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Market research company OH Predictive Insights finds that the legalization of recreational cannabis in Arizona is almost split amongst voters.

The recent poll surveyed by 600 likely voters answered the question, “ Do you believe that marijuana should be legalized for adult use in the State of Arizona?” The survey was conducted between September 8-10.

As a result, 46% likely agreed, 45% opposed, and 9% remained undecided. The effort towards this survey is to see how Proposition 207 will do in November’s election. Under Prop 207, adults (aged 21 or older) would allow one ounce of marijuana for recreational use and up to 6 plants for cultivation; medicinal use is already legal in the state. Unfortunately, between the decline in support from a July poll and the failed initiative Prop 205, the shaky future of Arizona’s Prop 207 will come down to November’s election.

Not the first time Arizonians were split on a decision. In 2016, the proposed Proposition 205 failed to succeed to a 51.3%-48.7% margin, leaving the opposition with a lackluster defeat. The results from a July poll by OH Predictive have shown the swing with voters pro-legalization leading from 62%-32% to now at 46%. The most significant campaign obstacle to make this happen will be working on the 9% undecided.

“As election day nears, voters appear to be focusing on what’s on the ballot,” says OHPI Chief Mike Noble on OH Initiative blog, “And while the campaign to oppose marijuana legalization is anemic compared to 2016, voters still have concerns about the effort.”

In a time marked by shuttered business, depressed consumer shopping, and plunging retail spending, not many markets can claim the victory that the CBD (cannabidiol) market has done so far. Back in 2018, sales of CBD products in the United States alone harvested a generous $600 million-$2 billion. Sales of CBD have actually grown slightly from those impressive numbers in 2019, as more consumer concerned about their health have switched their shopping habits, and now buy full-spectrum CBD online directly from the manufacturers. This is according to a report published by Forbes, which also foresees the figure inflating upwards of $16 billion by 2025.

As a cannabis-derived compound that harbors numerous pharmacological actions, such as antiemetic, anti-inflammatory, anxiolytic and antipsychotic properties, it is understandable why the market has such promising prospects. 

While emerging research is highlighting the benefits of this non-psychotropic cannabinoid, a handful of studies have also spotlighted how CBD lacks the non-toxic properties to cause negative changes on food intake, blood pressure, body temperature, heart rate, gastrointestinal transit, psychomotor and psychological functions.

But just how safe is it and should you be wary of introducing CBD into your lifestyle? Read on to find out.

CBD Research Has Been Suffocated by Classification Standards 

Due to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) classifying the cannabis plant as an illegal substance since the 1970s, strict restrictions have been imposed on CBD research for the past decade. Anyone who wishes to study the plant-derived compound is welcome to do so, buy only if they have obtained the necessary license.

Buying CBD products can be confusing to say the least. One thing that often perplexes CBD consumers is the difference between broad spectrum and full spectrum CBD.

With thousands of CBD products on the market, different brands are struggling to stand out. One major difference between CBD oil tinctures is whether they contain broad spectrum or full-spectrum CBD. It doesn’t help that products are also frequently mislabeled, too.

In brief, the hemp plants has hundreds of natural chemicals in it, including the “cannabinoids” that cause its beneficial effects. The most well known cannabinoids are CBD, the popular supplement, and THC, which is the main “active” ingredient in psychoactive cannabis (a.k.a. “marijuana”). But many other cannabinoids exist.

Both broad spectrum and full spectrum CBD products contain a variety of these natural cannabinoids, but differ in one key ingredient. While neither type of CBD will make you “feel high,” full spectrum CBD has tiny amounts of THC in it while broad spectrum doesn’t have any at all.

But there’s a lot more to learn, so read on to understand more about the different types of CBD oil and why it could matter to you.

Voters have some big decisions to make when they cast their ballots by Nov. 3. A Joe Biden presidential victory could lead to the decriminalization of marijuana at the federal level, which would certainly be a big step forward for the industry though it would stop short of full federal legalization. In addition, Arizona, New Jersey, South Dakota, and Montana could be among the next states to legalize marijuana for recreational use as their voters decide whether to allow adult-use pot.

