Hello there! It seems you’ve found yourself on the ever-elusive pursuit of happiness, and we promise it’s going to be gold. By reading this blog, you are one step closer to transforming your mind into a sea of positive, uplifting, and abundant joy. This may seem hyperbolic, that is until you try our Happy Gummy and Happy Syrup edible products. You see, we spent the last several years studying, researching, sourcing, and testing every single ingredient to make sure our happy product line induced megalithic swells of euphoria. We have no doubt you’ll feel like a pod of dolphins surfing a wave made of puppies (don’t worry, no animals were used in the making of this simile).
Jokes and absurd visual imagery aside, these gummies and syrups were formulated using the best ingredients, latest cannabis science and infused with the love of true cannasuers. We didn’t want to settle for just another run-of-the-mill edible. We knew we wanted to create something truly extraordinary, something that would redefine the edible category and your experience of what edibles could do. Ambitious? For sure! Impossible? Not a chance!
At this point, you may be asking yourself, “What makes these products different from all the others?” We’re glad you asked! To answer this question, we first need to define what we mean by “happy” because, let’s be honest, that word is totally subjective. Happy to us is a state of mind characterized by feelings of joy, pleasure, and peace that lends itself to socialization and creativity. It is also the absence of negative emotions that are typically associated with stress.
Now, this state of mind may not be for you but if it is, look no further! What makes these products different from every other edible is the trifecta of a unique cannabinoid blend, strain-specific terpene profile, and synergistic natural ingredients. If you’re anything like us, whimsical words will not convince you, so let’s take a deep dive into how we were able to capture uncontainable laughter in a bottle. See what we did there?
From Reefer Madness to Ganja Gladness
There is an old saying that “laughter is the best medicine”. We’re not doctors, but it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that whoever said this didn’t know about cannabis. For millennia, cannabis has been associated with uplifting people’s moods. In recent years, it has garnered much attention for its ability to enhance creativity, mood, and socialization, but is there any science to support this? Short answer, yes, but it’s complicated, so let’s explore!
Research into the effects of cannabis and depression, for example, points to a significant dose-dependent relationship. Basically, not enough cannabis won’t work; too much cannabis can make it worse, but a dose in the middle is just right (shout out to Goldilocks). Another way to look at how cannabis affects our mood is to look at the research on cannabis use and overall life satisfaction, which happen to be negatively associated (this sounds bad but just wait) meaning that people who use cannabis tend to have lower levels of life satisfaction. Now, just because these two variables are correlated doesn’t mean cannabis use makes you less satisfied with life. On the contrary, it is most likely the case that people use cannabis to help deal with less than ideal life circumstances, e.g., using cannabis to uplift your mood (insert Baked Bros happy). If you’re in a good mood then you are probably more open to being social. Say goodbye to miserable isolation and hello to blissful socialization!
So there is research on cannabis, depression, and life satisfaction that indicates, for the purposes of our discussion thus far, that cannabis MAY increase happiness (see definition above). But what about stress and creativity, you might ask? Well, there is a wide range of research that indicates that cannabis can help alleviate stress which is probably at the heart of the findings above. It has been well documented through rigorous research that stress can lead to depression, hinder life satisfaction, and dampen the creative process. Research also suggests that cannabis can enhance creativity by shifting the personality trait “openness”. This means that cannabis may make consumers more open to ideas and experiences, which ultimately help foster creativity. All in all, the less stress we feel, the more likely we are to encounter positive mood states such as joy, pleasure, and peace (happiness). This shift allows us to be more open to differing thoughts and experiences and, in turn, allows for creativity and socialization to flourish!
Wow, that probably felt like a mix between drinking from a fire hose and a psychology 101 course, but we needed to build a solid foundation of understanding for why we created an edible called “happy”. FANTASTIC, we now know that cannabis is associated with happiness but would that be the same for other edibles? Maybe. You see, most of this research was done with average people using average cannabis, and you’re not average (hence you getting this far into the blog), and neither are our happy gummies and syrups (hence this lengthy explanation). By looking deeper into the science, we discovered that there was more to the equation, specifically the synergy between cannabinoids and terpenes through a process called the entourage effect. We crafted our happy product to take full advantage of this effect and designed a formula for permanent rose-colored glasses. Curious? Good. Let’s look at cannabinoids first.
