MjLink Cannabis Business News and Press
The research on the anti-palliative effects of cannabinoids, namely THC, has produced pharmaceutical options like Marinol that have been on the market since the mid-80s and remain available to patients with intractable chemo-related nausea and vomiting. However, recent research suggests that cannabinoids may do more than treat the symptoms associated with conventional cancer therapies; some cannabinoids may kill cancer cells altogether and with a low risk of side effects or damage to healthy cells.
Recent pre-clinical studies have found that one such phytochemical component, cannabigerol (CBG), may be exceptionally efficacious against a number of cancer cell lines, and without the risk of intoxication.
CBG is the precursor to all other cannabinoids, including THC, CBD and CBC. CBG in its raw form, cannabigerolic acid (CBGA), develops within the plant’s cells when two organic compounds produced by the plant, olivetolic acid (OA) and geranyl pyrophosphate (GPP), combine. CBGA then is secreted into trichomes before it converts into the three major cannabinoid lines: THCA, CBDA, and CBCA, otherwise known in their more studied, “activated” forms as THC, CBD and CBC.
Unlike THC, CBG doesn’t have any great affinity for activating CB1 receptors, thus it doesn’t create a classic cannabis high in consumers—though its psychoactive efficacy may help treat certain mood disorders, including anxiety and depression. However, much like other cannabinoids, CBG does engage with the endogenous cannabinoid system both directly and indirectly, as well as through a number of peripheral pathways in the body.
Deactivation, or antagonism, of the ion channel TRPM8 (Transient Receptor Potential Cation Channel subfamily Melastatin member 8), otherwise known as the “cold and menthol receptor”, is one such mechanism of action for CBG. Irregular expression of this receptor is implicated in the initiation and progression of tumors, including prostate, melanoma, breast adenocarcinoma, bladder and colorectal cancers. Currently, the strongest evidence for CBG anti-tumor therapy via the TRPM8 channel is supported by research into colon cancer cell lines.
CBG Studies on Colorectal Cancer
A number of studies have pointed to CBG’s efficacy against colorectal cancer via TRPM8 antagonism including a 2014 paper published in Carcinogenesis which described potent in vivo action that promoted apoptosis (programmed cell death), improved oxidative stress responses, and reduced cell growth in colorectal cancer cells. The study found that these results were independent of CBG’s engagement with other TRP receptor channels and were improved by CB2 receptor deactivation, the endocannabinoid receptor predominately associated with immune system response. Inversely, activation of CB2 receptors has been linked to colon cancer progression which suggests that cannabinoids whose primary mechanisms of action lie outside of canonical cannabinoid receptors, like CBG, may prove most effective, according to the study’s authors.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) has awarded six seed-to-sale tracking companies licenses to operate in the state’s forthcoming medical cannabis market.
The licensees are MJ Freeway, Bio-Tech Medical Software, Swin, Artemis Agtech, Validated Housing and Retail Innovation, according to The Motley Fool.
Two companies, Leaf Logix Technologies and Canna Botanicals, were denied licenses, the news outlet reported.
The licensees will use their technology platforms to track medical cannabis from the seed or immature plant stage through the product’s sale at a dispensary.
Missouri legalized medical cannabis in 2018 and has worked quickly to license the nascent industry. DHSS issued testing lab and cultivation licenses in December, and awarded manufacturing and dispensary licenses last month.
It’s been 18 months since Oklahoma launched its legal medical cannabis program, and licensing and revenue have both exceeded initial expectations, according to a Cherokee Phoenix report.
Roughly 8% of adults have a medical cannabis card, the news outlet reported, and the state has licensed more than 2,200 dispensaries, which means there is one for every 1,786 residents, or one for every 100 card holders.
The state has issued 4,757 total cultivation, processing and dispensary licenses to date, Cherokee Phoenix reported, and only 770 have not been renewed.
The Oklahoma Tax Commission has reported that medical cannabis sales reached $345 million in 2019, according to the news outlet, and the state collected $55 million in total tax revenue.
New Frontier Data has rated Oklahoma as the second-most saturated market behind New Mexico, Cherokee Phoenix reported, due to minimal financial obstacles and a lack of qualifying conditions—doctors can ultimately decide whether to prescribe cannabis on a case-by-case basis.
The partnership is the first of its kind between a luxury fashion house and a cannabis brand.
M Missoni is partnering with Los Angeles-based cannabis brand Pure Beauty to debut custom cannabis cigarettes in the fashion brand’s iconic zigzag patterns.
The THC-containing pre-rolls will debut during M Missoni’s Feb. 4 event at L.A. landmark Pink’s Hot Dogs.
