WeedLife News Network

Vermont's Cannabis Control Board acknowledged on Monday that it will not meet a state mandated deadline of May 1 to issue licenses to small-scale weed growers.

The news comes as a blow to cultivators who are anxiously awaiting state approval so they can raise crops in time to have product available when the market fully opens in October. Some have applied to grow indoors, others outdoors and some a mix of both.

According to data from the board, 83 small growers have submitted applications, but only two are currently under review. Those two are among 25 "social equity applicants" who represent groups disadvantaged by the country's war on drugs and are now designated for priority licensing review — and breaks on fees — by Vermont.

"We've gotten a lot of messages saying, 'Hey, my plants need to be in the ground ASAP,' and we completely understand," Kyle Harris, one of the three board members, said at a meeting on Monday. "That is not lost on us." Harris said some frustrated applicants have called into the office and directed vulgar language at staff, which he called unacceptable.

"I know folks are under a lot of stress and anxiety, have a lot riding on these licenses; we totally get that," he said. "But there's just no room to be rude ... 

I just want to make sure everybody understands that they're working as hard as they possibly can."

This could give new meaning to Big Apple pizza joints.

New York State officials are weighing whether to allow pizzerias and other eateries to sell fresh cannabis-infused grub and packaged pot edibles, The Post has learned.

Aaron Ghitelman, a spokesman for the state Office of Cannabis Management, confirmed there have been discussions about awarding such licenses to food preparers — raising the possibility of offerings such as pesto pot pizza or pepperoni with sweet weed sauce.

However, “the regulations regarding infused food products have not been released yet,” Ghitelman stressed.

In 2012, Colorado and Washington made headlines when they became the first two states in the U.S. to legalize cannabis for recreational use. Since then, 18 other states as well as the District of Columbia have followed suit by passing legislation for recreational distribution and consumption.

Classified as a Schedule I drug by the Controlled Substance Act, the same as methamphetamine or cocaine, cannabis is still illegal at the federal level. However, as more state lawmakers pass legislation to legalize recreational use, federal cannabis trafficking cases and charges have steadily dropped year-over-year.

According to the U.S. Sentencing Commission’s 2021 Sourcebook, in 2012, the same year Colorado and Washington first passed their legislation, there were roughly 7,000 offenders charged with cannabis trafficking by federal prosecutors. Cannabis made up 27.6% of all drug trafficking charges that year, the most of any category.

As more states continued to pass legislation to legalize recreational cannabis, the number of federal trafficking charges began to drop year-after-year. In 2016, when nine states in total had opened for recreational use, cannabis trafficking cases fell to approximately 3,500 cases.

Most recently, in 2021, that number dropped below 1,000 for the first time in this period, with 996 total people charged for trafficking cannabis, accounting for only 5.7% of the total federal drug trafficking cases, the least of all major categories.

BlueKudu's artisanal infused chocolates will be available at all 45 Curaleaf locations statewide

Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. (CSE: CURA /OTCQX: CURLF) ("Curaleaf" or the "Company"), a leading international provider of consumer products in cannabis, today announced the launch of BlueKudu infused chocolates at all 45 Curaleaf locations in Florida. Acquired by Curaleaf in 2020, BlueKudu was founded in Colorado as one of the state's original and most experienced edible manufacturers known for utilizing culinary experts to create artisanal cannabis products. The expansion marks BlueKudu's first launch outside of Colorado and Curaleaf's entrance into Florida's infused chocolate category.

In this special guest post Kevin Chen, Co-founder & CEO, Hyasynth Bio, a precision fermentation startup producing sustainable cannabinoids, and Benjamin Joffe, Partner at SOSV make the case for European CBD biomanufacturing

By now, many have heard about Cannabidiol, better known as CBD, the non-psychoactive cannabinoid derived from the cannabis plant and discovered in 1940. You can find it in products ranging from edible gummy bears to skin oil, for purposes such as pain or anxiety relief, cognition, acne treatment or sleep aid. The FDA-approved prescription medicine Epidiolex containing CBD is currently being used by over 1 million people with hard-to-treat epilepsies. Scientific publications are multiplying – exploring many more therapeutic applications for conditions such as diabetes and arthritis – and finally providing clinical proof to some of the effects that have been observed for years. 

Investment in cannabis startups has been on fire, both by number of deals and amounts raised, and 2021 is surpassing 2020 by a long shot, with over 200 deals by mid-October, including massive rounds like Dutchie’s $350 million Series D and Jane Technologies’s $100 million Series C.

Scientific publications about CBD since 1980. Source: NIH PubMed, November 2021

In other words, we’re entering the golden age of CBD, which might turn out to be a discovery as important as aspirin. So why isn’t this ‘hero ingredient’ even more widespread?

