WeedLife News Network

As the cannabis industry grows globally, no country is according to FTI Consulting better positioned than Colombia to become the “grower” of choice for international cannabis trade. Experts Michael Cullen and Miguel Salcedo explain why. 

While predictions for the global cannabis trade in 2020 vary widely, industry leaders largely concur that legalization efforts will continue across the globe. As of April 2020, medical cannabis is legal (to some degree) in upwards of 50 countries. As a result, marijuana-related business are beginning to leverage international supply chains in pursuit of lower production costs, with a view to Latin America. 

Some countries in the region are positioning themselves to compete in the global cannabis market through regulatory reforms and partnerships with established North American and European players. While their competitiveness will be hampered by persistent political and macroeconomic hurdles, no country is more prepared than Colombia to differentiate itself from other countries in the region to become the industry’s grower of choice. 

Early moves toward legalization

The Colombian government sees cannabis production as a viable alternative to coca growing for farmers in conflict-ridden areas. During the 2016 peace negotiations between the administration of former President Juan Manuel Santos and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia or FARC), a left-wing guerilla group, coca production saw exponential growth following a ban on aerial spraying in favor of manual eradication.

Accordingly, the current administration of President Iván Duque hopes that cannabis production will provide an attractive legal alternative for rural communities, which have historically had few economically viable options beyond cooperating with illegal armed groups in the production of coca.

No other plant has garnered quite so much attention as the humble weed plant.

Throughout history it has been celebrated — even deified — for its curative and euphoric properties. But, especially in recent decades, it has also been vilified, wrongly categorized and cast into the center of raging controversy.

From “Reefer Madness” in the 1930s, to planting “Hemp for Victory” during WWII, to our current status — knocking at the door of legalization nationwide after decades of strict prohibition gave way to a gradual policy thaw — cannabis has been a ubiquitous feature of the American experience.

Cannabis is again taking center stage. So it’s fitting that we take a look back at the most influential recent writing on marijuana and celebrate the books that have highlighted the subject and the triumphant march toward freeing this useful plant.

Colorado lawmakers passed a bill on Monday that would allow the governor to issue pardons for low-level marijuana convictions without input from the judges and prosecutors involved in the original court cases. The measure, House Bill 1424, now heads to the office of Democratic Gov. Jared Polis for his signature.

HB 1424 began its journey through the legislative process only last week, when it was introduced by Democratic Rep. James Coleman as a bill to define social equity applicants in the state’s legal cannabis industry. After speedy approval in the Colorado House of Representatives, the bill moved on to the state Senate, where it was amended to give the governor the authority to issue pardons for convictions for possession of up to two ounces of marijuana.

“This bill is a product of effective stakeholder work that created a path forward on important social equity policies,” said a spokesperson for Polis. “The Governor is happy that a meaningful, bipartisan bill addressing marijuana equity passed the legislature, and thanks lawmakers for their efforts to get this bill to his desk.”

Under the normal process for issuing pardons in Colorado, the governor is required to notify the relevant judge and prosecuting attorney so that they can provide input to guide the decision. HB 1424 eliminates that requirement for low-level marijuana possession cases and instead allows the governor and state attorney general to establish and implement an expungement process.

Bill Also Defines Social Equity Applicants

The original intent of HB 1424 was to create a definition for applicants eligible for the state’s cannabis business accelerator program and a future social equity program for Colorado’s legal cannabis industry. Under the current accelerator program, which is only open to those from economically disadvantaged communities, eligible individuals are permitted to operate marijuana businesses out of existing licensed facilities.

Considering its current reach and future growth potential, CBD is one of the most exciting markets in the world. Cannabidiol, also known as CBD, is one of the active ingredients of the cannabis plant.

Of the two components, THC creates the euphoric effects that marijuana is famous for and for which it has been classified as a narcotic in the past while CBD on the other hand has many medicinal benefits without the psychedelic side effects. In fact, this may be the main reason behind the impressive growth of CBD in recent years.

There are many reasons why edibles are great. As with other methods of consuming cannabis, edibles come with many advantages. Here are some you should keep in mind when comparing this to other methods of consumption.

