Miesiąc: październik 2020

Understanding How CBD Oil Can Help Menopause Symptoms – Chiang Rai Times

Menopause is one of the most common reasons women use CBD products. While CBD research is still in its infancy, science and reputation tell us that products like cannabis-derived CBD oil relieve various symptoms of many health conditions.Here we will help you understand how CBD oil can help menopause symptoms. Many symptoms are those women experience during menopause, including:

  • Hot flashes
  • Weight gain
  • Muscle aches
  • Joint pain
  • Vaginal dryness
  • Atrophy
  • Mood swings
  • Depression
  • Inflammation
  • Memory loss
  • Insomnia/Sleep disruptions

Women experience menopause when the supply of fertile eggs completely diminishes, something that occurs naturally as we age. When the eggs are gone, periods stop, and estrogen goes away. It seems cut and dry, but things are not so clear.

Before the finality of estrogen and egg production, women experience perimenopause, a time in which estrogen levels swing high and low along a rollercoaster ride of hormones. This causes neurochemistry changes in the brain along with inflammatory molecule production that interferes with brain function to bone resorption. Every woman has a different menopause tale to tell but most include a triumph of challenges amidst the change.

Even scientists do not quite understand menopause and why our bodies change in such rapid succession, only that it does.

CBD products like Tommy Chong CBD oil ease many of the symptoms and side effects that women experience during the menopausal change.

Menopause symptoms that women treat using Tommy Chong products include:

Joint Pain & Muscle Aches:

Higher levels of inflammatory molecules increase arthritis symptoms during menopause. Over 60% of women aged 40 – 64 experience joint pain and muscle aches during perimenopause. Cannabidiol has proven anti-inflammatory properties that lower levels of TNFa, a common inflammatory that attacks the body.

Hot Flashes/Night Sweats:

Hot flashes and night sweats can negatively impact our quality of life. When a woman enters perimenopause stages, changes in hypothalamus neurochemistry -the body’s thermostat control- cause the body to switch abruptly. Even a 1.5-degree change in body temperature may trigger discomfort in a menopausal woman. CBD influences the body’s serotonin system, which could be one cause of hot flashes and night sweats.

Mood Swings/Depression:

Changes in estrogen and progesterone influence serotonin levels and neurotransmitters in the brain, both of which impact the mood. Talk to a doctor if you are depressed or emotionally distressed. They may offer pharmaceutical solutions that benefit your condition. Supplementing with Tommy Chong CBD oil can help activate serotonin receptors in a fashion like that of buspirone, an anti-anxiety drug.

Weight Gain/Diabetes:

Without estrogen, our bodies burn less fat even during exercise, even when we cut calories, and even when we strive to maintain a stable weight. Ongoing hormonal shifts cause your body to trade lean muscle mass for fat. In turn, your predisposition to insulin resistance also increases. Studies indicate CBD users have lower insulin levels than people who do not use the cannabidiol.

Vaginal Dryness/Genitourinary Syndrome:

Atrophy and vaginal dryness commonly impact a menopausal woman. Also known as genitourinary syndrome, many women also experience problems with bladder control. Without estrogen production, blood does not deliver fresh oxygen to the pelvic region, resulting in the problems above. CBD reinstates proper blood flow to the pelvic region, keeping tissues healthy and moisturizing the vaginal canal.

Insomnia/Sleep Disturbances:

Most women experience insomnia or sleep disturbances during perimenopause and post-menopause. Lack of sleep causes a rash of problems during the day, including poor decision-making skills. Track your sleep and talk to a doctor to troubleshoot the cause of sleep disturbances. Add CBD products to your daily regimen for extra benefits that help you get a good night’s sleep again.

Osteoporosis:

Bone resorption occurs once a woman enters perimenopause. This causes more bone loss than what is added. This lowers bone density and increases the risk of fractures. A diet high in calcium can benefit a woman during perimenopause and menopause. The anti-inflammatory properties of CBD oil make it a go-to remedy for many women seeking additional help for bone health.

Memory Loss:

Many people blame memory loss on age, but it can happen due to menopause as well. Without estrogen and progesterone production that encourage neurons in the hippocampus to form new connections to the outside world, memory loss occurs. The neuroprotective activities found in CBD improve those connections, decreasing memory loss.

