WeedLife News Network

Researchers studying the efficacy of marijuana treatments for veterans’ mental health now have access to $20 million in marijuana tax revenue to fund clinical trials.

The Marijuana Regulatory Agency issued a request for proposals for the 2021 Veteran Marijuana Research Grant Program on Tuesday, June 1. The deadline for proposals is Friday, July 16.

When Michigan voters legalized recreational marijuana in 2018, they mandated that “until 2022 or for at least two years” $20 million in marijuana tax revenue should go to research.

The $20 million is meant to fund clinical trials focused on treating veterans for pain and PTSD with marijuana, and to study the plant’s effects on suicide rates among military personnel.

Veteran suicides made up about 14% of total suicides in America in 2018, according to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs’ most recent data.

If you're applying for a job in Philadelphia in 2022, you don't need to worry about the weed you smoked over the weekend. 

A new law going into effect next year prohibits any business from making the passage of a marijuana drug test a pre-condition for employment. The decision by the Philadelphia City Council and Mayor Jim Kenney made the City of Brotherly Love one of a handful of governments to put such a law on the books. New York City and Nevada have similar laws, as does Atlanta, Washington D.C., and Maine.

But there are exceptions. So every job seeker in Philadelphia and business owner should become familiar with the details of the law.

New Philadelphia law

Philadelphia City Councilmember Derek Green, who filed the bill that led to the new law, told the Philadelphia Inquirer that it's a step in the right direction.

"We're using pre-employment testing for a product that is being recommended by physicians, for individuals within the city of Philadelphia, that's authorized for them to be used. That seems very contradictory," said Green.

Senate Democrats just don’t have enough of a majority to use the budget reconciliation process to their full advantage this year.

There has been some discussion over the past couple of months that Senate Majority Chuck Schumer might employ some clever finagling to bypass the 60-vote supermajority requirement to push through a comprehensive marijuana reform bill. As it stands, an old rule known as the filibuster is in the way of Schumer securing the votes necessary to make legal weed a reality. But if he could wrap it up in a budget reconciliation proposal, there’s a chance it would pass with a simple majority.

If the term budget reconciliation sounds familiar, that’s because it’s the only way Democrats have been able to get anything accomplished in the past few months. The budget reconciliation process allows the Senate to pass bills with a simple majority (51 votes), basically moving a bill through the upper chamber without Republican support. This is how they passed President Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-relief bill, despite Republicans throwing a fit about how it would cripple America.

Photo by Harold Mendoza via Unsplash

The problem with this tactic, however, is the controlling party can typically only use it once per fiscal year.

A new batch of data shows that despite cannabis earning its legal status in several U.S. states, young people aren’t exactly getting their hands on the stuff any easier.

This data adds to a growing body of evidence that indicates legal marijuana doesn’t make it more likely for teens to consume it.

The data came from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System and was submitted by high schoolers between the years 2009 and 2019. The analysis demonstrated that there was not a significant change or increase in the percentage of students who consumed cannabis within the past 30 days.

Per the data, the year where teens reported their highest percentage of marijuana use was in 2011 before legal cannabis programs were approved in the U.S.

Opponents of legal marijuana programs have cited cannabis use in teenagers and its side effects as a means of dissuading people who may be considering supporting legal cannabis. Among the related beliefs is that legal marijuana could facilitate drug access for youths during a period when their brains are developing and, thus, could make them more susceptible to the drug.

The cannabis industry and sustainability movement have met at a critical intersection, changing the upward trajectory of social responsibility in the industry for good. Driven by evolving environmental regulations, consumer demand, and the best interests of the business, cannabis operators looking to promote sustainable business practices are no longer alone in their venture. Ancillary product and services vendors are supporting operators in new ways.

State lawmakers in Louisiana approved a bill on Wednesday that allows patients in the state’s medical marijuana program to access smokable forms of cannabis. The measure, House Bill 391, was approved in the Louisiana House of Representatives by a vote of 76 to 17 after being approved by the state Senate with a 23 to 14 vote last month.

Under the newly passed measure, registered patients in Louisiana’s medical marijuana program will be permitted to possess and use unprocessed, smokable forms of cannabis. The program’s current regulations only allow patients to access medical marijuana products including topicals, tinctures, gummies, and inhalers that deliver a metered dose of a vaporized cannabis. Marijuana in raw flower form is not allowed and smoking medical marijuana products is also not permitted.

Republican House Speaker Pro-tem Tanner Magee, the sponsor of the bill, told local media that the approved products are too expensive for many of the state’s medical marijuana patients.

“Most of the products aren’t covered by insurance,” Magee said. “This is a way to provide a more affordable option.”

HB 391 was originally approved by lawmakers in the Louisiana House of Representatives in May. However, the bill was amended as it was being considered by the state Senate, requiring the House of Representatives to vote again on the revised version. The measure received overwhelming bipartisan support in both houses of the Louisiana state Legislature.

