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Queen Elizabeth Vetoed Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s Bid for Independence; Paris Jackson Says It’s ‘Not Her Role’ to Defend Dad Michael

Queen Elizabeth Vetoed Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s Bid for Independence

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry seem intent on ushering the royal family into a new era. According to the Sunday Times, the couple attempted to gain autonomy from Buckingham Palace, but their efforts were thwarted by none other than Queen Elizabeth herself.

“They wanted their household to be entirely independent of Buckingham Palace, but were told ‘no,” a source told the newspaper. “There is an institutional structure that doesn’t allow that kind of independence. The feeling is that it’s good to have the Sussexes under the jurisdiction of Buckingham Palace, so they can’t just go off and do their own thing.” Prince Charles was also said to be against the move.

According to the report, the impetus for Meghan and Harry’s request was to help further a global “Sussex brand” that would allow them to pursue their humanitarian and philanthropic efforts on their own accord.

Rumors of the Queen’s veto comes after Thursday’s official announcement that the houses of Sussex and Cambridge would be separating in the spring, giving Meghan and Harry their own office and communications staff in Buckingham Palace. Kate and WIlliam’s office will reportedly remain in Kensington Palace, where they currently reside with their three kids.

RELATED: The Queen May Bestow This Rare Honor Upon Meghan Markle

According to a family friend, the split comes at a time when William and Harry are seeking to solidify their individual identities separate from one another. “They have always been different, they are very different characters,” the source told People. “They drew great comfort from each other when their mother died, and as they’ve grown up together. But they need to be separate. Now Meghan has arrived it is the right time to make that break.”

“The time has come,” the source added. “They are in their 30s and can’t be treated as young unmarried men any more. Now, they are spreading their wings. William more than Harry as he has his three children – but Harry is now starting his own – and it is time to move on.”

Paris Jackson Says It’s ‘Not Her Role’ to Defend Dad Michael

Nearly two weeks after the release of the HBO documentary Leaving Neverland, Paris Jackson is clapping back at people who have shamed her for not publicly coming to the defense of her father Michael Jackson.

The daughter of the late pop star firmly explained in a tweet on Friday that it was “not her role” to defend Michael in the wake of the sexual molestation allegations made by Wade Robson and James Safechuck in the bombshell documentary.

RELATED: Marie Kondo Says This One Thing Could Be Holding You Back From Love

Paris, 20, also commended her cousin Taj Jackson for standing up for her father and said that all she was trying to do was keep the peace amid the controversy.

“there’s nothing i can say that hasn’t already been said in regards to defense. taj is doing a perfect job on his own,” she tweeted. “and i support him. but that’s not my role.”

“i’m just tryna get everyone to chill out and go with the flow, be mellow and think about the bigger picture. that’s me,” she added.

Alicia Vikander deleted Instagram after one month, she realized it ‘wasn’t good for me’

On deleting Instagram after one month: “I realized early on that social media was not good for me; I personally didn’t find the joy in it.”

She didn’t grow up with money: “My mom was an actress, and we never had the money for things that weren’t purely functional. I remember when I bought my first magazine; it was a window into a world that seemed very far away from mine…. I did a lot of high street and secondhand shopping. I loved having someone ask me where I got something, and I would say, ‘I got it at H&M.’

5 Essential CBD Products For Spring Break

Heading somewhere warm for spring break? We’re jealous. Whether you’re going to Mexico or Miami, CBD can help give your body and mind the TLC you deserve. These infused spring break essentials will help you chill out and make the most of your trip, no matter where your break takes you. 

Felix & Ambrosia Sunny Daze Sun Cream

Keep your skin protected from the sun with this all-natural sunscreen with SPF 30 and 25mg of CBD. Plus, it has glitter made from biodegradable plant cellulose. Felix & Ambrosia also makes CBD-infused after sun lotion, hand sanitizer, and even flavored lube.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bj3Ljw2hTH-/

RELATED: 5 Cannabis Products That Will Defeat Eczema In Time For Summer

Veritas Farms Full Spectrum CBD Lip Balm

Keep your lips hydrated with this lip balm made with organic cocoa butter, shea butter, aloe vera, and 25mg of CBD. It comes in two yummy flavors, Orange Creme and French Vanilla, and will make your lips kissable af this spring break.