Although CBD products have been a mainstay in fashion show gift bags and at events for several seasons, this partnership on psychoactive THC products is the first of its kind between a luxury fashion house and a cannabis brand.
Click here to read the complete article
At present the CBD market in the UK is valued at £300 million ($387.96 million US) and is expected to rise to £1 billion ($1.29 billion US) by 2025.
The British Hemp Alliance (BHA), formally the British Hemp Association, was formed in 2018 to lobby for change and remove the barriers to growth that are stopping a thriving UK hemp industry.
It is comprised of NGO’s, farmers, businesses, environmental organisations and individuals who want to support progressive changes in hemp legislation.
Click here to read the complete article
Rebekah Shaman, British Hemp Alliance ~ OpenAccessGovernment.org ~
One recent survey reported that upwards of 66% of those who suffer from MS may use cannabis in their efforts to control the disease.
Multiple sclerosis, also known as MS, is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system (CNS) — brain and spinal cord — by damaging the fatty myelin sheaths that surround our nerve cells.
Those with multiple sclerosis may experience a wide array of symptoms, including a worsening lack of coordination, trouble walking or getting around, muscle spasms and pain, dizziness, and changes in mood or sleep.
Click here to read the complete article
Dr. Jordan Tishler ~ TheFreshToast.com ~
The CBD industry’s explosive growth is quickly outpacing science, but with the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, research has begun in earnest, and more is being known about the benefits of this now common cannabis compound and its uses.
Alice O’Leary-Randall has been on the forefront of the medical cannabis movement ever since her late husband, Robert C. Randall, became the first person in the U.S. to legally receive medical cannabis. Now the editor-in-chief of Mary’s Medicinals publications, O’Leary-Randall frequently writes and speaks on the issue. Here, she outlines some common CBD myths, as well as what current research suggests about the therapeutic properties of CBD, drug-to-drug interactions and best clinical practices for medical professionals.
Cannabis Business Times: What are some common CBD myths that have been dispelled through research?
Alice O’Leary-Randall: I think the most common one that I hear is that you can use CBD because that way you won’t fail the drug test at work. That’s a big one, and that is not true. There’s just enough THC in there that if you’re using it on a regular basis, like taking capsules every day or something like that, the THC can build up in the liver and thus into your bloodstream eventually and can skew a drug test.
The idea that CBD can heal things. Realistically, CBD treats symptoms. It doesn’t heal disease. I think that’s really important for people to understand that distinction.
CBT: What is currently known about CBD and drug-to-drug interactions?
AOR: There’s a growing amount that’s known. The good news is that CBD is a relatively benign substance, and that extends to the drug interactions, as well. But there is always that one individual who has really different reactions—contraindicative reactions—to drugs. I have a friend who looks at the word THC and she’s high. Give her a little bit of THC and she just becomes a mop—it’s amazing to me. But similarly, prescribed medications to her are also a really big issue because they just don’t react in the same way as they do in other people.
Starts Additional Rule-making Affecting Bottle Bill & Milk Beverages OREGON: At a special meeting on January 30, 2020, the Commissioners of the Oregon Liquor Control Commission approved one marijuana violation stipulated settlement agreement. Cura CS, a licensed recreational marijuana wholesaler, will pay a fine of $110,000 for two violations. Licensees are: Cura CS, LLC; Cura Partners, Inc., Member; Cameron Forni, President/Director/Stockholder; Read the full article...
Colorado State University (CSU) has received a sizeable donation from an alumna to create a research center dedicated to studying the chemical compounds in hemp.
The research center, located in the College of Natural Sciences on CSU’s Fort Collins campus, is focused on developing an analytical research lab that will allow researchers to identify and study various types of cannabinoids in order to determine what they could be used for, as well as the best way to formulate them into products, says Dr. Melissa Reynolds, the lab’s research director.
“The college is always interested in looking for additional areas of strength that we can add to our research programs, or identifying ongoing research that’s currently happening within CSU and figuring out a way that we can continue to support and grow those areas,” Reynolds tells Cannabis Business Times. “Additionally, we have a lot of alumni that are very supportive, even after graduating, [and are] wanting to see CSU grow and flourish in different areas. One of those particular alumni was Leslie Buttorff. … She was interested in establishing a research center related to cannabinoid research that would give opportunities for undergraduates, graduate students, researchers, faculty and others to really explore a fairly unexplored space right now in cannabinoid research.”
The CBD market has been experiencing explosive growth since the 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp, but what Buttorff and others found is that the industry is still full of unknowns, Reynolds says.
