WeedLife News Network

High-end cannabis has made its way to Jamaica's west coast, although that's not new news to anyone familiar with the destination.

Hedonism II, the iconic adults-only playground -- a clothing-optional, lifestyle-friendly, party-hardy resort in Negril -- opened its newest guest amenity earlier this summer.

HedoWeedo is its medicinal marijuana dispensary located within the resort although is independently owned and operated and not part of Hedonism's all-inclusive experience.

Hedonism II joins several other ganja-friendly resorts in Jamaica offering access to weed, including six properties near Negril and one near Port Antonio, under the GanjaVacations umbrella.

In the case of GanjaVacations, the marketing positions it thusly: "Looking for a cool holiday destination to chill, soak in some sun, get a little sand between your toes and score some righteous legal weed?"

Experts have been predicting marijuana legalization in Pennsylvania since at least as early as 2013, more than a year after the first few states in the U.S. legalized recreational adult use. The state didn’t make medical marijuana legal until 2016 and patients didn’t gain full access to medical marijuana in dispensaries until two years after that. All in all, it’s been a long journey, that some now believe may come to an end with recreational marijuana being legalized in the state thanks to the life-disrupting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While several Pennsylvania legislators have fought against or failed to get marijuana legalization passed, current governor Tom Wolf was the one who ultimately signed medical marijuana into law in 2016, making Pennsylvania one of 33 states to legalize medical cannabis. This is why, in August, when Wolf called on the legislature to legalize recreational marijuana, our ears perked up a bit.

Eleven states and Washington, D.C. have legalized cannabis for adult use. Could the man who garnered enough support for medical marijuana do the same to finally eliminate the prohibition of adult recreational use?

Some argue Republican and Democratic leaders are still too divided on the issue to see anything passed. Others say the one thing that makes the conversation different this time is COVID-19. The pandemic has left the state with a gaping $4 billion budget shortfall. Filling that budgetary hole has become a priority for lawmakers across party lines and revenues from taxes on legal marijuana sales could mean an influx of tax dollars to help make up the shortage.

“In challenging times like these, foregoing the chance to boost small business, minority entrepreneurship, employment and state tax revenue can hardly be passed up. That is true now more than ever,” executive vice president of the National Association of Cannabis Businesses Mark Gorman said in a recent statement.

Celebrations for medical cannabis access being added to Nebraska’s ballot in November turned out to be very short-lived. But the fight goes on.

There is no medical marijuana program in Nebraska currently and no other allowances for patients. That may have changed after the November election.

Late last month we reported Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana had announced its amendment supporting patient access to medical marijuana would appear on the November ballot. More than 182,000 petition signatures were delivered to support the initiative. However, the group expected a legal fight to keep it there and certainly got one.

Late last week, the Nebraska Supreme Court issued an opinion to remove the constitutional amendment from the ballot. Five judges ruled against the amendment’s inclusion and two supported it.

The amendment being dropped was based on a constitutional requirement that all proposed initiatives must be a “single subject”, to avoid voter confusion and attempts to have two separate and different issues being rolled into one to get something over the line. It appears the amendment was viewed to have multiple subjects, the right to access medical marijuana for medical purposes – and supply. But you can’t really have one without the other.

Celebrations for medical cannabis access being added to Nebraska’s ballot in November turned out to be very short-lived. But the fight goes on.

There is no medical marijuana program in Nebraska currently and no other allowances for patients. That may have changed after the November election.

Late last month we reported Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana had announced its amendment supporting patient access to medical marijuana would appear on the November ballot. More than 182,000 petition signatures were delivered to support the initiative. However, the group expected a legal fight to keep it there and certainly got one.

Late last week, the Nebraska Supreme Court issued an opinion to remove the constitutional amendment from the ballot. Five judges ruled against the amendment’s inclusion and two supported it.

The amendment being dropped was based on a constitutional requirement that all proposed initiatives must be a “single subject”, to avoid voter confusion and attempts to have two separate and different issues being rolled into one to get something over the line. It appears the amendment was viewed to have multiple subjects, the right to access medical marijuana for medical purposes – and supply. But you can’t really have one without the other.

