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Cannabis companies haven't made many deals outside of its own industry, but a couple of the more notable ones have involved tobacco. Altria (NYSE:MO) invested $1.8 billion into Cronos Group (NASDAQ:CRON) back in 2018 to take a 45% stake in its business. And last month, British American Tobacco (NYSE:BTI) invested roughly $176 million in OrganiGram Holdings (NASDAQ:OGI), which represents a 20% stake in the cannabis company.

Not only is the cannabis industry moving further into the mainstream as more states legalize marijuana, but there's also a growing pressure on the tobacco industry to diversify its offerings. And a new projection could put pressure on tobacco companies to act sooner rather than later.

Could all the smokers disappear?

According to analysts at Jefferies, conventional smokers could be gone from many markets around the world within just two decades. This isn't because smokers won't still demand the products, but instead that countries are trying to move away from smoking and tobacco companies by offering reduced-risk products (RRPs). Analysts point to vaping and oral nicotine as alternatives that smokers may end up turning to. 

Philip Morris International (NYSE:PM) sells IQOS, an electronic cigarette that heats tobacco rather than burns it. However, it still has a long way to go in proving it can be a meaningful alternative for smokers. One quarter of the $28.7 billion in net sales that Philip Morris generated last year was related to RRPs. And of that total, IQOS accounted for just 7%. Switching to other products likely isn't all about safety, either, as tobacco companies also need to find more avenues to grow. Philip Morris' 2020 revenue was down from 2019's tally of $29.8 billion, and its top line is nearly unchanged from what it was in 2017. British American Tobacco's sales also declined in 2020 and over two years are up just over 5%.

Why cannabis may be the ideal option for tobacco

A big reason why industries are hesitant to get involved with cannabis is that it's risky. Federal prohibition means that products can't be transported into the U.S. from abroad or across state lines, and some businesses aren't willing to risk damaging their wholesome images. That's what Berkshire Hathaway executive Charlie Munger pointed to in a 2019 interview, saying it would be a mistake if soft drink giant Coca-Cola were to ever attempt to mix marijuana with its products.

Researchers believe they may have identified the chemical primarily responsible for complaints regarding the smell of some marijuana and hemp cultivation operations.

We recently mentioned complaints in connection with the smell of hemp farms – some of them anyway – are far from being uncommon. But it turns out what has been described as a “skunky-like” odor may have nothing to do with certain terpenes, the aromatic compounds found in many plants previously thought to be responsible.

A research team consisting of Byers Scientific, Iowa State University and Texas-based odor experts used a triangulation approach of analytical chemistry to potentially identify the primary culprit as being 3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol (321 MBT). This compound is among seven contained in a skunk’s spray that give the critter its smelly reputation.

321 MBT is also the same chemical causing the skunk-type aroma and odd flavour in “light-struck” beer. This occurs when beer is exposed to strong light, which causes certain compounds in hops to degrade. Light-struck beer is also known as “skunked” beer and is one of the reasons beer is usually stored in brown rather than clear or green bottles, as brown glass transmits less visible light.

There’s a connection between hops and cannabis – they are in the same plant family (Cannabaceae).

Yep, you read that right: you can now get paid to study cannabis! Cannatech healthcare company Veriheal just announced a $20,000 Innovation in Cannabis scholarship for students pursuing cannabis degrees. 

The scholarship first launched in 2020, but last year only gave out $10,000 in scholarship awards. This year, it has been doubled to offer 20 $1,000 scholarships to those who qualify. 

“With this scholarship fund, we’re putting $20,000 directly into the hands of a new generation of innovators who will help shape the future of our industry,” said Veriheal co-founder and co-CEO Joshua Green. “The cannabis category is growing at an extraordinary rate, and there are many complex problems that must be solved across all sectors, from finance and technology to science and education. At Veriheal, we’re fortunate to be in the position to support budding entrepreneurs from all walks of life and bring diverse, fresh perspectives to the cannabis field.”

How To Apply

To qualify for the scholarship, high school seniors and college students must submit a 1,000+-word essay explaining how they plan to improve the cannabis industry. Winners will be chosen based on these essays.  

