WeedLife News Network

The Cannabis Control Board will be reviewing its first retail applications next week

Is the U.S. finally ready to give THC drinks a shot? Some industry experts think so.

Now that people are officially smoking more cannabis than tobacco, it’s time for companies to try to make a profit off cannabis drinks. Weed-infused beverages haven’t amassed much success, mainly because THC is difficult to present in liquid form but also because the drinks tend to taste like grass.

Now, there’s a variety of brands hoping to change things by creating THC-infused drinks and providing a new and more accessible method to get high. Still, these products are in their infancy.

CNBC reports that the market is slowly getting crowded, with various companies trying to be the first to crack the formula and deliver the first successful and mainstream THC drink. “The choice for consumers was not as wide in the past but now we’ve seen dozens of companies get involved in the cannabis beverage space,” said Amanda Reiman, VP of public policy research at cannabis analytics firm New Frontier Data.

Some of the biggest beverage companies in America are getting involved in the cannabis drinks space; Pabst Blue Ribbon, Anheuser-Busch, Constellation Brands, Lagunitas Brewing Company, and Ceria are some of the biggest names on the list. PBR is selling non-alcoholic cannabis drinks containing 10mg of THC. The drinks are available in pineapple, mango, strawberry, and lemon flavors, and, since cannabis remains federally illegal, are sold online or in dispensaries located in legal states.

While cannabis drinks have been brought up in the past, some experts are calling this moment unique, and the right time for the drink to have its breakthrough. “There have been multiple false starts for anointing beverages as the next big thing,” said Keef Brands CEO Travis Tharp. “But I think we’ve gotten to a point where we are showing that the year over year growth is something that is substantial.”

A study that analyzed the hospital patient records of cannabis consumers with COVID-19 reveals new evidence to show that consumers had improved clinical outcomes.

The Journal of Cannabis Research published a new study recently that claims that cannabis can help lessen COVID-19 symptoms. The study, “Cannabis consumption is associated with lower COVID-19 severity among hospitalized patients: a retrospective cohort analysis,” used data collected from two Los Angeles hospitals: Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center. A retrospective analysis found decreased severity of symptoms and improve clinical outcomes in relation to COVID-19 patients.

Researchers explained the importance of studying the relationship between cannabis and COVID-19. “In the USA in 2020, an estimated 17.9% of the population (49.6 million people) used cannabis during the past year,” researchers wrote. “Given the magnitude of COVID-19 and the prevalence of cannabis use in the USA, it is important to evaluate how active cannabis usage may affect clinical outcomes in COVID-19 patients.”

Among the 1,831 patients whose cases were analyzed, all were 18 or older. Age among cannabis active consumers was a noteworthy consideration, due to the severity of symptoms experienced differently between young or old patients. “Consistent with known trends, active cannabis users were overall younger than non-users,” researchers wrote. “However, when adjusting for age these outcomes remained consistent. Even more, when adjusting for comorbid conditions, demographics and smoking history we found that cannabis users still had less severe disease progression compared to non-users.”

Cannabis’s unique properties warranted further examination from researchers. “Consistent with our understanding of how cannabis may play a role as an immunomodulator, non-cannabis users were found to have greater elevations in inflammatory biomarkers at the time of admission and during their hospital course,” researchers wrote in their discussion. According to the National Cancer Institute, an immunomodulatory agent is known to suppress the immune system, and assist the body in fighting cancer, infection, and other diseases.

Ultimately, researchers found that cannabis consumption was beneficial for some patients, but more research would be necessary to support that conclusion. “In this retrospective review of 1831 COVID-19 patients requiring hospital admission, current cannabis use was associated with decreased disease severity. This was demonstrated in lower NIH severity scores as well as less need for oxygen supplementation, ICU admission and mechanical ventilation,” they wrote. “While there was a trend toward improved survival in cannabis users, this was not statistically significant. To our knowledge, this is the first study looking at clinical outcomes of cannabis users hospitalized with COVID-19. Further studies, including prospective analyses, will help to better understand the relationship between cannabis and COVID-19 outcomes.”