A new bill has been introduced to Congress by a team of Democratic senators who think it’s unfair that cannabis businesses in legal states are excluded from federal aid while other businesses in the state are able to get a leg up with government-funded help.

Asian countries have not been known for their acceptance of cannabis either as a recreational drug, or for its medicinal value. Thailand is the first Asian country to break stride, legalizing medicinal cannabis, and opening up a global export market.

Change doesn’t always come quick, and Asian countries like China and Japan have been notoriously tough with their drug laws, even cannabis. This is true as well for countries like Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. In fact, getting caught with minor possession in such countries can earn a person a lifetime in prison, or even a death sentence.

So it’s no small feat that in 2018, Thailand’s military appointed National Legislative Assembly voted 166-0 to legalize medicinal marijuana. Before a law goes into force in Thailand, it also must be approved by Thailand’s reigning monarch, King Maha Vajiralongkorn. The legislation went into effect in 2019.

Thailand and cannabis

The legalization of medicinal cannabis, and the opening of a global export market did nothing to change the laws around recreational cannabis in Thailand. Cannabis still remains a category 5 narcotic under Thai drug laws and illegal possession of the plant can garner a person up to 15 years in prison, and approximately a 1.5 million baht fine (about $48,000). If a person is caught trafficking, they could face life in prison, or even the death sentence. The change in laws was covered under the Narcotics Act of 2019, which is a modified version of the Narcotics Act of 1979.

The medicinal legalization is strictly for those authorized by the government to cultivate and use the plant. Users are required to have a doctor’s prescription and a marijuana identification card.

The laws that originally legalized medical cannabis in 2018, are likely to be updated in 2020. The cabinet approved a Public Health Ministry proposal to expand the existing laws to allow patients, medical practitioners, and traditional medicine healers to cultivate cannabis. This authorization, should it pass, would allow a greater number of people to legally grow, including folk healers.

To some, artificial intelligence (AI) may be categorized next to the likes of Bitcoin and blockchain: it’s just another techie buzz word.

For others, artificial intelligence could conjure up images of sentient robots hellbent on world domination.

While artificial intelligence, in some ways, can be those things, what it is in practice often looks much different.

The artificial intelligence that many people talk about today can also be referred to as machine learning, or the process by which software takes in data, learns patterns, and makes whatever adjustments it needs to make to achieve its goal.

The goal in our case?

Independent consultancy NNE and venture advisory firm Volvér showcase the significance of science and risk in devising a manufacturing facility.

How can cannabis producers bring a high quality, reliable product onto the market? Morten Allesoe, Principal Consultant and Christian Carlsen, Venture Partner at independent consulting firm NNE, tell MCN about the importance of factoring in scientific evidence and risk awareness.

“We have previously discussed various steps in the journey from having an idea as an investor or entrepreneur, to creating and delivering the product to the patient and the processes that take place within the body once the patient consumes the product – but we are still missing some of the steps between the initial idea and the launch of an operational facility,” explains Business Director Christian Carlsen.

“We advise our customers to take the science- and risk-based approach with a heavy patient focus, but this is a factor that migrates into the broader strategy on how to qualify the facility and the equipment,” says Principal Consultant Morten Allesoe.

How can a focus on science and risk help solve the challenges faced by medical cannabis producers in an emerging market?

Pharmaceutical engineering and consulting company NNE has provided advice and support to an increasing number of medical cannabis clients in recent years. As the nascent medical cannabis industry has grown and developed, both in Europe and elsewhere, Carlsen has identified some key differences between the field of medical cannabis and the traditional pharmaceutical sector.

Petitioners claim that a recent DEA rule is unlawful because it exceeds the DEA’s authority and violates the 2018 Farm Bill.

On August 21, the Drug Enforcement Agency (the “DEA”) released an Interim Final Rule (the “Rule”), which, in part, suggests that in-process hemp extract shall be treated as a schedule I controlled substance during any point at which its THC concentration exceeds 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis. “Any point” includes even fleetingly during the processing phase and includes situations where the THC percentage is brought back into legal compliance for the finished product.

