A secret memo released as part of a recent lawsuit demonstrates how the Trump Administration has quietly blocked marijuana research in the United States. In fact, the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) suggest the restrictions around marijuana research aren’t harsh enough. The issue revolves around the United Nations’ 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs […]
Did you know you could use your leftover concentrates to make potent edibles? “All types of cannabis concentrates can be used in cooking,” said Jay Denniston, director of science at Dixie Brands. “However, the myriad of different types of concentrates, with variability in potency, form, flavor, and aroma, can create difficulty in choosing the right type of […]
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently released guidelines for processing federal loans for the hemp industry. The seven-page document describes the various requirements a hemp business must satisfy in order to access USDA’s lending services. Chief among those requirements is for a prospective borrower to be licensed under a USDA-approved state or tribal hemp […]
A new study lends more support to the concept that medical marijuana could help reduce opioid dependency. The research found “behavioral economic evidence that cannabis access may modestly reduce demand for opioids in persons who have pain.” The team of researchers used an online survey to assess the frequency and dependency of cannabis and opioid use […]
Scientists have successfully forced the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to release an internal document that was allegedly used to justify delaying the approval of additional marijuana manufacturers for research purposes. The document reveals that the Justice Department believes that the current licensing structure for cannabis cultivation has been in violation of international treaties for decades. […]
From 2018 to 2019, legal cannabis sales worldwide grew 46% to $14.7 billion, according to market researchers BDSA and Arcview Market Research. Comparatively, the sector saw a 16% growth in 2018. The analysts say recreational cannabis sales in Canada, California, and Massachusetts, and medical cannabis expansions in Florida and Oklahoma represented the largest contributors to 2019’s sales growth. Curated from Ganjapreneur
Black people in every single state are more likely to be arrested than white people for marijuana-related offenses, according to recently released data, despite legalization. Several states have legalized or decriminalized marijuana since 2010, yet the intended common goal to decrease discriminatory practices in marijuana arrests haven’t improved as well as expected. Regarding the evidence […]
A recent YouGov poll found 45% of respondents believed that recreational cannabis legislation has been “more of a success than a failure” or “success only,” with 19% saying that it was “more of a failure than success” or “failure only.” Only 10% of respondents believed legalization legislation was a failure. Among Republicans, 41% said the reforms had […]
InnoCan Pharma has began a collaboration with Tel Aviv University to develop a treatment to fight COVID-19 using cannabidiol (CBD) loaded exosomes — small structures attached to cells that are created when stem cells multiply. The patients given the treatment will be administered CBD via an inhalation technique using those exosomes, which the company says could potentially […]
A localized survey of 500 Hash Bash attendees in Michigan showed that even among the most enthusiastic consumers, knowledge about cannabinoid content and cannabis dosing can be very limited. The survey asked participants what amounts they considered to be effective doses for CBD and THC and included a box for “I don’t know.” The majority (53%) ticked […]
In a flurry of new bill signings amidst the COVID-19 crisis, the Virginia government will now regulate CBD products the same way it handles food. Prior to the signing of this bill, there was no testing or labeling required. Now, with more safety and regulation in place, people will know exactly what they are getting. […]
Federal law enforcement agents and their partners made fewer marijuana-related arrests in 2019, but seized a far greater number of plants, according to the DEA’s annual report. Figures published in the DEA’s Domestic Cannabis Eradication/Suppression Statistical Report show that the agency and its law enforcement partners confiscated an estimated four million marijuana plants in 2019 – […]
A former Amazon warehouse worker who sued the company after allegedly being fired over his use of medical marijuana is better positioned to win the case following a procedural ruling by a federal judge. In the case’s latest development, the federal court granted the ex-worker’s request for a motion to remand, meaning the dispute will […]
Unless you’ve been living in a cave these last few years, you’ve no doubt seen CBD touted in the news and across the web as the next big revolution in health and wellness. Claims purported range from the cannabinoid being a “miracle cure-all”, to cautious optimism for its “potential” to help with a myriad of […]
Colorado has made online sales of recreational marijuana legal during the coronavirus pandemic, fulfilling one of the pot industry’s biggest wishes and fueling its argument for more concessions that could be made permanent when the crisis eases. It’s one of several signs emerging from the virus outbreak of just how far ingrained marijuana has become […]
Researchers in Australia have uncovered evidence showing that cannabis could be an effective treatment against chronic insomnia. While there are heaps of anecdotal evidence suggesting that cannabis can improve one’s ability to fall and stay asleep, this is the first clinical study confirming the theory. See the original article at Ganjapreneur
A group of Massachusetts marijuana dispensaries have sued Gov. Charlie Baker over his decision to shutdown recreational cannabis operations in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus. The lawsuit filed asks the court to allow recreational shops to reopen, saying the closure will cause serious harm to the industry. See the original article […]
