WeedLife News Network

In an inflationary period where the prices of most products are on the rise, why is it that cannabis seems unaffected? The question surrounding this is, “Is cannabis inflation-proof or are there other factors in play?” Historically, the price for a gram of cannabis has been around the $10 and $20 range, and on up. Nowadays, consumers can find cannabis for around $5 per gram depending on how much they purchase.

Hero Technologies a cannabis company focused on a "seed-to-sale" vertical integration strategy, has migrated its banking operations from traditional financial institutions to banks that specialize in marijuana-related businesses (MRB). The company expects that the move to MRB banks will facilitate its compliance with state and federal financial regulations and help it manage cash and financial risk as it grows. (Benzinga)

Banking for MRBs is challenging due to the varied regulations across the U.S., the cash-intensive nature of the marijuana business, and the explosive growth of the cannabis industry.

Flora Growth Corp. (NASDAQ: FLGC) (“Flora” or the “Company”), a leading all-outdoor cultivator, manufacturer and distributor of global cannabis products and brands, announced today that the Company met with the author of a new bill to legalize recreational cannabis on the day the legislation was introduced to Congress.

Flora’s Chairman and CEO Luis Merchan met with Colombian Sen. Gustavo Bolivar prior to the bill's introduction to Congress on July 20. Bolivar, the key author of the bill, and Merchan discussed the top tenants of the bill, the bill’s implications for companies such as Flora in Colombia and what legalization means for the country’s burgeoning domestic and international cannabis markets.

Highlights of the discussion include:

Mids can be regarded as the mid-point between low-quality and high-quality cannabis. This classification has brought on different names for this class of marijuana flowers over the years.

For many that are new to the cannabis industry, you might have heard the word “mid” being used repeatedly while trying to buy weed. Now I know that we all want to act like we are in tune with every lingua in the cannabis industry, but it’s okay if you’re not. All you need is the right info and you’re good to go.

Before we delve into what mids are, you must understand what is known as the cannabis quality spectrum. This is simply the classification of cannabis based on its quality and many cannaseurs are known to use the classification that recognizes mids. There are four categories, listed in order of low quality to high quality: regs, mids, beasters, and headies. This means that regs are the least in terms of quality and headies are the best.

Another explanation of the cannabis quality spectrum has the marijuana flowers divided into three categories: low quality, medium quality, and high quality. The high-quality cannabis can further be divided into the low-high quality and high-high quality.

What are mids?

Mids can be regarded as the mid-point between low-quality and high-quality cannabis. This classification has brought on different names for this class of marijuana flowers over the years, including: middle, middle shelf, the thirties, middies, and B+. All these names point to the same thing, but what identifies mids are the flower variables. This includes appearance, flavor, cannabinoid content, effects, and price.

Appearance

You can easily identify mids from its appearance as many U.S. cannabis readily falls into this category. The buds are usually separated and contain few seeds and stems. It is also possible for the buds not to contain seeds at all. Mids have very few trichomes and are very bright with colored pistils and orange hairs.

Meat alternatives are on the rise globally. Could hemp take the lead as cannabis reform drives agricultural production?

Meat consumption is rising globally (starting with the U.S.). The American market alone is worth about $270 billion annually, out of a market worth about $1.5 Trillion dollars globally. Unfortunately this is also a vertical which is increasingly unsustainable from the climate change perspective—forget the moral issues involved. As Mr. Rogers famously said, he could not eat anything that had a mother.

Though marijuana use is now legal in most of the United States, questions remain about how smoking marijuana can affect lung health and the risk of lung cancer in particular.

Research has suggested that smoking marijuana can cause damage to the lungs but is not as detrimental as smoking tobacco.2-4 Studies have also indicated that smoking marijuana may not increase a person’s risk of lung cancer, but robust evidence is lacking.2-9

“We concluded that there is moderate evidence that there is no association between cannabis smoking and lung cancer,” said Donald I. Abrams, MD, professor emeritus of medicine at the University of California San Francisco and integrative oncologist at the USCF Osher Center for Integrative Health. 

