Apple Joins Amazon In Supporting Legal Weed, What Does It Mean

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February 22, 2022

Apple Joins Amazon In Supporting Legal Weed, What Does It Mean

The cannabis industry has been making gigantic leaps, even while other industries entered into a recession.

Since Amazon made headlines lobbying for the federal legalization of cannabis, several other “high profile” organizations have made similar headlines by shifting their cannabis policy. One of these companies last June updated their Terms and essentially gave permission for cannabis companies that operate within a legal state access to their platform. The company in question? Apple!

While a few people reported on this, the general gist of the story has faded out of the mainstream’s field of attention due to the immeasurable instances of other “more dire” news, political debates, and, of course, the witch hunt of comedians. Let’s also not forget the prevalence of a little virus known as COVI-19.

Officially, Apple said:

1.4.3 Apps that encourage consumption of tobacco and vape products, illegal drugs, or excessive amounts of alcohol are not permitted on the App Store. Apps that encourage minors to consume any of these substances will be rejected. Facilitating the sale of controlled substances (except for licensed pharmacies and licensed or otherwise legal cannabis dispensaries), or tobacco is not allowed.

In essence, what Apple is saying is that apps that deal with selling cannabis in states that are legal will not be prohibited from being on their store. Unlike Google, Meta (formerly known as Facebook), and similar tech giants, Apple decide to take a more nuanced approach than the Nancy Raegan “just say no” strategy. Considering that Apple is the most valued company in the world, this is a big deal and will begin to make a definite shift in the hearts and minds of the average American.

The Future Of Weed

What does all of this mean for cannabis in the future? If we take a look at Amazon, their motivation is simple: they want to sell cannabis. Or at the very least, provide a platform where they can leverage their monster wing of logistics to facilitate the distribution of cannabis all over the nation. Considering that 1 in 2 adults have tried cannabis in the past, this could represent billions of dollars.

As for Apple, they want to have more apps on their store. The more apps available on their store, the more their platform remains relevant. The more people can find what they want on Apple’s ecosystem, the less likely they are migrating to other tech solutions to solve their cannabis related problems. Apple tends to be in tune with what the consumer wants, and thus their choice to make a change to their Terms & Agreements means that other companies might follow suit. IF this happens, then the pendulum will begin shifting in favor of legalization quite drastically.

In the future, you’ll be able to use an app on your iPhone to order some weed grown in Hawaii, which would then be shipped via Amazon to your home. In some cases, overnight delivery will be available. However, as the cannabis market continues to expand, we’ll simply see a greater number of choices become available.

Apple, Amazon and even Facebook and Google all technically want a part of this pie, except due to the current federal restrictions, most companies don’t want to play ball. This is why companies like Amazon are funding lobbyists to make national changes in cannabis.

While I’m inherently opposed to the idea of a private organization being able to pay to change laws in their favor, in this particular case it could benefit the greater good.

cannabis tech — Photo by PhotoMIX Company from Pexels

When Will Weed Be Legal?

Since the 1960s, people have said “five more years and weed will be legal”. For a long time I was on board with that sentiment, and after about the third or fifth “five more year” cycle, I personally gave up on predicting when cannabis will be legally available on a federal level. Nonetheless, there seems to be a strong indication that this year could be the year that some major political shift in policy will happen. Whether this will be beneficial to consumers everywhere is still up for debate.

What is interesting is that these giant tech companies are beginning to shift public opinion even more than it already has.

Bottom Line

Marijuana has been a snowball, slowly collecting support as it rolls down hill towards full legalization. With the addition of these big names, we can see that the momentum is only gaining in speed. Therefore, what I personally think is that there will be some major policy shifts not only in the U.S., but in the entire North America.

While the world has been struggling to adapt to a COVID existence, the cannabis industry has been making gigantic leaps, even while every other industry entered into a recession. With more support for legalization than ever, it makes no sense to maintain the status quo that generates no additional revenue, costs the taxpayer billions, and doesn’t seem to even make a dent in the international illicit drug market.

If we’ve tried to prohibit cannabis for the past 50+ years with little to nothing to show for it — except perhaps more drugs than ever before — perhaps it’s time we do the opposite and legalize and regulate cannabis so that it can serve society as it was meant to do.

Apple, Amazon, and the NFL are all big names that have come out to support cannabis — let’s all pressure our representatives so that we can begin to see national policies reflect the attitudes of the general population.

While cannabis may not be good for everyone, everyone should have a fundamental right to choose to consume or not. Currently, that choice is not yours to make. Let’s hope that this massive corporate support for reform gives us back our freedom of choice sooner rather than later.

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

What Is Cannabinomics And What Does It Mean For Future Cannabis Strains?

Cannabis

Terry Hacienda

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February 22, 2022

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What Is Cannabinomics And What Does It Mean For Future Cannabis Strains?

