The NFL, through a committee formed with the player’s union, plans to fund up to $1 million in research into the potential use of marijuana to treat pain. Former players have strongly pushed for this policy in the past few years as an alternative to prescription opioids.

The initiative is the work of a committee formed in 2020 by the NFL and the NFL Players Association, called the NFL-NFLPA Pain Management Committee (PMC). 

The PMC focuses on all pain-related issues for NFL players, including finding alternatives to using prescription opioids. Past studies show that people outside professional sports have taken the issue into their own hands. For example, several studies show opioid prescriptions drop in places that legalize marijuana. 

Focus of the research 

In 2020, the PMC held two forums about CBD, gathering information on its potential uses. In 2021, the committee sought information from researchers who study pain management alternatives. They’ve learned enough to move forward with new research.

The committee recently requested research proposals that focus on “pain management and the potential effects of pain and cannabinoids on athletic performance in elite football players.”

For cannabis operators, being compliant and efficient at the same time often feels like an impossible feat.

This is especially true for cultivators, who must go to great lengths to ensure their cannabis is both high-quality and produced within the constructs of the laws of their individual state. 

In 2017, Matt Mayberry, Karen Mayberry, and Benjamin Wong (all passionate cannabis advocates) were exploring a foray into the legal market when they discovered the multitude of issues producers were facing.

One of the main challenges was the archaic systems being used for the vast amount of data needing to be collected for regulators.

“We started going to tradeshows to check out the scene and quickly began speaking with growers to determine what challenges they were facing in the current market,” Matt Mayberry (the company’s CEO) explained in an interview with Cannabis & Tech Today.

It takes the average laptop computer about a billionth of a second to add two numbers together. That’s far less time than it takes to blink your eyes or to take a sip of coffee. In fact, it’s fair to say that there are few activities that computers can’t do faster than people. Unfortunately, machines can only do as much as they are asked to.

Machines are faster than ever, but it can take humans years to realize that a particular question needs to be asked in the first place — this is the central paradox of computing today.

This is especially true in the cannabis industry, where things often seem to unfold slowly when they can be quickly solved with technology.

If you look at the arc of the industry, it’s been on a downward slope for about three years as the early hype and promise have given way to a far less rosy reality. And while everyone knows that things need to be fixed and that problems need to be addressed, it seems to be taking a long time to come up with coherent plans to right the ship. As a technologist working in the industry, I can only describe this approach as infuriating. It doesn’t need to be this way.

One of the biggest problems I see is that a lot of cannabis companies have multiple technology platforms that are not in sync with each other. In other words, a retail software system might not integrate with an accounting system, and neither of them integrates with a supply chain management system. And, yes, paper, spreadsheet, and whiteboard systems are included in my definition of technology here — these are most often the most common tools employed by producers. This requires people to go in and look at data from disparate systems and try to make sense of everything. And all of this needs to happen even before companies can take concrete steps to address particular issues or start to optimize.

If you feel like you’ve been catching a lot of Delta-8 THC content in the media lately, those aren’t just your social media apps hacking your brain. Hemp-derived Delta-8 THC is having a big moment in 2021 in terms of popularity and, most recently, in terms of concerns over legality, safety, and accuracy. This hot new cannabinoid has been branded as “legal marijuana” as the main intoxicating compound in cannabis but one most commonly derived from hemp for commercial use. Social listening data reveals that conversations around Delta-8 grew by a whopping 163% from December 2020 to April 2021, but all is not rosy for this latest trend in cannabis or for companies jumping into production to respond to the surging interest.

Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, and Montana are among the states that have explicitly banned sales of Delta-8 and at least four other states have already removed it from the shelves or otherwise restricted market access. The 2018 Farm Bill categorically removed hemp from the definition of marijuana and modified the definition of tetrahydrocannabinol to exclude tetrahydrocannabinol in hemp. The Drug Enforcement Agency’s interim rule turned that segment of the Farm Bill on its head, declaring derivatives of hemp containing delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol in excess of .3% THC and all synthetic cannabinoids as controlled substances. 

