WeedLife News Network

CBD is saturating the market. You can drink it, eat it, vape it, or even use it on your skin. Many people are finding CBD cream a helpful supplement in combatting arthritis, inflammation, or itchy skin.

If you suffer from chronic pain and are looking for a natural solution, you might want to try CBD cream. Keep reading to learn how CBD cream can help you manage pain.

What is CBD cream and how does it work?

CBD, or cannabidiol, is a cannabinoid present in cannabis plants. It is a non-psychoactive compound, which will not get you high. Manufacturers extract it from hemp plants, which have an abundance of CBD, but a negligible THC level. They use the extract to make different products, like CBD cream. It is a topical that contains CBD, and you can apply it directly to your skin.

CBD topicals like creams work by interacting with the endocannabinoid system. It is a highly complex cellular structure that primarily governs feelings of pain and pleasure. The system produces neurotransmitters called cannabinoids that bind with receptors to initiate change. When you use CBD cream, the cannabinoids communicate with the receptors present on the skin and can bring relief from pain and skin disorders.

How can they help with pain management?

Here are five compelling ways CBD cream can help your body with pain management:

A new draft law currently on the desk of the Ministry of Development and Investment is likely to change the equation in not only Greece itself on the cannabis question, but the rest of Europe.

Greece is a fascinating development in the entire discussion of cannabis reform. The country has moved, quietly, along with the discussion as reform has come to Europe. The industry, of course, represents an absolute boon for a country hit twice in the last 15 years with “once in a century” economic wallops. First the banking meltdown in 2008, and now Covid. Tourism plays a huge role in the overall economic health of the country. According to the Office of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), pre Covid, the sector, pre-Pandemic, was responsible for a whopping 6.8% of the economy.

For this reason, anything that can bring economic development to the country is already attractive. Cannabis is now squarely in the gunsights of the government to do just that—unlike any other place in Europe right now.

Here is why. A fully legitimate medical industry means that the country can finally participate in a high value revolution, even by taking the first medical step. Even if all the new players circling Greece can do in the next few years is get EU GMP certified crops underway, the impact on the entire European cannabis conversation will be massive. It is a new source of flower for starters. And then of, course, there is the extraction conversation.

Medical Cannabis Vacay in Mykonos, Anyone? Book it, Danno!

A new study refutes what many claim is a danger of legal cannabis, as the findings showed that, while alcohol can have an impact on cortical thickness in younger users, cannabis does not. 

The study, titled “The effects of alcohol and cannabis use on the cortical thickness of cognitive control and salience brain networks in emerging adulthood: A co-twin control study,” was published in the journal Biological Psychiatry and conducted by researchers at the University of Minnesota.

These researchers looked at the relationship between alcohol and cannabis exposure when it comes to the brain morphology of young adults. It considered a population-based sample of 436 twins, all 24 years old. By looking at frequency, density, quantity, and level of intoxication from both alcohol and cannabis, the researchers were able to gather data about how cannabis impacts cortical thickness. The cortical consistency was measured using magnetic resonance imaging. 

When conducting this research, the team kept in mind that other studies often assume that even casual substance exposure can have an impact on brain structure. However, until now, this was a largely untested theory, and one that does not take other factors like familiar risk into account. By studying the twins who were using alcohol and cannabis, the study was able to directly measure how the two different substances can affect people.

The study explained,  “Greater alcohol, but not cannabis, misuse was associated with reduced thickness of prefrontal and frontal medial cortices, as well as [the] temporal lobe, intraparietal sulcus, insula, parietal operculum, precuneus, and parietal medial areas.”

If New Mexico is to become the latest state to embrace marijuana legalization, it will apparently take a special legislative session to pull it off.

Lawmakers there have been summoned back to the state capital of Santa Fe for a special legislative session this week to tackle the issue, after a previous effort to end pot prohibition fell short.

New Mexico’s legislative session officially ended on March 20, but the state’s Democratic governor, Michelle Lujan Grisham, called the legislators back.

“I am grateful to those legislative leaders and members who have expressed enthusiasm about returning to the people’s work so soon after a challenging 60-day session,” Lujan Grisham said in a statement on Friday. “The unique circumstances of the session, with public health safeguards in place, in my view prevented the measures on my call from crossing the finish line. While I applaud the Legislature and staff for their incredible perseverance and productivity during the 60-day in the face of these challenges, we must and we will forge ahead and finish the job on these initiatives together for the good of the people and future of our great state.”

The special session is slated to begin on Tuesday.

Read entire article at Technical420

During the last year, the global cannabis market has recorded significant advancements as new markets in the European Union (EU) and Latin America have started to gain traction. 

Mexico is a market that has been in focus and is an opportunity we are excited about. The country is working to pass recreational cannabis legislation and we expect a positive outcome to be a major catalyst for the entire sector. 

