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Hot off the press cannabis, marijuana, cbd and hemp news from around the world on the WeedLife Social Network.

Neptune Launches Mood Ring Cannabis Flower in Alberta

Alberta marks the 4th province, in addition to British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec, where Neptune Sells its Branded Cannabis

LAVAL, QC, Aug. 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Neptune Wellness Solutions Inc. ("Neptune" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: NEPT) (TSX: NEPT), a diversified and fully integrated health and wellness company focused on plant-based and sustainable lifestyle brands, today announced it launched its  Mood Ring branded cannabis flower in the province of Alberta.

"I am pleased to announce that we have officially launched our Mood Ring Florida Citrus Kush flower in the province of Alberta, which has been very well received by consumers in other provinces," said Michael Cammarata, Chief Executive Officer and President of Neptune. "This is another step in the transformation of our cannabis business from a slow-growth, low margin extraction business to a high growth, higher margin branded CPG business."

The Alberta launch marks the fourth province, in addition to British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec, where Neptune Wellness now sells its cannabis products under its Mood Ring and PanHash brands. These four provinces account for more than 80% of Canadian cannabis retail sales and provide Neptune Wellness access to more than 2,000 retail cannabis stores in the Canadian market.

With every purchase of our Mood Ring flower products, a portion of the proceeds are donated to the planting of a tree through our partnership with One Tree Planted. The Company expects to launch new Mood Ring and PanHash branded products across its licensed Canadian footprint throughout the coming year. For more information, please visit https://moodring.com or https://panhash.com.

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Covid Made Consumers Want More Pot, For Less

Even as Americans fork out more cash for upscale forms of caffeine and alcohol, there’s one thing they increasingly want in bulk, for cheap: marijuana.

In Tilray’s fourth-quarter call last week, Chief Executive Officer Irwin Simon said that Covid-19 prompted more people to shop for marijuana online, and that worked against premium brands. That contrasts with the “premiumization” trend of consumers trading up to higher-priced products that companies including Molson Coors and Starbucks talked about in earnings calls last week.

Tilray isn’t the only one noticing: A Stifel survey of almost 500 marijuana users across the U.S. and Canada came to the same conclusion.

“Yes, there will be some room for brands that differentiate themselves on quality, but this is a price-sensitive category,” Stifel analyst Andrew Carter told me in a phone interview about the study, which was published last week.

Stifel’s survey found that price, potency and quantity were the top factors that influenced cannabis shoppers. Carter also observed that there was a high level of turnover in terms of which brands were most popular during Covid-19, as shown through data from cannabis data tracker Headset. This shows that consumers are still largely searching for brands and products to latch onto.

Headset analyst Cooper Ashley said there was also a trend toward buying cannabis flower in larger package sizes during the pandemic. “This indicates increased consumer price sensitivity, because the average price per gram of larger package sizes was (and still is) much lower,” Cooper said in an email. “Customers were finding value by purchasing in bulk.”

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SPAC deal brings Greek cannabis company to London

A Greek medical marijuana producer is heading for the London Stock Exchange (LSEG.L) thanks to a SPAC deal to take the company public. 

UK SPAC Plc, a London-listed shell company, said on Monday it had agreed a reverse takeover with Hellenic Dynamics, a European medical cannabis cultivation company. The deal values Hellenic at £45m ($62.5m).

The transaction combines two of the hottest trends in public markets over the last few years: SPACs and cannabis. Both corners of the market have attracted huge amounts of investor attention, as well as some concerns about hype and froth.

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Cannabis Is Part Of The Future Of Big Tobacco

When Philip Morris International (PMI) CEO Jacek Olczak told The Mail on Sunday that the UK government should treat cigarettes like petrol cars and ban them in 10 years, many wondered why the world’s biggest tobacco company would self-sabotage itself with such a draconian statement.

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Canadian company files patent application for prebiotic supplement made from cannabis waste

Tetra Bio-Pharma reports research the company has conducted on cannabis plant residue has demonstrated that what was previously considered “waste material” can increase the growth of beneficial gut microbes.

If granted, the patent application would protect the use of cannabis plant residue material containing cannabinoids within a specified profile range as an “oral prebiotic component alone or in combination with other pro, post, para, or prebiotics as a dietary supplement for gastrointestinal health.” / PHOTO BY GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO

Cannabinoid-based drug discovery and development company, Tetra Bio-Pharma Inc., has filed a patent application for a possible novel prebiotic supplement that can be made from cannabis waste.

If granted, the patent application would protect the use of cannabis plant residue material containing cannabinoids within a specified profile range as an “oral prebiotic component alone or in combination with other pro, post, para or prebiotics as a dietary supplement for gastrointestinal health.”

Tetra reports that research the company has conducted on cannabis plant residue has demonstrated that what was previously considered “waste material” can increase the growth of beneficial gut microbes, including both Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Bifidobacterium longum.

The Ottawa-based company is working with South Carolina-based Thorne HealthTech to attain Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, potentially allowing the novel ingredient to be included in foods and dietary supplements.

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Oregon officials say psilocybin may be an effective treatment for some psychiatric illnesses

The research group identified depression, anxiety disorders and substance use disorders as conditions that could benefit from psilocybin therapies.

The group identified depression, anxiety disorders and substance use disorders as conditions that could benefit from psilocybin therapies. / PHOTO BY JAX10289 / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS

 

A state government-established Oregon advisory board has released a new report stating that psilocybin could be an effective tool in treating a variety of psychiatric conditions.

The Oregon Psilocybin Evidence Review Writing Group, which authored the report, consisted of eight researchers and experts, including in the fields of botany, psychiatry, epidemiology, public health and neuroscience. Group members reviewed 632 studies, all of which were performed on humans and with the drug administered in a clinical setting.

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Medical Marijuana Entrepreneur Sees Racial Reckoning in Connecticut’s Legalization Of Cannabis

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Focusing on social equity, a black woman whose business certifies residents for Connecticut’s medical marijuana card is taking advantage of measures in a new state law that target the issue most important to her.

Kebra Smith-Bolden, a former nurse and founder of CannaHealth, aims to provide security for people in her community who consume or medicate with cannabis.

A groundbreaking part of the new law, which went into effect July 1, is social equity.

It requires half of all licenses for entry into the state’s marijuana business be reserved for social-equity applicants, those from areas disproportionately affected by the war on drugs, according to the U.S. Census.

For Smith-Bolden, the new law means “righting the wrongs.”

The law will expunge the criminal records of people with certain cannabis crimes within a specific time period. When Gov. Ned Lamont signed Senate Bill 1201 into law on June 22, he stated: “We are helping our state move beyond this terrible period of incarceration and injustice.”

“That, to me, is a positive thing,” Smith-Bolden said, “but what I don’t like is that, if you’re expunging records because you’re acknowledging that those charges were racially motivated — and should be rescinded so that the legislation protects the communities it once criminalized — then why would you not allow for people with criminal histories to engage in the industry?”


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No hangovers or beer bellies: Cannabis firms try to woo booze drinkers

Major beer companies are investing in THC-infused drinks, but the sector represents less than 2 percent of the overall $20 billion marijuana market.

The cannabis industry has mastered the art of selling pot-infused brownies, gummies and even popcorn. But it’s struggling to boost a potentially lucrative market that centers on persuading Americans to drink their weed.

Rather than rolling a joint or puffing on a vape, some of the largest cannabis companies in North America see a multibillion-dollar marijuana beverage industry waiting to be tapped as states increasingly embrace legal weed.

“This is a product that they're going to be very comfortable consuming,” said David Culver, vice president of government relations for Canopy Growth Corp., which is the top seller of cannabis drinks in Canada. “They don't want to smoke it. They don't potentially want to vape it. But consuming it as a beverage is something that they can do.”
 
The universe of cannabis beverages is already large and seems to grow by the day: seltzers, wines, beers, teas, colas, cocktails. Many of the world’s biggest beer companies — Anheuser-Busch InBev, Pabst Brewing Company, Constellation Brands — have invested in cannabis drinks. Craft brewers like Lagunitas Brewing Company in California and Atlanta-based SweetWater Brewing Company are also getting into the business.

And there are some promising signs for the industry.

Most marijuana drinks have negligible calories, and the products pose little risk of a hangover. Cannabis beverage sales in the U.S. are expected to hit $421 million this year — more than double 2019 figures, according to Brightfield Group, which tracks the industry, and double again to nearly $1 billion by 2025. Yet the beverage sector is less than 2 percent of the larger $20 billion legal weed marketplace.

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Cannabis Stocks: Here’s When The Next Big Wave Is Coming

 

More than 100 million U.S. residents already live in a recreational state and 95% of residents live in a state with legal medical weed — so the consumer population is present and growing. (This article originally viewed on Benzinga By Michael Sassano)

Multi-State Operators (MSOs) in the United States are primed for the next big stock amp-up, which could see at minimum a 50 percent move starting as early as late August even without federal legislative movement. As volumes start to pick up this July, US stocks don’t need a special event to bounce off this latest correction. 

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Delta-8, Smokable Flower Is Saving Hemp Farmers

The future looked bright for hemp farmers, but the demand for CBD didn’t follow at the expected levels.

Delta-8 and smokable flower are the two products keeping hemp framers alive. The regulatory loophole that has allowed Delta-8 to be sold legally is also causing legal confusion. Delta-8 is a cannabis product that can be derived from hemp, but still give the consumer a light psychotropic experience. Some states have issued restrictions around the product, while others haven’t addressed it at all. Either way, the demand has been a blessing to hemp farmers who planted lots of acres in 2019 expecting a surge in CBD products, only to see the market contract and prices plummet. 

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Chicago weed shops stock up for Lollapalooza: ‘Cannabis and music festivals go as far back as Woodstock’

Marijuana has long been an illicit yet integral part of the annual Lollapalooza music festival in Chicago. This year, it’s legal for the first time in the event’s 30-year history, and potentially big business.

The four-day event began Thursday in Grant Park, and nearby Chicago cannabis dispensaries are stocking up and staffing up for what they hope will be a major sales boost.

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Finding relief through cannabis even when you have a high tolerance

When the first Missouri dispensaries opened their doors in 2020, getting a Missouri marijuana card didn’t really do much for qualifying patients. The selection of medical marijuana products only covered a narrow spectrum of needs, and there were no options for people with a very low or high tolerance to THC.

Fortunately for residents of the Show Me State, the medical marijuana selection is now flourishing. From St. Louis to KC, St. Joseph to Poplar Bluff, and everywhere in between, you can find exactly what you’re looking for, whether it’s edibles with a higher CBD content, vape pens with a higher THC content, or a perfectly balanced smokable flower.

While using medical marijuana without becoming uncomfortably impaired is one of the top concerns most of our patients have, it’s also important to help people with an exceptionally high THC tolerance get the most out of their natural treatment plan as well.

For those of you who struggle to get the kind of relief you’re looking for because your body just doesn’t seem to register the results, we see you, too. In this post, we are going to take a look at reasons for some people’s tolerance to be higher than others’, and what you can do to boost the effectiveness of your cannabis every time you use it.

Reasons Why Some People Have a Higher Tolerance to THC

There are two main reasons why some people have a higher tolerance to THC than others. Mitigation strategies will be approximately the same no matter what your reasons are, and it will likely take a bit of trial and error in order to find the solutions that work best for you. But experimentation is half the fun, right?

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Preliminary plans for Las Vegas cannabis lounges include options for dining and entertainment

David Farris, vice president of sales and marketing for Planet 13, poses July 20, 2021, in a 20,000-square-foot storage warehouse at the marijuana dispensary superstore on West Desert Inn Road. The dispensary is hoping the warehouse will become a cannabis consumption lounge.

 

As he walked through a warehouse that could eventually become home to one of the premier marijuana consumption lounges in Nevada, David Farris spoke of a new era for the state’s cannabis industry.
 
Planet 13, the largest marijuana dispensary in Las Vegas, has a chance to create a “next level” experience with its planned lounge, said Farris, the company’s vice president of sales and marketing.

Planet 13, a tourist hotspot, is among a number of Las Vegas marijuana dispensaries crafting plans for consumption lounges, which the state Legislature approved earlier this year.

At Planet 13’s superstore on West Desert Inn Road, a 20,000-square-foot storage warehouse will likely be converted into a lounge, Farris said.

“We want to make something that people can travel to, something like a club concept,” Farris said. “We know the pressure is on us to build something special.”

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Rolling in the green: CT predicts $55 million in cannabis sales by 2026

Connecticut will be rolling in heavy green due to its legalization of recreational marijuana, according to the state’s Office of Fiscal Analysis.

The OFA projects that the medical marijuana industry will generate $3.1 million in sales during fiscal year 2022 – which runs from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022 – and another $1 million in municipal taxes.

Retail sales are expected to begin in Connecticut by the end of 2022, with the result that FY23 will generate $20.4 million in sales and another $5.9 million in municipal taxes, all of which will go to the general fund.

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Virginia couple designs cannabis stash box for drivers on the go

"Excited to have a positive impact, providing a solution for our Black community, stay in line with marijuana laws, avoid unnecessary interactions with police."

“[Drivers who possess cannabis] can violate the law, maybe not even knowing they’re violating if it’s not in a sealed container,” Sarah noted. PHOTO BY LOCKGREEN PRODUCTS INSTAGRAM

Sarah and Ronald Morton are locking down their place as cannabis entrepreneurs.

The couple, who are “longtime supporters of marijuana law reform and minority representation in the cannabis industry,” have developed LOCKGREEN, a lockable stash box for road-tripping cannabis consumers, reports 13News Now.

The stash box comes in two sizes – small and large – and has a hard shell outer casing covered with a heavy-duty polyester exterior fabric. LOCKGREEN closes up tight via a three-digit combination lock, which is flanked by a top-carry handle, and the product claims to be both waterproof and smell-proof.

The hope is that the stash box will lessen the number of BIPOC cannabis consumers targeted by law enforcement.

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cbdMD : What Is Melatonin? What it's Used for & Why We Love it...

We talk a lot about melatonin here at cbdMD because it works so well in combination with CBD. But we realize - we've kind of dropped the ball, so to speak. We have yet to address what we've assumed everyone knows. Most people know what melatonin does but have no idea what melatonin is. We thought it's time we get to the bottom of these questions: What is melatonin? What is melatonin used for? We'll also explain how it works in your body and why we love pairing it with CBD so you can get your best sleep.

And do we need to even talk about why sleep is so important for your body? Ask those dark circles under your eyes if sleep is one of the most crucial things you do for your body. We cannot survive without sleep, an essential function of our body that allows our mind and body to recharge themselves and do crucial reparative work. Our cognitive function, memory, and our immune systems all depend on the work of sleep. And to make sure we get enough of it, our bodies produce a natural 'drowsy' hormone.

So, let's talk about melatonin, nature's little sleeping helper. Here's what we'll cover today:

Key Questions We'll Answer (and More!)

What is melatonin?What is melatonin used for?Why is melatonin important?Why are CBD and melatonin used together so much?What about CBD oil for sleep? Isn't CBD for sleep enough?What are some products with CBD and melatonin?How do you use CBD oil for sleep with melatonin?

What Is Melatonin?

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Emerging Technologies of the Hemp Seed Market

Hemp Seed Market with 2021: Emerging Technologies, Sales Revenue, Key Players Analysis, Development Assessment and Industry Expansion Strategies 2027

Hemp seed market size is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 8.20% in the forecast period 2021 to 2028. The rapid increase in the population of vegans is the factor responsible for the growth of hemp seed market in the forecast period of 2021 to 2028.

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Seth Rogen’s Houseplant Says Goodbye To Canopy Growth

By Nina Zdinjak

Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s cannabis and lifestyle brand Houseplant and cannabis giant Canopy Growth Corp. (NYSE: CGC) will terminate their partnership.

The two companies that created a joint venture three years ago and launched in Canada have mutually agreed to end their collaboration. Since the brand’s launch, the Canadian cannabis market has significantly expanded, thus the parties decided it was time for Houseplant to further evolve on its own while Canopy will continue working on its wholly-owned brands.

During their years of working closely together, Houseplant grew to become a popular consumer brand in Canada and is now among the top 10 in the premium cannabis market in Ontario.

Among the most successful products are beverages with Houseplant Grapefruit becoming the top-selling cannabis drink in Canada in its first year. In 2020, more than one million cans of Houseplant beverages were sold in Canada.


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This Hot Tech Will Unleash A Cannabis Boom

Imagine it’s 2025…

Cannabis is the nation’s cash crop, and your friend is telling you about a new “super strain” at the local dispensary.

But he didn’t tell you that it was produced using CRISPR gene editing.

CRISPR technology can edit a plant’s genetic code by removing or replacing a specific genetic sequence.

Gene editing will improve the efficiency of growing operations and unlock higher profit margins for cannabis companies.

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Cannabis, CBD, and Sleep

If you’re one of the millions of people who have trouble sleeping, you may have considered a cannabis compound, such as CBD. Some say cannabis compounds are helpful, but more research is needed. And they might not be legal, depending on where you live. Look up the laws to know what’s allowed.

 

 

 

What Does the Research Say About Cannabis?

Also known as marijuana, there’s growing interest in the health benefits of cannabis, specifically cannabis compounds. Two cannabinoids that get a lot of attention are:

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The compound in cannabis that makes you feel high. Human-made versions are used to ease nausea and vomiting from cancer treatment.Cannabidiol (CBD). A compound in cannabis said to have anti-inflammatory and anti-seizure properties. It does not make you feel high.

Research results on cannabis and sleep are mixed. So far, there haven’t been many controlled studies to show that THC, CBD, or a combination of both can boost sleep quality, says Bhanuprakash (Bhanu) Kolla, MD. He’s an associate professor of psychiatry and psychology and a consultant for Mayo Clinic’s Center for Sleep Medicine in Rochester, MN.

But some studies show promise. That includes a small one on dronabinol, a human-made version of medical THC. Early research shows it might help with obstructive sleep apnea. But “at this point, we do not recommend the use of cannabis products for treatment of sleep apnea or other sleep disorders,” Kolla says.

Ryan Vandrey, PhD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimoe, looks at how cannabis use affects sleep. He says there’s evidence that THC can help you fall asleep faster in the short-term. But “there’s a big gap in our knowledge” for how cannabis affects overall sleep quality long-term or if it can help people with sleep disorders.

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