WeedLife News Network

San Diego County cannabis activists have set their sights on the upcoming election as their next chance to affect change.

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors declined to take action on a proposal that would end a ban on cannabis businesses in unincorporated areas of the county and establish the framework for a social equity program in a regulated marijuana industry. The motion to approve the proposal from Supervisor Nathan Fletcher died a quick death at a meeting on Wednesday when it failed to receive a second from any of his colleagues on the board.

Fletcher’s proposal would have ended a ban on commercial cannabis activity enacted by the board in 2017. Under that ban, no recreational cannabis businesses are permitted to operate in the unincorporated areas of California’s southwestern-most county. Additionally, five medical marijuana dispensaries currently operating would be forced to close by 2022.

After the meeting, Fletcher issued a statement expressing his disappointment in his fellow board members, calling out one vocal cannabis opponent by name and noting that the proposal enjoyed support from many civic leaders in the county.

“Our proposal would have allowed for the development of a cannabis industry that is safe, regulated, and legal. Instead, led by Supervisor Kristin Gaspar, the Board doubled down on an outdated and out-of-touch view of legal cannabis,” Fletcher said in an email. “By saying no to  creating a regulated market, they have opened the floodgates for more illegal shops, more criminal activity, and substantial losses in tax revenue to our county.”

What’s the difference between stepping inside a neighborhood weed store and retail outlets designed to cater to the alcohol consumer?

Back when cannabis advocates were first successfully moving to legalize marijuana for recreational use at the state level, one of the most popular phrases used to describe what that might look like is “in a manner similar to alcohol.” The gist of the pitch was that upon the legalization of marijuana, there would be a taxed and regulated market put into place — same as the alcohol trade — that would allow adults 21 and older to buy cannabis products close to the same way they might purchase beer at a liquor store.

Fast forward a few years and there are now marijuana dispensaries open in several states, with more of them set to come. But what is the difference between stepping inside a neighborhood weed store and retail outlets designed to cater to the alcohol consumer? You might be surprised to learn that the two are very different.

Unlike the average liquor store, marijuana dispensaries like to make sure a person is of legal age before they ever step inside. These establishments typically have security personnel standing at the entrance to check IDs.

You won’t see a weed buyer standing at the cash register of a cannabis dispensary patting their pockets in a panicked quest to produce a driver’s license that may or may not exist. You know the ones who might say, “I don’t know what to tell you, I guess I left my ID at home,” while trying to convince the clerk that they are indeed 21. Without proof that a person is a legal age to buy weed, they simply are not getting any further than the front door. 

Alcohol customers can walk into a liquor store and track down their beverage of choice without much social interaction. They do not need to be told where to find the Mad Dog 20/20, and they sure don’t need someone to explain to them how the beverage might make them feel. 

Massachusetts health officials are getting ready to phase vapes back in.

Last year, in November, Massachusetts quarantined at least 600,000 vape products during the vaping sickness scare. Now, these products can be retested and either sold or recycled into new products, as long as they pass additional testing performed at approved facilities. 

According to a press release from the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) in Massachusetts released Monday, now that three rounds of testing and a public comment period have passed, the businesses can proceed with making use of these products, as long as they are clearly labeled with warnings explaining they were previously quarantined after passing the testing cycle. 

After two testing attempts, the products must be thrown out if they do not pass. The public comment period allowed people to speak out about whether or not they supported the reuse or use of these products or saw any issues with the attempt to salvage any of them. Only after this time was it deemed that the products could be further tested and then resold or repurposed. 

“Since the Commonwealth declared a vaping public health emergency last fall, the Commission has dedicated significant energy and resources to investigating the additives, hardware, and storage practices that licensees use to produce and sell cannabis vaporizer products,” Commission Executive Director Shawn Collins said in the press release. “Fortunately, repeat tests of licensed product samples did not return any detectable levels of [vitamin E acetate]; unfortunately, they did establish that heavy metal contamination may increase in vaping products over time.”

Supporters are concerned the 69-year-old diabetic, who is not set to be eligible for parole until he reaches his late 80s, may not survive the ordeal

Although Michael Thompson has been in jail for more than 25 years for selling weed, he may be facing a death sentence.

Thompson is Michigan’s longest-serving non-violent offender. He was convicted of selling three pounds of cannabis to a police informant in 1994 and was incarcerated in 1996 after being sentenced to 42 to 60 years in prison.

He has now been hospitalized with presumptive COVID-19 along with a group of fellow prisoners from Michigan’s Muskegon Correctional, reportsBenzinga Cannabis. Supporters are concerned that the 69-year-old diabetic, who is not set to be eligible for parole until he reaches his late 80s, may not survive the ordeal.

