Hallo, ik ben Marisja Anderson, ik ben een nauwgezette EMS-supervisor met een solide karakter en goed ontwikkelde kerncompetenties met betrekking tot het verlenen van en toezicht houden op de uitbetaling van medische noodhulp. Toegewijd aan het uitdagen en aanmoedigen van EMS-personeel om te voldoen aan de normen voor patiëntenzorg en deze te overtreffen.
JANUARY 31ST, 2022, SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA- CBDIA has taken over the operations of the popular industry publication, CBD Health & Wellness Magazine. CBD Health and Wellness began publication in the summer of 2017 and has gained in popularity ever since. The magazine launched and grew under the ownership and management of industry giant, MACE Media Group, as one of their many endeavors in the cannabinoid space. MACE CEO, Celeste Miranda, also founded the CBDIA, but has since taken a back seat to the Board of Advisors in leadership.
Under the new association umbrella, CBD Health & Wellness Magazine will continue to bring elevated scientific and medical cannabinoid education to the masses. “CBD Health & Wellness has and will continue to be a fun project”, said MACE Media Group CEO, Celeste Miranda. “CBDIA will credentialize the magazine and ensure it continues to grow in the B2B segment of the industry”.
Publication of the magazine will remain in-tact as will the media partnership with the CBD Expo Tour. The publications news site, www.cbdhealthandwellness.net, currently hosts about one million viewers per month from around the world.
“As President of the Cannabinoid Industry Association, we are thrilled to welcome CBD Health and Wellness magazine under the CBDIA umbrella. This important publication will allow us to work closely with both CBD businesses and consumers to offer valuable insight and content. There will be many new additions to the magazine, including a monthly piece written by me highlighting various aspects of the industry and covering trending topics. We are excited to build this platform with MACE Media, CBDIA Members, our readers and writing contributors”, said Priscilla Agoncillo, President of CBDIA.
Branding on the transition has already begun changing the red novelties of CBDIA and the Orange and Green themes of CBD Health & Wellness to marry into a cutting-edge union of a modern brown and Twitter blue.
About CBD Health & Wellness Magazine:
CBD Health and Wellness is a publication serving the CBD industry. CBD Magazine Print & digital magazine dedicated to CBD research and its benefits. CBD H&W connects readers with qualified and accurate sources of information about cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabinoids, drawing on experts from around the world. Read by entrepreneurs, medical professionals, lawyers, extraction professionals, and CBD enthusiasts alike, we pride ourselves in providing relevant information regarding cannabinoid news, research, regulations, product development, and trends.
About the Cannabinoid Industry Association:
The Cannabinoid Industry Association is a community of cannabinoid professionals committed to helping you succeed. Using the power of community to help you take your business to the next level. The CBD & Cannabinoid Industry Association (CBDIA) captures this ceaseless development and explosive growth as the industry’s leading trade association. We deliver essential resources so that those involved in the industry can share real-world knowledge and experiences. CBDIA nurtures and advances enduring success and awareness – no matter where you are in the industry.
Thailand has rapidly become an international leader when it comes to cannabis policy. Historically home to some of the harshest cannabis laws on earth, the country in Southeastern Asia has hit warp speed on the cannabis policy reform front. That trend continued in recent days when Thailand effectively decriminalized some forms of cannabis by removing all parts of the cannabis plant from the nation’s list of controlled drugs.
International cannabis advocates and enthusiasts hailed the move, and understandably so. Thailand is located in a part of the world that has notoriously harmful cannabis laws. In fact, over half of the countries that still issue the death penalty for cannabis are located in Thailand’s region. With that being said, the removal of cannabis from Thailand’s list of controlled drugs has created some additional questions, and it may be a more limited policy change than some people initially thought.
THC Limits Remain
Thailand was the first nation in its region to legalize cannabis for medical use. However, it did not legalize every form of cannabis when it made the policy change. All parts of the cannabis plant were initially removed from the list of controlled drugs except seeds and flowers. The recent move by Thailand essentially removed the remaining parts of the cannabis plant. Yet, there is a detail in the policy shift that seems to have been missed by some cannabis advocates.
The Thailand Health Ministry still has parts of the cannabis plant that contain more than 0.2% of THC on its list of controlled drugs. To put that THC threshold into perspective, the United States already legalized cannabis hemp that contains less than 0.3% THC nationwide roughly three years ago. Switzerland has allowed sales of cannabis products that contain less than 1.0% THC nationwide since 2017. Thailand’s recent policy change is still significant, but it’s important to keep the change in perspective.
Clearing Up Lingering Questions
Parts of the cannabis plant that contain less than 0.2% THC may have been removed from Thailand’s list of controlled drugs; however, it’s still somewhat unclear what that means for the nation’s criminal justice system. Local law enforcement is unlikely to have the resources to test every batch of cannabis for THC content that they come across. With floral hemp looking no different from non-hemp cannabis flower, there’s really no other way to make a solid determination. Does that mean that all enforcement will be suspended except in rare instances?
The Bhumjai Thai Party, of which Thailand’s pro-cannabis Health Minister is a member, indicated that it would introduce a cannabis measure in Thailand’s Parliament to clear up any confusion and gray areas after the recent policy change. It will be very interesting to see if the eventual legislation only addresses any gaps in policy from the recent policy change or if it goes even further. Given how fast Thailand has reformed its cannabis laws and how much it is trying to embrace the emerging cannabis industry, it’s at least somewhat possible that the measure could be used to push for complete and outright cannabis legalization.
JANUARY 28th, 2022, SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA – MACE Media Group, a pioneer event and publishing company in the Cannabinoid and Psychedelic Industries, announced its upcoming Delta 8 Expo and Delta 9 Expo in Partnership with The CBD Expo TOUR on March 30th – April 1st. Followed by the Psychedelic Medicine Conference on April 1st in Dallas, Texas at the Hyatt Regency in Downtown Dallas.
The two-day event will bring together 80+ exhibitors presenting and sampling some of the latest Delta 8, Hemp-Derived Delta 9, and CBD products out in the market. Expected attendance at the B2B-focused show is expected to be over 3000. Panel discussions will be held hourly on both days of the event discussing Cannabinoid Science, Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Lifestyle Medicine, Neuroscience, and Extraction equipment innovations. At its first show of 2022, MACE Media Group brings back its long-awaited Demo stage to the exhibit floor. Demo stage presentations will be held by Cannabinoid Chefs, Extraction companies, and more. “Our Demo stage has always offered companies the opportunity to explain key features and benefits of its products. As well as visual and physical proof that the product they’re offering does what it says”, stated Celeste Miranda, CEO of MACE Media Group.
Following the D8 Expo & D9 Expo panel discussions will be The Psychedelic Medicine Conference on April 1st, from 1pm – 6pm. The Conference will bring educational panel discussions on the biological, medicinal, and ethical aspects of psychedelics. With panel topics such as, The Psychedelic Renaissance and its Forensic Implications, Psychedelic and Your Body: What’s Happening Inside?, and Psychedelic Medicine: Safety & Ethical Concerns. “Psychedelics have entered the third wave of its Renaissance” Says Graciela Moreno of MACE Media Group. “Everyone wants to learn the benefits of Microdosing and the advantages of approaching mental health issues from the non-western pharmacticual approach. So, we want to offer everyone a safe space of thorough education on dosage, benefits, and concerns of psychedelics”.