Over the weekend, we read a few articles that stated that the Mexican Senate is prepared to approve a legislation to legalize cannabis after it was amended by the Chamber of Deputies earlier this month.

The comments come a few weeks after the Chamber of Deputies passed a legalization bill that had been revised since it was approved by the Senate in late 2020. We consider this to be an important development as it relates to the potential for the legislation to be passed quickly and will monitor how the Mexican market advances from here.  

Scofflaws could be hit with penalties ranging from $200 to $2,000

Starting today, travellers who lie about carrying marijuana over the Canadian border could face fines.

Recreational cannabis has been legal in Canada since the fall of 2018, but it's illegal to bring it across the border without a permit or exemption.

The Canada Border Services Agency announced today that travellers who provide false information to an officer or fail to report imported goods containing cannabis, including CBD products, could be hit with fines ranging from $200 to $2,000.

Those caught with undeclared cannabis could also lose their membership in programs like NEXUS — which speeds up border crossings for pre-approved travellers — or the Free and Secure Trade (FAST) program, a commercial clearance program.​

The agency said it may also pursue prosecution in serious cases, but it stressed that its goal is to discourage illegal activity while also avoiding criminal charges.

As a pain specialist, I often have patients asking me whether they should try medicinal cannabis. There’s a common perception it can be an effective way to manage chronic pain.

But two expert groups have recently recommended against medicinal cannabis for people suffering persistent non-cancer pain.

The International Association for the Study of Pain published a position statement last week after its presidential taskforce summarised the evidence on the topic.

And yesterday the Faculty of Pain Medicine of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists published guidance for health practitioners in the form of a Choosing Wisely recommendation. (Choosing Wisely is an initiative of NPS Medicinewise which aims to highlight low-value health care.)

Time to pounce?

Last week was a big one for U.S. cannabis companies, with several leading multistate operators (MSOs) posting their fourth-quarter earnings results. Three leading MSOs -- Green Thumb Industries (OTC:GTBIF), Trulieve Cannabis (OTC:TCNNF), and Cresco Labs (OTC:CRLBF) -- all beat revenue and earnings expectations handily.

Yet each cannabis stock was down for the week, some materially so. That was despite not only good company results, but also positive developments on U.S. federal and state regulations. So is the post-earnings dip a buying opportunity for these companies?

DES MOINES, Iowa —

A recent Iowa Poll reports a majority of Iowans who would be in favor of legalizing marijuana.

The Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll was conducted between March 7 and March 10 and 775 Iowans participated.

The poll also asked participants about expanding the medical marijuana program in the state. Of the participants, 78% said the program should include more diseases and conditions, 14% opposed the expansion, and 7% were unsure.

There was a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points.

While edibles takes some people over the moon, others don’t get high at all…and you are about to understand why.

Cannabis edibles are pretty tasty and are an absolute delight. It gets people high in a manner different from when they smoke or vape weed. But, sometimes in a gathering of different people enjoying edibles infused with weed, there is always that one person who doesn’t get high like the others in the room. If you are in this position, it may feel awkward because everyone else expects you to get high like them. But you don’t have to feel weird, as you are not the first to have this experience and you certainly won’t be the last. Always remember that the effectiveness of cannabis varies based on several factors, of which your DNA is an important one.

In this article, I’ll talk about marijuana edibles, how the varying methods of consumption affect your body and the role of genetics. Please sit back and relax as we consider the several factors that prevent you from reaching the highest form of satisfaction with marijuana edibles.

How cannabis edibles work

Delta 8 THC is a shelf-stable, mildly psychoactive, minor cannabinoid that has been quickly gaining popularity over the last couple years. Also climbing into the mainstream are products made with cannabis distillates, which allow for incredibly potent products with accurate dosing. When combined – Delta 8 THC Distillate – we have a powerhouse product that’s full of therapeutic benefits and steadily flying off the shelves.

What is Delta 8 THC?

Before we talk about the medical benefits of this cannabinoid, let’s talk about what exactly Delta 8 THC is, and how it’s different from the more well-known, Delta 9 THC. Delta 8 THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is a naturally occurring, minor cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant. Although it’s structurally similar to Delta 9 THC, there are some major differences as well.

For example, Delta 9 THC is the cannabis plant’s most abundant psychoactive compound, whereas Delta 8 is only found in trace amounts. As a matter of fact, Delta 8 is not even produced by the enzymes in cannabis, rather, it is created when Delta 9 THC oxidizes and slowly degrades into Delta 8. Further degradation of Delta 9 would create the cannabinoid CBN (cannabinol).  

When it comes to the chemical difference between Delta 8 and Delta 9, it all comes down to one molecule. In chemistry, “Delta” refers to the double bond in a compound’s molecular structure. Delta compounds have more electrons and will interact with the body in a different way than single bond cannabinoids. The difference between the Delta THC analogues comes down to where the double bond is located on their chain of carbon atoms. Delta 9 has this bond on the 9th carbon chain, and Delta 8 THC has the double bond on the 8th carbon chain. It seems like a small difference, but it can be significant.

