WeedLife News Network

It wasn't that long ago that advocates were promoting hemp as the crop that would save agriculture, promising unprecedented profits.

On paper the prospects are bright. CBD, processed from hemp, is seen by many as a magic elixir for health and beauty aids. A variety of products can be manufactured from the plant's fibers.

But in just four years the crop has gone from boon to bust, thanks to overproduction and a federal regulatory scheme that has made processors wary of developing new hemp-related products.

Oregon growers can attest to the crop's change in fortune.

Acreage in the state soared after Congress legalized hemp in 2018. Growers planted nearly 64,000 acres in 2019, a more than fivefold increase from 2018.

Farmers accustomed to earning a few hundred dollars per acre were inspired to switch to hemp after hearing about others earning $50,000 per acre in revenues from hemp.

CORVALLIS - An Oregon State University study found that spent hemp biomass – the main byproduct of the cannabinoid (CBD) extraction process of hemp – can be included in lamb diets without any major detrimental effects to the health of the animals or their meat quality.

The findings are significant because the hemp byproducts, known as spent hemp biomass, currently have little to no economic value for the hemp industry, the researchers said.

Spent hemp biomass also has not been legalized as feed for livestock by the Food and Drug Administration due to the potential presence of THC and its potential impacts on animal health, so this finding is one step forward to getting that approval.

“To our knowledge, our study is the first to evaluate the effects of feeding spent hemp biomass to livestock,” said Serkan Ates, an associate professor in Oregon State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.

“The findings are important for both hemp farmers and livestock producers because they provide evidence that this byproduct of hemp can be used in livestock diets.

The hemp fiber market is expected to witness market growth at a rate of approximately 6.90% in the forecast period of 2021 to 2028 and is expected to reach USD 0.51 billion by 2028.

Data Bridge Market Research report on hemp fiber market provides analysis and insights regarding the various factors expected to be prevalent throughout the forecast period while providing their impacts on the market’s growth. The rise in the awareness regarding the benefits of hemp is escalating the growth of hemp fiber market.

The product is utilized in the processing and manufacturing of various products such as paper, textile, insulation and construction material, personal care products, nutraceutical, bio-plastics and bio-fuel. It is mostly grown food and beverage and non-food based products with no use of toxic chemicals, pesticides, fertilizers and herbicides.

The rise in inclination towards natural organic products over pharmaceuticals among customers across the globe acts as one of the major factors driving the growth of hemp fiber market.

The increase in demand for hemp fibers in various industries such as automotive, construction, food and beverage, personal care and textile especially in emerging regions and rise in the investment for the production of hemp-based products accelerate the hemp fiber market growth.

The growth in awareness among population regarding the therapeutic properties of the product and the low prices of hemp encouraging farmers to diversify their crop options further influences the hemp fiber market.

GLENDALE - Hemp has certainly gained a great deal of attention recently all over the world. Although hemp has a long history, it is only now that it is being rediscovered.

The Hemp Farm Bill was passed by the United States in 2018. A growing number of people are becoming interested in this crop. The advantages of hemp for our health, the environment, and the economy are undeniably compelling. 

HollyweedCBD was established with the assistance of professionals in the CBD industry with the goal of enhancing people's health by taking into consideration the six wellness components, namely spiritual, emotional, intellectual, environmental, physical, and social.

To encourage the responsible and transparent use of the cannabinoid, the team works on integrating the medical information relevant to the CBD market.

Let’s have a look and revisit some of the recent developments in findings around what makes these so important given that there lies a general consensus over the fact that it does carry extreme medical and health benefits, when consumed with proper consultation and knowledge.

Cannabis use has grown in popularity over the years. Surprisingly, people are increasingly turning to hemp-derived products for relieving pain and other health benefits. But what makes hemp plant products so important. 

Kief is the trichome-rich powder you’ll find at the bottom of your grinder. It’s loaded with THC, and is traditionally used as the basis of hashish.

Kief is term that refers to trichomes that have been separated from the cannabis plant. Cannabis kief contains significantly less plant matter than whole cannabis flower, and it is rich in cannabinoids, making it a highly potent cannabis product.

