Ice cream is a wonderful thing, whether you’re on cannabis or not.
Why not devote a whole month of appreciation to that cold, sweet, devilish concoction hiding out in freezers or dripping off cones all over the world?
If you’re a cannabis lover, however, there are a few factoids you’ll want to know about National Ice Cream Month.
It Was Started by President Ronald Reagan
Most cannabis lovers who know their history despise Reagan (and many other U.S. Presidents) for good reason.
In 1984, President Reagan signed a proclamation declaring July as National Ice Cream Month.
Later that year, Reagan signed the Comprehensive Crime Control Act.
This piece of legislation significantly raised penalties for cannabis cultivation, possession, and transfer, introducing mandatory minimum sentences and procedures for civil asset forfeiture.
These mandatory minimums have played a key role in skyrocketing prison populations, and it is a significant issue to this day in the “land of the free.”
Ice Cream Month Was Only Supposed to Last One Year
When the U.S. Government declared July 1984 as National Ice Cream month, the official proclamation was just for that one year.
Ice cream manufacturers have had other ideas, however, keeping the appreciation month alive to boost sales.
From a business perspective this makes sense, however, don’t trust the sugar industry. Almost 60 years ago, sugar people paid off scientists, burying research on how sugar is bad for you.
President Richard Nixon also buried approximately 4,000 pages of scientific research when he decided cannabis ought to be a Schedule I controlled substance for political purposes.
There Are Some Weird Ice Cream Flavors
Want to try bacon-flavored ice cream? How about oyster or beer flavor?
Maybe garlic would suit your palette more. Or how about crab flavor?
Let’s ‘nope’ our way to the next section, shall we?
Cannabis Ice Cream, Anyone?
So, cannabis ice cream is a thing, if you’re lucky enough to find it and don’t mind spending the extra money.
Some people are also making their own cannabis ice cream, which sounds great.
Or if you’re too lazy just consume some cannabis before and after your ice cream session. Problem solved. Just be careful about greening out.
Sugar Content Triggers Serious Health Conditions
Most people have a general idea that sugar is unhealthy, and their knowledge stops there.
However, sugar is an inflammatory agent. In other words, it triggers inflammation in the body.
If you’re taking cannabis for chronic pain, you’re negating any anti-inflammatory effects by eating sugar, and that’s just the beginning of sugar’s evil ways.
"Excess sugar's impact on obesity and diabetes is well documented, but one area that may surprise many men is how their taste for sugar can have a serious impact on their heart health," says Dr. Frank Hu, professor of nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
"The effects of added sugar intake — higher blood pressure, inflammation, weight gain, diabetes, and fatty liver disease — are all linked to an increased risk for heart attack and stroke."
Rethinking One’s Ice Cream Strategy
Ice cream is one of life’s finer treats. In moderation.
If you’re the type of person who enjoys a regular bowl of ice cream after dinner, you might want to consider the health ramifications caused by frequent sugar bombs.
Sugar-free ice cream is a thing. And even stevia seems to be much less nefarious compared to sugar.
The whole point is this: if you’re taking cannabis for medical purposes, watching what you eat will also help keep your body's endocannabinoid system in shape.
Don’t let some corporate-driven marketing strategy, started by a bunch of prohibitionists, trick you into overdoing it with the ol’ ice cream quota.
Or eat as much ice cream as you want and enjoy the fuck out of it.
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