Similar to its more dominant counterpart, Delta 8 THC is a partial agonist for both the CB1 and CB2 receptors, although it seems to have a stronger affinity for CB1. This means there are effects to be felt in numerous different parts of the body, despite having weaker psychotropic potency. The National Center for Biological Information (NCBI) describes delta-8 THC as follows: “An analogue of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) with antiemetic, anxiolytic, appetite-stimulating, analgesic, and neuroprotective properties.”

What Medical Conditions Could Be Treated With Delta 8 THC

Inadequate sleep can have a profound impact on one’s health. In the short-term, it can affect mood and judgement, the ability to learn and retain information, and it can increase the possibility of an immediate accident or injury. Over a longer period of time, lack of sleep can lead to diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and even early death.

Are cannabis and technology the great equalizer in women’s representation in the C-suite? It may be too soon to know, but female executives in the Canna-tech space are nonetheless making their mark.

According to a recent white paper by The Arcview Group and National Cannabis Industry Association, only 8 percent of cannabis CEOs are women. Surprisingly (or not), this mirrors the national average of women CEOs in Fortune 500 companies (a milestone reached this year).

 New hemp production and manufacturing rules from the USDA went into effect this week.

As the industry continues to grow across the country and here in Florida, stakeholders are continuing to press for safety.

“So what we’re doing here is packing off our gummies,” Margaret Richardson said, as she gave Spectrum News a tour of Global Widget, a CBD manufacturing company in Tampa. 

Richardson is Global Widget’s chief compliance and legal officer.

The company’s gummies are infused with CBD and made on their own confectionery line.

The enactment of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (the 2018 Farm Bill) and the legalization of hemp and hemp derivatives, including cannabidiol (CBD), has led to a massive CBD craze in the Yes, workout clothes!) According to a 2019 study conducted by Cowen Research, the sales of these products are expected to reach $16 billion by 2025.

Yet, the potential of hemp lays beyond CBD. Indeed, as the market becomes saturated, and the value of hemp and CBD declines (the aggregate price of hemp biomass dropped by 79% from April 2019 to April 2020), U.S. companies will need to — and should — turn to other product offerings.

The good news is that they need not look far. The hemp plant is an underappreciated and high-value crop used in a wide range of products and product types, ranging from food, textile, automotive parts, and construction supplies, just to name a few.

Virtually every part of the hemp plant has a purpose.

Hemp seeds are rich in protein, fiber, omega-3 fats and other essential nutrients and vitamins, and can also be ground into flour.

A study of data from across the country has found no evidence that the legalization of medical cannabis and the establishment of dispensaries encourages marijuana use by young people. The study, “Medical marijuana laws (MMLs) and dispensary provisions not associated with higher odds of adolescent or heavy marijuana use: A 46 state analysis, 1991-2015,” was published online this week by the journal Substance Abuse.

To complete the study, researchers affiliated with John Hopkins University, Harvard University, and the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission reviewed data collected from a total of 46 states over a 25-year period. The investigators analyzed trends in cannabis use among adolescents in grades 9 through 12, using data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey collected from 1991 through 2015.

In an abstract of the study, researchers wrote that they “found no evidence between 1991 and 2015 of increases in adolescents reporting past 30-day marijuana use or heavy marijuana use associated with state MML (medical marijuana law) enactment or operational MML dispensaries.”

Lower Cannabis Use Among 9th Graders

In fact, the data revealed that overall, states with medical marijuana programs actually had fewer current adolescent marijuana users, which were defined as survey respondents reporting cannabis use within the previous 30 days, than states without medicinal cannabis.

“In the overall sample, the adjusted odds of adolescents reporting any past 30-day marijuana use was lower in states that enacted MMLs at any time during the study period, and in states with operational dispensaries in 2015,” the researchers wrote.

Take care of your weed like you do other drugs and valuable items in your home by storing it properly. Here’s how.

With so much information about the critical role and impact cannabis has on our health and general well-being, everyone wants to know if it expires. Well, weed doesn’t go bad the way your bottle of milk and other food items go bad, but it can be “moldy” sometimes.

Moldy and/or old weed, when taken, may not lead to damaging health issues, but it can affect you if you have underlying health conditions. If you are 100% healthy, you will observe that it isn’t as potent as when it was still fresh. Older weed also has a different feel, taste, and texture, making it quite unappealing to users. You wouldn’t like such moldy weed hence the reason it is advised that you don’t keep your weed for too long. So how long should you store your weed? And how long does weed stay fresh?

How long does weed stay fresh?

