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In a recent study, Thomas M. Clark, Ph.D., head of a recent analysis, found that “the anticancer effects of cannabis outweigh the carcinogenic effects even in the airways and bladder, where carcinogen exposure is high.” 

Clark headed an August analysis directly on the issue of cannabis and cancer, supported by his sabbatical leave from Indiana University South Bend. At first, Clark had three hypotheses: cannabis increases cancer risk, the benefits and risks of using cannabis canceled out, or cannabis lowers cancer risk.  

At the first analysis of the data set, there was a slight association with cannabis and reduced cancer risk. However, by removing data that did not control for tobacco use, defined as data with a high risk for selection bias, and data at risk for performance bias, the association became medium to large.

Likewise, the data revealed a medium to large association with reduced cancer risk if data related to testicular cancer was removed. However, according to the analysis, “the hypothesis that cannabis use increases cancer risk is not supported by the available data.”  

Making Sense of the Complexity of Cancer Risk 

In the words of Clark, “decreased cancer risk in cannabis users should not be surprising, as cannabis and cannabinoids decrease obesity, inhibit chronic inflammation, reduce fasting insulin levels and insulin sensitivity, and have direct antitumor actions.”

America has a bad case of pandemic anxiety.

COVID-19 infections are rising.

Tens of millions of workers lost their jobs and face dismal prospects of getting new ones.

There is no end in sight.

Anxiety has gone mainstream and so has marijuana.

The cannabis plant is arguably the most dynamic plant on earth. It can be used for medical purposes, it can be converted into fuel, and it can be made into countless types of textiles.

In many ways it would be easier to come up with a list of things that the cannabis plant cannot do versus compiling a list of everything that it can do.

The cannabis plant’s versatility has been on display for many centuries across the globe, with a number of civilizations incorporating cannabis into their cultures.

It wasn’t until cannabis prohibition was implemented in the 20th century that the human use of cannabis for various purposes started to decline, and with it, humanity’s quest to know more about the cannabis plant.

Prohibition’s Impact On Research

During the 20th century most countries around the world expressly prohibited all things cannabis.

These days the list of illnesses that cannabis medicines can be used for grows every day, with research studies being done left and right to test its efficacy against different symptoms and disorders. Most attention is focused on CBD because of its lack of psychoactive effects, while THC is often left out. However, it was found early on that THC is good for the eyes, and has been used to treat conditions like glaucoma for decades.

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Medical cannabis back in the day

Before getting into the restart of medical cannabis in more recent decades, let’s go over some facts about the use of cannabis in medicine. Essentially, it’s been used in medicine for thousands of years, long before it was co-opted by Western medicine in the 1800’s, and then re-introduced once again after a period of enforced illegalization. It’s a part of two of the oldest medicinal traditions, Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese Medicine, both of which have multiple applications for the use of cannabis to treat tons of different ailments. It has been used in many other lesser-known medical traditions as well.

Prior to it being scheduled as a narcotic by the Single Convention on Narcotic Substances which forced a global illegalization, cannabis was being used in all types of Western medicine applications. In fact, it was listed in the United States Pharmacopoeia for the first time in 1850, but dropped from there in 1937 following the Marijuana Tax act. Before the laws changed, it could be found in tons of products, for almost anything. Most people, of course, had no real understanding of this, but it does show that cannabis was being used very heavily in the world of medicine. Considering how many countries were forced into illegalizing the plant, this was not confined to just the US.

Cannabis has existed medicinally in essentially three stages. The first was everything up until the 1800’s when it was used in natural medicine traditions. The second stage was the original co-opting of the drug into Western medicine, and the third is the reintroduction back into Western medicine more recently.

“This is just another way for a celebrity to leverage their own brand equity and to be crass to make money,” according to one industry insider.

This year, the cannabis world has welcomed so many famous people. Some decided to become part of the industry as brand ambassadors, while others launched their own brands. Musicians, actors and athletes have expressed their love for the plant.

But why now?