Dr Abrams is one of the experts who reviewed evidence on the health effects of cannabis for a report published in 2017 by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM).

Among the research reviewed for that report was a pooled analysis of 6 case-control studies encompassing 2159 individuals with lung cancer and 2985 control participants. The analysis showed “little or no association” between the intensity, duration, cumulative consumption, or age at the start of cannabis smoking and the risk of lung cancer. 

Another study reviewed for the NASEM report was a population-based study of cannabis use in 49,321 Swedish military conscripts. Researchers evaluated the risk of lung cancer over a 40-year follow-up period. They found a 2-fold increase in lung cancer risk among participants with a history of “heavy” cannabis use (defined as having smoked more than 50 times at baseline) compared with those who had no history of cannabis use. 

The House of Representatives this week passed legislation to permit cannabis advertising on broadcast television and radio as part of a broader appropriations measure.

The U.S. House of Representatives this week passed a bill that would permit cannabis advertising on broadcast television and radio stations. The legislation is included as part of the Fiscal Year 2023 Financial Services and General Government appropriations bill, which was passed by lawmakers in the House on Wednesday.

Under the provisions of the appropriations bill, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) would be barred from using appropriated funds to deny a broadcaster a license renewal or sale application for airing cannabis advertising in jurisdictions that have legalized marijuana. The FCC would also be prohibited from requiring a station to file an early license renewal application for broadcasting cannabis ads.

Current regulations allow the FCC to revoke a license from broadcasters that air advertisements for federally illegal products including weed, even in states that have passed laws legalizing cannabis. As a result, cannabis businesses are limited to advertising in other forums including print newspapers and magazines, online, billboards, cable television, satellite radio, and social media. Alex Siciliano, a spokesman for the National Associations of Broadcasters, said on Wednesday that the legislation passed in the House this week levels the playing field for cannabis advertising.

“For too long, local broadcasters have been stuck in a regulatory purgatory because of conflicting federal and state cannabis laws,” Siciliano said in a statement.

“Today’s passage marks an important step towards allowing broadcasters to receive equal treatment for cannabis advertising that many other forms of media have enjoyed for years. While we are pleased to see the House act, broadcasters will continue to work with policymakers for a permanent resolution to this competitive disparity to the benefit of consumers.”

A new study shows further evidence of the harms of vaping.

Conducted by researchers from Portland State University and published in the journal of Chemical Research in Toxicology, the study claims that the process of heating up cannabinoid acetates creates a toxic gas called ketene that’s harmful to the lungs.

Researchers tested different cannabinoid acetates and tried to measure how much ketene was produced in a single vape puff. They measured acetates like delta-8 THC, a compound that’s currently unregulated by the FDA and that’s potent, crossing the blood-brain barrier more easily.

Researchers found that ketene is formed at lower settings of heat than anticipated and that each puff releases an amount of toxin that’s dangerous to people’s health. Ketene is supposedly so toxic to humans that it’s dangerous to even test it, thus, becoming difficult to measure its impact on the human body.

“The thing we’re most concerned about is prolonged exposure, we don’t know what that is,” said Kaelas Munger, a doctoral student and one of the authors of the study.

“That’s why papers like ours are needed. Otherwise people would be exposed to this really toxic substance and it’s really impossible to look for the evidence.”

When a pink glow lit up the evening sky above an Australian town on Wednesday, local woman Tammy Szumowski wondered if the apocalypse had arrived.

Summer heat is finally here, and whether you love the hot weather or are already counting down the days until fall, we all have to navigate it together. Here are three tips for cannabis users trying to make it through and stay cool.

