Dem. Senator And Former Astronaut Mark Kelly Joins Colleagues Against Federal Marijuana Reform

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April 14, 2022

Dem. Senator And Former Astronaut Mark Kelly Joins Colleagues Against Federal Marijuana Reform

This is a clear sign that the MORE Act has a slim chance of reaching President Biden’s desk, considering it needs 60 votes and most Republicans already openly spoke against it.

Even though the House of Representatives approved the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act, H.R. 3617 on April 1, sending it to Senate, the big cannabis battle isn’t over. Some say it has just begun.

The MORE Act, which aim removes cannabis from the federal Controlled Substances Act, allowing states to legalize cannabis, its production, and sale, free from federal interference, seems to have many opponents among politicians.

On the other hand, the newest survey conducted by YouGov, more than 50% of the U.S. population wants to see marijuana legal on the federal level.

More precisely, 60% said yes to cannabis legalization. While Democrats are more likely to support the change, 72% of them voted for marijuana reform. Republicans are evenly split on the issue, with 46% supporting and 46% opposing it.

Just this week, U.S. Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) confirmed the fear that the bill doesn’t have the support of all the Democrats in the Senate.

Kelly, a retired NASA astronaut and retired U.S. Navy captain, noted that the bill should make operations easier for cannabis businesses in states that have legalized the plant, but “stopped short of endorsing it,” writes azfamily.

“I think in general, folks that are legally conducting business in states like Arizona should have access to the banking system, but I’ll have to look at the details,” Kelly said.

This is a clear sign that the MORE Act has slim chances of reaching President Biden’s desk, considering it needs 60 votes out of the 100-member chamber and most of the Republicans already openly spoke against it.

marijuana legalization — Photo by Olena Ruban/Getty Images

Senators Who Recently Opened Up Against Cannabis Reform

When asked last week at the Capitol about the MORE Act, Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) said, “Okay, I don’t support that. I’ve had family members who have had a lot of drug issues, and so I’m not going to do it,” reported CNSNews.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex) replied and Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla) shared the same stance.

Even, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC), who is one of the leaders among GOP representatives in favor of removing cannabis from the list of federally controlled substances voted against it. Why?

“The MORE Act forces a system on South Carolinians and other states they do not want. By comparison, my bill, the States Reform Act, removes the federal government from the equation and allows states to decide for themselves,” Mace explained as reported by The State.

Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO.) doesn’t think the measure “would pass the Senate right now,” and Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) emphasized that there are “serious drug problems in Montana,” a state that legalized recreational marijuana in recent years.

A Spark Of Light

What many cannabis enthusiasts across the U.S. say they’re hoping for, and most cannabis industry experts agree upon, is that medical marijuana legalization has a better chance, as does some form of cannabis banking reform.

Republicans, in general, seem to be more interested in helping to resolve what many see as one of the biggest problems in the industry: banking. Medical marijuana reform seems to be more easily acceptable to members of both parties.

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

Weed Sales To Minors Aren’t Being Monitored In Colorado, Concerning Lawmakers

Maria Loreto

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April 14, 2022

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Weed Sales To Minors Aren’t Being Monitored In Colorado, Concerning Lawmakers

In Colorado, checks for underage cannabis sales experienced a significant drop, something that concerns some lawmakers.

In the state of Colorado, marijuana regulators often send underage operatives to dispensaries to check whether or not IDs are required, ensuring that people under the age of 21 aren’t able to purchase cannabis.

The number of operatives sent to dispensaries has been slowly decreasing over the years, with this year marking the lowest number in three years. And this is disturbing news for some.

RELATIVES: Want The Best Weed In The Dispensary? Forget THC Percentage And Focus On This Instead

marijuana crop — Photo by Lealnard Riengkaew / EyeEm/Getty Images

The Denver Post reports that in 2019, there were 600 underage operatives sent, compared to 118 the following year when he numbers dropped significantly due to the pandemic. In 2021, the numbers dropped to 80, and this year, there have only been 52 checks conducted, something that some lawmakers consider alarming.

Speaking to leaders of the Marijuana Enforcement Division in a state Senate committee hearing late last month, Sen. Sonya Jaquez Lewis said, “You now have a big old spotlight on you. You’ve got the whole Senate looking at you now.”

Per the division’s website, it’s tasked with “licensing and regulating the Medical and Retail Marijuana industries in Colorado,” ensuring the laws are followed and things are running smoothly. They believe these drops in underage operatives aren’t concerning since they have other ways of measuring how often dispensaries ask for IDs.