CBD products benefit women before, during, and after menopause. Women count on CBD for fast, effective, safe relief from the above symptoms and others. Tommy Chong products are some of the best on the market today. Give the oil or other products a try and soon, the symptoms of menopause no longer burden your life

What Is CBD Oil and Should You Try It? – CL Charlotte



CBD oil is the most traditional and most popular way to take CBD supplements. Available in a practically endless list of flavors and concentrations, CBD oil is one of the most versatile and customizable ways to incorporate CBD into your diet.

CBD oils are often thought of as the natural and traditional way to take CBD supplements. This idea comes in part from the fact that CBD oil is one of the oldest methods of taking CBD supplements. CBD oil is also the base ingredient for many other CBD products, such as edibles and topicals, leading people to see it as the most traditional.

As with all CBD supplements, no one product is perfect and right for everyone. CBD oils might be traditional and offer a natural CBD solution, but are they the right way for you to enjoy CBD’s benefits?

What Is CBD Oil?

CBD is often sold in small tinctures with a built-in dropper cap that is designed to make it easy to measure out a precise dosage. CBD oils sold in this way can be made from as little as two ingredients: CBD extract and carrier oil. Many brands, however, use additional terpenes or flavorings to give their oils a more pleasing flavor profile.

CBD oils can be purchased in a range of concentrations, with some tinctures containing as little as 5mg of CBD while others pack a powerful 5000mg of CBD. Each brand has its own CBD formula and concentration options, so you need to shop around and compare the different options available.

How to Use CBD Oil

The simplest way to take CBD oil is on its own in drop form. Filling the built-in dropper with your desired amount of CBD oil and placing it under your tongue allows the oil to easily absorb through your mouth.

Taking CBD oil sublingually provides fast-acting effects as the CBD enters your body quickly and starts working its way around the endocannabinoid system. Taking CBD oils in this way is not your only option, though, as a few drops of oil can also be added to recipes and your favorite snacks.

It is becoming increasingly common to add a few drops of your chosen CBD oil to your breakfast, providing a quick and discreet way to consume CBD. CBD oils work particularly well in smoothies and in recipes that already contain oil.

What Are the Benefits of CBD Oil?

The primary benefit of CBD oil is that it is incredibly simple both in terms of how it is made and how it can be used. Even flavored CBD oils tend to contain very few ingredients, with the focus being on a natural and simple formula that ensures you know exactly what you are putting into your body. 

CBD oils are also extremely versatile compared to many other forms of CBD, giving you the freedom to use them in a way that works for you. The ability to take CBD oil on its own one day and blend it into your breakfast smoothie the next ensures that you can always work it into your day.

Are There Any Negatives?

Of course, no CBD product is perfect. Like any product, CBD oil has a few negatives, including how messy they can be and that they require dedicated time each day to use.

There have been many studies that have shown CBD supplements are most effective when used regularly and consistently. Therefore, it is essential to pick CBD supplements that you know you will be able to easily work into your everyday routine.

CBD oils require time, both to measure out a precise dosage and to ingest it, whether sublingually or with food. While this entire process might only take a few minutes for some people, for others, those few minutes can prove impossible to work into their busy schedule consistently.

Furthermore, having to carry a small bottle of liquid around with you all day that has the potential to break and make a mess is not great if you are someone who needs to take CBD while on the go.

There are many CBD options available that are completely mess-free, such as capsules and edibles. These CBD products do also come with a trade-off, though, as they do not allow for the level of control that can be experienced with CBD oils. 

How to Decide if CBD Oil Is Right for You

There are a few key questions that you can ask yourself to give you a good idea as to whether CBD oils are the right option.

Firstly, is it important to you that you have complete control over the amount of CBD that you consume at any time? If the answer is yes, then CBD oils could be the perfect solution, as you choose exactly how much oil you want.

Secondly, do you need a super quick, discreet, and mess-free way to take CBD? CBD oil, unfortunately, provides none of these things, and products such as edibles and capsules might be a much better option.

CBD oils are great when you know that you can take a few minutes out of your day to enjoy the ability to customize and control your CBD intake. 

Check out brands like PureKana for some examples of some great CBD oil.

CBD isolate: Uses, effects, and benefits. | Hemp Express – CL Charlotte



Out of all the different types of CBD products available these days, CBD isolate is perhaps the most widely used.

However, despite its appearance on every CBD store shop shelf and every CBD online retailer, there isn’t really a lot of detail surrounding what it actually is.

What is CBD isolate, and what makes it different from all the other CBD products out there? What are its specific effects and uses, and why would you buy it?