Only you, says Smokey

Where there's smoke, there's fire, and where there's fire there can be wildfire. According to the National Interagency Fire Center and AccuWeather, smoking is the fifth-leading cause of wildfire on Forest Service lands since 2006. The last thing this region needs is to see any more of our beautiful forest burned to a crisp, and the last thing you should want is to be responsible for it the next time that inevitably happens.

If you're thinking our exceptionally wet spring will dampen the fire season this year, think again. On April 8, back when it was still cold and rainy, a brush fire on the West Plains forced evacuations. The spark? A man smoking THC oil. If you're going to be stoned in nature this summer, smoke before you go.

Protect your meltable edibles

If you ever left a candy bar in a car as a kid, you know exactly what this section is about. Chocolate and gummy edibles will start to melt around 90 degrees, a temperature the Spokane region will continue hitting all summer. Which means it's not just the hot car to be vigilant about. Anywhere outside, even in the shade, your edibles could melt, as could indoor spaces without air conditioning. Fortunately, melted edibles will remain edible after a few hours in the heat, and it won't do anything to their potency. However, longer term exposure to heat or higher temperatures, like being left in a hot car all day long, can affect the flavor and, over time, the edible's edibility itself.

Cold smoke

There's iced coffee and iced tea, so why not iced smoke? On sweltering days like those we've been having, there's no good reason to subject yourself to the pain of a big, hot bong rip. Head shops, dispensaries and even some convenience stores around the region sell ice catcher bongs, which allow users to drop a few ice cubes down the neck to cool the smoke as it is being inhaled.

MedPharm Research, a leading cannabis researcher, announced today that the company’s proposal, which was submitted to the FY23 Cannabis Research Opportunity at the Colorado State University Institute of Cannabis Research (ICR), titled “Isolation and Pharmacological Evaluation of Phytocannabinoids for Alzheimer’s Disease,” has been selected for funding.

Scoring of the proposal was organized into six categories: significance, approach, broader impacts, environment, data analysis, and environment. Reviewers from the ICR review panel applauded the novelty of the project, the training needed for a scientific intern, and how well the proposal defines the metric of evaluation for each data analysis aim. They concluded that the likelihood of the project to succeed is high, adding that minor cannabinoids is an area where more research is needed.

According to the Center for Disease Control, Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias are projected to grow to 13.9 million, nearly 3.3 percent of the population in 2060. Brains of people with Alzheimer’s show neurodegeneration and high levels of oxidative stress and inflammation.

“The study results will allow MedPharm to further develop innovative, bioavailable, and bioequivalent dosage forms. These are important elements in support of Investigational New Drugs (INDs) and New Drug Applications (NDAs) for future FDA-approved products,” says Scott Karolchyk, MS, RPh, Director of Formulation and Development. The phytocannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) has neuroprotective, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Other studies have shown that CBD has been shown to be effective in vivo, making the phytocannabinoid an interesting candidate for novel therapeutic interventions in Alzheimer’s therapy, especially because there are no psychoactive or cognition-impairing properties, thus adding to the significance of the MedPharm study.

“It’s by pursuing this one-of-a-kind study in an area where research is really needed that sets MedPharm apart from other cannabis research and development companies,” Albert Gutierrez, President of MedPharm, says.

WEED, Inc. a global cannabis & hemp bioresearch company based in the USA, focused on the development and application of cannabis-derived compounds for the treatment of human and animal diseases, acquired 100% of Hempirical Genetics, LLC, for 2 million shares of common stock valued at $.25 per share and $250,000 in cash over 4 years. One million shares and $10,000 was paid on signing this agreement. (Benzinga)

Glenn E. Martin, WEED, Inc.'s CEO stated, "Our teams in USA, Australia and Israel are excited that a pipeline of Original "Landrace" strains from the 1970s' can now be moved into clinical trials and product development for the global market. WEED now has over 15 "PURE" original, pristine, F-1 grade cannabis strains today, including, Panama Red, Acapulco Gold, Red Bud Colombian & Santa Marta Gold. Our newly acquired inventory includes over 30 CBD & CBG strains as WEED believes that multiple combinations of precise cannabinoid strains will create the entourage effect to achieve the medical outcome desired. Eventually, WEED plans to bring our unique desired strains to the Adult Use markets once the "Law of the Land" brings back the Freedoms lost 70+ years ago."

