Mary’s Medicinals Cannabis Transdermal Gel Pens Review

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Mary’s Medicinals has a line of transdermal gel pens that dispense a gel you rub into your skin. They come in THC Sativa, THC Indica, CBD and CBN. From their website:

“Designed as an accompaniment to our patches, Mary’s transdermal gel pens are the perfect resource for patients managing breakthrough pain, or for creating blended cannabinoid ratios. The light gel is placed directly on the skin and gently rubbed in for rapid relief.“

MARYS Transdermal PENs

Note that the gel pens are designed to “boost” the effects of the patches, not necessarily designed to be used on their own. For the purpose of understanding their effects alone first, we have used them alone to create these reviews.

The pens contain 100mg of gel and dispense a 2mg dose with each “click” on the pen. Since they are applied to the skin the effects are often felt almost immediately, although the full effect can take several hours. When I use the gel pens, I feel the effects almost immediately in a mild way, the full effect does usually take up to an hour.

I first encountered gel pens (old packaging above) when they cured my wrist pain (see the post Transdermal CBD Gel Trampled My Pain). We tried both the Sativa and the CBD pens and here is what we found.

Effects: CBD

I have tried it in several different ways to get to understand how it works for me. Since I am just beginning to experiment with this gel, I started by only using single doses (2mg) of the gel. Starting with using a small dose is a smart rule of thumb when trying any new product, especially edibles.

When I have had a mild headache, I have tried rubbing it onto my temples and I feel some relief with 20 minutes. I haven’t had it completely relieve the headache, but it definitely reduces the severity.

I have also tried the CBD gel rubbed on the back of my neck near at the base of my skull and on my lower back, hoping it would work a little like a muscle relaxer or pain relief gel. As with the headache, I have felt it make a difference in my discomfort, but I haven’t experienced it completely removing it. As they say, it is great as an accompaniment to patches or other foundational relief.

Effects: Sativa

When I first used the Sativa gel, I was surprised at how strong it seemed to be. I felt much more of an impact than I usually do with edibles. For some reason when I first apply the gel (usually to the inside wrist) I get a sensation in my sinuses of them opening up slightly, as if they are draining a bit. This could be down to an increase in blood flow that comes with the application due to either the THC or other ingredients.

After about an hour with a single 2mg dose, I was feeling the effects mildly, so I applied another dose. Within 30 minutes I could definitely feel the effects. Effects included feeling energetic and heightened senses. I was surprised how much impact just 4mg of the gel pens had, when I usually are using 10mg doses of one of my preferred gummies.

In my experience the effects last at least four hours and usually closer to six hours. As always the effects are impacted by how full or empty your stomach is when you take them and how much you eat or drink. (See our New to Edibles Guide for tips)

As with the CDB gel pen, I think this product will be the most useful when paired with other items, like the patches or edibles or other products. It is the perfect small dose size, allows for super easy application and has a quick onset that can boost you to the level you want.

Mary's Medicinals Sativa Gel Pen
Old Style packaging, pre-2018

Strength: 9

Flavor: n/a

Website: http://www.marysmedicinals.com/

Kiva Camino Sparkling Pear CBD Cannabis Gummies Review

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Camino cannabis gummies come in a Social formula with a Sparkling Pear flavor. This formula has 2mg of THC and 6mg of CBD per serving, for a total of 40mg THC and 120mg of CBD per package. As with the rest of the Kiva Camino range of edibles, these gummies are not just infused with distilled THC but are formulated with natural terpenes to create specific effects.

My local dispensary charges $20 for a package, making it $2.00 for each 10mg serving of THC, the same price point as the Kiva Cannabis 100mg Chocolate bars. These gummies do contain gelatin, so they are not vegetarian or vegan friendly. The tin is one you push down while you turn it to open. The gummies are not individually wrapped.

Dosing & Flavor

The smell from the tin is a natural and mild pear smell. Like the other Camino gummies, they have a lovely opaque appearance and a soft texture that is easy to bite through.

The flavor is a mild natural pear flavor that doesn’t have any bad aftertaste. A mild sour note gives these that sparking pear cider flavor.

