Senate Republicans Really Don’t Want SAFE Marijuana Banking, Or So They Say

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August 4, 2020

Senate Republicans Really Don’t Want SAFE Marijuana Banking, Or So They Say

Senate Republicans remain deeply divided on their party’s own coronavirus stimulus package, but the party line blames the holdup on cannabis.

America has not received a new round of coronavirus-related stimulus funding partly due to marijuana, according to Senate Republicans. The exact phrasing is more dramatic.

“right now, your unemployment insurance is being held hostage by Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer,” @SenateGOP tweeted Monday. “what are they demanding? […] marijuana banking.”

right now, your unemployment insurance is being held hostage by Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer.

what are they demanding?

checks for illegal immigrants.

changes to election law.

marijuana banking.

soil health studies.

… have they forgotten this is a national emergency? pic.twitter.com/dNcCvnuunc

— Senate Republicans (@SenateGOP) August 3, 2020

Cannabis dispensaries remain a cash-only business as financial institutions fear that working with these companies could generate harsh penalties. Marijuana is classified as a Schedule I drug and by accepting money from legal markets, financial institutions could technically receive federal drug and money laundering charges. The SAFE Banking Act, which the Democrats added to their stimulus bill, would protect banks and lenders from those possible federal prosecutions.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has spoken out the loudest against cannabis since its introduction into the COVID-19 stimulus package. He attacked measures that would require research into creating more diverse ownership in legal cannabis businesses, which overwhelmingly feature white owners.

“Let me say that again, Democrats’ proposed coronavirus bill includes taxpayer-funded studies to measure diversity and inclusion among the people who profit off of marijuana,” McConnell said on the Senate floor last week.

federal marijuana banking measure blocked by senate committee — Photo by kevinjeon00/Getty Images

McConnell renewed his attack this week again House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who labeled cannabis a “therapy that has proven successful” amid the pandemic.

“Speaker Pelosi is still holding up this entire package over bizarre unrelated things like carveouts for the marijuana industry,” McConnell tweeted out Tuesday morning She even claimed to the press that pot is a proven COVID-19 therapy!

“I hope she’s shared this breakthrough with Dr. Fauci. Can we get serious yet?”

Speaker Pelosi is still holding up this entire package over bizarre unrelated things like carveouts for the marijuana industry. She even claimed to the press that pot is a proven COVID-19 therapy!

I hope she’s shared this breakthrough with Dr. Fauci.

Can we get serious yet? https://t.co/CksSWrMKDN

— U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (@SenMcConnell) August 4, 2020

While cannabis is not a proven COVID-19 therapy, a preliminary study found that cannabis could play a unique role in preventing the spread and severity of the coronavirus. In addition, a recent Israeli clinical trial noted that a combination of cannabis terpenes and CBD was four times as effective at reducing COVD-19 inflammation than leading steroid treatments.

Division on the SAFE Banking Act has rankled the Senate GOP for the past year. Colorado Sen. Cory Gardner, a Republican, has become a champion of cannabis reform and sponsored the banking bill. But he hasn’t been influential pushing any cannabis policies through the Senate.

The Senate Republicans Twitter account posted harsh critiques of the banking act when Democrats first attached it to the stimulus package in May. But those tweets were quickly deleted when Marijuana Moment journalist Tom Angell responded, “Paging @CoryGardner. Your party no longer cares about your reelection bid.”

That may be because some Senate Republicans worry more about their own re-election campaigns. According to American Banking, many GOP have distanced themselves from the bill fearing it would legitimize cannabis legalization in their constituents’ eyes. “For most Republicans, they don’t view this as something with a lot of political upside,” Ed Mills, a policy analyst at Raymond James, told American Banking when the bill was first introduced last year.

However, Senate Republicans remain deeply divided on their party’s own coronavirus stimulus package.

“It’s a mess. I can’t figure out what this bill’s about,” said Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley, a Republican. “They’re going to go negotiate with Pelosi. We have no idea what the final bill will be, and we’ll be the last to know.”

