The African continent, we are often told, has great resources and economic potential, but is held back by lack of development and infrastructure. It’s certainly a sign of the times that we’re now hearing this line not only from the oil and mineral cartels, but the cannabis industry. This familiar refrain is the central contention of The African Cannabis Report, newly released by UK-based international cannabis industry consultancy Prohibition Partners. As we’ve previously noted, the think-tank’s name is an ironic one; the company is dedicated to monitoring and encouraging the growth of the cannabis sector as it ascends in the emerging post-prohibition world. Daragh Anglim writes in the introduction that Africa, blessed with favorable climatic conditions, is already estimated to produce at least 38,000 metric tons of cannabis per year, almost all of it for the illicit market. Marijuana remains illegal in most African countries, but economic factors are nonetheless propelling the illicit sector: “High unemployment rates and a global decline in demand for tobacco crops has hit these economies hard,” he observes. “However, the region has a wealth of experience in cannabis cultivation; despite its illegality, many agricultural workers have turned to cannabis farming as the only way to earn enough money to provide for the basic needs of their families.” Anglim weighs the prospects for transition to a legal cannabis sector: “With affordable land, low-cost labor and an experienced agricultural workforce, Africa offers enormous opportunity to local start-ups and foreign companies looking to expand.” But this is followed by caveats about lack of development. For instance, an “inadequate healthcare system means that even if medicinal cannabis were to be legalized across the continent, access to products could be significantly thwarted without the support of the NGOs, charities and other donors…” // (function($){ function bsaProResize() { var sid = "12"; var object = $(".bsaProContainer-" + sid + " .bsaProItemInner__img"); var animateThumb = $(".bsaProContainer-" + sid + " .bsaProAnimateThumb"); var innerThumb = $(".bsaProContainer-" + sid + " .bsaProItemInner__thumb"); var parentWidth = "772"; var parentHeight = "105"; var objectWidth = object.width(); if ( objectWidth < parentWidth ) { var scale = objectWidth / parentWidth; if ( objectWidth > 0 && objectWidth != 100 && scale > 0 ) { animateThumb.height(parentHeight * scale); innerThumb.height(parentHeight * scale); object.height(parentHeight * scale); } else { animateThumb.height(parentHeight); innerThumb.height(parentHeight); object.height(parentHeight); } } else { animateThumb.height(parentHeight); innerThumb.height(parentHeight); object.height(parentHeight); } } $(document).ready(function(){ bsaProResize(); $(window).resize(function(){ bsaProResize(); }); }); })(jQuery); // // (function ($) { var bsaProContainer = $('.bsaProContainer-12'); var number_show_ads = "0"; var number_hide_ads = "0"; if ( number_show_ads > 0 ) { setTimeout(function () { bsaProContainer.fadeIn(); }, number_show_ads * 1000); } if ( number_hide_ads > 0 ) { setTimeout(function () { bsaProContainer.fadeOut(); }, number_hide_ads * 1000); } })(jQuery); // Indigenous Traditions, Harsh ProhibitionsThe report notes that cannabis is deeply rooted in the African continent, with widespread use in folk medicine since it was introduced from South Asia in the 1500s. Africa remains a central hub for cannabis trafficking, with Ghana, Nigeria and Eswatini (until recently known as Swaziland) the most notable transfer points. South Africa is identified as a key market, but most of the cannabis produced on the continent is for export. In Morocco, illicit cannabis is a $10 billion industry that employs 800,000 people. Yet since the 1920s, cannabis has been harshly prohibited across the continent. In some countries, including Nigeria and Kenya, penalties have been getting more draconian since the 1980s. It’s only very recently that cracks have emerged in the continent’s prohibitionist edifice.
The small and landlocked mountain kingdom of Lesotho is the first African nation to begin legal cultivation, and the country has been seeing an influx of foreign investment since taking this move last year. In Eswatini, also a small landlocked kingdom in the continent’s south, the Swazi House Assembly in 2017 appointed a committee to explore cannabis legalization. The report openly states that poverty could be the driving force of legalization, much as it propels the illicit sector: “A decline in demand for key cash crops, such as tobacco, is pushing the region’s governments to look for alternative income streams. Given that cannabis is grown illegally in large quantities across the African continent, full legislation and regulation could unlock the income potential for many African countries, particularly the leading tobacco growers, Zimbabwe and Malawi.” Yet, once again, “infrastructure and facilities are lacking,” so “implementing new production centers may prove costly and time-consuming.” The Three “Tiers” of LiberalizationThe report sees three tiers among African countries on their degree of cannabis liberalization. In Tier 1 are countries “leading the way”—countries that “show signs of moving forward with significant changes to the laws and policies on medical and/or recreational cannabis.” This tier includes Lesotho, its giant neighbor South Africa, which also embraced a partial legalization last year, and Zimbabwe, which legalized medical marijuana in 2018 . The South African Health Products Authority is overseeing limited cultivation and a Dagga Party has emerged to press for a more far-reaching legalization. The Durban-based craft beer company Poison City Brewing has launched South Africa’s first cannabis beer (although with no actual THC). Tier 2 countries are “poised to move”—those “likely to embark on liberalization within the short term.” Countries with “active campaigns to change the legal status of cannabis” include Malawi, Morocco, Ghana and Eswatini. There have been several petitions to Kenya’s parliament demanding legalization. Meanwhile, hundreds of hectares of cannabis in the Mount Kenya districts of Embu and Meru are bulldozed or set on fire annually. In Egypt, lawmakers are weighing a decriminalization measure. Tier 3 countries are those “not yet ready for change.” This presumably covers the remainder of the continent, though Zambia is mentioned as one country that’s displayed a glimmer of progress. In 2017, the Home Office actually did