The effort to legalize cannabis on the 

Cannabidiol, commonly known as CBD, is gaining popularity in the list of hangover cures. If you’ve ever consumed too much alcohol at a party, you will definitely look for a remedy for the nausea and headache as soon as you wake up. Want something aside from a cold compress, aspirin, and Alka Seltzer? Try out CBD! In case you ask yourself, “how many CBD gummies should I take?,”this article will explain how this miracle wonder may help with your hangover.

Clear Away Hangover with CBD Gummies

How Is It a Hangover Cure?

Your endocannabinoid (ECS) and nervous systems control and produce the entire nausea and headache sensation. The former is a series of cellular receptors that control the stress, mood, inflammation, and pain in your body. These receptors determine and coordinate with your bodily functions and systems.

Additionally, CBD works with the ECS to relieve discomfort and pain. According to a number of studies, it was found that vomiting and nausea can be controlled by the ECS. More so, CBD can relieve your nausea through its potent and dominant anti-inflammatory properties.

This miracle wonder is known for its proven effectiveness to decrease pain and reduce inflammation. However, just like any other hangover cure, you still have to re-hydrate your system to wipe out the root cause of dehydration.

Other Ways CBD Can Help with Your Hangover

Clinical trials have shown that the world is about to unlock this potent cannabinoid that will enhance the benefits we get from cannabis.

One of the most exciting things to discuss regarding cannabis are cannabinoids. Yes, those excellent chemical compounds in the cannabis plant. But most conversations on cannabinoids are always hung up on THC and CBD, as these are the most utilized and significant cannabinoids known.

However, within the cannabis plant lies many other cannabinoids that hold the potential of making a tremendous impact in the lives of those who use cannabis. One such cannabinoid is cannabidivarin (CBDV).

Photo by Bacsica/Getty Image

The cannabis plant is one attractive component to consider because of the myriad of advantages it provides users, but for now, the spotlight is on cannabidivarin. What makes this chemical so unique?

People smoke cannabis and get high for different reasons, and in some cases, your reason for smoking can determine when you should smoke.

Anyone who starts smoking pot and enjoys the exhilarating feel it brings will want to know the best time to get high. Of course, you don’t want to get high at crucial meetings or close to someone uncomfortable with cannabis. There are different times, and we will highlight all of them, so work with a time that best suits your schedule.

In the morning

Getting high in the morning is often referred to as “wake and bake.” When we wake up, our body comes alive, but we also have to get the body energized, which is why some people go to the gym first thing in the morning.

Photo by rawpixel.com

Just as you enjoy the working out in the morning, you can also enjoy weed in the morning to get that kick into your day so that you show up at work ready to take over the day.

Although flower still reigns king in the world of cannabis, edibles are quickly catching pace as one of the most in-demand products on the market today, making up roughly 23% of total sales in 2020. This statistic holds true in both legal and illegal areas. As a matter of fact, in my own experience I have found that edibles are even more popular in states with strict cannabis regulations, where variety and more modern products like concentrates are much harder to find.

Oregon’s Marijuana Market Continues To Grow Even During Covid-19

The state of Oregon has sustained a solid market for legal cannabis sales. Especially in the last year while in the middle of a worldwide pandemic. Projections for Oregon’s cannabis market are anticipated to grow even more.

Which could lead to more cannabis revenue that can then be used for the state. For instance things like rebuilding communities impacted by the war on drugs or social equity. Analysts with the state Department of Administrative Services’ Office of Economic Analysis shared their thoughts.

Delta-8 has caused quite a stir in the world of cannabis, with federal and state governments trying to find ways to cope with this new entrant into the products field. As laws are being put in place to keep it out, a new question becomes, is delta-8 THC a recreational or medicinal product?

Are you a delta-8 user for recreational or medicinal reasons? We know delta-8 is great for relaxing, as well as obtaining medical benefits with less psychoactive effect and couch locking. And this makes it great for both worlds. It doesn’t matter why you like it, we just want you to have it! Check out our array of Delta-8 THC deals, and find the products that work best for you, whether you’re just trying to chill, or need a dose of medicine.

What is delta-8 THC?

Before we get into specifics about it, and whether delta-8 should be considered recreational or medicinal, let’s go over what delta-8 THC is, for anyone who hasn’t been following along with the current controversy. Delta-8 THC is both an isomer and analogue of delta-9 THC, the standard THC of marijuana that people associate with getting high. Delta-9 doesn’t actually exist in large amounts in fresh cannabis flowers, rather its precursor THCA does. THCA decarboxylates when it comes into contact with heat, or over time, losing a carboxyl group (COOH) to form delta-9 THC.

The chemical transformation is this: C22H30O4  –> C₂₁H₃₀O₂. However, we already know about delta-9 THC, what we want to know about, is delta-8. Once the delta-9 THC comes into contact with oxygen, it loses electrons, a process called oxidation. This process transforms delta-9 into delta-8. The loss of electrons makes the compound more stable, meaning delta-8 has a longer shelf life than delta-9. The chemical structure is identical for both.