Cannabinomics refers to the scientific approach of using mass spectrometry and statistical analysis to differentiate between available cannabis species.

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

It is the year 2022, where cannabis laws are becoming more flexible by the day and adequate and precise information about the natural herb is available to everyone. While we are all grateful for the growth of cannabis laws and regulations, there is still a need for more scientific research about the plant.

In this article, we will be paying close attention to cannabinomics and its use in analyzing cannabis varieties.

Ancient Chinese Tomb Shows Evidence Of Cannabis Use — Photo by CRYSTALWEED cannabis via Unsplash

What Is Cannabinomics?

It is safe to say that cannabinomics isn’t exactly a word that is commonly used among the majority of cannabis enthusiasts and this is because it is majorly a scientific term. Cannabinomics refers to the scientific approach of using mass spectrometry and statistical analysis to differentiate between available cannabis species. In clearer terms, the scientific process involves the use of analytical processes to identify phytochemical markers that can be used to differentiate between cannabis varieties.

The general knowledge among most cannabis users is that the difference in cannabis varieties largely boils down to whether it is sativa, indica, or a hybrid of both. While this may be fundamentally true, there is still more to the differences in cannabis varieties than the species they originate from. This is why many cannabis growers and researchers over time have used THC and CBD concentration as a major marker in differentiating varieties.

The use of THC and CBD as main markers for differentiating cannabis varieties has been quite instrumental both in terms of research, cultivation, and use. This is because it helps to give the grower and/or user an idea of what to expect from the herb. However, there is still room for differentiating cannabis varieties beyond just THC and CBD which is where cannabinomics comes in. The process uses compounds less prominent as THC and CBD to analyze and differentiate different cannabis varieties.

A Closer Look At Cannabinomics

Cannabinoids might be the most talked-about constituent in the cannabis plant matrix owing to their psychoactive and medicinal effects, yet that doesn’t mean they are the only compounds present in the cannabis plant matrix.

Other important phytochemicals present include terpenes, flavonoids, alkaloids, lignans, phytosterols among others. These chemicals play special roles in synergistically producing the medicinal effects of cannabis in dealing with pain, metabolic disorders, neurogenerative disorders, seizures, cardiovascular disorders, and many more. The obvious benefits of this herb have improved the pace of scientific research into the available varieties of cannabis, how they elicit their effects, and other possible medicinal effects yet to be discovered.

With over 10 articles being published daily, the demand for scientific literature on cannabis is ever-increasing and proper differentiation and identification of cannabis strain varieties is key to meeting this demand.

cannabis research — Photo by Nastasic/Getty Images

The Science Of Cannabinomics

As stated earlier, cannabinomics seeks to utilize numerous metabolites that are less prominent than THC and CBD to analyze different cannabis varieties. Cannabinomics, therefore, becomes a more comprehensive approach and it is gradually gaining acceptance in plant science research. The approach uses either liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), or nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) for detection. The detection and annotation process is also supported by the use of bioinformatics and statistical analysis to classify the chemotypes and identify other phytochemicals present.

The scientific procedure of cannabinomics commences with identifying and collecting the plant material to be used. This is then followed by metabolome analysis using appropriate materials while ensuring good laboratory practices. The products then go through a data mining process using the available analytical tools. The results obtained from the analytical tools can be used for genotyping of the cultivars, quantification of main phytocannabinoids, and other statistical analysis.

Advantages Of Cannabinomics

Before we delve into the advantages of cannabinomics over other approaches, we need to state some of the hindrances to the proper identification of phytocannabinoids. Only a few phytocannabinoids are available commercially and those that are available are very expensive. There are also restrictions by national regulations to some standards which restricts studies to the use of in-house databases or mass spectral libraries.

The first advantage of cannabinomics over other approaches is that it shows major discriminant compounds between varieties. Through proper annotation and detection of these compounds, cannabinomics helps to improve and fasten biological research into such varieties. It also helps in characterizing possible entourage effects of such discriminant molecules in the varieties being analyzed.

The second advantage of cannabinomics over other analytical approaches is that it helps in unraveling characteristic markers of different cannabis varieties. While a host of cannabis phytochemicals have been identified, there are still numerous specific markers of each variety yet to be identified. Cannabinomics unravels such characteristic markers using independent heatmap analysis and Anova tests.

Cannabinomics also helps to easily classify analyzed varieties depending on quantified phytocannabinoids. There are different types of phytocannabinoids as they exist as different isomers and the labile nature of their acidic form makes this classification important for further research purposes.

There are a plethora of other benefits that the use of cannabinomics as a research tool for analyzing cannabis tables brings to the table. This is why the approach is widely being accepted and increasing in use in different studies aimed at analyzing the complex matrix of phytochemicals in the cannabis plant.