Green Roads CBD Relax Bears

These gummy bears are perfect for taking on the go, whether you get anxious flying or you just want to chill out during your vacay. Green Roads also offers tons of other CBD options if gummies aren’t your thing, but I will say that these taste amazing.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BtenR5Vg7Bn

RELATED: The Summer Skinny On CBD Sunscreen

Myaderm CBD Blemish Cream

Nobody wants to break out while on vacation (or ever). Myaderm’s daily moisturizer contains 100mg of inflammation-fighting CBD designed to help combat breakouts without drying your skin out. It’ll be your secret weapon to maintain amazingly glowy skin this spring break.

Hemp Bombs CBD Vape Pen

These super stealthy pens deliver 125mg of CBD with no battery or charger required. You simply puff on the pre-filled pen for up to 150 puffs and throw it out when you’re done. They’re ideal for taking on-the-go this spring break and come in three tasty flavors: exotic watermelon kush, wild blueberry jam, and bangin fruity bedrock.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BtRlF5sh8wj

There’s A New Word For An Unmarried Woman And It’s Worse Than ‘Spinster’

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No woman with a modicum of self-respect would ever be okay being referred to as a “spinster.” The word implies a lonely cat lady who is too pathetic to find a romantic partner — ever.  It’s disrespectful, insulting and unflattering. It just plain sucks.

But now, thanks to Twitter, we know that a spinster isn’t necessarily a catch-all term for any woman who can’t find a man, rather it’s a word that was initially reserved for ladies between the ages of 23-26. For those female singletons older than 26, the proper term is apparently “thornback.” Which is worse?  Tough call.

RELATED: Single People In This Age Group Are Having The Best Sex

While the term “thornback” also sounds like a spinster — a prickly old one — people seem to love it, tweeting replies such as:

GOD, Thornback sounds metal AF. I LOVE IT.

I see an epic mini-series! Instead of The Thorn Birds, its the Thorn Backs – Older women doing shit they love without the burden of men and marriage

33-year-old thornback and I am HERE FOR THIS.

So like, woman over 26 and unmarried turn into dragons? That’s awesome.
I was a thornback for a full 10 months! I feel like I missed out on using my superpower.
Sounds like a Game of Thrones or Harry Potter dragon. I’m here for it!

According to The Daily Mail, author Rebecca Traister wrote about the term thornback in her book “All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation,” where she explains that “At twenty-six, women without spouses became thornbacks, a reference to a sea-skate with sharp spines covering its back and tail. It was not a compliment.”

Yes!! It was not a compliment. Thank you, Rebecca.

RELATED: Chinese Companies Are Offering Some Of Their Single Female Employees ‘Dating Leave’

On the flip side, the word spinster was never meant to be an insult. Author Naomi Braun Rosenthal says that by the seventeenth century, the word had come to mean an unmarried woman. But “it was not until the eighteenth century that the term ‘spinster’ became synonymous with the equally ancient, but considerably less neutral appelation, ‘old maid.'”

As part of the Civil Partnership Act, the words “spinster” and “bachelor” were retired from wedding registry documents in England as recently as 2005 in favor of a blanket term for unmarried people: single.  Much better.

For those who think thornback is an upgrade from spinster, what is wrong with you?

This Week’s Music: Dido, Suki Waterhouse And Calpurnia

This Week’s Music is a weekly column that discusses the weeks’ best, worst, and most interesting songs. We try to select songs of different artists and genres to keep things interesting and to please a variety of music fans.

This week’s column highlights the dancey return of Dido and the musical singles of two actors turned singers: Suki Waterhouse and Finn Wolfhard. Check them out.

