WeedLife News Network

Willie Nelson called Marijuana an herb and a flower. Others would call it a science, with experts running the business including data analysts, dispensary owners, growers, cannabis infusion specialists, and more. While cannabis is not yet legal in every state, according to a recent Gallop poll, 68% of Americans believe it should be legalized.

What kind of ailments can cannabis help?  

Consumers, advocates, and devotees of natural therapies offer symptoms and medical conditions from autoimmune diseases to seizure disorders. Healthcare professionals and clinical researchers are more conservative, but often cite nausea and vomiting, anorexia, symptoms of, anxiety, sleep disorders, chronic pain and other disorders which can be helped by cannabis. 

CBD, the primary active ingredient in hemp, has been approved by the FDA to treat seizure disorders. Clinical trials have demonstrated efficacy in treating conditions including anxiety, PTSD, and others.

How does a customer know what kind of product they’re getting?  

For hemp-derived CBD products consumers should only purchase products from companies that offer a Certificate of Analysis (i.e., CoA) to ensure that the product is not contaminated with heavy metals, microbes, Delta-8 THC or other compounds that could lead to harm.  

With so many different products, how does a customer know how much to take?  

For cannabis products, consumers are often at the mercy of salespeople at state licensed dispensaries. Most of these individuals may be qualified to guide consumers to an amount of THC that will likely not overwhelm them (i.e., make them feel overtly impaired), but they aren’t qualified to recommend dosing for medical conditions, nor are they licensed to practice medicine. For medical use, consumers should seek out licensed, trained healthcare professionals.  

New hemp legislation has been introduced designed to address unresolved issues associated with the 2018 Farm Bill, including THC limits.

Hemp has been legal in the USA since the 2018 Farm Bill and is defined as Cannabis sativa L. with a delta-9 THC concentration of not more than 0.3 percent by dry weight. Above 0.3 percent  and cannabis is considered marijuana, which remains illegal at a federal level.

This poses a number of challenges for the country’s hemp farmers. It restricts the choice of varieties they can grow, and even among particularly lower THC strains there is the risk of crops going “hot”, meaning the crop needs to be destroyed. Depending on the circumstances, a farmer may also face criminal charges.

Psychedelics may find a smoother path toward federal legalization than cannabis has.

In this segment from Backstage Pass, recorded on Feb. 4, Motley Fool contributor Rachel Warren speaks with Tim Schlidt, co-founder and partner at psychedelic investment fund Palo Santo, about his work to help increase the supply of clinically effective and accessible mental health and addiction treatment solutions. Schlidt explains why he believes the pathway to federal legalization for psychedelics is much clearer than the approach cannabis is taking, for a multitude of reasons.

Rachel Warren: Psychedelic therapeutics, they are starting to gain broader recognition in the mainstream medical community. But at the same time, these treatments are still viewed by many with caution given their potential for abuse and even long-term negative outcomes in some cases. On the other hand, as we've been discussing, Wall Street seems to really be quite bullish about this space. This reminds me in some ways of how many investors have approached cannabis industry, which also as you mentioned faces a quasi legal landscape. I'm curious, do you think that the psychedelic therapeutics market could eventually outpace that of the cannabis market?

Tim Schlidt: I'm hesitant to say, it depends on how we define out pace, of course. I think from a market sizing standpoint, if cannabis could replace alcohol, the market potential there is very, very large. I will concede that point. Where I think this could certainly outpace cannabis is again from a regulatory perspective. I think the pathway to federal legalization is much, much better than the approach cannabis is taking for a multitude of reasons. That FDA pathway to DEA rescheduling I think is very superior. I forgot to mention earlier, we've seen a lot of case studies where this has occurred previously, be it Epidiolex, Marinol, Syndros, Xyrem, there's a lot of now-prescribed medications that were scheduled and got rescheduled upon FDA approval.

Also cannabis, even if you do achieve federal legalization, it's gone by such a state-by-state pathway that I think states are going to be hesitant to give up their tax revenue around cannabis. You're going to see this whole messy patchwork of state regulations versus federal regulations that you're just not dealing with that nearly as much here. It's a lot cleaner as a pathway. They will certainly outpace cannabis I think in terms of their timeline to market. We're seeing that already with maps advancing MDMA for PTSD, that will likely hit the market in 2023. Compass Pathways with psilocybin for treatment of resistant depression likely 2025 that that hits the market. It's within the next few years we could see psychedelics being prescribed for medical applications.

