Category: Cannabis/CBD

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How to get the health benefits of cannabis without getting high

“For many of us who came of age in the 1960s and 1970s, smoking pot (also called marijuana or cannabis) was an integral part of the social scene. But whether we never touched the stuff, gave it up decades ago or still maintain a relationship with the plant, many boomers today are eagerly exploring cannabis in its various forms to address a whole host of conditions, including chronic pain, anxiety, and insomnia.

Microdosing’ cannabis for medicinal benefits

Still, many people who could benefit from cannabis are reluctant to do so out of concern over “getting high.” This aversion to intoxication is one of the factors driving the meteoric popularity of hemp-based cannabidiol (CBD) products, which contain only trace amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive compound in cannabis. Yet CBD alone is considered to be less effective for medicinal purposes without the presence of THC.

The good news is that it takes very little THC to safely achieve significant therapeutic effects. This is the rationale behind “microdosing,” an approach to using medicinal cannabis in very small doses to achieve medicinal benefits without the high.

Cannabis for acute and chronic conditions

Dr. Jordan Tishler, a cannabis physician and instructor of medicine at Harvard with a practice in Boston, also treats his patients for pain and other chronic conditions using very low doses of THC. For Tishler, the preferred mode of delivery for fast treatment of acute conditions, such as migraine headaches, is inhalation of very small quantities of vaporized flower — a part of the cannabis plant. Vaporization is achieved using a technologically sophisticated portable convection device, better known as a vaping device.

For chronic conditions that need ongoing maintenance, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease, Tishler’s treatment plan may center around low-dose gummy chews.

Dr. Laurie Vollen, a cannabis physician in the San Francisco Bay Area, also recommends vaping very small, controlled quantities of a flower. But she cautions patients to avoid disposable vape pens, which can contain toxic chemicals and have not been proven clinically safe over long-term use. Vollen teaches her patients, whose average age is in the 70s, how to use a vaporizer in a special “Inhalation 101” course she developed.

Read more at Star Tribune

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CBD Oil vs. Hemp Oil: What’s the Difference in 2019?

”With marijuana usage rising as more U.S. states legalize the controversial but commercially available herb, a cottage industry has developed around the use of marijuana with various claims of healthy attributes on multiple medical fronts.

Officially, marijuana is deemed as Schedule I herbal substance by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, meaning the drug offers “no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse,” according to the federal government. That categorization was adjusted after the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, which included a provision that separated hemp from marijuana, as noted in the Controlled Subject Act.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “marijuana refers to the dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa. The plant contains the mind-altering chemical delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other related compounds. Extracts can also be made from the cannabis plant.”

Virtually all of the health care products derived from the cannabis plant centers around two primary components – CBD (Cannabidiol) oil and hemp oil. Each is used and sold as natural health remedies and, even as they share certain characteristics, they have some important differences, too.

What Is CBD Oil?

CBD oil is derived from the Cannabis sativa plant and is known scientifically as cannabidiol. CBD is one of 120 known chemical compounds embedded in marijuana plants and differs from hemp in that it contains Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the primary psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis.

What Is Hemp Oil?

Hemp oil is also derived from Cannabis sativa, which contains the chemical element trans-delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the cannabis component that gives marijuana its psychosomatic kick. Hemp oil is extracted from the leaves, petals, and seeds from a hemp plant.

What both CBD oil and hemp oil do have in common is neither is linked to THC and therefore won’t provide that psychological “high” so often attributed to THC.

Instead, the human body manages cannabinoids through its endocannabinoid system, also known as ECS, which can process CBD and hemp oil through the body and is managed by the human brain, which uses cannabinoids to regulate the body’s physiological reactions to the herb, and help better manage key human elements like eating, sleeping, dealing with pains and illnesses, and improving mood.
Hemp
Continue Reading at The Street

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CBD Hype: Is this Hemp-plant Derivative Snake Oil or a Legit Remedy?

“hat’s if you believe the hype. Problems with aches and pains, inflammation, stress, unsatisfying sex and PMS? Try CBD.