For example, children’s safety can be ensured by checking if dispensaries have the necessary tools to check for IDs, functioning surveillance cameras, and conducting regular checks of the dispensary’s footage.

At the beginning of the month, Colorado lawmakers tried to introduce a bill that would have increased dispensary supervision. Senate Bill 149 planned to limit black market cannabis usage, underage sales, and facilitate contaminated product recalls, but was denied due to adding further limitations on Colorado’s cannabis industry, which already has plenty of limitations.

This Senator Is Determined To Get New Jersey Marijuana Shops Up And Running

Benzinga Staff Writer

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April 14, 2022

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This Senator Is Determined To Get New Jersey Marijuana Shops Up And Running

By Jelena Martinovic

On Monday, New Jersey’s regulators green-lighted the launch of the state’s recreational cannabis market.

The Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) approved 34 conditional licenses and agreed that seven of the state’s ten medical cannabis companies begin sales, possibly within weeks, following a series of setbacks and 17 months after New Jerseyans chose to legalize the use of recreational cannabis in a ballot measure.

The process, which was quite frustrating not only for cannabis entrepreneurs, such as Boris Jordan — the founder and chairman of Curaleaf Holdings, one of the companies which have been given the green light to sell recreational marijuana — but also for lawmakers like New Jersey Senate president Nick Scutari (D).

Nick Scutari’s Mission

He earlier called delays in rolling out the state’s legal marijuana market unacceptable, announcing his intentions to form a special legislative committee to explore the issue through oversight hearings.

While advocates are praising the move and with cannabis prohibition finally reaching its end, Scutari still plans to hold cannabis hearings, Heady NJ writes.

“I am happy progress has been made,” Scutari said. “I will move forward with legislative oversight hearings so we can get an understanding of the delays, the uncertainties, and any obstacles that hinder the full implementation of the cannabis law. The special committee will engage in a fact-finding process with a problem-solving mission. We need to find ways to continue the expansion of medical dispensaries to the recreational market and get the adult-use retail facilities up and running.”

Scutari emphasized the need to reduce costs of medical marijuana.

“Affordability and availability must be priorities for medical consumers who rely on cannabis for health reasons,” he added.

The senator also pointed out that ensuring the “availability of enough cannabis to meet the needs of both the medical and recreational markets” is also important.

Can Cannabis Operators Keep Up With Demand?

Interestingly, the state regulator rejected applications from eight medical cannabis operators in late March precisely on the grounds that, in the aggregate, cannabis operators in the state do not have enough capacity to serve the current medical market.

Despite the setbacks, Cantor Fitzgerald’s Pablo Zuanic expects recreational sales to begin in the Garden State by mid-May. He earlier questioned the “motivations/intentions of the CRC and constant delays.”

Dispensary owners say they can keep up with the demand from both medical and recreational users. During Monday’s commission meeting, one company even said they’d keep one of their facilities open for medical-use cannabis only, New Jersey Monitor writes.

Still, some of the state’s 130,000 medical marijuana patients are worried that the market will be congested with those buying recreational marijuana.

“I’m advising people to stock up now on their weed because I expect there to be a run on it,” said Peter Rosenfeld, a medical marijuana patient since 2011 and involved with the Coalition for Medical Marijuana New Jersey and the New Jersey Cannabis Trade Association.

“As soon as the first one opens up, medical patients won’t even be able to access it anymore,” Rosenfeld said.

He fears that thirteen dispensaries will not be enough to supply nearly 1 million new consumers. Marijuana dispensaries, called alternative treatment centers, are all owned by cannabis MSOs, are already facing challenges in keeping up with demand from medical patients.

While cannabis advocates and market operators have been proposing cannabis home grow to reduce the price of medical cannabis, Scutari “does not see it happening any time soon,” as he is more open to the idea of the industry’s success.

In the meantime, cannabis home-grow remains a felony in the Garden State, even though the legalization of adult-use sales and the decriminalization of possession of up to six ounces of cannabis have taken effect.

Smoking Marijuana — Photo by Inside Creative House/Getty Images

Banking & Social Equity Issues

“There are also issues of banking and social equity that should be reviewed,” Scutari said.

With congressional leaders appointing key lawmakers to discuss the final form of a large-scale bill dealing with innovation and manufacturing in recent days, there’s hope that it will be the vehicle to protect financial institutions that work with state-legal cannabis businesses.

