WeedLife News Network

In a case that could have a dramatic impact on the state’s pot industry, the Florida Supreme Court made the unusual move Wednesday of hearing a second round of arguments in a challenge to a state law aimed at implementing a constitutional amendment that broadly legalized medical marijuana.

Tampa-based Florigrown LLC is challenging the 2017 law, which created a regulatory structure for the state’s medical marijuana industry. Florigrown, whose owners include prominent strip-club operator Joe Redner, alleges that the law improperly carries out the amendment.

One part of the law requires medical marijuana operators to handle all aspects of the cannabis business, including growing, processing, distributing and selling products. But Florigrown maintains the requirement, known as a “vertical integration” system, runs afoul of the constitutional amendment, approved by more than 71% of voters in 2016. The vertical integration requirement limits the number of companies that can participate in the industry, the Tampa business contends.

Florigrown won in lower courts after initiating its legal challenge three years ago. Wednesday’s arguments came after Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration appealed an appellate-court decision that upheld part of a temporary injunction issued by Leon County Circuit Judge Charles Dodson, who found that the 2017 law conflicted with the constitutional amendment.

The Supreme Court heard arguments in the case in May but, in a rare move, ordered a new round of arguments focused on whether the statute equates to an unconstitutional “special law.” The Florida Constitution bars “special” laws, which, generally, are intended to benefit specific entities.

Many people around the world are discovering the benefits of medicinal cannabis. With its growing integration into modern medical practices, technology is also evolving to deliver greater quality and service to consumers.

From senior citizens to young adults with chronic health conditions, medical marijuana is a diverse industry that requires flexible, personal, and responsive technology. The emerging trends reflect increased legalization. As procedures change, the way people use technology to get medical marijuana will change. Here are some of the trends you can expect to see in the coming years.

Artificial Intelligence

Chatbots on websites will become more common as they help customers get answers to common questions and connect with important resources. AI will also be able to help customers search for different products, make personalized recommendations and perform a variety of customer service tasks. AI learns how to interact with people through every conversation; the more people use it, the smarter it becomes. Initial AI bots may seem clunky and mechanical, but as they become more widespread, users will eventually barely notice a difference between assistance from an AI and human.

From a business standpoint, AI will also begin to be used to automate more operations. AI is capable of monitoring growth and synthesizing information at a rate no human could ever match; higher demand for medical marijuana will require faster production. AI reduces the margin of error to ensure the cannabis remains safe despite

DNA Sequencing

New DNA technology will create a more regulated cannabis industry, including medical marijuana products that contain not even trace amounts of THC or CBD. Growers will then be able to customize or strengthen the medicinal benefits to suit people’s needs and serve a greater audience. Extracting genes and creating new types will pave the way for unprecedented evolutionary growth and use of the plant. With the ability to deconstruct, extract, and modify, there may eventually be a new type of manufacturing that replicates the compounds of medical marijuana without actually requiring a plant.

Thirty-three states and the District of Columbia have legalized the sale or use of cannabis. Yet, the federal government is struggling to keep up, and cannabis legislation has been stagnant. As a result, there is no safe harbor in the cannabis industry, meaning there is no legislation that assures the safety of banking cannabis. So, many who enter the cannabis industry have preferred stealthier ways of banking. While banking workarounds to open, or compliant, banking may work, they come at a cost. In the long term, businesses that openly bank have access to more reliable financial options.

Everybody's talking about the power of CBD these days. We're using it in our coffee. We're dropping CBD oil in our mouths to help us sleep. We're using it for pain relief.

But a growing trend is CBD for skincare. We explain some ways it's effective in helping your skin below.

Is CBD Oil Good For Your Skin?

CBD is being used to address a variety of issues, from pain, to insomnia, to anxiety. But if you further explore the medical literature about cannabidiol you’ll find CBD affects more than just these internal issues. Evidence suggests that CBD can be useful for managing skin issues like psoriasis, acne, and more. 

CBD oil is often used topically and is absorbed by the skin quite easily. Below we review five of the potential ways CBD impacts skin health and wellness.

Fights Acne

A lot of excitement surrounding CBD topicals is regarding CBD’s effects on acne. Sebum, an oily secretion that comes from skin, has naturally protective properties. However, when it builds up and mixes with debris, it can clog pores and trigger acne. 

All headaches are painful, however, a migraine headache is especially agonizing.

If you suffer from migraines, then you know first-hand that the pain can be absolutely unbearable.

For some migraine sufferers the pain can be so excruciating that they are rendered debilitated and cannot perform even basic life functions.