As we always recommend with new edibles, try half of your usual dose before trying a full dose as you never know how strong something will effect you. The Camino Social gummies are easy to bite in half to give a 1mg THC/ 3mg CBD dose. Since I am experienced with edibles and my usual dose is 10mg of THC, I began with one piece, with 2mg THC and 6mg CBD. After having only light effects for that trial run, I then moved closer to my usual, taking two gummies for a total dose of 4mg THC and 12 mg CBD.

The 2:6 THC to CBD ration is an unusual dose profile and I think it’s a good one. Most edibles with a mix have THC to CBD ratios of 1:1, 4:1, 16:1 or higher. I experience very little effect from anything above a 14:1 CBD to THC ratio. You need a solid amount of THC to get the best out of the CBD effects I have found.

I find I need at least 10mg of CBD to have a noticeable effect. For me, CBD reduces the impact of THC, so if I take a 10mg edible with 10mg of THC and 10mg of CBD, I only get about 80% of the effect of 10mg of THC alone. I also know that THC boosts the effect of CBD, so I greatly prefer some THC with my CBD. With the Social Camino gummies, I found that the 12mg dose was a good one.

Effects

The effects I experienced were pain relief, plus the anti-inflammatory CBD properties. For aching joints, the CBD helps with that while the THC brings the pain reliving effect. I tried these on a bad headache and was pleasantly surprised when the headache was gone within 45 minutes. Same with aches and pains from yard work, I found it effective and long lasting.

Enjoyable flavor profiles and type-specific effects are exactly what I look for in an edible and Kiva’s Camino gummies do a great job on both counts.

Kiva Camino Cannabis Infused GummiesHero Marquee

Read the review of the other Camino gummies here.

Taste: 9

Strength: 6

Website: https://kivaconfections.com/products/camino-gummies

Cosmic View Moon Lollie Cannabis Infused Hard Candy Review

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Cosmic View Moon Lollie Cannabis Infused hard candy line of edibles come in different flavor combinations. These are some of the most interesting flavor combinations in edibles that we’ve tried. They are “hand made in San Rafael, California with 100% pure holistic ingredients”.

In their Fall 2023 Limited Edition, 10 mg of Mango flower rosin meets toasted black sesame, locally harvested makrut (aka kaffir) lime and maldon sea salt. “Hand roasted black sesame is blended with locally foraged markrut lime leaf and North Country Farms’ Southfork Mango to create the perfect sweet, savory and hint of salty treat with all of your favorite flavors.”

North Country Farm’s South Fork Mango is a legacy Trinity County varietal crossed with a late 90’s Mango cut, creating a local favorite that thrives in Trinity’s unique micro-climates. Indica-dominant with floral notes and a soothing body high.

The package is a plastic pouch that can be difficult to open if you have limited hand strength or flexibility, it requires scissors and cannot be closed once opened, as this is a single use edible. The lollipop is well wrapped in what appeared to be a waxed type of candy paper that was fairly easy to unwrap.

Dosing & Flavor

Cosmic View Moon lollies are made with evaporated cane juice, fair trade tapioca syrup, non-GMO coconut oil, Mango flower rosin, non-GMO sunflower lecithin, black sesame seeds, makrut lime leaf, flaky sea salt, lemon verbena, passionflower, cream of tartar, and fair trade tapioca starch. Of the edibles we’ve tried, this edible provides some of the most unique and sophisticated flavor profiles.

They are hard candy type lollipops, so not easy to bite through but they do eventually melt in the mouth. They don’t contain gelatin or other animal products, so it seems they are vegan friendly which is always a cruelty free plus.

They are gluten free, and dairy free, but they do contain coconut oil so not totally nut free. They are hard so it is not a good idea to try cutting them in half.

As we always recommend with new edibles, try half of your usual dose before trying a full dose as you never know how strong something will effect you. As everyone is different, it’s important to try a partial dose first to see how you react to new edibles. Not easy with such a hard candy. If you are new to these, just stop after half the candy is gone, then wait to see what the impact is for you.

Since I am experienced with edibles and my usual dose is 10mg of THC, I began with half of one piece, with 5mg THC. After having only light effects for that trial run, I then moved closer to my usual dose on another day, taking one whole lollipop for a total dose of 10mg THC which was fine.