declare medical cannabis legal there, but the Health Ministry has openly stated that no licenses for use or cultivation would be issued. Another traditionally intolerant country where dissent to prohibition has only very recently started to emerge is Nigeria. This West African nation’s most prominent campaigner for legalization is Omoyele Sowore, presidential candidate for the African Action Congress and publisher of online news outlet Sahara Reporters. The Curious Case of South AfricaThe report’s historical background on South Africa may be more revealing than the authors intended. The indigenous Khoisan and Bantu peoples used cannabis before European settlers arrived on the Cape in 1652. Then, the Dutch East India Company tried to establish a cannabis monopoly, prohibiting cultivation by Cape settlers in 1680. Failure to eradicate indigenous cultivation, however, undercut profits, and the prohibition was lifted in 1700. Prohibition returned in 1891, when the British Cape Colony outlawed cannabis, followed in 1903 by the Orange Free State, one of the two principal Boer Republics. But in the other main Boer Republic, Transvaal, cannabis was cultivated and sold freely, as it was in the Natal Republic. This only began to change after British annexation of the Boer Republics, followed by South African independence in the early years of the 20th century. The 1920s saw a “moral panic” around use of cannabis, resulting in its total criminalization in 1928. Is there a sense of deja vu as the pendulum begins to swing back toward tolerance nearly a century later? Nathan Emery, founder and CEO of Zimbabwe-based Precision Cannabis Therapeutics, is quoted on the impending corporate scramble for South Africa and its neighbors: “The major cannabis companies like Canopy Growth are lobbying the [ruling] African National Congress (ANC) tightly. Supreme Cannabis has already partnered with the main monopoly player in Lesotho, MediGrow Lesotho, which is highly politically connected, and Canopy has secured a license without a production plan as well; all to gain a foothold into the South African market.” Although the report doesn’t spell it out explicitly, this may point to the return to a kind of cannabis mercantilism, with big foreign companies reaping the profits of the new sector. The report does note the need for “corporate social responsibility,” such as “providing much-needed infrastructure.” But this is a very different thing from local control, and if the record set by previous foreign industrial interests in Africa is any judge, only enough infrastructure investment will be made to assure continued profits. The Africa Cannabis report is available free of charge here. More International NewsReport Predicts $13 Billion Latin American Cannabis Market bu 2028 Vicente Fox’s Global Vision: Legalize All Drugs A Brief History of Marijuana in Mexico If you enjoyed this Freedom Leaf article, subscribe to the magazine here The post Cannabis in Africa: South Africa, Zimbabwe and Lesotho Leading the Way appeared first on Freedom Leaf. from https://www.freedomleaf.com/cannabis-report-africa/ Cannabis in Africa: South Africa, Zimbabwe and Lesotho Leading the Way is courtesy of Nick Adams' In America Blog from https://www.nickadamsinamerica.com/2019/04/05/cannabis-in-africa-south-africa-zimbabwe-and-lesotho-leading-the-way/
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According to a study published in the journal Digestive Diseases and Sciences, marijuana consumers with Crohn’s disease who are seeking hospitalization possess fewer disease-related complications compared to those who don’t use cannabis.For the study a team of investigators from the John H. Stroger Hospital in Chicago, the SUNY Downstate Medical Centre in New York City, and the Digestive Disease Institute in Cleveland assessed the relationship between cannabis use and the prevalence of Crohn’s disease-related complications and clinical outcomes in a nationwide cohort of hospitalized patients. According to a NORML news release, authors reported that patients with a history of cannabis use possessed fewer complications and experienced better clinical outcomes as compared to abstainers.
They concluded, “In summary, our study suggests that cannabis use may mitigate several of the well-described complications of Crohn’s disease among hospital inpatients and this could be due to an anti-inflammatory effect of cannabis and potential improvement in gastrointestinal mucosal healing.” A prior observational study “showed that cannabis use is associated with fewer incidences of Crohn’s disease hospitalizations, while a placebo-controlled trial reported that cannabis therapy was associated with greater rates of disease remission”, states NORML. The full text of the study, “Association between cannabis use and complications related to Crohn’s disease: A retrospective cohort study,” appears in Digestive Diseases and Sciences. The full abstract of the study can be found below: BACKGROUND:Crohn’s disease is an idiopathic inflammatory process that is occasionally associated with complications, which cause significant morbidity and mortality. The anti-inflammatory effect of cannabis in intestinal inflammation has been shown in several experimental models; it is unknown whether this correlates with fewer complications in Crohn’s disease patients. AIMS:To compare the prevalence of Crohn’s disease-related complications among cannabis users and non-users in patients admitted with a primary diagnosis of Crohn’s disease or a primary diagnosis of Crohn’s related complication and a secondary diagnosis of Crohn’s disease between 2012 and 2014. METHODS:We used data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project-National Inpatient Sample. Cannabis users (615) were compared directly after propensity score match to non-users, in aspects of various complications and clinical end-points. RESULTS:Among matched cohorts, Cannabis users were less likely to have the following: active fistulizing disease and intra-abdominal abscess (11.5% vs. 15.9%; aOR 0.68 [0.49 to 0.94], p = 0.025), blood product transfusion (5.0% vs. 8.0%; aOR 0.48 [0.30 to 0.79], p = 0.037), colectomy (3.7% vs. 7.5%; aOR 0.48 [0.29-0.80], p = 0.004), and parenteral nutrition requirement (3.4% vs. 6.7%, aOR 0.39 [0.23 to 0.68], p = 0.009). CONCLUSION:Cannabis use may mitigate several of the well-described complications of Crohn’s disease among hospital inpatients. These effects could possibly be through the effect of cannabis in the endocannabinoid system.