Pop

Dido – Take You Home

Dido is back with a much, um, dancey song? Vibey? Millennial? I don’t know the appropriate word. From the song’s name, to the artwork, to the controlled and autotuned vocalizations, it’s obvious that Dido and her producers are trying to adapt her image to our EDM dominated music industry. Still, Dido manages to land on her feet and deliver a solid single thanks to her lovely and intelligent voice that can’t be eclipsed by beats that we’ve heard before.

Indie

Suki Waterhouse – Good Looking

RELATED: This Week’s Music: Kindness, Marina, And Tindersticks Release New Songs

Suki Waterhouse is a model and actress, known for her roles in movies like The Bad Batch. She’s also a singer, releasing her first single, “Brutally,” in 2016. “Good Looking” doesn’t have much to say but it’s cute and kind of charming if you try to get swept away. The music video does a disservice to the song, resulting in an Instagram filter clip where a very good looking boy is seen frolicking around with the equally good looking Waterhouse. All is not lost, Waterhouse’s music isn’t awful and with a little lyric work she could deliver a good single.

Calpurnia – Cell

Finn Wolfhard, that super famous kid from “Stranger Things” and Stephen King’s It, is also in a somehow famous band made up of other talented kids. Wild. Calpurnia sounds like a young and less great version The Strokes with a dash of Weezer. “Cell” doesn’t have the best lyrics, vocals or the most varied instrumental landscape but it’s not a bad listen. Also the video is kind of cute considering that no one onscreen is over 20 years old.

Dogs Of Instagram: Shiba Inu

In Japanese, Shiba Inu means “little brushwood dog” — a nod to its size and coloring. It’s the smallest and most popular of the six spitz breeds of dog native to Japan. Popularized in America within the last 60 years, the Shiba Inu’s calm temperament and good-spirit makes it adaptable to both the city and country. The Shiba Inu is sturdy, compact, and muscular with short and even fur on its fox-like face, ears, and legs. Their markings are a variation of white, tan, red, sesame and black.

Here, we find five of the most foxlike Shiba Inus of Instagram.

Norman

https://www.instagram.com/p/BukGAtMHzGA/

RELATED: Dogs Of Instagram: Wire Fox Terrier

Kevin

https://www.instagram.com/p/BopCv5tDfmi/

Charmy

https://www.instagram.com/p/BubS41SHxQo/

RELATED: Dogs Of Instagram: Yorkshire Terrier

Aco

https://www.instagram.com/p/BtYi94mh_Vt/

Kenzo

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bu9HnbknZ_N/

Prince Charles Made Prince William And Duchess Kate Wait 5 Years Before Allowing This

As any father is prone to do, Prince Charles wants to make sure his children are raised having manners and respect for tradition, which is pretty easy to do when you grow up amid dozens of rules and protocols to follow. And also like any father, he probably doesn’t wand to admit when his kids are adults, let alone having s-e-x.

Before Prince William and Kate Middleton were married, Prince Charles would not allow them to share a bed at his country home. In fact, it took about five years of them dating before the parental restriction was lifted.

RELATED: Is This Kate Middleton’s Way Of Hinting At Baby Number 4?

Royal biographer Marcia Moody writes in her 2013 book, “Kate: A Biography”, that Kate’s assimilation into the royal family was methodical, and that she was introduced to the Will’s family “slowly and carefully”.

So slow, that the couple was already shacking up inside a student house at the University of St. Andrews when they were denied bed-sharing privileges. It should be noted that sharing a house on campus was a huge break from royal tradition. In royal circles, living together is usually saved until an engagement is made official. And at the time, Will and Kate were years away from that.

RELATED: That Time Kate Middleton Dated Prince William’s Rival 

Kate and William met at university in 2001 and it wasn’t until 2006 that Will’s father let the two sleep together under his roof. That same year, Kate was officially accepted into the royal family, which was made known when Charles and Camila invited her to attend Cheltenham Festival, a big annual horse race. “It was the first time she had been seen in public with Charles and Camilla in a formal setting,” says Moody.