Bottom Line

There is still much to be achieved using cannabinomics as it applies to the detection and annotation of phytochemicals. This is because it doesn’t limit analysis to phytocannabinoids alone, but instead extends to other compounds such as terpenes, flavonoids, alkaloids, and so on.

The knowledge gained through cannabinomics will be instrumental in cultivating plants with the right chemotype and genotype needed for food and material purposes. The knowledge from cannabinomics is also important in the medicinal world as it helps to improve the breeding of cannabis varieties with greater expression of minor phytocannabinoids. This will further help to correlate therapeutic effects with the perceived entourage effect of such cannabinoids.

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

How The Controlled Substance Act Created A New Form Of Modern Slavery

Terry Hacienda

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February 21, 2022

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How The Controlled Substance Act Created A New Form Of Modern Slavery

Under the federal sentencing guidelines, the term “trafficking” is one that applies to situations that many people might view as possession.

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

For those who have been reading my work for the past couple of years, I have always held the position that prohibition is a terrible government policy. I mean, if it didn’t work for God in the Garden of Eden, then why do we think it would work for man?

Nonetheless, it’s something that we’re still contending with today despite the fact that 37 states have legalized cannabis in some form at the time of writing this article.

cannabis pipe rolling papers — Photo by RODNAE Productions from Pexels

However, I have recently come to the conclusion that the Controlled Substance Act is not only a policy of prohibition of drugs, but rather the control and enslavement of people. This is due to a little thing known as the 13th Amendment which clearly states:

Section 1

Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

Perhaps the CSA wasn’t originally drafted as a means of turning free citizens into slaves. This may not have been its initial purpose, but in application, this is exactly what it had become. Currently the Controlled Substance Act functions as a means for the pharmaceutical industry to maintain a monopoly on all drugs.

However, the fact of the matter that the prohibition of drugs makes all drug users essentially criminals mean that the policy that is meant to “protect the people from drugs” is actually an excuse to turn people into slaves — at least in a legal and constitutional sense.

When we look at the history of incarceration, this seems to corroborate the idea. According to Drug Policy Facts:

Forty-six percent of prisoners sentenced to federal prison were serving time for a drug offense (more than 99% for drug trafficking) on September 30, 2019, the most recent date for which such data are available.

This is in relation to federal prison statistics. When it comes to State prison statistics:

The US Dept. of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that at yearend 2018 there were 1,249,700 sentenced people in state prisons in the US, of whom 176,300 (14.1%) had as their most serious offense a drug charge: 46,500 for drug possession (3.7%) and 129,900 for “other” drug offenses, including manufacturing and sale (10.4%).

Don’t Get Too Excited About President Biden’s Ban On Private Prisons — Photo by Richard Ross/Getty Images

These people, some of them “drug traffickers,” meaning they have been legally turned into a slave according to the US Constitution. Surely, some of you might think that drug traffickers should be in jail. Except, according to the federal government, drug trafficking can be anything from simple possession as CriminalDefenseLawyer.com explains:

Under the federal statutes, the term “trafficking” has a specific meaning, one that is substantially different than the term’s common usage. A person commits the crime of drug trafficking when manufacturing, distributing, dispensing, or possessing with the intent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense any amount of a prohibited narcotic.

In other words, under the federal sentencing guidelines, the term “trafficking” is one that applies to situations that many people might view as possession.

(21 U.S.C. section 841)

Why don’t they call it mere possession? Simple. People would be outraged over a 15 year prison sentence for mere possession, but call it drug trafficking and those bastards can rot in a cell! Language is a powerful tool when wielded with malice.

“But prisoners aren’t slaves!,” you may be saying. While this is technically true, there is no legal mechanism in place where you can force an inmate to work; prisons can coerce prisoners to do labor for pennies on the hour.

From Don Williams, Quora:

Prisoners are not “forced to work” per say, they are given an incentive to go to work.

When you get to prison (in Arkansas anyway) you are considered Class II. You will be given a job on the ‘Hoe Squad’ and are expected to do that job for 2 months before you are granted Class I.

If you choose to not go to work you will be busted down to Class III and given some restrictions; no phone or store.

If you continue to not go to work you will be busted down to Class IV where you get no privileges at all; no store, phone or visits. You also do not generate any good time at Class IV.

So, if you want to flatten your time, (or you have a life sentence with no family to come see you or put money on your books) then not going to work isn’t an issue.

Most inmates do go to work so they can get out of prison sooner rather than later.