Thompson previously expressed concerns about the spread of the coronavirus in prisons and how it may impact him, saying in June that if he contracted the virus, “it’s over with. I don’t want to die. I’ve done almost 25 years and then to die from something, some virus. When is someone going to finally hear the cries?”

Penn State College of Medicine researchers have found products containing cannabinoids may have impacts on the effects of some conventional prescription drugs.

The researchers have put together a list of 57 medications that may not function as intended when used with cannabis products including medical cannabinoids, CBD oil and medical or recreational marijuana. This could involve prescription drugs not being as effective, or their effects boosted. All the prescription drugs listed have a narrow therapeutic index – meaning the doses are usually prescribed at levels high enough to be effective, but not at a level that could cause harm.

There are some widely used medications on the list including warfarin, which is an anti-coagulant that prevents blood clots from forming.  Warfarin is commonly used to prevent stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation, valvular heart disease or artificial heart valves. Other classes of drugs include, but are not limited to, antibiotics, anti-convulsants and pain medications.

The researchers, Professor Kent Vrana and pharmacist Paul Kocis, have also published a list of 139 medications that could have a potential drug-drug interaction with a cannabinoid.

This is important research that demonstrates why it’s important for doctors to brush up on cannabis and for patients to be honest with their doctors about their cannabis use, whether its medicinal or recreational.

A report released by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) this week revealed that THC levels in cannabis products sold in the state are on the rise.

The THC in Colorado Marijuana Report 2020, compiled by the CDPHE’s Retail Marijuana Public Health Advisory Committee, also takes a look at the health implications of the rising potency of marijuana in Colorado, which was one of the first two U.S. states to legalize recreational sales. 

Since legalization took effect in 2012, the report notes “it is apparent that progress has occurred quicker in the marijuana industry than in science.”

“The sheer quantity and variety of marijuana products available on the retail market place is proof of this rapid advancement,” it continues, before concluding that, based on various studies, this trend of increasing THC concentration has been “happening worldwide and it appears to be increasing on a yearly basis.”  

On average, cannabis flower bought on the Colorado market has 19.56% THC, however, the report underlines there have been instances of “some retail marijuana stores advertising up to 95% THC in concentrate products.” 

Some holidays seem to roll around at just the right time, like my birthday when the last dregs of Christmas largesse are spent, Memorial Day when we need one last long weekend to get us through the school year before summer vacation, and now, National CBD Day on August 8th, just when the CBD market needs a boost from the deflating impacts of Covid-19. 

In a July 2020 report by The Brightfield Group, data analysts projected that CBD sales for 2020 will only be up 14% from 2019 rather than the 30% originally projected due to impacts of the Covid crisis. Store closures, spiking unemployment, and inaction by the FDA are all contributing to a sluggish market. The report also shows that nearly half of CBD consumers have moved their purchasing online due to coronavirus. CBD sales may be suffering due to the pandemic, but the surge in conditions triggered and exacerbated by the virus, such as anxiety (ranked the number one ailment of CBD users), depression (ranked second) and insomnia (ranked sixth) indicate that demand for CBD products will only increase as Covid-19 maintains its grip. 

Among the most popular products right now are edibles, with 33% of US consumers stating an increase in consumption when surveyed in June, with higher dosages reported among all products used. Vape products appear to be declining in popularity, however, due to negative media attention around inhalants and the increased likelihood that inhalant users will experience serious complications with Covid-19.  A surplus of hemp biomass is causing an overall price drop as well as hefty promotions and flash sales to incentivize consumers to sample the array of new products on the market, such as those with trendy ingredients like turmeric and ashwagandha as well as some lesser-known cannabinoids like CBG and CBN. Additionally, CBD companies are inundating the market with innovative products that go beyond the standard capsule and tincture delivery methods.

One example is VCC Brands’ Subtle Tea, a vegan, keto-friendly way to refresh the body and rejuvenate the mind with flavors like Jasmine Green Tea with Lychee and White Peach Tea with Cardamom. Another is TOCA Botanicals TOTO CBD Lubricant, to inspire pleasure and relaxation of a more intimate variety. Humans aren’t the only species feeling the shaky vibes of the 2020 rollercoaster, which is why Harvey’s All Naturals introduced their  Harvey’s All Naturals Elixir for Pets to address pet stress and anxiety as well as pain and inflammation.

2020 has been a rocky year for the economy, but with the FDA inching closer to a clearer, more consistent regulatory framework and the demand for products that can ease the tensions of one of the most dramatic periods in recent history ever rising, the CBD industry is poised for a major rebound. And with new products hitting the market just in time for National CBD Day (and beyond), there just might be a CBD product out there for everything the Covid Era still has in store.

s legal cannabis markets continue to expand rapidly across the globe, Canada is uniquely positioned to develop international safety guidelines for the emerging industry.