One other comment I'll make, just your comment on potential for abuse. I actually think psychedelics are much better than many known medications that are prescribed. Even we now know cannabis, there is some physical dependency around cannabis. With psychedelics, there's no physical dependency, at least for the classic psychedelics like an LSD, a mescaline, a psilocybin, since these are much more serotonin-based rather than dopamine-based, you don't really induce addictive behavior. Usually, any medications that activate your reward system, which is largely dopamine receptors and operating on those neurons, that's where you tend to see more abuse potential. We also know opioids as well, very potent opioid receptors.

New studies are showing how cannabinoids are helping patients with post-COVID recovery.

COVID-19 has taken countless lives worldwide, but thankfully with the vaccine, many have also been able to survive it.

However, surviving COVID-19 is not an easy feat. In many cases, the dreaded virus leaves damage in the bodies which we can feel for far long after we have tested negative. There are the usual symptoms such as dry cough, fever, colds, and shortness of breath.

The duration and severity of symptoms differs from one person to another, but there are also some people who will experience symptoms that will linger for a longer period of time. Depending on the case, the fatigue, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, chest pains, stomach pains, brain fog, muscle pain, headaches, and heart palpitations among others.

When the symptoms persist for as long as 12 weeks after the infection, this is known as long COVID, and these conditions are not yet well understood. Doctors and researchers don’t know why it happens, who it will happen to, and how to prevent it. Of course, getting your vaccine helps reduce any complications, and a booster shot even if you have gotten COVID will also help. There is not much we can do to help treat it other than rest as much as you can, and for as long as it takes. Additionally, seeing your doctor to check for any complications will also help.

But what else can we do?

How Cannabis Can Aid In COVID Recovery

As we all know, the marijuana industry has grown substantially in recent years, with sales expected to hit $25 billion by 2025.

Revenue growth has been driven by more and more states legalizing the plant. In states like Illinois, cannabis sales pulled in nearly $1.4 billion in 2021,  exceeding liquor taxes by nearly $100 million over the same period, after outpacing it for the first time in February. (article originally appeared on Benzinga)

However, with the plant still illegal under federal law  – something that might change when/if Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and his colleagues file the long-awaited bill this April – conflict and ambiguity regarding the tax policy persist, creating "significant problems" for IRS and financial regulators, not to mention cannabis operators and companies.

With tax season upon us, confusion over whether medical marijuana is tax-deductible has come up, writes Marijuana Moment.

In an interview with C-SPAN's Washington Journal, IRS taxpayer advocate Erin Collins was asked by a caller from Nevada, where cannabis is fully legal, why he couldn't find an option on TurboTax to deduct his cannabis purchases!

Collins, appointed during the Trump administration, said she'd have to "plead ignorance on the marijuana" question "unless you're saying it's a medical deduction.

DENVER, Feb. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - (TSX: CWEB) (OTCQX: CWBHF) Charlotte's Web Holdings, Inc. ("Charlotte's Web" or the "Company"), the market leader in cannabidiol ("CBD") hemp extract wellness products, is exploring the entry into the CBD wellness beverage market with new CBD social elixirs currently under development with an expected launch date later in the calendar year.

"Entering the beverage category is reflective of our increased focus on new product categories and formats to drive our topline growth," said Jacques Tortoroli, Chief Executive Officer of Charlotte's Web. "This allows us to enter this fast-growing portion of the market." 

DENVER, Feb. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - (TSX: CWEB) (OTCQX: CWBHF) Charlotte's Web Holdings, Inc. ("Charlotte's Web" or the "Company"), the market leader in cannabidiol ("CBD") hemp extract wellness products, is exploring the entry into the CBD wellness beverage market with new CBD social elixirs currently under development with an expected launch date later in the calendar year.

"Entering the beverage category is reflective of our increased focus on new product categories and formats to drive our topline growth," said Jacques Tortoroli, Chief Executive Officer of Charlotte's Web. "This allows us to enter this fast-growing portion of the market." 

The Company looks to introduce CBD sparkling elixirs powered by Charlotte's Web full spectrum hemp extracts derived from the Company's proprietary patented hemp cultivars.  The beverages will be developed with best-in-class formulations blended with other functional botanicals and natural flavors and are vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free and non-GMO.

