WeedLife News Network

People used cannabis in large numbers during the height of the lockdowns caused by the pandemic. Investors, including big-name celebrities and well-known venture capital funds, are banking on that trend to continue as the pandemic lessens its hold on the country.

The interest in cannabis became apparent the moment lockdowns began as long lines formed at dispensaries. Many governments named cannabis dispensaries as essential businesses. Cannabis sales jumped 45 percent. Investors took notice.

With Montana set to become the next state to legalize marijuana, lawmakers in Big Sky Country will have some options on how to go about implementing the policy.

Local TV outlet KPAX reported this week that legislators there in the state House have “advanced three bills that provide different visions for how to implement recreational marijuana in the state, after legislative leadership asked them to keep all three alive.”

According to KPAX, House Bills 701, 670 and 707 have all passed in “preliminary votes” after floor debates, giving hope to sponsors of each piece of legislation that theirs may still gain ultimate passage. All three bills have been brought up by Republican members of the House, with each offering a distinct vision on how to bring legalization to Montana.

HB 701 “would set up separate licenses for medical and recreational dispensaries, limit licenses to existing marijuana providers for 18 months, require counties to ‘opt-in’ to allowing marijuana businesses and send some of the tax revenue to Gov. Greg Gianforte’s ‘HEART Fund’ account for mental health and substance abuse treatment,” according to KPAX.

HB 670, meanwhile, would “create a single license for medical and recreational marijuana sales, lower the tax on recreational sales to 15% and raise the medical marijuana tax to 5%,” KPAX said, while also earmarking a third of the revenue from recreational pot toward “a trust fund to address negative impacts of marijuana use, with the rest going toward the state’s public employee pension liability.”

Cultivating cannabis is one of the most enjoyable and rewarding forms of gardening. Whereas some crops can take weeks or even months to show some growth, the cannabis plant grows fairly quickly.

It’s almost as if every day there are new leaves, and eventually, new buds on cannabis plants, which any seasoned cultivator will be quick to point out.

That near-daily gratification makes the cannabis plant one of the most fun crops to cultivate, especially considering that the plant is absolutely beautiful when in full bloom.

Harvesting cannabis and drying it out to be consumed is also an obvious benefit. The truly savvy cannabis consumer can also infuse their harvests into all types of things, from edibles to topicals.

Unfortunately, cannabis cultivation for adult use is prohibited on a national level in all but two countries, Uruguay and Canada. Although that could change soon in Malta.

Researchers believe they may have identified the chemical primarily responsible for complaints regarding the smell of some marijuana and hemp cultivation operations.

We recently mentioned complaints in connection with the smell of hemp farms – some of them anyway – are far from being uncommon. But it turns out what has been described as a “skunky-like” odor may have nothing to do with certain terpenes, the aromatic compounds found in many plants previously thought to be responsible.

A research team consisting of Byers Scientific, Iowa State University and Texas-based odor experts used a triangulation approach of analytical chemistry to potentially identify the primary culprit as being 3-methyl-2-butene-1-thiol (321 MBT). This compound is among seven contained in a skunk’s spray that give the critter its smelly reputation.

321 MBT is also the same chemical causing the skunk-type aroma and odd flavour in “light-struck” beer. This occurs when beer is exposed to strong light, which causes certain compounds in hops to degrade. Light-struck beer is also known as “skunked” beer and is one of the reasons beer is usually stored in brown rather than clear or green bottles, as brown glass transmits less visible light.

There’s a connection between hops and cannabis – they are in the same plant family (Cannabaceae).

New York recently became the 15th U.S. state to legalize cannabis for recreational use.

While 67% of U.S. adults support marijuana legalization, public knowledge about cannabis is low. A third of Americans think hemp and marijuana are the same thing, according to the National Institutes of Health, and many people still search Google to find out whether cannabidiol – a cannabis derivative known as CBD – will get them high, as marijuana does.

Hemp, marijuana and CBD are all related, but they differ in significant ways. Here’s what you need to know about their legality, effects and potential health benefits.

Hemp, marijuana and cannabanoidals

Both hemp and marijuana belong to the same species, Cannabis sativa, and the two plants look somewhat similar. However, substantial variation can exist within a species. After all, great Danes and chihuahuas are both dogs, but they have obvious differences.