In response to this threat, close to 2,500 hemp stakeholders have already expressed their opposition to the Rule by submitting comments via the federal public docket. But some have taken their opposition one step further by suing the DEA. On Friday, September 18, the Hemp Industries Association (“HIA”) and RE Botanicals, a South Carolina hemp CBD manufacturer, filed a petition against the DEA and its acting administrator, Timothy Shea, in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

The petitioners claim that the Rule is unlawful because it exceeds the DEA’s authority and violates the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (the “2018 Farm Bill”). Specifically, the Rule contradicts the plain language and the intent of the 2018 Farm Bill, which legalized hemp, its derivatives, extracts and cannabinoids so they could be regulated as agricultural commodities, and thus, fall outside the DEA’s jurisdiction.

In addition, HIA and RE Botanicals argue that the DEA failed to issue the Rule in compliance with administrative procedures imposed under the Administrative Procedure Act (the “APA”). Indeed, Mr. Shea implemented the Rule without providing the public with notice and the opportunity to comment before the Rule went into effect. Instead, the Rule provides that its content “merely conforms DEA’s regulations to the statutory amendments to the [Controlled Substances Act] that have already taken effect, and it does not add additional requirements to the regulations.” (Emphasis added).

October usually heralds the harvest of outdoor cannabis plants, affectionately known as “Croptober.” But this fall, something more serious is in the air: smoke from the wildfires that are ravaging California and Oregon.

Fires are clustered in Northern California’s “Emerald Triangle” and a pair of Oregon counties, areas that are among the nation’s most important for cannabis production. Even if crops aren’t destroyed in the more than 5 million acres of wildfires, massive amounts of smoke and ash will take a toll. Darkened skies can stunt the plants’ growth, said Jill Ellsworth, chief executive officer of Denver-based Willow Industries, which cleans marijuana flower for mold in California and other states.

“We’re hearing that some cultivators are starting to harvest early, because it’s prematurely flowering, and they don’t want that,” Ellsworth said.

In a normal year, around two per cent to five per cent of California’s marijuana crops would fail mold tests, Ellsworth said. This year, she estimates it could be double that percentage as sunlight-blocking smoke weakens plants’ resistance to mold, disease and other pests. Even crops inside greenhouses could be affected.

The impact is expected to extend beyond the flames and haze. The fires will likely hit supplies and cause ripple effects across the country.

A Massachusetts health care system said it is seeing an uptick in children becoming sick after ingesting candies, chocolates and gummies containing THC.

South Shore Health, located in Weymouth, said the many of the THC-laced edibles are packaged to look like brand name candies and snacks.

“Over the past few months, South Shore Health’s pediatric emergency department noted an uptick in incidences involving children who have become ill after ingesting products such as candies, chocolates, sours and ‘gummies’ containing THC,” South Shore Health said in a news release. “One case involved gummies which were packaged to look nearly identical to a leading brand of children’s vitamins.”

The health care system said recently one teen was treated after consuming five (600 mg each) fruit-flavored, THC candies.

"Children often can’t tell the difference between a food product laced with THC and one without. Edibles laced with THC, and intended for adult consumption and dosages, have a greater clinical impact on children based on their smaller size due to the child’s larger “volume of distribution.” said Mark Waltzman, chair of Pediatrics at South Shore Hospital.

Six months after medical marijuana became legal for purchase inside Utah for the first time, the program has already surpassed enrollment projections.

But high demand has also led to shortages in both product and providers interested in recommending medical marijuana to patients.

“It’s been going. It’s been going well, as with all new programs and people starting and really pushing to get up and going like they did early on — and now (producers) are starting to find their traction to be able to keep moving forward,” said Cody James, manager of the Utah Department of Agriculture’s Industrial Hemp and Medical Cannabis Program.

Cannabis is advertised, sometimes haphazardly, as a cure-all for seemingly endless conditions and health problems these days. According to a recent survey, however, marijuana really is helping many women cope with their menopause symptoms.

The arrival of menopause is associated with a number of adverse symptoms, including hot flashes and night sweats. Now, this new research shows more and more women are using marijuana, or at least want to use it, to help alleviate symptoms.