According to The Brightfield Group, the CBD beverage market is set to achieve $245 million in sales in 2021, up 50% from 2020, and is expected to reach $1.3 billion in 2026, representing a 40% CAGR.

Charlotte's Web executive suite has substantial experience in the beverage category. Jacques Tortoroli has over 20 years of global beverage experience through previous roles with PepsiCo, and Pepsi-Cola International and more recently with Bermuda based family-owned Bacardi Ltd. Charlotte's Web Chief Financial & Operating Officer, Wes Booysen, has more than a decade of experience in the beverage industry at Molson-Coors where he was most recently Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Asia Pacific and ‎Africa.

Two of investors' all-time favorite cannabis companies released quarterly results last week. Canada-based Aurora Cannabis (NASDAQ:ACB) and Canopy Growth (NASDAQ:CGC) have made investors rich in the past. Both had an early mover advantage in the Canadian medical cannabis market. However, the last couple of years have been a roller-coaster ride. Besides some of their own mistakes, external headwinds like regulatory challenges in Canada delayed the opening of legal stores, which slowed down growth for these cannabis specialists.

Recent Gallup survey showed 68% of people are in favor of legalizing cannabis.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - Some Tennessee lawmakers said this is the year the state needs to legalize medical marijuana. Democratic Rep. Jason Powell presented a resolution to the General Assembly to give the voters the final say.

Rep. Powell said, “We’ve seen a record number of cannabis’ legislation.”

If approved, voters would get the final say on medical marijuana which could change the state’s constitution.

“It’s time for Tennesseans especially those who are suffering and would benefit from medical cannabis,” Rep. Powell said.

This resolution would need 2/3 approval in both the Tennessee House and Senate to go to the November ballot.

This past summer, a little recognized thing occurred — one of the largest and most respected companies in the world quietly changed its policies in favor of cannabis. That company was Apple. As a result, they joined the ranks of Amazon as a global corporation advocating for policy reform that would open a federally legal, commercial cannabis industry in the United States.   

Unlike the big headlines we’ve seen recently from Amazon, Uber, the NFL, and other mainstream, institutional businesses, showing a positively changing attitude toward cannabis, Apple made no big-splash announcement that this had happened. Yet, this change came at a time of a shift in the cannabis paradigm for voters, policymakers, and the average American. 

The financial technology experts at Artis Intel are ahead of the curve in identifying the imperative to collaborate with tech leaders like Apple to update policy to reflect the mainstream adoption of cannabis. Co-Founder and CMO of Artis, Adair Lion shares, “As a fintech company on the cutting-edge of development in both cannabis and retail, Apple’s Policy changes are a monumental shift in the way our society does mobile transactions.”  

Then political leaders and Fortune 100 companies begin modifying policies and behavior to accommodate something that has been seen as fringe, elicit, or otherwise illegal, the hearts and minds of American start to change. It’s safe to say the tide is turning. 

This past summer, a little recognized thing occurred — one of the largest and most respected companies in the world quietly changed its policies in favor of cannabis. That company was Apple. As a result, they joined the ranks of Amazon as a global corporation advocating for policy reform that would open a federally legal, commercial cannabis industry in the United States.   

Unlike the big headlines we’ve seen recently from Amazon, Uber, the NFL, and other mainstream, institutional businesses, showing a positively changing attitude toward cannabis, Apple made no big-splash announcement that this had happened. Yet, this change came at a time of a shift in the cannabis paradigm for voters, policymakers, and the average American. 

The financial technology experts at Artis Intel are ahead of the curve in identifying the imperative to collaborate with tech leaders like Apple to update policy to reflect the mainstream adoption of cannabis. Co-Founder and CMO of Artis, Adair Lion shares, “As a fintech company on the cutting-edge of development in both cannabis and retail, Apple’s Policy changes are a monumental shift in the way our society does mobile transactions.”  

Then political leaders and Fortune 100 companies begin modifying policies and behavior to accommodate something that has been seen as fringe, elicit, or otherwise illegal, the hearts and minds of American start to change. It’s safe to say the tide is turning. 

A New Hampshire ruling shows some support for medicinal cannabis use in the work place.

Cannabis use in the workplace is a complex issue with many layers. While some states may have cannabis programs in place, workplace laws are a different thing entirely. In a recent case, New Hampshire voted in favor of a plaintiff, who sued a company that fired him for his medical cannabis use.