For Australian football player Ryan Gale, his previous years of athletic glory have been replaced by a harsh new reality.

Gales lives with chronic pain due to his injuries and required a hip replacement at just 33-years-old.

“I don’t think I ever went one week without pain somewhere,” Gale told 7NEWS.

Now Gale and other ex-athletes are hoping to benefit from a medical cannabis trial that is underway at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne and Emerald Clinics in Perth.

The trials are being conducted by Zelira Therapeutics, a medical cannabis company, and seek to demonstrate the efficacy of medical cannabis for patients who traditionally rely on opioids for chronic pain.

Just as the cannabis industry has grown at a rapid rate over the past five years, the grow room environment has also experienced significant evolution.

Growers are seeking to produce massive harvests and secure a place in the market, and in doing so are coming up against some major challenges associated with producing at scale.

This is a new frontier for many and a new field that requires different ways of thinking.

The “Secret Sauce” Mentality

One of the top challenges with scaling up cannabis production is the lack of standards in place.

It’s seriously hurting the industry right now by contributing to an information vacuum, especially as it relates to HVAC systems.

One subject on which the generations definitely agree, however, is their mutual appreciation for and enthusiastic use of cannabis, according to a new study by U.K.-based Verilife, which hosts dispensaries n six U.S. states.

Even that appreciation, however, dissolves into generational differences, Mehul Patel, COO of Verilife’s parent company PharmCann, told LeafReport. “Cannabis bridges the generational divide,” Patel said. “Our recently commissioned Verilife study shows baby boomers are twice as likely as millennials to look to cannabis for medical purposes; and relaxation is the top reason for consuming recreationally for both generations.”

The study surveyed 1,000 millennials ages 24 to 39 and 1,000 boomers ages 56 to 74, from late May through early June. Among its more findings:

In terms of the differences in uses cited, medical use broke down to 22 percent for millennials, versus 50 percent for boomers.

Percentages of use by the two groups included: millennials and chronic pain, 27 percent, as well as migraines, 13 percent; and boomers and arthritis, 15 percent, and chronic pain, 13 percent. Boomers (60 percent) were much more likely than millennials (46 percent) to talk to a doctor before embarking on usage.

Focusing on novel traits of cannabis plants, a partnership among CannaPacific, Xing Technologies and Newcastle University, seeks to develop “one of the most advanced medical cannabis genomic breeding programs in the world,” notes a statement from CannaPacific.

It is hoped that engineering novel cannabis varieties with less variability and more productivity will lead to new low-cost medicinal formulations and improved delivery of products.

“There is over 100 cannabinoids in the plant, and many are still yet to be exploited,” says CannaPacific chief executive Joshua Dennis, according to the Newcastle Herald. “THC and CBD are there in the highest quantities, but there is a whole gamut of other cannabinoids in the plant in really low quantities,” Dennis says.

Minor cannabinoids, some of which have been shown to have medicinal benefits or promise, are present in strains. The trick will be identifying the new varieties with more of them.

By developing genetic markers, it will be possible to identify specific significant parts of the plant genome and “select which plants to incorporate into our breeding program in order to combine desirable traits such as specific cannabinoid profiles and yield,” Professor Christopher Grof, director of the university’s Centre for Plant Science, says in the CannaPacific release.

Numerous studies have revealed the many health benefits of incorporating CBD into your life.

In fact, even healthcare professionals are finally starting to acknowledge the healing properties that come with the drug.

Due to recent popularity, CBD is easily accessible and comes in a variety of forms.

There are coffees, teas, capsules, candies, creams, shampoos, and a stunning variety of products to suit every taste.

Whether you’re a newbie or an enthusiast, if you’re looking to incorporate some healthy CBD into your diet through innovative and creative products, you’ve come to the right place.

This has been an unforgettably difficult year for many Americans. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has cost lives, jobs, and completely upended our normal societal habits. But amid this chaos is the reality that, in just 51 days, Americans across the country will head to their local voting booth or mail in their ballots to decide who'll lead this country for the next four years.