There are several reasons: first, it’s slow and expensive to produce and extract from cannabis plants, second, it is hard to control its dosage: a 2020 FDA study found that more than half of consumer CBD products differed greatly from what was written on the label. I should know: I’m from Canada, a country now famous for its cannabis farming, home to 8 of the top 10 largest cannabis companies by revenue, while the Canadian stock exchange hosts the 2 leading US firms, Green Thumb Industries and Curaleaf.

Regulators' plan for a cannabis market that benefits communities that suffered from criminalization is taking longer to set up

Moke Mokotoff, the 72-year-old behind a Columbia County hemp farm newly licensed to grow marijuana for recreational use this summer, is hurriedly preparing to cultivate for New York's first legal recreational sales next winter, even as dispensaries in neighboring New Jersey prepare to make their first adult-use cannabis sales on Thursday. 

Hundreds of marijuana users gathered in the German capital to mark 420, the annual cannabis celebration, and demand legalization of the drug. Germany's new government has promised a new law.

At least 500 pro-legalization protesters gathered in front of Berlin's Brandenburg Gate on Wednesday for 420, the annual April 20 celebration marked by cannabis consumers around the world, to urge the government to move forward with its plans to decriminalize the drug.

The police presence, enough to fill several police vans parked around the demo, prevailed on organizers to turn the German hip-hop and rap music down, but made no overt attempt to trace the many clouds of smoke hanging above the small crowd.

The gathering was made up of activists, rappers, former police officers, people who use cannabis for medical treatments and several small business owners who used the opportunity to promote cannabis-friendly products, from "ecological" hemp and beeswax firelighters to an all-in-one cannabis grow kit, complete with fume extractor and power unit.

Promises but no action

An estimated 4 million people in Germany consume cannabis, and the coalition contract presented by Chancellor Olaf Scholz's new government last December was clear enough about its aims.

"We will introduce the controlled distribution of cannabis to adults for recreational purposes in licensed stores," the government promised, before detailing its reasons.

Where else would you expect a 420 party celebrating marijuana but in the Northern California city named Weed?

The Siskiyou County festival will be centered at a dispensary where you can rent a bong in its "consumption lounge" and there are shops on either side of Weed Boulevard that offer souvenir T-shirts and mugs that proclaim "I (heart) Weed."

The La Florista Cannabis dispensary at 242 Main St. once again will host a cannabis festival on Wednesday, April 20, that promises to attract hundreds of out-of-towners.

"We're going to have the whole street shut down," said La Florista's Jackie Jones, one of the dispensary's inventory managers.

"It's going to be a party. We're so excited."

Last year's 420 festival included the Perfect Union dispensary across the street, but Jones said that cannabis outlet shut down a month ago.

Real-World Cannabis Seed Company Backing its NFT With Real-World Benefits

Today, Tempe, Arizona-based Seed Connect, LLC, a cannabis seed supplier with one of the USA’s largest marijuana seed banks, announces it will be launching its Cannabis Crypto Seed Headz Non-Fungible Token (NFT) collection.

The official day of launch is April 20, 2022 at 4:20 PM EST, which coincides with the international day of celebrating cannabis worldwide.

In this inaugural collection of 2,000 NFT Cannabis Crypto Seed Headz, Seed Connect will celebrate cannabis by capturing the spirit and personality of some of its favorite seeds in its artwork.

“This is the first marijuana NFT collection minted, where marijuana growers of all skill levels can gather to celebrate the exquisiteness of the sacred seed through our artwork, as well as get substantial smokin’ deals in the real world that are backed by one of the leading brick and mortar marijuana seed businesses,” says Dante Anthony, Seed Connect Co-Founder.

In addition to owning a unique, limited-edition piece of art, Cannabis Crypto Seed Headz NFT holders will get many benefits such as free seeds from its seed bank, mega discounts on future seed purchases, Zoom conferences and events, access to a private Discord community, whitelisting for future NFT releases, as well as access to a future, private club in the metaverse.

While the DEA did not outright attribute recreational marijuana legalization to the decrease in trafficked weed over the U.S. border, there is certainly a connection to be made.

The United States and Mexico border has made front page news daily for nearly a decade for all sorts of reasons. Whether it is building an expansive border wall, or major immigration policy issues — or even the ever-evolving problems of drug smuggling — there is always something critical to report on this 1,954 mile long imaginary line.

Recently, however, there has been a shakeup in one of the U.S. and Mexican border’s previously-biggest talking points: marijuana trafficking. Only a decade ago, Mexico was smuggling a significant amount of the marijuana consumed by Americans, according to the DEA. Now it appears as though marijuana smuggling into the United States is decreasing, while Mexico is seeing an increase of American made pot entering its side of the border.

The DEA released a new report, stating that, “in U.S. markets, Mexican marijuana has largely been supplanted by domestic- produced marijuana.” This is a major shift from the days when the vast majority of marijuana was coming into the United States from Mexico. 