The Holy Trinity of Happiness: THC, CBD, & CBC
To start, you may be wondering what cannabinoids are and why they matter. Essentially cannabinoids are the primary compounds responsible for the effects of cannabis. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis responsible for the “high” we all know and love, but it is not alone on an island. Many other cannabinoids exist, and together along with terpenes, they create an experience. The best way to think about this is by using music as an analogy. In order for a song to resonate with you, several things have to happen.
One of the most critical parts of any piece of music is the drums and bass, the song’s foundation, which would be similar to cannabinoids or the foundation of our experience. Now, you could have one instrument, such as a drum (THC), but alone that’s not really interesting, you need multiple instruments to make a compelling song that keeps you engaged, or put another way, you need various cannabinoids to create a “happy” experience. Those cannabinoids are:
- Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – For those that don’t know, THC has been associated with neuroprotective, anti-anxiety, and antidepressant effects based on current research. These are three critical factors that indicate THC’s ability to uplift our moods and help protect our brains (go science) outside of what has already been discussed. Like any good song, though, we need more than just a drum, which brings us to CBD.
- Cannabidiol (CBD) – These days, it seems like everyone from your grandma down to your cat knows about CBD, which is a non-intoxicating cannabinoid that has been hyped to do just about everything (the swiss army knife of cannabis). For the purposes of this discussion, we will focus on how CBD impacts our mood. In several different studies, CBD has demonstrated antidepressant, anti-anxiety, and neuroprotective properties. CBD can also enhance the positive effects of THC while helping to dampen potential side effects. The real magic happens, though, when you add CBC.
- Cannabichromene (CBC) – Probably the most underrated minor cannabinoid, CBC is non-intoxicating but can influence our cannabis experience. For example, early research has demonstrated that CBC can produce antidepressant effects. Additionally, CBC has been shown to also exert neuroprotective effects due to its potent anti-inflammatory properties. If you were looking for a “happy” cannabinoid formula, CBC is the perfect addition to THC and CBD.
As they say, teamwork makes the dream work! When formulating our happy product line, we didn’t want to just rely on THC like most other edibles. By combining CBD (the bass) and CBC (the cello), we added the necessary ingredients for a symphony of edible bliss. This takes the experience from being one-dimensional and mediocre to something that will have you dancing all the way to cloud 9. At this point, your brain probably feels like it’s going to explode, so let’s indulge in a bit of aromatherapy. Time to talk about strains and terpenes!
Smell The Flowers: “Maui Wowie” and the “Jack” Pot of Terpenes
If cannabinoids are the drums and bass instruments, then terpenes are all the other wonderful instruments that make up a great song! When most people think about the smell of cannabis, they often think it has to do with THC, and they would, unfortunately, be wrong (it’s ok, we’ve all been there). Terpenes are the aromatic compounds that give cannabis its unique odor (too loud? Never). A specific collection or profile of terpenes makes up a strain. This could be thought of, using our music analogy, as the different instruments used between different genres of music. Most music has drums and a bass section, but outside of that, skies the limit.
For our happy product line, we wanted to use strains that scream (or maybe sing) happy. After much deliberation and research, we landed on the coveted strains Jack AKA Jack Herer (found in our gummies) and Maui Wowie (found in our happy syrups). Jack was named after the famed cannabis activist of the same name (say that 10 x fast) and Maui Wowie after the oasis of an island and its famous pakalolo. Jack was created in the Netherlands during the mid-1990s by crossing Haze with a cross of Northern Lights #5 and Shiva Skunk. Maui Wowie’s roots are more mysterious and are said to be a cross between Hawaiian and an unknown strain. The effects of these strains speak for themselves.
According to anecdotal reports, both Jack and Maui Wowie have unique terpene profiles that are in part responsible for their ability to produce happiness, uplift mood, enhance creativity, and bring on intense bouts of euphoria. There are 5 major terpenes in each strain that make up the majority of the strain profiles. These terpenes include:
- Terpinolene (Jack) – Commonly found in sage, lilac, and rosemary. Terpinolene is said to be the terpene of sativas. It has been demonstrated to produce stimulating effects in humans, has antifungal and antibacterial effects, and is cardioprotective.