Kief is also commonly referred to as “keef,” “cannabis crystals,” “chief,” or simply “dust” due to its particulate nature. It can be harvested from marijuana leaves, flower, and plants by dry sifting cannabis with a kief box.

Another common way people extract kief is by grinding marijuana with a 3-chamber grinder; the powdery substance beneath the mesh screen is kief.

How to Smoke Kief

Kief is a powdery substance, so it is best to combine kief with cannabis flower when smoking. A popular way to smoke kief is to roll a kief joint, which is where you mix your flower with kief and then roll a joint. If you want to smoke kief without cannabis flower, you can use a pipe, bong, or dry herb vaporizer. Many kief aficionados prefer vaping kief.

How to Use Kief

There are plenty of ways to use kief even if you don’t want to smoke it. Here are some ideas to inspire you:

New Zealand’s Greenfern Industries is part of a partnership to have received a grant to research potential high value products derived from hemp seed processing waste.

A major waste stream from processing hemp seed (which is technically a nut) is the hull – the hard outer coating. Another is hemp seed cake or meal, which is the by-product of cold-pressing hemp seeds for oil. While the latter is being used as stock feed in some parts of the world, not much is being done with the former. And there could be other, more valuable uses for hemp seed meal.

Greenfern, Hemp Connect and Callaghan Innovation have been awarded a $110,000 Bioresource Processing Alliance (BPA) grant to support work on a related project that commenced last year.

“To begin with we’re looking at a high-quality, plant-based soluble protein (peptide) made from New Zealand-grown hemp,” said Greenfern managing director Dan Casey. “The research we’ve already done tells us this product alone would be new-to-market – that there doesn’t appear to be anything like this readily available elsewhere in the world.”

The Bioresource Processing Alliance, funded by New Zealand’s Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, is focused on generating additional export revenue for New Zealand through better use of biological by-products.

It appears the Greenfern project is initially focused on making better use of the hulls. Other potential uses could be the extraction of lipids for food purposes or in cosmetics.

This is the perfect (micro-)home to go with your cannabis car. Irish company Common Knowledge is introducing the first units of its Tigín Tiny Homes project: tiny homes built out of hemp and cork, with rubber floors and a focus on sustainability and low cost.

Like everywhere else in the world, the cost of living is on the rise in Ireland, and Common Knowledge aims to help those struggling with it by offering a halfway product. That would be the Tigín Tiny Homes, a collective name for an innovative type of tiny house that can be either be purchased as a turnkey unit or as a kit for DIY projects, including suggested materials and retailers, and a price estimate.

Tigín means “small cottage” in Gaelic, and it’s just what this is: a trailer-based tiny home that is built with locally-sourced materials that are also agricultural byproducts.

Because of this, it’s very lightweight and with a small carbon footprint, but relatively durable and comfortable. Since this tiny is only envisioned as a stepping stone towards a forever home, the compromise is ideal – especially since it comes at an affordable price.

The tiny is the result of a longstanding collaboration with Margent Farm, a hemp farm in Cambridgeshire, which provides the hemp for the wall panels.

These panels are made through a combination of cannabis plant fibers and sugar-based resin from agricultural waste, while cork is used for the insulation and natural rubber for the floors. In the future, Common Knowledge hopes to be able to offer certain customization options, which would allow customers to opt out of the cork insulation in favor of another material.

The legal cannabis industry’s problems go much deeper than a lack of access to banking. This piece is part of CoinDesk's Sin Week.

A new TV ad pushing for recreational marijuana is set to hit the airwaves on Wednesday (Aug. 31).

Responsible Growth Arkansas (RGA) is highlighting where some of the taxes derived from recreational cannabis sales will go in this new ad.

Whether Arkansans will see a recreational marijuana use question on the November ballot is yet to be determined as it is still being reviewed by the Arkansas Supreme Court. The State Board of Election Commissioners denied certification of the ballot title, but an appeal from the group’s supporters is being heard by the state’s high court. The court conditionally certified the measure to be on the November ballot while it decides whether the votes will count.

RGA hopes this ad will educate voters on Issue 4 in the meantime.

“The funding for law enforcement, for drug courts, for UAMS for research – I think that as a career law enforcement officer, and now that I’m in the Arkansas cannabis business, one of the questions that everybody always asks or statements that people make to me, I just wish they would legalize it and tax it and use the money for the common good,” said Lance Huey.