In all, 232 women (average age 56 years old) living in Northern California participated in this research. Over half report dealing with hot flashes and night sweats regularly (54%), while others deal with insomnia (27%) or genitourinary symptoms frequently (69%).

Results show over a quarter of women say they have used, or are currently using, marijuana to help battle menopause symptoms. Another 10% say they are interested in trying cannabis in the future for their menopause problems.

Perhaps just as interesting, only 19% report using a more traditional form of menopause symptom management like hormone treatment. So, it seems marijuana for menopause is more widespread than even some conventional approaches.

Today’s cannabis market is experiencing unprecedented growth.

At the same time, consumers expect a consistent product while also demanding diversity.

Technological advancements in breeding programs are helping cannabis producers meet both of these needs.

By engineering and cultivating a base product that is perfectly aligned with specific goals, producers can now satisfy unique objectives of cannabis organizations throughout the industry.

Innovative new techniques in artificial selection, genetics optimization, and data analytics are making it possible for producers to strike a balance between diversity and consistency.

More than 113 cannabinoids have been discovered in the cannabis plant, including tetrahydrocannabivarin, or THCV. An obvious molecular cousin to the infamous euphoric tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), THCV offers distinct characteristics in the world of cannabinoids.

According to Raphael Mechoulam, the Israeli researcher who discovered THC in 1964, “Most of the cannabinoids in cannabis have not been fully evaluated for their pharmacological activity. Tetrahydrocannabivarin is a potent antagonist of anandamide, a major endogenous cannabinoid. It seems possible that many of the non‐psychoactive constituents of this plant will be of biological interest.”

The Details on THCV

Probably the most distinct — and distinctly marketable — aspect of THCV is its ability to suppress appetite. This characteristic of this molecule is the opposite of THC, which has a reputation for enhancing appetite to create what is sometimes dubbed “the munchies.” This cannabinoid should be avoided by those suffering from anorexia.  

The medical community finds obvious interest in the appetite suppressing qualities of molecules such as THCV. The efficacy of natural and non-addictive products, lacking the side effects of traditional pharmaceutical therapies, is of obvious benefit to consumers suffering from conditions like obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

THCV regulates blood sugar levels and reduces insulin resistance. It is believed to be helpful for osteoporosis and other bone-related conditions. For the same reasons that it is helpful for Alzheimer’s disease, this special cannabinoid shows promise for alleviating the symptoms of and delaying the neurodegeneration associated with Parkinson’s disease. THCV may also prevent and relieve panic attacks in PTSD patients.

What is the Cannabis Industry Up To This Month?

Utah medical cannabis patients have gotten used to a cash-only system, as many banks and credit card companies still refuse to work with cannabis businesses. Now, in light of the hassle and potential theft risk that causes, as well as sanitation risks due to COVID, a new app that allows for cashless transactions is being rolled out. 

Despite being signed into law in July 2019, many of the improvements touted by Jake Honig’s Law, which expanded the state’s medical marijuana program, have yet to be implemented, frustrating physicians, healthcare professionals and attorneys operating in the healthcare space.

With more than 86,000 patients signed up for the medical marijuana program in New Jersey, and a ballot question asking voters to decide whether or not to legalize recreational cannabis, health care experts say many in their industry remain under informed about the medicinal value of cannabis and when or how to prescribe it.

Dr. David Nathan, founder and president of Doctors for Cannabis Regulation, said there were numerous issues the medical cannabis program still needed to address in order streamline the program including the sign-up process for patients and physicians, increasing the number of dispensaries, delivery, home cultivation and allowing nurse practitioners and physician assistants to recommend cannabis.

“My feeling is that anybody who is eligible to prescribe medication in the state of New Jersey should be eligible to recommend cannabis,” Nathan said.

Sheila Mints, a healthcare attorney with Capehart Scathard, said Jake Honig’s Law authorized nurse practitioners and physician’s assistants to register patients for the medical marijuana program but, in practice, that change has yet to take effect.

While most of Washington, D.C. is distracted by the Supreme Court drama, a buzz is building around one particularly green issue — namely whether the U.S. House of Representatives could be set to pass a bill to legalize cannabis as early as this month.