The legal cannabis industry’s problems go much deeper than a lack of access to banking. This piece is part of CoinDesk's Sin Week.

Ethan Andrew started smoking marijuana during his sophomore year of high school in Colorado to help with his anxiety. 

Like many teens, he said he thought it was “just weed” and did not see the harm in smoking the popular drug containing THC, the active chemical found in cannabis that produces a “high.”

His causal marijuana use turned to smoking potent cannabis flower and concentrates, known as dabs, which contain high levels of THC. Andrew said he smoked every day from morning to night. 

“I couldn’t think or sleep without it,” the 23-year-old told Fox News. “When you’re a stoner, you think, ‘I’ll be fine. In the future, I’ll clean myself up.’”

However, it was too late. Two years after becoming an avid marijuana user, Ethan was only 18 when he developed cannabis-induced psychosis, a condition including severe hallucinations, delusions and paranoia.

“I had to quit my job because the voices in my head were so distracting,” Ethan said, adding that the worst symptom was confusing dreams with reality. “I’d wake up and tell my friends, ‘Yeah, remember when we hung out and did that?’ And they would have no idea what I’m talking about.”

A new TV ad pushing for recreational marijuana is set to hit the airwaves on Wednesday (Aug. 31).

Responsible Growth Arkansas (RGA) is highlighting where some of the taxes derived from recreational cannabis sales will go in this new ad.

Whether Arkansans will see a recreational marijuana use question on the November ballot is yet to be determined as it is still being reviewed by the Arkansas Supreme Court. The State Board of Election Commissioners denied certification of the ballot title, but an appeal from the group’s supporters is being heard by the state’s high court. The court conditionally certified the measure to be on the November ballot while it decides whether the votes will count.

RGA hopes this ad will educate voters on Issue 4 in the meantime.

“The funding for law enforcement, for drug courts, for UAMS for research – I think that as a career law enforcement officer, and now that I’m in the Arkansas cannabis business, one of the questions that everybody always asks or statements that people make to me, I just wish they would legalize it and tax it and use the money for the common good,” said Lance Huey.

Huey is a former Arkansas State Police trooper, sergeant, and served nearly two terms as the Grant County Sheriff. Huey left the sheriff’s office to pursue a career as the Director of Security for the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery. He’s now part of the cannabis industry and RGA.

A new TV ad pushing for recreational marijuana is set to hit the airwaves on Wednesday (Aug. 31).

Responsible Growth Arkansas (RGA) is highlighting where some of the taxes derived from recreational cannabis sales will go in this new ad.

If you do your research and follow these tips, you should have no problem enhancing your meditation practice with a little help from weed.

Marijuana and meditation are kindred spirits in a way. People use both separately to find a sense of peace, tranquility and the feeling of being present in the moment. Marijuana has also infused itself into many forms of meditation over the years.

Weed has spiritual roots in meditation that date back to some of the oldest meditating civilizations. In fact, according to VICE, “The Vedas—historical texts written in India around 1500 BC—name cannabis as one of the five sacred plants.”   

While meditation and marijuana are connected, it does not mean that when you take a bong rip and close your eyes you will find your zen. If you are interested in using marijuana to elevate your meditation, you need to look deeper at meditative practices, and how marijuana affects your mind and body.

In order to have a successful and meaningful meditative practice with marijuana, you need to do a bit of planning. But if you do your research and follow these five tips, you should have no problem enhancing your meditation practice with a little help from weed.

Take The Proper Dosage

Perhaps the most important guiding principle when combining marijuana and meditation is taking the right dosage. The amount of marijuana you need for your meditation depends on exactly how high you think you should be for the practice. Many people like to microdose in order to get some calming effects without being too mentally altered, while others prefer being completely high when they try to find inner peace. 