Migraine headaches are often described as a throbbing or pulsing pain that is worsened by even moderate physical activity, bright light, or loud sounds.

A typical day for someone who is suffering from a migraine consists of laying down in a very dark, quiet room, waiting for medication to kick in.

You may not think a fourth-generation family business with a century of engineering excellence would play a part in the still-evolving cannabis industry.

And yet, this kind of expertise and technology is a strong fit for an industry where product quality is paramount.

For cannabis producers, preserving the integrity of the plant, in terms of flavonoids, cannabinoids, and terpenes is essential.

It’s these chemical compounds that lend the plant its unique features and effects.

But historically, imprecise processing equipment tended to destroy these valuable aspects of the plant while also releasing undesirable, potentially contaminated byproducts.

Nearly 50 pieces of cannabis legislation have been introduced during the 2019-2020 legislative session of the U.S. Congress. These various bills, amendments, resolutions and laws represent a busy year for marijuana activity on Capitol Hill. While many have been introduced, much remains the same. With only the House of Representatives appearing remotely close to voting on anything, cannabis regulations aren’t likely to move at all before Election Day 2020. 

That said, several pieces of legislation could advance rules in critical areas from law enforcement to access. Sources tell High Times that of the proposed pieces of legislation, two stand out among the rest for their ability to influence America.

The SAFE Banking Act 

H.R.1595, better known as the Secure And Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act of 2019, was for some time in 2020, the most discussed and likely to pass piece of legislation cannabis has seen in ages. 

If passed, the bill would provide protections to banks, allowing institutions to work with the cannabis industry without fear of federal repercussions. The bill provides assurance to marijuana and hemp operators who continually face rejections from banks. Even when accepted as a customer, numerous operators have found their accounts shut down once the bank became aware of the operator’s business. 

Hans Enriquez, CEO of Dazed Inc. cannabis brand, stated that the SAFE Banking Act would be the most substantial piece of legislation for the industry. Enriquez highlighted the cannabis industry’s ability to bank like any other industry as the most substantial bill aspect. 

The Ohio Department of Commerce has issued a mandatory recall on medical cannabis edibles due to noncompliant levels of heavy metals, according to a Cincinnati.com report.

The cannabis-infused chocolates, sold under the Encore Edibles brand, were processed by Canton-based Mother Grows Best and sold in eight dispensaries across the state between Aug. 17 and Oct. 1, the news outlet reported.

The reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) estimate that asthma affects 339 million people worldwide. It has definitely earned a spot as one of the chronic ailments that could use an effective, natural treatment.

With CBD becoming more and more popular, some asthmatics have decided to give it a leap of faith. Many people, however, are concerned whether CBD and asthma are actually a good match.

CBD (cannabidiol) is the non-intoxicating compound of hemp or marijuana plants. It has created the latest gold-rush in the wellness industry thanks to its versatility and an excellent safety profile.

Hemp-derived CBD is legal in all 50 states under the 2018 Farm Bill. You can find it over the counter in health retail outlets, dispensaries, and vape shops. It comes in tinctures, capsules, edibles, topicals, vapes, and even pet products.

But can CBD actually help asthma sufferers reduce the symptoms of their illness?

People suffering from inflammatory bowel disease, which leads to chronic inflammation, are on the fast track to colon cancer, but prevention might begin with cannabis.

Young adults typically brush off the risk of colon cancer as an old man’s disease, yet the illness is becoming increasingly common in people under the age of 50. Consider the tragic outcome of Black Panther’s Chadwick Boseman, who died at age 43 after a heroic battle with colon cancer—despite his otherwise impeccable physique and health. 

A class of conditions exhibiting variable levels of severity are called inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)—difficult-to-treat conditions ranging from ulcerative colitis to Crohn’s disease. IBD can lead to chronic inflammation, which can lead to oncogenesis, or progress into cancer. Colon cancer, in particular, is a disease with relatively grim survival rates and only a handful of viable options for treatment. In 2015, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted that 1.3% of all U.S. adults reported receiving a diagnosis for IBD, and the condition usually creates a domino effect of other symptoms.

New research, however, suggests that cannabis’ psychoactive compound delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) could help prevent colitis-associated colon cancer in mice.

A team of researchers associated with the University of South Carolina (USC) in Columbia observed the effects of THC in mouse models to evaluate the potential efficacy of the compound in preventing colon cancer in humans. The team’s research was published last month in an issue of iScience.