It comes in many forms: skin creams, lotions, oils, tinctures, pills, and even powder or liquid food additive. You can get it nearly everywhere. Neighborhood coffee shops splash CBD in lattes. Amazon delivers it to your doorstep. Walgreens and CVS will stock it in stores nationwide.

And while marketers hype the hemp plant derivative cannabidiol as a natural remedy for just about anything they might imagine, their therapeutic claims are rarely supported by medical evidence that CBD is significantly better than a placebo.

When it comes to over-the-top claims, there are probably some people taking advantage,” said Jay Hartenbach, CEO of Medterra, one of the largest marketers of CBD. It’s important to “come back to the science.”

Nearly 7% of Americans are using CBD, a figure projected to grow to 10% of Americans by 2025, according to investment research firm Cowen & Co. The fast-growing market already generates as much as $2 billion in sales. That could grow to $16 billion by 2025, according to Cowen & Co.

The Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018, signed by President Donald Trump in December, loosened restrictions on the use of hemp products that contain less than .3 % THC. THC is the psychoactive component found in marijuana – the chemical that produces a high when smoked or ingested.

FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, whose last day was Friday, said early last week that he was concerned to hear major pharmacies and retail stores are selling CBD and said his agency will contact retailers and remind them that the agency’s role is to protect consumers from products that might put them at risk.

The FDA has approved the use of one cannabidiol drug, Epidiolex, to treat seizures from Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome, two rare kinds of epilepsy.

But research that has passed FDA muster is the exception in an industry that typically puts marketing ahead of science.

Read more on USA Today

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Cannabis Oil Bill Hits Speed Bumps in Senate

“A bill to allow regulated production of medical oil derived from marijuana may be running into roadblocks in the Georgia Senate.

Though House Bill 324 passed the Georgia House of Representatives by an overwhelming margin – 123-40 – officials on the Senate side are considering vastly different options.

According to multiple sources, senators and Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan are looking at other options for providing access to cannabis oil. One of those options is setting up agreements with Colorado or other states so that the medical oil could be shipped from Colorado to Georgia for distribution to Georgia patients. The other is putting universities in charge of growing and producing oil.

HB 324, which followed recommendations made by the Joint Study Commission on Low THC Oil Access, would set up a system of 10 production licenses and 10 distribution licenses. Producers would be authorized to run two dispensaries each, and each distribution license holder could have up to 10 for a total of 60 retail dispensaries in the state.

State Sen. Matt Brass, R-Newnan, was co-chairman of the commission and is vice chairman of the Senate committee hearing the bill.

The cards state “Stop Georgia from Going to Pot” and say that the House of Representatives was “prodded by the pot lobby” to pass HB 324. It says the bill will allow the state government to “set up special ‘pot stores’ and choose who can grow marijuana” and that the plan is “an open invitation for corruption, crony capitalism and crime.”

Meanwhile, Wooten said frustration is growing about the lack of availability for Georgia patients who depend on the oil.

Troup County parent Dale Jackson, who served on the commission, testified about treating his nonverbal autistic son with the oil. Jackson said it’s frustrating because there is no consistent access to oil, they have to start from scratch every month because the batches of oil are never the same, Wooton said.

Read the full article at The Newnan Times-Herald

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First CBD Oil Shop In Fall River Ready For Opening Day

“FALL RIVER — After losing her daughter three years ago, Laura Eaton has found the motivation not only to go on, but to live well, and to start her own business helping people discover their own journey to wellness.

Janelle “Nelly” Eaton became locally famous for her courageous and graceful battle with cancer that ended on Nov. 21, 2015, at the age of 17. Since that time, her mom and family have continued the Nelly Strong Foundation to promote public education and awareness about natural healing for those with chronic and critical illnesses.

Troy City Wellness, a business specializing in CBD oil and other natural wellness products, will open on March 2 at 222 E. Main St. It is the first CBD oil shop in the city, though some others do sell CBD products.

Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a compound of the cannabis plant that alternative medicine practitioners, and some traditional health care professionals, believe may help people find relief from anxiety, pain, epilepsy, stress, skin conditions and more.