“There’s a missing piece of research or data supporting whether various cannabinoids have certain indications for use, whether that be in the medical arena or in broader formulations [and] product development—lotions and so forth,” she says.
Many hemp growers are learning lessons the hard way, and in many cases, relearning lessons learned from previous generations. Today’s hemp growers are pioneers, reintroducing a plant to land for the first time in more than 80 years. Interest in hemp is attracting a wide variety of growers, from new cultivators to more traditional agricultural farmers.
Regardless of farming experience, hemp is a new crop that brings with it an entirely different set of possibilities, considerations and challenges. Marguerite Bolt, Hemp Extension Specialist in the Department of Agronomy at Purdue University, will be explaining the types of hemp production, risks associated with a new crop, and sharing reliable resources when she speaks about embarking on the hemp journey at Cannabis Conference 2020.
Bolt started in June 2019 as a statewide specialist for hemp and helps foster collaboration and communication with nonprofit organizations such as Midwest Hemp Council and Indiana Hemp Industry Association, processors, insurers, marketers, consultants, researchers and growers.
Hemp Grower: What kinds of conversations are you having with potential and current hemp farmers? What are they asking you, and what are you telling them?
Marguerite Bolt: One of the things I try to communicate with our growers is if you want to grow hemp, how are you going to do it in a way that fits into your current system? Are you willing to invest in new equipment? Is it even doable?
We’re trying to figure out if hemp is going to be feasible in a way that it can integrate into already existing farms. How can we treat it as a rotational crop? How can it fit into an Indiana system? That’s how I try to approach the industry for growers: Let’s look at this in a pragmatic way instead of you investing hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars, in some cases, into a new industry. Let’s figure out a way you can invest an adequate amount with the understanding that there’s risks associated with production.
Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has entered the cannabis industry, making history as the first historically black college or university to join the legal marijuana business.
In partnership with Ilera Holistic Healthcare, a medical marijuana company in Pennsylvania, the university launched its hemp product line, ALAFIA, last week.
The name means “inner peace” in the Yoruba language, according to the team behind the product.
Click here to read the complete article
Julian Shen-Berro ~ NBCNews.com ~
A study of cannabis users found 82% of people partaking in exercise use cannabis before or after their workout, reporting it increases enjoyment, enhances recovery, and heightens motivation.
Is cannabis the new ‘runners high’? Eight out of 10 cannabis users (in states where it is legal) say they partake in the drug shortly before or after exercise.
Most reported that it motivates them to work out, helps them enjoy exercise more and improves their recovery, according to University of Colorado Boulder research.
Click here to read the complete article
HealthEuropa.EU ~
Whoopi & Maya, the medical cannabis company co-founded by Whoopi Goldberg, is closing up shop, according to a statement posted on its website.
In an interview with CNN Business, Rick Cusick, a Whoopi & Maya board member who helped found the company with Goldberg and Om Edibles founder Maya Elisabeth, said he received word Friday from Goldberg that she planned to step away from the brand.
"It became clear to everybody that Whoopi and Maya wanted a divorce," Cusick said, noting he was speaking for himself and not the company or its board.
Click here to read the complete article
Alicia Wallace ~ CNN.com ~
Cannabis-Focused Investor Network Announces The Arcview Collective Fund; Members to Participate in Investment Decisions CALIFORNIA: The Arcview Group, the leading cannabis investment and market research network, announces the launch of its first member-based fund: the Arcview Collective Fund. Arcview members will have exclusive access to the fund led by Arcview Ventures Chief Investment Officer, Jeanne M. Sullivan Read the full article...
SAN DIEGO – As California policy makers develop codes for Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), Resource Innovation Institute (RII) will convene the inaugural Indoor Agriculture Energy Solutions (IAES) Conference, connecting policy makers, utility program managers, equipment manufacturers and suppliers, researchers, manufacturers, cultivators and investors to shape the future of energy policies and utility programs for CEA. The IAES Conference will be held at the San Diego La Jolla Marriott February 24-26, 2020.
Cannabis Business Times Science Editor Andrea Sparr-Jaswa will be speaking at this event.
Expanding on RII’s mission to advance resource efficiency in the rapidly expanding indoor agriculture sector, this first-of-its-kind event arrives at a critical moment in time for controlled environment agriculture. The urban and vertical farming sector is scaling rapidly for crops of all kinds, accelerated by cannabis legalization across North America. Urban areas and food deserts are looking at indoor farming as a way to access locally grown produce. As the result, the carbon and energy implications of indoor controlled environments are becoming more impactful. Drawing from the experiences of early models, this conference will explore energy solutions for indoor agriculture without focusing on any one crop.