You Just Bought CBD Lotion — Now What?

Maria Loreto

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August 4, 2020

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CBD skincare products are so hot right now! But there are a few things you should know before slathering it on.

Cannabidiol (CBD) products are everywhere, from convenience stores to high-end retail shops. While there are a lot of CBD converts out there, there’s a large percentage of people who use CBD topicals without knowing what the compound is and what effects it produces.

The CBD found in lotions and creams has much of the same effect as it does when consumed orally. The compound treats pain and inflammation, making it a great addition to lotions and products that target chronic pain, muscle soreness or just general skincare. One of the biggest draws for people is that CBD topicals are a very low stakes way of getting to know a trendy compound without having to ingest it.

While you won’t get any of the stress and anxiety relieving properties of topicals, some scientific and anecdotal evidence suggests CBD can treat inflamed skin and muscles, lending itself for pain management, relaxation and the treatment of skin conditions like psoriasis and eczema.

The 5 Most Common CBD Lotion Questions People Have Online — Photo by Laryssa Suaid via Pexels

Before you start using these products, you should keep a few things in mind. Since CBD is a relatively new compound (at least when it comes to its inclusion in so many of these new brands), you should always read the ingredient list and check that the product contains CBD and not hemp oil. Since the industry is so new, many brands are taking advantage of the misinformation that surrounds the compound. You should also read the ingredients list in order to make sure that there are no harmful agents present or compounds that you might be allergic to.

In order to avoid purchasing a product that could harm you or that simply produces no effects, look for products that have Certificates of Analysis (COA), which basically ensures that you’re buying a thoroughly tested product.

If you’re nervous when using your CBD product for the first time, do a spot test. Apply the product to a small patch of skin and check for rashes, itchy skin or any type of reactions you might have to the product (which is useful advice for anyone who has sensitive skin, no matter the kind of product you purchased).

You may feel the effects of the CBD within 10 minutes or so after application, though everyone is different. It also depends on what product you’re using and your dosage. Because of all of these variants, it’s important to be patient and consistent. If you like the product and don’t have any adverse reactions to it, use it for a couple of weeks to make sure it’s a good fit for you — just like with any new product.

Beer Distributor Adds Hemp Beverage To Lineup

Debra Borchardt

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August 4, 2020

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Beer Distributor Adds Hemp Beverage To Lineup

The hemp-infused beverage market is expected to reach $2.8B by 2025 with a compound annual growth rate of 18%.

Arkansas-based beer distributor Premium Brands of Northwest Arkansas is adding a hemp beverage to its lineup. Premium Brands currently have distribution agreements with MillerCoors (NYSE:TAP), Corona (NYSE:STZ), Yuengling, Pabst Brewing, Boston Beer, Mike’s, Seagram’s, and Heineken USA to name a few.

Good Hemp, Inc. (OTC: GHMP) makes Good Hemp Fizz and CannaHemp beverages, which is a line of naturally flavored waters infused with 10mg of THC-free hemp extract and prebiotic fiber. The company says that unlike other hemp-infused beverages that contain CBD, its products are made with hemp seed oil which is categorized as “GRAS” (under sections 201(s) and 409 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and therefore not subject to FDA review and approval).

“Hemp Infused beverages is a growing category, and we are excited to add a solid brand like Good Hemp Fizz and CannaHemp to our non-alcoholic portfolio,” said Heath Sutherlin, GM at Premium Brands. Sutherlin continued, “We look forward to working with the Good Hemp reps for a strong Labor Day rollout and building a long-term successful partnership in the territory.”

Premium Brands will distribute Good Hemp Fizz and CannaHemp throughout 11 counties in northwest Arkansas servicing approximately 900 C-stores, grocers, and liquor stores.

View this post on Instagram

Which do you grab to start your day?