The upcoming event plans to focus the spotlight on one of the most disputable cannabinoids in the state of Texas and beyond, Delta 8 THC, during “The Texas Showdown for Delta 8” panel discussion. Several panelists in the discussion have been at the forefront of the legality battle against the state of Texas. Delta 8 THC has been controversially popular throughout the lone star state after the DSHS deemed it a controlled substance and illegal to sell. Just weeks ago after a legal battle, the Texas Supreme Court denied the DSHS the request to ban Delta 8 THC. The hopes are for this panel to touch on what the future holds for Delta 8 and other minor cannabinoids in Texas.
The Institute of Extraction Technology Course, taught by Dr. John Mackay, Ph.D. will also be joining the event in Dallas, but with a twist. The Extraction Institute will offer students, “A Day with Mackay”. This workshop course will cover the fundamentals of extraction theory and the practical principles of concentration of botanical sources, active compounds of interest, efficiency and economics in the extraction of cannabinoids and mushrooms.
About MACE Media Group:
MACE Media Group produces many trade events including The Delta 8 Expo in Partnership with the Original CBD Expo, The Delta 9 Expo, Psychedelic Science Conference, and Extraction Expo. MACE Media Group is also the largest publisher in the cannabinoid space. Its premiere title, Terpenes and Testing Magazine, was the first industry trade publication devoted to cannabis science. Its sister publications, CBD Health & Wellness Magazine, and Extraction Magazine and Delta 8 Magazine revolve around the growing cannabinoid industry to provide news on trending applications, medical research, and updates with laws and regulations
About The Delta 8 Expo in Partnership with The CBD Expo Tour
The first of its kind to bring the largest Delta 8 & CBD event platform to broadcast products with the community and share knowledge with the industry. Headlined by CannaAid, the events feature more than 70 exhibitors, along with a substantial lineup of speaker presentations and panel discussions from experts in the research, production, globalization, and sale of Delta 8 & CBD products. The Delta 8 in Partnership with the CBD Expo Tour will be held in Indiana, North Carolina, Texas, Minnesota, and Florida.
About The Delta 9 Expo
The first and ONLY expo dedicated to the Hemp-Derived Delta 9 THC. The expo will take place in Dallas, Texas on March 31st – April 1st and will be headlined by leading industry company, Trojan Horse Cannabis.
With a focus on customer service and quality products, SanDayv uses the most modern scientific techniques to develop a premium holistic and wellness approach to CBD development. While primarily focused on Hemp Based healing services, they also provide wholesale and retail services to ensure that their products have the highest quality in every stage of production, including growing, producing, and packaging.
Services: Growing, extracting, manufacturing, packaging and shipping all materials to provide farm to table CBD products.
Isolates or Full Spectrum: Full Spectrum
Pet Products: No
The Good: With more than 25 years in the health and wellness industry their focus on holistic healing CBD leads to top quality products. Their huge selection of Hemp derived CBDs are grown and produced themselves guaranteeing quality pain management and stress relief in any form. And with a customer service driven focus they ensure that your shopping experience will also be completely painless.
The Bad: Their online presence is pretty minimal. It may be difficult to contact them in any other way except through their website.
The Bottom Line: For people who are looking for holistic alternatives based in Indian and Eastern herbal remedies, SanDayv is the best out there. Their experience, quality, and customer driven approach means that they provide unique products designed to promote physical, mental and spiritual well being.
Who They Are: With a focus on Indian and Eastern rituals, the founders have studied Ayurvedic herbal remedies to focus on developing the mind, body and spirit. The name, SanDayv, derives from the words “Sanaiya,” or ray of sunshine and “Dayvah,” meaning divine blessing. With over 25 years of experience in the health and wellness field their Fresno based CBD products are specifically designed to boost stress relief and promote blossoming health through holistic healing.
The Products They Have:
CBD Flowers:SanDayv’s ACDC Best Hemp Flower has been called the “holy grail” of cannabis strains for it’s high CBD content and Indica dominant blissful effect. All flowers are grown in California and are 100% free of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and chemical fertilizer to ensure healthy consumption. Available in packages of: 3.5g, 7g, 14g, 28g, 56g, ½ lb., 1lb, and 5lbs. Available flowers:
AC/DC Premium Hemp Flower
Super Sour Candy Greenhouse Premium Hemp Flower
Hawaiian Haze Greenhouse Premium Hemp Flower
Tinctures: Relief is just a few drops away with SunDayv’s CBD tincture blends. Developed not only with hemp but with other Ayurvedic herbs to maximize the holistic healing approach. Available in the following blends depending on your needs:
Premium CBD immunity Tincture with B12 and Organic Turmeric
Restful CBD Sleep Support Tincture with Chamomile and Melatonin
Gummies: For a delicious treat with special benefits try SunDayv’s CBD infused fruit gummies. All gummies are fully vegan and are designed to provide maximum health benefits along with delicious flavors. They come in two different options:
Premium CBD Vegan Fruit Gummies with Ashwagandha
Premium CBD Vegan Fruit Gummies with Organic Probiotics
Premium CBD Infused Dried Fruit Mango Chunks: The refreshing cure for a bad day. SanDayv’s CBD Infused Mango Chunks are sure to put a smile on your face. With luscious flavor and natural cannabidiol CBD Infused Mango Chunks are the perfect guilt-free snacks. The mangos also include:
Potassium
Vitamin A
Calcium
Iron
Balms and Massage Oils: For deep and fast relief for sprains, sore muscles, or joint pain Balms and massage oils offer a simple way to provide topical relief. With infused CBD and a mix of herbal ingredients the Balms and massage oils can help soothe and relieve pain or provide comfortable relaxation. Available in:
Hello cannabis family, Beautiful Existence (B3) here celebrating February with YOU and the Cannabis Tarot Apprentices, providing the Cannabis Plant Spirit wisdom you need for this month in a new way… through the elements!
I pulled the first Cannabis Tarot
card for the Water element with the Queen & Knight of Coins…
Second, Cannabis Tarot
gave the Page of Coins for the Air element, read by Apprentice Maia…
Third, the Cannabis Tarot
Apprentice, Sammie Rae, drew for us the Fire element, and the Two of Cups…
Lastly, Kay, the Cannabis Tarot
Apprentice, pulled the Earth element, and the Ten of Cups and Temperance.
>>>Watch the rest of the video to find out about this reading.
*DISCLAIMER* These readings are my/our interpretations of the deck, not specifically meant for one person, situation, or outcome. I do not proclaim any answers, actions, directions, or authority over anyone at any time. All readings are the interpretation of the viewer/listener/other. Thank you.
Architect-engineer team thinks hemp construction rebar has the potential to replace steel.
An architect and mechanical engineer say they’ve developed a hemp‐based rebar for cement construction that could replace steel, reports Hemp Today.
The pair of collaborators are working together at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a New-York-based private research university, to develop the rebar — and the machines that could turn it from raw plant material to an end product that performs as well as steel.