But it wasn’t until 2008, three years before Kate and William’s wedding (and two years from their engagement), that Kate got to meet the Queen.

[h/t Daily Express]

More Than Just THC: A Pharmacologist Looks At The Untapped Healing Compounds Of Marijuana

Medical marijuana is legal in 33 states as of November 2018. Yet the federal government still insists marijuana has no legal use and is easy to abuse. In the meantime, medical marijuana dispensaries have an increasing array of products available for pain, anxiety, sex and more.

The glass counters and their jars of products in the dispensary resemble an 18th century pharmacy. Many strains for sale have evocative and magical names like Blue Dream, Bubba Kush and Chocolope. But what does it all mean? Are there really differences in the medical qualities of the various strains? Or, are the different strains with the fanciful names all just advertising gimmicks?

Rafael, a Chumash who shared Californian Native American cultural knowledge with anthropologists in the 1800s. Leon de Cessac

I am a professor in the University of Southern California School of Pharmacy. I have lived in California a long time and remember the Haight-Ashbury Summer of Love. While in graduate school, I worked with professor Alexander Shulgin, the father of designer drugs, who taught me the chemistry of medicinal plants. Afterwards, while a professor at USC, I learned Chumash healing from a Native American Chumash healer for 14 years from 1998 until 2012. She taught me how to make medicines from Californian plants, but not marijuana, which is not native to the U.S. Currently, I am teaching a course in medical marijuana to pharmacy students.

If there is one thing about marijuana that is certain: In small doses it can boost libido in men and women, leading to more sex. But can marijuana really be used for medical conditions?

What are cannabinoids?

New research is revealing that marijuana is more than just a source of cannabinoids, chemicals that may bind to cannabinoid receptors in our brains, which are used to get high. The most well-known is tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Marijuana is a particularly rich source of medicinal compounds that we have only begun to explore. In order to harness the full potential of the compounds in this plant, society needs to overcome misconceptions about marijuana and look at what research clearly says about the medical value.

The dried bud of a Kush cannabis plant. Kerouachomsky

The FDA has already made some moves in this direction by approving prescription drugs that come from marijuana including dronabinol, nabilone, nabiximols and cannabidiol. Dronabinol and nabilone are cannabinoids that are used for nausea. Nabiximols – which contain THC, the compound most responsible for marijuana’s high and cannabidiol, which does not induce a high – are used to treat multiple sclerosis. Cannabidiol, or CBD, is also used to treat some types of epilepsy.

Marijuana, originally from the Altai Mountains in Central and East Asia, contains at least 85 cannabinoids and 27 terpenes, fragrant oils that are produced by many herbs and flowers that may be active, drug-like compounds. THC is the cannabinoid everyone wants in order to get high. It is produced from THC acid – which constitutes up to 25 percent of the plant’s dry weight – by smoking or baking any part of the marijuana plant.

THC mimics a naturally occurring neurotransmitter called anandamide that works as a signaling molecule in the brain. Anandamide attaches to proteins in the brain called cannabinoid receptors, which then send signals related to pleasure, memory, thinking, perception and coordination, to name a few. THC works by hijacking these natural cannabinoid receptors, triggering a profound high.

RELATED: Science Proves Marijuana Heals Pain, Nausea, Spasms And Insomnia

Tetrahydrocannabivarinic acid, another cannabinoid, can constitute up to 10 percent of the dry weight. It is converted to another compound that probably contributes to a high, tetrahydrocannabivarin, when smoked or ingested in baked goods. Potent varieties like Doug’s Varin and Tangie may contain even higher concentrations.