The vape mail ban which goes into effect tomorrow, is said by government officials to be for the protection of children. However, as blocking the safer way of smoking, while offering no better options, the vape mail ban will likely hurt kids even more.

It’s almost here, the last day for us to legally send you out delta-8 THC vape carts. Due to the vape mail ban which is about to go into effect, we will no longer be able to send out vape carts for a little while. So literally ‘right now’ is your last chance to take advantage of these great Delta-8 THC deals, so we can mail it out while it’s still legal to do so.

Ban on shipping delta-8 THC, CBD, e-Juice carts & more

The whole thing has been fishy from the get-go, with Trump signing off on the omnibus corona relief bill last December, setting into motion a flurry of new laws concerning how tobacco products and cannabis products can be sent in the mail. How would such laws be part of a corona relief bill? Good question. The Omnibus Appropriations and Coronavirus Relief Package is an omnibus bill, which means it functions differently than other laws. They are made to include many different laws on many different topics, and as such, are not debated in congress as they are too expansive and varied to debate. They simply need to pass a vote and that’s it.

Omnibus bills often carry ‘riders’, or unrelated laws that have nothing to do with the main subject matter, and are known as a way for the government to pass legislation under the cover of night. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, it means what it sounds like. Doing something in darkness so no one can see. Other similar methods of keeping pending legislation away from regular citizens, and passing unpopular laws, include voting on laws in the middle of the night, voting on holidays, not releasing draft legislation to the public, and promoting bigger media stories to divert attention.

So we can infer from how it was passed that it wasn’t desirable for us (the public) to know a whole lot about it. The bill had actually already passed both houses of congress by last summer in a different form, but President Trump originally had no desire to sign the bill. He did so later on in the year. The provision for the mail vape ban, called the Preventing Online Sales of E-Cigarettes to Children Act, goes into effect on March 28th. The ban is specifically on tobacco vape products, with cannabis products falling into this category due to 2008’s Federal Law for Control of Tobacco Products bill.

The future of cannabis in cosmetics in China looks bleak following an announcement by China’s National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC) that it plans to ban cannabis compounds for use in cosmetics.

According to the Notice on Amending Inventory of Prohibited Cosmetic Ingredients for Public Comments posted on NIFDC’s official website, the authority is proposing to prohibit the cosmetic applications of cannabis-related ingredients, including cannabis sativa kernel fruit, cannabis sativa seed oil, and cannabis sativa leaf, as well as CBD.
 
The public has until April 19 to submit their feedback.

Cannabis concentrates have been around for about as long as humans have been enjoying the benefits of cannabis, but the way they’re made and consumed has evolved dramatically in just the past few years. If there’s a single style of concentrate that epitomizes this seismic shift in cannabis technology and culture, it’s definitely shatter.

Produced in crystal clear sheets of glittering golden glass, nothing else looks quite like a slab of superb shatter. The shimmering clarity invites you to gaze into its reflective surface, while the tantalizing aroma (and the promise of swift, efficient cannabinoid impacts) urge you to, well, shatter it and consume the intoxicating vapor hidden within.

Shatter is more than just one of the most popular concentrate styles on the market, it’s a symbol of the new wave in cannabis and a high watermark for ambitious extractors who want to make the best. Its dramatic aesthetics often inspire shock and confusion in the uninitiated — and even those who enjoy dabbing shatter often know little about how its made.

The History of Shatter

Long gone are the days when smoking hash in America meant purchasing a piece broken off a brick shipped from Pakistan, Afghanistan or Morocco: By the early ’90s, the advent of prefabricated “kief boxes” and “bubble bags” inspired a dry sift and ice water hash boom that transformed the U.S. market into a largely domestic affair. NorCal dispensary shelves were overstocked with bubble hash by the early ’00s — just in time for the next revolution in cannabis: solvent extraction, which is how shatter is made.

What Is Solvent Extraction?