The Team
The architect: Alexandros Tsamis, assistant professor of architecture and associate director of the Center for Architecture Science and Ecology at Rensselaer.
The engineer: Dan Walczyk, professor of mechanical engineering and director of the institute’s Manufacturing Innovation Center.
Tsamis and Walczyk have developed a thermoplastic rebar reinforced with hemp fiber they say could replace steel in concrete buildings and infrastructure.
The Strengths of Hemp for Rebar
Concrete is strong but has relatively low tensile strength, meaning it can’t withstand a great deal of stretching or pulling. That’s where rebar comes in, reinforcing cement in construction to increase tensile strength.
There is some precedent for non-steel rebar. For instance a fiberglass rebar exists, called glass fiber reinforced polymer or GFRP. It’s more expensive, so is selectively used for projects that demand rebar that won’t corrode or is non-magnetic. And GFRP rebar actually outperforms steel rebar in measures of tensile strength and yield strain. So, it can be done.
The hemp-reinforced rebar would:
reduce corrosion, which is a common problem with steel rebar
extend the useful lifetime of structures built with it
reduce the carbon footprint of construction by emitting a lower volume of greenhouse gasses during processing
possibly create a carbon-neutral product, because hemp also sequesters carbon as it’s grown
Is It Strong Enough?
The most important question: Is it strong enough?
Preliminary results of working with the material have shown “strength characteristics comparable to steel,” according to a press release from Rensselaer.
A key part of Tsamis and Walczyk’s work is developing machines that can separate hemp’s fiber from its woody inner core without degrading the strength of the raw material.
Cost is also a consideration, and the research team is working to ensure the hemp machines and methods they’re developing are cost effective.
To streamline processing and keep costs low, they envision strategically placed barns — made of hemp, of course — equipped to process hemp plants after harvest. Once the plants are broken down into various parts, the components would be shipped to end-product manufacturers.
The researchers believe this network would minimize the hemp industry’s carbon footprint and optimize its supply chains. They’re also developing a “sustainable degumming method” and new ways to process hemp bio-composite materials.
Meeting of the Minds
The hemp-rebar development is one of the first projects to come out of Rensselaer’s new Institute for Energy, Built Environment, and Smart Systems (EBESS). This branch of the institute taps talent from Rensselaer in design, engineering and business, bringing them together to innovate.
This particular innovation shows what’s possible when experts in different disciplines come together. It also demonstrates how hemp, as a material, fits with the Institute’s larger mission to bring carbon-neutral, climate-resilient infrastructure from dream to reality.
Cannabidiol (CBD) seems to be popping up in a growing number of consumer products, including food and cosmetics. But even though CBD products may be FDA-approved, there’s still some confusion over the legality of the cannabinoid across each state.
Is the cannabinoid legal everywhere, or are there still some states where CBD is outlawed?
Simply put, CBD is legal in all 50 states. That said, the specific laws surrounding CBD may differ slightly from one state to another. More specifically, state laws may vary on the legality of the type of CBD product used, as some particular forms may be outlawed.
CBD can be derived from both the hemp and the cannabis plant, which are not exactly the same. Instead, they’re different strains of the same species of plants. The specific type of plant that CBD is derived from matters in terms of legality from one state to another.
Thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill, the cultivation of hemp is legal in the US. And as long as CBD is derived from hemp that contains less than 0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), it’s legal on a federal level, as well as across each state.
The issue on the legality of CBD stems from whether it’s derived from the cannabis or hemp plant. While hemp-based CBD may be legal thanks to its low level of THC, cannabis-derived CBD may have some legal implications in states that have not yet legalized marijuana, whether for recreational or medical purposes, or both.
In these states, CBD extracted from the cannabis plant and incorporated into a product with a THC level of more than 0.3% would be considered legal. And for the additional states that allow for medical use of cannabis — bringing the total to 36 states — CBD derived from cannabis for the purpose of alleviating medical issues would also be considered legal. There are no gray areas in terms of whether the CBD was derived from the hemp versus the cannabis plant.
The confusion comes when we talk about CBD’s legality in states where marijuana is still illegal, including Texas, Georgia, and South Carolina, among others. In these states, CBD must be derived from the hemp plant and not have any THC levels exceeding 0.3% in order to be considered legal.
Another point of confusion stems from the federal stance on cannabis. Again, hemp is legal on a federal level thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill. But cannabis continues to be outlawed. As such, only CBD from hemp would be considered legal from a federal standpoint.
All in all, CBD is legal in all states, as long as it’s extracted from the hemp plant and the product contains less than 0.3% THC. If derived from cannabis, CBD’s legality would be based on a state-by-state case.
If you have ever been a smoker, you know how irritating it can be to quit. Smoking cessation symptoms range from irritability to nausea and headache. Additionally, the smoker’s family, friends, and colleagues can attest to the monster-like aggression many smokers exhibit when quitting. And even using the most competent smoking cessation drug is not always enough to prevent the patient from relapsing, and there can be devastating side effects. [2] Is there a solution?
After all, it’s no secret that cigarettes are bad for your health and the health of those exposed to your smoking. According to the CDC, about one in five deaths in the United States each year are directly caused by cigarette smoking. [2] CBD could minimize the side effects you experience from quitting smoking so you can reverse the damage your body has received from smoking.
What makes CBD ideal for smoking cessation?
CBD’s lack of intoxication and its anxiolytic effects make it perfect for smoking cessation. The anxiolytic effects are auspicious since anxiety is a primary symptom of tobacco withdrawal. [2]
Neuroimaging and human experimental research suggest that CBD could decrease the salience of smoking cues. While in naturalistic research, cannabis with high levels of CBD decreased cue salience to stimuli. [4] Other studies confirm the phenomenon, which researchers observed more when smokers were exposed to stimulus for shorter periods. Thus, indicating that CBD targets automatic bias, opposed to attention bias within conscious cognitive control. The finding suggests that CBD targets a critical implicit process related to relapse. [2]
The first study to investigate CBD for nicotine cessation occurred over one week. Participants were either supplied with a placebo or a CBD inhaler to use when they felt like smoking. As a result, the participants who used CBD smoked 40% less than the placebo group. [3]
During acute abstinence, attentional bias skyrockets. In a study by Hindocha et al., CBD reduced smokers’ attentional bias towards cigarettes. Research shows that those who use CBD during smoking cessation experience less explicit pleasantness when viewing cigarette images than those using the placebo. [2] Moreover, attentional bias predicts short-term relapse and could cause addiction.
The key takeaway is that CBD is ideal for smoking cessation due to its anxiolytic effects, relief from attentional bias towards cigarettes, and absence of intoxication.
References
1- 2014 surgeon general’s report: The Health Consequences of smoking-50 years of progress. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://ift.tt/yYGZ7Eucp. Published May 21, 2021. Accessed January 26, 2022.