A post shared by Good Hemp Inc. (@goodhempinc) on Jun 8, 2020 at 8:30am PDT

Beverage Market

Mazakali wrote a white paper on cannabis drinks and it stated, “Infused drinkables currently hold a market share of under 1% in the US, a figure that is far too low when compared with industry estimates for a $2.8 billion global cannabis beverage market by 2025. Advances in cannabis science along with the thirst for a healthier alternative to alcohol are but two factors behind this anticipated growth.”

The market is being flooded with hemp drinks of all sorts these days. The hemp-infused beverage market is expected to reach $2.8B by 2025 with a CAGR of 18%.

Constellation Brands had been expected to create its own line of cannabis drinks with its investment in Canopy Growth. Its current slate of drinks includes a Houseplant-branded Grapefruit beverage with 2.5 milligrams of THC, Tweed’s Bakerstreet & Ginger and Houndstooth & Soda drinks containing 2 milligrams THC as well as a high-potency Deep Space cola with 10 milligrams of THC, the maximum under Canadian regulations.

“We are excited to add Premium Brands to our distribution network,” said Rise’ Meguiar, VP Sales and Innovation at Good Hemp. “They are a well-established distributor in NW AR, and by adding them to our network, our products will now be widely available across the northern part of the state.”

This article from Green Market Report was reposted with permission.

Can CBD Help With PMS?

Mary Sauer

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August 4, 2020

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Because every woman is unique, the effectiveness of CBD truly depends on the kind of symptoms she’s dealing with each month.

When it’s that time of the month, you’ll reach for anything to relieve the discomfort of PMS. Between cramps, headaches, fatigue and restless nights, a cure-all sounds like something we’d trade our souls for. And while we aren’t quite there yet, ladies, CBD can at least help take the edge off. (Even goop agrees!)

PMS effects 75% of menstruating women and to be perfectly honest, it totally sucks. We haven’t nailed down the exact cause of PMS, but most believe it has something to do with the way hormones change during this time of a woman’s cycle. The symptoms vary greatly and it is now believed that as many as 150 different premenstrual symptoms exist. The most common of these symptoms include irritability, anxiety, depression, fatigue and sleep problems, and bloating — but that’s truly just the tip of the iceberg.

PMS lasts for five to 11 days before the onset of menstruation. To put that in perspective, that’s every 2 to 3 weeks of a woman’s life until she hits menopause. If you’ve found a way to manage the effects of your cycle, that’s great, but those of us with severe PMS, heavy periods, or bad reactions to birth control can start to feel kind of desperate for a solution.

How Is PMS Treated?

Talking about treatment of PMS actually isn’t quite accurate since it isn’t a disease to be cured. Instead, it’s a massive group of symptoms to be managed and what does and doesn’t work really depends on each person and their individual experience.

For example, a doctor might suggest hormonal birth control to stop ovulation with the hope of reducing the severity of PMS symptoms. Those who deal with intense mood swings may turn to an antidepressant. There isn’t one perfect approach, either. For example, these two strategies might work great for some but antidepressants can come with side effects and birth control isn’t an option for women who are trying to conceive.

PMS — Photo by Marjan_Apostolovic/Getty Images; Leaf by cheifyc via Pixabay

Can CBD Help With PMS Symptoms?

The good news is that CBD, or cannabidiol, might provide women with mild to moderate PMS symptoms with some relief. Because of the unique experience of each woman, the effectiveness of CBD truly depends on the kind of symptoms they’re dealing with each month. Here’s what we found out.

Let’s start with the mood swings. Those days leading up to menstruation can be full of anxiety, irritability, and even depression. In 2014, a research review summarized the evidence supporting the use of CBD for depression. What researchers found is that CBD does appear to have an antidepressant-like effect, however the research up until this point has been done on animals and human studies are needed to confirm these findings. A 2015 research review looked at the possibility of using CBD oil for anxiety management and found convincing evidence that CBD could help manage anxiety, including obsessive compulsive symptoms, social anxiety, public speaking, and more.

