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Just a little more than two months after Validcare released the preliminary results of a study on cannabidiol’s (CBD’s) effect on the liver, the company has announced the release of a separate report on CBD usage among Americans that it simultaneously conducted along with consumer marketing research company Cannabis Business Experts (CBE).

More than 1,400 CBD users from across the U.S. participated in CBE and Validcare’s “CBD Motivations, Use and Benefits Study,” including the 839 users that took part in the liver research. CBE and Validcare’s study. Researchers looked at various information about users, such as their age; sex; weight; the amount and frequency of their CBD usage; perceptions of the cannabinoid’s effect on various symptoms; and interactions with other drugs such as prescription and over-the-counter medicines, nutritional supplements, alcohol and tobacco.

In a press release announcing the report, CBE stated the study answers the question, “How do perceptions of general wellness change with CBD usage?” While those interested in learning those details will need to purchase the report, CBE co-founder Ashley Grace told Hemp Grower that users have reported an improved perception of their personal wellness—-in other words, they feel their wellness has improved since they began using CBD.

“I can share with you that the overall efficacy of the CBD working in that regard is quite remarkable,” said Grace, who was also the founding chief marketing officer of Charlotte’s Web and HempFusion. “It's helping just about everyone at least maintain their status, if not improve. There are very few, if any, observations where things are getting worse for CBD users, which is quite remarkable from a research standpoint.”

After the Florida Supreme Court hears arguments in a case, justices typically try to hand down a ruling within six months.

Although the court heard final arguments in Florida Department of Health v. Florigrown nearly eight months ago, it has yet to render a judgment.

It’s difficult to overstate the stakes of the case. The court could decide to upend the state’s medical marijuana regulations, throwing a $1.2 billion industry with several national conglomerates into a state of uncertainty. Lawmakers and bureaucrats would have to rewrite the rules for the industry — potentially from scratch.For months, the people invested in one of Florida’s fastest growing industries have swapped nervous texts and phone calls every Thursday at 11 a.m. — when the Supreme Court publishes its opinions — bracing for a ruling that could make or break their companies.

“We look to see if it is, in fact, the day of reckoning,” said Taylor Biehl, a Tallahassee lobbyist and the co-founder of the Medical Marijuana Business Association of Florida.

Judges could uphold all or parts of the state’s current regulations, dealing a blow to smaller firms like Florigrown, a Tampa-based company that applied to become a medical marijuana treatment center in 2017. The company was turned down by the state because at the time, the Florida Department of Health had not yet made rules to regulate the industry.

It’s official: Minnesota has legal medical cannabis flower! Governor Tim Walz just signed legislation into law that allows medical patients to access flower instead of just extracts or non-smokables. 

Previously, Minnesota was only one of a few medically legal states that still did not allow patients to access flower medicine. 

Now, patients who are 21 and over with a valid med card can also access flower. The bill was approved earlier this month as part of a broader omnibus bill through a bicameral legislative conference committee. The bill was related to healthcare in general and was approved by both the Minnesota House and Senate. 

Additionally, the bill allows for curbside pickup and increases the number of patients per caregiver from one to six. The commissioner is also now allowed to remove existing, qualifying conditions from the no-prescribe list if they receive a petition to do so, meaning those who currently don’t have their condition covered may soon have a way to access cannabis as medicine. 

In the House, the bill passed 77 to 57, a close margin. The Senate passed it much more clearly with a 66 to 1 vote on the last day of the 2021 legislative session. However, the stand-alone piece of legislation that would have legalized adult-use cannabis and set up a retail system passed the House, but did not receive consideration in the Senate. 

Will The House Approve This Revised Cannabis Reform Bill?

A crucial and important chairman has set a goal to reintroduce a bill to federally legalize marijuana. Along with this bill will be measures that promote social equity. This reintroduced legislation may come as soon as next week in the House. As well its language will have at least two important modifications in comparison to the previous version of the bill. The news arrives as advocates anxiously await the filing of a separate cannabis reform bill. Currently, this bill is being planned by Senate leaders.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler has stood in favor of supporting the MORE Act. The Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement Act were passed in the chamber. This approval was a historic time in the House even though it was shut down in the Senate. According to an email thread from advocacy groups, it’s set to be refiled as soon next week with some new terms.