According to a 2013 study published in the journal Pharmacology and by the National Institute of Health, cannabis is effective in treating Chron’s disease. “In a prospective placebo-controlled study, it has been shown what has been largely anticipated from anecdotal reports, i.e. that cannabis produces significant clinical benefits in patients with Crohn’s disease. The mechanisms involved are not yet clear but most likely include peripheral actions on cannabinoid receptors 1 and 2, and may also include central actions.” This study, conducted by researchers at the Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology at the Medical University of Grazin Austria, can be found by clicking here. The post Marijuana Associated With Fewer Disease-Related Complications In Those With Crohn’s Disease, Finds Study appeared first on TheJointBlog. from https://thejointblog.com/marijuana-associated-with-fewer-disease-related-complications-in-those-with-crohns-disease-finds-study/ Marijuana Associated With Fewer Disease-Related Complications In Those With Crohn’s Disease, Finds Study was initially published on Nick Adams (Smoking) In America from https://www.nickadamsinamerica.com/2019/04/05/marijuana-associated-with-fewer-disease-related-complications-in-those-with-crohns-disease-finds-study/ Colorado Governor Jared Polis has signed into law legislation that allows those with autism spectrum disorder to become legal medical marijuana patients.“OK kids, that’s how we make a law,” Governor Polis said after signing House Bill 1028 into law. The measure was passed unanimously by both the House of Representatives and Senate (combined the vote was 96 to 0). Under the new law, autism spectrum disorder joins the following qualifying medical cannabis conditions:
As noted by High Times, a similar bill passed both the House and Senate last year, but was rejected by then-Governor John Hickenlooper,. “I haven’t found a pediatrician yet who thinks it’s a good idea to sign this bill,” Hickenlooper commented at the time, adding that certain autism groups’ silence on the bill “speaks volumes.” Polis, who campaigned on a pro-marijuana platform and became governor in January, has been an opponent of Hickenlooper’s distrust for marijuana’s effect on autistic kids for some time. “[D]espite Hickenlooper’s professed ignorance, studies do exist to reinforce their beliefs that the drug can reduce many of the health condition’s more severe symptoms.”, notes High Times. “In Israel and Chile, research turned up positive effects in many clinical study participants, and the U.S. Department of Defense is set to begin a major study on the topic starting in June. Many states have made allowances in existing medical marijuana regulation for patients with autism. In October, Rhode Island’s Department of Health okay’d the treatment, and last December in Iowa, the Board of Medicine has voted to add autism to the list of qualifying conditions for the medical cannabis program.” “This path happened for a reason,” Michelle Walker of Mothers Advocating Medical Marijuana For Autism told Colorado publication Westword. “Because with 1028, we were able to ensure that individuals with autism and autistic people would have access, whereas the previous program created would have restricted access. Now, we’ve expanded access.” According to a study published in 2016 in the Journal Translational Psychiatry., cannabinoids may provide a potential treatment option for the “associated symptoms displayed by autistic patients”. The study concluded by stating that; “This study therefore shows that abnormalities in anandamide activity may underlie the deleterious impact of environmental risk factors on ASD-relevant behaviors and that the endocannabinoid system may represent a therapeutic target for the core and associated symptoms displayed by autistic patients.” The study was conducted by researchers at University “Roma Tre” and Sapienza University of Rome and can be found by clicking here. A study released last year in the journal Fronties in Cellular Neuroscience found that cannabis may help reduce the aggressive behavior experienced by some autism patients. More information on this study, conducted by researchers at RMIT University, Monash University, the University of Auckland and the University of Melbourne (all in Australia), can be found by clicking here. The post Colorado Governor Signs Bill Adding Autism Spectrum Disorder to Medical Marijuana Program appeared first on TheJointBlog. from https://thejointblog.com/colorado-governor-signs-bill-adding-autism-spectrum-disorder-to-medical-marijuana-program/ Colorado Governor Signs Bill Adding Autism Spectrum Disorder to Medical Marijuana Program was originally seen on www.nickadamsinamerica.com from https://www.nickadamsinamerica.com/2019/04/04/colorado-governor-signs-bill-adding-autism-spectrum-disorder-to-medical-marijuana-program/ No one on Wall Street knows the burgeoning cannabis industry better than Vivien Azer, the managing director for consumer beverages, cannabis and tobacco at investment house Cowan and Company. She often asks beer company CEOs about legal cannabis taking market share away from the most popular alcoholic beverage in America in states where pot is legal. Routinely, the executives dismiss any challenge from marijuana with the argument that people already get as much cannabis as they want on the black market, so any switch over to legal weed isn’t going to dent beer sales. During a January 8 conference call, Azer said 2018 was the “worst year for beer sales in the near decade we’ve