Sleep problems are also a common part of PMS and the bane of my existence. This might mean tossing and turning, waking up feeling fatigued, or straight up not sleeping more than a couple hours during premenstrual days. CBD could give some women relief, with increased sleep times observed in rats administered this hemp-based product.

If nausea and vomiting is a part of your PMS experience, CBD could address that as well. According to research published in the British Journal of Pharmacology in 2011, CBD can be used to manipulate the endocannabinoid system and in turn achieve relief from vomiting and nausea.

Last, but not least, a lot of women break out before and during their period. CBD is becoming a popular addition to skin care products because of its effect on inflammation, as observed in a 2016 study in Experimental Dermatology, which plays a big role in acne.

How To Use CBD For PMS

CBD has been deemed safe for everyday use by the World Health Organization and has mild side effects if any are experienced at all. This is a hemp-based product, which means it contains less than .3% THC and won’t create a high. Because of this, CBD is also legal in all 50 states.

Daily use of CBD for PMS is pretty simple; start with the suggested dosage on a product and increase slightly until you encounter relief. If you begin to feel fatigued or experience diarrhea, you might be taking too much and will likely see side effect diminish with a lower dose.

What A New Study Reveals About Cannabis And Migraines

Kate-Madonna Hindes

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August 4, 2020

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What A New Study Reveals About Cannabis And Migraines

One key finding determined that cannabis with THC levels over 10% became the strongest predictor of success in treating the migraine and headache-related pain with cannabis.

For the first time, researchers have focused on dried cannabis flower as treatment for headaches and migraines.

The study, published in the Journal of Integrative Medicine, examined, in real time, “the associations between different product characteristics and changes in symptom intensity following Cannabis use.”

Interestingly, results showcased that the flower was indeed effective for migraines, but the specifics of the cannabis plant (gender, age, combustion methods) may decrease effectivity. One key finding determined that cannabis with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) levels over 10% became the strongest predictor of success in treating the migraine and headache-related pain with cannabis.

Additionally, the “C. indica” strain offered greater success with individuals in the study over its “C. sativa” counterpart. Overall, for those seeking migraine relief and for healthcare professionals looking to treat those with headaches, the study could be an important conversation starter for better outcomes against pain.

Prolonged Cannabis Exposure Might Help Treat Migraines — Photo by Claudia Barbosa via Pexels

A secret tool for headache pain

Results of the study offer staggering insight to how cannabis not only alleviates but could eliminate migraine pain for some users. With over 94 percent of users experiencing symptom relief within two hours, the study has brought to light deeper conversations around cannabis’ role in pain and quality-of-life for those experiencing headache-related disorders.

The research joins another study that looked into the use of prolonged cannabis for individuals that suffer from migraines. Published this past May in the journal Brain Sciences, the study found that frequent cannabis use decreased migraine frequency.

“These findings indicate that MC results in long-term reduction of migraine frequency in >60% of treated patients and is associated with less disability and lower antimigraine medication intake.”

Cannabis and CBD have had rising interest in migraine treatments in the last few years with organizations looking to alternative medicine to offer a needed solution for those who want to stay away from opioids. The Migraine Research Foundation gave Dr. Nathaniel Schuster from the University of California San Diego for his research on cannabis in 2018. Additionally, the American Headache Society and the American Migraine Foundation have both expressed the need for more research around cannabis and CBD for migraine relief.

Will Weed Sales Plummet When Enhanced Unemployment Benefits End?

Brendan Bures

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August 3, 2020

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Will Weed Sales Plummet When Enhanced Unemployment Benefits End?

Uncertainty abounds in the coming weeks, as the cannabis industry will learn if its business is as resilient as alcohol.

No neat and tidy summation explains how the coronavirus impacted the cannabis industry. Due to the plant’s federal illegal status, cannabis businesses were not eligible for small business relief other sectors enjoyed and big companies scaled back many of their operations. Just don’t tell the customers.

The cannabis industry is expected to surpass $15 billion in combined recreational and medical sales, a 40% rise from the year previous, and weed workers should outnumber computer programmers by year’s end.