Going to work also has the advantage of making your time go by faster because you are constantly busy. If you are just sitting on your ass in the barracks, your time will creep by. So, going to work makes life in prison a little bit easier to cope with.

marijuana arrest — Photo by FatCamera/Getty Images

Of course, from a prisoner’s perspective, work most definitely has its advantages as explained by Don. However, what does work entail? In Arkansas that would be a minimum of $0.0 per hour with a maximum of $0.0 per day, according to PrisonPolicy.org

The same brief highlighted the following:

The average of the minimum daily wages paid to incarcerated workers for non-industry prison jobs is now 86 cents, down from 93 cents reported in 2001. The average maximum daily wage for the same prison jobs has declined more significantly, from $4.73 in 2001 to $3.45 today.

This means that despite the beneficial incentives for prisoners to get to work, the government, and in many cases private institutions utilize this labor to make goods, which they sell to government agencies. In fact, according to Corporate Accountability Lab, there are over 4100 corporations that profit from mass incarceration.

Around 63,000 inmates produce goods for external sale. Some of these goods are destined for government agencies, and some for the private market. Prison industries jobs range from farm work and manufacturing to call center and distribution services. Every state, except for Alaska, has a state-governed prison industries initiative, and the federal government runs a separate program, Federal Prison Industries (trading as UNICOR).

And this is where it all comes together, how many prisoners are incentivized to work for mere pennies per day due to drug trafficking aka possession charges? While this system is not technically or legally “slavery,” within all standards of ethics, it is.

Therefore, I conclude that the Controlled Substance Act — a document that prohibits people from “holding a substance on their person”, which they would consume exercising the full autonomy of their body — is a legal mechanism to turn the average Jane and Joe into state or federally owned slaves.

The only sane thing we can do as a civilized society is to abolish this slavers agreement once and for all and rethink how we deal with the relationship between people and drugs. It’s been more than 50 years of the Nixon inspired War on Drugs where a hardline of prohibition has led all policy decisions.

Perhaps, it’s time to accept that, “We the People” like to get a bit crunked-up every now and then and that it’s completely okay. It’s much more effective to control the drugs than it is to prohibit them. And if you tax recreational drug use like any other recreational substance, the problem would essentially fund the only solution that would have ever worked — education, harm reduction, supply chain management, purity controls.

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

7 Edibles To Make With Every Day Ingredients

Maria Loreto

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February 21, 2022

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7 Edibles To Make With Every Day Ingredients

Making edibles can be a simple process. By taking advantage of the stuff that’s already in your kitchen, you’ll end up with delicious and fun treats.

Good edibles aren’t easy to make. An edible that tastes good and gets you high usually requires some hard work. And while you learn from trial and error, it’s painful to waste weed on a burnt edible. We have some tips to your whole process more manageable. Here are 7 edibles to make with every day ingredients.

In order to prepare edibles, it’s important to start off slowly. Cooking tends to be a trial and error process; once you add cannabis into the mix, it’s even less accurate and more subject to errors. First thing’s first: before making any edible, you must decarboxylate. If you skip this step, your brownies are going to taste just like raw cannabis. Even worse, they won’t get you high.

Here are 7 simple edibles you can make with everyday ingredients:

Cannabutter

Cannabutter is the basis of most edibles, especially the really good ones. This is where the concentration of weed is, so it’s the most important part of the process. We suggest preparing a good batch of cannabutter ahead of time and refrigerating it, that way you can make the most of it and use it for other edibles. You can also add it to some toast if you want to have a fun morning. Here’s a quick guide for making easy, effective and delicious cannabutter.

Firecrackers

5 Edibles You Can Make With Simple Ingredients — Photo by Scott Akerman/Flickr

Firecrackers are a stoner staple, primarily because they’re super easy to make and also because they taste like peanut butter and cookies. To make them, you only need peanut butter, graham crackers, and decarboxylated weed. Coat the graham crackers with a good amount of peanut butter — the fattier the better — and sprinkle in about half a gram of ground flower per serving. Make sure the weed and the peanut butter are evenly mixed. Wrap your cracker in tin foil. Preheat your oven to 320 degrees and let the crackers cook for about 25 minutes.

If you want to be safe and get a taste for flavor and dosage before you dive in, measure your weed and prep two versions of firecrackers — one with a high dosage and another one with a low dose. You can also cut the cracker into four and eat each piece slowly, keeping track of how you feel.

Bacon

Bacon is delicious, but what makes it a great weed partner is the fact that it’s greasy and has a strong flavor that can mask marijuana’s musky essence. You can get creative with your weed bacon by cooking it with a touch of cannabutter or baking it with some decarboxylated weed.

Weed milk

A Lot Of People Are Having Weird Food Cravings During Coronavirus — Photo by Binyamin Mellish via Pexels

Milk can be used for anything: in coffee, cereal, and even in desserts. You can make weed milk by warming up milk in a sauce pan and adding in some decarboxylated weed. Let it cook for about 40 minutes and then let it rest for a little while. Once this is done, strain the weed out with a cheesecloth and you’re all set.