Conference attendees will access educational sessions presented by experts in the field, connect with leaders in the industry and discuss cutting-edge policies and technologies. IAES will elevate innovative solutions related to energy access, efficiency and sustainability and shape the future of indoor agriculture.
“We have the opportunity to take the lessons learned from initial government, utility and non-profit responses addressing the energy and carbon impacts of regulated cannabis and apply them to the broader world of controlled environment agriculture,” said Derek Smith, Executive Director of RII. “These learnings will inform controlled environment agriculture broadly. This is precisely why we are hosting the Indoor Agriculture Energy Solutions conference. And we look forward to convening top stakeholders to join the dialogue.”
Registration can be secured via https://www.iaesconference.com/registration.
Rhode Island lawmakers voted Feb. 4 to abandon legislative veto powers over the state’s medical cannabis and hemp regulations, which they awarded themselves in a state budget proposal last summer.
The House and Senate passed identical bills in unanimous votes that removed the “legislative veto” language from the budget, the Providence Journal reported.
The state budget authorized six additional medical cannabis dispensaries in the state, and originally mandated that all new cannabis regulations be approved by the General Assembly.
This provision resulted in a legal battle with Gov. Gina Raimondo late last year when Raimondo filed a lawsuit in October against the General Assembly to take exclusive control of medical cannabis and hemp regulation.
Lawmakers rewrote the legislation earlier this year, and the House and Senate votes occurred Feb. 4 without debate, the Providence Journal reported.
Minnesota House Democratic Majority Leader Ryan Winkler has outlined guiding principles for an adult-use cannabis legalization bill, according to a local KTOE report.
Winkler has previously announced plans to introduce legislation based on the “Be Heard on Cannabis” discussions he hosted around the state last year to gather public input on legalization.
While Gov. Tim Walz has been largely supportive of cannabis policy reform in the state, Senate Republican Majority Leader Paul Gazelka opposes legalization, KTOE reported.
Last year, a Senate committee rejected a legalization bill, and even shot down a proposal that would have established a task force to study the issue.
PRESS RELEASE - Vertical Air Solutions has announced the immediate availability of its new line of drying hangers. All first orders, for a limited time, will receive a discount of 15%. Visit www.vertairsolutions.com/resources, scroll down to the section on the Drying Hanger, and click Shop Now. The discount code is COOLHANGERS.
Vertical Air Solutions provides air circulation systems and related products to the indoor, vertical farming cannabis industry globally. With a relentless focus on innovation in improving the efficiency and yield of its customers and an unwavering commitment to stable and interdependent partnerships in its route to market, Vertical Air Solutions positions itself as a responsible, customer-focused, responsive, and politically and socially involved player in the medicinal and recreational cannabis ecosystem.
]]>Hartford, CT — PRESS RELEASE — The nation’s largest marijuana policy organization, the Marijuana Policy Project, has announced that it has hired attorney DeVaughn Ward to serve as senior legislative counsel. Ward will play an integral role in legalizing marijuana in Connecticut, where he is a longtime resident.
As Connecticut’s legislative session convenes Feb. 5, Ward is prepared to work closely with state legislators, the Connecticut Coalition to Regulate Marijuana, and allies to push for an end to prohibition in 2020. Ward also will serve as the co-director of the coalition, along with Adam Wood.
Ward has been a champion of civil rights throughout his career. He has spent nearly the past decade gaining experience in law and public policy after receiving his J.D. in 2011 at the University of Connecticut School of Law. During his years spent practicing law at his firm based in Hartford, he routinely represented clients who had their constitutional rights violated. In 2019, Ward was recognized as one of the “New Leaders in The Law” by the Connecticut Law Tribune. Outside of his work, he serves as a board member for several non-profit organizations in the greater Hartford area.
Karen O’Keefe, director of state policies at the Marijuana Policy Project, said, “We believe 2020 can and should be the year Connecticut ends the decades-old policy failure of marijuana prohibition. By bringing on DeVaughn and expanding our Connecticut organizing team, we are redoubling our efforts in the Constitution State to replace marijuana prohibition with thoughtful regulation.
“DeVaughn’s extensive experience working to protect constitutional rights and build community make him the perfect choice to lead the charge to transform Connecticut’s destructive marijuana laws into policies centered on social equity, public health and personal liberty.”
Women in the cannabis industry are pioneering their messages further into the mainstream than ever before. Last year Honeysuckle Magazine, an award-winning, women-owned internationally distributed media company spearheaded an historic initiative that empowered cannabis brands to run on Times Square billboard for the first time in history. Among their landmark partners was luxury accessories company My Bud Read the full article...