Different references that are familiar with the strategy shed some insight on the matter. They also said their understanding is that Nadler plans to introduce the revised legislation ahead of Congress’s Memorial Day recess. However, a spokesperson in the chairman’s office was not able to verify details by press time.

This new reform bill will not include language that was added just before last year’s House floor vote. Which would have stopped people with previous cannabis charges from obtaining federal cannabis permits. Which you would need to run a legal marijuana business

That was a controversial stipulation that surfaced at the last moment which advocates strongly stood against.

Do You Have These Top Marijuana Stocks On Your Watchlist In May?

In recent trading, many marijuana stocks have started to build more market momentum. This current upward push for most cannabis stocks has been long overdue after coming off a 3-month downtrend. Yet during this downtrend, all was not lost for the cannabis industry and investors. For one when cannabis stocks were trading at lower share prices, this created a big buying opportunity. Next was many leading cannabis companies were able to further expand and grow their business.

Weed hangovers are a mystery. Unlike alcohol hangovers, which happen to even the most resilient drinkers, when weed hangovers happen there’s never much of an explanation. Maybe you smoked more than you’ve ever smoked or maybe you consumed weed in a brand new way. It could never happen to you or it could happen often.

Weed hangovers encompass a range of effects that include brain fog, headaches, fatigue and feeling like you’re still high hours later. While they’re not as uncomfortable as an alcohol hangover, they can still be pretty limiting, starting from the moment you smoke until hours after.

Due to marijuana’s legal status, there’s not a lot of information out there on why these types of hangovers occur. Anecdotal evidence suggests it’s related to the amount of weed that’s consumed. This varies from person to person, depending on the individual’s cannabis threshold.

In general, the more THC there’s in cannabis, and the more you consume of it, the higher the odds of getting a cannabis hangover. Marijuana hangovers aren’t as crippling as alcohol hangovers but there are a few things you can do to put them under control.

If you get recurring weed hangovers

Recurring weed hangovers may indicate that something is off with your cannabis consumption. Everyday users should try to limit the amount of cannabis they ingest, consuming it every other day or just on the weekends. A change of your cannabis smoking schedule might also help; if you get hangovers when you smoke at night, trying smoking during the day.

As will all THC products, reading labels carefully, asking questions, and understanding how cannabis affects the body are all important steps before partaking in the compound.

With new cannabis-based beverages hitting the market, dispensaries are seeing a rise of individuals asking for the liquid delivery method. Citing a $4.4 billion legal cannabis market, the Long Beach Business Journal stated that liquid-based cannabis sales are set to skyrocket.

“According to data from Seattle-based cannabis analytics firm Headset, sales of cannabis-infused beverages increased 40.3% last year compared to 2019 across all states where recreational cannabis is legal, meaning the submarket slightly outperformed in terms of growth the overall cannabis market, which increased 39.4% in the same time period.”

Photo by skeeze via Pixabay

For the average consumer looking for new ways to consume cannabis, liquid-based offerings can be exciting. With THC-infused beverages taking off in dispensaries and beyond, here are three things to know before you indulge.

Australia’s Queensland University of Technology (QUT) has received almost $700,000 to investigate the effectiveness, safe dosage and side-effects associated with THC and CBD.

Around 770 children aged up to 14 years are diagnosed with cancer each in Australia, and sadly approximately 100 children under the age of 15 years die from it annually.

It’s hoped medicinal cannabis can play a role in alleviating children’s suffering in the final stages of their illness.

A 3-year QUT trial will compare different combinations and ratios of cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to determine which is the more effective in managing symptoms in children with advanced cancer, including lack of appetite and energy, pain, drowsiness, nausea and vomiting. The impact on other areas such as sleep, activity, anxiety and depression will also be measured.

