WeedLife News Network

Hemp, Inc. (OTC PINK: HEMP), an established leader in the industrial hemp market, is pleased to see top-level athletes embracing CBD as part of their training programs.

Effective Jan. 1, 2018, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) removed CBD from its list of prohibited substances. The change allowed athletes to incorporate CBD into their training regimes for the postponed 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Competitors in the delayed 2020 Summer Games, including softball outfielder Hayley McCleney and hurdler Devon Allen, are among those who utilized CBD products in the runup to the Olympic competition.

The Summer Olympics were in Tokyo, Japan, through Aug. 8, 2021. However, Japan’s strict anti-cannabis laws don’t permit athletes to take hemp products across international borders.

“It’s quite frustrating that I can’t use them to compete on the world’s biggest stage,” Rapinoe said.

Replacing your alcohol addiction with a weed addiction is not the way to wean yourself off of alcohol. Here are some potentially helpful insights as to why.

The other day I stumbled on a post on Reddit written by a former booze hound who switched to cannabis to quit drinking.

The post went like this:

I quit drinking about 16 months ago, but I immediately started smoking more pot. Then I started vaping the high-concentrate waxes and shatter, and drinking tonics that are 100mg THC per bottle. I was putting massive amounts of THC in me. So, obviously, I was sober from booze, but not addiction-free because I was doing THC. If you do this- watch out- I quit the THC a few months ago and had major depression for a couple weeks afterwards. People say there is no withdraw from pot- they are trying to sell pot to you, or they just don’t know. There is withdraw, and it is NO fun. I’m sure the severity varies from person to person. So if you do pot, I’d recommend small doses! I have since quit.. once a month maybe I’ll smoke some flower. (Pot is legal in my state) – Reddit

While it’s good that the Redditor in question managed to wean off high doses of weed, and essentially break the cycle of addiction, it’s important to note that while weed can help you quit alcohol, it can also fill the space that the addiction to alcohol created.

We continue to see several conflations and misconceptions voiced in the discussion about microbial safety standards for cannabis products. The foundation for these misconceptions is the idea that cannabis testing regulations should mimic the food industry. We reject this idea because cannabis flower has two major departures from food: it contains high concentrations of antibiotics and it is dried and inhaled.

Cannabis Flower Contains High Concentrations of Antibiotics

As much as 20% of cannabis flower weight/volume is made up of cannabinoids, which are potent antibiotics. We have not seen any food on the market that is 20% (weight/volume) antibiotic.

Furthermore, each cannabis cultivar has a unique combination of cannabinoids and each cannabinoid has its own antimicrobial spectrum. For example. THC has different antibiotic properties than CBD and CBG. So one can assume that each unique flower chemotype creates a unique matrix that will affect the resulting colony counts. An effect not dissimilar to the one we observed when comparing different culture media.

Failure to purify these antibiotics from solution during homogenization will result in chemotype to chemotype variation and require each chemotype to be validated for microbial counts. This is daunting and no one in the cannabis industry is doing this despite it being well known that if the matrix changes you must revalidate. This lack of purification seen in plating methods is a weakness not seen in molecular methods that purify the sample before enumerating DNA molecules.

Additionally, because the cannabis flower’s natural antibiotics are packaged into trichomes, it is only when samples are aggressively homogenized that they are allowed to alter the microbiome on the flower. This effect is not seen by cannabis consumers who simply vaporize a non-homogenized flower sample, which means the test is not representative of what consumers experience.

Psychedelic drugs such as psilocybin and LSD can induce an experience known as oceanic boundlessness, which is characterized by a feeling of oneness with the world and a sense of awe. New research, published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, provides some preliminary evidence that high doses of cannabis can also produce this type of altered state of consciousness.

“Once the psilocybin labs started emphasizing that oceanic boundlessness seemed to be the mechanism underlying the molecule’s antidepressant effects, nearly every cannabis fan couldn’t help but ask, ‘Hey! Doesn’t marijuana have comparable effects?'” said study author Mitch Earleywine, a professor of psychology at the University at Albany.

“My students had already shown that ‘challenging experiences’ were common when folks ate more edibles than they intended to. Asking folks if they thought cannabis also produced these oceanic boundlessness effects seemed an obvious next step.”

For their study, the researchers used Facebook and Amazon Mechanical Turk to recruit a sample of 852 cannabis users, who completed an anonymous survey regarding the most dramatic THC experience of their lives. The survey included items from the oceanic boundlessness subscale of the Altered States of Consciousness Scale, a scientific questionnaire that is frequently used in psychedelic research.

Earleywine and his colleagues found that nearly 20% of participants reported a score on the oceanic boundlessness subscale that was above 60% of the maximum. People who report a score this high are considered as having had a “complete” or “breakthrough” oceanic boundlessness experience.

Written By: Andrew Ward.

Mexico could become the third nation to legalize cannabis after its Supreme Court ruled cannabis use and possession laws were unconstitutional, decriminalizing it in June 2021. The decision came after several deadlines were not met by Congress, prompting the court to take action.

Cannabis reform continues to make incremental reforms. In 2017, lawmakers approved a medical bill. The following year, Grandview Market Research valued the market at U.S.$47.3 million with a nearly 28% CAGR until 2025.

Still, concerns remain. Mexico's market experienced substantial setbacks due to legislative delays since legalizing medical in 2017. A framework for the medical market was released in January 2021. As of August, would-be operators remained in limbo regarding adult-use licenses.

Despite the significant hurdles, analysts and operators tell Benzinga that the market is poised to be a global leader.

Diabetic nerve pain patients in Pennsylvania registered for the state’s medical cannabis program have been invited to join a study.

Diabetic neuropathy is a form of nerve damage that can occur in diabetes patients. The condition can range from  numbness or tingling in the extremities, or a burning, sharp, or aching pain. An estimated 47% of patients with diabetes in the USA have some form of peripheral neuropathy.

Clinical research organization Affinity Bio Partners last week announced it had launched a clinical study in Pennsylvania for registered medical cannabis patients suffering from diabetic nerve pain. However, Affinity Bio Partners didn’t offer anything in the way of detail in its announcement as to what the study involves specifically. Serena Group was also mentioned as being involved in the study, but no luck there either in terms of additional details at this point in time.

All that is provided is a phone number – 724-859-6200 – and email address – research.pgh@serenagroups.com “to check enrollment eligibility at no cost.”

“I am so excited to be working on this clinical study with Dr. Bryan Doner and the Serena Group,” said  Affinity Bio Partners CEO Christina DiArcangelo. “The future of medical cannabis and cannabinoids as medical treatments are dependent upon properly performed clinical studies. It is time for companies to invest their money into performing clinical studies that prove safety and efficacy regarding their products.”

When Fresh Green, the first medical marijuana dispensary in the Kansas City area, opened in October, one eighth of an ounce of flower cost $60. Nearly 10 months later, the same product can go for as low as $40.

Prices for medical marijuana have been dropping across Missouri as more manufacturers, cultivators and dispensaries open. As the market continues to grow, those in the industry say to expect the cost of cannabis to continue decreasing.

Missouri residents voted to legalize medical cannabis in 2018. Since then, the state has licensed 193 dispensaries, 59 cultivators and 86 manufacturers, though not all are in operation yet. But as the industry began to find its footing, scarcity of product begot higher prices.

“Certainly, we knew when stores opened here at the very beginning the prices were going to be higher, the selection was going to be more limited,” said Jack Cardetti, spokesman for the Missouri Medical Cannabis Trade Association. “But with each coming week, we see those trends reversing.”

Along with lower costs, consumers have access to more products than before. When dispensaries in the area first opened, they sold only flower. Now, they stock a variety of items, including edibles and cartridges.

Warsaw, Poland: The use of herbal cannabis is associated with marked improvements in a patient with treatment-resistant stuttering, according to a case report published in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research.

A team of investigators affiliated with the Medical University of Warsaw (Poland) and with Hannover Medical School (Germany) presented the case of a 20-year-old male patient with refractory stuttering. Following the daily administration of vaporized plant cannabis, the patient exhibited sustained improvements in speech fluency and also reported benefits to his overall quality of life. The patient did not report any adverse side effects from cannabis over the one-year observational period.

Authors reported: “[T]his is the first case report of a patient suffering from impairing and treatment-resistant stuttering, who markedly improved after treatment with medicinal cannabis. Based on patient’s self-report and reports of family and friends, as well as several established assessments, use of cannabis resulted not only in an improvement of stuttering but also remission of (social) anxiety, and reduced depression and stress, as well as improved sleep, attention, concentration, self-confidence, social life, and overall quality of life without any side effect. Importantly, treatment effects did not decrease over time.”

They concluded, “Medicinal cannabis could be effective in treatment of refractory stuttering, but these preliminary data have to be confirmed in controlled studies.”

While this is the first case report specific to the efficacy of cannabis in the case of a patient with a stuttering disorder, several prior studies have documented the ability of THC to improve symptoms in patients with Tourette Syndrome.

 A campaign pushing to legalize marijuana in Ohio will have to collect a new batch of petition signatures after Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost rejected the first batch the group submitted, citing issues with how the petition summarized the group’s proposed law change.

Have you tried Delta 8?

It’s found in Louisville hemp shops. Your fave Instagram influencer is pushing it on their profile. Your friend offered you a hit off his vape last time you saw him.

It’s a “legal weed.” You don’t really understand what it is or how you’re able to use it in a state as anti-pot as Kentucky. But sure, you’ll try it. 

The answers behind what it is and its legality are more complicated than it may seem based on Delta 8’s ubiquitousness. 

But, let’s start with the basic facts. 

There are major risks associated with the consumption of large amounts of cannabis by young children. Unlike in adults, the risks to children include coma and even death if the child is so profoundly sedated that they cannot protect their airway. Other effects include tachycardia, nausea and vomiting, and respiratory depression severe enough to require ventilation. Cannabis ingestion in children is an immediate medical emergency. The risks were recently highlighted in a segment from CBS News.

The legalization of recreational marijuana in a number of states has been linked to an increase in the overall use of cannabis products, which includes a substantial increase in the consumption of edible cannabis. The more widespread availability of edibles poses new risks of accidental exposure, especially in children. Edibles are commonly made as gummies, cookies, brownies, and other sweets that can be attractive to children, and the doses in an individual gummy, etc., in many cases exceed the average dose for an adult.

Reports from poison control centers document a substantial increase in the number of reports related to cannabis in recent years, and reports from edibles are substantially overrepresented: despite accounting for only 11.1% of cannabis sales, 48% of reports involving children under 10 were from the consumption of edibles.

There is evidence that links the increased rate of unintentional pediatric exposure to cannabis to the changing legal status of the drug. From 2005 to 2011, the rates of pediatric exposure rose 30.3% in legal states, whereas there was no change in non-legal states. Therefore, the expectation is that unintentional pediatric exposure will be a worsening problem as more regions of the country decriminalize cannabis and expand access to the drug.

A Cannabis Antidote Could Be The Solution

Anebulo Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ANEB) is investing in a solution to this worsening problem. The company’s lead drug ANEB-001 is an antidote to cannabis intoxication that could quickly reverse the effects of a THC and other cannabinoids in a child. ANEB-001 binds to the receptor in the brain responsible for the effects of cannabinoids (the CB1 receptor) and prevents it from being engaged by THC. This is similar in principle to how Narcan (naloxone) can be used to reverse an opioid overdose.

There are now two separate efforts to legalize marijuana in Ohio.

On Friday, two Democratic lawmakers in the Ohio House introduced a bill to legalize recreational marijuana. House Bill 382 would allow Ohioans to purchase and use marijuana and cultivate up to 12 plants.

The bill hasn’t been assigned to a committee yet. The measure’s main authors are state Reps. Casey Weinstein, D-Hudson, and Terrence Upchurch, D-Cleveland. The bill already has 10 co-sponsors, all Democrats.

The measure would levy a 10% excise tax on marijuana sales, with money going to public schools along with road and bridge construction. In addition, up to $20 million would be used for clinical trials to see if marijuana can be used to treat veterans and prevent veteran suicides, according to a news release issued by Weinstein and Upchurch.

Also last week, an initiative petition, “An Act to Regulate and Control Adult Use Cannabis,” and the signatures of 1,000 Ohio voters backing it was submitted to the attorney general’s office.

From high quality oils and tinctures, to delicious edibles and soothing topicals, it seems there’s something for everyone when it comes to Cannabidiol (or “CBD” for short).

Don’t get us wrong, having various CBD products to choose from is amazing. It gives people the chance to enjoy and experience the medicinal properties of CBD in a way that’s best for them.

But honestly, do you find yourself a bit overwhelmed by the crazy amount of CBD products floating around the internet and in CBD dispensaries?

If you answered yes, then we may have a solution for you… CBD hemp flower!

Benefits of CBD hemp flower

For many people, consuming CBD has become a key part of maintaining the overall health and wellness.

A new study shows promising evidence that CBD can benefit patients, specifically those with epilepsy, in myriad ways.

Despite years in the medical marijuana market, many still doubt the efficacy of cannabidiol (CBD) in treating symptoms for physical and mental health conditions such as anxiety or epilepsy. But a new study published in the journal Epilepsy & Behavior indicates that epilepsy patients who used a form of artisanal CBD-based product showed “higher quality of life, lower psychiatric symptom severity, and improved sleep” than those who did not.

The study indicates that cost and access were driving factors in epilepsy patients who opted for artisanal CBD instead of Epidiolex, the CBD-based drug approved by the FDA back in 2018 to treat two rare and severe forms of epilepsy that manifest in early childhood: Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome.

Unlike many CBD products for sale online and in-stores made from hemp-derived CBD, Epidiolex is made from cannabis, and marked a shift in how the medical world viewed the plant.

Photo by Tinnakorn Jorruang/Getty Images

“This approval serves as a reminder that advancing sound development programs that properly evaluate active ingredients contained in marijuana can lead to important medical therapies. And, the FDA is committed to this kind of careful scientific research and drug development,” FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D. said in a press release.

You’re probably familiar with sunflower seeds, chia seeds, and even pumpkin seeds. But hemp plants also produce edible seeds that can be used in a variety of ways — and the seeds happen to be nutrient powerhouses. Here’s the scoop on hemp seed benefits, as well as ways to incorporate the seeds into meals and snacks. Image credit: Canvast Supply Co./Unsplash

Hemp seed nutrition

Hemp seeds are loaded with nutrients. A 3-tablespoon portion provides 166 calories with almost 10 grams of protein, 14 grams of anti-inflammatory fat, and just 2.5 grams of carb with 1 gram as fibre. Hemp seeds are also packed with key vitamins and minerals, including 100% of the daily value (DV) for manganese, a nutrient needed to maintain strong bones and produce collagen for healthy skin and joints.

With that portion of hemp seeds, you’ll also take in 25% of the DV for zinc, which supports immune function, and 10%-25% of the recommended intake for key energy-supporting B vitamins. Hemp seeds are also rich in a variety of antioxidants and protective bioactive compounds, according to a 2020 review published in the journal Nutrients.

Hemp seeds are also high in magnesium, a mineral that supports learning, memory, mood, and healthy sleep. For example, Organic Hulled Hemp Seeds from 365 by Whole Foods provides 45% of the daily need for magnesium in a 3-tablespoon serving. That magnesium content might be especially good news for athletes, who’ve shown to have improved strength, oxygen uptake, energy production, and electrolyte balance with a higher magnesium intake.

Ways to eat hemp seeds

Hemp seeds, which may also be labelled as “hemp hearts” (aka, hulled hemp seeds), have a subtle nutty flavour and crunchy texture. They can be eaten as is or incorporated into a variety of dishes. At breakfast, blend them into smoothies or sprinkle onto cereal, oatmeal, overnight oats, açaí bowls, yoghurt, fresh fruit, or avocado. Add hemp seeds to homemade energy balls, salads, hummus, cooked veggies, falafel, and slaw, or enjoy them as a garnish on nearly any dish, from soup to stir frys. Hemp seeds can also be incorporated into pancakes, as well as baked goods like bread, cookies, and muffins.

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.

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.

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.

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.”

“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?”