been covering the alcohol industry and we continue to believe that growing cannabis use is a factor.” It’s all about re-engagement, a big trend for the current year and beyond. It goes like this: Once cannabis is legal, more people who may have dabbled with it in college or whenever will return to the green herb and hence drink less beer. // (function($){ function bsaProResize() { var sid = "12"; var object = $(".bsaProContainer-" + sid + " .bsaProItemInner__img"); var animateThumb = $(".bsaProContainer-" + sid + " .bsaProAnimateThumb"); var innerThumb = $(".bsaProContainer-" + sid + " .bsaProItemInner__thumb"); var parentWidth = "772"; var parentHeight = "105"; var objectWidth = object.width(); if ( objectWidth < parentWidth ) { var scale = objectWidth / parentWidth; if ( objectWidth > 0 && objectWidth != 100 && scale > 0 ) { animateThumb.height(parentHeight * scale); innerThumb.height(parentHeight * scale); object.height(parentHeight * scale); } else { animateThumb.height(parentHeight); innerThumb.height(parentHeight); object.height(parentHeight); } } else { animateThumb.height(parentHeight); innerThumb.height(parentHeight); object.height(parentHeight); } } $(document).ready(function(){ bsaProResize(); $(window).resize(function(){ bsaProResize(); }); }); })(jQuery); // // (function ($) { var bsaProContainer = $('.bsaProContainer-12'); var number_show_ads = "0"; var number_hide_ads = "0"; if ( number_show_ads > 0 ) { setTimeout(function () { bsaProContainer.fadeIn(); }, number_show_ads * 1000); } if ( number_hide_ads > 0 ) { setTimeout(function () { bsaProContainer.fadeOut(); }, number_hide_ads * 1000); } })(jQuery); // Cowen and Company Reports Decline in Beer SalesCowen’s latest consumer survey shows that people who used pot in the past month climbed to 39% at the start of 2019 compared to 30% in September 2016. It also indicates that a large portion of consumers across all alcohol types report either already drinking less beer (60%) or anticipating to do so (70%). This and other data prompted Azer to hike her U.S. cannabis sales forecast by $5 billion to $80 billion by 2030, up from her earlier estimate of $75 billion. It’s one of many enthusiastic outlooks for the current year as the legal cannabis business continues its quick growth as a mainstream product. With recreational and/or medical markets coming online in Massachusetts, Ohio, Maine, North Dakota, Florida and possibly New York and New Jersey, Azer expects more substitution in place of all types of alcohol. “We’re increasingly cautious on beer,” she added. The analyst ranks Canadian cannabis producers Canopy Growth Corp. (NYSE: CGC) and Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) and U.S. container maker KushCo Holdings Inc. (OTC: KSHB) as strong buys, but is much less bullish about Anheuser Busch Inbev and Molson Coors Brewing Co. “For Canopy and Tilray, we should finally start to see the true benefits of adult-use sales, and the lapping of upfront investments made in calendar 2018 to scale up ahead of adult use,” Azer noted. “For Kush, we expect a fifth consecutive year of triple-digit growth as the company benefits from continued strong growth in California and Nevada, in addition to the new market opportunity in Massachusetts.” Beer Makers Are Fighting Back with Canna BeveragesA rash of new joint ventures announced last year between big brewers and cannabis companies should make 2019 the year of the canna-beverage. Heineken’s Lagunitas and AbsoluteXTracts have already teamed up in California to create their non-alcohol canna-IPA Hi-Fi Hops. Similar products are expected from Molson and Hexo Corp. (OTC: HYYDF), Constellation Brands Inc. (NYSE: STZ) and Canopy Growth, and Anheuser-Busch and Tilray. All three Canadian companies made deals with alcohol conglomerates in 2018. The largest was Constellation Brand’s $4 billion buy-in to Canopy Growth. Another hot 2018 rumor was Coca-Cola negotiating with Aurora Cannabis (NYCE: ACB), but that seemed to fizzle. Asked if she thinks other Big Alcohol players like spirits maker Diageo will enter the cannabis space, Azar remarked tersely, “I’d expect all the large global alcohol companies are paying attention.” Thanks to passage of the U.S. Farm Bill, hemp and CBD products will keep ascending in wellness, beauty and food categories. Major retailers like CVS and Walgreen’s recently announced they will begin stocking their shelves with CBD creams and tinctures. Cowen & Co. projects the category could become a $1.6 billion business over the next few years. Watch Out for Big Pharma and TobaccoOutside of food, beverages and cosmetics, cannabis will keep impacting other industries like pharma and tobacco. This year may see some action from Altria Group Inc. on its $1.8 billion stake in Canadian producer Cronos Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CRON) that the maker of Marlboro cigarettes announced last year. Another tobacco manufacturer, Alliance One International, should see its 80% stake in the Goldleaf Pharm grow facility in Canada start to bear fruit. Congressional legislation like the STATES Act would remove marijuana from the Controlled Substances Act, essentially legalizing it, while other bills deal with nagging issues like banking and tax equity. Matt Karnes of GreenWave Advisors predicts $12.7 billion in overall retail sales in 2019—up from about $9.3 billion in 2018—and says prepare to see more mergers in Canada and the U.S. “The bar will be raised in terms of talent pool as employees from more mainstream companies enter the sector,” he tells Freedom Leaf.