It is a full-spectrum organic product that is non-psychoactive, meaning it does not produce a “high.”

Eaton said she’s had an interest in CBD oil years before it became mainstream when she saw it help her daughter deal with the effects of her disease.

Continue Reading at South Coast Today

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CBD for cancer: Everything You Need To Know

”Cannabidiol, or CBD, is one of many cannabinoids in the cannabis plant gaining popularity in the world of natural medicine because it appears to offer the body many benefits. While there is some debate around the topic, some people suggest using CBD in the treatment of cancer.

Although it is too early to make any claims about CBD for cancer treatment, this compound may help manage symptoms that occur due to this disease or its treatment.

It is important to note that CBD is not the same as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is an active cannabinoid in cannabis that causes a “high” when a person smokes or ingests it. Researchers are also looking at the possibility of using CBD for treating anxiety and chronic pain.

Some people wonder about using cannabis or CBD to prevent cancer. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) reviewed numerous studies regarding the link between cannabis and cancer and found that the research has mixed results.

An older study of 64,855 men from the United States found that cannabis use did not increase the risk of tobacco-related cancers. However, this same study also found that male cannabis users who never smoked tobacco had an increased risk of prostate cancer.

On the other hand, the authors of a 2015 study found a promising relationship between cannabis and bladder cancer. After adjusting for several factors, they found that that cannabis users had a 45-percent lower risk of developing bladder cancer.

However, ingesting CBD extract does not expose the body to the same carcinogens as smoking marijuana. More long-term studies in humans are necessary to determine what role, if any, CBD has to play in the prevention of cancer.

In 2016, researchers noted that the use of cannabinoids shows promise in the fight against cancer. The authors found that cannabinoids seem to inhibit the growth of many different types of tumor cell in both test tubes and animal models.

Continue Reading at Medical News Today

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CBD Oil and Pets: Can It Relieve Anxiety And Pain?

“CBD oil is a non-intoxicating hemp extract that many pet owners are after to treat a variety of ailments. But veterinarians say there are some things to consider first.

Pain, arthritis and seizures are just some of the health problems that have more and more people turning to CBD for their pets.

North Carolina is one of 47 states where CBD is legal for human use. Physicians in those states can recommend CBD to their patients, and consumers can purchase it at retail locations.

Cannabis for pets is largely unregulated, so it’s difficult to know which CBD products are formulated responsibly.

Consumer Reports recommends looking for the seal from the National Animal Supplement Council, which can help identify quality products.

WRAL.com

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Is Auxly Cannabis a Buy?

Momentum continues to pick up for the marijuana industry. But not every marijuana stock is prospering.

Auxly Cannabis  (NASDAQOTH:CBWTF) lost more than half its value in 2018, making it one of the 10 worst-performing marijuana stocks of the year. So far in 2019, the stock is down close to 20% while the shares of many of its peers are soaring. But is Auxly now such a bargain that it’s a great pick for long-term investors to buy?

THE GOOD

Auxly’s share price hasn’t reflected the tremendous potential the company has. But that potential exists nonetheless.

Estimates vary about just how big the global marijuana market could be. However, projections of $100 billion or more within the next decade don’t appear to be unrealistic. Auxly itself estimates that the total market could be close to $50 billion by 2024. The company doesn’t have to be a big player in a market of that size to be enormously successful.

Auxly offers one key advantage to investors that most marijuana stocks don’t: diversification across the cannabis supply chain. The company’s revenue streaming partnerships, joint ventures, equity investments, and subsidiaries make Auxly a player in the upstream cultivation, midstream extraction and processing, and downstream distribution and sales segments of the cannabis industry.

THE BAD

Despite its impressive efforts in wheeling and dealing, Auxly has yet to make even a cent of profit. In the third quarter of 2018, the company posted a loss totaling nearly 4.6 million Canadian dollars, or around $3.5 million.

Auxly’s problem isn’t just that it’s spending a lot of money (which it is); the company simply isn’t making much revenue, either. In Q3, Auxly’s revenue totaled a measly CA$512,000 — roughly $385,000.