The study marks the first time such an investigation has taken place in Australia involving medicinal cannabis and children with cancer receiving palliative care.  While exploratory in nature rather than a definitive randomised controlled study due to the frailty of the children, it’s envisioned the research will make a significant contribution to the current scant scientific evidence currently available.

New York Assembly Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes estimates that the first legal sales will begin between 18 months and two years after the signing of the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA), which occurred on March 31, 2021. That means that the first legal sales would start between September 2022 and March 2023.

In order for those sales to happen, New York must first establish a regulated marketplace. That’s because under the MRTA, a license is required to produce, process, distribute, deliver, or sell cannabis. Those licenses will be issued by the Cannabis Control Board (the Board) with significant input from the Office of Cannabis Management (the Office).

The website for the Office launched on April 2. The next likely step for the Office will be the appointment of an executive director. The executive director will be nominated by the Governor with advice and consent from the state legislature. In addition, the five members of the Board must be selected. The MRTA provides that the Governor shall appoint three members, with New York Senate and Assembly each appointing one of the remaining two members. Peoples-Stokes estimates that the Board will be “set and running” before the legislative session ends in June 2021, according to a report from The City.

Once the positions on the Board and the Office are full, these regulators will need to establish robust rules under the MRTA, governing adult-use cannabis, medical cannabis, and hemp in the State of New York. This will include establishing an application process and rules establishing a criteria for granting licenses.

The New York State Administrative Procedures Act requires that government agencies notify the public sixty days before adding, amending, or repealing rules. Agencies must also provide 60 days notice before holding a public hearing on a proposed rule. These time periods are called “notice and comment” periods and, as the name suggests, they are required so that the public can provide comment on proposed government regulations.

Humans have been consuming cannabis for thousands of years, that we already know. We also know we’re a population of animals that sure loves to eat! Put them together and you’ve got a fantastic market for cannabis edibles. But we’re not talking about any old edible right now. Here we’re looking at the most interesting edibles, and the most creative ways of eating cannabis.

Food is the best, and there are a million interesting edibles on the market for cannabis! Whether you like your edibles sweet, or salty, there’s something for everyone. Some are higher in CBD, some in THC, and some are made with delta-8 THC, the alternate form of THC on the market, which produces slightly less psychoactive effect, and a more energetic, clear-headed high. No matter how you like to consume cannabis, there are plenty of options, and that goes for delta-8 as well. If you have yet to try D8, check out our awesome Delta 10 THC and Delta-8 THC deals, and pick up a new kind of cannabis product.

How they used to do it

There are a lot of cool and interesting edibles on the market for cannabis, though its good to remember that cannabis has been eaten throughout history, just not as the edibles we know today. Back then, it wasn’t understood that cannabinoids are fat soluble, or that they can be leached out into substances like butter. One of the first mentions is from China back in 1,500 BC when cannabis was being consumed as a tea. The records from this time are actually written in the past tense, indicating this tradition might be even older than the dated records.

Cannabis became big in Hindu culture around 1,000 BC, when the drink bhang came into play. Not only is the drink still big today in India, but it was even the basis for the cording in the current international law that governs cannabis legality globally, the Single Convention on Narcotic Substances treaty.

A little less ancient history

Obviously, there’s a huge difference between edible cultures of ancient history, and the edible culture of today. Today’s edible culture started with an American in Paris. Enter Alice B. Toklas, the life partner of American author Gertrude Stein, who was a part of the Paris literary upper class in the early-mid 1900’s. Alice was famous for her cannabis fudge, which ended up in her 1954 cookbook, the Alice B Toklas Cookbook, which can still be bought today. The recipe for ‘Haschisch Fudge’ which shows up in the cookbook, uses ground cannabis, not hash, creates more of a fudge than a brownie, and apparently was not Alice’s own recipe, but had come from someone else.

It’s 2021. Of the 50 states in the country, 48 have legalized marijuana for medical use, and 15 for recreational use. A whopping 91% of Americans believe it should be legal for either medical or recreational use. The medical marijuana industry alone is projected to be worth up to $66.3 billion by 2025.