If you store the weed properly, it can remain suitable for six months to 1 year. After this stated period, the dried weed starts to lose its potency and aroma. Works of research suggests that weed loses 16% of THC when it is left for an entire year, and it continually drops from there.

From 16% at one year, it gets to 26% THC lost in two years, and 34% THC lost in three years. If you leave the weed for more than four years, you will lose 41% THC. What’s the purpose of weed without THC? Why would you keep the weed for that long?

A new study from the Department of Neuroscience at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences at the University of Copenhagen, published in Nature Neuroscience and titled “Spinal astroglial cannabinoid receptors control pathological tremor,” shows how cannabis could help those who suffer from pathological tremors. 

According to the study, cannabinoids can interact with a certain type of star-shaped cell, called an astrocyte, in the spinal cord to help with tremors. Cannabinoids do this by regulating the release of purines and metabolites and regulating the transmission of electrical signals to the synapses. 

The Study and Its Impact

In order to conduct the study, the research team used a mouse model to show how cannabis can help with tremors, conditions often brought on by trauma or neurodivergent disorders, that can cause uncontrollable shaking of the head or limbs. These conditions impact more than 200,000 people per year just in the U.S., so relief is much-needed.

“We have focused on the disease, essential tremor. It causes involuntary shaking, which can be extremely inhibitory and seriously reduce the patient’s quality of life. However, the cannabinoid might also have a beneficial effect on sclerosis and spinal cord injuries, for example, which also cause involuntary shaking,” said Jean-François Perrier, PhD, who worked on the project. 

“We discovered that an injection with the cannabinoid WIN55,212-2 into the spinal cord turns on the astrocytes in the spinal cord and prompts them to release the substance adenosine, which subsequently reduces nerve activity and thus the undesired shaking. These findings may result in the development of targeted treatment with little or no side effects. In probing astrocytes to understand the biological effects of cannabis, the researchers take a novel approach as earlier studies have focused primarily on neurons.”

Virtually every business needs access to banking services, including a bank account to put money in, checks and debit cards, and other services that banks offer.

Unfortunately, members of the cannabis industry are often locked out of receiving banking services because of cannabis’ legal status in many countries.

Nowhere is that on greater display than in the United States where state-legal cannabis companies are either prevented from gaining access to banking services in the first place or have their accounts shut down not long after they are opened.

Two Maine legislators are coming to the defense of Maine’s medical marijuana program with a bill that would place a moratorium on a set of proposed regulations and require greater input from the industry before any further rule changes are implemented. 

Co-sponsored by Rep. Lynne Williams, D-Bar Harbor, and Senate President Troy Jackson, D-Allagash, the bill would require that in order to amend the rules governing the medical cannabis program, the Maine Office of Marijuana Policy must consult “caregivers, registered caregivers and patients and physicians and certified nurse practitioners with significant knowledge and experience certifying patients under the laws governing the medical use of marijuana.”

The proposed bill comes just days after medical marijuana patients and providers, known in the industry as caregivers, slammed the proposed rules in a seven-hour public hearing, claiming that the medical program would not survive the changes. 

Speakers repeatedly asked officials from the Office of Marijuana Policy to go back to the drawing board and, this time, give caregivers, patients, cultivators and manufacturers a seat at the table. 

The newly proposed legislation would do that and more. 

Will New York Go Legal Next Week

The cannabis industry is one of the fastest-growing sectors across the world. Especially in the United States with more states looking to legal in 2021. Recent data reported that the total sales in the U.S. reached a record-breaking $17.5 billion between the medical and recreational market. Right now there is a great deal of anticaption in regards to cannabis legislation between state and federal. For example, more states are implementing different cannabis laws that will help to regulate things more smoothly.

In addition to this with better state-level legislation, it will also aid in the overall protection for cannabis consumers inside the state. Now on a federal level which more people are paying attention to is the bigger focus when it comes to cannabis legislation. If the new administration can somehow pass a bill that would reschedule cannabis many doors will soon be open. When cannabis becomes federally legal it will allow not only more states but outside regions to be involved in the U.S. cannabis industry without fear of breaking the law.

Back in 2020 during the presidential election, 5 new states legalized marijuana in some form. One of these states was New Jersey which has one of the largest consumer bases for a new cannabis market. With New Jersey voting to go legal it has inspired its neighboring New York to follow it in the same footsteps. Just like New Jersey, the big apple has a big market for cannabis consumers.

If New York does vote to go legal it will only add more value to the U.S. cannabis industry. So with much to be seen in 2021 New York is preparing to pass a bill that would establish legal cannabis in the state. Below we will go over the recent update with the NY cannabis bill.

Will New York Go Legal In 2021

Lawmakers and political figures have come together to work out a way to agree on a bill that would legalize cannabis. This new legislation would be to legalize the various marijuana products and the adult use of cannabis. As well this new bill would allow residents to have a small number of marijuana plants in their homes.