The primary issue for Auxly is that most of its upstream partners are still ramping up their production capacity. They can’t sell what they can’t produce.

Read the full article at The Motley Fool

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8 Things Everyone Gets Wrong About CBD

“The past year has seen a surge of interest in marijuana’s CBD, a non-intoxicating cannabis compound with significant therapeutic properties. Numerous commercial start-ups and internet retailers have jumped on the CBD bandwagon, touting CBD derived from industrial hemp as the next big thing, a miracle oil that can shrink tumors, quell seizures, and ease chronic pain — without making people feel “stoned.” But along with a growing awareness of cannabidiol as a potential health aid, there has been a proliferation of misconceptions about CBD.

CBD is Medical. THC is recreational

Project CBD receives many inquiries from around the world and oftentimes people say they are seeking “CBD, the medical part” of the plant, “not THC, the recreational part” that gets you high. Actually, THC, “The High Causer,” has awesome therapeutic properties. Scientists at the Scripps Research Center in San Diego reported that THC inhibits an enzyme implicated in the formation of beta-amyloid plaque, the hallmark of Alzheimer’s-related dementia.

THC Is The Bad Cannabinoid. CBD is the good cannabinoid

The drug warrior’s strategic retreat: Give ground on CBD while continuing to demonize THC. Diehard marijuana prohibitionists are exploiting the good news about CBD to further stigmatize high-THC cannabis, casting tetrahydrocannabinol as the bad cannabinoid, whereas CBD is framed as the good cannabinoid. Why? Because CBD doesn’t make you high as THC does.

CBD Is Most Effective Without THC

THC and CBD are the power couple of cannabis compounds — they work best together. Scientific studies have established that CBD and THC interact synergistically to enhance each other’s therapeutic effects. British researchers have shown that CBD potentiates THC’s anti-inflammatory properties in an animal model of colitis.

Continue Reading at The Growth Shop

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Can You Take Too Much CBD? Here’s What Happens If You Do

If you’re taking CBD too, perhaps you’ve also googled: Can you take too much CBD? In order for CBD to be toxic to your system, you would have to ingest almost 20,000 mg of CBD oil in a very short amount of time, according to a 2011 study published in the journal Current Drug Safety. But that doesn’t mean you can take gummy after gummy just because they taste like candy.

With the 2018 Hemp Act, part of the 2018 Farm Bill, signed Dec. 20, 2018, all products derived from industrially farmed hemp grown in the U.S. are now legal in all 50 states, ending a more than an 80-year ban of large-scale hemp farming in this country. This means that this year is really where CBD is going to hit the mainstream, as Well+Good’s 2019 wellness forecast suggested. This *also* means it will be a lot easier for researchers to test CBD and its effects, which was previously difficult because of federal regulations around hemp. Hence why scientists aren’t yet 100 percent conclusive on CBD’s effects — and why it’s important to educate yourself before getting started.

Because CBD oils are not currently regulated by the FDA, choosing the right one can be daunting, and sometimes a little bit sketchy. Luckily, you can head over to the website CBD Oil Review to research different brands. It’s also important to note that just because it’s unlikely you can take enough CBD oil to endanger your health, taking too much CBD could make you feel bajiggity. Also, studies have found that CBD oil is known to interact with certain medications, so make sure to consult your doctor or pharmacist if you’re currently taking any prescriptions.

Full story at Bustle

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It’s Time For A Decision On Retail Cannabis Stores

Waterloo Region’s city and township councils must decide soon if they’re opting in or out when it comes to having cannabis stores.

The landscape is uncertain, and the stakes are high.

Many local councils will decide at their first meeting in January, the week of the 14th. But that will be after the first wave of store approvals.

It has been legal since Oct. 17 to purchase marijuana online from the Ontario Cannabis Store.

When it comes to physical stores set up in communities, however, most municipalities are still on the fence.

Municipalities that say yes to physical cannabis stores can’t change their minds later and opt out. They’ll be in for good.

