What Effect Does CBD Oil Have On Cats?

Maria Loreto

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July 29, 2020

Cats, much like dogs and humans, are also equipped with an endocannabinoid system. Can they experience the benefits of CBD?

From beauty stores to pet stores, CBD products are everywhere. Animals, like us, are equipped with an endocannabinoid system, leading researchers and businesses to believe that they can also experience the benefits that we experience when consuming CBD.

According to some brands, when it comes to CBD’s effect on cats, the compound can help them relax, provide pain relief, reduce aggression and help them manage their stress. But how accurate are these statements?

Many CBD brands claim that their products can provide relief for cats suffering from different kinds of ailments, especially once they’re seniors and facing conditions like arthritis, which can influence their behaviors and cause them to become anxious.

Changes in environments, like the ones produced by the pandemic where suddenly people are spending more time at home or moving households, can also affect cats’ behaviors; their anxiety and stress might be expressed through poor grooming and eating habits. CBD’s anti-inflammatory and stress relieving properties might be a good option for treating these symptoms without causing meaningful side effects.

you could be passing down personality traits to your cat — Photo by Marta Markes via Unsplash

Information available on CBD and cats is preliminary. While there have been some studies that found correlations between CBD and less pain, stress and anxiety, veterinarians don’t have all of the answers. Depending on who you’re asking, you might get totally different responses and levels of excitement regarding CBD products for pets.

“Research on the use of things like CBD is still in its infancy despite the very promising anecdotes and affirmative marketing seen in media today,” said Christian Kjaer, CEO of ElleVet Sciences.

The journal Animals published a study in 2019 that found no negative side effects associated with CBD use in dogs and humans, however, cats did experience some behavioral changes, including excess licking and head shaking. “Dosing of CBD can be different among different species, but also each individual animal depending on what we are trying to support,” said Kjaer.

Cats are smaller than dogs, meaning that CBD dosage may play an even more important role than the one it plays for other species. When using CBD on your pets, it pays to be careful; before you give your cat any products, be sure to talk to your vet and figure out all of your options.

Worried About COVID Health? This Diet Cuts Risk Of Death By 10%

Brendan Bures

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July 29, 2020

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Worried About COVID Health? This Diet Cuts Risk Of Death By 10%

Eating a plant-based diet could lower risk of contracting type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer by around 50%.

Boosting our immune systems is one of our best defenses against the novel coronavirus. In severe cases, COVID-19 can short-circuit or cause the immune system to attack itself. Some researchers have suggested the disease’s behavior represents an eerie parallel to HIV/AIDs, causing a depletion of important immune cells.

It is no surprise Americans are seeking ways to improve health and reduce any risk of disease — whether that comes in the form of the coronavirus or not. According to new research, one of the simplest hacks to lower your chance of getting sick is consuming more plant proteins and an overall plant-based diet.

A new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine documented the eating habits and health reports of more than 400,000 people across 16 years. The study’s authors found that a great plant protein intake lower mortality rates in men and women by 12-14%. Furthermore, replacing just 3% of animal protein with plant protein decreased overall mortality in both sexes by 10%.

Researchers concluded the most dramatic improvements in health came from replacing red meat and egg proteins with plant proteins.

“Findings from this and previous studies provide evidence that dietary modifications in choice of protein sources may promote health and longevity,” the study’s authors wrote.

marijuana csa — Photo by surajith s via Pexels

Speaking of previous studies, the Journal of the American College of Nutrition published a lengthy editorial summarizing prior research on the health benefits of consuming more plant proteins. Some studies found a plant-based diet could lower risk of contracting type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer by around 50%. “Proper nutrition may help prevent almost half of cardiometabolic deaths in the United States,” the editorial reads.

“Adopting a healthful diet and lifestyle is a powerful tool which may delay the aging process, decrease age-associated co-morbidities and mortality, and increase life expectancy,” the review’s authors added. “This strategy represents the most cost-effective approach, and should be incorporated in everyday practice.”