Joe Lusardi, CEO of Curaleaf (OTC: CURLF), the Massachusetts-based dispensary operator, thinks 2019 “is going to be the biggest year ever for legalization” because of the boost from Massachusetts and Michigan, in addition to activity underway in other states. Curaleaf currently operates 34 retail outlets, including one in Belmawr, NJ, which the company hypes as the biggest pot purveyor on the East Coast. They’re hoping to double the number of stores and expand to 10 states by the end of 2019. Brad Nattrass, CEO of Colorado-based Urban-Gro, an agricultural technology firm, thinks large corporations will invest millions in cannabis cultivation operations, but reminds in an email that “many cultivations in 2018 were not as profitable as was projected. There’s cautiousness in the market now with some growers and investors waiting to see how the market shakes out before pursuing new opportunities.” To be sure, plenty of obstacles remain. California’s cannabis business has yet to fully transition from the black-market economy. Profit margins may shrink in agricultural production because of competition, forcing operators to build for scale to compete. Institutional Investors Remain Cautious About CannabisCapital is also a constraint because of the Schedule I classification of marijuana under federal law. This keeps banks, for the most part, from raising capital from investors and lending. While solutions to some of these challenges may be years away, they persist in shaping the new cannabis landscape. At the same time, the more immediate focus is on fueling growth and deal-making at an accelerated pace. “Last year was the year of the large multi-state operator for investors,” says Beth Stavola, president of operations at MPX Bioceutical Corp. (OTC: MPXEF), an Ontario-based company known for its Melting Point Extracts brand. “With more big industries entering the space, it will be interesting to see which operators will find homes in the beverage, pharma and tobacco industries or be acquired.” Canna-stocks will remain volatile until the sector trades more on its fundamentals, like revenue and net income, and less on speculation about future growth. Many big institutional investors that have capital to spend may stay away, at least until federal law prohibiting marijuana changes. “I do know there are institutional investors that, until they feel better about U.S. status, won’t touch cannabis, even in areas where it’s legal,” Azer asserts. “But there are some that have gotten comfortable with investing in compliant cannabis businesses.” Despite these and other headwinds, expect optimism to pervade in cannabis in 2019. Related Financial ArticlesThe Cannabis Industry’s Top 20 Pot Stocks Tilray Makes Deals with Novartis and Anheuser-Busch Altria Group Makes Major Move into Canadian Cannabis Market This article appears in Issue 35. Subscribe to the magazine here.
The post Financial Forecast 2019: Can Cannabis Save the Beer Industry? appeared first on Freedom Leaf. from https://www.freedomleaf.com/beer-cannabis-beverages-financial-forecast-2019/ The following blog article Financial Forecast 2019: Can Cannabis Save the Beer Industry? is available on Nick Adams' Blog from https://www.nickadamsinamerica.com/2019/04/03/financial-forecast-2019-can-cannabis-save-the-beer-industry/ A Florida bill would limit the THC percentage in smokeable medical marijuana, and would make it harder for sick children to obtain the medicine, reports the Orlando Sentinel.The legislation was introduced by Representative Ray Rodrigues, who is the Chairman for the House Health and Human Services Committee. The measure would also set limits on the potency of medical marijuana in edibles and would fast-track the state health department’s rule making for the medical marijuana industry, which was legalized by voters in 2016. “While the House bill would set what many consider a low cap of 10 percent on the level of THC in whole-flower products for smoking, the daily amount of THC that would be permitted in edible products — 7,000 mg for a 35-day supply, or 200 mg per day — is much higher than what most patients would consume, according to industry experts”, reports the Sentinel.
Critics blasted the House proposal as an attempt to “essentially gut” the Legislature’s recent repeal of a ban on smokable medical marijuana. Ben Pollara, the campaign manager for the political committee that led efforts to pass the 2016 constitutional amendment, called the House’s latest approach ironic. The proposal “basically acts as a tax on patients” by causing them to spend more money to “buy more marijuana to achieve the same effect as if the caps were not in place,” Pollara said Tuesday. “The other irony is it would result in patients having to smoke more marijuana to achieve the desired effect,” he said. “If there’s two things the Florida House hates, it’s higher taxes and smokable marijuana, and this has the functional impact of doing both.” Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is the intoxicating ingredient in marijuana that produces a euphoric effect. Levels of THC in plants grown by medical marijuana operators average about 20 percent or more, growers in Florida said. The Senate also has a version of the bill, but Sen.atorJeff Brandes said Tuesday he believes the proposal will be merged with a bill (SB 1618) that would increase the minimum tobacco-smoking age in Florida from 18 to 21. The legislation is a priority of Senator David Simmons, an Altamonte Springs Republican who is a top lieutenant of President Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton. Under current law, children under age 18 must get two doctors to approve cannabis as a treatment. For smokable marijuana, the second doctor must also be a board-certified pediatrician. The House proposal, however, would require a second opinion from a board-certified pediatrician for all forms of ingestion, including tinctures or oils, for patients under 18. “Youth use is something that they certainly seemed to be concerned about. It seems as though the Legislature is crafting laws in order to make cannabis available but as a treatment of last resort for minors,” Christian Bax, the former director of the state’s Office of Medical Marijuana Use, told the News Service. The switch would make it virtually impossible for many sick children to get access to anything other than low-THC cannabis, said Moriah Barnhart of the group “CannaMoms.” Barnhart’s 8-year-old daughter, Dahlia, was diagnosed with brain cancer as a 2-year-old, she said. The post Florida Legislation Would Limit THC of Medical Marijuana appeared first on TheJointBlog. from