Delta-8, which does not occur in levels sufficient to make commercial products in a cost-effective manner and therefore must be processed from CBD, lands it in the “synthetic” category according to the DEA definition. Some argue that this categorization is flawed given that Delta-8 is a naturally existing phytocannabinoid and that converting CBD to THC occurs via isomerization (the transformation of one isomer into another)—a process that does not fall within the DEA’s definition of a synthetic process. Though solid regulatory footing remains hard to attain as the debate rages on, cannabis companies are forging ahead with new products and campaigns, with mixed results.

Delta 9 or Delta 8?

A recent study by Leafreport found that out of 38 products tested, 63% contained the wrong amount of Delta-8 and more than 50% had illegal (over .3%) levels of Delta-9, containing as much as 15.2% THC. Delta-9 THC and cannabis plants that contain it are federally illegal with the exception of hemp, which contains too little (.3% or less of dry weight) Delta-9 to cause psychoactive effects. 34% of products in the Leafreport study did not clearly list Delta-8 content on the label or online product description, and 68% contained the wrong amount Delta-8 THC. The products most vulnerable to misreported Delta-8 levels were pre-rolls and gummies. Leafreport used a rating system based on the recommendation of industry experts that Delta-8 products have anywhere from 90% to 110% of the amount stated on the label. Using this metric, a full 32% of the products tested merited an “F” (Fail) accuracy rating.

Women Are The Majority of Buyers

The Brightfield Group, a CBD and cannabis consumer data and marketing intelligence company, recently conducted a study to assess Delta-8 consumer, product, and regulatory trends and found that only six months into the Delta-8 trend, 23% of Americans were aware of it, particularly among younger, city-dwelling cannabis users. Brightfield’s numbers show that for a growing segment of the population, Delta-8 is an affordable, convenient way to experience psychoactive cannabis, particularly where Delta-9 is illegal. Women make up the majority (53%) of consumers and curiosity is still the driving factor for those who purchase Delta-8. A full 20% of Delta-8 consumers do not use Delta-9 THC, which points to something unique about Delta-8. Anecdotal evidence suggests that may be a smoother, milder high and fewer side effects like anxiety and paranoia. 

CBD has been the motor powering the cannabis legalization movement. As the part of the plant deemed ‘non-psychoactive’, CBD has gotten a pass that the rest of the plant has not. And this is great! But it’s also led to some rather intense confusion, and longstanding misconceptions.

Are you a delta-8 user? You know, the alternate form of THC that leaves users energetic and clear-headed, without the anxiety produced by delta-9 THC, the standard THC associated with cannabis? Good choice, if you are. Not only are you experiencing THC in a different way, but you’re at the forefront of cannabis technology. We’re here to make sure you’ve got what you need, with a range of Delta-8 THC deals to keep your shelves stocked

Why are we talking about CBD?

CBD – cannabidiol – came into the spotlight around 2018, with the advent of the most recent US Farm Bill. The US Farm Bill is a range of legislation that governs the agricultural world, like what can be grown and how, crop insurance for farmers, farmer training, sustainable farming practices, and ways to get healthy food for low-income families. Basically, anything covered under farming and food, is governed by the Farm Bill, which is put out every five years (approximately).

The 2014 Farm Bill legalized ‘non-viable hemp material’ sales in states with participation in the Hemp Pilot Program. The 2018 Us Farm Bill removed hemp from the Controlled Substances list, making the production and sale of products possible on a large scale. Since cannabis is federally illegal, in order to do this, the definition for ‘hemp’ was set at the following, allowing for a break from the rest of the plant and the ability for a different set of regulatory laws:

“…the plant Cannabis Sativa L. and any part of that plant, including the seeds thereof and all derivatives, extracts, cannabinoids, isomers, acids, salts, and salts of isomers, whether growing or not, with a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol concentration of not more than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis.”

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CBD & THC? JOIN US TO FIND OUT!

Description: There are a lot of discussions about cannabis effects recently! Some are saying it should be legal because of all the benefits of CBD! Others are saying that THC comes with a lot of risks? What do you think? Are you certain that you have all the right information?