Hana Kahleova was a co-author of the editorial and serves as the director of clinical research at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. She told Inverse that maintaining a plant-based diet can help manage chronic diseases, which can be made worse by COVID-19.

Said Kahleova, “More than ever, it’s important that we keep our bodies as healthy as we possibly can.”

Democrats Reject Marijuana Legalization On Party Platform

Brendan Bures

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July 28, 2020

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Democrats Reject Marijuana Legalization On Party Platform

Democrats will not become the party for cannabis advocates, despite two-thirds of Americans supporting full legalization.

The Democratic party will not stand behind cannabis legalization as an official party platform. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) rejected an amendment proposal to support legalizing cannabis at the federal level. DNC delegates voted 106-50 against the amendment, with three delegates abstaining from voting. It is official, Democrats reject marijuana legalization on party platform.

The DNC will instead adopt similar language used by the party’s presidential nominee, Joe Biden; decriminalization and leaving recreational cannabis up to the states will remain the DNC platform position.

“Democrats will decriminalize marijuana use and reschedule it through executive action on the federal level,” the draft platform reads. “We will support legalization of medical marijuana, and believe states should be able to make their own decisions about recreational use. The Justice Department should not launch federal prosecutions of conduct that is legal at the state level. All past criminal convictions for cannabis use should be automatically expunged.”

A task force formed by Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders expressed a similar recommendation earlier this month. Some cannabis advocates hoped Sanders, a well-known supporters of federal legalization, would push Biden on marijuana reform. That did not happen, and Biden appears determined not to change from this position.

marijuana vote decriminalization — Photo by adamkaz/Getty Images

Dennis Obduskey was the DNC delegate from Colorado who initially proposed the amendment. He linked cannabis legalization through criminal justice reform, an idea gaining momentum in political circles.

“We cannot ignore the fact that the current marijuana criminalization policy has in too many cases been used to target people of color,” Obduskey said in a virtual DNC meeting. “They are unfairly and disproportionately six times more likely to be arrested than other citizens.”

More than two-thirds of Americans support legalizing cannabis at the federal level, Pew Research Center data shows. Marijuana is currently classified as a Schedule I drug, which the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) defines “as drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.” Gov. Ron DeSantis used this federal language to potentially block Florida voters from approving an amendment that would legalize recreational cannabis in the state.

The DNC will vote on its official platform during next month’s Democratic National Convention. It is expected to take place virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Weed Edibles Are Selling Really Well During The Pandemic

Maria Loreto

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July 28, 2020

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Weed Edibles Are Selling Really Well During The Pandemic

The communal experience of cannabis, something that has always been closely linked to joints and vapes, has now been put on an indefinite pause. Edibles to the rescue!

Predictions about marijuana use during the pandemic abounded. Once businesses and buildings started to close, different states declared that cannabis is an essential business. People rightly assumed that times of stress are great times to get high, whether consumers were seasoned cannabis users or not.

Opinions varied when discussing inhaled cannabis and its impact on the pandemic. While some people claimed that joints would be discarded due to the lung irritations they could produce, others said that vapes would be making a comeback, even if they struggled throughout 2019 with a mysterious lung illness.

“As restrictions are lifted, we expect a pent-up demand for cannabis products that can be conveniently used in conjunction with outdoor activities,” Tom Brooksher, CEO of Clear Cannabis, told Forbes.

Edibles are a whole different situation. In a recent interview with the New York Times, Cali Manzello of medical marijuana dispensary Apothecarium, said that she noticed a change in orders the minute the pandemic hit. “One of the first orders that printed out from the pickup machine said 25 packages of this gummy on it. And we all kind of giggled. We were like, ‘Ooh boy, here it goes. It’s starting.’ It did not stop. People were ordering, you know, up to the legal limit, which can be up to 80 edibles in some cases.”