What Is CBD?

To be able to understand what CBD isolate is, we first need to look at what CBD itself is, and how it gets made.

CBD, or cannabidiol, is one of the main cannabinoids found in cannabis plants. It is typically present in some concentration within all cannabis plants and cannabis strains, including hemp. 

While most cannabis strains that get bred for recreational use tend to be relatively low in CBD, there are some strains explicitly bred for CBD content.

CBD is harvested by collecting these CBD-rich strains and subjecting them to an extraction process known as supercritical CO2 extraction. This process uses carbon dioxide that has been heated and pressurized to a supercritical state, meaning it takes on properties of both a gas and a liquid.

This CO2 is highly pressurized across the cannabis plant material, which acts to „pull” cannabinoids and other compounds from the plant. The end result is a crude, raw oil extract that contains dozens of unique phytocompounds.

From there, a myriad of refinement and filtering processes occur, which help clarify the final product into, usually, a full-spectrum CBD oil.

If you want to CBD isolate, however, you have to go a step further. 

What Makes CBD Isolate Different From Regular CBD?

To make CBD isolate, manufacturers need to do a few extra steps – the most important of which is winterization.

Winterization is the process whereby the resulting CBD oil produced from cannabis plants is frozen at specific temperatures very quickly. By selectively controlling the freezing rate in the CBD oil, manufacturers can encourage some substances to be suspended in an unfrozen or frozen liquid.

This allows even more refined control of what the final product will contain, as different compounds and cannabinoids freeze and melt at different temperatures.

(This is also very similar to the process of making brandy, where it is then known as freeze distillation).

Once completed, manufacturers are left with a product that contains only CBD and practically nothing else aside from its carrier oil, such as coconut or hemp seed oil.

But what are the uses of this particular type of CBD oil? Why would users pick this over other kinds?

The Benefits of CBD Isolate

Seeing as CBD isolate doesn’t contain any of the same cannabinoids or phytocompounds as other CBD products (aside from CBD itself), it might not immediately make sense why people would choose it.

After all, we know that the entourage effect exists; studies have suggested that when CBD is in the presence of other natural cannabis compounds, its efficacy improves. So why would you want something that only contains CBD, and nothing else?

One of the key issues is drug testing. When discussing the benefits of CBD isolate over other CBD products, the major advantage (perhaps the only one) is lack of THC content.

Since some people are concerned about failing a drug test from the small amount of THC found in most CBD products, they can opt for an isolate and be sure that they’re not consuming any THC at all.

The other issue is a personal preference; some people just prefer only to have CBD isolate instead of standard CBD oil. The effects of CBD isolate are still fundamentally the same as regular CBD products, meaning that the choice to go for CBD isolates or regular CBD full-spectrum products is a personal one for many people.

Final Thoughts On CBD isolate: Uses, effects, and benefits

While CBD isolates might seem like an unnecessary product for most people, it caters to a specific group of people that simply prefer it over regular CBD products.

If you are interested in trying CBD isolate products, just head to one of the many trusted retailers that sell them, like Provacan. The critical thing you want to ensure is that they always provide complete and up-to-date lab reports authenticated by a third party.

This ensures quality and that the CBD isolates or CBD isolate powder you buy contains no THC whatsoever.

You can get whatever type of CBD product you like, but if you prefer no THC at all, then CBD isolates are the way to go.  

The Cannigma Presents a New Way of Reviewing Cannabis Strains – GlobeNewswire

Tel Aviv, Israel, Oct. 31, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — There is a rapid evolution taking place in the cannabis industry. With more and more countries legalizing both medical and recreational use of marijuana, cannabis research, investment, cultivation, and product development are surging. Much of this research focuses around the myriad potential that cannabis may hold for millions suffering from a variety of health complaints around the world. In an effort to make sense of the thousands of cannabis strains available around the world, The Cannigma Tree Ltd. is compiling a comprehensive index, based on lab results, user reports and scientific literature. These reviews present the history and lineage of chemovars (chemical varieties), along with an average chemical profile – that is, the main cannabinoids and terpenes present in the strain. Cannabinoids, like THC and CBD, and terpenes, which are responsible for the aroma of the plant, are the main active compounds in cannabis. 

For patients who need help choosing from the array of cannabis products available in dispensaries today, The Cannigma’s strain pages also suggest medical conditions that the strain may help, along with its sativa/indica classification. 