Solvent extraction isn’t new — it’s used in countless industrial processes, including the decaffeination of coffee and the production of perfumes and food flavors. In fact, none of the “new” techniques for making concentrates are really new, but the application of solvent extraction to cannabis was absolutely groundbreaking. Solvent extraction is complicated, but essentially, a solvent is run through cannabis plant matter, which strips the desirable oils from the plant. Because of its low cost and wide availability, butane has emerged as the most popular solvent option for hydrocarbon extraction, which has led to the term Butane Hash Oil or BHO.

Connoisseurs prefer it, lab tests confirm it. Producers of high-quality cannabis extracts can’t afford not to use it.

Three methods for extraction have been dominant in the cannabis market so far.

The primary difference between them is the solvent they use to process the plant into its final, consumable form. Extraction using CO2 was the first method to gain widespread acceptance in the recreational cannabis market.

CO2 can produce the shelf-stable oils used in vape cartridges and continues to be a popular option. Ethanol was another common solvent long-used by small producers, though professional-grade equipment for production at scale came along significantly later.

But it’s the third method, extracting cannabis with hydrocarbons (butane and propane) that has the most potential to serve consumers in the mature marijuana markets of the future. We can already see those preferences taking hold in the present.

We all know about delta-9 THC, the main psychoactive cannabinoid of the cannabis plant. Recently, delta-8 THC started making a strong impression as an alternate form of THC, with slightly different benefits. We even know there’s a delta-10 THC. So, how many THCs are there out there, and how are they similar?

Well, it’s finally happening, the new vape ban will stop retailers from being able to send vape products through the mail in the US. Luckily, you can still pick up products in dispensaries, and you can still order until the ban starts. Just a few days left, so check out these great Delta-8 THC deals before we can’t send them out to you anymore!

Delta-9 and delta-8 THC

The first guy to synthesize THC was chemist Roger Adams. He was the first to identify the compound in the 1940’s, although he was not able to isolate it. This was done in 1964 by Raphael Mechoulam and his team, although Adams was the first to isolate CBD. Mechoulam was able to benefit from Israel’s less restrictive cannabis research laws. He and his team wanted to figure out what it was in Indian hash that was making people act so intoxicated.

The answer, he found, was THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol. To be more specific, he isolated the most common form of THC found in cannabis plants, delta-9 THC. Delta-9 THC itself does not actually exist heavily in any cannabis plant, but is instead produced from THCA which decarboxylates (generally through sun exposure or heat) to become delta-9 THC. It was learned in the 1940’s that there were many different forms of THC, although how many THCs can be created, was a mystery (and still is).

In the last year or so, another form of THC has been getting more popular, partially due to the 2018 US Farm Bill which legalized the cultivation of industrial hemp for certain purposes. As a form of THC which does not exist in large enough amounts on its own, delta-8 THC requires being sourced from delta-9 THC. It’s formed through an oxidation process, which results in a compound that has shown in testing to have less psychoactive response, to produce less associated anxiety and panic symptoms, to be effective for use with nausea and vomiting due to illness and treatments, and which, due to the oxidation process, is actually more stable over time than delta-9.

The enactment of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (the 2018 Farm Bill) and the legalization of hemp and hemp derivatives, including cannabidiol (CBD), has led to a massive CBD craze in the Yes, workout clothes!) According to a 2019 study conducted by Cowen Research, the sales of these products are expected to reach $16 billion by 2025.

Yet, the potential of hemp lays beyond CBD. Indeed, as the market becomes saturated, and the value of hemp and CBD declines (the aggregate price of hemp biomass dropped by 79% from April 2019 to April 2020), U.S. companies will need to — and should — turn to other product offerings.

The good news is that they need not look far. The hemp plant is an underappreciated and high-value crop used in a wide range of products and product types, ranging from food, textile, automotive parts, and construction supplies, just to name a few.

Virtually every part of the hemp plant has a purpose.

Hemp seeds are rich in protein, fiber, omega-3 fats and other essential nutrients and vitamins, and can also be ground into flour.

When California first passed Proposition 64 legalizing recreational cannabis, voters waited in eager anticipation for natural, quality products to purchase.

What they found instead was 84.3% of sampled cannabis tested positive for pesticide residue. 