Effects

The effects were along the lines of what you’d expect from a dominant Indica strain with a relaxing and soothing body effect. Not too strong but noticeable for someone who is sensitive to the impacts of Indica flower.

Taste: 7

Strength: 6

Website: https://www.cosmicview.com/moons-lollies

Wana Quick Fast-Acting Cannabis Infused Gummies Review

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Wana Quick Cannabis Infused fast-acting gummies line of edibles come in various different flavor and effect combinations, like Sativa Peach, CBD Strawberry Margarita, and Indica Pina Colada. They also come in other various flavors, including a Sativa “Sunrise” flavor for several of the states where they are sold, including Nevada and Colorado. These are some of the quickest acting gummies we’ve tried.

Each gummy has 10mg of THC per serving, for a total of 100mg THC per package. These gummies are formulated with fast-acting “molecular encapsulation”, which they explain creates smaller and easier to absorb molecules than nano technology.

Some Wana Quick Gummies options

The package is a squarish plastic cylinder that says “please recycle” but doesn’t have any of the usual recycle number symbols on it. You must squeeze near the top of the bottle to release the top and open the package. Inside are the gummies and they hardly take up half of the package, not sure why there is so much extra packaging. A fair amount of pressure is needed to open the package, not great for folks with limited hand strength or arthritis.

Dosing & Flavor

The smell from the container is a strong fruit punch smell. Wana gummies are made with natural flavors but they don’t say what the flavors are exactly. With so many gummies having candy-like unnatural or artificial flavors, these are not a stand out in the real-fruit flavor department. Like most of the edibles we’ve tried, these don’t come close to tasting like real fruit. But if taste is not your highest priority, not to worry.

Unlike the Kiva Camino gummies which are smooth and see-through, these have a more of a fruit chew appearance and a very light sugar-covered texture. They are fairly easy to bite through, are soft and have a pleasant mouth feel.

These gummies contain Sugar, Tapioca Syrup, Pectin, Citric Acid, Natural Flavoring, Modified Food Starch, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Citrate, Cannabis Extract, Terpenes, Sunflower Oil and Vegetable Oil. Since they don’t contain gelatin, they are vegan friendly which is always a cruelty free plus.

They are dairy free, and nut free. The gummies are not individually wrapped and need to be cut in half for a 5mg dose or in quarters for a 2.5mg dose. They are soft but shaped like triangles so take care when cutting them into thirds or cutting them in half.

As we always recommend with new edibles, try half of your usual dose before trying a full dose as you never know how strong something will effect you. The gummies are easy to cut or bite in half to give a 5mg dose of THC, then to split again for a 2.5mg dose. As everyone is different, it’s important to try a partial dose first to see how you react to new edibles.

Since I am experienced with edibles and my usual dose is 10mg of THC, I began with half of a half of one piece, with 5mg THC. After having only light effects for that trial run, I then moved closer to my usual dose on another day, taking one whole gummy for a total dose of 10mg THC. I still found the effects on the mild side, so I found that for me a 12.5 mg dose gives me a solid strength effect. I sometimes use one and a one eighth pieces for a 12.5mg dose of THC when I want a stronger effect, or if I have recently eaten or if I’ve taken CBD, which can tamp down the effects.

Effects

The effects were along the lines of what you’d expect from a Sativa, Uplifting, energetic, creative and a little bit spacey. The impacts are perfect for being able to function well with a boost of expansion for the head. The effects I experienced were closely aligned with the effects I’ve enjoyed with similar Sativa gummies, with very little body focused effects.

Run of the mill flavor profiles but good strength and specific effects are what these edibles provide when we want to elevate. Wana Quick cannabis edibles do a good job

Available in California, Colorado, Nevada, Oregon and elsewhere.

Taste: 5

Strength: 6

Website: Wana Brands – Quick

Wally Drops Watermelon Cannabis Infused Hard Candy Review

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Wally Drops Cannabis Infused hard candy line of edibles come in eleven different flavor combinations. They all seem to be made with a hybrid mix of cannabis, with no indication of Sativa, Indica or any strain names. These are some of the most Jolly Rancher tasting edibles we’ve tried.

There are some with just THC, some with just CBD and some flavors with THC and CBD. Each candy has 10mg of THC per serving, for a total of 100mg THC per package.