Medical properties of marijuana

But not all cannabinoids make you high. Cannabidiol, a cannabinoid similar to THC, and its acid are also present in marijuana, especially in certain varieties. But these do not cause euphoria. The cannabidiol molecule interacts with a variety of receptors – including cannabinoid and serotonin receptors and transient receptor potential cation channels (TRP) – to reduce seizures, combat anxiety and produce other effects.

Marijuana also contains several monoterpenoids – small, aromatic molecules – that have a wide range of activities including pain and anxiety relief and that work by inhibiting TRP channels.

Myrcene is the most abundant monoterpenoid, a type or terpene, in marijuana. It can relax muscles. Other terpenes such as pinene, linalool, limonene and the sesquiterpene, beta-caryophyllene are pain relievers, especially when applied directly to the skin as a liniment. Some of these terpenes may add to the high when marijuana is smoked.

Depending on the medical condition, oils or lotions made from cannabis may be a better choice. sangriana/Shutterstock.com
 

What do all these varieties do?

Many different varieties of marijuana are on the market and are alleged to treat a range of diseases. The FDA has no oversight for these claims, since the FDA does not recognize marijuana as a legal product.

RELATED: The Awesome Health Benefits Of Raw Cannabis Explained

Strains of marijuana are grown that produce more THC than cannadidiol or vice versa. Other varieties have abundant monoterpenoids. How do you know that the strain you choose is legitimate with probable medical benefits? Each strain should have a certificate of analysis that shows you how much of each active compound is present in the product you buy. Many states have a bureau of cannabis control that verifies these certificates of analysis. However, many certificates of analysis do not show the monoterpenoids present in the marijuana. The analysis of monoterpenoids is difficult since they evaporate from the plant material. If you are looking for a strain high in myrcene or linalool, ask for proof.

Certificate of analysis. CC BY-SA

Marijuana can improve several conditions, but it can also make others worse and can have nasty side effects.

As recreational use has become more widespread, marijuana hyperemesis syndrome is becoming more of a problem in our society. Some people vomit uncontrollably after smoking marijuana regularly. It can be treated by rubbing a cream made from capsaicin, from chili peppers, on the abdomen. Capsaicin cream is available in pharmacies.

Also, high THC varieties of marijuana, such as Royal Gorilla and Fat Banana, can cause anxiety and even psychosis in some people.

Researchers have also shown that anxiety can be effectively treated with strains that have more cannabidiol and linalool. It may be best to rub a cannabidiol balm or lotion on your cheeks to relieve anxiety.

Other conditions that studies have shown are improved by marijuana are: cancer induced nausea, Type 2 diabetes, two forms of epilepsy, HIV-induced weight gain, irritable bowel syndrome, migraines, multiple sclerosis, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, pain, chronic pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, sleep disorders and traumatic brain injury.

For some of these conditions, studies show that eating or topically applying marijuana products rather than smoking is recommended.

Clearly, more research is needed from the scientific community to help guide the appropriate, safe use of marijuana. However, the FDA does not recognize the use of medical marijuana. This makes funding for research on marijuana difficult to find. Perhaps the cannabis industry should consider funding scientific research on marijuana. But conflicts of interest may become a concern as we have seen with drug company-sponsored studies.The Conversation

James David Adams, Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Meme Of The Week: Facebook Has Global Meltdown, People Make Jokes

This past Wednesday, Facebook experienced a worldwide outage that lasted over eight hours. Of course, panic ensued, because when Facebook is down, so are all of the company’s apps, including Instagram, WhatsApp and dozens of others that we’re probably not even aware of.

With nowhere else to go, users turned to Twitter, where they complained about Facebook and about how tough everything is when you don’t have the digital world to distract you from real life.