The defining difference between hemp and marijuana is their psychoactive component: tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. Hemp has 0.3% or less THC, meaning hemp-derived products don’t contain enough THC to create the “high” traditionally associated with marijuana.

South Carolina's medical marijuana legalization bill is heading to likely defeat without getting a debate in the state Senate.

Despite the discussion being scheduled for Tuesday, opposition to the proposal among lawmakers is becoming increasingly clear, with Sen. Greg Hembree (R-Myrtle Beach) announcing he intends to block the debate from even starting.

Under Senate rules, one senator has the power to hold up discussions. It would require three-fifths of senators to vote to override the move. It's unclear if enough senators support the divisive bill, but even its supporters contend that it isn't likely.

Hembree said he was concerned that medical marijuana had not been approved by the FDA and thought this bill was a gateway effort to legalizing recreational marijuana.

"Do we want to be a state that approves the safe recreational use of marijuana? I'm okay to have that debate," he said. "That, to me, is an honest debate."

Stoned drivers and weed-smoking workers take note: marijuana Breathalyzers will soon be in the hands of police officers and employers.

In fact, marijuana Breathalyzer prototypes have already been put to use for Covid-19 testing, after some innovations allowing them to detect SARS-CoV-2 antigens in breath.

Marijuana Breathalyzers have been in development for years and are finally approaching the launching pad as commercial products. Hound Labs, based in Oakland, California, says that market release is imminent for its Hound Marijuana Breathalyzer, which can detect the presence of THC molecules in the breath.

“The first commercial units of the Hound Marijuana Breathalyzer will be in the hands of customers this spring,” Dr. Mike Lynn, an emergency room physician who is CEO and co-founder of Hound Labs, told High Times. “Production will ramp up throughout the rest of 2021.”

This is bad news for workers who get high on the job. But it’s good news for employers who want to weed out such behavior. And it’s good news for anyone with safety concerns about bong-ripping motorists.

Advocates are calling New York’s legal marijuana program the best in the nation. One called it a watershed and a new era for marijuana justice, after hard work and long odds. 

Years of wrangling and tense negotiations finally ended in victory when adult use marijuana was finally legalized on March 31, 2021.

How Great is New York’s New Legal Cannabis Program? 

Let me count the ways.

First of all, possession by adults of up to three ounces of cannabis and 24 grams of concentrate is legal, effective immediately. 

London Mayor Sadiq Khan will form a commission to study the potential of decriminalization of cannabis if he is re-elected next month, according to media reports from the United Kingdom. Khan was expected to unveil the proposal to study the health, economic, and criminal justice benefits of cannabis decriminalization on Tuesday as part of his platform for re-election.

“It’s time for fresh ideas about how to reduce the harms drugs and drug-related crimes cause to individuals, families, and communities,” Khan will say, according to a report from The Guardian. “The commission will make recommendations focusing on the most effective laws to tackle crime, protect Londoners’ health, and reduce the huge damage that illegal drugs, including cannabis, cause to our communities and society.”

“That’s why, if I’m re-elected, I will establish a new London Drugs Commission comprised of independent experts to examine the latest evidence from around the world,” Khan said.

“The commission will make recommendations focusing on the most effective laws to tackle crime, protect Londoners’ health and reduce the huge damage that illegal drugs, including cannabis, cause to our communities and society.”

The mayor’s office noted that the illicit drug trade costs U.K. society £19 billion per year, and nearly 42,000 people in England and Wales were charged with a drug-related offense last year. Although Khan has said he is against decriminalizing class-A drugs such as cannabis and heroin, he would support cannabis reform if the commission concludes the move would be beneficial.

Legislation reintroduced to the U.S. Senate this week seeks to increase the maximum allowable level of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in hemp.

While the 2018 Farm Bill legalised hemp in the USA at a federal level, it imposed a maximum level of 0.3% THC. In addition to greatly increasing the risk of crops being considered “hot”, resulting their destruction and farmers potentially facing criminal proceedings, it also put the industry behind jurisdictions in some other countries where the maximum level is 1%; for example in Western Australia.