The package is a child proof resealable pouch that can be difficult to open if you have limited hand strength or flexibility.

Dosing & Flavor

The smell from the container is a strong supercharged fruit smell. Wally Drops hard candies are made with sugar, corn syrup, water, coconut oil, and THC. For some reason they don’t mention what is used to flavor the candies, but I’m guessing it is artificial flavor based on the taste. Of the edibles we’ve tried, this is the closest one has come to tasting like the strong flavors of a Jolly Rancher candy.

They don’t contain gelatin or other animal products, so it seems they are vegan friendly which is always a cruelty free plus.

They are gluten free, and dairy free, but they do contain coconut so not totally nut free. The candies are not individually wrapped and need to be cut in half for a 5mg dose or in quarters for a 2.5mg dose. They are hard so it is not easy cutting them in half, use caution. Not easy to bite through either, but they do eventually melt in the mouth.

As we always recommend with new edibles, try half of your usual dose before trying a full dose as you never know how strong something will effect you. As everyone is different, it’s important to try a partial dose first to see how you react to new edibles. Not easy with such a hard candy.

Since I am experienced with edibles and my usual dose is 10mg of THC, I began with half of one piece, with 5mg THC. After having only light effects for that trial run, I then moved closer to my usual dose on another day, taking one whole candy for a total dose of 10mg THC which was fine.

Effects

The effects were along the lines of what you’d expect from a dominant Sativa strain with an uplifting and happy effect. Since hybrid formulas can vary widely, you may get different effects with different batches, which is a drawback. But overall I was very happy with the uplifting effect without any couch lock or heavy body impact.

Taste: 6

Strength: 6

Website: https://purevapeofficial.com/products/wally-drops.html

Emerald Sky 19:1 CBD:THC Gummy Licorice Review

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Emerald Sky makes their North Star Cherry cannabis-infused licorice in a formula of 19:1 CBD/THC. Each serving has 9.5mg of CBD and 0.5mg of THC, for a package total of 95mg CBD and 5mg THC. They also make a 10mg Sativa and a 10mg pure CBD gummy.

While they do have a mild licorice taste, this is not licorice in the usual sense of Good & Plenty or Twizzlers. If you don’t like licorice, these likely won’t bother you because cherry, strawberry and red fruit is the much more pronounced flavor.

These CBD gummies are individually packaged, which makes it easy to take one or just a couple with you, rather than taking a whole bag like most gummies. The down side is of course that there is significantly more packaging being used, a concern when it comes to the environment.

North Star Cherry THC and CBD edibles are made with organic and non-gmo sweeteners. They do contain wheat so they are not gluten free but they are vegan and free of animal products.

Dosing

As with all edibles, it is best to start with a low dose of a new product until you know how it will effect you. For someone who is experienced with edibles and whose usual dose of thc is 10mg, the .5mg of thc might not be a concern. Some folks are sensitive to the effects of CBD and may need a smaller dose, so it’s always smart to do a test run with half a dose, wait 2 hours and notice the impact.

I often need more than a 10mg dose of CBD to impact pain or discomfort, it depends on the type of pain. For muscle aches that come from extensive yard work or sleeping in an awkward position, I find I need a higher dose. If the pain comes from inflammation, like arthritis, then around 10mg can help with the pain.

With an Emerald Sky CBD gummy, after testing lower doses I found that for stubborn muscle pain I did need two doses, which provides 20mg of CBD and 1mg THC. Even with the the double dose I did not feel any psychoactive THC effects.

I was glad that with the higher does, I didn’t have any of the Indica-tyoe THC effects you get with some 1:1 THC to CBD ratio edibles. Some edibles with equal amounts of CBD and THC use Indica-dominant strains of cannabis, which can result in relaxing, sleepy or even couch-lock effects. These CBD gummies gave me none of those undesirable effects, just the anti-inflammatory and pain relief effects I wanted.

For a dependable CBD edible in single dose packaging with little to no THC effects, Emerald Sky 19:1 CBD:THC or pure CBD Cannabis Licorice Gummies are a good choice.

Taste: 5

Strength: 6

Website: https://www.emeraldskyedibles.com/