Keep in mind that it's not just the presidency or the make-up of Congress that'll be decided on November 3, 2020. Residents in six states will be heading to the polls to decide if marijuana will be legalized from an adult-use or medical standpoint.

We entered 2020 with two-thirds of all states having legalized medical pot, along with 11 states that have legalized the consumption and/or retail sale of recreational weed. By the time the November election is over, there could be as many as two new states to legalize medical marijuana and up to four new states that might wave the green flag on adult-use cannabis.

Here are the five states guaranteed to be voting on marijuana in November.

New Jersey

All the way back in mid-December 2019, New Jersey became the first state to guarantee that there would be a marijuana initiative on its November ballot. Interestingly, New Jersey appeared to be very close to legalizing recreational cannabis at the legislative level during the first quarter of 2019. However, momentum for a legislative approval was derailed by a late push for certain social reforms. 

Including CBD in your skincare is so hot right now. It’s estimated to be a $580 million global market. But it may not just be a fashionable fad – research is indicating cannabidiol may be effective in treating a number of skin problems.

CBD, or cannabidiol, is a natural chemical compound found in hemp and marijuana. The cannabinoid isn’t intoxicating, it won’t get you high and it is seriously gaining traction in the world of medicine for its potential to reduce the effects of anxiety, insomnia, pain, inflammation and some forms of epilepsy. Skin conditions such as acne, eczema and psoriasis may be next on the list of conditions treated or managed by CBD.

While many skincare treatments focus on the wellness angle, boasting CBD as a natural ingredient that soothes and calms skin, it’s likely that there’s a lot more to the use of serums or oils containing CBD. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of CBD lend to its use in topical treatments that relieve inflammation or dryness, as well as being a option worth investigating for those with sensitive skin.

Promising for acne sufferers, research has shown CBD reduces the production of sebum; sebum being the oil secreted from glands present in skin. So, incorporating a CBD topical treatment in your skincare regime has potential to unclog your pores, while calming the redness and oiliness of your skin.

Studies looking into cannabinoids’ role in the management of the body’s response to injury and infection indicate that the use of CBD could treat and permanently fix skin problems while simultaneously reducing skin sensitivity. Unlike many other topical treatments that just temporarily soothe your skin, CBD might not just reduce your symptoms; it may get rid of them altogether.

Medical marijuana sales from Aug. 21 through Wednesday ticked up compared to the last reporting period, according to the sales report the state revenue agency released Friday.

Daily sales during the 20-day period that ended Wednesday were $600,000 on average. The daily sales average during the 16-day reporting period that ended Aug. 20 was $592,000. The Department of Finance and Administration said the 29 dispensaries in operation during the most recent reporting period averaged $20,698 in daily sales.

About $12 million in sales from 1,766 pounds sold was reported during the 20-day period. Since the state's first legal sale of the drug in May 2019 in Garland County, dispensaries have reported $143 million in sales from 22,530 pounds sold. More than half the sales revenue occurred in the past four months.

Suite 443, where the first legal sale of the drug in Arkansas was transacted last year, was third in sales for the second-straight reporting period. It reported 119.52 pounds sold for the 20-day period that ended Wednesday. The Malvern Avenue dispensary in unincorporated Garland County was second in sales during the 21-day period that ended Aug. 4 and fourth during the 19-day period that ended July 14.

Green Springs Medical, the only dispensary in Hot Springs' city limits, ranked 11th with 71.4 pounds sold. It was the daily sales average leader for more than a year, but as more dispensaries have come online its market share has shrunk.

The money was supposed to fund veteran programs but instead Missouri is burning through cash to defend itself in court.

In 2018, Missouri voters approved a ballot measure to legalize medical marijuana in the state. Two years later and licensed sales have yet to occur. Instead, businesses that applied for a license and were rejected have filed more than 800 lawsuits against Missouri. To date, 785 of the cases remain unresolved.

Missouri regulators have spent $1.3 million in court fees defending themselves against the 853 appeals filed. Lisa Cox, the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) spokeswoman, said these were a one-time fee associated with getting the program off its feet. There were 2,270 facility applications sent to the state, but only 348 licenses were awarded.