The consumption of edibles has been growing over the past several years, with people choosing them for their discretion and the fact that they don’t harm your lungs.

Weed Edibles Have Sold Really Well During The Pandemic — Photo by Jonathan J. Castellon via Unsplash

This increase in edible use sparked by the pandemic could have a hundred different explanations. People could be trying to look out for their health or could be living in cramped situations where they don’t feel like bothering roommates or family members with their smoke. There’s also the fact that the communal experience of cannabis, something that has always been closely linked to joints and vapes, has now been put on an indefinite pause.

“Passing around a tin of gummies is going to be much more acceptable than passing around a joint or a vape pen,” says Lauren Gockley, director of Coda Signature infused edibles.

At the start of the pandemic, people were panic buying marijuana, stocking up on flower, vapes and edibles for the expected month or two of lockdown. Now that we know that the virus is here to stay, and that we’ll be spending much more time at home, it seems like people are shifting their perspectives and embracing cannabis in new ways.

3 Ways COVID Is Hurting CBD Sales

Debra Borchardt

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July 28, 2020

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A new report found that price was the second biggest factor for consumers when making CBD purchase decisions.

The passage of the 2018 Farm Bill legalizing hemp sparked a CBD rush with millions in sales and seemingly everyone starting a company using some form of hemp-derived cannabis oil. Last year’s BDSA and Arcview Market Research, industry report estimated that CBD sales in the U.S. would surpass $20 billion by 2024. New York-based investment bank Cowen & Co forecast that the market would hit $15 billion by 2025.

A new report from the Brightfield Group, “US CBD Market July 2020“, warns those numbers will be much lower as a result of the impact of COVID-19 on shoppers. Several reasons are behind the drop in sales from lockdowns causing brick and mortar store closures, to shifts in retailers making deliveries and even the job crisis that is hurting consumers’ wallets. The report stated that in 2020, the US hemp-derived CBD market is projected to reach $4.7 billion in sales, with 14% growth from 2019 sales of $4.1 billion. The market had been expected to grow by over 30%.

Stay At Home

One big problem for CBD shoppers was the request from states with big outbreaks to stay at home and only venture out if absolutely necessary. The report noted that there would be a loss of revenue from store closures as many retailers selling CBD products had either closed temporarily during the crisis or were only offering curbside pickup and delivery. “Even for CBD specialist retailers and smoke shops that remain open, they are experiencing steep declines in sales as social distancing guidelines and consumer worries about contracting the coronavirus keep shoppers at home.” That meant more online shopping, which worked well for established brands.

Nearly half (45%) of CBD consumers surveyed in June 2020 by Brightfield said they moved their CBD purchases online because of the coronavirus crisis. “Millennial shoppers are the most likely to have switched to e-commerce for their CBD needs, with 54% reporting switching from brick and mortar stores to online as they also increase their
usage and spending during this stressful time. CBD market leaders have seen online sales increase dramatically in the first half of 2020 but are still making efforts to expand in brick and mortar retailers to set up for future success and broader brand awareness.”

Brightfield said well-known and trusted brands that already had a strong DTC (direct-to-consumer) model already established benefited from the online move. “New CBD companies though found it difficult to enter retail channels as in-person sales calls have been paused and major trade shows such as Natural Products Expo West and NoCo Hemp Expo had been canceled.”

Microdosing: The Secret To A New Cannabis Experience — Photo by pcess609/Getty Images

No Job, No Money

Anyone who has purchased quality CBD products knows they don’t come cheap. “With Americans facing high unemployment levels (11.1% in June 2020 compared to 3.8% in February 2020) year 2020 retail sales are not expected to reach levels anticipated prior to the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic.” Over 30 million Americans were receiving unemployment benefits as of July 14, 2020. The report also said that high unemployment rates and a reduction in disposable income are causing prices to fall in the US CBD industry sparking a domino effect felt at the beginning of the hemp chain. Hemp farmers have seen the price of their crops drop sharply due to the increase in supply. According to data from Hemp Benchmarks, the aggregate assessed price for hemp CBD biomass declined by 79% from April 2019 to April 2020, from $38.00 per pound to $8.10 per pound.

