Blueberry Yogurt, Sour Peach, Sticky Toffee Pudding. If you think I’m referring to ice cream flavours or decadent desserts, guess again. You certainly won’t find them in a candy store for kids, but adults are drawn to the legalized outlets where these tasty morsels await.
When battling cancer and on chemotherapy, eight years ago, I had resorted to medicinal marijuana in an effort to control the nausea. I had to literally plug my nose and take a big girl gulp of the stinky oil. It wasn’t pleasant, and it was nothing like the occasional joint-sharing experience I had recalled from my teens. But it did the trick. And it helped get me through those wretched post-treatment days.
I never thought I’d dabble with dope again, but after the legalization of this wonderful weed, it has once again snuck onto my grocery list.
Although I’m no longer a fan of the psychogenic effects that good ol’ Mary Jane had back in the day, by going with straight CBD, I have the best of both worlds: a clear head, reduced anxiety, wonderful sleeps. And all without the midnight munchies!
Wanting a little more info, I do a Google search and quickly find an abundant supply of edibles at my fingertips. The cannabis plant produces between 80 and 100 cannabinoids. The two main cannabinoids are delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). The more commonly known, THC, is the chemical that’s responsible for getting you ‘high’, whereas CBD is thought to have an anti-psychoactive effect.
But how is CBD extracted from the hemp plant? And how are the scrumptious flavours infused into each sweet tiny square? To appease my curiosity even more, I decide to go directly to the creators and promoters of my favourite yummy gummies, Kyrsten Dewinetz and David Lluncor.
With a background in microbiology, much of Dewinetz’s career has been spent working with both prominent and independent food and beverage brands and designing new products. Lluncor’s expertise has been getting natural health products into mainstream grocery outlets, and more recently, helping promote cannabis in the Canadian market. Together, with their combined 40 years of experience in food and beverage manufacturing, they have founded White Rabbit OG and have created a natural, vegan edible that stimulates the senses and inspires the taste buds.
“The CBD we use is an isolate, the purest form of cannabidiol,” Dewinetz explains with pride. “It’s refined to remove additional cannabinoids, terpenes, and other hemp components until the final product is about 99.9% cannabidiol and completely THC free.”
I discover that the CBD is extracted by using supercritical C02. In short, this means there is no chance of having residual solvents in the end product, so it is clean and healthy. And the very little cannabinoid taste that remains is eliminated by EAT ME Technology, White Rabbit’s all-natural, plant-based, quick onset emulsion.
“Our goal is to create an effective and consistent wellness product where taste is not sacrificed,” Lluncor says. “The flavour and textures are meant to be enjoyed on their own as a culinary treat and satisfy even the most sophisticated palate.”
I can certainly attest to that. Unlike other gelatin-tough gummies that I’ve sampled, each White Rabbit morsel is not only pleasingly palatable but soft and easy to swallow. My good friend, Ron Cross, would certainly agree. For the past few months, while fighting a courageous battle with ALS, these supple sweets have been the only things that he can safely swallow. And as well as lessening his discomfort, they have helped decrease his anxiety and control some muscle spasms.
In general, gummies containing cannabinoids have been credited for helping people deal with several medical conditions. Epilepsy, Parkinson’s, Crohn’s and Multiple Sclerosis are just a few – not to mention the typical aging challenges that many of us face, such as insomnia, bone health, joint pain and anxiety. In many cases, cannabis has even helped reduce the use of prescription drugs.
White Rabbit OG products are available for sale in recreational cannabis stores in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario. Their products are also available for medical cannabis customers at Medical Cannabis by Shoppers Drug Mart.
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