Legal cannabis sales continue to break records in Illinois with a total of more than $99 million in sales of both recreational and medical marijuana products sold in September, according to state regulators. The figure tops the previous record for total cannabis sales from August, when combined sales totaled more than $95 million, according to data from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

“We are not surprised to see another record month for cannabis sales in September approaching $100 million,” said a spokesperson for Chicago-based Green Thumb Industries, a multi-state operator with facilities in 12 legal cannabis markets in the United States. 

“Consumer demand remains strong throughout the ongoing COVID-19 crisis and we expect industry growth to continue as operators ramp up capacity to increase supply, new stores open throughout the state, and existing stores add adult-use sales,” the spokesperson continued in the statement emailed to High Times, noting that a new location of its Rise brand of dispensaries will be opening in Naperville, Illinois this week.

September sales of adult-use cannabis products, at more than $67 million, also eclipsed figures from August, when sales were just shy of $64 million. Legal sales of recreational marijuana began in Illinois at the beginning year, with more than $39 million in sales posted in January. Following a slight dip in February sales at more than $34 million, the total for recreational marijuana products has increased each subsequent month. 

Since the launch of recreational marijuana sales in Illinois in January, nearly 9.5 million cannabis products totaling more than $431 million have been sold. Sales figures do not include the taxes collected on adult-use cannabis sales.

The stock market can be the best place to create wealth because of the endless opportunities it offers to grow your money -- you can back anything from value plays to rule-breaking mavericks. Whatever your style, you'll want to put your cash behind companies that can grow their revenue. Some of the most promising can be found in the cannabis sector.

Cannabis is one of the fastest-growing industries across the world. In the U.S. in particular, the sector is expanding at a rapid pace; 11 states and Washington, D.C., have legalized marijuana completely, while 33 states and D.C. have done so for medical purposes. Voters in five other states are voting on some form of legalization in November.

The cannabis business is a sprawling, unfriendly hydra, destroyer of serious men with good intentions.

It all sounded so promising.  

Medicine Man Technologies, one of the more highly respected dispensary and cultivation operations in Denver, run by a well-respected cannabis business executive considered a pioneer in the industry, President and Co-Founder Andy Williams, rebranded the name of its subsidiary in mid-April to perhaps capture the whimsy of an industry built on getting people high. 

Most of us like to believe that scientific inquiry is governed by a spirit of curiosity and neutrality, investigating the subject of study from every possible angle. Unfortunately, when it comes to cannabis research in the United States, the approach has been largely one-sided.

According to a new analysis of cannabis research funding in the US, Canada, and the UK, about $1.56 billion went toward cannabis research between 2000 and 2018. Roughly half of that funded research focused on the potential harms of cannabis.

Individual years proved even worse. For example, in 2018, research on potential harms of cannabis received more than 20 times more funding than research on cannabis therapeutics.

What’s more, the biggest chunk of the money (about $1 billion) came from the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), a federal government agency. According to the analysis, NIDA put far more money to research cannabis misuse and its adverse effects than on the therapeutic potential of cannabis.

“The government’s budget is a political statement about what we value as a society,” Daniel Mallinson, a cannabis policy researcher at Pennsylvania State University, Harrisburg, told Science Magazine. “The fact that most of the cannabis money is going to drug abuse and probably to cannabis use disorder versus medical purposes—that says something.” 

Israel Health Minister Yuli Edelstein and Deputy Health Minister Yoav Kisch have announced a new subsidy program that will reduce the cost of medical cannabis products until the end of 2020 and also allow Israeli producers to export their products.

Will Pot Stocks Continue Recent Downtrends?

Here we are, in the month of October, and marijuana stocks are showing downward pressure because of COVID again. With recent concerns over president Donald Trump contracting the Coronavirus the market is feeling the effect. On top of that, you have a miss in September job growth that suggests the recovery is slowing up. Once again, the reality and graveness of this pandemic is brought to the forefront of market stability.

When Randy Strode and (partner at the time) Gerry Abner bought a property off Kelly Park Road in Apopka, FL, in 1984, it marked the humble beginnings of Agri-Starts, Inc. The little trailer lab and Quonset hoop houses only totaled about 6,500 square feet. But since that time, through continued diversification and innovation, the nursery is now home to 210,000 square feet of greenhouses — and in need of more space. Ty Strode, the President of Agri-Starts, took over day-to-day management of operations from his father at the beginning of this year.

For many decades THC was the most popular and well-known cannabinoid.

That has changed in recent years to some extent.

THC is still very popular, however, other cannabinoids have seen their popularity increase recently, with CBD seeing the most dramatic increase in popularity and awareness.

Google search trends show that CBD is queried more often than THC, and that has been the case for a few years now.

Interest in CBD is clearly on the rise, but what about actual use?