RELATED: Meme Of The Week: Ellen DeGeneres Goes Dark On This Week’s Most Popular Meme

The hashtags #Instagramdown and #Facebookdown were trending for hours and hundreds of hilarious memes were born, ranging from the imaginary meltdown of influencers, to Facebook techs being completely unable to handle their servers. Check out some of our favorites:

RELATED: Meme Of The Week: Kacey Musgraves Wins A Grammy And Becomes A Meme

Sano Ti Amo Hopes To Become One Of The First FDA Approved Cannabis Topicals In The US

AUTHOR: Chris Nani
PUBLISHER:  CANNABIS LAW REPORT

Sano Ti Amo is a topical product based company in Ohio. Their new signature cream is currently being manufactured in an FDA approved facility and is undergoing the final steps for FDA registration. The cream, R &R Pain Relief cream was created by Co-Owner Paul Amoroso, a licensed Massotherapist, who has treated patients for over twenty years. Paul met Co-Owner Karen DeLuca while he was refining the cream. Karen has over fifteen years of sales experience, helping start-up companies, and product development. 

Q: What is Sano Ti Amo and how did you come up with the idea?

Paul: The name Sano Ti Amo means healing with love because everyone that tried our cream kept saying they loved it. I’ve been developing the cream for years and really wanted to make it perfect. Our goal was to help as many patients as possible. Sano means healing and Ti Amo means love or I love you.

Karen: In addition, since the FDA won’t allow us to use the word ‘healing’ we decided to use our Italian roots instead. We’re both Italian and wanted to reflect that in our company name. Also, we picked the deaf sign of I love you as our logo to go along with our name.

Q: Can you give me a quick background on yourself?

Paul: Ever since I was young, I liked learning about alternative medicine including Eastern medicine, Native medicine, and Ayurvedic medicine. I became a Massotherapist in 1997 and now use seventeen different styles of therapy to help patients. I also learned Chinese herbal techniques and have focused on learning from as many cultures as possible. I own a 44-acre horse farm and part of my inspiration for developing our products has been from treating horses to help them recover faster. One of my goals is to help veterans with PTSD through therapy with horses. I use alternative healing methods as well as traditional therapy with licensed therapists to help veterans recover.

Karen: I started in sales and marketing with Fortune 500 companies like Kellogg’s, M&M Mars, and Pfizer. Eventually, I decided to use my business knowledge in a more direct way. I wanted to become an entrepreneur and have since helped start and run three companies. I’ve started a skincare company, a gluten-free bakery, and now my main focus is on Sano Ti Amo. I also am the author of “Living Your Life in Gratitude” but, aside from my professional life, I love baking. I wanted to make an appealing gluten-free food you wouldn’t find in a grocery store, so someone with a gluten-free or specialty diet still could have the opportunity to have great tasting food and that’s how I came up with Ovenly Delights.

RELATED: A Conversation About Topical Cannabis Massages

Q: What are some of the products you sell?

Paul: Right now, we’re working on a gout and an arthritis cream, but our main product is our Relief & Repair cream. We use a full spectrum hemp oil that has all the cannabinoids in it. Now that federal legalization is occurring, we’re looking at ways to implement cannabinoids into our products. Plus, because our cream is a topical when it’s absorbed through your skin, you won’t feel any high. In other words, you’ll still have mental clarity along with all of the health benefits of the cream.

Q: What makes Sano Ti Amo unique? (talk about FDA cream product/what’s in it)

Karen: Our main product R&R cream has four special ingredients that have never been used before in a topical. What makes our product different is it flushes out the toxins in your body allowing for faster healing. Instead of numbing the skin like other creams, it helps repair the tissues at a deeper level.

Q: Why did you make the cream?

Paul: I wanted a cream for people that could penetrate the skin and go down into the muscle and nervous tissues with the intent of healing and repairing the tissues and not just masking the pain like most pharmacological ones. Pharmaceuticals are designed to mask pain signals temporarily so you end up in an endless cycle of constantly applying topicals and taking orals for the pain.

That’s why I worked with Dr. Ronald Anders, a veterinarian who is a triennially trained Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and he also studied Chinese herbals. Since many of the herbals we use are purified down to their essential oil or concentrated form, they provide our patients with the most potent form of the herbals. Dr. Anders’ style of veterinary medicine is to heal the patient as quickly as possible and not just mask the symptoms. He is world renowned with his practice and works on multi-million dollar breeding animals and show horses.