The research, conducted by Steep Hill Labs, Inc., further concluded that 65% of cannabis samples submitted to their lab contained Myclobutanil, a pesticide that when smoked or vaporized is converted to Hydrogen Cyanide.

As the name suggests, the chemical is extremely toxic for humans to ingest. 

Discoveries like these underscore the importance of lab testing requirements for cannabis operators.

It’s fascinating how people choose their cannabis products, especially terpenes and flower. It wasn’t that long ago when the only option was cannabis flower via a local unregulated dealer, and likely only one or two options were available at that. The “I will take what I can get” strains were the most popular because, well, that was all that was available.

Zoom forward to today, and cannabis is legally available in several markets for medical and/or adult-use purposes, and the options are staggering.

THC Hunting

Arguably, the most common factor for consumers and patients purchasing flower in legal markets is the THC level associated with the particular flower, rather than terpenes. Veteran consumers typically want the strongest THC flower available. For rookies and newbies, the opposite is often the case.

The problem with that method is that THC testing levels can be misleading. Many producers know that THC levels drive sales, so they will get multiple tests performed and go with whatever test result comes back with the greatest amount of THC, even if it’s not necessarily accurate.

Another popular method for selection is searching for specific strain names and/or indica, sativa, or hybrid designations. Those factors can also be misleading because of how much cannabis crops vary from grower to grower and harvest to harvest. A much more applicable set of criteria is becoming more popular at dispensaries, which is good news for patients and consumers.

We're soon going to learn a whole lot about cannabis in California.

An often overlooked provision of California's landmark legalization measure — Proposition 64 — set aside funds for research grants to study the impacts of cannabis. Well, the Bureau of Cannabis Control recently announced that it is awarding nearly $30 million in grants of up to $2 million to a host of public universities across the state — including Humboldt State University — to study various aspects of cannabis, including public health, public safety and economic and environmental impacts.

"The research conducted through these public university grants will provide critical information for evaluating our legal cannabis system and its impacts," Bureau Chief Lori Ajax said in a press release. "This research will be a valuable tool to inform future cannabis policy in California."

Included in the grants are some massive studies. For example, the University of California at San Francisco received $2 million to conduct a "comprehensive analysis" of cannabis exposure on the developing brain, while UC Santa Barbara got $2 million to study the impacts of farm practices on the quantity, quality and toxicity of surface water emissions from cannabis cultivation sites. UC Davis, meanwhile, got $1 million to study cannabis use's impacts on early psychosis, while UCLA received $1 million to assess "the feasibility and consequences of implementing a cannabis potency tax in California" and UC Berkeley received $465,000 to explore issues surrounding tribal sovereignty over cannabis permitting on Native ancestral lands.

Closer to home, HSU received $183,000 to study the economic impact of cannabis legalization in rural Northern California. The study will be headed by Sonoma State University professor of economics Robert Eyler and done in collaboration with the Humboldt Business Development Center (HBDC) and the California Center for Rural Policy at HSU.

Cannabis concentrates are perhaps the trickiest form you may come across. They are highly potent, and the consumption techniques are also complicated, whether you choose to smoke, vape, or dab. Still, using the right gear can make things a lot simpler for beginners, and you get better with practice and experience. The choice of equipment depends on several factors, so you need to consider them while taking your pick. Here are some helpful tips that you can follow while choosing the right gear for using concentrates.

Size and convenience 

You will want to choose your concentrate gear according to your skill level. For a beginner, the simplest is the best because it will be easy to handle and use. Handling the potency and managing dosages for cannabis concentrates may be hard enough for you. So you will want only the gear that is easy to use. Size also matters because larger pieces can be difficult to operate. Thankfully, there are lots of choices in bongs and bubblers, from large, table-top pieces to small, handheld ones.

Method of consumption

The next factor to consider is the method of consumption and the form of concentrate. When it comes to types of concentrates, you come across a lot, from wax to shatter, resin, rosin, oil, hash, and more. Consumption methods also vary, depending on your preference, and the equipment you use will differ accordingly. For beginners who want to learn how to smoke resin, a bowl gives you a good start. You can graduate to a bong or bubbler as you learn the ropes. Similarly, you will need a vaporizer for vaping a concentrate and a dab rig for dabbing it.  