Ultimately the prices will fall for consumers as producers adjust their models accordingly. Brightfield also found that price was the second biggest factor for consumers when making CBD purchase decisions. Consumers are really trying to make sure they can buy the most effective CBD product for the best price.

So Stressed

Without a doubt, this has been a stressful time for many. The pandemic, Black Lives Matter protests and continuing climate change worries are causing an increase in consumption of CBD. Heavy users have increased their consumption. “Anxiety is the number one ailment of CBD users, with 42% of them reporting it,” according to Brightfield Group’s consumer insights. “Depression and insomnia, which are likely to rise over the coming months, rank second and sixth.”

In a Brightfield Group survey of 5,000, CBD consumers fielded online from June 2 to 24, 2020, 39% stated that they are using more CBD as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. “This sentiment was even higher among Millennials and Gen Z consumers — 47% plan on using more CBD in the months to come. Younger consumers are more likely to increase their CBD usage in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. More than half of Millennials (51%) and 48% of Gen Z have upped their CBD usage frequency, compared to only 40% of Gen-X and 17% of Boomers.”

Consumers are choosing higher dosages and pivoting away from vapes and more towards edibles. COVID-19 has been especially hard on respiratory systems. While CBD companies can’t say their products should be used to fight COVID-19, many consumers want to boost their immunity and feel CBD is one way to accomplish this.

This article originally appeared on Green Market Report.

What Health Professionals Should Know About Recent FDA Actions On Vaccines

Healthcare

Kate-Madonna Hindes

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July 28, 2020

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What Health Professionals Should Know About Recent FDA Actions On Vaccines

Confirming not only a clear commitment to data, the FDA re-iterated its inclusion of diverse populations in COVID-19 vaccine development.

“In this particular crisis in which there is so much at stake, we need to help expedite vaccine development as much as we can without sacrificing our standards for quality, safety, and efficacy.” – Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research

In late June, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced an initiative to, “help facilitate the timely development of safe and effective vaccines to prevent COVID-19 by providing guidance with recommendations for those developing COVID-19 vaccines for the ultimate purpose of licensure.” Acting as a playbook for companies, researchers and health professionals, the FDA’s guidance was aimed at explaining the process around vaccine approval.

FDA Commissioner Stephen M. Hahn, M.D. illustrated the urgency of vaccine development and success saying, “We recognize the urgent need to develop a safe and effective vaccine to prevent COVID-19 and continue to work collaboratively with industry, researchers, as well as federal, domestic, and international partners to accelerate these efforts.”

The FDA Is Taking A Big Step Toward Prevention And Treatment Of COVID-19 — Photo by United Nations COVID-19 Response via Unsplash

Focused on creating a vaccine solution that is vetted and accessible, the Dr. Hahn stated the FDA would refuse to cut corners, and decisions would be based on data in clinical trials. Ensuring health professionals are educated in the FDA’s next steps, one of the published documents, “Development and Licensure of Vaccines to Prevent COVID-19”, provides a roadmap of overview information and key considerations in the vaccine’s development and next steps.

A resource for helping to educate teams in clinical settings and helping answer patient questions about the vaccine and its availability, the document is available on the FDA’s SARS-CoV-2 infection dashboard.

Confirming not only a clear commitment to data, the FDA re-iterated its inclusion of diverse populations in the vaccine’s development, including those marginalized or under-represented, including racial and ethic minorities and the elderly. The FDA also recommended that vaccine sponsors, “include studies in their development plans that would provide data to support use during pregnancy, as well as plan for pediatric assessments of safety and effectiveness.”

For vaccine developers who want to learn more about the FDA’s process, they suggest going to the Accelerated Approval pathway for vaccine licensure to learn more.