While the wisdom of the masses holds that indica strains are more sedating and sativa more uplifting, in reality, the effects of a given type of cannabis come down to a variety of factors  — and the chemical makeup is only one of them. A patient’s unique biology, age, and tolerance, as well as the dose and consumption method, also play a part. 

About The Cannigma:

The Cannigma is dedicated to making credible cannabis information and solutions accessible to anyone who’s looking for it. The platform is designed to be a practical resource — for everyone from patients to doctors to recreational cannabis consumers — that lets readers easily find the info they need.

Made up of cannabis specialists, seasoned journalists and marketers, and a scientific advisory board, The Cannigma team is based in Israel and led by CEO Elana Goldberg and COO Wassim Bahous. 

Media Contact
Name: Michael Schaeffer Omer-man
Company: Cannigma Tree LTD
Email: editor@cannigma.com
Website: https://cannigma.com
Social media: https://www.facebook.com/thecannigma/
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Weed Detox: Tips On How To Detox From Marijuana And THC – Benzinga

This article was originally published on WeedWeek, and appears here with permission.

Drug tests are the bane of cannabis lovers the world over. Despite increasing legalization and social acceptance of good ol’ Mary Jane, the drug remains illegal at the federal level in the U.S., as well as in some states. Drug testing continues to be a common, and often scary experience for many people. That’s why consumers sometimes find themselves in need of a weed detox.

Testing can occur regularly for sports players, some types of employment, or other run-ins with the law. Unlike breathalyzers, which measure blood alcohol levels, drug tests cannot determine how intoxicated you may have been at any time. However, marijuana can leave traces in the body for days, and even weeks, and drug tests can determine recent use.

By understanding how these tests work, and ways you can diminish the chances you’ll test positive, you can protect yourself. This article will help you decide how you can plan in order to ace a drug test.  

Weed Detox: What Marijuana Leaves Behind   

Marijuana is filled with cannabinoids, including THC and CBD, which act upon the endocannabinoid system of the human body to produce a range of effects, from psychoactive to sleep-promoting. Because THC is a Schedule 1 drug and is illegal at the federal level, the targets of drug tests tend to be THC or its derivatives. However, THC in its intact form is not stored for very long in the body, since it breaks down into other compounds that linger for longer. THC lasts for around 72 hours at most, but can break down within as little as two hours. 

However, in the body THC breaks down into compounds known as metabolites, which last for much longer. Metabolites are fat soluble, meaning they are stored in the fat cells of the human body. The ability to hang around in fat is what can give you away in a drug test.

Weed Detox: What Drug Tests Look For   

There are a few different types of drug tests that can be conducted in order to search for marijuana-related compounds within the human body. Blood tests can detect both THC and metabolites, however due to the invasive nature of the tests, they aren’t very popular. THC itself can be detected in saliva, however the window for detection is relatively short before the compound breaks down. Urine tests are perhaps the best-known, and most widely administered. Urine tests search for the much longer-lasting metabolites of cannabinoids.The primary metabolite targeted by urine tests is 11-nor-delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid (delta9-THC-COOH), which is a by-product of THC.  

How Long Does It Take To Detox From Weed?   

The amount of time it takes to detox from weed and pass a drug test of any kind with flying colors will depend on a number of factors, including:

  • The frequency of consumption
  • The amount of THC consumed (mediated by the potency of edibles, the strain of marijuana, etc.) 
  • Metabolism rate
  • Amount of body fat
  • Hydration level
  • The type of test administered being administered.

American Addiction Centers has provided a list of rough timeframes for some of the major testing methods you might encounter. The figures provided below indicate how long the test will be able to detect THC or its metabolites in the system from the time of last consumption. Keep in mind that these are very rough estimates that will vary based on the other factors mentioned above. 

  • Urine:
    • Infrequent smokers (less than twice weekly): 1-3 days
    • Moderate smokers (several times a week): 7-21 days
    • Heavy smokers (daily or near-daily): A month or longer
    • Edibles: 1-5 days
  • Saliva: 34-48 hours after last use
  • Blood: up to 36 hours

Does Exercise Help To Detox From THC?   

Do a quick google search on ways to quickly  purge THC from your body, and you will likely come upon the suggestion to exercise. Exercise does work, however only if you have the luxury of many weeks before the date of your test. If you’re working with a shorter window of time – a few hours or days – exercising can actually end up making matters worse.