Miller stated, "I've known Glenn Martin for 50+ years and honored to take the helm of HEMP BioSciences to buildout our genetic studies. My goal is to bring the strongest, highest quality THC and hemp products to market at affordable prices.

"Double the quality, half the price" should be the mantra for the cannabis industry, while creating diversity & equality to the cannabis sector. Our Veterans have been highly overlooked, and I look to develop vet programs at low or no cost, which I know is a priority of Glenn and mine."

Ghost Drops, Canada's Most Notorious Cannabis Brand, announces "The League" – a new brand platform created to propel the best brands from the legacy realm into the legal market.

Legends. Icons. Innovators. This is The League.

Designed to elevate more trailblazing cannabis names from the shadows into the spotlight, The League is another example of Ghost Drops' commitment to the cannabis community. With the launch of The League, Ghost Drops continues to execute its core business strategy: the mass conversion of legacy consumers to legal market consumers, while also delivering on its promise of "No Ghost Left Behind."

Cannabis telemedicine is now a reality for folks in Montana thanks to a platform called NuggMD, already available in several states.

Telemedicine is a modern-day solution to healthcare problems for those in rural parts of the world, and now cannabis telemedicine also exists. Folks in Montana now have access to a platform called NuggMD that connects state licensed medical marijuana doctors to patients virtually. 

NuggMD, an already-established medical cannabis telemedicine platform, is launching its service in Montana. People who wish to be patients simply have to cough up the barrier of entry of $129 to be able to use the service. The platform is already being used by doctors and patients in California, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia.

Despite its rural population, Montana is doing well when it comes to legal cannabis. They made record sales in June of over $17.2 million spent on recreational pot and over $7 million spent on medical cannabis, totaling almost $25 million in cannabis sales just for the month. The total for the year so far is $148 million. The highest cannabis sales are in Yellowstone County, which hit $4.1 million in June, 32% of those being recreational. On opening weekend of legal cannabis sales in the state, the total was already at $1.5 million.

“Yellowstone’s success makes it obvious that cannabis has been a huge boon for the tourist industry in Montana,” says Alex Milligan, CMO and co-founder of NuggMD.

“But the medical market is still running strong in the state because the program provides powerful advantages for Montana patients.”

In 2019, the environmental company Re Waste estimated that between 12.7 and 14.1 million pounds of plastic from cannabis packaging ended up in landfills between October 2018 and August 2019.

Since cannabis became legal in Canada, sustainability still leaves room for improvement, mitigating the millions of pounds of plastic packaging that legal marijuana produces every year. (Benzinga)

According to reporting by Leafly, in 2018—the first year of cannabis legalization in Canada—solid black plastic containers were the most visible containers on the market. Additionally, several brands have opted to package their cannabis products in fancy-looking but non-recyclable packaging.

Also, jars, which are common for selling flowers, take decades to decompose, which pump toxins into the soil and eventually make their way into the nearest ocean. It is difficult to quantify the market plastic waste problem, but the overall impact has been negative.

In 2019, the environmental company Re Waste estimated that “between 5.8 and 6.4 million kilograms (or between 12.7 and 14.1 million pounds) of plastic from cannabis packaging ended up in landfills between October 2018 and August 2019.”

“Plastic waste and the cannabis industry tend to go hand in hand, but our specialized process works to mitigate the impact of this plastic waste on the environment,” Re Waste said on its website.

"Legalization will never happen overnight. We all know that, and it's important that it doesn't happen overnight because legalization is a huge step for a country. We saw that, for example, in Canada, where a lot of mistakes were made."