Additionally, while the USDA’s final rule for hemp production released in January took into consideration some comments submitted regarding the interim final rule, several other particularly thorny issues remain.

This week, U.S. Senator Rand Paul reintroduced the Hemp Economic Mobilization Plan (HEMP) Act of 2021 that would tackle these issues.

“My legislation will help this growing industry reach its full economic potential, and I am proud the bill has strong support all the way from local Kentucky farmers and activists to national groups,” said the Senator.

Ryan Hale is the chief sales officer for cannabis security firm Operational Security Solutions (OSS). What that means is that Hale works with a host of big, burly ex-police/ex-military guys you wouldn’t want to meet alone in a dark alley.

Those men guard, and deposit to financial institutions, the hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash proceeds that cannabis companies daily generate but can’t process the way mainstream companies do. This problem, of course, stems from institutional nervousness over marijuana’s federally illegal status.

Enter the SAFE Banking Act (the Secure and Fair Enforcement Banking Act), which was just reintroduced in late March to the U..S. House and Senate, having previously passed the House on September 25. At this point, the legislation has bipartisan support and is widely expected to pass.

The SAFE Act would create a “safe harbor” to protect federal depository institutions and credit unions from federal prosecution if they work with marijuana-related businesses (MRBs) and ancillary companies in legal states. Loan activity could proceed. Minority cannabis operations –dependent on small business loans due to having less wealth than white businesses – could more easily borrow funds and progress toward the equity the industry seeks.

In short, the pressure on MRBs to go “cash only” could cease, reducing those businesses’ risks and making their employees a whole lot safer.

Yep, you read that right: you can now get paid to study cannabis! Cannatech healthcare company Veriheal just announced a $20,000 Innovation in Cannabis scholarship for students pursuing cannabis degrees. 

The scholarship first launched in 2020, but last year only gave out $10,000 in scholarship awards. This year, it has been doubled to offer 20 $1,000 scholarships to those who qualify. 

“With this scholarship fund, we’re putting $20,000 directly into the hands of a new generation of innovators who will help shape the future of our industry,” said Veriheal co-founder and co-CEO Joshua Green. “The cannabis category is growing at an extraordinary rate, and there are many complex problems that must be solved across all sectors, from finance and technology to science and education. At Veriheal, we’re fortunate to be in the position to support budding entrepreneurs from all walks of life and bring diverse, fresh perspectives to the cannabis field.”

How To Apply

To qualify for the scholarship, high school seniors and college students must submit a 1,000+-word essay explaining how they plan to improve the cannabis industry. Winners will be chosen based on these essays.  

Cannabis is returning to its former glory by bagging an unusual place in the medical world. While many parts of the world remain skeptical of its medical benefits, several states in the US have approved the use of cannabis for medical purposes. Most people look for holistic and effective remedies to manage their health problems. Cannabis can come to the rescue as it may help address several health issues. Off late, many cannabis products have gained rapid popularity. Cannabis-infused coconut is one such product. It is a plant-based, dairy-free infusion used as the base for self-care products and recipes. Why should you believe these claims? Read ahead to know why this potent infusion is stealing the hearts of people.

About Cannabis Coconut Oil

Cannabis has always received flak due to its ability to make people high. But, do you know that consuming raw or dried cannabis flower buds may have little to no intoxicating effect? Without decarboxylation, you will only get the benefits of THCA or CBDA, the non-intoxicating compound. But, heating THCA compounds can convert it into THC, the potent cannabinoid with many properties. Before buying baked edibles canada, you need to understand that to experience the potent effects, THC must bond with fats. Bonding of THC with fats can offer highly potent products such as cannabis butter.

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Interestingly, coconut oil has a specific fat content that allows effective binding with THC compared to butter. This fact resulted in making cannabis-infused coconut oil. Due to better binding with THC, cannabis-infused coconut may have more potent effects. Several manufacturers are turning to coconut oil for creating strong marijuana topicals, infusions, and medicinal edibles. Wondering why? It is because coconut oil has high saturated fat content with the ability to absorb high THC levels, flavonoids, terpenes, and cannabinoids compared to other types of oil or butter.