https://thejointblog.com/florida-legislation-would-limit-thc-of-medical-marijuana/ The following article Florida Legislation Would Limit THC of Medical Marijuana is available on NickAdamsInAmerica.com from https://www.nickadamsinamerica.com/2019/04/03/florida-legislation-would-limit-thc-of-medical-marijuana/ April3/31-4/2 ICBC Berlin, Germany May5/1 Hemp on the Bayou, New Orleans, LA June6/1-2 High Times Cannabis Cup NorCal, Santa Rosa, CA If you’d like us to add event to this list, email [email protected] // (function($){ function bsaProResize() { var sid = "12"; var object = $(".bsaProContainer-" + sid + " .bsaProItemInner__img"); var animateThumb = $(".bsaProContainer-" + sid + " .bsaProAnimateThumb"); var innerThumb = $(".bsaProContainer-" + sid + " .bsaProItemInner__thumb"); var parentWidth = "772"; var parentHeight = "105"; var objectWidth = object.width(); if ( objectWidth < parentWidth ) { var scale = objectWidth / parentWidth; if ( objectWidth > 0 && objectWidth != 100 && scale > 0 ) { animateThumb.height(parentHeight * scale); innerThumb.height(parentHeight * scale); object.height(parentHeight * scale); } else { animateThumb.height(parentHeight); innerThumb.height(parentHeight); object.height(parentHeight); } } else { animateThumb.height(parentHeight); innerThumb.height(parentHeight); object.height(parentHeight); } } $(document).ready(function(){ bsaProResize(); $(window).resize(function(){ bsaProResize(); }); }); })(jQuery); // // (function ($) { var bsaProContainer = $('.bsaProContainer-12'); var number_show_ads = "0"; var number_hide_ads = "0"; if ( number_show_ads > 0 ) { setTimeout(function () { bsaProContainer.fadeIn(); }, number_show_ads * 1000); } if ( number_hide_ads > 0 ) { setTimeout(function () { bsaProContainer.fadeOut(); }, number_hide_ads * 1000); } })(jQuery); // January-February-March Events CalendarThe post Freedom Leaf’s 2nd-Quarter 2019 Events Schedule appeared first on Freedom Leaf. from https://www.freedomleaf.com/second-quarter-2019-events-calendar/ The article Freedom Leaf’s 2nd-Quarter 2019 Events Schedule was first seen on https://www.nickadamsinamerica.com from https://www.nickadamsinamerica.com/2019/04/02/freedom-leafs-2nd-quarter-2019-events-schedule/ Federal legislation that would allow banks and other financial institutions to provide services to marijuana businesses that are legal under their state’s law has been passed by a key House panel.According to Reuters, the bill would provide sought-after clarity to banks across the country that want to do business with the growing marijuana industry, where companies have struggled to gain access to the financial system. The issue is especially relevant now that 10 states in the U.S. have legalized marijuana for recreational purposes; over 30 have passed some form of medical marijuana legalization. The measure was broadly backed by a mixture of Democrats and Republicans. It now proceeds to the full House, where it is expected to be passed by the Democrat-led chamber in the near future. However, the bill faces an uncertain future in the Republican-led Senate, according to analysts.
“While all but 3 states allow for some form of legal cannabis use, marijuana is still illegal on the federal level”, states Reuters. “That has left banks largely unwilling to do business with businesses that sell marijuana or related enterprises, out of concern they could run afoul of federal laws. In particular, banks are wary that taking deposits from pot businesses while marijuana remains illegal at the federal level could violate anti-money laundering laws, which in turn could put at risk their federal charters or access to federal payments systems.” Currently, companies in the marijuana industry have extremely limited options for dealing with their finances, with many relying on strictly cash to do business. Numerous lawmakers noted that operating exclusively in cash can be extremely dangerous, making companies a target for theft. The bill has the backing of the banking industry, where firms are eager for reassurance from the federal government they can engage in this sort of business. The American Bankers Association has told Congress it takes no stance on the legality of marijuana, but its widespread adoption by states “raises practical issues that must be addressed.” Reuters notes that “Some Republican lawmakers expressed concern over permitting banks to engage in business that is still technically illegal. If Congress wants to allow banks to get into the marijuana business, it should legalize marijuana, they said.” But proponents of the bill argued that with the vast majority of U.S. states taking steps to further legalize marijuana use, it makes no sense to refuse those businesses access to banks. “The toothpaste is out of the tube, my friends,” said Representative Denny Heck, a Democrat from Washington. The post Federal Legislation to Allow Banks to Work with State-Legal Marijuana Businesses Advances in the House appeared first on TheJointBlog. from https://thejointblog.com/federal-legislation-to-allow-banks-to-work-with-state-legal-marijuana-businesses-advances-in-the-house/ The post Federal Legislation to Allow Banks to Work with State-Legal Marijuana Businesses Advances in the House was initially published to https://www.nickadamsinamerica.com from https://www.nickadamsinamerica.com/2019/04/01/federal-legislation-to-allow-banks-to-work-with-state-legal-marijuana-businesses-advances-in-the-house/ The legalization of marijuana in Washington State is not associated with an increase in marijuana use by most teens, according to a study published in The Journal of Adolescent Health.For the study researchers from Washington State University, the University of Massachusetts, and the Colorado School of Public Health assessed trends in teen marijuana use and employment in the years immediately prior to and immediately following the enactment of retail marijuana sales (2010 to 2016), reports NORML in a news release. The study found that “marijuana use decreased significantly among working and non-working 8th and 10th graders.” Marijuana use similarly declined among 12th graders who were not employed, while among 12th graders who were employed more than eleven hours per week marijuana use actually increased over the study period, though just slightly. The study’s authors acknowledged that this latter finding was not unexpected because “the workplace may expose adolescents to peer or adult coworkers’ potentially unhealthy behaviors, including substance use.” Authors further acknowledged that working youth were also more likely to have reported using cannabis prior to the passage of legalization.