The report, titled “FY 2023 Performance Budget Congressional Budget Submission,” did, however, say that Mexico is still the main foreign supplier of U.S. marijuana. The report did not go so far as to attribute this decrease in illegal drug trafficking to legalization efforts in many U.S. states. Instead, it stated that “The national landscape continues to evolve as states enact voter referendums and legislation regarding the possession, use, and cultivation of marijuana and its associated products.”

While the DEA did not outright attribute recreational marijuana legalization to the decrease in trafficked weed over the U.S. border, there is certainly a connection to be made. In fact, this trend was noticed shortly after states began passing legalization measures. 

Fifth-generation family bedmaker Harrison Spinks has confirmed its expansion into new North Yorkshire farmland to support its growth and sustainability plans, which will increase the company’s hemp production.

The new Ryther-based farmland spans 80 acres and will be used to increase the company’s production of industrial hemp. The increase in hemp production will see the company producing in excess of 1000 tonnes of hemp straw annually, making Harrison Spinks the largest grower of industrial hemp in the UK.

Hemp fibre, a key component of the company’s mattresses, is one of the strongest natural fibres – it is used in Harrison Spinks’ fillings and is known for its fresh and absorbent properties.

The billionaire and CEO of Tesla likes to use a cannabis code.

What is your lucky number? 

Many people have often been asked this question. Basically, the number that corresponds to them or the number or combination that they will have in mind if they decide to play the lotto. 

It is one of the few commonly-shared superstitions.

The richest man in the world seems to share this superstition as well. Elon Musk, CEO of  Tesla  (TSLA) - Get Tesla Inc Report, is worth $259 billion as of April 13, according to Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

The tech mogul has a lucky or magical number that he seems to come out with for major financial and stock market transactions. 

A botanical drug based on an extract of Cyathus striatus fungus and a cannabinoid extract from the cannabis plant has eliminated 100% of pancreatic cancer cells—relatively selectively and without damaging normal cells—in experiments conducted on a cell model.

The fungus has been the subject of research to test its anti-cancer efficacy in Professor Fuad Fares’ laboratory at the University of Haifa for about eight years.

It was selected as the preferred candidate for the development of a drug for pancreatic and colon cancer after showing better anti-cancer results than a variety of other fungi tested.

A few months ago, the biomedical company Cannabotech received global and exclusive rights of use for patents created in Prof. Fares’ research and began leading an accelerated process of developing a botanical drug as defined by the FDA.

A new milestone

The first milestone in the botanical drug development process was defined as the adaptation of fungal growth and extraction methods to the FDA protocol for botanical drug development, which the company expects to be significantly cheaper and shorter than the development process of a standard ethical drug.

Legalization offers hope for social justice and it also has financial incentives.

Hey Bud specializes in hemp-based skincare—a godsend for combination skin like mine.

Anyone who's been within five feet of me recently has had the absolute pleasure of hearing me complain about my stress acne. About a month ago, I began an arduous move from Boston to New York City, and, having moved around frequently during my adult life, I knew exactly what that transition meant for my skin: Lots of stubborn blemishes on my cheeks, forehead, and chin that take ages to go away and result in hyperpigmentation. At first, I resigned myself to this inevitability, and when I received Hey Bud Skincare's Glow Up Bundle, I thought, "Why not? These products can't possibly make my skin any worse." Lo and behold, they did not make it worse—they made it unbelievably better.

Hey Bud is a vegan, organ, cruelty-free, and gluten-free brand whose products are based in hemp oil, which is derived from the cannabis sativa plant. The brand promises that its products help smooth aging skin and control oil production without stripping skin of its moisture. In short, hemp-based skincare is meant to be the ideal cure-all for combination skin like mine, because it seeks restore balance by moisturizing dry spots and curbing the excess sebum production that results in acne.

Filled with tentative hope, I started by trying the Daily Hemp Gel Cleanser. The lightweight formula definitely made my face feel clean and relieved of its greasiness, particularly after coming back from a workout, but I also didn't feel too dry in the way I sometimes do after using products heavy in salicylic acid. Similarly, the Hemp Moisturizer felt light and dried matte on my face, but also provided substantial moisture. 

The next product in the bundle—and the one I was most nervous about trying—was the face oil. Being that I tend to break out when I'm stressed, I didn't want to add any more oil to my skin, but I also know that ultra-dry skin can worsen breakouts by causing skin to ramp up oil production. Plus, the spot treatment I'd been using on my zits was starting to make certain areas of my skin flake, so I needed a moisture boost fast.

Speaking of the mask, it is very much a clay mask in that it's thick, creamy, and oil-reducing. I recommend ensuring that your face is nice and moisturized before using the mask, or your skin will sting, but when your face (or back, or chest, or anywhere) is feeling particularly oily, this mask is an excellent option. I felt like I was giving my skin a fresh, clean new start after wiping it off. The mask also comes with a cute little brush so that I don't have to poke at my face with my fingers when I apply the formula once a week. 