An explosion of CBD products seems to decorate the shelves of nearly every kind of business these days, offering products from CBD honey to CBD-infused yoga pants (yes, really). It’s more than obvious that CBD has become the latest health and wellness trend.

When the U.S. Congress passed the 2018 Farm Bill, it legalized industrial hemp, which helped launch the popularity of CBD, an abbreviation for cannabidiol. This compound, which is derived from industrial hemp, contains less than 0.3% THC, the psychoactive compound found in hemp’s cousin, marijuana. In South Carolina, marijuana remains an illegal drug, but chemicals like CBD from industrial hemp are legal.

Fetterman pledged to press on the topic of marijuana legalization ahead of Biden’s visit to his state of Pennsylvania.

If the recent polls are any indication, it’s looking like John Fetterman (D) has a good chance of beating Dr. Oz (R) to become Pennsylvania’s next Senator. Ahead of President Biden’s visit to Pittsburgh this Labor Day, Fetterman plans to press on the topic of marijuana decriminalization, an issue that has been one of the guiding posts of his campaign.

Fetterman released a statement this past Monday, urging Biden to deschedule marijuana before his visit to Pittsburgh.

“It’s long past time that we finally decriminalize marijuana,” said Fetterman. “The president needs to use his executive authority to begin descheduling marijuana, I would love to see him do this prior to his visit to Pittsburgh. This is just common sense and Pennslyvanians overwhelmingly support decriminalizing marijuana.”

Fetterman also posted his sentiments on Twitter, telling Biden that he has “the power to use your executive authority to chart a new course.”

During a press briefing on Monday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked about Fetterman’s statements, but she deferred. “When it comes to drugs, the highest priority for the administration is addressing an overdose crisis,” she said. “But at the same time, President Biden believes that there are too many people serving unduly long sentences for nonviolent drug crimes, a disproportionate number of whom are black and brown. That’s why in April, during the Second Chance Month, President Biden announced 17 sentences, commutations, and three pardons, which are more grants of clemency at this point in a presidency than any of his five recent predecessors.”

In a business matter that’s highlighted a tussle between Planning Commissioners and County of Santa Cruz staff, the Commission has been handed a second chance to properly deny a cannabis cultivation operation proposal in Upper Zayante.

Local residents are trying to stop it, arguing it will use too much water and cause other problems—like increased police presence and rats.

On Tuesday, after staff reported the Commission hadn’t acted properly, the Board of Supervisors considered granting the applicant a new hearing by taking jurisdiction.

In his presentation to the board, County Resource Planner Michael Sapunor noted after public hearings in December and March, the zoning administrator gave the go-ahead for a marijuana farm with 20,000 square feet of canopy at 375 Old Mount Road.

Sapunor said the business would have to follow conditions in an archaeological report, use temporary shade house covers on the buildings and install hedges. They’d also have to secure a cannabis business license, he added.

But after hearing testimony from residents who worried about a variety of factors—chief among them water scarcity—the Planning Commission denied the project 4-1.

LEBANON TOWNSHIP - The township Planning Board is scheduled on Tuesday to start hearing an application to build a marijuana grow facility on Anthony Road, perhaps the most controversial issue in the northern Hunterdon County municipality in recent years.

The application by The NAR Group, of Warren Township, to open a 20,000-square-foot medical marijuana cultivation facility at 62 Anthony Road, the former site of the Diamond Aerosol manufacturing facility, was originally scheduled to be heard on Aug. 16, but NAR requested a postponement until Aug. 30.

To accommodate the large number of residents interested in attending, the hearing will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the gymnasium of Woodglen Elementary School on Bunnvale Road.

"Still no indication at this point that we're gonna have the licenses issued and granted anytime in the near future, unfortunately," says Allen Peake

After consuming their pills and THC reaching its peak effect, investigators provided participants with emotional regulation tasks

A new U.S. study seems to support the idea that THC has a positive effect on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Published in the journal Neuropharmacology and conducted by researchers from Wayne State University, the small study signals that the combination of a specific type of therapy and moderate amounts of THC were particularly beneficial for people with PTSD.