1 – Edibles are discreet

Sharing a joint or a bong among friends is a great experience. It’s nice to be together and share that moment, enjoy getting baked together. However, you won’t always be in friendly territory. When you are traveling, have visitors, or are spending time with friends or family, the smoke and smell associated with lighting a joint might be the last thing you want.

For those scenarios, edibles are very convenient. They come in all shapes, forms, and sizes. From gummy bears to chocolate bars, you can even get cannabis jam and ice cream. You can also buy — or make — incredibly potent edibles, which allow you to get very high without having to carry large amounts of weed with you. Just be careful of how you store them; the last thing you want is for a friend to get high on your supply by accident.

2 – Edibles get you high longer

One of the downsides of edibles is just how long it takes for them to hit. Depending on your system and on what you ate, an edible might take as long as an hour to get you high. If you are looking for something that can get you through a boring business meeting, you’ll need to plan in advance exactly when you’ll eat the edible.

That delay is because something you eat needs to start being digested before it hits your bloodstream. However, digesting weed does have an advantage. As a result of the slow march of digestion, edibles get high a lot longer as your body keeps breaking the edible and getting more doses of cannabis into the system. A good edible might make you high for as long as six hours without the need to redose.

For cannabis marketers, generating mass awareness is far more difficult than it is for marketers in traditional consumer goods.

Cannabis marketers must navigate scores of disparate regulations that limit where, how, and who they can target with their message. This creates a serious challenge for brands that aim to move the needle on awareness or ad recall. 

However, recent shifts in consumer interest and supply and demand dynamics due to shelter-in-place orders have created an environment where cannabis marketers have a unique opportunity to generate brand awareness more efficiently than ever before.

Tip jars started to take shape around a decade ago when medical marijuana was first beginning to build momentum across the country.  

Now that marijuana legalization has taken hold in more parts of the United States, people are showing up to cannabis dispensaries in droves to see what it’s like to purchase legal weed. Sure, there is a novelty factor to it for some, while others are stepping inside these establishments destined to become regular patrons. 

At the front of the house are budtenders. These folks act in several different capacities, assisting customers in finding the best possible strain, showing them new products and answering questions to help them walk away with the best possible experience. It is important work, especially when it comes to dealing with a new customer whose only experience with marijuana was that one time back in college when they took a hit off a bong. These people need to be guided through the latest developments on the cannabis scene and the budtender is a big part of the process.

One of the things a new customer might notice while browsing the display cases in a dispensary is the presence of tip jars. This trend started to take shape around a decade ago when medical marijuana was first beginning to build momentum across the country. But now they seem to be turning up more in both the medical and recreational sectors. The idea, as with any situation where a tip jar is present, is to give the budtender an opportunity to earn additional income.

It is also an incentivizing measure. If a budtender believes he or she can earn an extra $50 or more each day by simply providing superb customer service, chances are they will come to work ready to make it rain.  

Deadly police actions, punctuated by the ongoing protests after the murder of George Floyd, represent just one arm of an octopus-like creature that feeds off systemic racism. Another element that has been brought up a lot in recent weeks is the failed War on Drugs policy.

Despite the supposed end to the U.S. drug policy, it continues to claim victims, including those who remain in prison for non-violent weed convictions and those whose records prevent them from equal treatment in terms employment and housing.

The War on Drugs “is a policy failure that has come at great cost, to society generally and to minority communities especially,” drug policy experts Katharine Neill Harris and Alfred Glassell, III write in a blog posted last week on Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy website.

But, as Harris and Glassell point out in their post, the failure’s legacy stretches beyond the immediate victims: “The ‘war on drugs’ is an impediment to reducing unnecessary citizen-police encounters and to cultivating humane treatment of people who use drugs.” By normalizing “aggressive policing within a system already mired in institutional racism,” the pair suggests that chances are greater for more and more violent interactions between people and police.

Approaches such as no-knock searches, often led by heavily armed SWAT teams, unsurprisingly “carry a high risk for deadly violence.” And drugs are a routine component of “pretext stops,” described as allowing police officers to stop people for one violation with the intent of uncovering a separate violation. This would be the case if a driver was pulled over for a traffic violation and on the pretext of smelling weed, the vehicle is then searched.