Municipalities that say no can change their minds later. But if they wait, they’ll miss out on extra funding to help pay for extra police and bylaw enforcement officers.

One problem of agreeing to the stores is that local officials don’t have any say in the location, as long as it’s suitable for a retail outlet.

The stores can’t be within 150 meters of a school. But other than that, the city or township has no ability to require, for example, that stores stay a certain distance away from one another.

The North American experience with alcohol can offer some lessons now. When alcohol was illegal, it was easy for children to buy it because once you got to the point of sale, there were very few rules. And also, the illegal booze could make you sick, because its manufacture wasn’t regulated.

Read the full article at The Record

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FDA Casts Shadow Oemn Hp Win, Calling CBD Products Illegal

The hemp industry still has work ahead to win legal status for hemp-derived cannabidiol, or CBD oil, as an ingredient in food or dietary supplements despite the big farm bill President Donald Trump signed last week designating hemp as an agricultural crop.

CBD oils have become increasingly popular in lotions, tinctures, and foods, but their legal status has been murky and the Food and Drug Administration has sent warning letters to some companies making health claims for CBD.

In a statement following Thursday’s bill signing in Washington, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb restated his agency’s stance that CBD is a drug ingredient and therefore illegal to add to food or health products without approval from his agency.

An FDA-approved drug for the treatment of seizures, Epidiolex, contains cannabis-derived CBD. GW Pharmaceuticals’ syrup became the first prescription drug derived from the cannabis plant in June.

The FDA statement also specified parts of hemp that are safe as food ingredients, but the CBD stance disappointed advocates. Courtney Moran, a lobbyist for Oregon hemp farmers, said she plans to work with U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, to nudge the FDA toward greater acceptance of CBD.

Read more on Chicago Tribune

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Opinion: A primer On Cannabis Oil Cartridges

The popularity of cannabis oil vaporizer cartridges, otherwise known as “tanks” among cannabis users, is exploding at a rate faster than any other product on dispensary shelves.

According to data submitted by Colorado’s recreational cannabis industry, cannabis vaporizer cartridge sales increased by 400 percent in 2016 alone. If you’ve been a medical cannabis patient here in Massachusetts before the first recreational shops opening Nov. 20, you’ve witnessed shortages in this hot commodity.

Cannabis vaporizer cartridges are small tanks, typically made of glass or plastic, and pre-filled with a cannabis concentrate. Similar to traditional e-cigarettes, the cannabis cartridge screws into a rechargeable battery containing a button which atomizes, or activates, the vapor almost immediately once pressed.

The three most-common cannabis extracts you will find in cartridge form are those derived from distillation, CO2 extraction or live resin extraction. They will often be split up this way on the product menu. But it’s still unclear to many novices what these things mean, so here’s a brief breakdown of each.

Distillation

The distillate is clear, highly refined oil which can be made from any cannabis extract, regardless of quality. The heat strips away most of the cannabinoids and the terpenes, often leaving only THC and CBD behind.

CO2 extraction

The most-popular cannabis vaporizer cartridges by far, are those made with oil collected from CO2 extraction. CO2 extracts are the most compatible with vaporizer cartridges because they do not require additives of any kind to meet the viscosity needed to function in the battery atomizers made for them.

Continue Reading at Metro West Daily News

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What’s The Deal With Cannabis Capsules?

MedReleaf Corp. and CanniMed by Aurora received Health Canada approval to sell cannabis oil soft-gel capsules, and CannTrust Holdings Inc. announced a range of new cannabis oil, vegan-based, hard-shell capsules—Tilray had introduced the product in Canada last year.

One of the main benefits of capsules is that they include a pre-measured dose and are a viable option for cannabis consumers who are opposed to using syringes to measure their dose.

“Based on third-party research conducted by Cannabis Evidence, an online resource in the field of medical cannabis research, three in four patients out of 709 screened preferred alternative formulations to smoking cannabis. The majority of these patients prefer a capsule/tablet over other oral dosage forms like oils,” reports Kaivan Talachian, Pharm.D., and R.Ph, vice-president of professional services at CannTrust.