2- Hindocha C, Freeman TP, Grabski M, et al. Cannabidiol reverses attentional bias to cigarette cues in a human experimental model of tobacco withdrawal [published online ahead of print, 2018 May 1]. Addiction. 2018;113(9):1696-1705. doi:10.1111/add.14243
3- Morgan CJA, Das RK, Joye A, Curran HV, Kamboj SK. Cannabidiol reduces cigarette consumption in tobacco smokers: Preliminary findings. Addictive behaviors. https://ift.tt/gLd1Ax0R9. Published September 2013. Accessed January 26, 2022.
4- Morgan CJA, Freeman TP, Schafer GL, Curran HV. Cannabidiol attenuates the appetitive effects of Delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol in humans smoking their chosen cannabis. Neuropsychopharmacology: official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology. https://ift.tt/sNObMzDlT. Published August 2010. Accessed January 26, 2022.
A fad or here to stay? What’s the verdict on cannabidiol (CBD) for pets? When anxiety and stress symptoms are common in your beloved pet, and no conventional treatment seems to work, CBD can provide a good amount of relief, many pet owners say. Likewise for a variety of animal maladies, like arthritis pain and seizures [1] [2], some studies have indicated.
Popular and Growing
Available in a myriad of forms, including capsules, oils, tinctures, treats, mixing powders, shampoos and topical lotions, the natural remedies are immensely popular. Indeed, the pet CBD category expanded by 946 percent in 2019 and is projected to grow to a $1.1 billion market by the end of 2026, noted a report compiled by The Brightfield Group, a cannabis market research company. [3]
The passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, which loosened federal legal limits on CBD products, proved to be a boon for pet CBD products as well. Celebrities have jumped on the provider bandwagon with names like Martha Stewart, Boxer Mike Tyson and Cesar Millan — star of the TV reality show “The Dog Whisperer” — launching pet CBD brands as business projects.
According to a WoofWhiskers survey reported by PetFoodIndustry.com, in 2019, 86% of dog owners surveyed stated they saw positive health benefits from using CBD oil products, though some did report negative side effects, such as drowsiness, dry mouth, and other side effects. Among the reasons cited for giving CBD oil to pets was anxiety and stress — said 46% of those surveyed — followed by pain at 25%, then seizures at 7%, digestive at 4% and other issues at 18%. Over half of respondents, 57%, admitted using CBD oil for themselves. [4]
Critics, however, note that more peer-reviewed research on CBD for dogs needs to be undertaken before the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) can approve their use for the furry animals, meaning veterinarians aren’t allowed to recommend the hemp product, as yet.
Recommendations:
1) If you’re going to treat your pet’s ailment with CBD, make sure the product is designed for animals — CBD made for humans may have certain ingredients that are unfit for dogs and other animals. THC in the product, in particular, is known to make animals sick.
2) Find out whether the CBD company can provide testing results that prove the CBD animal product has the ingredients and potency claimed on the bottle or box label — some products misrepresent what is actually in them.
3) Recommendations on dosages, vary. Linked to an animal’s weight and age, it’s best to start low and slow, while monitoring how your pet is reacting to the hemp derivative.
Resources:
1 – Kogan, Lori & Hellyer, Peter & Downing, Robin. The Use of Cannabidiol-Rich Hemp Oil Extract to Treat Canine Osteoarthritis-Related Pain: A Pilot Study. AHVMA Journal. 2020. 58(4): 35-45.
2 – Stephanie McGrath et al. Randomized blinded controlled clinical trial to assess the effect of oral cannabidiol administration in addition to conventional antiepileptic treatment on seizure frequency in dogs with intractable idiopathic epilepsy. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2019 Jun 1; 254 (11): 1301-1308.
January 20, 2022… A day to remember in Science Advances, researchers found CBD had a “significant negative association” with positive COVID tests. This looked at patients’ medical records (HIPAA compliant) who took an FDA-approved drug for treating epilepsy.
It seemed that the CBD part of this drug actually slowed down the replication of COVID in people who took this drug.
What Did The Researchers Really Find?
First, most news outlets exaggerated the claims and didn’t tell you the whole story. So, let us translate the complicated medical jargon for people who want the truth.
This study looked only at two chemical vendors and two commercial vendors, all with CBD purities of at least 97% and congeneric cannabinoids not above 1.0%. That means it’s practically pure CBD and not the mix of CBD, THC, or other vitamins, minerals, flavorings, or fats.
The researchers tested CBD, THC, cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), cannabidivarin (CBDV), cannabichromene (CBC), or cannabigerol (CBG). They found ONLY CBD affected the replication. But, what surprised researchers more is that other cannabinoids inhibited CBD and rendered the mix nearly useless. That means anything mixed with the CBD, even a carrier oil, renders it useless for COVID.
So, now that you know you need super high purity, at 99% or greater. How did it work?
CBD could block the virus entry to host cells (your lung tissue) and/or from replicating within the cells. It’s suspected that CBD blocks a number of the pathways the virus takes to infect host cells and replicate. It also helps reduce the inflammation and risk of concurrent infections. Currently, they need more tests to show what the exact mechanism is.
Somehow, CBD acted like a thick mud for the virus, slowing it up long enough for the immune system to destroy it.
How You Can Use CBD To Help Keep Healthy
You really do need 99% purity or above. One problem the researchers found was that nearly all the samples of commercial CBD fell far short of pure. They ranged from less than 0.30% CBD to barely over 50%. The research showed that anything less than 99% purity did not produce protective effects.
THC countered every positive benefit of CBD and possibly allowed COVID to replicate faster. This still needs to be tested more to see if it was an outlier or replicable. Other cannabinoids reduced the effect of the CBD.
Only oral administration produced the appropriate effects. Vaping did not produce the needed CBD purity, and concern for lung damage prohibited testing.
So, you need to find a supply of CBD that provides quality and purity. You have the right to ask for the MSDS and purity analysis.
Good quality CBD will provide benefits to you that can greatly improve your health. This is just one of the many ways CBD can improve your life.
Cannabinoids can offer a wealth of therapeutic properties that are multi-faceted in how they help improve quality-of-life [1]. One cannabinoid in particular – CBG’s precursor, CBGA or cannabigerol acid – is the building block for all commonly known cannabinoids. CBC, CBG, and most-often CBD and THC all owe their legendary statuses specifically to CBGA.
What is CBGA and how does it work?
Cannabis plants that are still somewhat early in their flower development contain the largest amount of CBGA at any time during their growing cycle. This acidic form is converted into the aforementioned cannabinoids later on during the same growing cycle – typically leaving less than about 1% of CBGA and its subsequent carboxylated form, CBG to remain. This shift from CBGA to other cannabinoids is a genetic response within the plant to begin maturing its buds oily and rich with resin, and almost done the full grow cycle.
Like THCA and THC or CBDA and CBD, CBGA is converted to its more well-known form of CBG once it is decarboxylated. The decarboxylation process – whether from a flame, vaporizer, or other heating source – converts the carboxyl group within the genetic structure of CBGA into CBG. This makes it therefore no longer an acid, but a bioavailable cannabinoid within the human body that attaches to the CB1 receptors in the brain and CB2 receptors that control immune responses. The medicinal effects that CBG can have in this form are especially unique in that they are found to provide relief from a wealth of ailments, while producing no psychoactive effects as with THC and its high levels of Delta-9.
That’s not to say CBGA can’t also be utilized by the human body in its acidic form. CBGA is still a cannabinoid and therefore compatible with our body’s own internal cannabinoid system. Studies have shown that CBGA offers a trove of analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective effects within the human body – just like so many other cannabinoids [1].
What is the status of CBGA in the marketplace?
More and more demand is in the marketplace for these unique cannabinoids – cultivators have tried to meet it the best they can. Cultivars carefully-bred for high CBGA (and CBG) content have become more common and affordable as of late. Like with so many other cannabinoids, continuing research is uncovering more beneficial qualities of CBGA that get shared with the public-at-large so that we can all potentially benefit from their extraordinary properties.
Reference
[1] di Giacomo V, Chiavaroli A, Recinella L, et al.Antioxidant and Neuroprotective Effects Induced by Cannabidiol and Cannabigerol in Rat CTX-TNA2 Astrocytes and Isolated Cortexes. International journal of molecular sciences. 2020;21(10):3575. Published 2020 May 18. doi:10.3390/ijms21103575 [journal impact factor = 5.923; times cited = 25]
The Sisters of the Valley aren’t Catholic nuns. But they do live and pray together, taking vows of service to others and the earth. Their mission? Empowering people to heal themselves. With hemp.
Inspired by the Beguines, semi-monastic communities that thrived in Europe during the Middle Ages, the Sisters live simply while helping and healing others.
In the 21st Century, this manifests as making cannabidiol (CBD) tinctures, infused oil and salves —grown and bottled according to the cycles of the moon.
After some regulatory uncertainty led to an abundance of hemp seed from their farm in California, the Sisters announced Jan. 25 that they plan to give away 1,000 seed packets to customers. At the end of the month they’ll mail a thank you card and a packet of a CBD-rich strain of seeds to each of the last thousand customers who purchased from them.
They hope people will plant them.
“Worried about COVID, economic collapse, global warming, supply chain issues, uncompassionate governments? So are we!” said Sister Kate. “Learn to grow your own food and medicine. It’s healing in itself just to be doing something.”
“Worried about COVID, economic collapse, global warming, supply chain issues, uncompassionate governments? So are we!. Learn to grow your own food and medicine. It’s healing in itself just to be doing something.”
— Sister Kate
The seeds were taken from plants originally intended for harvest and processing.
“For a brief moment in time—2018 to 2019—they made it illegal to grow on anything less than 20 acres,” Sister Kate told High Times.
For the Sisters and their one-acre farm, a “big crop" was an eighth of an acre. Nowhere near enough to dream of expanding to 20. Sister Kate let the males go to seed, thinking they’d need to be pulled. Then the 20-acre-law was dropped.
The sisters ended up with a new proprietary strain of seed: the Wee Bairn. It’s the descendant of Big Bertha and other high-CBD strains. The seeds aren’t available for sale, although the Sisters have given them away with large purchases in the past.
“Now we have so many [seeds], and with COVID causing a scare on some people, we thought it was a good idea—just to get the seeds out of the house and to say thank you to our customers.”
“Now we have so many [seeds], and with COVID causing a scare on some people, we thought it was a good idea—just to get the seeds out of the house and to say thank you to our customers.”
— Sister Kate
The seeds are likely to produce plants with varying CBD to THC ratios.
“We are always seeking the 10:1 or 12:1 ratio of CBD to THC as that is best for our products,” Sister Kate told High Times. “But neurologists and people dealing with illness prefer the 1:1 ratio.”
International customers worried about customs or other potential hang ups needn’t fret.
“We aren’t shipping internationally,” said Sister Sophia, “because, firstly, there won’t be a lot of them since our international sales have fallen from 20 percent to 3 percent during Covid. And secondly, we don’t want to get anyone in trouble. We will reach out to those international customers and see if they want us to mail them, before we do.”
Processing and shipping the gifts will start Feb. 1, the mid-way point between the long nights of winter solstice in December and the vernal equinox in March. They expect to ship 500 packets in February and another 500 in March.
There’s no minimum purchase to qualify for the gift. According to the Sisters, even those who buy a $10 tin of salve at the tail end of January will get their packet of seeds in time for spring planting.
With a focus on customer service and quality products, SanDayv uses the most modern scientific techniques to develop a premium holistic and wellness approach to CBD development. While primarily focused on Hemp Based healing services, they also provide wholesale and retail services to ensure that their products have the highest quality in every stage of production, including growing, producing, and packaging.
Services: Growing, extracting, manufacturing, packaging and shipping all materials to provide farm to table CBD products.
Isolates or Full Spectrum: Full Spectrum
Pet Products: No
The Good: With more than 25 years in the health and wellness industry their focus on holistic healing CBD leads to top quality products. Their huge selection of Hemp derived CBDs are grown and produced themselves guaranteeing quality pain management and stress relief in any form. And with a customer service driven focus they ensure that your shopping experience will also be completely painless.
The Bad: Their online presence is pretty minimal. It may be difficult to contact them in any other way except through their website.
The Bottom Line: For people who are looking for holistic alternatives based in Indian and Eastern herbal remedies, SanDayv is the best out there. Their experience, quality, and customer driven approach means that they provide unique products designed to promote physical, mental and spiritual well being.
Who They Are: With a focus on Indian and Eastern rituals, the founders have studied Ayurvedic herbal remedies to focus on developing the mind, body and spirit. The name, SanDayv, derives from the words “Sanaiya,” or ray of sunshine and “Dayvah,” meaning divine blessing. With over 25 years of experience in the health and wellness field their Fresno based CBD products are specifically designed to boost stress relief and promote blossoming health through holistic healing.
The Products They Have:
CBD Flowers:SanDayv’s ACDC Best Hemp Flower has been called the “holy grail” of cannabis strains for it’s high CBD content and Indica dominant blissful effect. All flowers are grown in California and are 100% free of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and chemical fertilizer to ensure healthy consumption. Available in packages of: 3.5g, 7g, 14g, 28g, 56g, ½ lb., 1lb, and 5lbs. Available flowers:
AC/DC Premium Hemp Flower
Super Sour Candy Greenhouse Premium Hemp Flower
Hawaiian Haze Greenhouse Premium Hemp Flower
Tinctures: Relief is just a few drops away with SunDayv’s CBD tincture blends. Developed not only with hemp but with other Ayurvedic herbs to maximize the holistic healing approach. Available in the following blends depending on your needs:
Premium CBD immunity Tincture with B12 and Organic Turmeric
Restful CBD Sleep Support Tincture with Chamomile and Melatonin
Gummies: For a delicious treat with special benefits try SunDayv’s CBD infused fruit gummies. All gummies are fully vegan and are designed to provide maximum health benefits along with delicious flavors. They come in two different options:
Premium CBD Vegan Fruit Gummies with Ashwagandha
Premium CBD Vegan Fruit Gummies with Organic Probiotics
Premium CBD Infused Dried Fruit Mango Chunks: The refreshing cure for a bad day. SanDayv’s CBD Infused Mango Chunks are sure to put a smile on your face. With luscious flavor and natural cannabidiol CBD Infused Mango Chunks are the perfect guilt-free snacks. The mangos also include:
Potassium
Vitamin A
Calcium
Iron
Balms and Massage Oils: For deep and fast relief for sprains, sore muscles, or joint pain Balms and massage oils offer a simple way to provide topical relief. With infused CBD and a mix of herbal ingredients the Balms and massage oils can help soothe and relieve pain or provide comfortable relaxation. Available in:
In recent years, CBD has become synonymous with natural health and wellness. Remedy+ goes a step further to create tailor-made health and wellness products with cannabinoid rich CBD, proven therapeutic terpene blends, and natural ingredients.
Unlike so many companies in both the cannabis and wellness spaces, Remedy+ goes out of its way for transparency. The ingredients in their products are clearly listed, and they provide lab-verified COAs for all of their products, complete with terpene profiles and safety testing.
While they don’t offer the typical range of products you see from a CBD company, Remedy+ does offer an array of quality options more commonly seen from a health company. That’s because, at their core, that’s exactly who they are. When it comes to CBD products, specifically designed for optimal performance, Remedy+ is hard to overlook.
Product Selection: Tinctures, Energy Shots, Topical Ointment, Capsules, Protein Bars
Isolates or Full Spectrum: Broad Spectrum
Pet Products: No
The Good: Premium quality natural ingredients and a focus on health and performance.
The Bad: Limited product range. Vegan options would be nice too.
The Bottom Line:
If you’re looking for premium quality health and wellness products based around CBD, Remedy+ is a fantastic option. They don’t offer many of the standard CBD products, like flower or gummies, but that’s not the core of who they are. They’re focused on performance for active people and those looking for optimal health, and that’s what they excel at. That said, more options in flavors would be nice, and it’s almost odd that, in the natural wellness space, there are no vegan options, except for (possibly) the DROP. Still, Remedy+ is a top-tier performance CBD brand.
Who They Are:
Remedy+ is a CBD company with a focus on people with active lifestyles, whether that’s in an athletic sense or simply people that want to remain at their absolute peak. They designed their products to utilize the body’s endocannabinoid system to increase focus, maintain clarity, and fuel performance.
Remedy+ began when co-founder Chris Peck started looking for natural solutions to his own aches, pains, and injuries and a way to get back to the sports and activities he was passionate about. His search eventually led him to CBD, and he partnered with Tom Kurz to create a CBD product using the information that he learned through his own search for better health.
Each of the products offered by Remedy+ is independently lab tested to ensure that it’s as high quality as possible. The lab certifications are all readily available on the Remedy+ website, and each test includes information on cannabinoids as well as terpenes and safety testing for contaminants.
Remedy+ is clear in its mission for health, performance, and quality.
What Products They Have:
Remedy+ designed their products for people with active lifestyles and the way they like to refuel. Whether you’re looking for an on-the-go stack, a quick boost of energy, or you’re winding down and need some localized relief for soreness, Remedy+ has you covered. Remedy+ offers products more like a health and fitness company, making them somewhat unique in the cannabis world.
The DROP
The DROP is a high quality CBD tincture based on coconut-derived MCT oil and a blend of essential oils. Remedy+ also includes a proprietary terpene mixture for maximum benefit. The DROP is designed to give you a higher concentration of CBD as a focus-boosting jump-start for your day.
The SHOT
What if there was a top-quality energy shot that also contained broad spectrum CBD? That’s where the SHOT comes in. Remedy+ offers a case of twelve energy shots, each containing the usual energy boosting components that you’d find in typical energy shots. Of course, these energy shots contain natural hemp extract for an added sense of clarity and calm.
The RUB
Any active person over the age of twenty knows that with an active lifestyle comes the occasional ache or pain. Well, Remedy+ has an answer for that too. The RUB is a topical ointment infused with a high concentration of CBD for optimal absorption and pain relief. The RUB is formulated from natural ingredients like sunflower oil, beeswax, and cocoa butter to not only provide relief but moisturize and heal your skin as well.
The CAP
Recovery is vital for an active lifestyle. The CAP is formulated to help you bounce back from both intense physical activity and stress. Remedy+ includes doses of CBD and curcumin in the CAP, both of which have proven anti-inflammatory properties. While the RUB is great for topical relief, the CAP is an internal solution for helping your joints recover.
The BAR
The BAR isn’t a CBD product. It’s a protein bar but with hemp protein. Hemp is an excellent plant-based source of protein that contains vital nutrients and amino acids. The BAR contains chocolate and oats as well as raisins, cranberry and acai. It’s packed with natural protein and antioxidants to fuel your day.
Diesel Hemp is all about quality, and it shows. While they don’t offer the widest range of hemp products, it’s clear that for the products they do offer, quality is their number one priority. Diesel Hemp not only owns and controls every step of their production process, they have all of their products independently tested and verified. Unlike plenty of other hemp companies, Diesel Hemp pays close attention to terpene profiles, both for the odor and experience of using the product and the therapeutic properties of each terpene. The overall attention to detail shows that Delta Hemp is passionate about putting out the best possible cannabis products.
The Good: Super high-quality lab verified CBD products.
The Bad: Quite a few products were out of stock at the time of this review
The Bottom Line:
If you’re looking for some of the best quality CBD on the market with a focus on some fantastic terpene profiles, look no further. You won’t find the same range or products with Diesel Hemp as you may with other hemp companies, but what they offer is near-unbeatable. If you’re looking for CBD flower or a more DIY approach to your CBD with a concentrate, look no further.
Who they are:
Diesel Hemp is a boutique CBD company out of Colorado with a focus on high-quality unique hemp cultivars. Diesel Hemp’s founders, Marc and Natalie have a collective thirty years of experience in the cannabis space, and they leverage that experience to create a quality product.
Delta Hemp owns 100% of their production line. They grow, cure, and package all their own hemp products. This assures that they have complete control over quality. It’s especially evident in the fact that their leading product is a proprietary cultivar, Abacus Diesel, which they developed themselves. Not only that, built their entire brand around that very cultivar.
Quality assurance testing is vital for cannabis products, and Diesel Hemp goes out of their way to ensure that all of their products are independently tested and certified for quality and safety. In addition to testing for levels of different cannabinoids and terpenes, Diesel Hemp tests for heavy metals, microbes, and molds to ensure that their products are contaminant free.
What products they have:
Diesel Hemp doesn’t have the widest range or products. Their line is primarily focused around hemp flower and concentrates, with corresponding delta-8 options. Their flagship cultivar, Abacus Diesel, is at the core of many of their products, but there are several other excellent cultivars to add some more variety, both in terpene profile and the associated effects.
CBD Flower
High quality hemp flower is front and center of Diesel Hemp’s business. They offer a range of cultivars, with their flagship at the center. Most cultivars are available in 1g, 3.5g, or 1 ounce packages. As with all of Diesel Hemp’s products, an COA from an independent lab is available for each cultivar.
Diesel Hemp offers a few of their most popular cultivars in pre-rolls. Pre-rolls from Diesel Hemp are rolled using Raw cones and are packed in glass vials. Most pre-rolled products are available either individually in 1g king-size cones or in packs of five 1/2g rolls.
Diesel Hemp’s Pre Roll offerings:
Abacus Diesel
Cherry Abacus
Spec 7
Mango Abacus
Spec Diesel
CBD Concentrates
Diesel Hemp produces CBD concentrates from its top cultivars in the form of CBD crumbles and shatters, so there’s sure to be something for every CBD enthusiast. They use a terpene-rich blend, extracted from their own cultivars. All CBD concentrates are lab tested for safety and purity.
The full list of CBD concentrates:
Abacus Diesel (crumble)
Cherry Abacus (crumble)
Spec 7 (crumble)
Spec 7 (shatter)
Lemon Abacus (shatter)
Delta 8
In addition to their CBD products, Diesel Hemp boasts delta-8 versions of many of their top products, including both flower and concentrates. Diesel Hemp also offers delta-8 gummies and a vape cartridge. Like their standard CBD products, Diesel Hemp has their delta-8 offerings independently lab tested for purity and safety.
Here are the delta-8 products available from Diesel Hemp:
Abacus Diesel Flower
Blue Genius Flower
Grape Abacus Flower
Spec Diesel Flower
Abacus Diesel Concentrate (crumble)
Lemon Diesel Concentrate (crumble)
Abacus Diesel Gummies
Spec 7 Vape Cart
Bonus: Diesel Hemp is ready to chat and take your orders!
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has partnered with Cornell University to offer a webinar series for people in — or who wish to join — the hemp industry.
Topics include:
indoor and outdoor cultivation
processing
the economics of hemp farming
the chemistry behind extraction
the endocannabinoid system
hemp genetics
hemp food science
Each lecture is given by an expert in the field. The first lecture, held January 26, covered outdoor cultivation with Jeff Kostuik, director of Hemp Genetics International.
You can catch this and any other missed recordings on the Cornell SIPS YouTube Channel. But attending live offers audience members a chance to connect with leaders in the hemp research community.
This was one of the main reasons for organizing the online classes, according to a press release from the USDA.
Through the sessions, the agency hopes to educate people who are interested in starting a hemp-related business or deepen training for those already in the industry. But they also hope to foster connections — especially between industry experts and people from underserved communities.
Zachary Stansell, a geneticist and acting “hemp curator” at the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS), said it’s the ARS’s job to solve agricultural challenges with broad impacts across the country. Ensuring inclusivity in hemp production falls within his purview.
“Hemp is rapidly emerging as a critical multi-use and economically significant crop, Stansell said, “so this hemp seminar series is designed to increase the diversity, equity, and inclusivity of ARS’ mission while providing hemp-specific education, training, and networking opportunities to historically underserved communities.”
“Training and educating new scientists from many different backgrounds is critical in order to achieve the most cutting-edge solutions to an array of issues producers face — from climate change to economic viability.”
— Cornell University Crop Specialist Daniela Vergara, who will lecture April 20
In developing a more welcoming and inclusive environment the research team also hopes to attract diverse voices to industry-wide conversations.
“Training and educating new scientists from many different backgrounds is critical in order to achieve the most cutting-edge solutions to an array of issues producers face — from climate change to economic viability,“ said Cornell University Crop Specialist Daniela Vergara, who will lecture April 20 as part of the series.
Series Details
Lectures will be given by various hemp research experts from the hemp industry, research labs and academia. (In keeping with the program’s mission, it’s not just old white dudes at the podium.) The webinars are scheduled for every other Wednesday from 2 pm – 3 pm EST and include an interactive Q&A session.
Jan. 26th - Outdoor Cultivation with Jeff Kostuik, director of Hemp Genetics International
Feb. 9 - Indoor Cultivation with Dr. Bruce Bugbee, professor of environmental plant physiology
Feb. 23 - Hemp Processing Systems with Dr. Heather Grab, senior lecturer at Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
March 9 - Extraction Chemistry/Facility Design with Alisia Ratliff, chemist and cannabis industry executive
March 23 - The Endocannabinoid System with Ethan Russo, neurologist and psychopharmacology researcher
April 6 - Hemp Food Science with Hunter Friedland, founder of cannabinoid-ingredient-maker Cirona Labs.
April 20 - Hemp Diversity/Genetics with Dr. Daniela Vergara, Cornell University crop specialist
May 4 - Economics of Hemp Production with Dr. Tyler Mark, assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at the University of Kentucky
The Rohrbacher-Farr Amendment, first introduced in 2001, wasn’t passed by the U.S. House of Representatives until 2014. As explained by Law Insider, Rohrabacher-Farr:
“prohibits the expenditure of any funds appropriated to the Department of Justice that would prevent States from implementing their own State laws that authorize the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of medical marijuana. Which really just means that in states where medical marijuana has been legalized, the DOJ cannot spend any money to prosecute a medicinal cannabis entity that is compliant with state law.”
Law Insider explains more: “This federal policy was reinforced by the passage of a 2015 federal budget bill amendment (passed in 2014) known as the Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment that prohibits the use of federal funds to interfere in the implementation of state medical cannabis laws.”
Rohrabacher-Farr is clear- the federal government should not be involved in state-legal medical cannabis investigations/prosecutions, so why are they? Currently happening in Maine, the case of Lucas Sirois, is one that the cannabis industry and community should be following because, though in Maine, we must all be concerned.
Insight into Lucas Sirois, Former Maine Cannabis Caregiver
Photo of Lucas Sirois
Attention to Lucas and his case came to me by way of a LinkedIn post from Brett Puffenbarger, that reads:
“Let me tell you about a travesty currently impacting the entire #cannabisindustry…
That has essentially gone unnoticed… or worse, the mainstream media and government’s narrative about it has been accepted by us without question.
From my POV, it’s a travesty on two levels…
The first is the deafening silence by us as an industry about the blatant and willful federal government overreach into a state-legal #cannabis program. (Something we’ve fought and dealt with as a community for years)
The second is the borderline journalistic malpractice of the established cannabis media, which doesn’t look beyond the headlines manufactured by mainstream news to cover the case.
The case I’m referring to is the current set of charges against a Maine man named Lucas Sirois. A legal caregiver in the state who has been painted as a drug kingpin by federal prosecutors and the local news.
The case is complex and reads a bit like a movie script, but like most things in cannabis, the situation isn’t exactly what it appears.
According to prosecutors, Luke was the ringleader of a legal caregiver network that was trafficking their products over state lines and into alternative markets.
Luke is currently facing the following charges:
Conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to commit money laundering, two counts of conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, two counts of bank fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States and impede and impair the Internal Revenue Service and tax evasion.
The only problem?
He wasn’t actually involved.
And even if he was, the Federal Government has no right to investigate him.
And particularly no right to investigate him with the level of vigor they did.
You see, the key piece to this case could impact every. Single. Legal. Operator.
I’m no legal scholar, but the simple version of this scenario playing out is that should Luke lose, every compliance issue for every cannabis company would effectively become a federal crime.
It would set a case precedent that nullifies or edits the Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment. It could also destroy the last vestiges of the Cole Memo (two of the things keeping the industry and state legal systems afloat).
Should Luke win, it would be case precedent that prevents the raids and investigations we all thought had gone by the wayside after the wave of similar situations that happened in the early days of the California market.