The newly formed Culinary Cannabis Association promotes safe, legal enjoyment of infused foods. As well, the CCA offers a certification program to teach foodies and weed enthusiasts everything they need to know about using cannabis as an ingredient. The next certification course takes place in Vancouver on Aug. 19–20. To get you started, CCA co-founder and director of culinary Travis Petersen serves up these buzz-worthy recipes.

Herb-Infused Stuffed Chicken Breast

Makes 2 servings

iStock / Getty Images Plus

Ingredients

4 tsp (20 mL) Infused Butter (see recipe below)
2 sprigs each fresh thyme, rosemary and sage
1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon zest
1 tbsp (15 mL) dried oregano
1 tbsp (15 mL) dried kief
½ tsp (2 mL) ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp (15 mL) canola oil
2 boneless chicken breasts

Directions

Each chicken breast yields 11 mg of THC.

Every day, people across the United States demonstrate how legal cannabis could save the nation’s economy from the virus-caused downtown. They do so by buying record amounts of weed.

Every day, people across the United States demonstrate how legal cannabis could save the nation’s economy from the virus-caused downtown. They do so by buying record amounts of weed.

Almost all legal cannabis states made medical and adult-use dispensaries essential businesses that could stay open as lockdowns began. The lone exception, Massachusetts, has since changed course. This is good news for industry workers in the state since it now has more cannabis industry employees than hairstylists and cosmetologists. Most legal cannabis states release numbers each month that prove how right they were in making the choice to keep dispensaries open.

Oklahoma provides a great example. Only in the last year becoming a hotbed for cannabis advocates, the state clocked its fourth month in a row of record sales in May. Consumers spent $73.8 million on medical marijuana in April. The sharp rise in sales started with the COVID-19 pandemic, according to The Oklahoman.

And sales could have risen even more in future months. In May, state lawmakers from both parties voted for a bill that allowed dispensaries to deliver weed and for people from out of state to buy cannabis with a 90-day temporary card. 

Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Republican, vetoed the bill.

Cannabis has been pinned as a treatment option for many different disorders lately, many of them seeming completely unrelated. Everything from physical pain to mental disorders and even cancer are said to respond to cannabinoid treatments, but how exactly is that possible?

When you first start hearing about all the different conditions that medicinal cannabis is being used for these days, it almost seems like a gimmick to legalize. Can one plant, not to mention it’s a plant that gets you high, seriously have so many therapeutic benefits? Although it may seem like a stretch, if you have an understanding of the Endocannabinoid System, it makes a lot more sense why cannabis actually works so well in the human body.

What is the Endocannabinoid System?

The only reason cannabis actually works and has an effect on us at all is because of the Endocannabinoid System (ECS). Simply put, the ECS is a network of receptors that exists in the bodies of all mammals, plus the endocannabinoids that bind to them. As a whole, the ECS regulates numerous different functions and processes in our bodies and maintains internal balance and homeostasis.

Researchers have discovered two different endocannabinoids so far, 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) and anandamide (AEA). 2-AG is made from omega-6 fatty acids and is present in fairly high levels in the central nervous system, but it has also been detected in human (and bovine) milk. 2-AG is a full agonist of both the CB1 and CB2 receptors, but it has a stronger influence over the CB2 receptor. Because of this, 2-AG is thought to have a substantial impact on the immune system.

Anandamide (AEA), also commonly referred to as the “bliss molecule”, is believed to play a major role in the in all of our basic daily physiological functions including sleep/wake cycles, appetite, mood, and even fertility; but we’ll get more in-depth on the benefits of this cannabinoid a bit later.

In addition to the naturally produced cannabinoids, there is also a large web of receptors that allow AEA and 2-AG to function the way they do. The two receptors that have been studied most extensively are CB1 and CB2. Cannabinoid receptors sit on the surface of cells and monitor conditions on the outside. Once they sense changing conditions and the body falling out of a state of homeostasis, they signal the appropriate cellular response to restore balance.

Last week was Hemp Week across the USA, but in the state of Colorado a special local event was officially proclaimed by the state’s government.

As we recently mentioned, a national Hemp Week was held last week – an initiative of the Hemp Industries Association (HIA) that is now in its 11th year. Colorado’s state government took things a step further by issuing an official proclamation declaring Colorado Hemp Week; with a slightly different timeline – June 7 – 13.