The U.S. House of Representatives formally attached a marijuana banking reform amendment from Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) to the COMPETES Act in February.

Following its latest and sixth attempt to get the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act across the finish line, Perlmutter, who is preparing to retire soon, said he is determined to continue putting pressure on his Senate colleagues to advance the bill.

There are signs of late that the bipartisan bill could be a focal point for negotiators, with Maxine Waters (D-CA), the chairwoman of the House Financial Services Committee, on Monday citing the legislation as one of her legislative “priorities.”

With midterm elections looming, the U.S. Senate seems to be far from passing SAFE Banking or social justice-focused MORE Act and President Joe Biden appears to be indifferent to marijuana, at least for now.

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

Nearly 500K People Work In Legal Marijuana Industry — How Many Work In The Illicit Market?

Cannabusiness

Terry Hacienda

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April 14, 2022

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Nearly 500K People Work In Legal Marijuana Industry — How Many Work In The Illicit Market?

The U.S. cannabis industry, excluding the black market, creates an average of 250 new jobs daily. This translates to a person getting hired for a cannabis-related job every two minutes.

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

The exponential increase in cannabis sales in the past two years has resulted in a massive expansion of the cannabis industry. The total number of people employed full-time in the cannabis sector today is almost five hundred thousand. And is still increasing monthly as more states establish their legal cannabis markets.

Recently, Leafly disclosed that hundreds of Americans are transitioning into the cannabis industry as cannabis-related businesses are opening up more employment opportunities. As states come online, different positions open up in these businesses. While these businesses mature and expand, other people are brought into new positions.

There are dozens of cannabis positions in the industry currently, and every day, more marijuana job openings are created across the cultivation, processing, retail, and even delivery niches. The industry is just kicking off.

Employment Opportunities within the US Cannabis Industry

Before the massive boost in sales during the pandemic, the marijuana industry had fewer than 100,000 workers. The increase in cannabis job creation started when retail sales increased exponentially.

As states like New Jersey, Connecticut, and New York are set to implement retail sales in the coming months, cannabis workers will exceed half a million. Figures from 2021 show a sizable difference in the number of workers from 2020 to 2021. Regardless of the ongoing issues, In the global business space, the cannabis industry has continued to soar. In fact, many displaced workers from other sectors have switched careers to delve into the different niches in the cannabis sphere.

In 2021, at least 100,000 new jobs were created in the U.S. cannabis industry by legal cannabis states. Compared to 2019’s 32,700 new jobs, last year was the best year for the cannabis industry. In 2020, about 76,000 jobs will be created. One can only wonder what this figure will be at the end of the year. As of December 31st, 2021, the total number of workers in the marijuana industry was pegged at 428,059—almost a hundred thousand more than 2020’s total count.

More Details About The Report

Leafly partnered with Whitney Economics, a cannabis economic analysis firm, to compile this detailed report. The report also pointed out that both cannabis markets, that is, the recreational and medical markets across legal states in the country, sold at least $25 billion worth of cannabis products from January to December 2021. This figure is about $6 billion more than 2020’s total cannabis sales.

The report stresses that the marijuana industry has the fastest growth in the global market. It has outpaced other legal traditional markets and is still OK with the move. The sector has an employment growth rate of more than 25 percent; this has been the case since 2018. Compared to the cannabis industry, other conventional businesses have grown by less than 10 percent. Experts predict this trend will continue until the current decade ends in 2030.

Leafly explained that the industry’s expansion is being slowed down by job shortages, pending retail implementations, and unfilled job positions. From now till the time retail sales are implemented in different states, employees will be busy hiring enough workers to ensure they are capable enough to meet their future demands.

marijuana dispenary — Photo by Zummolo/Getty Images

An Economic Driver

For many legal states, the cannabis industry is acting as an economic driver, pushing their various economies to new heights. From the first implementation of retail sales of recreational cannabis in 2014, the U.S. cannabis industry has gone on to create hundreds of thousands of new job openings.

Yoko Miyashita, CEO of Leafly, pointed out that there are hundreds of new American jobs that will be made in the coming years. In an official statement, it is explained that the cannabis industry has the potential to be a food economic determinant in the future in legal states where hemp food and cannabis-infused are gaining traction. He expressed his joy at seeing the rising number of new jobs in the cannabis industry. He says that the employment numbers reflect the positive growth of the industry.