Ice cream

Weed ice cream is a little more elaborate than weed bacon and firecrackers. There are different ways to make marijuana-infused ice cream — there are some great recipes out there — but the most basic one is to melt heavy cream and cannabutter and to mix them together. As they cook and combine, add sugar according to taste. This mixture can be tinkered with until you have something you like, like nuts, fruits, cereals, and whatever else sounds good to you. Freeze overnight.

Brownies

Weed brownies are very malleable, which is why they’re such a stoner staple. You can make them by using your favorite recipe and replacing the butter with cannabutter, or you can make one of the many recipes that weed chefs have uploaded online. Or you can just make regular brownies and drizzle a bit of cannabutter over them while they’re warm. This last method is a little conservative but it ensures that you have control over your high and don’t ruin a perfectly decent batch of brownies. (Looking for more inspo? Try out this weed brownie recipe.)

Weed coffee or tea

marijuana coffee — Photo by Sarah Pender/Getty Images

Weed coffee and tea are very simple, only requiring some cannabutter or dosed coconut oil. Add a spoonful or less to your drink and enjoy. Depending on how you feel, you can add more or less amount of cannabutter.

Can Face Masks Protect You When You’re The Only One Wearing Them?

Maria Loreto

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February 20, 2022

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Can Face Masks Protect You When You’re The Only One Wearing Them?

Face masks are proven tools against COVID-19. Can they provide protection if you’re the only one wearing them?

United States mask mandates are changing. Now that COVID-19 cases are dropping and 70% of people in the country have developed immunity, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) want to give people “a break from things like mask-wearing,” which, okay. Can face masks still offer some protection if you’re the only one wearing them?

According to Popular Science, which conducted an overview of some research, the answer is yes. They referenced a study published in the CDC that surveyed 1,800 people in California and showed that even though masks are better at preventing you from spreading COVID-19 to others, they still provide significant protection. It said that people who wore masks were 50% less likely to get COVID-19 than those who didn’t.

Experts Are Now Recommending Wearing This Type Of Face Mask — Photo by engin akyurt via Unsplash

Still, not all masks are equal. As we’ve written about before, the face mask you wear is very important. A study showed that surgical masks were 95% more efficient at filtering out particles when compared to cloth masks, which only provide 35% of protection. The most useful masks in order of effectiveness are KN95, surgical masks and cloth masks in last place.

While your odds of catching COVID-19 will increase if others around you are not wearings masks, wearing a face mask while COVID-19 rates are down in your area should provide some protection that should give you some peace of mind.

If you still want a little bit more safety, an N95 mask has proven to provide up to 95% of protection from COVID-19 particles. Just make sure that it fits snugly against your cheeks and jaw.

Lastly, remember that face masks are just one part of an effective safety plan against COVID-19; it’s always important to account for factors like your preexisting health conditions, the rate of infection in your area and the type of activity you’re participating in.

Canadian Cannabis Sales Hit Another Record — Which Province Sold The Most?

Benzinga Staff Writer

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February 20, 2022

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Canadian Cannabis Sales Hit Another Record — Which Province Sold The Most?

British Columbia saw a 510% growth in cannabis sales in December, compared to the month before, and 22% from a year ago.

By Jelena Martinovic

Cannabis sales in Canada totaled CA$382.4 million ($301 million) in December, representing an increase of 8.5% from November, according to Statistics Canada.

Sales were up 28.5% from a year ago, building on an increase in the number of stores and falling flower prices.

canada cannabis — Photo by madsci/Getty Images

Hifyre IQ has estimated January sales to be 8% lower — 5.7% below the actual December level and up 29% from a year ago.

Ontario retailers sold the most cannabis, with sales rising 5% on a monthly basis and 68% year-over-year to CA$155 million.

In Alberta, Canada’s second-largest most populated province, cannabis sales increased 11% over from November and 3% on an annual level. Quebec’s cannabis sales increased 14% month-over-month and 9% year-over-year.

British Columbia saw a 510% growth in cannabis sales in December, compared to the month before, and 22% from a year ago.

Product Categories

Hifyre IQ estimated that product categories have seen a shift towards non-flower products, counting it at a record 30% in December compared to 28.5% in November.

Moreover, the data analytics provider projects that non-flower products decreased to 29.5% due to a reduction in the edibles category.

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

Kentucky File Bills To Legalize Cannabis Sales

Amy Hansen

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February 19, 2022

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Kentucky File Bills To Legalize Cannabis Sales

The bills aim to establish a Cannabis Control Board and create the Department of Cannabis Control for the daily oversight of cannabis operations as well as setting up various one-year business licenses.

“The Kentucky General Assembly finds and declares that it is in the best interest of the Commonwealth to legalize and regulate the possession, cultivation, production, processing, packaging, transportation, testing, marketing, sale, and use of medical cannabis and adult-use cannabis,” reads new legislation filed on Thursday by Kentucky Democrats to legalize cannabis sales to adults over 21, establish a medical marijuana program and expunge past convictions, reported Marijuana Moment.