“Colorado was the first state in the nation to bring back the cultivation of hemp after 75 years of prohibition and we lead the nation in industrial hemp production acreage,” said a post on Governor Jared Polis’s Facebook page. “Hemp is a necessary agricultural commodity to promote conservation and hemp products can provide sustainable solutions and options for consumers and businesses.”

The Proclamation also states Colorado was the first state in the nation to recognize hemp as a food product.

Colorado voters authorized hemp production in 2012, and the first experimental crops were planted the following year. This was before the federal 2014 Farm Bill that contained provisions for growing hemp for research purposes.

Long-known as a cannabis mecca, Nepal would establish a formal program to develop medical cannabis and the hemp sector under a bill that has been proposed in the country’s parliament.

The Cannabis Cultivation Act, put forth by MP Sher Bahadur Tamang and signed by 40 legislators, would require no license for growers of hemp destined for foods, including but not limited to seeds, honey, oil and drinks, and use of the hemp stalk for industrial purposes. Sales and distribution of those products also would not require special license under the proposal.

Research and production of CBD would presumably be licensed under medical cannabis provisions in the bill, but the measure is intended primarily to advance that compound for Ayurvedic and allopathic healing, according to Nivedita Bansal Shah, COO and a co-founder at Janakpur-based Shah Hemp Inno-Ventures (SHIV), Nepal’s leading hemp company.

THC limit is troublesome

However the bill’s recommended THC limit of 0.2% – which follows the current European standard – would challenge those who want to farm hemp, likely requiring years of breeding to develop cultivars that would come in under that benchmark.

“Setting THC limits is not relevant in Nepal unless and until we study our genetic landraces,” said Dhiraj K. Shah, SHIV’s CEO and co-founder. “This law would lead to the import of certified 0.2% THC seeds, destroying our genetics even before we could discover their potential,” Shah said. “This is what happens when underdeveloped countries make laws under the influence of developed countries.”

Six months after the decriminalization of cannabis in Trinidad and Tobago, some early results are in. 

Among other things, the nation has seen a significant drop in cannabis-related arrests. A somewhat confusing rollout and COVID-related delays have, however, pushed back the establishment of a fully regulated medical cannabis industry and fueled an apparent spurt in illicit cultivation.

When amendments to the country’s Dangerous Drugs Act were pitched to the population and members of Parliament six months ago, Faris Al Rawi, the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, said it would be  the country’s most aggressive realignment in the area of drug policy and criminal justice reform in decades. Indeed, the Act allows persons to possess up to thirty grams of cannabis and five grams of cannabis resin without penalty, and it makes possession of between thirty grams and sixty grams of cannabis and up to 10 grams of cannabis resin a ticketable offense. Previously, any amount of cannabis resulted in a criminal penalty. 

So far, some results are significant. An analysis of data from the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service by Cannabis Wire shows that between January and December of 2019, a period before the Act was in force, the country’s Police Service arrested and charged 3,630 individuals for offenses related to cannabis: 3,254 for possession, and 376 for possession with the intent to sell. Since the passage of the Act in December, however, up until the end of April 2020, only 192 arrests have been made: 117 for possession, and 75 for possession with intent to sell. 

Still, parts of the decriminalization rollout have been “flawed,” Nazma Muller, a cannabis legalization activist, told Cannabis Wire. She pointed out, for example, that citizens still have no legal access to seeds, which the Ministry of Agriculture has said they will provide, although the Act has granted them the right to cultivate cannabis since December. Muller has again begun to protest the delays and announced plans to form a union to represent cannabis farmers in their dealings with the Government.

Although there’s a lack of scientific research on CBD due to the compound’s strange legal standing, many experts are hopeful in the effect it could have on eczema.

Eczema is a condition that targets a large percentage of people across the country. Known for irritating the skin and leaving it patchy and red for stretches of time, eczema occurs due to a combination of genetics and environmental situations. Flare ups of the condition can occur from pollen in the air or the types of foods and drinks you ingest.

Could CBD provide some relief for this type of skin inflammation?

Eczema, which refers to a group of skin conditions that can manifest in different ways, is traditionally treated by managing its most prevalent symptoms in order to prevent flare ups. The condition is not contagious and can be very different from person to person, with the most prevalent symptom manifesting as patches of itchy skin.