Frankfurt-based Bloomwell Group, one of the largest cannabis companies in Europe, was co-founded in 2020 by brother and sister, Anna-Sophia and Niklas Kouparanis.

A holding company for medical cannabis businesses, Bloomwell is also positioned to work with recreational companies once Germany legalizes the plant, a change that would make the country of more than 83 million the world’s largest cannabis market. 

The timeline for legalization remains speculative but Niklas, Bloomwell’s CEO, predicts that full legalization will happen in Germany by the beginning of 2024. In May, German Finance Minister Christian Lindner tweeted that it will happen “soon.” 

Regardless of the timeline, cannabis companies are increasingly looking to access the German market. A year after launching, Bloomwell closed a seed funding round of over $10 million and now employs more than 250 people across all channels. 

As cannabis reform begins to unfold across Europe — Malta has legalized cannabis, though there are limits; Luxembourg has decriminalized the plant, allowing residents to grow up to four plants at home; and countries like the Netherlands and Switzerland are running commercial cannabis cultivation pilots — social acceptance of cannabis is at an all-time high. A recent report by Hanway, a London-based consultancy agency, found that 55 per cent of Europeans now support legalizing recreational cannabis.

Cannabis farms are already subject to strict water regulations in several states, and some illegal growers have given those rule followers a bad name by association

Over the last several months, photographs and stories of unprecedented and dramatically low water levels in the southwestern U.S. have made their way to the front page of national news. Boats and even dead bodies have been discovered at the bottom of lakes that many never thought would run so dangerously low. This water crisis has sparked a need and demand for immediate change in the way some states use and allocate water.

Several of these states, including California, Arizona and Colorado, have thriving cannabis industries, but a now-dwindling water supply. It is no secret that consistent watering is essential to a successful marijuana harvest, but this precious resource is in jeopardy. How then, is this lack of water affecting the marijuana industry, and is there any hope that a drought could yield any positive results for cannabis in dry places?

The state that is most affected by this drought is also the nation’s top marijuana producer – California. The state is in such a state of water peril that the governor announced a $2.9-billion plan to keep some of California’s vital water flowing in its natural habitats. In fact, according to Modern Farmer, “the state will pay farms to keep thousands of acres vacant this growing season.”

While this sounds like a relief for farmers, the cannabis industry might not make the cut.

“Heading into another brutally dry summer, struggling cannabis growers in California could be excluded from the state’s latest assistance plan to save water,” wrote the Water Education Foundation in regards to this latest plan.

The Cannabis Scientist Power List is an annual recognition of the most important innovators within the cannabis industry

The National Alliance to Stop Impaired Driving (NASID) has been around for nearly a year now, since its inauguration in July 2021. The organization is run by Responsibility.org and aims to eliminate all forms of impaired driving by achieving DUI system reform, promoting awareness, and enhancing DUI detection and data.

More importantly, NASID is trying to deploy various technologies to fight all forms of impaired driving. The most recent was released in late March this year, which is a user-friendly online tool aimed at helping drivers identify what they can or not do to ensure that they do not get behind the wheel while impaired.

It saves a great deal of time

The tool is designed with the hope that it will help drivers, road safety advocates, and prosecutors navigate the cannabis DUI easily. According to NASID director Darrin Grondel, road safety experts, prosecutors, and lawyers had to spend hours going through different databases, legal codes on a state and federal level, and countless resources on the internet to understand cannabis DUI statutes for a single state.

With the new tool, spending hours is a thing of the past. A user can get a snapshot of all statutes governing cannabis and DUI for any state in a few clicks. According to the tool’s designers, the goal was to solve the problem of constantly changing cannabis and impaired driving laws that can vary widely, making getting on top of the cannabis DUI legal landscape an elusive task for regulators, safety advocates, and other entities.

The tool is designed to provide an overview of state-specific laws. It is also linked to other resources that help users get detailed information on the following: