Embassy HEADLINES Issue 407
AUSTRALIA/NZ
TGA Scheduling Committee – public consultation on CBD OPEN
DUE TODAY! There are many Australians who would welcome being able to source CBD over the counter – and here is your chance to have your say! Both the proposal (item 2.5 on this page) and the application to amend the scheduling of cannabidiol as outlined in the Public Notice of 17 April 2020 (item 2.2) will be referred to the June 2020 Joint ACMS/ACCS meeting. The due date for feedback is 15 May 2020. Instructions on how to respond can be found here.
Export Control Legislation Amendment (Certification of Narcotic Exports) Bill 2020
Australia’s agriculture minister filed a bill to allow exports of medical cannabis and hemp.
Bill rammed thru parliament to facilitate export of medical cannabis while Aussie patients continue to suffer, unable to afford imported products …
Patients in Australia needing access to medical cannabis have been slapped in the face yet again by this corporate friendly LNP govt who cares nothing about the suffering of our people. The Export Control Legislation Amendment (Certification of Narcotic Exports) Bill 2020 rushed through parliament last night, will make it easier for licensed producers to export MORE of our home grown cannabis products, leaving Aussie patients STILL without a reliable, uninterrupted supply of Aussie products.
Former soldier Eli Turner prescribed medicinal cannabis after waiting months in ‘unbearable’ chronic pain
Doctors have labelled medicinal cannabis prescriptions a “bureaucratic nightmare” requiring “a massive learning curve”, as patients say people in pain cannot wait months for relief.
Australia medical cannabis approvals steady as COVID-19 grips country
The Therapeutic Goods Administration approved more than 7,300 Special Access Scheme Category B (SAS B) cumulative applications in March and April. That compares with approximately 6,700 total approvals for January and February – before the pandemic slammed the global economy.
Lower THC limit needed under proposed cannabis regime – Drug Foundation
Under the proposed regime, authorities could restrict dried cannabis to contain no more than 15 percent THC – the main psychoactive ingredient. The foundation’s director Ross Bell said that seems too much. “The work that I’ve seen done by ESR shows that generally New Zealand cannabis on the black market is about 6 to 8 percent which I think is a more reasonable number.”
MediPharm Labs Australia inks deal to supply New Zealand with medical cannabis
New Zealand’s medical cannabis scheme commenced in April. But until the country’s domestic producers are licensed and fully operational, New Zealand will rely on imports to meet demand.
Free Medical Cannabis Webinars!
Medical Cannabis – Patient Access in Australia. Date: Saturday May 23rd 10:00am – 11:00am REGISTER HERE
Medical Cannabis – Drug Driving & Workplace Safety. Date: Wednesday May 27th 7:00pm – 8:00pm REGISTER HERE
NORTH AMERICA
High Times moves into retail sector with purchase of 13 California dispensaries
High Times, the 47-year-old cannabis culture magazine, is making a US$80 million bet on California’s legal weed market. On Tuesday, the parent company behind the famous weed brand said it struck a deal to buy 13 “planned and operational” California dispensaries from multi-state operator Harvest Health & Recreation Inc.
Montana’s legalization campaign hits the streets, safely distanced
Montana officials have begun phasing out the state’s stay-at-home order, and so New Approach Montana (NAM) are beginning an ambitious in-person signature drive. To do so, they are embracing unprecedented safety precautions: providing disposable pens and gloves for each signee, taking the temperature of each canvasser, requiring canvassers to wear masks at all times, and more.
University of Rhode Island Aims to Offer Online Course on Cannabis
Under a proposal submitted last month, the seven-week accelerated online program would consist of a foundational course to “introduce the fundamentals” and three remaining courses to “develop core competencies in natural product separation and analysis, safe product development and manufacturing, and the evaluation of the therapeutic potential of cannabis.”
San Francisco gives alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana to people dealing with addiction while isolating
There are about 270 people, mostly homeless, staying in hotel rooms to recover from COVID-19 or to wait out possible exposure to the virus. Nearly a dozen people have received alcohol, and more than two dozen have received tobacco, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. City officials said that private donations pay for the items, and that helping manage nicotine, opioid, and alcohol cravings ensures that recovering people don’t go out and possibly infect others.
NYC ban on pre-employment marijuana testing takes effect
A ban on employers requiring candidates to undergo marijuana testing as part of the hiring process took effect this week in New York City. The bill, which was approved last year by the City Council in a 40 to 4 vote, covers both private and public companies, however, there are some exceptions. Those seeking employment in law enforcement, the medical supervision of patients or children, as well as jobs that include operating heavy machinery have been excluded from the ban.
Lawmakers seek to increase the number of medical marijuana licenses in Missouri
State lawmakers are pushing forward with a plan to dramatically increase the number of licenses to grow, process and sell medical marijuana in Missouri, months before dispensaries around the state are expected to open their doors.
In Texas, the hemp industry’s challenge is slow, sustainable growth
Farmers in Texas are showing great enthusiasm for producing hemp, with interest in growing flower and biomass for cannabinoid production and fiber to complement their cotton crops.
Talent database launched after Canada’s cannabis sector sheds 30% of workforce
A cannabis staffing agency in Toronto has launched a public database to connect displaced marijuana professionals with prospective employers. The initiative comes as struggling marijuana firms eliminated an estimated 2,700 positions in Canada over the past nine months – including 910 after the COVID-19 pandemic started – according to the Cannabis At Work employment agency. That’s about 30% of the industry’s workforce.
WORLD
First Medical Cannabis Prescriptions for Project TWENTY21 Patients in UK
Project TWENTY21 is expected to enlist up to 20,000 UK patients for medical cannabis prescriptions by 2021. The aim is to build a body of evidence of the efficacy of medical cannabis products for a variety of conditions including chronic pain, anxiety, PTSD, and Multiple Sclerosis.
Albania, once haven of illicit cannabis, set to legalise crop for medical use
Albania plans to legalise the cultivation of cannabis for medical purposes, six years after beginning a crackdown on an illegal trade that turned it, by some accounts, into Europe’s largest outdoor grower of cannabis.
Danish medical cannabis scheme ends 2019 on low note
Approximately 333 patients accessed Denmark’s medical cannabis pilot scheme in the final quarter of 2019, according to recently released data from the Medicines Statistics Register.
With Exports Delayed, the Promise of Israel’s Cannabis Industry Goes Up in Smoke
Last week, the last of Israel’s public medical cannabis companies published its financial report for 2019. A glance at the numbers presented by all 11 companies reveals a rather glum picture. Five of these companies, all with activity mainly or exclusively dedicated to medical cannabis, finished the year with zero income, millions of shekels in losses, a high cash burning rate, exceeding for some of them the available cash in their coffers.
HEALTH & SCIENCE
What is CBDA? Everything You Need to Know About CBDA vs CBD
Even though CBDA and CBD have a direct connection and are both cannabis-derived compounds, CBDA and CBD have distinct differences.
THC Isolate Explained – Everything You Need To Know
THC Isolate is the purest form of cannabigerol available on the market. As the name suggests, it’s THC isolated from every other compound. The final product is a white, powdery substance that’s over 99% pure. It can be added to everything including food, medications, cosmetics and more.
What is hydrocarbon extraction and what cannabis products come from it?
With the extract market burgeoning, there’s an increased focus on how those products are produced. Solvent extraction methods have advanced quickly over the past few years, with popular solvents including ethanol, CO2, and hydrocarbons—organic compounds containing only hydrogen and carbon atoms—which in cannabis are usually butane and propane. If you’ve used vape oil, edibles, or any number of products that incorporate extracts, you could well have been sampling the fruit of hydrocarbon extraction.
Organic Hemp: Not All Organic CBD Is Created Equal & Why That Matters
With over 1500 different manufacturers in the U.S., the CBD industry is oversaturated with cheap, low-quality, and sometimes unsafe products. There are countless brands with dishonest labels, improper health claims, contaminated hemp extracts, and artificial ingredients. So how do you know where to start? To avoid these scary realities, take the first step with CBD made from certified organic hemp. Not only is it a better product, but it’s better for your body and the planet.
Does medical cannabis increase coronavirus resistance?
Cannabis researchers in Canada say the plant-based drug may provide resistance to SARS-CoV-2, Deutsche Welle reports. Their preliminary findings are part of broader research into the use of medicinal cannabis in treating cancer. “The results on Covid-19 came from our studies on arthritis, Crohn’s disease, cancer and others,” says Dr. Igor Kovalchuck, a professor of Biological Sciences at the University of Lethbridge, in an email to DW.
Dr Susan Trapp, Queen of Terpenes: Talking Terpene Science
Terpenes are some of the most prevalent and diverse organic compounds. They create the familiar scent of many plants but serve many purposes in nature, even self-defense.
Can Marijuana Terpenes Treat COVID-19? These Scientists Believe So
Israeli researchers will utilize antiviral agents found in cannabis terpenes to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Cannabis relieves opioid withdrawal symptoms – study
Cannabis could help to treat opioid withdrawal symptoms in three out of four patients, a US study suggests.