The plaintiff, Scott Paine, used cannabis as prescription medication for his PTSD. Paine worked at Ride-Away, and had to be tested for drugs regularly. He requested an exemption of drug tests when off-duty, never asking to consume cannabis on the job. Ride-Away denied Paine’s request and terminated his employment.

Willie Nelson and Sketchers partnered up for a Super Bowl ad that’s about shoes, but really, it’s about legal cannabis.

If you weren’t already aware, Willie Nelson wants to legalize marijuana. That’s the message of his Super Bowl ad, only he can’t say it outright, so instead, he’s promoting legalizing comfort with Sketchers.

While never mentioning the word cannabis, the Sketchers commercial is still a significant marijuana moment. Using a weed icon to air a message of legalization during the Super Bowl in the midst of this current wave of legalization doesn’t ask much of viewers to put two and two together, while also being able to skirt the NFL’s rules for their ads.

The commercial is called “Sketchers Legalized Comfort,” and it features and exchange between Nelson and the commercial’s director.

In a statement, Nelson explained everyone’s right to feel comfortable, sending another pro-legalization message in disguise. “I can’t resist making an appearance during the Super Bowl. And I’m doing this because of a message we can all agree on—everyone deserves the right to feel comfortable. From the bus to the stage to a jog around the ranch, staying healthy and feeling good is how I can keep doing what I love.”

Marijuana ads and the Super Bowl have a little bit of history. While a variety of weed companies have tried to run cannabis ads in the country’s most important televised event, the NFL has restricted cannabis use, which means weed ads are a no-no.

Should terminal patients be able to get cannabis while at the hospital or hospice?

Even in states where cannabis has been legalized for medical use, patients struggle to find the information that they need when it comes to using cannabis as medicine.

There’s tons of questions that overwhelm patients: how much cannabis to use, what method of administration is best, how often to take it, and so much more. Given these circumstances, most patients are left to their own devices when it comes to deciding how to use cannabis. And even then, doctors still don’t feel that they are equipped with the right knowledge to prescribe cannabis as a medication or part of their therapy.

Having said that, we are severely limiting the impact cannabis could have on the lives of patients, especially those who are terminally ill. There is already an astounding body of evidence that cannabis can make life more manageable for those with cancer, struggling through chemotherapy and radiation, Parkinson’s Disease, and so much more.

So why can’t patients be given cannabis medications in the hospital, supervised the way they are with conventional medications?

California Is A Pioneer

In December 2021, California Governor Gavin Newsom made waves by signing a legislation from Senator Ben Hueso that would offer more choices for end-of-life options for locals with the requirement that certain healthcare facilities and hospitals would allow terminally-ill patients to use medical marijuana for pain relief or as part of their treatment.

Three years after it was formed, the Michigan Marijuana Regulatory Agency is getting a new name. 

The agency will be renamed the Cannabis Regulatory Agency and take up the task of overseeing hemp processing, distribution and sales in addition to its current regulation of the marijuana industry. (Article originally appeared on Benzinga)

Governor Gretchen Whitmer said in a press statement that these administrative changes will help the state continue growing the hemp and marijuana economy, create jobs and invest in local communities. 

"Consolidating multiple government functions into the newly named Cannabis Regulatory Agency will help us continue growing our economy and creating jobs," Gov. Whitmer said. "And to be blunt-safe, legal cannabis entrepreneurship, farming, and consumption helps us put Michiganders first by directing the large windfall of tax revenue from this new industry to make bigger, bolder investments in local schools, roads, and first responders." 

The Marijuana Regulatory Agency was formed by executive order in spring of 2019 to oversee the regulation of medical and recreational marijuana following the legalization of adult-use cannabis via ballot initiative in 2018. 

Santa Barbara County Planning Commission approves permits for cannabis farms near Carpinteria High School.

One of the largest cannabis greenhouse projects in the Carpinteria Valley, a close neighbor of Carpinteria High School and a flashpoint in the local pot wars, had its permit unanimously approved by the Santa Barbara County Planning Commission this month, amid hopes that an emerging technology from the Netherlands will give residents some lasting relief from the “skunky” stench of pot.

The Feb. 2 vote in favor of zoning permits for Ever-Bloom, an 11-acre cannabis greenhouse operation owned by Ed Van Wingerden at 4701 Foothill Road, came on the heels of the commission’s unanimous approval on Jan. 12 of permits for Maximum Nursery, a 4-acre cannabis greenhouse at 4555 Foothill Road, owned by Ed’s brother, Winfred Van Wingerden.