A simple truth is that marijuana marked a big part of our youth. Okay, truth to be told, we were rebellious teenagers, so smoking pot was an essential part of growing up. But, plenty of our friends who didn’t take any risks whatsoever also used to smoke it at parties, etc.  Although the use of cannabis isn’t a new thing, at that time, it was somewhat of forbidden fruit. Hence, smoking or making cookies with it was super exciting. What are your experiences with pot? 

As you probably know, the attitudes towards cannabis were significantly changing throughout history. They also varied from culture to culture. For example, in Asian and Native American cultures, it was pretty used for both recreational and medicinal purposes. In the incident, however, it was quickly labeled as harmful. The main reason for that is its psychoactive ingredient, tetrahydrocannabinol or THC.

Recently, however, we see the winds shifting. First, it became clear that CBD which is extracted from hemp has plenty of positive effects on our health. Hence more and more states in the U.S. and countries worldwide started to legalize it. Further research showed there are plenty of cannabis effects and benefits.  So now we are moving towards the legalization of marijuana as well.

At the same time, an increasing number of people are seeking supplements that can help improve their health, such as protein powder cookies or alleviate the symptoms of existing health problems. Hence, more and more folks are becoming curious about the differences between CBD vs.THC and cannabis product’s effects.

An ingredient strongly implicated in the EVALI (e-cigarette or vaping use-associated lung injury) outbreak that spread across the U.S. in 2019 could soon be banned in the state of Michigan.

Last week, Michigan’s House approved three bills that would ban the sale of tobacco and cannabis vaping products containing vitamin E acetate, reports MLive.com.

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has “strongly linked” the ingredient to the EVALI outbreak that resulted in 68 deaths and nearly 3,000 hospitalizations, across all 50 states.

The package of bills was introduced by Rep. Abdullah Hammoud, D-Dearborn, and Rep. Joe Bellino, R-Monroe, and passed with bipartisan support. The bills will now move on to the Senate for further review.

Between April 2019 and February 2020, nearly 3,500 vaping products containing vitamin E acetate were sold in Michigan and an additional 8,000 cartridges containing the ingredient were removed from inventory.

On May 7, 2021, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Cancer Institute, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, and the National Institute of Mental Health published a joint notice in the National Institutes of Health Guide to establish a standard THC unit to be used in research studies funded by these institutions.

The notice defines a standard THC unit as “as any formulation of cannabis plant material or extract that contains 5 milligrams of THC.”

According to the notice, “inconsistency in the measurement and reporting of THC exposure has been a major limitation in studies of cannabis use, making it difficult to compare findings among studies.”

While subjects may experience different effects, even when consuming the same quantity of THC due to route of administration, other product elements, an individual’s genetic make-up and metabolic factors, prior cannabis exposure and other contributing factors, the goal of the notice is to increase the comparability of cannabis research studies.

The standard does not require that researchers administer no more or less than 5mg of THC during studies. It is intended as a unit of measure, much like research on alcohol has established a standard drink as 0.6 fluid ounces of pure alcohol.

It’s always an advantage to know the vaping laws governing the marketing, sales, and use of vape products, especially if you’re a company in the e-cigarette industry. In the U.S, the sales and use of vape pens, liquid nicotine, e-cigarettes, e-liquids, or bulk import of such products aren’t without a list of requirements and regulatory guidelines.

You need to ensure compliance for your company and employees. This calls for an in-depth understanding of the rules and regulations surrounding customer age verifications, product placements and displays, sampling, internet and mail orders, restricted store sections, and many more.

Like most laws in the U.S, there are state and federal regulations for nicotine devices. Certain states in the U.S consider vaping companies to be manufacturers and retailers. What this implies is that you’ll have to deal with additional rules and laws. Ensuring that you’re compliant will save you a lot of delays, fees, and fines.

This article covers five essential laws you should understand as a vape company in the U.S. But before diving into it, let’s look at a general overview of vape regulations.

A Quick Overview

In the latter part of December 2020, a budget package saw the light of day after its passing by Congress.

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.

Hemp is a miracle material. When most people think of it, one or two uses might come to mind. But, when you really do your research on everything hemp is used for, you quickly start to see how valuable it is.