On Tuesday, safety science consultant firm UL said it has teamed up with the Standards Council of Canada to host a workshop to address the safety, security and sustainability of the global legal weed industry.

The workshop will kick off in November and cover three distinct areas:

Anyone who suffers from chronic pain would quickly tell you what a terrible affliction it is.

For some chronic pain sufferers, the condition can be a nagging thing that they have to deal with on a daily basis.

Unfortunately, for other chronic pain sufferers, the pain can be debilitating and have a tremendously negative impact on a person’s life.

Various treatments exist to help chronic pain sufferers.

One of the most common is the use of opioid medications, which can often cause more harm than good.

A researcher at West Virginia University has received $200,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to study industrial hemp for two years.

One of the many factors Michael Gutensohn, an assistant professor of horticulture in the Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design, will be studying is the THC levels in hemp plants. THC is the psychoactive compound in hemp and cannabis that causes someone to get high and hemp growers are only allowed to have 0.3% of it in their plant. However, this is hard to control because very little is understood about the hemp plant since growing it was illegal until 2018.

If you look at hemp, there’s very little [understood], but on the flip side of that, any grower that grows hemp has the same questions and issues as, say, someone who grows corn would have. There’s a huge gap in knowledge and we really need to do some research there and we’re almost decades behind some of these other crop systems.

Michael Gutensohn – WVU Assistant Professor

Because very little is known about why hemp plants go hot, the term for when they exceed the 0.3 percent THC limit, growers often have to discard their harvest or wait and hope the concentration drops, according to a WVU press release. Gutensohn said this problem is far from rare and as a result growers are suffering, and in need of answers.

According to a new report by the research firm New Frontier Data, the legal retail sales of marijuana and marijuana products in the United States reached all-time highs during the months of April and May.

According to the report which covered 24 legal recreational or medical marijuana programs, “Average consumer monthly spending rose to record highs in April and May, reaching $290 and $296, respectively.”

They found that “One unanticipated effect of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the growth acceleration of legal cannabis markets (and erosion of the illicit markets) in those states which have activated both medical and adult-use sales.”

The report states that “One unanticipated effect of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the growth acceleration of legal cannabis markets (and erosion of illicit markets) in those states which have activated both medical and adult-use sales. In 2019, the total combined illicit market for cannabis in the United States was an estimated $64 billion, which through the growth of currently legal markets is projected to shrink some $4 billion by 2022.”

It continues by stating that: “Through higher sales and increased patient participation in medical-only markets, the second quarter of 2020 saw surging patient counts in medical markets – particularly in those having 1) lower barriers to entry (i.e., less restrictive qualification requirements), and 2) more accessible markets (i.e., greater density among dispensaries).”

Arkansas-based beer distributor Premium Brands of Northwest Arkansas is adding a hemp beverage to its lineup.

An analysis of police arrest data in Albany, New York shows that racial disparity in the enforcement of marijuana laws in Albany continues, despite assurances from the city’s police chief that the issue would be investigated following a report from a civil rights group last year.

In April 2019, the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) released a report on the enforcement of cannabis laws that showed that Black people were far more likely than white people to be arrested for a marijuana violation in Albany. The disparity was documented despite strong evidence that the two groups use marijuana at approximately the same rates nationwide.

At that time, Albany Police Chief Eric Hawkins, who is Black, said that the city’s police did not target the Black community and that the disparity in arrests would be investigated. However, an analysis of police data by the Albany Times Union found that between July 9, 2019 and the same date this year, 97% of those arrested or cited for a marijuana offense in the city were Black. 

During that time, Albany police issued citations or made arrests for 134 marijuana offenses, the majority of which were civil violations or low-level misdemeanors, including 76 citations for marijuana possession. Only four of those charged with a marijuana offense during the time period were white. 

After the NYCLU report was released last year, the Albany branch of the NAACP met with police representatives to discuss the racial disparity. With no change evident a year later, Debora Brown-Johnson, the branch’s president, said last week that it’s time Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan took a look into the matter.

Study after study is finding that not only does CBD oil help with headaches, but also pain related to inflammation and anxiety.

It’s often said that there is nothing like the exhaustion of a thyroid condition. The endocrine system, when not in working order, can wreak havoc on many functions within the body. Functions like:

In fact, according to the American Thyroid Association, the complex relationship between thyroid disease, body weight, and metabolism is being studied more and more. With so many bodily functions relying on one teeny gland, the function of the thyroid is paramount to your well-being — mind, body, and spirit.

A 2018 study published in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology researched cannabis use for self-medication in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland and found that, “10.2% of patients reported using it for migraine headache symptoms…with low doses tending to alleviate migraine while higher doses even triggering headaches. These findings call for creating a highly specific prescription for individual patients, which might be required for a safe and successful treatment plan.”

To put it plainly, cannabis works but needs to be personalized to help alleviate symptoms in a way that’s personal and efficient.

Banking institutions and accountants offering services to cannabis businesses would have a safe harbor in California law under one of the weed-related bills awaiting state lawmakers’ action when they return to Sacramento this week.

One measure (A.B. 1525) says financial services, including public accounting firms, don’t commit a crime under any California law “solely by virtue of the fact that the person receiving the benefit of any of those services engages in commercial cannabis activity as a licensee” under state law.

A study from researchers at the University of New Mexico has found that more than nine out of 10 migraine patients reported that inhaled cannabis provided relief for their symptoms. A report on the research, titled “Alleviative effects of cannabis flower on migraine and headache,” was published this month in the Journal of Integrative Medicine.

To conduct the study, researchers tracked the effects of inhaled herbal cannabis on the symptoms experienced by 699 migraine sufferers over a period of 32 months. Participants self-administered cannabis while at home and reported their use and its effect on symptoms via the smartphone application Releaf. The intensity of pain related to migraine or headache was measured on a scale of zero to ten prior to and immediately following cannabis consumption.

“According to the current results, cannabis flower appears to be effective at reducing headache- and migraine-related pain intensity for most people that choose to use it,” the authors of the study wrote.

“It seems possible that the use of cannabis flower, combined with other behavioral modifications, might offer some patients a natural, safer, and more effective treatment regimen, compared to the use of some conventional prescription pharmaceuticals,” they added.

The study found that 94% of participants reported relief of symptoms within two hours of cannabis inhalation. On average, study participants experienced a reduction of 3.3 points on the ten-point scale. Varieties of cannabis with a THC content of 10% or higher were found to be most effective at relieving migraine symptoms. Males tended to achieve greater relief than females, and younger participants reported greater benefit than older patients.

If you think the stock market has gone for a wild ride over the past five months, take a closer look at how marijuana stocks have performed over the past couple of years.

Through the first quarter of 2019, investors could have thrown a dart while blindfolded at a list of publicly traded pot stocks and had a good shot at landing a triple-digit return. With tens of billions of dollars in black market weed sales conducted each year, the prospect of steadily moving these sales to legal channels proved more than enough to excite investors.

First, let’s get into a description of each method.

Topicals

Topicals include creams, lotions or oils and are rubbed onto your skin. For the most part, topicals are used to relieve pain, inflammation, or both.

Capsules

Capsules consist of two tubes each closed off at one end. The two pieces fit snugly into each other and dried plant particles or plant extract is contained within the capsule. Occasionally, you can find CBD oil in a gelcap, a hollow “container” made of gelatin that is made to hold a specific amount of an oil or tincture containing CBD.

Gummies

Gummies other edibles are created using a specific quantity of CBD and can be eaten just like any other gummy, cookie, infused fruit, brownie, or piece of hard candy. Most edibles can be made with or without sugar.

Tinctures

Tinctures and drops are a liquid form of CBD. They can be flavored or retain the “hemp-y” flavor of the original plant. Most tinctures are not technically tinctures. Those types of formulations were traditionally made by extracting an herb with alcohol. For the most part, CBD which will be used to formulate a tincture is extracted from hemp with food grade alcohol or supercritical carbon dioxide. The alcohol or carbon dioxide is removed and the extract is then dissolved in some light oil like coconut oil, glycerin or propylene glycol. Tinctures are usually ingested by mouth but can be used as topical applications.

Uncertainty abounds in the coming weeks, as the cannabis industry will learn if its business is as resilient as alcohol.

No neat and tidy summation explains how the coronavirus impacted the cannabis industry. Due to the plant’s federal illegal status, cannabis businesses were not eligible for small business relief other sectors enjoyed and big companies scaled back many of their operations. Just don’t tell the customers.

The cannabis industry is expected to surpass $15 billion in combined recreational and medical sales, a 40% rise from the year previous, and weed workers should outnumber computer programmers by year’s end.

But the industry will now confront whether increasing sales numbers were correlated to the additional $600 benefit in unemployment checks provided by the CARES Act. These extra benefits, which were designed to ease financial burdens for out-of-work Americans under the coronavirus pandemic, ended July 26.

Republicans and Democrats are currently drafting a new round of relief funding, as more than 30 million Americans remain out of work. That $600 bonus in benefits has emerged as a primary separation between the two parties, as Democrats want to maintain the weekly benefit and Republicans would like to reduce it to $200 a week.