - you nurture its entire growth cycle past harvest. Our approach to cannabis is with a farmer’s mindset, which is the foundation for Prairie Grass and the products we create.”
The Co-owners of Prairie Grass have backgrounds in Pharmacy & Registered Nursing which gives them valuable expertise to ensure that their products are formulated with both pharmacokinetics and physiology at the forefront. As healthcare professionals they are passionate about bringing a fresh perspective to the conversation of cannabis consumption and are dedicated to bringing new formulations such as cannabis suppositories to the market in order to increase consumer choice.
Prairie Grass farm sits on 4000 irrigated acres of land in the prairies of Southern Alberta. Rich in sunshine and fertile soil, their farmland represents four generations of family that have infused innovation and sustainability into their practices. They continue to grow commercial food crops alongside their cannabis plants, personal garden, and animals, all while raising the next generation of farmers to respect and love the land. Committing to wellness means they oversee every aspect of production, from cultivation to extraction right on the farm, so they can feel confident about the products they share across Canada.
“We have spent the past few years formulating cannabis suppositories for consumers in order to provide a solution of enhanced solubility and availability of cannabinoids in the pelvic region. You may feel that suppositories are an uncomfortable topic to discuss and we want to change that! Suppositories as a dosage form can minimize first-pass metabolism in the liver and reduce gastrointestinal digestion. [They] can offer high absorption rates and bioavailability of ingredients [and] offer a targeted and effective dose directly to the pelvic and surrounding region, providing both local and systemic effects.”
Each person's endocannabinoid system is unique; while many don’t feel intoxicating effects from insertion, both localized and systemic effects are possible. Our budtenders have had completely varied experiences, which is actually typical for every cannabis product we carry. Some experienced only localized, tension-releasing effects, while others did experience a high. When using cannabis suppositories for the first time, it is important to do so in a safe environment with no commitments in order to safely gauge how you will react to the product.
The second product we want to talk about is the MÜV 1:1 Transdermal Patch by Atlas Thrive, a transdermal patch that offers a unique and discrete way to receive a steady release of cannabinoids. These patches are coming over from the medical cannabis market and, while they have therapeutic use, they also have some pretty interesting potential for recreational use. The combination of Atlas Grower’s high-quality cannabis oil extract and MÜV’s Evolve Transdermal Patches brings both unmatched cannabinoid permeability and encapsulated delivery. The patch offers a 1:1 ratio of THC to CBD. Transdermal cannabis topicals are a discreet way to use cannabis, when you still want some cannabinoids flowing through your blood, but don’t want to smoke it or eat it to get it there. The patches offer a controlled 72-hour release at 0.24mg per hour, with a 30-minute window for effects to subside when removed. They can be worn under clothes and in the shower.
MÜV Cannabis Grow Operations is composed of an accomplished group of horticulturists and plant scientists. This talent pool represents four generations of professional Florida Cultivators and a deep knowledge base. Their focus on medical cannabis production means that their crops are produced with pharmaceutical precision and each cultivar is meticulously grown without the use of harmful pesticides or plant growth regulators. THC and CBD are fat-soluble, so they can typically only penetrate the upper levels of the fatty dermis, resulting in localized relief. Most of the topicals on the rec market stop there, but with the encapsulation technology used in these patches, a water soluble gel creates a little envelope in which THC and CBD transfer through the lipid membranes, to reach the bloodstream. Once the shuttle hits the bloodstream, the cannabinoids are released, resulting in fast-acting, systemic effects.
Transdermal administration of THC can produce the euphoria that accompanies other delivery methods (inhaled, oral, sublingual, etc.), but effects of course vary person to person. Typically, transdermal delivery of THC does not produce the same intensity of euphoria as delivery via other dosing methods. Unlike oral dosing, transdermal delivery negates the hepatic first-pass effect and minimizes the metabolic byproduct, 11-hydroxy THC, which has significantly higher psychoactivity than its predecessor, THC. All of which is to say, the high will most likely not be as strong as other consumption methods, but the slow-release of THC and CBD should provide a nice, even-keeled effect.
If you’re considering exploring the world of non-smoke cannabis, come by any time and have a chat. It’s definitely a new-to-us realm as well, so we’ll be happy to share the knowledge!