Participants were scanned on a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), which measures the small changes in blood flow that occur with brain activity, while researchers conducted regular check-ins on their mental state.

After consuming their pills and THC reaching its peak effect, investigators provided participants with emotional regulation tasks, such as displaying triggering images and repeating this process. The goal of the exercise was to have participants reappraise the images and, thus, help to successfully regulate their emotions.

Results showed that participants who had consumed THC were able to reduce and manage their negative emotions. The compound also activated areas of participants’ brains normally stunted in people with PTSD.

I love University of Kentucky Football and I would often joke with my out-of-state friends that the reason our announcers pump the crowd up with a loud “It’s a First Down Kentucky!” is because, historically, that was all we had to celebrate.

Thank God we have since graduated to celebrating touchdowns and winning seasons.

Right now, we have a Republican super majority in our state house co-sponsoring a popular medical cannabis bill that will inevitably die in the Senate.

Those who have cheered this co-sponsorship in the past have since learned that this is Frankfort’s version of “It’s a First Down Kentucky!” Sadly, the Republican house majority is sleeping on its current legislative leverage while placating our sick and dying advocates, many of which who trudge their wheelchairs through the Capital snow year after year for the same empty promises.

Beshear’s MedicalCannabis Advisory Committee  can change that outcome next session.

How? Optically, this taskforce needs to reach into our rural health communities to enlist doctors who understand the importance of medical cannabis. When working with Secretary Grimes years ago to create the first ever medical cannabis taskforce for our state, we discovered hundreds of medical professionals and veteran leaders who were in strong support of a regulated marijuana program.

Abaca, a financial platform for cannabis operators, and Pacific Valley Bank are partnering as a means of expanding cannabis banking access within the California market.

This marks the first time since California legalized medical marijuana 26 years ago that legal operators in the industry have access to such a combination.

“Many operators across the state have been let down by unsophisticated, unreliable, and unnecessarily burdensome banking solutions,” Abaca CEO Dan Roda said.

“Now, operators have access to the best of both worlds – the human touch of a California community bank with a deep understanding of the unique needs of the market and the powerful technology of a financial platform that enables operators to seamlessly manage their finances online.”

NEW YORK—The state Office of Cannabis Management is taking applications for people interested in applying for a retail marijuana dispensary license, the board said Thursday at a virtual news conference. 

The launch of the application portal for CAURD, Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary Licenses, the first adult-use retail cannabis dispensaries to open, is part of the state’s effort to give business opportunities to those affected most by the state’s once-strict marijuana laws.

BOZEMAN - Recreational marijuana sales became legal this year in Montana, but that doesn’t mean it’s allowed everywhere.

It’s still against policy if a student 21 years or older purchases marijuana and takes it onto Montana State University or University of Montana's campus.

“We certainly recognize the new dynamic with dispensaries all around campus and across the river downtown. So, you know, last spring was a learning opportunity for us, but there were no major incidents,” University of Montana communications director Dave Kuntz said.

The short answer is the federal government hasn’t legalized recreational marijuana. MSU says since they receive federal funds, they must adhere to all federal laws.

The University of Montana has the same policy.

“We'll just continue to work with students and make sure that we’re striking that right balance of understanding the new laws that are here in place, but also, you know, keeping our policies and campus consistent from year to year,” Kuntz said.

The Hochul administration has begun accepting applications from “justice-involved” individuals for retail cannabis dispensary licenses as officials prepare to provide some of those awarded licenses with “state of the art” storefronts constructed and furnished by the state Dormitory Authority.

In response to questions from CNHI, Chris Alexander, executive director of the state Office of Cannabis Management and a Hochul appointee, acknowledged that his agency has no plans to conduct credit checks on so-called social equity applicants seeking to enter what he said is poised to become the world’s biggest marijuana market.

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