Analysts Believe US Weed Legalization Likely

Brendan Bures

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July 28, 2020

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Analysts Believe US Weed Legalization Likely

If elected with a Democratic Congress, marijuana policy could change through bottom-up momentum.

Just three months ago, analysts from one of the biggest banks in Canada, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC), rated the chance of meaningful marijuana reform at “near-zero” in 2020. And they gave reform odds an “unlikely” designation for 2021.

But they say all that could change depending on the 2020 Election. A Washington Post forecast predicts a Democratic sweep, which includes nominee Joe Biden becoming president. Their reasons: Low presidential approval ratings for Donald Trump, social unrest following protests around the killing of George Floyd, and a lingering recession caused by the recession. Now analyst believe US weed legalizations likely more than ever.

“A fact that has become incredibly obvious from a chaotic 2020 is how quickly things can change,” CIBC analysts John Zamparo told Bloomberg. “We stand by our statement for 2020, but for 2021, well, when the facts change, we change our minds.”

Unlike other members of the Democratic party, Biden is on the record that he does not support full-scale marijuana legalization. Some have suggested cannabis as a super-weapon Biden refuses to use, although it’s debatable just how many voters place legalization at the top of their priorities list. But if elected with a Democratic Congress, policy could change through a bottom-up momentum push.

Federal cannabis decriminalization would represent a small-step approach by Democrats. That would leave legalization up to the states, with many lawmakers at that level already suggesting retail cannabis as one alternative solution to fix the post-pandemic economy.

House To Vote On Cannabis Descheduling Legislation Today — Photo by FatCamera/Getty Images

The system around retail marijuana would become just as important in that case, Cowen Research analysts suggested at a recent industry panel. It would have to include some social justice component to receive full support — cannabis expungement and social equity programs should be top of mind for lawmakers.

“This likely includes provisions ensuring that minorities get to participate in the legal cannabis business as their communities were hit hardest by the war on drugs,” said Cowen analysts, according to Bloomberg.

Brookings Institution senior fellow John Hudak said in a recent panel that racial justice and marijuana legalization have always been linked, but haven’t always been viewed that way. Instead, legalization simply meant whether or not voters gained easy and crime-free access to cannabis. But that connection may be gaining momentum throughout the industry.

Curaleaf Holdings Inc. Chairman Boris Jordan told Bloomberg, “Biden will be under pressure from the left wing of the Democratic party to move cannabis forward because of the social justice issues.”

Speaker Admits Marijuana Could Save Texas Economy

Brendan Bures

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July 27, 2020

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Speaker Admits Marijuana Could Save Texas Economy

Estimates show legal marijuana could produce $1 billion in tax revenue, and long-time opponents now seem open to the idea.

Slowly but surely the idea of recreational marijuana has gained steam in the unlikeliest of states — Texas. The Houston Young Republicans and Texas NORML called upon Texas Gov. Gregg Abbott to legalize and tax the sale of cannabis in order to offset a looming $4.6 billion budget deficit. In fact, the House Speaker admits marijuana could save the Texas economy.

Lawmakers have voiced similar ideas. In a recent webinar, State Rep. Dustin Burrows, a Republican, discussed recreational marijuana and gambling as alternative revenue streams to explore in Texas. GOP Speaker Dennis Bonnen presented the idea in a recent local TV interview, but was hesitant to call legalization a cure-all.

“The state budget is so large, there’s no singular solution to a budget challenge,” said Speaker Bonnen. “So legalization of marijuana should be considered next session by those who want to bring it forward, but it probably doesn’t produce a solution to the budget challenge we’ll be facing. It certainly could be a help. It could augment the shortfall. But I don’t believe it’s anywhere near a singular solution.”

texas — Original image from Carol M. Highsmith’s America, Library of Congress collection. Digitally enhanced by rawpixel.