Was it because the stigma around cannabis has faded more than ever before? Or, was it because of industry growth, which thus presented lucrative opportunities?

It all started with the nic-a-like (first generation), then clearomizer (second generation), and mod (third generation).

The pod, currently the fourth generation, is quickly gaining popularity.

Vaping is now widely accepted, and anyone wishing to delve into it will need a top quality vape starter kit, which is more user-friendly than box mods. 

Vaping technology is continuously evolving to achieve the best performance.

Here are more ways in which technology has changed the face of the vaping world.

New Year’s resolutions can help you start the year off motivated and excited. Here are 5 helpful ideas if you consume marijuana.

New Year’s resolutions have their limitations, but they’re a nice thing to do when looking ahead towards the coming year. These goals can range from something tangible, like losing a set amount of pounds, to something less easy to define, like getting more joy out of each joint you smoke. The latter one seems like an easier and more enjoyable thing to add to your resolutions.

No matter your objectives, resolutions should be done in a way that makes you happy and more fulfilled, never in a way that adds extra stress to your life or makes you feel like you’ve failed at something. For those trying to get more enjoyment out of your smoke sessions, or simply trying to change your relationship with marijuana, here are some healthy ideas for your New Year’s weed resolutions:

Make a smoking schedule

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A schedule can help you smoke more or less, depending on your needs. With lockdown measures and tons of people working from home, smoking and drinking can quickly transform into every day activities, habits that are easy to form but difficult to break. While this works for some, the majority of people need stretches of time where they’re sober in order to work and be productive.

After years of mostly silence on the issue, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has released the “final rules” on how to apply for a federal license to grow cannabis for research. The decision came after the U.S. Congress passed a bill urging an expansion of marijuana research.

Unlike almost anything these days, the bill received strong bipartisan support.

The DEA had issued preliminary final rules in March. It took comments from interested parties and made a few minor adjustments to the rules, according to the final rules published in the federal registry. The new rules go into effect on January 19.

The change will open the door to better marijuana research in the U.S.

It’s been a slow, grinding process to get to the new rule changes. Along the way, a researcher filed a lawsuit against the DEA for holding up the process. 

But the rule change will finally allow companies to get a license to grow cannabis for research purposes. Up until this point, only the University of Mississippi has been allowed to grow research marijuana for the past 50 years. Researchers have said that cannabis more closely resembles the genetic profile of hemp than it does the cannabis anyone can buy at a dispensary. 

David Spradin is the CEO of a California-based marijuana company called Perfect Union.

It has 14 marijuana stores between Los Angeles and Sacramento, six stores in New Mexico and has had stores in Oregon and Washington, says Rick McAuliffe, a Rhode Island lobbyist who now also serves as a director for Spradin’s new local affiliate: Perfect Union-RI.

The company and 27 other businesses all filed applications last month for a chance to run one of six new medical marijuana dispensaries planned for Rhode Island. 

While Spradin’s local venture incorporated just in November, the Californian has been around, buying up one marijuana cultivation operation, in Warwick, and purchasing a Providence site for a possible second — indicators of the interest some outside investors have with Rhode Island’s booming, multimillion-dollar marijuana industry.

Spradin’s Western stores sell in both the recreational and medical markets “and he thinks the opportunity in Rhode Island and the Northeast is very good,” says McAuliffe, particularly if Rhode Island joins several Northeast states and legalizes recreational use of the drug.

There’s still more to be done to improve patient access to medical cannabis in Western Australia says the director of a medical clinic in Perth’s western suburbs.

In November 2019, changes were made to Western Australia’s medical cannabis program to make patient access a little easier. Previously, patients would need a referral to a specialist from a GP in order to gain a prescription for cannabis medicines, but the change enabled GPs the ability to prescribe medicines where a patient is over the age of 16, isn’t drug dependent and doesn’t have a history of drug use.

The involvement of a specialist certainly appeared to discourage access. Between November 2016 and August 2019, only 876 approvals were granted. But further improvements are still required, particularly where medicinal cannabis is classified Schedule 8.