Right now, it’s important to shine a light on the fact that hemp can be used for home construction in a variety of ways. Lately, the cost of lumber has skyrocketed due to a shortage. There are also concerns about the sustainability of traditional building materials and how they might be impacting the planet.

Could hemp be the solution for those problems? Yes.

Using hemp as a building material is more than just a “pipe dream” (no pun intended). Instead, it’s a viable option that could cut costs and benefit the environment.

Not sure how it can be used and whether it truly is the right solution? Let’s look at the benefits and a few ways hemp can be implemented into construction materials.

High-quality vapes with healthy components are not always expensive the same way expensive vapes are not always of the best grades. Here’s what to look for.

Vaping is popularly considered as the lesser of all evils for all cannabis users around the world. Nothing can be a hundred percent safe though.

Nowadays, the market is littered with various types of vaporizers with different atomizers and cartridges. Expectedly, choosing a vape might be a dilemma for customers, as well as canna-entrepreneurs — especially new investors.

Photo by Toan Nguyen via Unsplash

Safety is the most important thing to look for

All vapes do not have an equal measure of safety. Some are safer than others. Thanks to the ever-evolving technology, many unique types of vapes have been developed. Most brands choose profit over the health of their customers, which is why you should always check the components of your vaporizers before buying, including:

A proposed amendment in Massachusetts would allow for the addition of hemp-derived CBD ingredients to food, dietary supplements and animal feed, and permit the sale of hemp flowers to consumers.

A vote on Amendment 130 in the state Senate is expected this week while the Massachusetts House of Representatives is to consider a parallel bill with similar language in a virtual public hearing on June 1. In the Senate, the amendment was filed by Sen. Diana DiZoglio, a Democrat from Methuen, as part of the 2021 budget.

CCC guidance is limiting

For now, CBD can only be used as an ingredient in non-food products, and may not be marketed in dietary supplements, under guidance recently issued by the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC).

Those rules permit the sale of some industrial hemp products to licensed cannabis retailers, but restrict sales of unprocessed hemp, including flowers, to wholesale transactions among licensed growers and producers.

Products such as hempseed, hempseed oil, building materials, textiles & fashions, and other products and materials derived from hemp fiber are eligible for wholesale to cannabis retailers under the new guidance, according to the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources.

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.

As the cannabis industry matures and competition intensifies, ancillary vendors are looking for ways to provide added value to their customers.

Generally, ancillary vendors seek to provide additional value through cost savings and efficiency gains that boost profitability. Now, they’re adding sustainability practices and expertise to the list.

When it comes to sustainability, having an ancillary vendor that is already experienced with sustainability initiatives allows the vendor to serve as a trusted advisor to the operator.

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.

Lumber has been one of the most common building materials in construction for a very long time.

It is not the most popular building material on earth, as that distinction goes to concrete. However, wood is still very popular and has been for centuries.

Houses, wagons, bridges, and a number of other things have been made out of wood in many different countries throughout the world both historically and currently.

Unfortunately, prices for lumber have increased exponentially this year, which may ultimately prove to be a blessing to the global hemp industry.

Exploding Prices for Lumber

Lumber is a commodity that is traded around the world. Virtually every country on earth uses lumber for various purposes.

It’s been somewhat like pulling teeth, but the United States Drug Enforcement Administration has moved closer to allowing more growers to produce marijuana for research purposes.

While hemp was made legal at a Federal level with the signing of the 2018 Farm Bill into law, cannabis not meeting the definition of hemp is still considered marijuana in the USA, and therefore illegal.

This causes all sorts of problems for the industry, including relating to important research that needs to occur.

Currently, all federally-approved studies of medical cannabis must source their product from a single entity, the National Center for the Development of Natural Products at University of Mississippi. It has been the only legal source for more than 40 years. The quality of cannabis from the facility has been called into question in the past.

Cannabis research in the USA has been seriously impeded by the DEA’s stance on the issue. However, it has been taking steps to permit an increase in the number of growers authorised to grow marijuana for research purposes. The process has taken years so far.