Huey is a former Arkansas State Police trooper, sergeant, and served nearly two terms as the Grant County Sheriff. Huey left the sheriff’s office to pursue a career as the Director of Security for the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery. He’s now part of the cannabis industry and RGA.

The confusion as to whether it is synthetic or not comes into play when there is human involvement in the mass production of THC.

This article originally appeared on Cannabis.net and has been reposted with permission.

A lot of people are perplexed about the present state of things in relation to delta-8 THC. This is a cannabinoid that can be retrieved naturally from the cannabis plant. Still, some people are uneasy about it, thinking it might be synthetic.

Unfortunately, even delta-8 THC consumers are among the people who do not completely understand the compound and wonder if it is synthetic or natural due to the high level of danger posed by other synthetic cannabinoids.

Noting all the issues that have been associated with synthetic THC in the past, might delta-8 be the same?

What Is Delta-8?  

Delta-8 is a cannabinoid in cannabis that has gained popularity due to its similarity to delta-9 THC, the primary component of marijuana that gets you intoxicated, causing euphoria, symptom relief, sedation, happiness, and so much more. Vast amounts of THC can be found in most strains of cannabis.

GLENDALE - Hollyweed, an emerging cannabis beauty and holistic company, has launched its line of products that may help Americans to keep up with their mental, spiritual, emotional and holistic fitness. 

Hollyweed has emerged as the leading company that manufactures cannabinoid and hemp products ever since the Californian Government lifted the ban on cannabis. The famous plant advocate and Multimedia artist Zach Fernandez played an essential role in the company's setup as he changed the famous Hollywood logo to the Hollyweed sign on New Year’s Eve in 2017.

The company was founded with the help of experts in the CBD field with the agenda of building people's health by keeping in mind the six wellness factors, i.e., spiritual, emotional, intellectual, environmental, physical and social. The team focuses on integrating the medical knowledge related to the CBD industry to promote the transparent and proper use of the Cannabinoid.  

The company's Chief Executive Officer, Renee Gagnon, showed exemplary enthusiasm during the launch of their Delta 8 Segment. He added, "We're thrilled to announce the launch of the new 8 products of our company that have been specially formulated to help people interested in CBD consumption try the products under the special dosage mentioned. The products would help the users enhance their knowledge regarding the CBD products as each product is mixed with the Delta 8 strain that makes the blend unique."

Here are the launched products of the Delta 8 THC range: 

This product is formulated with the best Hemp flowers. The strain used in the making is exceptionally delicious and beneficial and makes you feel euphoric after a long tiring day. The product is priced at $39.95- $69.95 for a 3.5-gram jar. 

Researchers believe that CBDA could be the next big medication for treating and maintaining overall mental and physical well-being.

Cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) is a minor cannabinoid with significant medicinal promise. Recent research suggests that CBDA could be an alternative treatment for managing or curing inflammation, anxiety, cancer, and seizures. The therapeutic potential of CBDA is the newest discovery of cannabinoid-based drugs.

Introduction to CBDA

Although research is still in the infant stage, researchers believe that CBDA could be the next big medication for treating and maintaining overall mental and physical well-being. Many cannabis-based scientists are optimistic that CBDA would reduce the need for conventional drugs with long-term side effects.

CBDA is mainly found in cannabis plant material. Like other major and minor cannabinoids, it reacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system and receptors in the central nervous system and immune system.

Conversion of CBGA to CBDA

CBGA is converted into CBDA by an enzymatic process. Once formed, it remains this way until the decarboxylation process takes place. Decarboxylation is the conversion of acidic cannabinoids to their decarboxylated forms. CBDA is converted to CBD, THCA to THC, and CBCA to CBC. When cannabis is heated, the decarboxylation process takes place. Cannabinoids’ molecular structure changes when they are heated, dried, or treated. The method alters the substance’s chemical structure by removing one acidic carboxyl group.

While certain cannabis plants have been cultivated to contain balanced quantities of CBDA and THCA, CBDA is often only found in very small concentrations in cannabis plants. Mainly hemp plants are well-known for having significant levels of CBDA and traces of THCA.