Under the county’s permissive cannabis ordinance, both cultivation projects, like many others in the valley, have been allowed to operate without permits for more than four years.

Between mid-2018 and last week, records show, Carpinteria residents have submitted 188 complaints to the county about the pungent smell of pot near Ever-Bloom and the soapy “laundromat” smell of the misting system that is used to neutralize it. They said the odors were driving them indoors and, in a few cases, causing breathing problems, headaches and stinging eyes.

Now, the Van Wingerdens are heading up an effort to install the latest generation of air filters in valley greenhouses to get rid of the stink of cannabis in the small beachside community. The coalition’s lawsuit is on hold. Forty of the filters, called carbon “scrubbers,” are expected to arrive in May for Maximum, and more than 100 are under installation at Ever-Bloom, a $2 million investment.

The Legislature can and should end this harmful discrimination against qualified patients and dispensaries.

GRAND RAPIDS — Terrapin Care Station and JARS Cannabis are partnering with Higher Learning Institutions to launch a year-long professional development program for minority entrepreneurs looking to get into the cannabis industry.

The Cannabis Community Social Equity Scholarship will be available to 20 people. Anyone can apply, but applicants will be prioritized if they are from a community that has been disproportionately affected by cannabis prohibition, they have marijuana-related convictions, or have been registered as a primary caregiver in Michigan.

“The war on drugs disproportionately affected many groups and communities in Michigan,” Terrapin CEO Chris Woods said in a statement. “We feel a responsibility to help right those wrongs, and create pathways into the legal cannabis industry for those who were targeted the most.”

Terrapin has been working with Pontiac-based Higher Learning Institutions by providing tours and learning opportunities for students at its Grand Rapids growing and processing facility. Higher Learning Institutions is a licensed vocational and technical school for cannabis and has graduated 100 students since it opened in February 2020.

The 20 recipients of the Cannabis Community Social Equity Scholarship will go through an accelerated program that includes education on cultivation, extraction, cannabis consultation and business affairs related to licensing. The program will include facility tours, guest lectures and one-on-one mentorship with industry professionals. 

In his SONA on Thursday, President Cyril Ramaphosa said that government would be looking to ease policies to help the hemp and cannabis sectors grow in South Africa.

"We will review the policy and regulatory framework for industrial hemp and cannabis to realise the huge potential for investment and job creation."

Ramaphosa claimed 130 000 jobs could be created if the industry were supported and regulatory processes streamlined.

Co-founder of Hemporium Tony Budden, says we should be focusing on developing the market that exists here in South Africa.

CEM Corporation is pleased to announce AOAC INTERNATIONAL’s approval of the analytical method, “Heavy Metals in a Variety of Cannabis and Cannabis-Derived Products,” used for the analysis of toxic metals in cannabis and cannabis-containing products.

This First Action AOAC Official Method status represents a large step forward in cannabis testing. The method, OMA 2021.03, uses high throughput microwave digestion and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to solubilize and analyze arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), and other elements in cannabis products, including edibles, health and beauty products, and cannabis or hemp supplements.

The new method was rigorously reviewed by a panel of analytical science experts and is the first method approved by AOAC for heavy metals in cannabis. The accuracy and precision of the ICP-MS-based method met the AOAC Standard Method Performance Requirements for Determination of Heavy Metals in a Variety of Cannabis and Cannabis-Derived Products (SMPR 2020.001) for all elements of interest. OMA 2021.03 was developed to help cannabis labs determine total heavy metal content in their cannabis samples with simple and high throughput sample digestion and analysis instrumentation.

“The cannabis industry is still in its infancy and looks to experts in the fields of sample preparation and analysis to accurately determine contaminants in their products. CEM is proud to have combined efforts with our colleagues at Agilent to further the development of official methodology that will guide legislation and help cannabis labs."

About CEM

CEM Corporation, a private company based in Matthews, North Carolina, is a leading provider of laboratory instrumentation. The Company has subsidiaries in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Singapore, Germany, Italy, France, and Japan, as well as a global network of distributors. CEM designs and manufactures systems for life sciences, analytical laboratories and processing plants worldwide. The Company’s products are used in many industries including pharmaceutical, biotech, chemical and food processing, as well as academic research.