But the industry will now confront whether increasing sales numbers were correlated to the additional $600 benefit in unemployment checks provided by the CARES Act. These extra benefits, which were designed to ease financial burdens for out-of-work Americans under the coronavirus pandemic, ended July 26.

Republicans and Democrats are currently drafting a new round of relief funding, as more than 30 million Americans remain out of work. That $600 bonus in benefits has emerged as a primary separation between the two parties, as Democrats want to maintain the weekly benefit and Republicans would like to reduce it to $200 a week.

Outside tourist-heavy markets like Nevada, cannabis sales have steadily risen throughout the pandemic. Baby boomers and millennials reported spending about an extra $27 per week since mid-March, according to a recent poll. However, that could soon change.

“I’m confident in saying that reducing an individual’s total earnings will affect the amount of money they’ll be able to spend on cannabis,” Andrew Livingston, director of economics and research at Vicente Sederberg, a cannabis-based law firm, told MJBizDaily. “But I would expect a larger impact on adult-use sales because medical patients treat cannabis a lot like their necessary medicine.”

Is Donald Trump To Blame For Plunging Canopy Growth Stocks? — Photo by rawpixel.com

For all the proclamations about cannabis as “essential business,” this moment could indicate whether marijuana is as resilient as wine, beer, and spirits. Alcohol sales have increased around 27% since March 7, according to Nielsen data, with domestic beer and spiked seltzer being the biggest beneficiaries.

What’s helping brands like Busch Light and Miller Light increase sales? Their affordability and bulk packaging at a time when many Americans have searched for ways to cut costs. Canada’s biggest marijuana retailers, including Canopy Growth and Aurora Cannabis, announced so-called “value brands” the first week of March, before the severity of the coronavirus had been realized in North America. Perhaps this will become a new model moving forward in the cannabis industry.

Marijuana business have reached an interesting crossroads, one backdropped by a global pandemic. Optimism remains in the cannabis investing space, and some may find opportunity in unusual spaces.

“The industry has found itself pandemic-resistant as cannabis has been treated as an essential business allowing dispensaries to remain open and, in many cases, showing record sales during this tough period,” David Feldman, a partner at Hiller P.C., a global law firm, told The Fresh Toast. “That said, most companies in the industry are not yet at break-even, and raising money remains a major challenge, as it has for about a year.”

Prosecutorial Misconduct: The Invisible Problem Behind The Police

Richard Cowan

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August 3, 2020

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Prosecutorial Misconduct: The Invisible Problem Behind The Police

***Disclaimer:* *The views expressed in this article solely belong to the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Fresh Toast.***

We must completely reform the criminal justice system from top to bottom, starting with the current U.S. Attorney General, Bill Barr.

While I understand the pain behind the calls to “Abolish the Police” etc., I think that they are simplistic and even counterproductive. Police misconduct is really just the visible part of the problem. We have overloaded the police with problems that would be better handled by trained social workers. We have given them impossible tasks, notably the Drug War, and especially marijuana prohibition, and we have hired people who clearly should not be trusted with the power of life and death.

In the African American community, one major complaint about unjustified violence in law enforcement is the lack of prosecution even in cases where their actions seem especially egregious. And when there is a prosecution, it seems almost impossible to find a conviction. Nonetheless, in these cases the local jurisdictions end up paying huge sums in damages to the victims or their families. So who’s in charge here?

Although in the hierarchy of law enforcement the Police Chief or Sheriff is nominally in control, it is really the District Attorney, and the State or Federal Attorneys General who have the ultimate power over actual policing. (Judges may sometimes assert their authority, but only in the most extreme cases.)

And yet, this is something we almost never hear about, even in the midst of the current crisis in law enforcement.

Consider this report in The Appeal, an editorially independent project of The Justice Collaborative and a fiscally sponsored project of Tides Advocacy.