Since THC is stored in fat, when you exercise and do fat-burning activities, the stored THC will be released into your bloodstream and ultimately infiltrate your urine. This does mean that THC is leaving your body. However, the surge in THC can show up in drug tests, especially if the exercise was done a day or so before the test. The amount of THC secreted into blood after exercising will also depend on how much fat you have to burn, how much you have burned, and how much THC is stored in your fat. For regular and heavy users, exercise can cause an even bigger spike. 

So, exercise if you’ve got at least three weeks before your test. However, if your test is coming up soon, cool it on the dumbbells and read on for other ways you might detox from marijuana. 

Do Weed Detox Drinks Remove THC From The Body?   

Weed detox drinks are something of a last resort when an employer has just sprung a last-minute testing surprise on you. While there are some weed detox drinks formulated by companies, along with pills and other products promising to rid THC from your system, there are more natural products that may be more effective. Keep in mind that none of these remedies are guaranteed to work completely. And a short period of abstinence will significantly improve your chances of passing the test. 

Let’s start out with regular old tap water. If the drug test you’re facing is a urine test, then water will help dilute your urine to the point where you might render the THC metabolite concentrations undetectable. 

Lemon juice, cranberry juice, and coffee have also been suggested as weed detox drinks for their ability to detox the body more generally.  There’s not a lot of solid science on any of these drinks and their specific effects on THC, so take them with a healthy dose of realism.

What’s The Fastest Way To Detox For A Drug Test?   

If your drug test was sprung on you unexpectedly, you’re not alone – this is a common tactic aimed at getting people caught red-handed. Fortunately there are a few ways you can naturally detox fast – although, as has been said before, much will depend on how heavy of a user you are, when you last consumed, and other similar factors. 

Don’t work out: This applies for blood and urine tests. Do not exercise during the 24 hours before you take the test, since THC stored in your fat cells will flush into your bloodstream and into your urine. 

Mouthwash: This applies for saliva tests. About 30 minutes before your test, use a mouthwash containing alcohol, which may reduce the presence of THC in your saliva. 

Vitamin B12 or B2: This applies to urine tests. Drinking water will help you dilute your urine to the point where THC concentrations are negligible. However, the test administrators will take clear urine – the outcome of drinking a lot of water – as a sign that you are trying to hide something. So a few hours before your test, take a multivitamin containing B12 or B2, which will give your urine a darker yellow appearance. 

How To Detox From Weed And Pass A Drug Test Naturally   

If you have some advance warning of an impending drug test, your chances of naturally detoxing from weed and passing a drug test are much higher. Below are some tips to follow in order to detox from marijuana/ 

Abstain

This is perhaps the most effective way to entirely detox your system from THC. To be on the safe side, stop consuming any and all weed products – smoking, eating, and everything in between – for a period of at least 30 days. This will allow all the THC and the longer-lasting metabolites time to pass through your system. And more importantly, you are not adding more THC to your system that must then be ejected. 

Exercise

Because THC metabolites are stored in fat, exercise will help you get rid of these compounds as you burn fat. Exercising towards the beginning of the period of abstinence is advisable, but you should stop all exercising a few days ahead of the test, to ensure no stored metabolites flood your bloodstream or urine. 

Diet And Hydration

Water is your friend when it comes to a weed detox and, as it turns out, so is fibre. Both water and fibre help cleanse the body of toxins, including THC and metabolites. Eating plenty of leafy greens, fruits and vegetables, and whole grains such as brown rice and brown bread will help you pass the drug test. 

Conclusion   

Marijuana has yet to achieve total social acceptance in today’s world. Drug tests don’t show any sign of going away for good, so you should always be prepared for a situation in which a short-notice drug test could be on the horizon. Arming yourself with knowledge is an important step in detoxing from weed and passing a drug test. Following a few of these tips should help you on your way. Good luck – we’re rooting for you! 

Read the original Article on WeedWeek.

Benzinga’s Related Links: 

SuperSonics legend Shawn Kemp still draws a crowd at new cannabis shop – Yahoo Sports

SEATTLE — The line stretched down the block, around the corner and snaked into the alley on the back side of the street. Most people were wearing green and gold. All of them were there for a glimpse, maybe an autograph and maybe some product to take home.

Even 23 years after he last played for the Seattle SuperSonics, Shawn Kemp can still manage to draw a crowd, even at lunchtime on a Friday in the midst of a pandemic.