7 Health Benefits Of Cannabis-Infused Coconut Oil

Coconut oil itself possesses several health properties beneficial for your health. Hence, combining it with cannabis can result in a truly desirable oil. This oil may offer several health benefits such as:

The Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) has announced further draft details on the plans for legalised supply of adult-use cannabis under pilot schemes. Under the current plan, the pilot schemes can be set up from May 15th 2021 and can run until May 2031 at the latest.

If your business is interested in getting involved in the market in Switzerland, get in touch with our consulting team at info@prohibitionpartners.

Mexico’s lower house of Congress in March handily approved a bill to legalize the recreational use of cannabis. The bill is now with the Senate, where it is likely to pass, as Mexican senators have previously voted to legalize cannabis.

If that happens, Mexico will join Uruguay and Canada in allowing people to use cannabis recreationally, albeit in more limited fashion.

Mexico’s bill would not outright legalize cannabis; it would raise the country’s existing threshold of nonpunishable personal possession from 5 grams to 28 grams. Possession of 29 to 200 grams of cannabis would result in a fine. After that, prison would still be a possibility.

Selling cannabis will still be a crime, meaning peasant farmers in the states of Sinaloa, Chihuahua, Durango or Michoacán who make a pittance growing cannabis can still end up in jail.

However modest, marijuana legalization would be a symbolic milestone for Mexico, a country immersed in an unforgiving drug war.

The race is on!

Just over a month after New Jersey became the 13th state to legalize marijuana for recreational purposes, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a marijuana legalization bill into law Wednesday, crowding the legal weed market in the Mid-Atlantic before it even gets off the ground. 

Both states are in line to reap hundreds of millions in tax revenue, but awaiting the “winner” of the legal weed race could be a lucrative period of exclusivity, where not just state residents but millions of visitors from across the Mid-Atlantic could conceivably be within a few hours of legal — and taxed — marijuana.

"I think the rivalry will begin again," said Jeff Smith, an analyst and journalist with Marijuana Business Daily, a trade publication covering the cannabis industry. "We heard a few years ago how New Jersey and New York were racing to be the first to legalize adult use (marijuana).

"It's a monster market, and I think the race is on again." 

The vape mail ban which goes into effect tomorrow, is said by government officials to be for the protection of children. However, as blocking the safer way of smoking, while offering no better options, the vape mail ban will likely hurt kids even more.

It’s almost here, the last day for us to legally send you out delta-8 THC vape carts. Due to the vape mail ban which is about to go into effect, we will no longer be able to send out vape carts for a little while. So literally ‘right now’ is your last chance to take advantage of these great Delta-8 THC deals, so we can mail it out while it’s still legal to do so.

Ban on shipping delta-8 THC, CBD, e-Juice carts & more

The whole thing has been fishy from the get-go, with Trump signing off on the omnibus corona relief bill last December, setting into motion a flurry of new laws concerning how tobacco products and cannabis products can be sent in the mail. How would such laws be part of a corona relief bill? Good question. The Omnibus Appropriations and Coronavirus Relief Package is an omnibus bill, which means it functions differently than other laws. They are made to include many different laws on many different topics, and as such, are not debated in congress as they are too expansive and varied to debate. They simply need to pass a vote and that’s it.

Omnibus bills often carry ‘riders’, or unrelated laws that have nothing to do with the main subject matter, and are known as a way for the government to pass legislation under the cover of night. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, it means what it sounds like. Doing something in darkness so no one can see. Other similar methods of keeping pending legislation away from regular citizens, and passing unpopular laws, include voting on laws in the middle of the night, voting on holidays, not releasing draft legislation to the public, and promoting bigger media stories to divert attention.

So we can infer from how it was passed that it wasn’t desirable for us (the public) to know a whole lot about it. The bill had actually already passed both houses of congress by last summer in a different form, but President Trump originally had no desire to sign the bill. He did so later on in the year. The provision for the mail vape ban, called the Preventing Online Sales of E-Cigarettes to Children Act, goes into effect on March 28th. The ban is specifically on tobacco vape products, with cannabis products falling into this category due to 2008’s Federal Law for Control of Tobacco Products bill.