RELATED: 5 Painful Medical Conditions Topical Cannabis Products Can Relieve

We worked together to combine our knowledge and expertise to create a cream that would not only calm and soothe the muscles and the nervous tissues that report the pain but find the right combination of ingredients that would speed the healing process by increasing the lymph flow first to remove the sludge in the tissues. The cream also increases blood flow so the damaged tissues can repair the micro tears letting the area heal from the inside out.

I also really like helping people. I have worked with over 4,000 fibromyalgia patients over the years and noticed their skin and muscle tissue was different when treating them. I was inspired to help patients with fibromyalgia and started to research the formula for our cream because massages can be expensive when they’re needed every other day. But, with the cream, it can be used as a long term solution for more people as a daily application or as needed. It only takes around fifteen minutes to start feeling the effects and there’s enough in each container for multiple applications.

Q: Are there any side effects from using the cream?

Paul: There have been no known side effects of the cream. However, the cream shouldn’t be used by women breastfeeding or pregnant. We have had our product triple checked by a medical doctor (MD) and medical assistant (MA) with a chemistry background who compared our ingredients against pharmaceutical drugs and interactions between ingredients to ensure our cream would be safe and the ingredients within wouldn’t cause any reactions with our patients. We also took our cream to an FDA registered facility in Streetsboro, Ohio and had their scientists test our product. We wanted to have as many eyes as possible review our product before publicly introducing it.

Q: What kind of feedback have you gotten from clients using the cream?

Paul: A lot of times what we hear is that our product is subtle. It has a delicate scent and it doesn’t have a freezing feel like Bio Freeze or Icy-Hot. Customers also can’t believe how fast acting our cream is for a multitude of things. People recovering from surgeries have said it helps with their pain management and recovery. We also get a lot of people with fibromyalgia who say they have more energy after using the cream. Normally, fibromyalgia requires patients to frequently rest and it causes chronic pain. The cream helps alleviate both and gives patients their lives back.

Karen: I have a friend with CMT (a foot deformity) and he has an extremely tough time walking. He needs braces to help walk and it’s extremely painful. I’ll never forget when he said “You gave me my life back”. The first time he used the cream, his entire team noticed he was walking normally and his pain was reduced. It was a very humbling experience I’ll never forget. Walking is something we take for granted, and, with the chronic pain from CMT, it was amazing to hear the results from him.

Q: The cream is being registered with the FDA now, what advantage does that give Sano Ti Amo?

Karen: It gives the cream credibility. The FDA has strict purity and quality requirements. The FDA registration also allows us to tell people what the cream does. Although we’re restricted with the amount of information we can share right now, having registration with the FDA means we can sell our hemp product virtually in all fifty states without any legal issues. Retailers also don’t have to worry about our product being seized because it is registered, every other product on the shelves could be recalled or seized if it isn’t FDA approved.

RELATED: 8 Things To Know Before Using Cannabis Topicals

Getting FDA registration is definitely an arduous process but it is the only way for us to make medical claims. So far, our product has undergone stability testing to show it has a shelf life of two years but will likely have a four-year shelf life after testing is completed. The stability testing guarantees our product is safe.

Paul: Epidiolex is FDA approved as well and is in every state. What you’ll see moving forward is more and more products being FDA approved because of the credibility it gives their product. For example, labeling products with 100mgs of CBD when it isn’t true – mislabeling ­­– can cause your product to get pulled and fined and customers want consistency in their products. Also anyone with a medical license such as a doctor or nurse can legally use and recommend our product because it will be FDA approved and they won’t have to worry about losing their license.

Q: What was the process like for registering your product with the FDA?