This time it was for his latest business venture, partnering with and lending his name to the first of what he hopes is a franchised line of cannabis dispensaries. Along with his name on the front of the building and a large mural on the side, the dispensary called Shawn Kemp’s Cannabis comes with the additional novelty of being just a couple blocks away from the building where Kemp became an All-Star with the SuperSonics in the 1990s and where he hopes to see the NBA return one day.

Kemp said he never imagined when he was leading the Sonics, one of the best teams in the NBA in the mid-1990s, that a player would ever have his name across the front of a marijuana shop.

“If you had asked me to do this when I was playing, probably not. But I think things change as we go and business as we know will also change. And that’s what I did throughout the years,” Kemp said. “I don’t know if there’s a cool way to promote and to do cannabis, but I think here we’re going to be able to do that in a positive and professional manner.”

Kemp is a partner in the project with Main Street Cannabis, which operates three other dispensaries in Washington state. The company initially claimed it would be the first Black-owned dispensary in Seattle, but later backed off those claims.

Still, Kemp hopes it can be a business example for the Black community. The first store had 35 employees on the first day, with plans to reach 40.

“Marijuana has been part of the Black community forever. This is putting a positive spin on it,” Kemp said.

Kemp was joined in opening the store by former Seattle teammate Gary Payton, whose cannabis cookies with his name on the front were available for sale inside. Payton wore a SuperSonics face covering with “Glove” embroidered on the front.

Kemp was arrested twice in the early 2000s on drug charges, including marijuana possession. He said the change in how marijuana is viewed by the NBA now is part of an evolution on the overall view of cannabis.

“I think we’re finding out the cannabis to be valuable to us in a lot of different ways, whether it be through medicine or to athletic skills,” Kemp said. “And I think that’s why you see the NBA bending their rules and I think you’ll see several other leagues probably do the same.”

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What Happens When Cannabis Becomes A Commodity? – Forbes

I’m often asked to comment on whether or not cannabis will ever truly attain the status of a commodity. While the answer has generally been yes, we have a ways to go. 

First of all, it’s necessary to understand what exactly a commodity is. For our purposes, and in the context of cannabis, we’re talking about a raw material or primary agricultural product that can be bought and sold. Modern examples of commodities include copper and coffee.

In order for cannabis commoditization to come to fruition, you must have standardization. While there are many efforts at standardizing hemp and marijuana crops, like ASTM International and FOCUS, there are currently no existing universal standards. This is critical because a commodity requires that such a basic good used in commerce is interchangeable with other goods of the same type. Furthermore, commodities are most often traded on exchanges and presumed to meet specified minimum standards.

So what would a cannabis commodity exchange look like?  

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An exchange is a marketplace where securities, commodities, derivatives, and other financial instruments are traded. In order for the cannabis industry — and in the short term — the industrial hemp industry to move toward commoditization, exchanges must flourish to facilitate reliable, repeatable market activity.

The core functions of a commodity exchange are to ensure fair and orderly trading and the efficient dissemination of price information for any securities trading on that exchange. This tends to give companies, governments, and other groups a platform from which to sell securities to the investing public. Certainty, transparency, and consistency are essential for industrial hemp or commercial marijuana to make the transition to commoditization. 

We’ve seen international cannabis transactions based upon basic industry standards, whether from Canada, Europe, Uruguay or Germany. These transactions tend to be done at a higher standard. The typical transactions in the industrial hemp space are facilitated by the blight of “joker brokers,” or through “wholesalers” or “distributors” in the marijuana space. Needless to say, these transactions are less than standard and, often times, less than professional.  

This has caused a large number of cannabis and hemp companies to utilize the services of Hoban Law Group as an underwriter for countless transactions in order to standardize, contract, validate, and escrow. While this has worked well for many, exchanges are needed, as are standards, pricing benchmarks, and formal exchanges.    

Numerous efforts are being made to standardize and professionalize these transactions, along with efforts to create and operate such an exchange. There is the Cannabis Mercantile Trading Exchange (CMTREX), which describes itself as an IT-driven platform that provides efficient, transparent, and integrated trading solutions for the global legal cannabis market. Its founders have substantial commodities experience and have built a positive reputation in the industry.  

Another prominent example is Panxchange, which holds itself out as an OTC physical commodity exchange, trading energy, agricultural, and metal. It offers financial technology to modernize commodity markets. Founded in 2011 by a veteran Cargill commodities trader and backed by an influential roster of trading and market data executives, PanXchange came to the cannabis industry after servicing numerous global commodities.    