Researchers behind a recent survey were surprised to find that physicians’ level of knowledge of medical cannabis did not vary between states.

A recent survey has revealed that 71% of physicians affiliated with the Society of Cannabis Clinicians learned about medical cannabis from conferences. Only 1 participant out of 37 participants reported having learned about medical cannabis from medical school.

This survey confirms that cannabis education is not available in mainstream medical schools at either undergraduate or graduate levels, an issue that has been highlighted by the cannabis community on countless occasions. However, a majority of the physicians reported being content with the amount of cannabis information that is available to support physicians prescribing medical cannabis.

The aim of the survey was to investigate the knowledge level and source of knowledge of Prescribing Physicians in California as well as other states. Because California was the first state to legalize cannabis, the researchers assumed that physicians in this state would be more knowledgeable about cannabis. Surprisingly, this didn’t emerge as true from the survey.

The survey forms were sent out electronically to members of the society. Only physicians were eligible for the study and participation was purely on a voluntary basis with no incentives offered. A total of 133 members were eligible for the survey and 45 participated. Here are a few key findings that were highlighted by the survey:

The researchers were surprised to find that physicians’ level of knowledge of medical cannabis did not vary between states. Physicians in California were not more knowledgeable as compared to physicians from others states, in spite of the fact that California has the oldest medical marijuana program.

Functional health and medicinal products containing CBD (cannabidiol) are growing in popularity, and the UK market is now worth £690 million a year according to trade association ACI, making it the second biggest market in the world after the United States. However traditional extraction processes do not always capitalise on the latest evaporation technology.

In fact, current growth in the market is exceeding even industry predictions, and has been estimated that with suitable policy support, the European market for legal cannabis products could be worth a massive €3.2 billion by 2025.

What is CBD?

CBD is a chemical extracted from hemp and marijuana plants, and while it an active ingredient in the cannabis drug, it does not cause the psychoactive effects associated with THC which is also found in the plants. Although medical studies are inconclusive, some of the claimed benefits of CBD include reducing inflammation, improving relaxation and focus, and slow down digestion. As such, it is often used to treat issues such as anxiety and insomnia, as well as some types of seizure and some digestive complaints.

How is CBD extracted?

There are a number of different techniques for extracting the CBD from the hemp plant, although most of these require the use of solvents which are effective at separating the CBD from other chemical compounds found in the plant. Once the CBD has been extracted, the solvent is evaporated off leaving pure CBD oil.

 Tennessee’s first cannabis restaurant — “Buds & Brews” — will officially open its doors in Germantown. 

The bar and restaurant serves elevated classic American dishes, and if you wish, with a side of special sauce.

“You can get chicken tenders and then you can order some THC ranch,” said Mike Solomon part owner of Buds & Brews. 

The secret here is in the sauce. 

“What is infused is the condiments. We have the 25 most common used condiments from ketchup, honey mustard, ranch dressing, steak sauce,” Solomon went on to explain.  

Legal, hemp-derived THC-infused condiments, desserts and mocktails are what make Buds & Brews a one-of-a-kind high.

Cannabis telemedicine is now a reality for folks in Montana thanks to a platform called NuggMD, already available in several states.

Telemedicine is a modern-day solution to healthcare problems for those in rural parts of the world, and now cannabis telemedicine also exists. Folks in Montana now have access to a platform called NuggMD that connects state licensed medical marijuana doctors to patients virtually. 

NuggMD, an already-established medical cannabis telemedicine platform, is launching its service in Montana. People who wish to be patients simply have to cough up the barrier of entry of $129 to be able to use the service. The platform is already being used by doctors and patients in California, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia.

Despite its rural population, Montana is doing well when it comes to legal cannabis. They made record sales in June of over $17.2 million spent on recreational pot and over $7 million spent on medical cannabis, totaling almost $25 million in cannabis sales just for the month. The total for the year so far is $148 million. The highest cannabis sales are in Yellowstone County, which hit $4.1 million in June, 32% of those being recreational. On opening weekend of legal cannabis sales in the state, the total was already at $1.5 million.

“Yellowstone’s success makes it obvious that cannabis has been a huge boon for the tourist industry in Montana,” says Alex Milligan, CMO and co-founder of NuggMD.