RELATED: 9 Hot Cannabis Jobs In 2022

Miyashita mentioned that his corporation, Leafly, is proud to advocate for the federal legalization of cannabis. He promised that Leafly would continue to connect consumers and investors with reliable information about the industry. Note that there is a considerable gap brought about by the lack of federal reporting on cannabis-related issues. Without cannabis publishing groups, many would be in the dark about the state of cannabis operations in the country. As long as an equitable and accessible federal cannabis program is approved by the legislative or executive branch of government, more positive changes will be observed.

There’s no better time to solicit cannabis reforms than election years. This year, the midterm elections will take place. Voters have to ensure that elected officials understand the need for cannabis reforms. In countries like Canada and Germany, cannabis has remained a leading homegrown industry. America can also achieve its goal of an equitable and profitable industry in no time.

The Reality of the Cannabis Industry

The cannabis industry is growing to be one of the most populated industries for workers in the United States. Experts analyzed the industry’s figures and discovered three times as many workers in the marijuana ecosystem as there are dentist. You could even say that there are more cannabis job openings than barbers and tailors combined.

At this rate, the total number of workers employed in cannabis-related businesses will reach and exceed one million workers. The total annual revenue generated by the cannabis industry could also double before 2025. Even at that level, the industry would still be unable to meet half of its potential market.

Bottom Line

The American cannabis industry, excluding the black market, creates an average of 250 new jobs daily. This translates to a person getting hired for a cannabis-related job every two minutes. If this figure seems impossible, consult recent data on tax revenues and marijuana sales in different legal states, and you’d be amazed.

It’s more than evident that the cannabis industry is here to stay. It will continue to expand as more states adopt medical and recreational cannabis reforms. As it grows, hundreds of new jobs are created to satisfy consumer demand. If you’re looking to switch careers, look no further than the cannabis industry.

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

Amsterdam Mayor Plans To Move Forward With Tourist Cannabis Café Ban

Benzinga Staff Writer

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April 13, 2022

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Amsterdam Mayor Plans To Move Forward With Tourist Cannabis Café Ban

Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema also wants to move forward with plans to close the city’s cannabis cafes to tourists, arguing the move is the only option to control the local soft drugs market.

By Nicolás Jose Rodriguez

As surprising as it sounds, Amsterdam’s cannabis tourism has been famous for decades even though cultivation is banned in The Netherlands. Coffee shops are forced to illegally buy a product that they then sell legally without any problems.

Now, the government is seeking to eliminate the illicit cannabis market through a regulated marijuana production program, due to start in 2023, to supply all coffee shops in 10 local municipalities. However, coffee shop owners are resisting the measure.

This Iconic European City Wants To Ban Cannabis Tourism — Photo by Steven Lasry via Unsplash

In addition, Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema wants to move forward with plans to close the city’s cannabis cafes, or coffee shops, to tourists, arguing the move is the only option to control the local soft drugs market, reported dutchnews.nl.

Halsema told city councilors on Monday afternoon that there is a worrying interdependence between the soft and hard drug trade and that “money from the lucrative cannabis trade easily finds its way into hard drugs.”

The mayor launched a new campaign against street dealing, including warning signs, camera surveillance and the use of hosts to warn tourists about the risks in the city.

The move to keep tourists out of coffee shops is not supported by two of the biggest parties on the city council, D66, and GroenLinks.

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

Forget The Strength And Focus On This For The Best Weed

Terry Hacienda

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April 13, 2022

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Forget The Strength And Focus On This For The Best Weed

Breeders continue to miss out on a lot by focusing on increasing THC content in cannabis plants instead of terpene profiling.

Many argue that the best thing about cannabis is THC, but I believe that the terpenes in this plant are king. Terpenes give plants their aroma and flavor, and like all consumables, people will hardly consume anything unless it smells good.

Close your eyes and imagine the scent of pine emanating from your last Christmas. If you’re finding it hard to remember, visit the nearest grocery store or farm and catch the whiffs of the ripe fruits that have just been harvested or stocked. It would do you wonders to capture the unforgettable fragrance of lavender or eucalyptus that hits you when you enter a salon or spa.

cannabis smell terpenes — Photo by Sharon Mccutcheon / EyeEm/Getty Images

My point here is that aroma is directly linked to experiencing nature and the world at large. Any natural place or area you find yourself in has its unique smell. The scent given off in a location can boost your mood or put you off.

Aromas help solidify vital memories and also help remember these memories. For instance, whenever I catch a whiff of strawberries, I remember my late grandparents’ farm and the beautiful memories I made there with my siblings and cousins. No matter how faint the aroma is, it can instantly transport you to another location or period.

Terpenes are the astounding compounds responsible for producing these distinct aromas. Notable scientists worldwide have taken time to investigate these compounds and shed more light on their existence. Although the information available is still limited, it’s better than nothing.

A General Overview of Terpenes

Terpenes are available in most plants and trees, like lavender, oranges, roses, mint, and our favorite plant, cannabis. In the last decade, very little attention was directed at these compounds, whereas they occupy a crucial position.

In the cannabis ecosystem, terpenes play a direct role in cannabis’s acceptance within the human body. The first sense a consumer comes into contact with when holding cannabis is its aroma. All forms of cannabis, whether indica, sativa or hybrids, contain terpene compounds. These compounds determine how the entourage effect plays out. They are a key determinant of psychoactive and therapeutic cannabis effects. However, they’ve not been considered as much as they should be. To understand the interaction of cannabis compounds with receptors in the body, there has to be an in-depth understanding of the vital role terpenes play.

The cannabis industry needs to prioritize research of these compounds to improve the quality of their products.

The industry is now at a critical inflection point. By 2028, the global cannabis industry will be worth at least $70 billion. Before then, the industry has to come together to study the different compounds in the revered cannabis plant. Every actor in the industry, including the breeders, testers, cultivators, retailers, and consumers, needs to prioritize terpene research. They must also try to figure out the other important traits in cannabis plants that should be prioritized. THC and CBD are not the only important compounds in cannabis, and their study alone will not provide the ecosystem with the needed diversity.

Why Is Terpene Research Important?

The cannabis industry has a lot to lose if it continues to prioritize only THC and CBD studies instead of looking into the other vital compounds. The industry needs to clearly understand the unique compounds in all forms of cannabis plants.

For starters, cannabis testing labs can focus on extracting and investigating the most dominant terpenes. This would save the industry from missing out on tapping into hundreds of diversities. The less common terpenes can be considered as soon as more information has been gathered on dominant terpene compounds.

Regular cannabis consumers probably have no inkling or understanding of how the knowledge of terpene compounds could boost the breeding and testing niche in cannabis production lines. The absence of useful information has been detrimental to breeders. A majority of them do not understand why after-pains are formed in cannabis, as they cannot directly correlate this to genetics. Working with a few terpene profiles would show them better ways to improve cannabis genetics instead of focusing only on cannabinoids and their content levels.

cannabis pipe rolling papers — Photo by RODNAE Productions from Pexels

Misconceptions About Cannabis Potency and Terpenes

The cannabis industry has several misconceptions related to the potency of cannabis products. In the last 10 to 20 years, many breeders have focused on creating products with high THC content rather than genetic diversity. Consumers believe that the “skunky” aroma of some cannabis strains indicates high THC levels. I’m afraid that’s not right. The intense skunky smell can be traced to sulfuric compounds present in the plant.

Proper terpene profiling would be a far more accurate way to get information about various induced effects. Breeders continue to miss out on a lot as the focus is on increasing THC content in cannabis plants. In contrast, they should be looking into the “champagne” of supreme powerhouse cannabis, which are the terpene compounds.

Taking Advantage of the Terpene Market

The parents give plants, fruits, spices, and flowers unique flavors and aromas. Some of the dominant terpenes include linalool, myrcene, pinene, and limonene.

The best thing for cannabis operators to do is to look into the prospect of creating diversity through terpenes. This would prevent cannabis from going through the same path as tomatoes. Tomatoes are a prime example of what happens when a traditional market focuses more on increasing yield than improving the flavor and aroma profiles. Tomatoes in the US are more or less the same genetically. There is little or no genetic diversity in the breeding process, and no industry wants that.

Final Note

More information about the terpene profiles of cannabis plants will help breeders generate varying collections of cannabis genetics.

As an industry, breeders and other cannabis operators must decide to learn more about which dominant or less common terpenes produce the different aromas. Then breeders can take the next step by accessing these reports to grow genetically diverse plants with sufficient terpene levels. This is merely the surface of cannabis research. With successful alignments across the legal industry and a more intense focus on cannabis genetics inbreeding, expect to have dozens of newly-developed cannabis plants with brand-new fragrances.

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

DEA Sued By Rhode Island Lab Over ‘Foot Dragging’ On Marijuana Pharmaceutical Licensing

Benzinga Staff Writer

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April 13, 2022

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DEA Sued By Rhode Island Lab Over ‘Foot Dragging’ On Marijuana Pharmaceutical Licensing

The companies behind the lawsuit are seeking to compel the DEA to act on their applications for bulk manufacturing and importing of specific strains of marijuana to treat two degenerative diseases.

By Jelena Martinovic

Two Rhode Island cannabinoid research laboratories are suing the DEA for standing in the way of what they consider to be the crucial development of pharmaceutical-grade cannabis products for use in clinical trials for the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis and Huntington’s Disease.

The companies argue that the DEA has long passed the deadlines to issue a decision and has delayed progress from the beginning, say scientists from the labs in question: MMJ BioPharma Cultivation Inc., and MMJ International Holdings Corp., which now say it’s time for legal action.

United States Focuses On Funding Negative Marijuana Research, Analysis Shows — Photo by naruecha jenthaisong/Getty Images

“The three years that have passed since submitting the initial applications could have been used toward more research and development, working the clinical trials, etc. Instead, however, this time has been used to fight for a determination that should have been made over two years ago under the regulations,” the companies say in their filing.

“The DEA, however, appears to be dragging their feet despite MMJ’s constant and almost overbearing commitment to excellence that exceeds far beyond mere compliance with the DEA’s regulations and protocols.”

The companies confirm that they have fulfilled all requirements to secure licenses and have complied with rigorous FDA guidelines to produce pharmaceutical-grade soft gel capsules.

What’s In The Lawsuit?

The companies behind the lawsuit are seeking to compel the DEA to act on their applications for bulk manufacturing and importing of specific strains of marijuana to treat the two degenerative diseases.

“Countless patients who have been affected by Multiple Sclerosis and Huntington’s Disease and are waiting on the potentially life-restoring treatments associated with the development of these pharmaceuticals,” the MMJ entities wrote in federal court papers. “The DEA, however, appears to be dragging their feet despite MMJ’s constant and almost overbearing commitment to excellence that exceeds far beyond mere compliance with the DEA’s regulations and protocols.”

While the lab received DEA approval in January 2022 as a Schedule 1 analytical lab research facility, it has not received DEA approval for bulk manufacturing and importing of strains that are required to produce botanical pharmaceuticals in keeping with FDA guidelines, according to the filing.

Duane Boise, president of the companies, said they have taken “extreme” efforts to secure the licenses and comply with rigorous Food and Drug Administration guidelines.

“The DEA is inhibiting manufacturing … It’s wrong,” Boise said.

5 ways medical marijuana can help you deal with pain — Photo by OlegMalyshev/Getty Images

MMJ names as defendants Attorney General Merrick Garland, DEA Administrator Ann Milgram, Providence DEA Investigator Tom Cook, and the DEA itself.

A spokeswoman for the DEA declined to comment because the litigation is pending.

Boise emphasized interest on a national scale in pharmaceutical drugs derived from marijuana. In 2016, the DEA adopted a policy designed to increase the number of entities licensed under the Controlled Substances Act to grow marijuana to supply legitimate research involving marijuana and its chemical constituents.

Boise said that is exactly what he and his team are intending to do, but believe they have been stymied by investigators who are “not advocates” of marijuana.

In response to numerous inquiries, DEA personnel have said that they did not know when a decision would be reached.

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

Omega-3 Fatty Acids Could Be Key To Unlocking Maximum Benefits Of Medical Cannabis

Cannabis

Terry Hacienda

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April 13, 2022

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Omega-3 Fatty Acids Could Be Key To Unlocking Maximum Benefits Of Medical Cannabis

If you want to maximize your cannabis consumption and its healing properties, it’s in your best interest to eat more sources of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Here’s why.

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

There is so much to learn about how cannabis works in the human body. The growing body of knowledge we have is constantly increasing and evolving, revealing new breakthroughs and insights about our endocannabinoid system, cannabis, as well as the many other things we consume regularly.

One of the most fascinating discoveries recently is how omega-3 consumption enhances the therapeutic benefits of cannabinoids.

These Are The Next Big Cannabinoids To Go Mainstream — Photo by CBD Infos via Unsplash

What Is Omega-3?

Omega-3 fatty acids are some of the most important fats we need to be consuming. There are 11 different types of them, though the most of important are DHA, EPA, and ALA. DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) makes up the structures found in your eye’s retinas and in your skin.

It’s necessary for proper brain development both in childhood as well as in adults. DHA deficiencies have been linked to quicker onset of Alzheimer’s disease and impaired brain functioning. Making sure you get enough DHA helps with certain conditions including high blood pressure, arthritis, diabetes, and certain cancers.

EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) is used by the body to produce eicosanoids, molecules that play an important role in reducing inflammation as well as promoting physiological health. EPA supplementation has helped women treat hot flashes.

Last but not least, ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), which is the most common type of omega-3 fatty acids. It’s usually found in plants, and it is a precursor to DHA or EPA. Diets rich in ALA have been linked to reduced fatalities from heart disease, and protection from certain cancers.

These fatty acids are vital to maintaining many functions and improving overall health. Since the human body cannot produce its own omega-3 fatty acids, we need to obtain this from our diet. The best sources are fatty fish (salmon and sardines, for example), flaxseed oils, chia seeds, flax seeds, and walnuts. However, taking omega-3 supplements is recommended for individuals who are unable to get these foods from their diet.

How Omega-3 Works With The Endocannabinoid System

There has been recent research showing that when we consume adequate amounts of omega-3 in our diet, it helps us properly metabolize cannabinoids in the cannabis plant. In fact, omega-3 fatty acids can even help the body produce its own cannabinoids more efficiently, which is fantastic news for anyone who wants to improve their own overall health or is trying to cure a condition.

The endocannabinoid system is responsible for helping regulate many important functions including stress response, inflammation, pain, hunger, energy, muscle control, and mood among many others. That’s why when we have an endocannabinoid deficiency, we feel completely out of whack. And the omega-3 fatty acids are extremely helpful for helping in these functions. Additionally, studies show that omega-3 fatty acids convert into endocannabinoids in the human body, helping people who suffer from sleep and mood disorders, inflammation, pain, and much more.

Our own endocannabinoid system feeds on omega-3 fatty acids so in the human body, they work extremely well together. The endocannabinoid system is much more regulated with adequate omega-3 fatty acid levels in the body, and enables it to metabolize cannabidiol (CBD), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and all the many other valuable cannabinoids in the plant that help us heal and stabilize our own systems. It’s also important to note that the active ingredients within the cannabis plant are fat-soluble, which means that they need fat to properly metabolize (this is also why cannabinoids bind so well to fat when making edibles!).

omega-3 capsules — Photo by stevepb/Getty Images

Furthermore, omega-3 deficiencies have also been found to be linked to obesity, anxiety, and other conditions because the endocannabinoid system is also dysregulated. These deficiencies can also explain why people respond to CBD products so well, and why consuming it as a supplement makes so many of us feel so much better.

So, eating more omega-3 fatty acids help to make your cannabis consumption more efficient and helps it do its job even better.

Aditi Das, a professor at the University of Illinois specializing in biochemistry and comparative biosciences, led a study digging deeper into how cannabinoids and endocannabinoids support the immune system. “Some cannabinoids, such as THC in marijuana or endocannabinoids can bind to these receptors and elicit anti-inflammatory and anti-pain action,” Das said.

“Our team discovered an enzymatic pathway that converts omega-3 derived endocannabinoids into more potent anti-inflammatory molecules that predominantly bind to the receptors found in the immune system. This finding demonstrates how omega-3 fatty acids can produce some of the same medicinal qualities as marijuana, but without a psychotropic effect.”

Other benefits of consuming omega-3 include helping to repair and maintain cannabinoid receptors, helping the body synthesize cannabinoids efficiently, ensuring that the ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are optimal, which ensure healthy receptor membranes. It also helps convert one type of cannabinoid to the other, and regulate the endocannabinoid system by producing enzymes that help the body make more of these cannabinoids.

Getting More Omega Fatty Acids

If you want to maximize your cannabis consumption and its healing properties, it’s in your best interest to eat more sources of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Aside from the sources mentioned earlier, healthy sources of eggs, fish, nuts, and meat are also excellent ways to ramp up your fatty acids, which the body will then convert into endocannabinoids.

You may also want to consider taking fish oil supplements to get these nutrients in, if your current diet doesn’t enable you to get enough of these foods.

Not only will it help cannabinoid conversion in your body, but omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids also have their own powerful healing properties especially when it comes to fighting inflammation and disease.

The research primarily focuses on specific types of omega-3 and omega-6 fats, which are DHA and EPA.

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

New Bill Would Allow Edibles To Be Treated As Medical Marijuana In Pennsylvania Dispensaries

Maria Loreto

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April 13, 2022

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New Bill Would Allow Edibles To Be Treated As Medical Marijuana In Pennsylvania Dispensaries

Marijuana dispensaries and caregivers in Pennsylvania are only allowed to include medical marijuana in food if it helps the patient ingest their prescribed medication.

A new bill in Pennsylvania aims to include cannabis edibles in the list of medical marijuana products available to patients. Currently, cannabis patients only have access to tinctures, pills, oils, topicals and flower.

The bill was proposed by Senator Dan Laughlin, who said he wanted to provide Pennsylvania patients with more cannabis products to treat their conditions. Laughlin argued that over 25 states grant their patients access to edibles, which can produce gradual results for users.

New Mexico Legalized Recreational Marijuana Leaving Medical Marijuana Patients Struggling To Find Product — Photo by Jupiterimages/Getty

“For many patients, their medical conditions require gradual relief over an extended period of time,” said Laughlin. “Consuming medical cannabis in edible form is among the best ways to achieve the time-release effect that these patients need.” He also said that, if the bill were to pass, dispensaries and responsible parties would test the edibles for their potency and would also package these products in child-proof containers, making them as safe as possible for families.

Marijuana dispensaries and caregivers in Pennsylvania are only allowed to include medical marijuana in food if it helps the patient ingest their prescribed medication. The law prohibits them from making medical cannabis in the form of edibles. “Edibles offer an easy and appropriate way to get relief from their medical conditions, and that’s always been the goal of medical cannabis: providing relief to patients,” Laughlin continued in the press release.

Edibles are one of the most popular forms of consuming cannabis, whether for recreational or medicinal purposes. While edibles can be very enjoyable, they’re also a very effective medicine, producing some of cannabis’ strongest results. They’re effective for treating chronic pain, providing strong relaxation, and more. They’re also among the healthiest forms to consume cannabis, eliminating any smoke or vapor that can harm the mouth, throat, and lungs.

While recreational cannabis remains illegal in Pennsylvania, the state legalized medical cannabis in the year 2016. Following some growing pains and a bit of mismanagement, products became available two years later.

Cannabis Sales Are Expected To Climb This Much In 2022

Maria Loreto

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April 12, 2022

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Cannabis Sales Are Expected To Climb This Much In 2022

For every $1 consumers and patients spend at adult-use stores and dispensaries, an additional $1.80 will be injected into the economy, much of it on a local level.

Legal marijuana is becoming increasingly popular. New predictions suggest marijuana sales will make $33 billion by the end of 2022.

This prediction, made by the 2022 MJBusiness Factbook, was released Monday and it expects the industry to keep growing over the years. By 2025, the industry is expected to produce $52 billion in revenue from annual sales.

A growing marijuana industry can only mean more revenue for the states. “This means that for every $1 consumers and patients spend at adult-use stores and dispensaries, an additional $1.80 will be injected into the economy, much of it on a local level,” MJBiz Factbook editor, Jenel Stelton-Holtmeier, told Fortune.

Currently, there are 18 states with legal recreational marijuana, with 77% of the U.S. population residing in them. Thirty-seven states have laws for the drug’s medicinal purposes.

These past two weeks have seen great strides in legalizing marijuana on a federal level, with the U.S. House of Representatives passing two laws that could legalize it nationwide: the MORE Act and the Medical Marijuana Research Act. While many believe it unlikely that the laws will pass the senate, the growth of the industry suggests that things are headed in that direction.

While the current administration claims to be pro decriminalizing marijuana, throughout President Biden’s first year in office, marijuana has remained a very low priority. Still, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that Biden’s administration believes marijuana laws must change from what they are right now.

“As the president said during the campaign, our current marijuana laws are not working,” she said. “He agrees that we need to rethink our approach, including to address the racial disparities and systemic inequities in our criminal justice system, broaden research on the effects of marijuana and support the safe use of marijuana for medical purposes.” It’s not an endorsement of recreational marijuana and it’s not in line with what the majority of Americans are thinking, but it’s something.

Marijuana legislation is a thorny subject, something that, in politics, is focused mainly on optics. Politicians will delay it until they can’t. Meanwhile, the cannabis industry will continue to grow, create more jobs and make significant amounts of money.

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New Bill Would Allow Edibles To Be Treated As Medical Marijuana In Pennsylvania Dispensaries

Marijuana dispensaries and caregivers in Pennsylvania are only allowed to include medical marijuana in food if it helps the patient ingest their prescribed medication.

Cannabis Sales Are Expected To Climb This Much In 2022

For every $1 consumers and patients spend at adult-use stores and dispensaries, an additional $1.80 will be injected into the economy, much of it on a local level.

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