Quality of smoke

The quality of smoke makes all the difference when it comes to experience, both for beginners as well as seasoned users. You will want cooler, smoother smoke that gets you high without irritating your throat or lungs. A bong with an ice catch is a good option as it helps in cooling the smoke before you inhale it. If you are more experienced, you can work with a nail and rig as it lets control the temperature for an optimal hit. Lower temperatures deliver a smoother vapor, while higher temperatures make it harder-hitting.

Durability

When you spend on smoking or dabbing gear, you will want it to last. Durability is another factor that needs attention when you buy it as a beginner. Look for ones made with high-quality material, even if it means that you have to spend a little extra. You need to be extra careful about glass gear because there are chances of dropping the bong when you do not have much experience of using it. Always stick to a reputed seller because they go the extra mile with quality and durability.

Although we started off our journey at CBD Testers with a strong emphasis on minor cannabinoids, lately, we’ve been taking a closer look at the most abundant one – THC – and all of its many applications and benefits. Another interesting, and sometimes confusing, point about this compound is how many variations of it exist.

Most people know that THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is the dominant compound found in marijuana, and also the one that holds the plant’s psychoactive properties. It’s the most popular cannabis compound, for obvious reasons, and it also has numerous medical benefits that we as a society are only beginning to fully understand.

There are 4 major types of THC that are naturally occurring in the plant: THCA, THCV, Delta 8 THC and Delta 9 THC. There is also another type that was very recently discovered – Delta 10 THC. Although this one was accidentally manmade, it still has some interesting properties that are worth covering. All of these different types of tetrahydrocannabinol are chemically unique with varying therapeutic potential.

To learn more about cannabis, and for exclusive deals on Delta-8 THC and other products, subscribe to the Delta 8 Weekly Newsletter

THCA – Tetrahydrocannabinolic Acid

For the sake of simplicity, we’ll start at the very beginning by looking at THC in its most natural form: THCA. In short, THCA is the type of THC found in raw cannabis plants. So, when you walk into a dispensary and start looking at different bud samples and see how much THC is in each one, what you’re actually looking at is the levels of THCA. Once heat is applied, THCA loses its carboxyl acid group (in a process known as decarboxylation) and becomes THC.

THCA is found virtually everywhere in the plant, including the stems, leaves, and flowers. On its own, it has no psychoactive properties. The mind-altering effects come into play after decarboxylation, as THCA is just a precursor to all the other tetrahydrocannabinols.

“We need long-term studies! There is a ‘painful’ parallel between medical marijuana and the past and present situation with opioids, where the short-term demonstration of efficacy on chronic pain led to the promotion and broad scale prescription of opioids in the absence of high quality evidence.” – Dr. Thorsten Rudroff

Recently, The Fresh Toast shared an article about Dr. Thorsten Rudroff’s study in partnership with the National Institute of Health and the University of Iowa that focuses on understanding how aging and mobility is linked to medical marijuana.

Already garnering attention all over the globe, the study sought participants to discuss if the use of marijuana could increase the risk of falls or cognitive impairments in aging adults.

Dr. Rudroff, whose background includes a PhD in neurophysiology and a degree in physical therapy, recently spoke in depth with The Fresh Toast about common misconceptions and barriers to research currently in place when studying medical marijuana or CBD.

Q: Other researchers often discuss the red tape that surrounds marijuana and CBD studies. Have you experienced this with your current study?

A: We have to distinguish between intervention and observation studies. Intervention studies, the investigators tell the subject how to use medical marijuana, are difficult. You need a special license to conduct these studies. To get this license can take more than 2 years. Observational studies, like this one) are easier to perform. We invite users to the lab and test them. However, it took some time to get approval from the UIOWA IRB (Institutional Review Board). For example, we had to make sure that we follow strict Iowa Marijuana laws. Furthermore, my lab is the first at UIOWA who is doing this kind of research. I hope that the next marijuana study will get approval much quicker.

