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The state of Illinois finished the previous fiscal year with more than $317 million in cannabis taxes. That far eclipsed the $52.7 million the state collected for the previous year with just six months worth of sales.

Illinois legalized adult-use cannabis with the first legal sales beginning in January 2020. The state has reported continued growth in total sales month after month since then, despite the COVID-19 pandemic and the governor’s orders closing most in-person business for more than two months in the spring of 2020.

The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation reports total sales for May 2021 were nearly $116.4 million. That’s nearly $1.5 million more than was sold in April.

Top Pot Stocks In Q3 2021

Currently, many investors are asking themselves, is there still an opportunity to invest in top marijuana stocks in 2021? As it stands the cannabis sector has seen months of declines until it began to turn around in June. Now as we start July the US cannabis market is currently the center of attention and it seems most of the world is waiting for federal cannabis reform in 2021.

Now well into its second full year of adult-use sales, Michigan’s legal cannabis market is emerging from the pandemic ripe with opportunity. With a run rate behind only California and Colorado, Michigan’s early 2021 sales have put the state on pace to not only break the billion-dollar sales threshold but also blow right past it.

Michigan regulators allowed the state’s dispensaries to continue operating during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 – the first full calendar year of adult-use sales— resulting in sales over $984 million. Despite the essential business provision and solid initial sales, legal cannabis purchases declined during the autumn months.

Leading medicinal cannabis company, Cannasouth Limited has today entered into two conditional agreements to acquire the balance of the stakes that it does not already own in its cultivation and manufacturing joint venture businesses.

Acquisition of outstanding interest in Cannasouth Cultivation Limited

Cannasouth has entered into a conditional agreement with Aaron Craig and his family interests (Craig Family Interests) to acquire the remaining 50% stake in Joint Venture business Cannasouth Cultivation Limited that Cannasouth does not already own.

As places around the world continue to legalize cannabis, businesses are realizing the opportunities to be had in this growing market.

Each year, consumers look forward to innovations in technology. When it comes to cannabis vapes, the market is booming with new devices and tweaks to existing products. Entrepreneurs don’t want to miss an opportunity to create the next best vape.

Cannabis vape tech is taking off globally, and here are 3 reasons why:

Photo by Martina Paraninfi/Getty Images

Demand is Increasing

During the pandemic, many consumers have reported that their medical use of cannabis for mental health reasons has increased. In addition, more and more states are legalizing the medical and recreational use of cannabis. To meet the rising demand, and to accommodate new consumers, vaping technology is advancing rapidly.

There are hundreds of cannabis dispensaries nowadays. Some are running online stores while some operate brick and mortar stores. It is important to know what to look for when you want to choose a cannabis dispensary. It doesn’t matter whether it is for recreational or medical use, the factors to be considered are still the same. In Canada, online dispensaries are taking over the trade. Find the best weed delivery Toronto, after considering the tips below.

Location

This is very important when choosing a cannabis dispensary. A cannabis dispensary is not different from a fast-food café or casual restaurant. Keep in mind that the location of the is going to have a big impact on convenience. Parking, proximity, and convenience are very important when it comes to choosing a cannabis dispensary.

Cannabis consumers tend to visit more than one dispensary. For example, you might need one close to your office and one close to your home. Keep in mind that cannabis dispensaries are not allowed to be located near educational institutions.

Cannabis Quality

More study is needed, but a new U.S. review indicates topical capsaicin helped to provide relief for individuals with cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) who visited both paediatric and adult emergency departments (EDs).

Characterized by recurrent nausea, vomiting and severe abdominal pain, CHS symptoms “are frequently unresponsive to standard antiemetic therapy,” notes the study published online in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine.

Research published in 2017 agreed topical capsaicin — a chemical compound first isolated from chili peppers — “was associated with improvement in symptoms of CHS after other treatments failed.” Although research involved only 13 patients, all “experienced symptom relief.”

In the latest study, U.S. researchers found that “significantly more patients in the capsaicin group experienced efficacy” compared to patients who were not administered the treatment.

Of the 201 patients with suspected or confirmed CHS, applying the topical to the abdomen resulted in shorter periods between the treatment and discharge from the emergency department (ED) than for those who didn’t receive the treatment.

It started with Uruguay in 2013, then came Canada in June 2018. This was followed by a recreational legalization in Georgia in July 2018, and now by Mexico in 2021. Though the US and Australia both boast legal locations, Mexico is now the 4th legalized country to allow recreational cannabis use nationwide.

With Mexico as the newest legalized country, the world of recreational cannabis is growing even bigger. More recreational legalizations = more products for you to choose from. We support cannabis legalization, and provide our readers with the best products on the market. This includes delta-8 THC, a different THC experience with less associated anxiety and couch locking, and a clear-headed and energetic high. We’re happy to ship you your product of choice ASAP, so take a look at our array of delta-8 THC deals and figure out what’s best for you.

The mess: how Mexico became a legalized country

In order to understand what just happened, and how it impacts life in Mexico, it helps to understand the recent history that led up to it. The legalization process began at the end of 2018 when a fifth consecutive Supreme Court ruling was made in support of defendants and their use of recreational cannabis. In Mexico, jurisprudencia kicks in when the supreme court makes five consecutive rulings on any matter, in the same way. That ruling becomes binding for all lower courts, essentially setting law that the legislative section of government must catch up with to stay in concert with the courts.

The Supreme Court rulings started in 2015 with a case against The Mexican Society for Responsible and Tolerant Self-Consumption. They ended in October 2018 with two cases that got ruled on in the same month, both about the ability for an adult to use cannabis recreationally. The court found that personally developed human beings must be allowed to choose their own recreational activities without the interference of government. It is stipulated in the Mexican constitution that personal development is a given freedom of the Mexican people.

All this enacted jurisprdencia, thereby ending the ability for lower courts to find an individual guilty of personal possession, use, and cultivation crimes. However, the Court ruling itself only stipulated that cannabis prohibition is unconstitutional, the Court doesn’t set up criminal penalties or regulated markets. This is done by legislation in Congress. Once the Supreme Court made the final ruling to end prohibition, the ball went to Congress’s court to pass an actual law with fundamentals.

The Science of Delta-8-THC

Delta8, also known as Δ8-THC, is not new to the scientific community. It is simply another of the 150+ identified cannabinoids produced by this amazing plant.

Δ8-THC and its more well-known “sibling” Δ9-THC (as well as other isomers like Δ10-THC) have the exact same chemical makeup: C₂₁H₃₀O₂. What makes Δ8-THC and Δ9-THC different is the location of a single double bond on an aromatic carbon ring.

In Δ9-THC, it’s between carbon 9 and 10. For Δ8-THC, it’s between carbon 8 and 9. While this kind of change may seem small and inconsequential, this slight change in chemical bonding can drastically change the overall shape of the molecule enough that it is no longer recognized by the same receptors in the body, or possibly change how much of the molecule can be absorbed.

Such a change could also have the potential to block the receptors of other molecules or even change the shape of other receptors to make them able to bind more to other molecules. It’s these types of interactions that are one theory to what is happening during the “entourage effect” of full spectrum vs isolate cannabinoids and ultimately what could be causing Δ8-THC to produce a different effect than Δ9-THC.

You might not be able to tell by taste, smell, or sight. You might just feel like something is wrong. That’s okay. Trust that instinct.

Fake vape cartridges are a serious problem. They’re often made to mimic well-known brands, and they can reduce consumer confidence in the industry. Worse still, they can make you very sick, or even kill you if you don’t know how to spot them.

Unfortunately, the packaging for these vape cartridges can be incredibly professional. In this article, we’ll give you some tips on how you can spot the fakes. But first, a piece of advice:

Photo by Flickr user Lindsay Fox

Only buy from legal vendors and trusted brands

The easiest way to avoid fake vape cartridges is to only purchase from trusted sources. You can get lab test results from legal vendors, as cannabis producers have to provide them. In those test results, you can see exactly how much THC and other chemicals are present in the cartridge you’re purchasing.

In Minnesota, two issues have become entwined unexpectedly. The first is the drive to exclude medical marijuana from the federal government's list of banned controlled substances. The second is the right for people to get a permit to buy and carry a gun.

The issue revolves around an effort by marijuana advocates to get the state's health leaders to petition the federal Drug Enforcement Administration to grant an exemption for the Minnesota marijuana program from the federal law that makes cannabis illegal.

They've won support for their cause from Republicans. That's because medical marijuana patients could get banned for life from owning a firearm if arrested for marijuana possession under current federal law.  

Thomas Gallagher of Republicans Against Marijuana Prohibition - Minnesota said in a press release:" Reducing or eliminating the criminal penalties we're seeing around marijuana is where we have consensus. Let's focus on the people who have small quantities. There is injustice in a trivial amount of marijuana resulting in life-changing punishments like imprisonment, criminal records, and lost jobs and kids." 

Minnesota could be a first

If the proposal is successful, Minnesota will become the first state to appeal to the federal government on behalf of the people in its medical marijuana program (36 states now have legal medical marijuana laws in place).

The cannabis seen in stores today isn’t like what the hippies rolled in the 1970s. Anyone who follows cannabis news has likely heard a public health official express some version of that sentiment.

In 2019, then U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams claimed that today’s cannabis “ain’t your mother’s marijuana,” but was, in fact, three times stronger than weed in the 1990s.

Weed advocate and Canadian author Dana Larsen has actually calculated how strong today’s cannabis would be if similar lawmaker sentiments throughout history were accepted. That includes claims by 2002 White House Drug Czar John Walters, who said cannabis at the time was 30 times stronger than what baby boomers smoked.

President Joe Biden, for his part, once argued that comparing 1990s weed to cannabis in the 1960s was like “comparing buckshot in a shotgun shell to a laser-guided missile.”

Using all of these historical statements would mean that today’s cannabis is 12,600 times stronger than it was in the 1960s, according to Larsen’s calculations. And while that is highly unlikely, how and why cannabis potency has changed in the past decade or so should not be discounted.

Historical data shows cannabis sales typically spike the weekend before the Fourth of July and Friday, July 2nd is expected to retail nearly $91,000,0000 — up 60% from an average Friday.

Cannabis software and intelligence company Akerna (NASDAQ: KERN) released a new flash report this morning, predicting the 4th of July, 2021 will bring in over $206,000,000 in legal cannabis sales across the United States.

With Connecticut being the most recent state to legalize, 38 states now have legislation permitting an adult-consumption and/or medical cannabis program. Not everyone has dispensaries up and running yet, so this data doesn’t reflect sales in all 38 legal states.

Photo by Paul Weaver via Unsplash

2021 Fourth of July Sales Predictions

According to the flash report, historical data shows cannabis sales typically spike the weekend before the Fourth of July and Friday, July 2nd is expected to retail nearly $91,000,0000 — up 60% from an average Friday. The report predicts July 2nd to be the second highest sales day of the year, just after 4/20. Saturday, July 3rd, is forecasted to generate $72,000,000 in cannabis sales, with Sunday, July 4th, expecting to see $43,000,0000. Sundays are typically the lowest sales day of the week when you look at historical data, but dispensaries will still see more sales than normal because it’s a holiday.

Nigeria has been debating whether to legalize marijuana. Its House of Representatives is set to discuss a bill to that effect. The Conversation Africa’s Wale Fatade asked Olakunle Idowu, a Professor of pharmaceutical chemistry, to explain the science behind the debate.

Is there any scientific basis for legalizing marijuana?​

The plant, Cannabissativa, or Cannabisindica, contains several phytochemicals – cannabinoids – with a variety of pharmacological actions. Its multiple effects are the reason some people use marijuana and also the reason others feel it should not be legalized. While it gives some a pleasurable effect, the active doses also have several side effects.

A particular phytochemical – delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – found in the leaves, flower and resin produced by the plant, is responsible for the euphoria that users of marijuana experience. It reacts with specific receptors in the brain. This “high” is sometimes associated with addiction and crime.

On the other hand, cannabidiol (CBD), also found in the plant, is a compound that does not interact with that receptor. It does not affect a person’s mental state, but has properties that are shown to be useful for managing anxiety and epilepsy.

Cannabidiol oil is commercially available in some pharmacies in Nigeria. It is sold as a dietary supplement.

After passing a bill back and forth between the Senate and the House, and threats of a veto if certain provisions remained, Connecticut became the 18th state, when it legalized recreational cannabis this week. The question now, which state is next, and when can we expect it to happen?

Now that Connecticut has legalized recreational cannabis, the market for products has grown even bigger, and that means more options. Luckily, Connecticut did not ban delta-8 THC. Delta-8 is the half-brother to delta-9 THC – what most people associate with getting high. However, delta-8 doesn’t cause the same anxiety or couch locking as delta-9, and provides a clear-headed high, making it preferable for many users. There is an ever growing selection for Delta-8 THC deals, so go ahead, and pick the product best for you.

Connecticut legalized recreational cannabis

On June 17th, after haggling back and forth, Connecticut’s House and Senate were able to agree on the accepted provisions of a cannabis legalization bill. The Senate Bill 1201 was originally passed by the Senate during regular sessions, however it didn’t get to the House before congress adjourned for the year. This led to requiring a second vote in a special session, before which the Senate added some last-minute provisions, one of them related to equity.

The original bill stated that based on where a person lived, they could gain the ability to get a license faster to cultivate and produce cannabis products, thereby allowing more easy entrance into the market. This was geared mainly toward people from areas where drugs have taken a great toll.

Before the second Senate vote, the provision was changed to include anyone who had been convicted of a cannabis crime, or other crimes, and the family members of those who had been convicted. Somehow, that actually passed, even though the overstep was huge, and Governor Ned Lamont threatened to immediately veto that version of the bill if it did pass the Senate and the House.

The industry for medical cannabis for pets is magically blossoming. The number of dogs and/or cats parents looking into the use of cannabis for their pets is growing each day.

Each day, at least one parent walks into a dispensary to enquire about the perfect CBD products for their pets, while a significant number of these parents are actively researching the testing policies, right ingredients, and consumer stories related to the use of medical cannabis for dogs and cats.

As more pet owners are being drawn into the cannabis world for pets, more companies are springing up to meet the increased demand for medical marijuana for pets. These businesses are selling CBD oils, capsules, topical and other treats that appeal to dogs and cats. Many of these products are developed with dog-safe or cat-safe ingredients. Coconut oil is an example of such an ingredient.

Is it safe?

Like humans, pets also get sick. Studies show that CBD is a potential treatment for managing ailments in cats and dogs.

Marijuana plants have a lot of different cannabinoids, the two major compounds, THC and CBD offer a wealth of therapeutic benefits, most of which have not been fully researched.

“It doesn’t have to start with ‘don’t smoke,’ but rather the fundamentals of what cannabis is, as a plant within a legal framework.”

As more and more states barrel through cannabis legalization (18 states are recreational, 36 have medical programs), it’s become easier for adults, namely parents, to open up about their use. There’s now even a brand called Dad Grass.

A quick Google search for Father’s Day shows an increasing number of recommendation lists that include cannabis products for dads, but not how to bridge that conversation with their kids. Studies indicate more and more parents are using cannabis and working in the medical and/or recreational industry, and the conversation around cannabis in the home is changing.

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Don’t Deny It

Roger Bloss, interim CEO of MJ Holdings, started using medical marijuana after a car accident left him with chronic pain back in 2009. When he decided to tell his children, they were around 10 and 13-years-old. In his words, he just came out and said it, emphasizing that it was medicine that helped him not only work, but remain a present, doting father.