Delta-8 is an isomer of delta-9 because it actually has the same chemical structure, with a different configuration of atoms within. It’s an analogue of delta-9 because it is structurally and functionally (medically) nearly identical. For this reason, delta-8 and delta-9 THCs are often cited as being useful to treat the same ailments.

Tobacco and nicotine products are some of the most dangerous consumer products on earth, and that’s been the case for many years.

The World Health Organization estimates that over 8 million people die annually worldwide due to tobacco.

Roughly 7 million of those annual deaths are due to direct tobacco use by the consumer, and the remaining 1 million+ die from secondhand smoke inhalation.

Nearly half of all tobacco consumers will die as a direct result of their tobacco use, which is extremely unfortunate.

Cannabis is Safer Than Tobacco

Nicotine, one of the main ingredients in tobacco products, is highly addictive. Anyone who has tried to quit consuming tobacco products will be quick to tell you that.

While California led the charge to legalize marijuana, more precisely defined as “cannabis” under state law — I know, it’s confusing — the state has also repeatedly failed to forge a legal path for hemp-derived products, including cannabidiol (CBD).

Following the passage of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (the 2018 Farm Bill), the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) released an FAQ entitled, “FAQ – Industrial Hemp and Cannabidiol (CBD) in Food Products” (emphasis added by the CDPH), which provided that hemp, including CBD, could not be added to any kind of ingestible product like foods, beverages, dietary supplements, or animal products. Interestingly enough, there wasn’t, and still isn’t, any state law that actually prohibits adding hemp or CBD to finished products intended for human consumption. Instead, the CDPH adopted the federal FDA position.

Although the FAQ did not expressly say so, it was clear from its reading that the CDPH treated hemp-derived ingestible products adulterated under the state’s Sherman Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Law (the Sherman Law), the state equivalent of the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act  (FDCA). In fact, local agencies, like the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, later issued their own statements, which expressly categorized these products as adulterated, ostensibly confirming the CDPH’s unexpressed position.

Therefore, without going through the proper rule-making process, the CDPH effectively banned hemp-derived consumables, a policy that local agencies proceeded to enforce.

Indoor cultivation of cannabis is responsible for about 10% of all industrial electricity consumption in Massachusetts, a representative from the Northeast Sustainable Cannabis Project estimated Tuesday as he called on lawmakers to allow marijuana and hemp growers to use organic farming practices that could shift some of the cultivation outside and under the sun.

Could California be on the brink of decriminalizing psychedelics? A proposal aiming to do just that passed a major legislative hurdle on Monday, as it was approved by the state Senate.

The legislation now moves to the California General Assembly. Senate Bill 519 “would make lawful the possession for personal use, as described, and the social sharing, as defined, of psilocybin, psilocyn, dimethyltryptamine (DMT), ibogaine, mescaline, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), ketamine, and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), by and with persons 21 years of age or older,” according to the text of the bill, which was authored by state Sen. Scott Wiener.

In a message posted to Twitter on Monday, Wiener trumpeted the bill’s passage in the state Senate as a “big step for this legislation and the movement,” as well as a step toward “a more health and science-based approach and to move away from criminalization of drugs.”

He also thanked supporters for helping promote the legislation.

In an interview with local television station FOX40 last month, Wiener said that, regardless of what one thinks about drugs, “the question is ‘Should we be arresting and jailing people for possessing and using drugs?’ And I think the answer is absolutely no.”

If you want to earn some extra dough, now may be the ideal time to invest in cannabis. And no, we don’t mean buying edibles in bulk.

2020 was a record year for cannabis. According to Leafly, the legal industry saw over $18 billion in sales – a 71% increase from the year prior.

After years of stops and starts, the Cannabis Control Commission announced Friday that eligible applicants can now seek pre-certification and licensure as marijuana delivery operators, a business type that regulators and advocates said will be an important part of an equitable industry.

The new “marijuana delivery operator” licenses created in the new industry rules the CCC approved late last year will be available exclusively to participants in the CCC’s social equity program and economic empowerment applicants for the first three years.

The new license allows its holder to buy products wholesale from growers and manufacturers and deliver them to their own customers, and requires them to follow customer verification and safety regulations.

“The release of this application serves as an important step in acknowledging the excessive hurdles that many people of color and those disenfranchised face when it comes to starting a cannabis business. This license type is a major piece of the equation in making the Massachusetts cannabis industry more diverse, equitable and inclusive,” Aaron Goines, president of the Massachusetts Cannabis Association for Delivery, said.

The CCC said there are 122 certified economic empowerment applicants and nearly 400 social equity program participants who are eligible for the new delivery license, which the CCC said was “created in direct response to a robust public hearing and public comment process” last year.

Hemp and substances derived from hemp now approved for use in commercial feed for pets, specialty pets, and horses in Montana

As established in House Bill 396 signed during the 2021 legislative session, hemp and substances derived from hemp are now approved for use in commercial feed for pets, specialty pets, and horses in Montana, so long as they do not contain more than 0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.