“One study found that in California, from 1997 to 2009, there were 707 instances where a judge found that a prosecutor committed misconduct. Only six of those—less than 1 percent—resulted in a public sanction by the state bar. And even that number significantly under-represents the problem: Most instances of prosecutorial misconduct do not result in a judicial finding in the first place, because the misconduct either goes undiscovered or is not taken seriously by the courts.

Marijuana Reform Intersects With Policing And Racial Justice In Vital Ways — Photo by JANIFEST/Getty Images

“Other states are no better than ours. In Massachusetts, as of April 2016, only two prosecutors had been publicly disciplined since 1980, despite at least 142 instances over that same period where a judge reversed a guilty verdict or dismissed charges based on a prosecutor’s misconduct. In contrast, over 1,400 non-prosecutors have been disciplined in Massachusetts over roughly the last 15 years. And in Louisiana, the first professional sanction against a prosecutor didn’t occur until 2005.”

The flip side of convicting the innocent would be illegally protecting police who have been rightly charged in a crime. I understand that prosecutors may be sympathetic to the police who are often in very difficult situations, and that prosecutors want the goodwill of the police, but the public interest in justice is paramount. We are all the victims when prosecutorial misconduct undermines justice.

The Innocence Project has an astonishing record of freeing people wrongly convicted, often as the result of prosecutorial misconduct or simple incompetence in cases involving police misconduct.

It doesn’t make as good a slogan as “Abolishing the Police”, but we must completely reform the criminal justice system from top to bottom, starting with the current U.S. Attorney General, Bill Barr. Next year, we will have the rare opportunity to confront this massive institutional malfeasance.

Richard Cowan is a syndicated author of the Marijuana Weekly News column and the co-founder of Real Tested CBD Reviews.

5 Ways To Turn Your Walk Into A Workout

Maria Loreto

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August 3, 2020

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Leisurely walks are a great excuse for leaving your house and getting some fresh air, but they’re also good opportunities to burn calories.

2020 might be the year walks officially became cool. Popularized by everyone who’s currently in lockdown (basically all of us), walks give us a break from our roommates and homes and allow us to clear our minds and relax.

Walks, even when done without fitness in mind, can be incredibly soothing and effective. They can make us feel better and provide us with a much needed dose of perspective. Still, they’re much easier to pull off than a regular workout because they feel like a leisurely activity.

Since many are lacking cardio options for workouts, walks can be an easy solution, just as long as you keep in mind that you’re walking for fitness and not for fun. While it can be both, if you want to get a sweat on, you’re going to have to put in some effort. Here are 5 tips that can help you transform your daily walks into a cardio workout:

Wear the right gear

Clothes always put you in a proper mindset, especially when we’re talking about fitness. Instead of going out in your jeans and a t-shirt, try to put on some workout clothes and running shoes, which will push you to walk further and for longer periods of time.

Take a longer path

How Marijuana And CBD Help Create Calm, Healing Walks — Photo by Tyler Nix via Unsplash

If you want to burn some calories on your walk, keep track of your walking distance and pace, and push yourself to walk for longer periods of time. Try using an app like Runkeeper, which tracks all the necessary data, and look for a longer route. Push yourself to get at least 30 minutes of brisk walking under your belt at least three times a week. If you want to increase that number, add a couple of extra minutes per walk.

Pay attention to your form

Form is important for running and walking, making the process easier on your joints while also reducing the odds of falls and injuries. Engage your core and focus on the work that your muscles are doing, noticing improvement along the way.

Carry weights or resistance bands

run outside walk exercise — Photo by Arek Adeoye via Unsplash

Challenge yourself by adding weights or resistance bands to your walks. These don’t have to be expensive or too heavy, they can simply be wrist weights or weighted vests, which add some strain to your body. Start out with something small and manageable and make sure that you feel comfortable before you head outside.

Use elevation

There’s no need to run or to walk fast when there’s elevation, which naturally makes you burn more calories without having to increase your pace. Walking in incline and in decline target different muscles in your body and can even be more challenging than a straightforward run. Even more challenging? Find a set of stairs to run on your walk.

Weed Workers Will Outnumber Computer Programmers By End Of 2020

Brendan Bures

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August 3, 2020

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Weed Workers Will Outnumber Computer Programmers By End Of 2020

Total combined recreational and medical cannabis sales in the U.S. is anticipated to break $15 billion by year’s end.

If you’re looking for work amid the pandemic and live in a legal state, the cannabis industry is hiring. New data published in the 2020 edition of the annual Marijuana Business Factbook reports the U.S. cannabis industry is expected to add almost 250,000 full-time jobs between 2020 and 2024.

The cannabis industry employed around 165,000-210,000 workers in 2019, but the number is expected to jump 50% by year’s end — or, 240,000-295,000 workers. These figures represent those who work directly with the plant as well as those employed in ancillary services, including consultants and lawyers, that support the industry.

Should the cannabis industry add that number of workers, it would outpace the numbers of librarians, steel workers, journalists currently employed. According to latest figures by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, weed workers would also outnumber computer programmers, which are defined as those who “create, modify, and test the code and scripts that allow computer applications to run.”

finding business opportunities in the cannabis industry — Photo by FatCamera/Getty Images

“There is the potential for cannabis sales to slow if the economic pain caused by the COVID-19 pandemic becomes more pronounced,” reads the Marijuana Business Factbook, which written by the editors of Marijuana Business Daily. “If so, growth in marijuana industry jobs might stall. So far, sales have held relatively steady through the coronavirus crisis. But that could change.”

A recent poll by Verilife dispensaries reported that millennials and boomers are on average spending $27 more per month since the pandemic outbreak. Total combined recreational and medical cannabis sales in the U.S. is anticipated to break $15 billion by year’s end, about a 40% increase from 2019 sales data. That represents more total revenue than the NBA generated in 2019.

State lawmakers in New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, and Pennsylvania have all suggested recreational marijuana legalization to boost local economies hit by the pandemic. Financial analysts have also suggested federal legalization would also become more likely next year should Democrats sweep the 2020 Election.

5 Apps To Help You Manage Anxiety

Maria Loreto

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August 2, 2020

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There’s an app for everything nowadays, including anxiety and stress. These are good options for when your problems are manageable or you can’t afford therapy.

We live in anxiety inducing times. Maybe it’s Instagram or the pandemic, or simply the fact that people are more comfortable now with openly discussing their mental health, but it feels like everyone is battling anxiety and stress to some degree. Luckily, there’s an app for that.

While none of these apps could ever replace the opinion of an expert, they are good options when your problem is not too serious or you can’t afford to go to therapy. These apps are good Band Aids for garden variety issues like stress and anxiety, but they probably won’t work if you’re clinically depressed.

From apps that transform mental health exercises into games, to ones that contact you with professionals, here are five apps that can help you cope with anxiety.

Happify

One of the most popular apps on this list is Happify, which grants you access to mobile games that claim to make you happier, establishing positive life habits. When opening the app you’ll be asked a set of questions that will determine which “track” you should follow. The app will then assign daily activities and quizzes that’ll help you reach your in-app goal.

Brain.fm

could dmt pyschedelic become a new treatment for anxiety and depression — Photo by Sasha Freemind via Unsplash.

RELATED: 5 Physical Symptoms Of Anxiety

One of the coolest concepts is the one devised by Brain.fm, which asks a mood you want to achieve and plays music that’ll you help you get there within 15 minutes. It sounds too good to be true but it was designed by neuroscientists and there’s an algorithm and everything.

Headspace

Headspace is a meditation app, providing you sessions that last 3, 5 or more minutes. The basic course is free and sends reminders for daily meditation sessions, providing vocal guidance that works a lot for beginners.

Mood path

5 gifts that are great for people with anxiety — Photo by Gift Habeshaw via Unsplash

This app was developed to see if the user has symptoms of depression, tracking their mood for a period of 14 days and judging the severity of your symptoms. At the end of this time frame, Mood Path completes a report that can be mailed to your therapist.

