O’Hara Shipe
Audio By Carbonatix
As the Egyptian Motor Hotel prepped for a 4/20 celebration last month, Stephen Vega sparked up a joint. Through a billowy cloud of smoke, the former CBD edible maker touted the virtues of CannaBlendz.
A new line of gummy products set to debut in May, CannaBlendz, purports to be “the first THC-free cannabis supplement in the world.”
“Nine out of 10 cannabinoid receptors are being activated when you smoke cannabis. With our product, 30 out of 40 endogenous [agonists] around these receptors are now being activated to absorb the cannabinoids in your body. This gives you a longer, fuller, more viable high,” Vega, regional marketing manager for CannaBlendz, told Phoenix New Times.
If you’ve never heard of endogenous agonists, you’re not alone. Simply put, they are compounds in the body that bind to matching receptors in the brain. So, for example, the primary endogenous agonist for your brain’s serotonin receptors is serotonin.
When it comes to the body’s endocannabinoid system, THC is absorbed by two receptors: CB1 and CB2. While CB1 receptors are mainly responsible for processing the psychoactive properties of THC, the CB2 receptors deal with the anti-inflammatory properties of THC.
Surrounding the CB1 and CB2 receptors are a whole host of other receptors that CannaBlendz gummies interact with to create an entourage effect – giving you that fulfilling high Vega is talking about.
“We like to call ourselves the ketchup of the cannabis industry. We’re going to be the accessory of the cannabis consumption,” Vega said.
But do the gummies work? It’s tough to say definitively.
The brand’s four proprietary blends – Mastermind, Performance, Recovery, and Good Times – feature a mix of ashwagandha, yerba mate, schisandra, griffonia, and other botanicals. Because each CannaBlendz formulas is packed with supplemental nutrients, it would be difficult to substantiate whether or not the gummies are working in concert with consumed cannabis or if consuming them is akin to taking a multivitamin.
However, according to Vega, the gummies are worth a try. “A blend of these botanicals together really do something, and I’m not a scientist; I’m just a believer in what I’ve seen from my personal experience,” Vega said. “But the proof is in the pudding. People need to try it for themselves.”
Currently, CannaBlendz gummies are available online, but Vega hopes that they will soon be in every Arizona dispensary.
“Arizona is known as the ‘high-tolerance state.’ We’re always trying to chase high THC numbers, and it’s unfortunate because a lot of people are poisoning their endocannabinoid system with crazy high THC products. CannaBlendz wants to bring things back to a medicinal level to help people get the most out of their consumption,” Vega said.