The new bill would legalize possession of up to 1 ounce of marijuana in public and up to 12 ounces in a private space.

marijuana joint — Photo by Dad Grass via Unsplash

The bills, SB 186 and HB 521 sponsored by Senate Minority Floor Leader Morgan McGarvey, Sen. David Yates and Rep. Rachel Roberts, aim to establish a Cannabis Control Board and create the Department of Cannabis Control for the daily oversight of cannabis operations as well as setting up “various one-year business licenses.”

In a press conference, Rep. Roberts called the legislation a “comprehensive plan that Kentuckians deserve.”

McGarvey added that “Kentucky continues to fall behind in an area where we could be leading. It is 2022. It’s time we end the prohibition on cannabis in Kentucky.”

The Bluegrass State is already an important producer of hemp. According to the latest Hemp Report by the USDA, Kentucky has harvested approximately 1,400 acres of industrial hemp flora, with one of the highest yields per acre, about 2,000 pounds, only second to Washington state.

Highlights Of The New Bills

The Cannabis Control Board would be responsible for the oversight and regulation of the possession, cultivation, production, processing, packaging, transporting, marketing, testing, sale and use of cannabis products.

Moreover, the board would establish the number of licenses that may be issued within a list of 25 licensing categories, including cultivation, processing, and manufacturing; testing; retail sales; special events; on-site consumption; transportation; micro-businesses; and “any other category deemed necessary by the board” within the parameters of the new legislation.

In addition, the new legislation would expand funding for the treatment of substance use disorder and earmark a portion of local cannabis taxes to fund scholarship programs and grants for groups disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs.

Marijuana Legalization Bill Passes Delaware House Committee

Benzinga Staff Writer

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February 19, 2022

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Marijuana Legalization Bill Passes Delaware House Committee

If the bill is approved, it would establish separate licensing requirements for retail marijuana stores, marijuana testing, cultivation and manufacturing facilities.

By Nicolas Jose Rodriguez

A Delaware House committee has approved a bill that would allow adults 21 and older to purchase and possess up to one ounce of cannabis and five grams of cannabis concentrates, reported Marijuana Moment.

HB 305 filed by Rep. Ed Osienski (D) passed the House Appropriations Committee on Thursday. The Delaware Marijuana Control Act would regulate and tax marijuana in the same manner as alcohol. The new legislation would not legalize home cultivation and marijuana delivery services.

Why 2021 Should Prove The Year Of Federal Cannabis Legalization — Photo by gradyreese/Getty Images

The legislation will create the position of Marijuana Commissioner who will establish health and safety regulations for marijuana cultivation and coordinate the Division of Small Business, Development and Tourism “so that potential businesses licensed under this Act have access to programs, particularly those that support small businesses owned by minorities, women, and veterans.”

If the bill is approved, it would establish separate licensing requirements for retail marijuana stores, marijuana testing, cultivation and manufacturing facilities. Licensing requirements would also differ between open licenses, social equity licenses and microbusiness licenses.

In addition, the bill would create the “Marijuana Regulation Fund” and the “Justice Reinvestment Fund.”

The Regulation Fund will consist of fees collected, penalties imposed, and taxes collected if the bill becomes an Act. It would create a “marijuana control enforcement tax on retail marijuana in the amount of 15%.”

Seven-percent of the tax revenue collected will be allocated to the Justice Reinvestment Fund, for projects dedicated “to improve quality of life for communities most impacted by the prohibition of marijuana and war on drugs era policies.

The legal market could also create more than 1,000 new jobs over five years if the policy is enacted, reported Marijuana Moment.

This article apparels in partnership Benzinga and has been reposted with permission.

Can Cannabis Lower Diabetes Risk In Women

Terry Hacienda

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February 18, 2022

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Can Cannabis Lower Diabetes Risk In Women

We may need more studies to back up the claims, but these recent findings join the many other studies showing that cannabis may be beneficial for preventing and treating diabetes.

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

While statistics say that men are more likely to get diabetes than women, when women do get it, the complications can be far worse than for men.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), diabetes increases the risk of heart disease for women four times, and women have significantly worse outcomes from a heart attack compared to men. In addition, women are also susceptible to diabetes-related complications including depression, kidney disease, and blindness.

Now, a new study shows that when women consume heavy amounts of cannabis, it may help reduce the risk for diabetes.

The study, which was published in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, was conducted by graduate students from the Texas A&M University School of Public Health, as well as a colleague at the Hofstra University. They looked at data taken from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2013 to 2018 taken by around 15,000 participants. Most of the participants were white females, over the age of 40, and at least had graduated from college.