Despite these numbers, the substance is still considered illegal on a federal level. What does federal marijuana legislation look like in 2021 and how will it push the industry toward new innovation?

A federal marijuana timeline? ‘Soon’

Sources close to President Joe Biden believe that he’s in favor of federal marijuana decriminalization, if not legalization, but he hasn’t said either in so many words. We’re already behind Canada and Uruguay, both of whom have legalized recreational marijuana. Mexico might be the next country to join that exclusive club. That hasn’t stopped Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer from promising to bring federal legalization legislation to the Senate floor.

The problem isn’t the will — it’s the timeline. Schumer has spoken at length about how the Democratic caucus is in favor of legalization or at least ending the prohibition on the substance, but when asked about when this might happen, his answer is simply, “I am going to put this bill on the floor soon.”

Right now, the lack of federal support means that marijuana companies operating legally in various states can’t get any sort of financial backing, such as loans or payroll management. In many locations, they can’t even take credit or debit payments, operating as a cash-only business. Only time will tell when this legislation will make an appearance but that hasn’t stopped tech companies from pushing the envelope to improve related technologies.

As the global cannabis industry continues to expand in ways previously unimaginable, there is a growing demand for transparency throughout the cultivation and distribution processes – complete seed to sale observability. A handful of startups around the world are tapping into this need by offering blockchain-based solutions for cannabis businesses.

For the last few years, blockchain has been touted as a new and innovative technology that could shake up a number of industries such as music and streaming, education, financial institutions and payments, healthcare, cryptocurrency, and cybersecurity. Although blockchain is still on the fringe of becoming the next big thing, it’s comparable to how the internet slowly creeped into our lives and eventually underwent a rapid evolution that reshaped modern society.

The cannabis market seems to be taking root the same way, very slowly at first but now it is a global phenomenon that cannot be stopped, regardless of its legal status. Unlike other industries, however, those working in cannabis face many unique challenges regarding regulatory changes, payment systems, and supply chains. Blockchain has been embraced as an innovative technology that can help revolutionize the way cannabis companies conduct operations and handle business.

Are you a cannabis aficionado who would like to learn more this incredible plant, as well as gain access to exclusive deals on flowers and other products? If so, make sure to subscribe to The CBD Flowers Weekly Newsletter for the best of the best that this industry has to offer, or to the Delta 8 Weekly Newsletter for the the best deals on Delta 8 THC.

Challenges faced by the cannabis industry

Although 36 states already allow the use of medical and/or recreational cannabis, it remains federally illegal, which means industry stakeholders still face some unusual hurdles that people in other fields never even have to consider – supply chain issues, accepting payments, banking and business financing, tax structures, and constant regulatory changes are only a few of the many.

Let’s start with supply chain issues, which are different in the cannabis industry than others because legal cannabis businesses are stuck competing with the still-thriving illegal market. Take California, for instance, the largest cannabis market in the world which still has black/grey sales that often outpace the legal ones. With business owners bogged down by ridiculous regulations and sky-high licensing costs, it’s no surprise that unpermitted dispensaries and illegal grow-ops are still popping up all over the country.

A bill that would make hemp-derived CBD products legal as an ingredient in dietary supplements, foods and beverages has been proposed by three U.S. Senators.

Longtime hemp supporters Oregon Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, both Democrats, and Sen. Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, authored the measure, the Hemp Access and Consumer Safety Act, which directs the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to update its rules to clear a regulatory gray zone.

In the absence of federal regulations from the FDA, CBD makers and consumers have been faced with inconsistent rules – or no rules at all – in individual states, creating problems for legitimate CBD vendors and endangering public health. The proposed act in essence would force the FDA to clear a path for legal over-the-counter CBD.

Feet dragging at FDA

“Every day that the FDA drags its feet to update its CBD regulations, hemp farmers are left guessing about how their products will be regulated, and real economic gains for workers and business owners in Oregon and across the country are left on the table,” said Merkley. “Hemp-derived CBD products are already widely available, and all we need is for FDA to issue clear regulations for them just like they do for other foods, drinks and dietary supplements.”