Recent polls show a plurality of Texans support fully legalizing the plant. But impassioned attempts to legalize medical marijuana fell short in the last legislative session. Bonnen added he wouldn’t pursue recreational cannabis as a post-pandemic economic solution and doesn’t believe it has the votes to pass.

“No, [I would not,]” he replied. “I think it creates other financial costs outside of the benefit of the tax income.”

Heather Fazio, director of Texans for Responsible Marijuana Policy, previously estimated that legalizing recreational marijuana could produce a $1 billion tax revenue windfall. Other states have suggested retail cannabis as a post-pandemic boost to economies, including New Jersey, New York, New Mexico, and Pennsylvania.

Said Fazio, “When our state is facing an unprecedented economic downturn we have to look at alternatives.”

Black Lives Matter Is Absolutely Necessary But Absolutely Not Sufficient

Opinion

Richard Cowan

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July 27, 2020

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Black Lives Matter Is Absolutely Necessary But Absolutely Not Sufficient

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

What if we could wave a magic wand — or magic billy club— and Black Americans were no more likely to be killed than whites? Could we all just go home? No.

Race being inherent in the topic, I should begin by explaining that I am an 80-year-old white guy, which means that I am not in BLM’s target demographic. On the other hand, I am not the target demographic for trigger happy police either.

Nonetheless, I can readily understand why black Americans would rightly expect “equal justice”, etc. Do we whites think that Black Americans are deaf and don’t hear the words “Liberty and Justice for All” and all that good stuff? They bleed on our battlefields in our endless wars, so why should they bleed on our streets?

Enter Black Lives Matter.

It was actually founded seven years ago, but it really did not seem to get much attention by whites until this year, after two particularly outrageous killings: George Floyd by suffocation in Minneapolis, and Breonna Taylor, shot in a “no-knock” drug raid as she slept, in Louisville, Kentucky.

As the protests began, African Americans were surprised to find that whites joined in. Then the police started knocking over old white guys… on camera. How dare they! Then the police started attacking reporters… on camera! Very bad PR!

And away we went, and here we are. As both a slogan and a cause, Black Lives Matter is a great success, and deservedly so. Then Corporate America finally figured out that racism is really bad for business, and not just because rioters break windows and steal sneakers.

All get together now….oops. It turns out that two of the founders of BLM described themselves as “Marxists”.

Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors says, “We actually do have an ideological frame. Myself and Alicia in particular, we’re trained organizers. We are trained Marxists. We are super-versed on ideological theories.”

Frankly, Marxism was a serious threat to capitalism and personal freedom once upon a time, but now it is simply an embarrassing impediment to working with the American business community which is essential for any meaningful change.

But never mind… The reason that I say that BLM is necessary but not sufficient is because it is much too “conservative” in its objectives.

Consider: What if we could wave a magic wand — or magic billy club— and Black Americans were no more likely to be killed than whites?

Could we all just go home? No.

And although “All Lives Matter” is mostly just a slogan to diminish BLM, the fact is that Latinos are also disproportionately victims of police violence, and how are things where the people are mostly poor whites???

Police Work Improves After Marijuana Legalization, Research Shows — Photo by Felix Koutchinski via Unsplash

But we must also say, All Black Lives Matter. What about Blacks killed in the Drug Wars? Not just by the police like Breonna Taylor, but by gang wars within the Black community. Ending the Drug War must be an essential part of criminal justice reform.

But think of the other slogans that BLM has spawned. “Abolish the Police”? Or just “Defund…” So far all the slogans have done is to provide fodder for President Trump’s re-election campaign. Of course, law enforcement in the US is mostly controlled by state and local governments, not the Federal government, so Trump’s ads are fundamentally dishonest.

However, poor people of all races need police protection even more than the rich who live behind gates.

Predictably, BLM has started to deteriorate into “Street Theater”, like “Occupy Wall Street” in 2011.