Talk Space

The simplest app of the bunch is Talk Space, a service that links you with licensed therapists that live in your area. It’s quick and effective, asking you to fill out a questionnaire and then linking you up with a therapist.

The Fresh ToastThe most trusted name in cannabis

Senate Republicans Really Don’t Want SAFE Marijuana Banking, Or So They Say

Senate Republicans remain deeply divided on their party’s own coronavirus stimulus package, but the party line blames the holdup on cannabis.

You Just Bought CBD Lotion — Now What?

CBD skincare products are so hot right now! But there are a few things you should know before slathering it on.

Beer Distributor Adds Hemp Beverage To Lineup

The hemp-infused beverage market is expected to reach $2.8B by 2025 with a compound annual growth rate of 18%.

Beverage Market

Can CBD Help With PMS?

Because every woman is unique, the effectiveness of CBD truly depends on the kind of symptoms she’s dealing with each month.

How Is PMS Treated?

Can CBD Help With PMS Symptoms?

How To Use CBD For PMS

What A New Study Reveals About Cannabis And Migraines

One key finding determined that cannabis with THC levels over 10% became the strongest predictor of success in treating the migraine and headache-related pain with cannabis.

A secret tool for headache pain

Will Weed Sales Plummet When Enhanced Unemployment Benefits End?

Uncertainty abounds in the coming weeks, as the cannabis industry will learn if its business is as resilient as alcohol.

Prosecutorial Misconduct: The Invisible Problem Behind The Police

***Disclaimer:* *The views expressed in this article solely belong to the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Fresh Toast.***

We must completely reform the criminal justice system from top to bottom, starting with the current U.S. Attorney General, Bill Barr.

5 Ways To Turn Your Walk Into A Workout

Leisurely walks are a great excuse for leaving your house and getting some fresh air, but they’re also good opportunities to burn calories.

Wear the right gear

Take a longer path

Pay attention to your form

Carry weights or resistance bands

Use elevation

Weed Workers Will Outnumber Computer Programmers By End Of 2020

Total combined recreational and medical cannabis sales in the U.S. is anticipated to break $15 billion by year’s end.

5 Apps To Help You Manage Anxiety

There’s an app for everything nowadays, including anxiety and stress. These are good options for when your problems are manageable or you can’t afford therapy.

Happify

Brain.fm

Headspace

Mood path

Talk Space

Don't Miss Your Weekly Dose of The Fresh Toast.

The Fresh ToastThe most trusted name in cannabis

Senate Republicans remain deeply divided on their party’s own coronavirus stimulus package, but the party line blames the holdup on cannabis.

CBD skincare products are so hot right now! But there are a few things you should know before slathering it on.

The hemp-infused beverage market is expected to reach $2.8B by 2025 with a compound annual growth rate of 18%.

Beverage Market

Because every woman is unique, the effectiveness of CBD truly depends on the kind of symptoms she’s dealing with each month.

How Is PMS Treated?

Can CBD Help With PMS Symptoms?

How To Use CBD For PMS

One key finding determined that cannabis with THC levels over 10% became the strongest predictor of success in treating the migraine and headache-related pain with cannabis.

A secret tool for headache pain

Uncertainty abounds in the coming weeks, as the cannabis industry will learn if its business is as resilient as alcohol.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article solely belong to the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Fresh Toast.

We must completely reform the criminal justice system from top to bottom, starting with the current U.S. Attorney General, Bill Barr.

Leisurely walks are a great excuse for leaving your house and getting some fresh air, but they’re also good opportunities to burn calories.

Wear the right gear

Take a longer path

Pay attention to your form

Carry weights or resistance bands

Use elevation

Total combined recreational and medical cannabis sales in the U.S. is anticipated to break $15 billion by year’s end.

There’s an app for everything nowadays, including anxiety and stress. These are good options for when your problems are manageable or you can’t afford therapy.

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***Disclaimer:* *The views expressed in this article solely belong to the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Fresh Toast.***