- Beta-Caryophyllene (Jack and Maui Wowie) – Commonly found in black pepper, cinnamon, and hops. Beta-Caryophyllene has been shown to have potent anti-inflammatory properties that are responsible for its neuroprotective and gastroprotective effects.
- Limonene (Jack and Maui Wowie) – Commonly found in lemon, orange, and lime. Limonene is associated with uplifting moods because of its anti-anxiety and antidepressant properties. It has also been shown to have anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects.
- Myrcene (Jack and Maui Wowie) – Commonly found in thyme, hops, and mango. Myrcene is typically connected to the “couch-lock” effect of cannabis because of its sedative and analgesic properties. Like many terpenes, it demonstrates anti-inflammatory effects as well.
- Ocimene (Jack) – Commonly found in mint, parsley, and mango. Ocimene is one of the most common terpenes in nature but less known in cannabis. It has been shown to be both antifungal and antiviral. Ocimene also produces powerful anti-inflammatory and anticonvulsant effects.
- Alpha and Beta Pinene (Maui Wowie) – Commonly found in dill, basil, and pine trees. Pinene reminds us of the great outdoors and has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and neuroprotective properties. It may also help to buffer against the effects THC can have on memory.
As you can see, nothing in our happy products got there by accident. We spent a RIDICULOUS amount of time scouring the research on cannabinoids and terpenes to develop a formula that would make for an unmatched edible experience. If this blend of cannabinoids and terpenes were a symphony, Beethoven himself would have fallen off his chair in amazement! Outside of the key compounds needed to make happiness in a bottle, we had to also make sure these products tasted as good as they felt, which brings us to our final section of this blog, the ingredients, and packaging.
Feel Good, Taste Good, Do Good: Real Fruit and Sustainability
Once we nailed the specific ratio of cannabinoids and terpenes, we turned our attention to all of the other ingredients that would be needed for both the gummies and the syrups. Your health matters to us, and we wanted to get away from using ANYTHING artificial. When it came to the raw starting materials, we chose to use organic ingredients where possible. As for deciding on how to flavor the products, real fruit was the only way to go.
We trialed so many different fruit flavor combinations for the gummy and syrup happy line that our lab started to smell like a real-life game of fruit ninja (it smelt and tasted sooooo good), but only the best was an option. This is how we landed on pomegranate Nectarine for the gummies and good ole Mango Madness for the syrup. Each of these fruits contains terpenes as well (yay, more aromatic instruments!), and we wanted to make sure they complemented our strains Jack and Maui Wowie. Pomegranates contain both Limonene and Myrcene, Nectarines contain Limonene and Ocimene, and Mangos contain Limonene, Myrcene, Beta-Caryophyllene, and Ocimene. You could say our strains and real fruit flavors are a match made in cannabis heaven.
Finally, after we had nailed down every single aspect of the edible itself, we had to figure out how we were going to package them. There are so many different options available depending on what’s important to you. If we had wanted to save money, then we could have gone with paper boxes (bad for the trees), mylar bags (not easily recycled), or plastic bags (plain and lame). We believe in making the world a better place as part of our mission to change how the world sees cannabis, so sustainability was top of mind (even if it costs more). For this reason, we went with 100% recyclable and reusable tin containers (gummies and syrups) with food-grade and BPA-free plastic liners (gummies only, optimized for freshness). Not many people realize this, but you can put your weed in there!
The Journey to Happiness begins with a Single Gummy
So there you have it, our Happy product line is formulated based on the latest cannabis science, and uses only the finest natural ingredients, all wrapped up in beautiful packaging that not only looks good but feels good too. We spared no expense in creating these products because, to us, your experience of happiness is way more important than saving a buck. By using a unique cannabinoid blend, specific strain profiles, and synergistic natural ingredients, these products deliver happiness in a bottle.
Oh, and we should probably mention, we did add one more key feature that genuinely solidifies this product’s goal. A portion of the profits from every bottle goes towards research on mental health. If you are interested in getting involved yourself, check out the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). They are doing groundbreaking research on cannabis and psychedelics for PTSD and other mental illnesses. Please join us in making the world a happier place.
Our mission is to change the way the world views cannabis and optimize the lives of our diverse community of consumers. We are dedicated to providing consistent and excellent products that ignite the imagination of those who consume them. Click the link below to find the right product for you, and take one step further on your personal pursuit of happiness. Enjoy!