A legislative push and initiative petition face looming deadlines in the coming weeks

With the end of the legislative session only weeks away, and organizers of an initiative petition campaign sounding the alarm about an even more pressing deadline, dueling efforts to legalize marijuana in Missouri face uncertain fates.

In the legislature, GOP state Rep. Ron Hicks is sponsoring a bill to legalize possession and use of marijuana for individuals 21 and older. 

But while it received a committee hearing in early March, it took nearly a month to get a vote — and when it did, a pair of amendments were added that the bill’s supporters labeled poison pills. 

“Do we still have time? Yes,” said Hicks, noting the legislature will adjourn at 6 p.m. on May 13.

“I’ve seen bills sail through the process in a week. It really comes down to whether we have the will to tackle it.”

Medicare users are over the age of 65, a demographic that coincides with a lot of medical marijuana users.

A new report shows that Medicare users and medical marijuana patients have a lot in common. According to a survey reported by U.S. News, 1 in every 5 Medicare patients use medical cannabis. Cannabis is not covered by Medicare in any state. The survey, which was conducted on 1,250 Medicare recipients, also found that 23% of them had used cannabis in the past. Out of all recipients, 21% of them use medical cannabis to treat an ailment.

According to the survey, patients used medical marijuana primarily to treat anxiety, closely followed by chronic pain. Other conditions that were submitted include depression, glaucoma, symptoms of HIV, like nausea, depression, and more. Two-thirds of respondents said they agreed with a statement that said that medical marijuana should be covered by Medicare.

Interestingly enough, current medical marijuana users aren’t too keen on having Medicare cover cannabis. They believe Medicare coverage could increase the price of the product, resulting in them paying more in the long run for the product they want to consume.

Lastly, 31% of Medicare users oppose Medicare’s coverage of marijuana, quoting a lack of research and knowledge on the drug as the main reason for their reticence.

Medicare is federal health insurance for people over the age of 65, a demographic that includes a lot of medical marijuana users. In recent years, seniors have increased their medical marijuana use steadily, coinciding with the legalization of cannabis across the country.

Legalization of recreational marijuana reduces demand for costly prescription drugs through state Medicaid programs, according to an analysis by a Cornell researcher and a collaborator.

When states legalize marijuana, the volume of prescriptions within the drug classes that align with the medical indications for pain, depression, anxiety, sleep, psychosis and seizures significantly decline, the researchers found.

Shyam Raman, a doctoral student in the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy, and Indiana University doctoral student Ashley Bradford conducted the research. Their article, “Recreational Cannabis Legalizations Associated with Reductions in Prescription Drug Utilizations Among Medicaid Enrollees,” published April 15 in the journal Health Economics.

Most cannabis research has focused on the impact of medical marijuana on demand for prescription drugs or the impact of recreational use legalization on opioid demand. This is among the first studies to focus on the impact of legal personal-use cannabis on a broad range of prescription drugs.

“These results have important implications,” Raman said.

Delta 9 Cannabis Inc. was the target of a large drop in short interest during the month of March. As of March 31st, there was short interest totalling 1,500 shares, a drop of 25.0% from the March 15th total of 2,000 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 24,700 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 0.1 days.

Shares of DLTNF traded down $0.01 during trading hours on Monday, reaching $0.25. 35,300 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 13,241. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $0.23 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $0.26. Delta 9 Cannabis has a 52-week low of $0.20 and a 52-week high of $0.49.

Insa announced its plans for their annual April 20 in-store events. This year, they're doubling up - hosting a 4/20 celebration in this reality and in virtual reality. Insa is inviting its customers to step into the virtual reality of cannabis wonders. (Benzinga)

At its Massachusetts retail locations in Salem, Easthampton and both stores in Springfield, consumers can step into a completely virtual world. The immersive experience puts the power into consumers’ hands through an oculus headset that will be displayed at each location for people to be transported and explore a first-of-its-kind virtual reality tour.

Insa’s 4/20 celebration isn’t all virtual, however. What would a 4/20 celebration be without, well, cannabis? Back in the real world at Insa's Salem and West Columbus Avenue location in Springfield, local food trucks will be serving snacks. Consumers at all locations will get free swag, fun surprises and deals on Insa cannabis.

“Every year for 4/20 we try and push ourselves to put on an exciting event to wow our current customers and educate consumers less familiar with cannabis. This year I think we’ve really outdone ourselves and I hope that our customers will agree,” said Peter Gallagher, Insa's co-founder.

“We are excited to welcome people as they take a peek behind the Insa curtain and get a better understanding of the cannabis industry and how Insa’s products come to life."