The researchers analyzed their cannabis use based on frequency and exposure. Light use was associated with smoking pot under 4 times a month, while heavy use was associated with those who consumed cannabis more than 4 times a month. Additionally, they checked their physician diagnosis for diabetes status, or checking their fasting blood glucose, plasma glucose, or hemoglobin A1C levels.

They found that the females who were heavy cannabis users had a smaller probability of having a diabetes diagnosis compared to the females who didn’t consume cannabis. Meanwhile, females who were light cannabis users were found to have no link to a diabetes diagnosis. When it came to the males, the researchers didn’t find any association between any cannabis use and diabetes.

Older Studies Show A Reduced Prevalence Of Diabetes Among Cannabis Users

There are older studies that support the hypothesis that cannabis use can be linked to a reduction in diabetes.

In 2012, a study published in the British Medical Journal found that adults who had a history of cannabis use had a lower prevalence when it came to type 2 diabetes. They were also found to have a reduced risk of contracting cannabis compared to people who didn’t have any history of marijuana consumption.

The researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles analyzed the link between cannabis use and diabetes mellitus (DM) for adults aged 20 to 59 in a sample of 10,986 adults. They grouped into non cannabis users, which made up 61% of the population; heavy users: those who consumed over 5 times in a month, light users: who consumed 1 to 4 times in a month, past cannabis users, which made up 30% of the population, and current cannabis users.

Before the results came out, the researchers already hypothesized that type 2 diabetes would be less prevalent in cannabis consumers since cannabis contains many cannabinoids that are anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory.

Then they found that past and current cannabis users did indeed have a lower prevalence of diabetes, even after the researchers adjusted the results to compensate for social variables such as level of physical activity, ethnicity, etc. However, they didn’t find a correlation between other chronic disease and cannabis use. Additionally, past and current marijuana users reported that they were engaged in more frequent physical activity compared to nonusers though they also had higher triglyceride and total cholesterol levels.

“Our analysis of adults aged 20-59 years… Showed that participants who used marijuana had a lower prevalence of DM and lower odds of DM relative to non-marijuana users,” they concluded.

“Prospective studies in rodents and humans are needed to determine a potential causal relationship between cannabinoid receptor activation and DM. Until those studies are performed, we do not advocate the use of marijuana in patients at risk for DM,” they warned.

In 2021, the results of a preliminary study revealed that CBD could be beneficial in reducing the glucose absorption from food, which then effectively reduces blood glucose levels. Before this study, the impact of CBD on alpha-glucosidase wasn’t really well understood. Alpha-glucosidase is an enzyme that helps the human body digest dietary carbohydrates as well as starches in order to produce glucose which the intestines then absorb, but this process causes a rise in blood sugar levels.

RELATED: CBD For Diabetic Use

Individuals with type 2 diabetes are commonly prescribed alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, which work by slowing down the carbohydrate absorption in the small intestine. They then reduce blood sugar and insulin levels.

For the study, the researchers analyzed different CBD concentrations ranging from 10 to 1216 μM. They also studied the inhibitory effects of CBD using a yeast enzymatic assay together with molecular docking, and studied how stable it was in intestinal and gastric fluids through high performance liquid chromatography analysis.

They discovered that CBD has moderate inhibitory effects against alpha-glucosidase, and also found that it was stable in intestinal and gastric fluids. Additionally, they found that there was a beneficial association between high CBD levels with inhibiting alpha-glucosidase activity.

Why Cannabis May Work Well In The Fight Against Diabetes

We may need more studies to back up the claims, but these mentioned findings just scratch the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the amount of hopeful studies showing that cannabis may be beneficial for preventing and treating diabetes.

We already know that the endocannabinoid system among those who have diabetes or are overweight seems to be overactive, but consuming cannabis or CBD is a way to treat it and restore its balance.

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

Is Cannabis Living Up To Its Commitment Of Inclusivity To Minorities?

Benzinga Staff Writer

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February 18, 2022

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Is Cannabis Living Up To Its Commitment Of Inclusivity To Minorities?

Advocates continue to push for equity and inclusion while holding companies accountable for their activity in the industry.

By Andrew Ward

As the cannabis market matures and comes online, sources tell Benzinga that equity and inclusion continue to lag and that industry efforts made in recent years often feel superficial.

Inclusion and Equity Still Lag

“The United States Cannabis Community has never made a legislative, ethical, or moral commitment to Black America,” said Scheril Murray Powell, Esq. at Doumar, Allsworth, Laystrom, Voigt, Adai, and Dishowitz LLP.

Powell, the Broward County Florida Medical Marijuana Advisory Board chairperson, calls for federal legislation to establish consistency in the market. She highlighted a range of critical parameters, including a non-vertically integrated marketplace, no license caps, community redevelopment provisions, license reselling scrutiny and bipartisanship.

social equity equality — Photo by Anete Lusina from Pexels

Roz McCarthy, founder and CEO of Black Buddha Cannabis and Minorities for Medical Marijuana, credits the progress made so far to the years of effort put in by advocates.