Speaking with radio station 6PR’s Gary Adshead last week, Director of St Francis Medical group David Cooper said doctors are still experiencing barriers within Western Australia’s health system.

“The doctors have to apply to state health if the treatment is a schedule eight or a controlled drug treatment,” said Mr. Cooper – and this was resulting in delays of up to 6 weeks for some patients.

The year 2020 was a dud in many, many ways due to the pandemic. However, it was a record year for the emerging cannabis industry.

Cannabis entrepreneurs around the globe sold a record amount of cannabis and cannabis-infused products.

Unfortunately, no countries legalized cannabis for adult use in 2020, but a number of countries either allowed medical cannabis industries to launch or expand.

Many cannabis industry projections from years ago focused on the year 2020 and virtually every one of those projections proved to be too conservative.

Too many people who claim to believe in free markets don’t trust the American people with personal freedom.    

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article solely belong to the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Fresh Toast. 

One of the most frustrating problems in the efforts to end marijuana prohibition has long been the distrust of freedom and the pretense that we are somehow “boldly going where no politicians have ever gone before.”  

Specifically, marijuana has been sold over-the-counter to anyone over 18 for decades in the Netherlands (not just in Amsterdam.) It also allows for on-premise consumption. And with almost no regulations, except NO HARD DRUGS. And essentially no problems (except on the still banned supply).

However, when Nevada legalized recreational sales, even Las Vegas (!!!) did not initially license on-premise consumption because they were unsure how it might work and what the consequences might be. 

In the whole ‘scare’ industry of marijuana, there’s a lot of weird, often illogical, mainly contradictory, and definitely silly stuff floating around. Often, when investigating further, it’s found that there’s a lot of talk, but not a lot of substantial information that this talk is based on. One of the more troubling theories, as far as I’m concerned, is that cannabis and schizophrenia are linked. Is this something that the standard marijuana smoker really has to worry about?

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What is cannabis?

Cannabis is a flowering plant of the Cannabaceae family. It’s generally split into three species: Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. Some people consider them to be all the same species. Cannabis is known for its hemp fiber properties, its medicinal abilities, and its psychoactive effects, the latter of which have caused the plant to be unnecessarily scheduled in ways that keep it from public use.

Generally speaking, when referring to a plant that is less high in the psychoactive compound THC, the plant is considered hemp, and when it contains a large amount of THC, it’s considered marijuana. The cutoff in the US is .3% according to the last farm bill, but Europe makes the distinction at .2%. This distinction separates what can be used medicinally in many locations, especially where low-THC products are legal, but high-THC products are not.

What is schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a brain disorder which can include delusions and hallucinations for the sufferer. The condition is also associated with disorganized speech, general lack of motivation, and issues with proper thinking patterns. For many who suffer from it, it creates an inability to distinguish reality from fantasy. The symptoms of the disorder often take place in episodes of high intensity, intertwined with periods of normality. Approximately 1% of the population is estimated to have schizophrenia.  As of right now there is no cure for the disorder, and those with the condition are generally relegated to high doses of very strong medication. It is said that with medication, many with the affliction are able to keep their symptoms under control. There is no specific test that will give an answer as to whether a person has schizophrenia. Like many psychological disorders it is merely characterized by its symptoms, and diagnoses are given based on these symptoms.

An Illinois judge has ruled against more than three dozen applicants for craft cannabis cultivator licenses who filed suit against the administration of Gov. J.B. Pritzker for a delay in awarding the licenses. The craft grower licenses were supposed to be awarded by July 1 of this year to comply with state law, but state officials have not yet done so, citing delays necessitated by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The delay has affected the issuance of 40 craft grower licenses, as well as licenses for cannabis infusers, transporters, and 75 additional recreational cannabis retailers, which were supposed to be issued by May 1.