In New York City, the utterly incompetent Mayor helped make it quite literal “Street Theater” by joining in as BLM supporters painted “Black Lives Matter” in huge yellow letters on Fifth Avenues in front of Trump Towers. Are we having fun yet?

Meanwhile the BLM website does not even mention the Drug War. “Criminal Justice Reform” is only mentioned in passing, and a search for “marijuana” yields nothing, even though marijuana prohibition is a major source of black arrests.

I am not going to tell African Americans what they should do, but I am going to tell the American business community that we cannot just back BLM and think we have done our duty.

An important part of any effort to improve the well-being of African Americans must include investments in black entrepreneurs — that is something that Marxists obviously cannot do. Only the business community can produce the fundamental reforms necessary to end racism in the streets, in the courts, in business, and in our public lives.

Or does Freedom really matter?

Richard Cowan is a former NORML National Director and author on the Real Tested CBD blog.

The EU May Designate CBD Foods As Narcotics

Griffen Thorne

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July 27, 2020

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The EU May Designate CBD Foods As Narcotics

Since this only covers novel foods, this may not have an effect on CBD in other kinds of products, such as cosmetics.

The craze for hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) extends beyond the United States and into Europe. We’ve written a good amount on the difference between how the European Union (EU) regulates CBD in contrast to the United States, and link to a number of those posts at the bottom of this page. All of that may be put on hold soon as the EU weighs new laws for CBD products.

For some background, the European Foods Safety Authority (“EFSA”) previously classified CBD as a “novel food” ingredient. A “novel food” is “food that was not used for human consumption to a significant degree within the Union before 15 May 1997, irrespective of the dates of accession of the Member States to the Union.” Pursuant to EU regulations, anyone who wishes to sell food containing a “novel food” ingredient must first secure a license from the EFSA.

Guidance issued by the EU on a plethora of various cannabinoids suggested that foods containing hemp-derived cannabinoids (and not just CBD) were considered novel foods because there has been no demonstration that they were consumed prior to the 1997 date. If something is a novel food, then certain regulatory approvals are needed to advance it in the market. Needless to say, it’s a long process.

In mid-July 2020, it was reported (see here and here) that the EU was halting novel food applications for foods containing CBD and is apparently considering designating such CBD-bearing foods as narcotics. And here we were thinking that the United States’ policy on CBD in foods was bizarre.

Can CBD Be Used To Treat ADHD Symptoms? — Photo by Pharma Hemp Complex via Unsplash

According to reports, the EU notified all of the approximately 50 CBD novel foods applicants and directed them to provide feedback as to whether the substances should be designated as narcotics. Notably, this only applies to naturally occurring CBD products and an EU spokesperson reportedly noted that applications for products bearing synthetically derived CBD may still proceed. Additionally, since this only covers novel foods, this may not have an effect on CBD in other kinds of products, such as cosmetics.

We imagine the EU’s most recent change of position will be met with intense pushback from applicants, and it’s been reported that the European Industrial Hemp Association has been lobbying hard against it. Only time will tell whether the EU tries to label or regulate CBD gummies as narcotics, but in the meantime, let’s just hope the FDA’s highly anticipated regulations don’t go down the same path.

Griffen Thorne is an attorney at Harris Bricken. This article originally appeared on the Canna Law Blog.

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What Effect Does CBD Oil Have On Cats?

Cats, much like dogs and humans, are also equipped with an endocannabinoid system. Can they experience the benefits of CBD?

Worried About COVID Health? This Diet Cuts Risk Of Death By 10%

Eating a plant-based diet could lower risk of contracting type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer by around 50%.

Democrats Reject Marijuana Legalization On Party Platform

Democrats will not become the party for cannabis advocates, despite two-thirds of Americans supporting full legalization.

Weed Edibles Are Selling Really Well During The Pandemic

The communal experience of cannabis, something that has always been closely linked to joints and vapes, has now been put on an indefinite pause. Edibles to the rescue!

3 Ways COVID Is Hurting CBD Sales