Had it not been the work of advocates from marginalized communities, McCarthy said, “I don’t think that cannabis as we know it would be working to create a more fair and equitable industry.”

Latoya Bellamy-Lockhart, VP of human resources at Jushi Holdings Inc said cannabis has been pitched as a remedy to past wrongs, primarily addressing adverse effects of the war on drugs while creating economic gains for marginalized communities. “In reality, it has cast a light on just how deep systematic racism runs through our country – we have failed to overturn draconian policies of the past.”

The sentiments are backed by years of industry data and reports.

A 2017 survey from Marijuana Business Daily noted that Black cannabis ownership was at 4.3%. The figures haven’t changed much since.

In a 2021 industry inclusivity report, MJBiz found that Black-owned ventures in Colorado (2.7%), Michigan (3.8%) and Nevada (5.1%) were vastly outnumbered by White-owned companies. Only Indigenous peoples saw less representation across the three states.

MJBiz reported that minority board representation declined from 28% in 2019 to 13.1% in 2021. Mack Audena, COO and managing partner for MBA Growth Partners said equity is crucial.

Why Social Equity Matters For Cannabis — Photo by Priscilla Du Preez via Unsplash

He highlighted a February 2022 National Cannabis Equity Report done by the Minority Cannabis Business Association (MCBA) that aligned with Audena’s calls to lower entry barriers while addressing the lack of capital that Black and other minority-owned businesses receive. Audena said license caps and bans of the previously incarcerated also must be lifted.

While supporting inclusion, Audena said that non-race criteria, including veteran and socioeconomic status can also damage equitable efforts.

“All of these have good intentions and are meritorious, but they dilute the real social equity intent.”

Valda Coryat, CMO of Trulieve Cannabis Corp, supports removing barriers and calls for increased access to capital. “There is a growing need for professional support systems that provide help to minority entrepreneurs, and I would also like to see internships and co-op programs for minorities instituted within established brands and operators.”

On its investor website, the company’s diversity statistics include 42% minority workforce and 17% company leadership.

A National Rule Needed?

The MCBA notes that 15 of the 36 legalized medical use states have social equity parameters. Thirteen out of 18 adult-use states have done the same.

Amber E. Senter, chairman of the board and executive director of minority industry empowerment group Supernova Women advocates for equity regulations across California and noted that a nationwide model won’t work but that communication does. Senter commended Oakland and its Cannabis Regulatory Commission for listening to community feedback at monthly meetings.

“Oakland has been very intentional on making sure that they’re getting the feedback and hearing the operators’ issues,” Senter said.

While some progress has been made, many feel like the system is not creating an equitable marketplace. Still, success can come to a few.

“Even if systems aren’t set up the right way or the resources aren’t available…The chances are that some people like myself, I think in many ways are going to get lucky,” said Portland, Oregon-based cannabis brand LOWD CEO Jesce Horton, noting that luck begins with obtaining licensing in the space.

5 Ways To Avoid Unhealthy Marijuana Habits — Photo by rez-art/Getty Images

Powell believes some discussions have highlighted promising inclusive regulations but often come up short when implemented.
“It is often the execution that falls short or the strategies of mainstream participants that the legislators did not anticipate which thwart legislative intent,” said the attorney.

Several sources believe that federal regulations would help create a national equity model.

“I hope that one day when legalization happens at a federal level, provisions are put into place to make sure that we don’t leave any man behind,” said Black Buddha’s McCarthy.

Advocates Picking Up The Slack

Until then, advocates and groups like the MCBA, M4MM and others push for equity and inclusion while holding companies accountable for their activity in the industry.

Minority cannabis advocacy group Cannaclusive has undertaken several endeavors recently, including Inclusivebase, a list of minority- and women-owned cannabis ventures, as well as The Accountability List, a living document tracking diversity, corporate social responsibility and other community efforts embarked on by cannabis brands.

DJ Howard, M4MM’s Florida state director, has an active hand in the Accountability List, including contacting companies, scouring social media, press releases and other materials to confirm findings.

Howard noted the importance of “making sure that we’re holding people and brands accountable for the work that they say they’re gonna do.”

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

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We may need more studies to back up the claims, but these recent findings join the many other studies showing that cannabis may be beneficial for preventing and treating diabetes.

Older Studies Show A Reduced Prevalence Of Diabetes Among Cannabis Users

Why Cannabis May Work Well In The Fight Against Diabetes

Advocates continue to push for equity and inclusion while holding companies accountable for their activity in the industry.

Inclusion and Equity Still Lag

A National Rule Needed?

Advocates Picking Up The Slack

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