Cook County Judge Allen Walker issued the ruling on December 24 in the suit brought by the Illinois Craft Cannabis Association, which sought a decision directing the Pritzker administration to issue the licenses immediately. In the ruling, Walker wrote that the first emergency order issued by Pritzker to delay awarding the licenses was insufficient. But the judge also ruled that a subsequent order issued by the governor that clarified the delay was ordered because the agency tasked with issuing the licenses, the Illinois Department of Agriculture, was focusing its efforts during the pandemic on protecting the food supply, including livestock and meat production facilities. 

“While (the later order) does not explicitly say: ‘IDOA’s issuing cannabis licenses by the (deadline) would have the effect of diverting needed resources from the pandemic effort thus making it more difficult for the governor to cope with the COVID-19 crisis,” Walker wrote in the order, “that is the point implicitly being made.” 

Trade Group Files Suit

The craft growers trade association filed suit against the Pritzker administration for the delay, citing mounting costs for applicants to rent and maintain facilities for their proposed cannabis operations. The suit claims that Pritzker’s order is unlawful because it failed to identify a sufficient legal basis for the delay and did not set a new deadline for the issuance of the licenses.

In addition to seeking immediate issuance of 40 craft grower licenses, 40 cannabis infuser licenses, and an unlimited number of transporter licenses as specified by state law, the suit seeks allowances for applicants who have lost business sites, employees, or other factors of their licensing plans because of the pandemic.

The final numbers are in for Oregon cannabis in 2020, and as expected, they’re impressive — on both the adult-use and medical sides of the industry.

Combined sales were $95.9 million in December, up 39.2% compared to a year earlier, driving the total for 2020 to $1,110,520,723.

That was a 39.7% increase over the $795.1 million sold in 2019 — a big uptick from growth rates of 22.6% in 2019 and 24.1% in 2018, according to data from the Oregon Liquor Control Commission.

Sales leaped when the pandemic hit in March and stayed strong, with some typical seasonal variation, as the year wore on. As the Business Journal reported, they crossed the $1 billion mark the day before Thanksgiving.

Adult-use sales alone topped $1 billion for the year, ending at $1,001,295,497, up 37.9%.

Employment in cannabis pre-2020 could be seen as more of a job, whereas now, people see the industry as a true career investment.

This year was a rollercoaster ride for the cannabis industry, which had its fair share of highs and lows. There were legalization breakthroughs, while various cannabis companies enforced massive layoffs.

However, there were also those that did quite a bit of hiring.

In November, pot stocks soared on both a Joe Biden presidential win and the legalization of recreational marijuana in four more states (Arizona, Montana, New Jersey, and South Dakota). There's been plenty of optimism that there could be significant changes ahead for the cannabis industry, including the decriminalization of marijuana and moving it off its current Schedule I classification with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). 

But time and time again, cannabis investors have gotten their hopes up after marijuana legislation passed in the House of Representatives only for it to end up going nowhere. Even a change in leadership at the White House may not be enough to move the needle. Arguably, one of the biggest obstacles for the cannabis industry is the U.S. Senate -- but power there could soon shift as well.

Runoff elections will dictate which party controls the Senate

In Georgia, two Senate runoff elections are scheduled for today, Jan. 5. All eyes are peeled on the race, given that Republicans currently hold 50 seats while Democrats occupy 48 (if you include the two independents who caucus with them, Bernie Sanders and Angus King). With two seats at stake, a Democratic sweep would give the party an equal share. And if there is a tie in the Senate, the deadlock is broken by the vice president -- a seat that Democrat Kamala Harris will soon hold.

Why does it matter if Democrats gain control?

Democratic control of the Senate is important to the pot industry, because Republicans have historically taken a harder stance on cannabis than Democrats. While multiple marijuana bills have passed the Democrat-controlled House in the past few years, there's been no progress in the Senate. In September 2019, the House passed the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act. The bill was an effort to help the industry easily access banking services and avoid having to hold excessive amounts of cash, which many argue is a security issue. And even that failed to go anywhere in the Senate.