While capsules help ensure correct dosages, the complications of determining the appropriate dose for cannabis don’t end there. “Cannabis tends to impact people in different ways, and can’t be prescribed in the same way as traditional medicine. There is a need for continuous dialogue between patients and doctors to ensure that their cannabis therapy is working as intended,” cautions Dr. Mahabir.

Cannabis capsules offer a straightforward way to know precisely how much an individual has consumed, and can potentially be a healthier alternative to smoking cannabis and inhaling harmful carcinogens.

Read more at Growth Op

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The Problems with the UK’s Legalization of Medical Cannabis

Since last Thursday, medical cannabis has been legal in the UK. This means specialist doctors are now able to prescribe cannabis products for conditions where there is a proven medical benefit, potentially helping thousands of people suffering from severe forms of epilepsy, multiple sclerosis (MS), chronic pain, and nausea as a result of chemotherapy, among other ailments.

This landmark change in the law occurred after several stories came to light of sick children suffering under prohibition, including Billy Caldwell. The severely epileptic 12-year-old hit headlines earlier this year when the Home Office confiscated the Canadian-bought cannabis oil that made his condition manageable. Nationwide horror at the situation prompted Home Secretary Sajid Javid to order a review of the law, after which it was decided that cannabis should be changed from a Schedule 1 drug (no medical value) to a Schedule 2 (can be prescribed).

An MS Society statement said: “It’s likely that nothing will change in the short-term for the one in ten people who get relief from pain and muscle spasms by using medical cannabis. We’re calling for the interim guidance of prescribing medical cannabis to be urgently reviewed so that access to the treatment isn’t so restricted.”

Despite the limited scope laid out in the guidelines, Health Secretary Matt Hancock seemed to imply that doctors are being given a certain level of flexibility. He said: “Doctors need to use their clinical judgment, and having guidance in place helps. Ultimately, the need to treat a person and the responsibility for that falls on the shoulders of a doctor—that’s what they do.” Indeed, there will be no direct policy from a government that limits the conditions for which medical cannabis can be prescribed.

Read the full article at Vice

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Cannabis Extract Relieves Chronic Pain Minus The High

In the wake of cannabis legalization in Canada, a team of scientists has delivered encouraging news for chronic pain sufferers by pinpointing the effective dose of marijuana plant extract cannabidiol for safe pain relief without the typical “high” or euphoria that THC produces. The findings of their study have been published in the journal PAIN.

Cannabis indica and sativa are the two main cannabis strains that produce the pharmacological principles known as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). The team demonstrated that CBD does not act on the CB1 cannabinoid receptors like THC, but through the mechanism that binds specific receptors involved in anxiety (serotonin 5-HT1A) and pain (vanilloid TRPV1).

“In animal models of neuropathic or chronic pain, we found that low doses of CBD administered for seven days alleviate both pain and anxiety, two symptoms often associated,” says the study’s first author Danilo De Gregorio, a postdoctoral fellow at McGill University.

Lead author Gabriella Gobbi sees this as a new advancement for the evidence-based application of cannabis in medicine with CBD likely offering a safe alternative to THC and opioids for chronic pain, such as back pain, sciatica, diabetic, cancer, or post-trauma pain.

“Our findings elucidate the mechanism of action of CBD and show that it can be used as medicine without the dangerous side effects of the THC,” says Gobbi, a professor of psychiatry.

Despite widespread public usage, little clinical studies exist on CBD, which became legal in Canada on October 17, 2018, following the passage of Canada’s Cannabis Act.

Futurity

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STUDY: Cannabis Oil Improves Crohn’s Disease Symptoms

According to a new study, cannabis oil can “significantly” improve Crohn’s disease symptoms.

“(S)tudies have shown that many people with Crohn’s disease use cannabis regularly to relieve their symptoms,” Dr. Timna Naftali, an Israeli gastroenterologist who also teaches at Tel Aviv University, said in a written statement. “It has always been thought that this improvement was related to a reduction in inflammation in the gut and the aim of this study was to investigate this.”