Critics have said while the FDA makes efforts at enforcement – primarily by issuing occasional warning letters to unscrupulous CBD vendors – that has come in the absence of significant research and meaningful progress on CBD rules. CBD stakeholders criticized an update from the FDA released in January, saying the report shows little has been done to advance the process of establishing a regulatory framework for the hemp compound.

17 states have legalized adult-use cannabis, though most continue to prohibit consumption in public or rented spaces.

For years, cannabis consumption lounges have been kept at bay, though lately pro-lounge legislation is becoming more prevalent in the legal cannabis marketplace.

The cannabis industry is nothing if not creative about regulatory loopholes along the way to financing. The entire vertical, in fact, has been built just about everywhere in the grey edges of the law. Companies who have raised cash through cannabis fundraising so far have literally paved the way for the industry itself—but the route if not the means has been just as tenuous. If not frequently outright ludicrous. This has been less than remunerative for many early investors in the market. First mover “advantage” in this industry is certainly not all it’s cracked up to be…and is often unbelievably expensive.

The Drug Enforcement Administration made a milestone announcement earlier this month with the news that the DEA will begin granting marijuana cultivation licenses to various third-party applicants, significantly expanding medical and scientific cannabis research in the United States.

The announcement came on May 14, with the Administration saying it “is nearing the end of its review of certain marijuana grower applications, thereby allowing it to soon register additional entities authorized to produce marijuana for research purposes.”

Delta-8 THC and New York are two topics that have been making headlines in the cannabis world lately. Delta-8 has been reported upon for being a controversial compound that is legal through a loophole, and New York has been in the news for making recreational cannabis legal. Now, the two are making headlines again, this time together, because New York has banned Delta-8 THC. 

New York police may soon have cannabis removed from their oversight.

Axel Bernabe, assistant counsel to Governor Andrew Cuomo, said at last week’s Prohibition Partners conference that he’d recommend alternatives such as using social workers when coordinating with the state’s nascent Cannabis Control Board, which will soon lay out a framework for legalized recreational marijuana. New York State recently decided to allow recreational use and the board will soon decide on the details.

“The interaction of law enforcement with individuals around drugs is a big, big part of the bill,” Bernabe said of the state’s new legislation, under which recreational sales are expected in about a year. Bernabe said he thought that other states’ use of social case workers to enforce rules for legal, licensed cannabis businesses is a good idea. He also questioned who would deal with cannabis-related street crimes, such as the selling of unlicensed, black-market marijuana.

“Who’s going to interact with folks on the street, or folks that are selling illicitly?” Bernabe said. “Do we want law enforcement to do it? Is it a new form of law enforcement?”

New York’s dilemma on how to reform is playing out across the U.S. as local governments start to re-think criminal justice systems that disproportionately incarcerate Black men for marijuana possession. These policy decisions could determine how much interaction minorities like Black people have with police.

The operation concluded on 4/20.

The Paraguayan National Anti-Drug Secretariat (SENAD) recently celebrated 4/20 by announcing that more than 300 tonnes of cannabis had been destroyed as part of “Operation Omega IX.”

Alongside a unit of the Paraguayan Armed Forces, authorities allegedly destroyed 96 hectares of crops and incinerated 19 drug camps over five days in April, reports Diálogo Americas.

While that operation concluded on 4/20, two days later authorities destroyed another four tonnes of cannabis that was found ready for packaging in a rural area.

If the Mexican military is deeply corrupt and now effectively controls the national government under its incompetent President, we are in a new phase of our Latin American disaster.

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

In 2018, the Mexican Supreme Court found the country’s marijuana laws unconstitutional and ordered Congress to draft new laws. Congress has had to request several extensions, but now it has failed to meet another deadline, just as it seemed close to agreement on new laws.

For Americans, this problem may seem familiar, but in Mexico, the stakes are much higher.

Photo by Jezael Melgoza via Unsplash