Researchers from the University of Miami School of Nursing have announced a preliminary study to investigate the impact of COVID-19 on patients prescribed with medical marijuana. The researchers hope to gather information from patients using medical marijuana regarding their mental and physical health, as well as changes in the frequency of their use, dosage and […]
The US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) had granted GW Pharmaceuticals’ request to completely deschedule its cannabis-derived drug, Epidiolex. GW Pharma’s CBD extract previously sat in Schedule V, but as of Monday it’s been completely removed from the federal list of controlled substances — a first for a cannabis drug in the 21st century. See the original […]
New research shows that the amount of cannabidiol found in CBD products can vary dramatically by purchase location, with items from gas stations faring worse and delivering only 40% of the labeled potency. Fully 60% of items purchased at these retailers had no detectable CBD. The potency of items purchased from CBD stores also fell short of […]
State-legal hemp businesses are eligible for aid under the $2.2 million coronavirus stimulus package signed by President Donald Trump last week; however, medical and recreational cannabis firms will not have access to the relief package due to federal cannabis prohibition. To qualify for these ‘Paycheck Protection Program’ loans, businesses must employ 500 employees or less, […]
A new research study shows how cannabigerol, the common cannabinoid known as CBG, killed a variety of strains of MRSA, the antibiotic-resistant staph bacteria. The researchers went further than previous studies by moving beyond the petri dish and testing CBD on rodents. Their results could be the first step in making CBG the newest antibiotic on […]
After nearly 4 years of what some researchers saw as foot dragging, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has announced it will evaluate 37 applications to grow marijuana for medical research and proposed new rules for the prospective growers that outline how the cannabis-growing program would work. George Hodgin, CEO of the Biopharmaceutical Research Company, one of […]
As New York lawmakers deal with the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, it appears cannabis legalization is off the table for this session. During a coronavirus briefing, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) said the state would likely only be able to pass a “bare-bones” budget as it’s been the state hardest hit by the pandemic. See […]
Business analysts at DataTrek Research suggest more states could legalize adult-use cannabis in the near future to help their economies recover from the coronavirus pandemic. Traditional revenue-boosting strategies such as increasing income, sales, or real estate taxes could push taxpayers away and further weaken state economies. A brand new taxed and regulated cannabis marketplace, however, would help […]
The Smart and Safe Arizona ballot initiative, that could legalize marijuana for adults 21 years and older in Arizona, has quickly gathered more than the required 300,000 signatures necessary to get listed on the ballots in November 2020. Most of the signature gathering was done in front of Arizona dispensaries and at various mega stores like Target and Wal-Mart […]
Just hours after issuing a citywide order for Denver residents to stay at home, which included a temporary shutdown of liquor stores and recreational marijuana dispensaries to limit the spread of coronavirus, Hancock reversed the decision. Originally slated to close at 5 p.m. on March 24, along with dozens of other retail operations deemed non-essential by […]
COVID-19 has become a global concern, and we all want to know everything we should be doing to increase our odds of staying healthy and safe. Infectious disease epidemiologist Dr. Steffanie Strathdee says, “Right now, we are facing a pandemic where SARS-CoV-2 attacks lung cells, preferentially in the lower respiratory tract. In my view, better […]
Infusion is often the most challenging part of cooking with cannabis and the reason why many people turn to their vaporizer in defeat. Cannabis-infused oil is probably the most versatile medium and a great place to start, since it can be used for baking desserts, sautéing veggies, frying up your morning eggs, or putting in your salad […]
Amid a global pandemic that has changed the way we interact and live, the state of Illinois will allow medical marijuana dispensaries to conduct curbside sales for the duration of the month. The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation said that “medical cannabis patients may be particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 due to pre-existing conditions,” which was a factor […]
Cannabis dispensaries in San Francisco were allowed to reopen after city officials determined that they are essential businesses that should not be subject to closure during the ongoing shelter-in-place order. Under the shelter-in-place order, most businesses were ordered closed for three weeks, although essential businesses such as grocery stores and pharmacies were permitted to stay […]
Customers around the world lined up around the block to get their supply of cannabis amid the global COVID-19 pandemic. Shutdowns across the world will prohibit the opening of many businesses including cannabis dispensaries. Cannabis stores experienced a flurry of sales as shutdowns caused many businesses to close their doors. See the original article at […]
Plant phenotyping is a process that growers can apply to assess traits—the outward expression of a plant’s genetic makeup and the environment it grows in. Common traits include height, color, flower yield, photosynthetic efficiency and terpene composition, to name a few. It’s a process that used to be terribly slow and unpredictable. Digital phenotyping is […]