“The number of appeals is not an indication of flaws in the process, but rather the high number of applicants,” Cox told The St. Louis Dispatch.

Funds generated from the program support operating and administrative costs. Whatever is left over gets deposited into a newly created Veterans’ Health and Care Fund. Although business application and medical card fees produced $19 million as of December 2019, the Missouri Veterans Commission, which determines how to spend allocations, has yet to receive a penny. However, a state release announced the DHSS had transferred $2.1 million to the Veterans’ Fund over the weekend.

The aging process for humans can really be a sad thing.

As time goes by the human body starts to break down and condition(s) develop.

Unfortunately, it’s a reality that cannot be overcome.

Getting older can be a tough thing to navigate for many people.

The aches and pains are a constant reminder that Father Time is undefeated.

Curaleaf, the state’s largest medical marijuana company, has announced it will open its second New Jersey dispensary in Bordentown Township early next year.

The Massachusetts-based company announced it will open its first satellite dispensary on Route 130 North. It currently operates a dispensary and cultivation site as Curaleaf NJ in Bellmawr.

The company said it will begin construction on its 9,000-square-foot dispensary in the fall. It has 92 dispensaries in 23 states.

The dispensary is one of several expected to open in the coming months, including MPX NJ in Atlantic City, TerrAscend in Phillipsburg and a second location of Harmony in Hoboken.

That will bring the total number of dispensaries in the state to 15. But more than 85,000 patients have enrolled in the program, and they often face lines, product shortages and long drives to get to dispensaries.

Research continues to prove what many have been saying for years: cannabis can stay in the system for a long time after the substance was used, and therefore cannabis blood tests are not a fair way to tell if someone has just used cannabis.

A new study titled “Residual blood THC levels in frequent cannabis users after over four hours of abstinence,” which appeared in the Drug and Alcohol Dependence journal, provides more evidence that alcohol can stay in the bloodstream long after a high has passed or after cannabis has been used. The study was conducted by researchers affiliated with the University of British Columbia, and then their results were published in an official study.

“Some stakeholders worry that current per se limits may criminalize unimpaired drivers simply because they use cannabis,” the researchers explained. “We conducted a systematic review of published literature to investigate residual blood THC concentrations in frequent cannabis users after a period of abstinence.”

So far, the study shows that if more than 2ng/ml are detected in the blood from cannabis use, they can persist for an extended period of time, so it’s not fair to look at that amount in the bloodstream and claim someone was recently exposed to cannabis, and it is certainly not fair to determine the person is still intoxicated. 

Authors reported: “[I]n all studies where participants were observed for over a day, blood THC [levels] in some participants remained detectable during several days of abstinence,” with some subjects continuing to test positive for up to 30 days. Some subjects also demonstrated a so-called ‘double hump’ pattern “where their THC levels rose toward the end of the week after an initial decline.

The image has become familiar: presented by floor-to-ceiling shiny windows and a smiling, iPad-holding greeter, dispensaries in California look far more like an Apple Store than the smelly back alleys and strip mall parking lots where we used to buy our weed.

No longer the “devils lettuce,” cannabis is now a feature of “wellness,” and “plant medicine.” If Don Draper were real and working today, he’d certainly be pushing pot.

Marijuana possession arrests in the state of Texas dropped 30% in 2019 compared to the previous year, according to data recently released by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS).

Texas legalized hemp last year, forcing law enforcement officials to drop low-level marijuana cases across the state due to the crop being virtually indistinguishable from the psychoactive and illegal form of cannabis. 

In order to prosecute someone for marijuana possession, a test proving the seized plant contains a THC content above 0.3% would need to be carried out.

However, as most crime labs in Texas are unable to perform potency tests, prosecutors have been dumping cases involving the possession of small amounts of potential weed, which is punishable with up to 180 days in prison or a $2,000 fine. 

The data released by the DPS showed there were roughly 63,000 marijuana prosecutions in Texas in 2018. Last year, the number dropped to 45,000 as the new law legalizing hemp took effect. Meanwhile, cannabis manufacturing arrests fell from 2,700 to 1,900 during the same period.