The full text of the study, titled “Employment and marijuana use among Washington state adolescents before and after legalization of retail marijuana,” appears in The Journal of Adolescent Health. The study’s full abstract can be found below: PurposeThe purpose of the study was to describe associations between employment and marijuana use among adolescents 2 years before passage of 2012 ballot initiative and 2 years after the implementation of retail recreational marijuana sales took place in Washington. MethodsWe used 2010 and 2016 data from Washington’s statewide school-based Healthy Youth Survey, which is completed by more than 76,000 youth annually and representative of 8th, 10th, and 12th graders in public schools. We used “difference-in-differences” regression to estimate the odds of current, past 30-day marijuana use by working status and hours worked per week compared with nonworking youth. ResultsWorking adolescents in all grades had higher prevalence of recent marijuana use compared with nonworking adolescents. Youth working in formal settings, such as retail and service sectors, were more likely to use marijuana than nonworking and youth working in informal settings, such as babysitting. Between 2010 and 2016, marijuana use decreased significantly among working and nonworking 8th and 10th graders. Among working 12th graders, marijuana use increased significantly over time relative to nonworking youth (adjusted odds ratio: 1.34, 95% confidence interval: 1.22–1.48). Associations were stronger for youth who worked more hours per week. ConclusionsWorking youth were more likely to use marijuana before and after Washington’s legalization of retail marijuana. Legalization was associated with increases in marijuana use specifically among 12th-grade working youth. States legalizing marijuana may consider implementing interventions to support healthy behaviors among working youth.
The findings are similar to survey data released by the federal government in late 2017, which found that the current rate of marijuana use among Colorado and Washington teens is now lower than it was prior to the states legalizing marijuana for adult use. The report found that the rate of past-month marijuana use by individuals ages 12-17 dropped nearly 20% from 11.13% in 2014-2015 to 9.08% in 2015-2016. The post Study: Washington Teens Not Using More Marijuana Following Legalization appeared first on TheJointBlog. from https://thejointblog.com/study-washington-teens-not-using-more-marijuana-following-legalization/ Study: Washington Teens Not Using More Marijuana Following Legalization is available on www.nickadamsinamerica.com from https://www.nickadamsinamerica.com/2019/03/30/study-washington-teens-not-using-more-marijuana-following-legalization/ The effort to to legalize marijuana in New Jersey ground to a halt March 25 when Senate President Stephen Sweeney decided there wasn’t enough votes to pass Senate Bill 2703. “It’s really more of a pause than a defeat,” says William Caruso, a lawyer at Archer & Greiner PC and a member of New Jersey United for Marijuana Reform, who helped craft the state’s medical program. “It was the first time ever a bill on adult-use cannabis came within one or two votes in the Senate of becoming a law. The goal now is to figure out where they’re short. There’s a break now for the Legislature to work on the budget and legalization will be back on the agenda in May and June.” The measure had support in the Assembly, but would have fallen a few votes short in the Senate.
The effort made history as the first time adult-use legislation nearly reached the floor of the State House, but legalization is taking much longer than the 100 days that Gov. Phil Murphy targeted when he took office in late 2017. // (function($){ function bsaProResize() { var sid = "12"; var object = $(".bsaProContainer-" + sid + " .bsaProItemInner__img"); var animateThumb = $(".bsaProContainer-" + sid + " .bsaProAnimateThumb"); var innerThumb = $(".bsaProContainer-" + sid + " .bsaProItemInner__thumb"); var parentWidth = "772"; var parentHeight = "105"; var objectWidth = object.width(); if ( objectWidth < parentWidth ) { var scale = objectWidth / parentWidth; if ( objectWidth > 0 && objectWidth != 100 && scale > 0 ) { animateThumb.height(parentHeight * scale); innerThumb.height(parentHeight * scale); object.height(parentHeight * scale); } else { animateThumb.height(parentHeight); innerThumb.height(parentHeight); object.height(parentHeight); } } else { animateThumb.height(parentHeight); innerThumb.height(parentHeight); object.height(parentHeight); } } $(document).ready(function(){ bsaProResize(); $(window).resize(function(){ bsaProResize(); }); }); })(jQuery); // // (function ($) { var bsaProContainer = $('.bsaProContainer-12'); var number_show_ads = "0"; var number_hide_ads = "0"; if ( number_show_ads > 0 ) { setTimeout(function () { bsaProContainer.fadeIn(); }, number_show_ads * 1000); } if ( number_hide_ads > 0 ) { setTimeout(function () { bsaProContainer.fadeOut(); }, number_hide_ads * 1000); } })(jQuery); // One key opponent, Senator Ron Rice, a Democrat from Essex, has argued that legalization would encourage more marijuana use in African-American neighborhoods and that lawmakers should first pass a law expunging records of minorities convicted on drug charges. He’s famously referred to legal pot shops as “marijuana bodegas disguised as dispensaries.” “The goal has been to pass racial and social justice reform, which includes expungement and diversity inclusion language to help create a cannabis market that looks like New Jersey, and to deal with a broken medical market and to legalize marijuana and stop arrests,” Caruso adds. “Those are still tied together and there’s no discussion on breaking them apart.” RELATED: New Jersey Politicians Agree on $42 Per Ounce Marijuana TaxCaruso said the law includes provisions to ensure that people with marijuana convictions applying for cannabis businesses won’t be shut out of the market and some money for training and reinvestment in communities most impacted by the War on Drugs. Scott Rudder, president of the New Jersey Cannabusiness Association, believes it’s taking time to convince lawmakers that grew up with the stigma around marijuana. “Part of it is generational,” he tells Freedom Leaf. “People have been told for years that cannabis is bad and now people are telling them it’s fine and to trust us. They have hard time with that.” Opponents