“But the medical market is still running strong in the state because the program provides powerful advantages for Montana patients.”

The National Alliance to Stop Impaired Driving (NASID) has been around for nearly a year now, since its inauguration in July 2021. The organization is run by Responsibility.org and aims to eliminate all forms of impaired driving by achieving DUI system reform, promoting awareness, and enhancing DUI detection and data.

More importantly, NASID is trying to deploy various technologies to fight all forms of impaired driving. The most recent was released in late March this year, which is a user-friendly online tool aimed at helping drivers identify what they can or not do to ensure that they do not get behind the wheel while impaired.

It saves a great deal of time

The tool is designed with the hope that it will help drivers, road safety advocates, and prosecutors navigate the cannabis DUI easily. According to NASID director Darrin Grondel, road safety experts, prosecutors, and lawyers had to spend hours going through different databases, legal codes on a state and federal level, and countless resources on the internet to understand cannabis DUI statutes for a single state.

With the new tool, spending hours is a thing of the past. A user can get a snapshot of all statutes governing cannabis and DUI for any state in a few clicks. According to the tool’s designers, the goal was to solve the problem of constantly changing cannabis and impaired driving laws that can vary widely, making getting on top of the cannabis DUI legal landscape an elusive task for regulators, safety advocates, and other entities.

The tool is designed to provide an overview of state-specific laws. It is also linked to other resources that help users get detailed information on the following:

A group of California cannabis farmers, led by legacy farmer and entrepreneur Justin Calvino, are coming together to build Emerald Road, a crypto-exclusive digital cannabis community. The advanced e-commerce platform will connect farmers directly with customers through a suite of purchasing and marketing tools, content and education, and community-building experiences, all powered on the blockchain. Designed as a virtual bazaar-like marketplace, Emerald Road will allow consumers to connect with, learn from, virtually visit, and purchase directly from farms.

"Emerald Road is about solving a problem and that solution just happens to be Web3," according to Calvino.

"Legacy platforms are not embracing emerging technologies and currently, there is no central hub for canna-culture and canna-curious consumers to connect, socialize, learn, transact, and be entertained, not to mention the restrictions on cannabis advertising. In addition, small farmers don't have the capital to market themselves on a broad scale like the bigger companies do. Emerald Road is the solution for all of those problems."

The more popular cannabis platforms are simply one-way communications, providing education and purchasing options for users. Emerald Road will let users actually interact with brands and other members to ask questions, take virtual farm tours, obtain exclusive products, participate in member-only experiences, and buy discounted products. Membership to Emerald Road is free for legacy members.

When launched in Q3 2022, the Emerald Road Utility Token will be used to purchase goods, services, and experiences throughout the Emerald Road ecosystem. A next-generation wallet will facilitate consumer and business transactions, allowing for seamless transfers from fiat currency to the Emerald Road Token and back again.

A new analysis of employee turnover in cannabis retail includes input from workers in Alberta, Ontario, British Columbia and Saskatchewan.

AM LLC (AM), a public health solutions and health IT firm, announced the launch of their new service line, AM Bioscience℠. Designed to help state and local governments achieve cannabis regulatory requirements and consumer health protection goals, AM Bioscience service offerings include laboratory testing, compliance and regulatory support, research development and peer review, market analysis, and social equity programming.

"AM remains committed to working with government agencies to safeguard public health as cannabis legalization continues to expand nationwide," said Dan Gabriel, CEO.

"AM Bioscience builds upon our network of talented researchers and top experts, enhancing AM's capabilities to help our clients navigate compliance complexities, ensure cannabis safety, and proactively protect the health of our communities."

While there are endless opportunities to license, tax, and regulate medical and adult-use cannabis, responsible regulatory strategy must ensure consumer safety through comprehensive quality assurance. Recognizing that successful implementation requires input from a wide range of specialties, AM assembled a multidisciplinary team of subject matter experts adept at addressing the intricacies of cannabis regulatory frameworks. With AM Bioscience, government agencies gain access to the full complement of cannabis regulatory services from some of the nation's top cannabis researchers, laboratory directors, policy analysts, and public health professionals.