Embassy HEADLINES Issue 408

By Kath NoneofyourbusinessPublished On: May 21, 2020Categories: Cannabis

AUSTRALIA/NZ

Make a submission: Inquiry into the use of Cannabis in Victoria

The broad-ranging inquiry will examine access to and use of cannabis in Victoria, including ways to prevent children and young people accessing and using cannabis.

Free Medical Cannabis Webinars!

The future of medical cannabis research and its place in clinical practice w Dr. Dedi Meiri. Date: Wednesday, 20 May 7pm – 8pm REGISTER HERE

Medical Cannabis – Patient Access in Australia. Date: Saturday May 23rd 10:00am – 11:00am REGISTER HERE

Cannadoc and Adam Miller. Date: Wednesday, 27 May 2020 13:00-14:00 REGISTER HERE

Medical Cannabis – Drug Driving & Workplace Safety. Date: Wednesday May 27th 7:00pm – 8:00pm REGISTER HERE

Over the Counter CBD? Proposed CBD Rescheduling in Australia. Date: Wednesday, 27 May 2020 7pm REGISTER HERE

NORTH AMERICA

What the Massachusetts reopening plan means for recreational marijuana dispensaries

Retailers in Massachusetts will be allowed to offer curbside pickup sales starting next Monday as part of Phase 1 of Gov. Charlie Baker’s reopening plan — and that includes marijuana retailers.

Governor of Maryland Vetoes Bill about Past Pot-Related Offenses

Maryland’s Republican governor just vetoed a bill that could have helped those with prior pot convictions.

Colorado After Legalization: Statistics and What They Mean

It has been more than seven years since Colorado passed Amendment 64 to become the first state in the country to legalize recreational marijuana. That legal marijuana market launched half a decade ago in 2014. Five years later, cannabis continues to thrive in Colorado. There are roughly 590 licensed retail marijuana stores throughout the state, and in 2019 combined recreational and medical cannabis sales hit a record $1.75 billion, up 13 percent from the year before.

Meet 40 Acres and a Mule, a Family Group Seeking Cannabis Business Licenses Under Illinois’ Social Equity Program

For cousins Gregory Owens and LaRicia Nelson, Illinois’ adult-use cannabis industry presents a unique opportunity to support local, grassroots organizations that give back to the communities that have been hardest hit by the war on drugs. The firm’s name is a nod to a failed Civil War-era program that promised freed slaves 40 acres of farmland and a mule to earn a living—and which never came to fruition.

Oregon Sets New Cannabis Sales Record In April

Cannabis sales are going strong in Oregon despite the pandemic with a record-setting $89 million worth of product sold in April.

Ontario cannabis stores start reopening; delivery and curbside pickup extended

An emergency provision temporarily allowing privately owned cannabis stores in Ontario to offer home delivery and curbside pickup has again been extended by the provincial government, and retailers are now allowed to open their doors under certain stipulations.

Los Angeles explosion shows perils of illicit cannabis market

In the four years since the passage of legalization in 2016, the city and county of L.A. have yet to license a single cannabis manufacturer to safely make butane extracts like vape cartridge oil and hash. Instead, a national multi-billion dollar illegal market is supplied by local ‘hash blasters,’ who buy volatile gases from wholesalers operating out of downtown storefronts next to Skid Row in a long-neglected area called the Toy District. That official neglect blew up in the city’s face Saturday when an unlicensed, wholesale supplier of butane to the illicit market—SmokeTokes—exploded, injuring 12 firefighters.

WORLD

GDS 2020: Global Drug Survey Special Edition on COVID-19

The Global Drug Survey is conducting a special edition on the effects of coronavirus on substance use.

Report Shows Teen Cannabis Use In Uruguay Has Not Been Impacted By Legalization

Seven years after it became the first country in the world to fully legalize marijuana, Uruguay’s youth are no more likely to get high under the new law, according to a new study.

Is Lesotho Selling Out Its Own Citizens to Ride the African Green Rush?

Lesotho was the first African country to legalize the cultivation of medical cannabis for exportation, but why aren’t they offering it to their own people? And who is profiting from all this weed?

CBD in Europe: EU agency weighs in on joint novel-food applications

Enforcement of novel-food legislation is left up to EU member states, leading to a patchwork of CBD availability across the continent.

England’s medical cannabis market shows little growth as of early 2020

England’s medical cannabis market has barely gotten off the ground since launching about 19 months ago, with a two-tier system in which few patients access products through legal channels while most resort to illicit suppliers.

UK Demand For CBD Products Soars Amid Covid-19 Pandemic

Research published today by Alphagreen.io, the UK’s largest marketplace for certified CBD products, suggests that more than 8 million Britons are now buying CBD products, with spending exceeding £150m in the first four months of 2020 alone. That puts the market on target to achieve revenues of £450m over the year as a whole, which would represent 50% growth compared to 2019.

Israel approves medical cannabis exports

Israel gave approval on Wednesday for exports of medical cannabis, paving the way for sales abroad that the government expects to produce hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue.