Paul: We first had to become familiar with the FDA registration process, so hiring consultants and experts who know the ins and outs of the process was very helpful. It’s a very complicated process that requires tremendous amounts of time and expertise. Because the FDA isn’t a legal entity, they can only make recommendations but it’s very important to follow their directions to gain approval. It’s very time consuming with tons of hurdles; however, we’re expecting to gain approval within the upcoming weeks.

Karen: We worked extensively with an FDA facility and originally we were told it would take over ten years and around ten million dollars. By working with the facility, we were able to cut the process down to three years and save millions of dollars through our partnership. We were able to convince the facility to work with us by letting their employees test our product and vouching that it was the best product they had ever seen. The chemist at the facility actually took some of our product home for his mother’s swollen foot and within a few hours she could walk again and was able to play with her grandchildren.

Q: Are there any ways to support Sano Ti Amo?

Paul: Absolutely through Indiegogo, we’re looking for funding to help a major production run and launch our product on a larger scale to help as many people as we can that are ready to feel better.

Karen: The Indiegogo campaign is meant to help raise money for our first major production run and it wouldn’t just help Sano Ti Amo but it would help millions of people who suffer from chronic pain. The funds would help us get off the ground and start helping others. Our product is a need based one for patients with conditions like fibromyalgia, shingles, neuropathy, neck & back pain, and even acute injuries to name a few.

This article appeared on Green Market Report.

Alaska First State To Legalize Social Marijuana Use

Although marijuana is legal in a handful of states for recreational use, the powers that be in most of those jurisdictions have put their foot down when it comes to allowing cannabis users to consume the herb in a public setting in the same way that has been done with alcohol for decades. But not Alaska. Earlier this week Lieutenant Governor Kevin Myers put his signature on a bill that will allow licensed dispensaries to open up social consumption sites for those 21 and older.

As of the mid-April, dispensaries all across Alaska can apply for an exclusive license to open a cannabis lounge section in their stores. There are a few stipulations: This part of the operation must be completely separate from the retail side of the dispensary, but there are no rules are whether the smoking section must be inside or outdoors. It is conceivable that it could even be both.

RELATED: Cannabis Vacation Guide: Get Baked In The Wilds Of Alaska

Dispensaries must also provide security and ventilation that meets the standards of the Marijuana Control Board. And unlike a bar situation, where patrons can drink as much as like as long as they don’t start fighting or bothering others, there are some serving limits. Reefer retailers may only sell one gram of weed (or one 10 mg edible) to a customer a day. It’s far from a perfect system, but it is one that cannabis advocates hope more states will start to embrace very soon.

“By preventing retail outlets and other venues from being licensed and regulated for social consumption, many patients will have to choose between effective cannabis treatment for their ailments or being thrown out of public housing,” NORML Executive Director Erik Altieri saidin a statement. “This causes the civil liberties that come with marijuana legalization to still being kept at arm’s length from low-income individuals and members of other marginalized communities.”

While Alaska is the first state to legalize social pot consumption, it is not the only spot in the United States where the concept is being implemented. In San Francisco, a similar model is being used. Dispensaries there can provide a special section for patrons to use marijuana in a social setting.

Denver also has a social use law now, only it doesn’t allow smoking and patrons must bring their own weed. The other major setback to the system is the city now only has one participating location. The other licensed shop went out of business earlier this year. So, it’s pretty rag-tag as far as the kind of cannabis lounge model that advocates would like to see implemented elsewhere.

Social marijuana use is struggling to take off in the United States.

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Maine was supposed to have a social marijuana use component – at least it was written in the language of the law – but regulators have not created a system for it as of yet. It is essentially the same deal in Massachusetts. Las Vegas is another city where lawmakers have been pushing for cannabis lounges.

Alaska understands that what it is doing is new and that many other jurisdictions are looking to  it as a guide.

“This is something that’s not happening anywhere else in the U.S. yet. As we start to develop this, people are really looking at us, so I know that everybody wants to get it right,” Cary Carrigan, executive director of the Alaska Marijuana Industry Association, told the Associated Press.

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