Hemp is technically legal, but proving that it’s not illegal marijuana can be a hurdle, requiring testing in a licensed laboratory.

When a truck carrying thousands of pounds of hemp was recently detained by law enforcement near Amarillo, Texas, the driver spent weeks in jail awaiting confirmation that the cargo was legal.

Stories like that inspired a team of Texas A&M AgriLife researchers to create a “hemp scanner” that could easily fit in a police cruiser and distinguish hemp and marijuana instantly, without damaging any of the product.

In 2019, Texas lawmakers made a distinction between hemp and marijuana based on the level of THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, in a plant. If a plant has less than 0.3% THC, it is designated hemp.

Both federal and state restrictions on hemp have loosened in recent years. As a result, the value of hemp has skyrocketed, said Dmitry Kurouski, assistant professor of biochemistry and biophysics, who led the study.

Despite more Americans supporting federal legalization of cannabis, many people still don’t know about the industry’s potential to harm the environment.

Just like other agricultural commodities, there are environmental impacts involved when growing cannabis. But many consumers don’t know, or simply don’t care how their cannabis was grown or even if it was sprayed with harmful chemical pesticides.

Tons of carbon is emitted into the atmosphere too just to grow a single cannabis plant. However, there is a growing number of people who do care how their cannabis was grown, and if they are produced with care to reduce its impact on the environment.

With climate change the number one issue our earth faces today, it’s important for you to help make a positive change by looking for products — your cannabis included — from brands or manufacturers that work to reduce their carbon footprint.

Cannabis is one of the oldest agricultural commodities out there, and more grow operations continue to sprout because of demand for the product. However, growing it using modern techniques especially in indoor grows requires massive amounts of energy and water, which have a major carbon footprint. Despite more Americans supporting federal legalization of cannabis, many people still don’t know about the industry’s potential to harm the environment.

Topical CBD (cannabidiol) products are becoming increasingly popular – but recent testing indicates some who use them may not be getting what they paid for.

CBD topicals are being used for a number of applications including general cosmetics, moisturising, treating skin irritations and to relieve muscle and joint pain. Research indicates cannabidiol may be effective in treating or managing a number of skin problems.

As an active ingredient it’s important that what’s in the product is reflected by what’s on the label.

Leafreport engaged Canalysis Laboratories to test dozens of CBD topicals including creams, balms, serums and toners, and found 31 of the 40 products contained 12% to 99% cannabidiol versus what was on the label either way (less or more). Just 9 of the products had CBD levels within 10% of the label and 11 were off 30% or more from what the label noted. The majority of the products (31 or 77.5%) contained more CBD than advertised.

While more CBD may sound like a good thing, it raises the question – if a company can’t get CBD levels pretty right, what else is happening with the product? Additionally, more CBD than indicated can make it difficult for a user to determine what they actually need.

A study by researchers at the University of Minnesota show the genetic makeup of high-CBD hemp plants is largely marijuana.

There are two types of cannabis plants. One that creates marijuana, which has psychoactive properties and the other creates hemp, which can be used to make industrial products. The difference between the two plants is the level of the tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, which creates the "high" sensation. Under federal regulations, CBD can only be 0.3% THC.

In the study, recently published in New Phytologist, researchers that breeding high-THC plants with hemp-type plants would create a new plant with high levels of CBD instead. 

According to the study, when the high-CBD plants mature, hemp farmers could be at risk of having their crops above the legal THC limit.

The cannabis plant is extremely complex and nuanced.

With a dizzying amount of active ingredients — including over 200 cannabinoids — it’s hard to imagine the majority of the legal market is comprised of products containing THC, CBD, or a combination of those two alone.

But so-called “lesser-known cannabinoids” are beginning to emerge as research and development on the plant itself grows along with the industry. 

Cannabinoids such as CBN, CBG, and THC-A have been making their way into retail in a variety of forms, and interest in the potential of cannabis beyond the current status quo is rising fast.

Could these lesser-known cannabinoids be the future of the marijuana marketplace?