Nov 18 2022

President Biden Will Sign Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Act Into Law

On Wednesday the U.S. Senate passed the Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act, making it the first standalone piece of marijuana legislation to ever reach the president’s desk. Now the White House says President Biden will soon sign it into law.

H.R. 8454 passed the Senate on Wednesday and passed the House of Representatives in July. Now, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre tells us that President Biden will “soon sign the measure into law.”

The bill is designed to facilitate research on marijuana and its potential health benefits, which up until this point has been a challenge for researchers. The bill will accomplish this by streamlining the application process for scientific marijuana studies and removing existing barriers for researchers that frequently slow the research process. The measure will also make it so that it’s not a violation of the Controlled Substances Act for a State-licensed physician to discuss the health benefits of medical marijuana.

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Nov 18 2022

Report: Hemp Market Worth $6.8 Billion, to Grow to $18.1 Billion by 2027

The Industrial Hemp Market is estimated to be valued at $6.8 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach $18.1 billion by 2027, recording a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.6%.

Hemp plants.

This is according to a new report by MarketsandMarkets™. The increased usage of hemp seeds in a wide range of food and beverage products such as cereals, yogurts, protein powders, and hemp milk is driving the market.

“The European market is expected to account for the fastest growth in the industrial hemp market”, states the report. “The growth can be attributed to the increased usage of hemp seed and hemp seed oil in food, beverages, dietary supplements, and personal care products.” Furthermore, the use of hemp fiber in a variety of applications, including automotive and construction materials for thermal insulation and soundproofing in automobiles is also driving the growth in Europe.
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Nov 18 2022

Study: Terpene-Enriched CBD May Help to Treat Autism Spectrum Disorder

Cannabidiol (CBD) enriched with terpenes may provide a safe and effective treatment option for autism spectrum disorder and is more effectice than CBD alone.

This is according to a case report study being published in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology and epublished by the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

“Cannabidiol (CBD) rich products are successfully used in some countries for treating symptoms associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)”, states the study’s abstract “Yet, CBD provides insufficient intervention in some individuals, or for some characterizing symptoms of ASD, raising the need for improved compositions.”
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Nov 17 2022

Study: Marijuana Legalization “Not Associated With Variations in Index Crime Rates”

Legalizing recreational marijuana at the state level doesn’t have a significant impact on crime rates, according to a new study published in the Journal of Drug Issues.

For the study researchers affiliated with the University of Colorado and Boise State University compared crime data in Colorado and Washington – the first two states to legalize marijuana – to a synthetic control over a ten-year period (2010-2019).

“[L]egalizing marijuana for recreational use in Colorado and Washington was generally not associated with variations in index crime rates”, states the study. “These findings substantiate prior research.”
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Nov 16 2022

U.S. Senate Passes Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act, Sends it to President Biden

The Senate today passed the Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act, which would expand research into marijuana-derived medications.

H.R. 8454 passed the House of Representatives in July by an overwhelming vote of 325 to 95. The measure now goes to the desk of President Biden, who is expected to quickly sign it into law.

The senate bill was introduced by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and passed the House under the leadership of Representatives Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) and Andy Harris (R-Md.). Passage of the bill in the House and Senate marks the first time a standalone piece of marijuana reform legislation has ever been sent to a president.
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Nov 15 2022

Kentucky Governor Signs Executive Order to Relax Medical Marijuana Ban

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear on Tuesday signed an executive order to allow medical marijuana patients to legally possess medical marijuana properly purchased in another state.

The order to relax the state’s prohibition on medical marijuana, which was previously illegal in all instances, was signed earlier today by Governor Beshear.  The move allows those who properly purchased legal medical marijuana from another state to possess up to eight ounces of marijuana within Kentucky, which is currently a felony.

“These are actions that I can take as governor to provide access to medical cannabis and relief to those who need it to better enjoy their life without pain,” said Governor Beshear at a press release announcing the move. Beshear says he has the authority to make this move without legislative approval based on the pardon powers granted to him by the state’s constitution.
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Nov 14 2022

A Decade After Legalizing Marijuana, WA and CO Have Garnered Almost $5 Billion in New Tax Revenue

10 years ago Washington State and Colorado, on the same night, became the first states to legalizing marijuana. According to new data, this has resulted in considerable tax revenue for both states.

According to data released by the Colorado Department of Revenue and the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Control Board, the combined total tax revenue garnered from legal marijuana sales between the two states is $4.9 billion. Keep in mind that although voters legalized marijuana in November, 2012, legalizing marijuana stores weren’t operating until some months later.

As of the end of October, Colorado has made $2,296,609,287 in tax revenue from $13,565,124,088 in marijuana sales. This includes the sale of dried marijuana flower, prerolls, edibles, concentrates, topicals and other marijuana products.
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Nov 14 2022

Administration of THC “Promotes Significant Recovery from Traumatic Brain Injury”, Finds Study

According to a study epublished by the U.S. National Library of Medicine, “administration of the phytocannabinoid Δ9THC promotes significant recovery from TBI (traumatic brain injury).”

Conducted by researchers at the University of South Florida and the James Haley VA Medical Center, the study was published in a recent issue of the peer-reviewed journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research.

For the study mice who experience a controlled cortical impact (CCI) were treated for 3 days with 3mg/kg of THC (one of the primary compounds found in marijuana). Motor function on a rotarod was recorded at baseline and 3, 7, and 14 days after the CCI. Following death, “G-CSF, BDNF, and GDNF expression were measured at 7 and 14 days in cerebral cortex, striatum, and hippocampus on the side of the trauma.”
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Nov 13 2022

Study: THC is Effective in Reducing Chemotherapeutic Induced Neuropathic Pain

A new study conducted by researchers at the Penn State College of Medicine has found that while CBD alone is not incredibly effective at treating neuropathic pain, it is effective when mixed with THC, and THC is effective when administered by itself.

Published by the journal Biomedicines, the full text of the study can be found by clicking here.

According to the study’s authors, neuropathic pain is a condition that impacts a substantial portion of the population and is expected to affect a larger percentage in the future. This type of pain “is poorly managed by current therapies, including opioids and NSAIDS, and novel approaches are needed.”

For the study researchers “used a cisplatin-induced model of neuropathic pain in mice to assess the effects of the cannabinoids THC and CBD alone or in varying ratios as anti-nociceptive agents.”
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Nov 11 2022

Study Finds Increased White Matter Coherence Following Several Months of Medical Cannabis Treatment

Medical cannabis treatment was associated with increased white matter coherence in a new peer-reviewed study conducted by researchers at Harvard Medical School and published in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research.

As noted by the study’s abstract, which was published online ahead of print by the National Institute of Health, previous studies have demonstrated abnormal white matter (WM) microstructure in recreational cannabis consumers. However, “the long-term impact of medical cannabis (MC) use on WM coherence is unknown.”

Accordingly, “this study assessed the longitudinal impact of MC treatment on WM coherence.”

As part of a larger, longitudinal investigation, patients interested in treating at least one medical condition with commercially available cannabis products of their choosing were assessed before initiating medical cannabis use and following three and six months of treatment.
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