HEALTH & SCIENCE

Why You Should Be Eating Hemp Seeds Right Now

Did you know a tablespoon of hemp seeds contain a serious amount of essential nutrients? Here’s everything you need to know about these special little seeds.

How to Understand CBD Lingo

Knowing the difference between broad spectrum, full spectrum and isolate — as well as CBD oil and hempseed oil — can help you choose the products that are right for you.

Epilepsy, cannabis and the newest research

Researchers found that a few distinct patterns of epilepsy included inflammation inside the brain.

How Long Does THC Stay in Your System?

THC’s metabolites can stay around in the body for much longer than the duration of effects. In some cases, evidence of marijuana use can be detected for weeks, months, and even years after last use, depending on the type of test being used. In this article, we’ll provide answers for those who are wondering “how long does THC stay in your system?”, and how long THC can be detected by drug tests.

Pediatricians seeing a growing demand for medical cannabis for kids

With the cannabis landscape changing quickly in Canada, doctors are looking for advice. The Canadian Paediatric Society plans to publish guidance documents this summer, according to its cannabis working group co-chair, Dr. Christina Grant, an adolescent health specialist at McMaster Children’s Hospital.

NICE on the use of cannabis based medicinal products

This article provides a summary of the recent NICE recommendations on the use of cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) in the treatment of epilepsy, spasticity, pain, and nausea and vomiting.

GARDENING

Not Quite So Sweet: Hemp & the Honeybee

Recent reports have argued that hemp may be able to help struggling honeybee populations. But over a decade after news of their decline first broke, what’s hurting the pollinating powerhouses remains complicated.

POLITICS & LAW

Analysis: Adult-Use Marijuana Legalization Associated with Tourism Spike

The enactment of adult-use cannabis legalization laws in Colorado and Washington is associated with increased tourism in both states, according to data published in the Journal of Regional Analysis & Policy.

Lawsuit over heavy metals in CBD products ‘raises more questions than answers,’

A lawsuit alleging CBD American Shaman falsely advertised its wares as containing no heavy metals “raises more questions than it answers,” says one attorney. But it also highlights the challenges facing CBD firms looking to differentiate themselves from competitors without getting into legal hot water.

CULTURE

How To Review and Judge Cannabis Strains

Enjoying cannabis is easy enough, but reviewing or judging it formally can seem complicated. In truth, it’s not that tricky, so long as you have guidelines to follow.

BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

The Future of Hemp-Fed Meat

Hemp cultivators are bringing full-spectrum hemp into traditional agriculture — and onto your table.

Hemp quality concerns abound

As the hemp market grows, so do concerns regarding quality since cultivation and manufacturing are outpacing the establishment of federal regulations and industry standards. These are instead being shaped by the states, creating a patchwork of differing laws and thus, confusion.

PetSmart Now Selling Hemp Extract In Select Markets

U.S. pet supply chain PetSmart has started carrying hemp extract Mary’s Tails, the first cannabinoid extract to be offered by the retailer, the company said in press release. The products will initially be sold at 122 PetSmart locations in Colorado, Indiana, Kentucky, Oregon, and Tennessee with plans to expand to additional stores by this summer.

Australian hemp producer signs distribution deal with CVS Pharmacy

A subsidiary of Australian hemp product producer Ecofibre has signed a deal to distribute a line of topical products at the U.S. drugstore chain CVS Pharmacy. EOF Distribution said in a statement last week that it will supply 10 hemp-derived products for exclusive sale at some CVS Pharmacy locations. The Rhode Island-based chain has more than 9,900 retail locations in 49 states; EOF did not say which locations will carry its CBD topicals.

Bod Australia issues first MediCabilis scripts under Europe’s largest medicinal cannabis project

Cannabis-focused healthcare company Bod Australia (ASX: BDA) has issued the first prescriptions for its MediCabilis product to UK patients participating in Europe’s largest medicinal cannabis registry. Project Twenty21 aims to generate the largest body of evidence in the UK to date for the efficacy of medicinal cannabis, based on up to 20,000 patients suffering from conditions including chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and issues arising from substance abuse.

Little Green Pharma follows up medicinal cannabis export milestone with manufacturing licence

Within a month of achieving an Australian first for medicinal cannabis oil exports to patients in the UK, Little Green Pharma (ASX: LGP) has now been given the green light to manufacture its own extracts in-house from the next crop.

THC Global acquires cannabis clinic network for $3 million

THC Global will gain access to Tetra’s network of medical practitioners comprising more than 600 referring physicians, 30 prescribing physicians and a national network of dispensing pharmacies. Tetra currently has more than 1,100 active Australian patients and a list of 10,000 prospective patients.

ECS Botanics teams up with Essential Oils of Tasmania for hemp, cannabinoid market

A newly signed non-binding collaboration agreement sets out a strategic framework for the two companies to pursue research and opportunities in the hemp seed oil, cannabinoid and terpene sectors. It will also see the pair engage in research and development programs to develop finished products that incorporate Tasmanian hemp and essential oils.