I’ll post a few of the ludicrous MSM articles, as well as the few that actually cover the case properly in the comments below.
What does everyone think?
Is this case worth looking into by the cannabis media?
Is anyone else amazed and enraged this man has been hung out to dry by both the federal government and our own industry/community?
If you’re a cannabis journalist/writer/editor, consider this my open call for you to look into this.”
So here I am, and I wanted to dig into Rohrabacher-Farr, learn about Lucas’s charges, and learn why the cannabis industry as a whole needs to do like the Bluntness says: “pay careful attention to a chilling effect on the cannabis industry.”
This case stems from “weed trafficking“, says Eric Postow, one of the attorney’s on Lucas’s legal team (Lucas’s legal team consists of Eric Postow, Tim Parlatore, and Mark Dion with Parlatore Law Group; Mark helped write the Maine medical marijuana laws as a former state senator.) Eric goes on to say:
“Luke operated as a licensed caregiver in the state of Maine. He was legally permitted to cultivate and distribute medicinal marijuana to patients, dispensaries, and other caregivers. He complied with state law in doing that.”
Lucas, also known as Luke, was charged with several conspiracy charges to which he has pleaded not guilty. The charges are:
Conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance
Conspiracy to commit money laundering
Conspiracy to commit honest services fraud
Two counts of bank fraud
Conspiracy to defraud the United States and impede and impair the Internal Revenue Services
The case involves 11 defendants who all pleaded not guilty. The investigation includes the implementation of FBI wiretap- on a state-level case, and the investigation seems to include product theft issues, a human resources issue, maybe even a state police issue. Still, I don’t believe it’s a federal crime issue.
Luke is accused of: “spearheading the illicit sale of more than $13 million in cannabis over a period of six years.” as reported by The Bluntness. They go on to report that: “The not guilty plea comes 16 months after the feds initially disrupted Sirois’s Farmington-based operation and took property, cash, computers, vehicles – even Sirois’s right to use medical cannabis, while he has to wait and see how his fate will play out.”
A Chat with Lucas Sirois’s Legal Team Regarding Rohrabacher-Farr
With the help of fellow cannabis writer Jessica Riley, the following information was gathered from Lukes legal team regarding Rohrabacher-Farr and the federal government’s involvement in state medical cannabis:
It appears that Luke has been painted as a Drug Kingpin by the federal prosecutors; what is the definition of a Drug Kingpin by the mouth of the law?
“There’s no legal definition of ‘kingpin,’ but really the issue here is the federal government is attempting to interpret state law. That’s why the state set up these programs- it should be up to the state to manage its medicinal cannabis program and tell people what their laws and regulations actually mean, not the other way around with the DOJ telling the state what their laws mean. Under Rohrabacher, before the DOJ can even begin prosecuting a state-sanctioned medicinal cannabis business, they have to show that the business is out of compliance with state law. In this case, we believe the evidence we have seen points in the opposite direction, with more evidence being exculpatory and demonstrating that Luke was indeed compliant. The entire notion that Luke was involved in a major conspiracy is flat-out wrong. If that’s true, then the prosecution should be enjoined from spending any further funds on the case against Luke, and it should come to an end. We are currently working on a motion to do that.
All he was was a licensed business operator with a legal cannabis business. The difference is in who’s calling who what. Ask Maine- legal caregiver, ask the federal government he’s the drug kingpin.”
Is there any legal reason that the federal government is involved in this investigation when this is a state case- especially with Rohrbacher-Farr in place?
“That’s the big question. Where we are in public opinion- 68% of Americans are in favor of legal cannabis (PEW). Competing pieces of legislation in Capitol Hill from Democrats and Republicans show the DOJ is out of step with where we are at this point in history in the prohibition of cannabis. It’s just a matter of time before we have descheduling or comprehensive legalization.”
Though this is Maine, should cannabis businesses everywhere in the U.S be concerned with this case? If so, why?
“Absolutely, if you are a cannabis business, Rohrbacher-Farronly protects medicinal cannabis, not recreational adult use. Honestly, it could be argued that all the DOJ needs to do is find anyone within the licensed operators’ network that has potentially done something illegal, for example, someone sells cannabis over state lines and then draw a conspiracy line to the licensed operator and they can go around Rohrbacher-Farr. Anyone looking at this from a legal perspective needs to understand that Rohrbacher-Farr doesn’t just apply later in the game when the DOJ has already kicked in the doors, and the operators are sitting in handcuffs or awaiting trial; it applies at all times. Frankly, the cannabis industry and those who support the industry need to hold the DOJ accountable to Rohrbacher-Farr.”
Where can cannabis businesses learn more about Rohrbacher-Farr, and how can they help enforce it?
“Rohrbacher-Farr comes into effect when the DOJ is expending funds to investigate or prosecute a medicinal marijuana patient, doctor, or business. Attorneys who are working on these types of cases and representing one of the protected classes need to be paying attention to if the DOJ is getting involved (spending money on investigation) if they’re doing their due diligence on Rohrbacher-Farr, and that they can show out of compliance BEFORE spending another dollar on the case, if they can’t, they need to back off. The DOJ should not be allowed to operate in the shadows when dealing with a legal medicinal cannabis entity. Transparency is the best way to ensure they do not violate the rights of those they are investigating as it relates to Rohrabacher.
If they can’t show non-compliance before spending money, they shouldn’t move forward with it. The government should be held to a higher standard.”
Are there any other cases like Luke’s in the U.S that you are aware of? Be it past/present, and can you lead us to those? Where can we read more about those?
“The most famous case on Rohrbacher-Farr is the McIntosh case, which dealt a blow to the DOJ interpretation of the law. It held that compliant medicinal cannabis businesses were protected under Rohrabacher and, therefore, shouldn’t be prosecuted once their compliance was established.
Precedent allows for an evidentiary hearing to establish whether or not there was compliance. In motion, what should happen is an evidentiary hearing, and they show how Luke was compliant. If successful, everything stops.
It’s important that as we observe this case, we think about where we are as an industry, and we have to understand that we have power. $30B nationwide and only going up. States and even the federal government are receiving tax dollars from the sale of legal cannabis. This industry won’t just sit back and say destroy our names and our businesses. The industry has to be unified and stand with businesses who claim that they were compliant with state law but are still the targets of the DOJ. The real sad part here is how far the harm of this investigation has gone. People from other industries supported Luke’s business, from plumbers and electricians to carpenters and the like- his business and many like it act as an economic development program for a rural poor state that needed it. These folks lost money and jobs, and many are rightfully outraged.”
In Closing
It seems that the federal government wants states to figure out their cannabis programs but also wants to regulate those. It seems that Rohrbacher-Farr is clear: “Division B, section 537 provides that the Department of Justice may not use any funds to prevent implementation of medical marijuana laws by various States and territories.”
So why are they?
I’m not an attorney, and I don’t specialize in cannabis law, so for any questions regarding cannabis laws, be it state and or federal, please consult an attorney/ legal professional in the cannabis space. This article is intended to bring attention to Rohrbacher-Farr and Lucas’s case as it relates to Rohrbacher-Farr, and should not be used as a legal advice document.