There is no cure for eczema, which is why people who suffer from this ailment have to be careful, moisturizing their skin often, while also looking for effective ways of avoiding triggers. The ways in which people treat their eczema are varied and personal, ranging from warm baths and gentle soaps to wearing cotton clothes that won’t hurt them.

Although there’s a lack of scientific research on CBD due to the compound’s strange legal standing, many experts are hopeful in the effect it could have on eczema.

Eczema is a condition that targets a large percentage of people across the country. Known for irritating the skin and leaving it patchy and red for stretches of time, eczema occurs due to a combination of genetics and environmental situations. Flare ups of the condition can occur from pollen in the air or the types of foods and drinks you ingest.

Could CBD provide some relief for this type of skin inflammation?

Eczema, which refers to a group of skin conditions that can manifest in different ways, is traditionally treated by managing its most prevalent symptoms in order to prevent flare ups. The condition is not contagious and can be very different from person to person, with the most prevalent symptom manifesting as patches of itchy skin.

There is no cure for eczema, which is why people who suffer from this ailment have to be careful, moisturizing their skin often, while also looking for effective ways of avoiding triggers. The ways in which people treat their eczema are varied and personal, ranging from warm baths and gentle soaps to wearing cotton clothes that won’t hurt them.

Aurora Cannabis Inc. says co-founder Steve Dobler will retire as president and as a director of the company at the end of the month.

Dobler has held the roles at the cannabis company since December 2014.

With the retirement of Dobler, the board will have nine directors.

The move follows the departure of founder Terry Booth, who stepped down as chief executive earlier this year.

Aurora announced in February that it was taking $1 billion in writedowns and would lay off 500 employees as part of a shakeup to its spending plans.

At the end of May, President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. would withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO). The announcement came on the heels of a Trump threat to permanently cut off all U.S. funding for the organization (the U.S. is the largest individual national contributor) because of a supposedly “China-centric influence.”

But beyond squabbles about politics or supposed “foreign” influence, what will this decision have, if any, on the international or domestic cannabis industry?

A Brief History of The WHO and Cannabis

In a nutshell, the WHO is the health arm of the United Nations (UN). It is by definition, an intergovernmental organization created in the aftermath of WWII in 1948 to foster international responses to global health threats. The WHO has, as its primary function, a global coordinating role in developing international public health policy and coordinating global responses to epidemics and pandemics, as well as other diseases. Their responses to diseases, beyond the current crisis, include those for SARS and ebola, as well as smallpox, polio, and measles.

The WHO, named in the three global narcotics control treaties that are now up to sixty years old next year, also has the authority to make scheduling determinations. And that currently is where the friction, if not the debate, lies when it comes to cannabis.

The WHO And Cannabis Reform

Despite expanding reform on a country-by-country basis over the last five years, the WHO has not budged on considering reclassification, although the entity has considered the question for the last three years. Indeed, the WHO recommended that cannabis be rescheduled in 2019, but delayed the vote yet again in early March 2020, about a week before declaring COVID-19 a global pandemic. The decision about the reclassification of the plant as well as the cannabinoids within it, is expected to happen this December. The outcome is widely expected to change THC at least to a legitimate (Schedule II) drug and potentially deschedule hemp. 

It’s well-known smoking cigarettes during pregnancy can increase the risk of harm to the baby and is best avoided.

But in our research, published today in the Medical Journal of Australia, we show using cannabis during pregnancy is also associated with poorer outcomes for babies.

Are pregnant women using cannabis?

While we don’t have data on how common cannabis use is during pregnancy, results from the 2016 Australian National Drug Strategy Household Survey showed 10 per cent to 20 per cent of women of reproductive age had used cannabis during the preceding 12 months. Recent literature from overseas shows the number of women who become pregnant while using cannabis increased by as much as double from 2002 to 2017.

This is likely driven in large part by the legalization of cannabis in many parts of the world. In turn, increasing social and medical acceptance of its use has led to an overall perception cannabis is a safe drug.

In places where cannabis is legal, cannabis dispensaries sometimes promote it for the treatment of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. But there are no studies evaluating whether it’s effective in this context, let alone whether it’s safe.