Crohn’s disease is a lifelong inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that can cause severe belly pain and chronic diarrhea.

Dr. Naftali, whose study is being billed as the first of its kind, found that an eight-week treatment with cannabis oil containing a four to one CBD to THC ratio produced clinical remission in up to 65 percent of individuals with Crohn’s disease. The randomized, placebo-controlled study involved 50 people with moderately severe forms of the disease. The group that received cannabis oil also reported significant improvements in their quality of life.

Read more at CTV News

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Coral Cove Cannabis Retreat Is Jamaica’s Best Kept Secret

It is a safe bet that anyone traveling to Jamaica on vacation is open to the experience of, if not directly looking for, an opportunity to legally consume cannabis. Cannabis tourism in Jamaica is taking off, as properties across the Caribbean island are highlighted for their ingenuity in the fast-growing industry. Coral Cove is the perfect example of one such retreat.

Originators of the cannabis tourism experience, Higher Way Travel carved out a niche by bringing cannabis tourists to Hawaii for the Cannabis Expo in 2017 and ensuing festivities. Run by April Black, wife of infamous pot personality Bobby Black, Higher Way Tours have since branched out into facilitating tourist experiences in Jamaica.

Coral Cove is off the proverbial beaten path. There are some unpaved roads and potholes on the way there, but the remoteness and seclusion of the location make it the antithesis of a tourist trap. The resort is named after the abundance of coral that is artfully incorporated into the masonry work on the property.

The retreat resides far away from prying eyes. People who want to walk around without winding up on social media or be gawked at by other guests will especially appreciate this homey hamlet, with its private, secluded waterfront cove. Although, the cove itself is heaven on Earth for aspiring influencers who are eager to snap selfies in exotic locales.

Continue Reading at Forbes

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Coke Eyes Cannabis-infused Wellness Drinks As Market For CBD Beverages Expands

Coca-Cola is looking at pitching cans of cannabis-infused wellness drinks to consumers in the latest bid by a big beverage behemoth to tackle the budding market for potentially potent enhanced potables.

“Along with many others in the beverage industry, we are closely watching the growth of non-psychoactive CBD as an ingredient in functional wellness beverages around the world,” the company said in a statement issued in response to a report from the Canadian BNN Bloomberg new service.

BNN reported that Coca-Cola was in talks with cannabis producer Aurora Cannabis to make marijuana-infused wellness drinks. Aurora Cannabis did not confirm that it was in talks with Coke, but the company’s chief executive did acknowledge that it had been in conversation with several beverage makers over the last few months.

Drinks infused with either cannabinoid-like CBD, which has medicinal, pain-relieving qualities, and THC, which gets users high, have become popular in states in the U.S. where the drug is legalized and in Canada where it has been fully decriminalized nationally.

The experiments in better sales through new chemistry come at a time when demand for both beer and bubbly sodas is slowing. Beer is being supplanted by booze and wine among American consumers (or a rising number of teetotalers are eating into sales of both). Meanwhile, sugary drinks also have seen their popularity dwindle as new consumers reach for the kombucha rather than the Coke.

Continue Reading at TechCrunch

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Is CBD Illegal In Ohio?

Under Ohio’s new medical marijuana law, which goes into effect on September 8, the Board’s clarification on CBD oil, which can derive from either marijuana or hemp, is illegal. The board says CBD oil must go through the same rigorous testing procedures and comply with the same rules as real cannabis.

CBD is not legal in all 50 states. According to the Agricultural Act of 2014 (AKA the farm bill), only CBD cultivated under state law “in which such institution of higher education or state department of agriculture is located, and such research occurs,” is legal. CBD that is not manufactured from hemp grown under a state pilot program or for academic research is not legal.

Additionally, according to Jo Ingles of WOSU public radio Ohio, “The board adds the only legal way to sell CBD is through a medical marijuana control program dispensary. The Ohio Department of Commerce approved 56 dispensary licenses, five of which are in Franklin County.”

Full article at Forbes