GARDENING
Breaking Down the Bud: Zoom In on Trichomes
These fine outgrowths on the cannabis plant serve many purposes, including housing resin glands full of THC.
POLITICS & LAW
House Coronavirus Plan Includes Cannabis Industry Banking
The House of Representatives coronavirus stimulus plan announced yesterday includes language identical to the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act, which would allow legal cannabis businesses access to traditional banking and loan services.
U.S. Government COVID Package Includes Cannabis Banking Relief, But Not Small Business Support
Reform advocates, including NORML, had lobbied leadership to include banking reform in the latest COVID relief measure. NORML also encouraged separate provisions in the Act to permit state-licensed cannabis businesses to be eligible to receive loans and other types of financial assistance via the Small Business Administration (SBA). The state-licensed cannabis industry employs more than 240,000 American workers, over four times the number of American workers as does the coal industry.
Coronavirus spells doom for federal cannabis legislation
Instead of a complete overhaul of the U.S.’s cannabis laws in the 116th Congress, one chamber passed one cannabis bill on one issue. Impeachment killed the remaining momentum, and the coronavirus then changed the course entirely, torching the chances of any standalone cannabis legislation passing Congress this year.
NCIA Calls for Cannabis Oversight Change
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) should not be part of the cannabis research application process. That is the main recommendation the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA) to the federal agency currently overseeing the federal medical cannabis research program.
Former Reagan Administration Official Calls War on Drugs ‘a Terrible Mistake’
What may have started as indifference evolved over the years into misgivings and then discord, propelled by his sense of social justice and his diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease (symptoms of which he treats with cannabis). The latter would eventually lead the former Reagan Administration staffer down a new career path: In early 2018, he co-founded the medical cannabis cultivation operation Phyto Management in Washington.
Cannabis lobbying group announces leadership changes
The National Cannabis Roundtable [NCR], one of the U.S. industry’s leading advocates for federal marijuana reform, appointed Cresco Labs CEO Charlie Bachtell as its new chair. John Boehner, former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, will continue to serve as honorary chair. NCR spent $695,000 on lobbying in 2019 and $220,000 in the first quarter of 2020, according to Open Secrets.org. Among other issues, the National Cannabis Roundtable has been trying to get cannabis banking reform, which passed the U.S. House last year, across the finish line. The legislation is stalled in the Senate.
CULTURE
Spark of Creativity: How Cannabis Lights Up Inspiration
Marijuana in moderation can be a creative muse.
Cleaning Your Smoking Paraphernalia
These instructions on how to clean your vape, bong, pipe, grinder and dab rig nail, which will ensure the best flavor for your smoke sessions.
On Mothers & Marijuana: 7 Celebrities Talk About Smoking While Parenting
On the day that began as Mother’s Day for Peace, we pause to reflect on the role mothers are taking in bringing about peace in the drug war, by speaking out about the benefits of cannabis for themselves and their families.
AOD Media Watch would like to congratulate 60 Minutes on their recent episode exploring psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. The complex issue, which is too often the subject of misrepresentation and fear-mongering, was handled with sensitivity and accuracy.
BUSINESS & INDUSTRY
Outdoor cannabis licences almost double
As outdoor cannabis licences nearly double in 2020, growers say COVID-19 won’t hold back the coming planting season — and some analysts are predicting the flood of low-cost production will create an oversupply scenario in Canada’s weed market.
Online Cannabis Ordering Platforms Find Renewed Purpose During Pandemic
The largest online cannabis marketplace in operation in the United States is called iheartjane.com. Run by the retail software company Jane Technologies, Inc., the iheartjane website has a well-established coast-to-coast presence. They currently list more than 280,000 products for sale, which can be purchased from more than 1,000 affiliated stores nationwide.
Bod Australia receives record order for cannabinoid and hemp products
Bod Australia (ASX: BDA) has received a record $1.43 million purchase order from Health and Happiness Group to sell its cannabinoid (CBD) and hemp products in the UK. Most of the order is for Bod’s CBD products including its soft gel capsules and oils and will be sold in the UK under the CBII brand.
Global Cannabis Industry Goes Online
The event will take place on 22–23 June, featuring live-streamed keynotes and panel talks from over 150 CEOs, policymakers and cultural leaders across five virtual stages.
An online business directory and marketplace for the Australian cannabis and hemp industry
EVENTS
Drug Policy Public Discussion Forum [Sydney] Postponed until October!
Australian Medicinal Cannabis Conference 2020 [Melbourne]
Garden States – Cultivating Plant Knowledge [Melbourne]