have been muddying the issue with inaccurate or outdated numbers, Rudder says. Teen use of cannabis has actually dropped in states with legal pot and DUI arrests and opioid abuse have also declined. “We do think we’ll get this done,” Rudder predicts. “Some of the lawmakers thought the process was rushed. There are enough votes on the fence and with the right information and if we address lawmaker’s concerns, we’ll get it passed.” RELATED: New Jersey’s Path to LegalizationA recent change in the bill regarding expungement of records for past cannabis offenses took lawmakers by surprise. Earlier versions set the expungement limit at convictions for 50 grams or less, but that was raised to five pounds. “When people sitting on the fence saw that change, they jumped right off the bill,” he notes. While delivery services and consumption lounges would’ve been allowed in the bill, home grow would not. At the press conference in the governor’s office after the vote was scrapped, Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin used a football analogy to explain what had just happened inside the the Statehouse in Trenton: “We didn’t get a touchdown, but we moved the ball to the one-yard line.” Gov. Murphy, who’s been unable to sway enough lawmakers even after bringing in well-known figures to support the measure, such as U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Whoopi Goldberg, took the delay philosophically: “History is rarely made at the first attempt. History is often a bumpy road of fits and starts and setbacks. But eventually, barriers do fall to those who are committed to breaking them down. Certainly, I’m disappointed, but we are not defeated.” The post Cannabis Legalization in New Jersey Goes Back to Drawing Board appeared first on Freedom Leaf. from https://www.freedomleaf.com/cannabis-legalization-new-jersey-delayed/ The blog post Cannabis Legalization in New Jersey Goes Back to Drawing Board See more on: Nick Adams' In America Blog from https://www.nickadamsinamerica.com/2019/03/28/cannabis-legalization-in-new-jersey-goes-back-to-drawing-board/ According to a new study being published by the journal Brain Research, and epublished online by the National Institute of Health, cannabidiol (CBD) ” may be effective in the treatment of painful diabetic neuropathy “.“Most diabetic patients describe moderate to severe pain symptoms whose pharmacological treatment is palliative and poorly effective”, states the study’s abstract. “Cannabidiol (CBD) has shown promising results in painful conditions.” With this in mind, researchers “aimed to investigate the potential antinociceptive effect of CBD over the mechanical allodynia in streptozotocin-induced diabetic (DBT) rats, as well as its involved mechanisms.” For the study, “Wistar adult male diabetic rats were treated acutely or sub-chronically (for 14 days) with CBD (0.1, 0.3 or 3 mg/Kg, intraperitoneal; i.p.) and had their mechanical threshold assessed using the electronic Von Frey. ” Acute treatment with CBD (at doses of 0.3 and 3 mg/Kg) “exerted a significant anti-allodynic effect, which is not associated with locomotor impairment. “The antinociceptive effect of CBD (3 mg/Kg) was not altered by the pre-treatment with CB1 or CB2 receptor antagonists (AM251 and AM630; respectively; both at a dose of 1 mg/kg, i.p.) nor by glycine receptor antagonist (strychnine hydrochloride, 10 μg/rat, intrathecal, i.t.).”
“However,” the study states, “this effect was completely prevented by the pre-treatment with the selective 5-HT1A receptor antagonist WAY 100135 (3 μg/rat, i.t.). Sub-chronic treatment with CBD (0.3 or 3 mg/Kg) induced a sustained attenuation of the mechanical allodynia in DBT rats.” DBT rats “presented significantly lower spinal cord levels of serotonin, which was prevented by the daily treatment with CBD (0.3 mg/Kg).” Taken together, the data “suggest that CBD may be effective in the treatment of painful diabetic neuropathy and this effect seems to be potentially mediated by the serotonergic system activation through 5-HT1A receptors.” The full abstract can be found below: Most diabetic patients describe moderate to severe pain symptoms whose pharmacological treatment is palliative and poorly effective. Cannabidiol (CBD) has shown promising results in painful conditions. Then, we aimed to investigate the potential antinociceptive effect of CBD over the mechanical allodynia in streptozotocin-induced diabetic (DBT) rats, as well as its involved mechanisms. Wistar adult male diabetic rats were treated acutely or sub-chronically (for 14 days) with CBD (0.1, 0.3 or 3 mg/Kg, intraperitoneal; i.p.) and had their mechanical threshold assessed using the electronic Von Frey. Acute treatment with CBD (at doses of 0.3 and 3 mg/Kg) exerted a significant anti-allodynic effect, which is not associated with locomotor impairment. The antinociceptive effect of CBD (3 mg/Kg) was not altered by the pre-treatment with CB1 or CB2 receptor antagonists (AM251 and AM630; respectively; both at a dose of 1 mg/kg, i.p.) nor by glycine receptor antagonist (strychnine hydrochloride, 10 μg/rat, intrathecal, i.t.). However, this effect was completely prevented by the pre-treatment with the selective 5-HT1A receptor antagonist WAY 100135 (3 μg/rat, i.t.). Sub-chronic treatment with CBD (0.3 or 3 mg/Kg) induced a sustained attenuation of the mechanical allodynia in DBT rats. DBT rats presented significantly lower spinal cord levels of serotonin, which was prevented by the daily treatment with CBD (0.3 mg/Kg). Taken together, our data suggest that CBD may be effective in the treatment of painful diabetic neuropathy and this effect seems to be potentially mediated by the serotonergic system activation through 5-HT1A receptors. This abstract, and a link to the full text, can be found on the National Institute of Health’s website at the following link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30898678 The post Study: CBD May be Effective in the Treatment of Painful Diabetic Neuropathy appeared first on TheJointBlog. from https://thejointblog.com/study-cbd-may-be-effective-in-the-treatment-of-painful-diabetic-neuropathy/ The post Study: CBD May be Effective in the Treatment of Painful Diabetic Neuropathy is courtesy of www.nickadamsinamerica.com from https://www.nickadamsinamerica.com/2019/03/28/study-cbd-may-be-effective-in-the-treatment-of-painful-diabetic-neuropathy/ |
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