I recently sat down with the CEO of PanXchange, Julie Lerner, to discuss the basics of how to define a commodity, the seven stages of maturation, the import role a commodity exchange will play in the growth of the hemp industry, and what to be excited about as the hemp industry continues to become commoditized

Julie submits that „establishing direct, long-term relationships with reliable counterparts is essential for sustainable growth. However, you never want to be dependent on any one supplier or buyer. It’s just as important to be active in the cash or market to keep your finger on the pulse of price movements and to use as a venue for both opportunity and the unforeseen.”

She goes on to suggest that “if you are not active in a real-time cash market like PanXchange, then you don’t really know what prices are doing and have no negotiating power when you need it most. It’s the difference between being a price maker, or just a price taker.”

I tend to agree. Exchanges are essential and the development of a reliable exchange surrounding the cannabis plant is representative of its coming of age. It’s simply not occurred broadly enough – yet.  

Another group of credentialed, reputable commodities traders called Canxchange – with a focus on European cannabis markets – submits that exchanges are the future of hemp and CBD trading.

We shall see how the market shakes out, but to thrive it will need to be based on reliable exchanges staffed with individuals possessing commodities trading experience — the broader, the better. Taken all together, this is the future of cannabis trading.

Get Your THC Levels Right – Cannabis Health Insider

Laws surrounding the marijuana industry in Germany are paradoxical and limiting in their own ways. While the legislation allows private consumption and possession of the drug in ‘small amounts’, unauthorized personal use can land convicts in jail for a period ranging from 2 to 5 years.

Sighting these discrepancies, marijuana advocates have been trying hard to get adult-use of the drug legalized in the country. However to the dismay of these patrons, their efforts were met with a firm rejection from the German parliament.

This rejection from the parliament was unsolicited for the population because apart from a few parties, the Bundestang largely favors policy reforms in some form.

Marijuana legalization faces Rejection By the Parliament

This repudiation was mainly made possible by a coalition formed with the joining of The Union (CDU/CSU) and SPD parties.

Although members of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) were in favor of introducing marijuana policy reforms but after receiving criticism from members of The Union, it preferred voting in the direction adopted by their coalition partner.

As of February 2020, members of SPD had shown an inclination towards decriminalizing marijuana possession. In addition to this, the party also favored allowing pilot programs that would permit legal distribution of recreational marijuana.

“We see the regulated distribution of cannabis to adults in Germany as a good chance for a successful policy, ideally supported by simultaneous strengthening prevention and early intervention as well as counseling and treatment,” said the SDP paper.

However, Daniela Ludwig from the Christian Social Union (CSU) was particularly critical about this stance of SPD. She immediately took to twitter to express her condemnation and established that ”prevention” was the only approach to deal with the bill legalizing recreational marijuana.

Parties Constituting the German Parliament and their stance on the marijuana legalization bill

There are six main political parties that constitute the German parliament. Here is what was their stance on the bill that proposed the legalization of adult-use marijuana in Germany:

The Left

This party constitutes about 69 seats from the 709 seats of Bundestag. This party was in favor of legalization initiative. It also made a separate cannabis policy reform suggesting to decriminalize possessing up to 15 grams of the drug.

SPD – Social Democratic Party of Germany

SPD is one of most popular parties in Germany and constitutes about 152 seats in the German parliament. Despite of having a substantial support for the initiative, the party voted in tandem with its coalition partner.

The Greens

This party had been in a coalition with the SPD from 1998 to 2005. The coalition ended after disagreements with Gerhard Schröder upon early elections,  leading to scoring only about 8.3% of votes.

As of now, The Greens hold about 67 seats in the government. This party was the second to support the legalization of adult-use bill, bringing the total number of supporters to 136.

The Union – Christian Democratic Union of Germany + Christian Social Union in Bavaria

The Union is a coalition of two parties namely CDU and CSU that underwent a brief separation in 1976. Although they have had their fair share of tensions and disagreements, the coalition has survived almost 71 years of partnership together.

With each other they form a huge majority in the German government making it next to impossible for any initiative to pass unless votes are cast from members of coalition parties.

The same was seen in this effort of legalizing adult-use marijuana in Germany. The combined votes of The Left party ad Green Party fell short to defeat the stance of The Union, which was against the bill. The party holds 246 seats in the parliament currently.

FDP – Free Democratic Party

Led by Christian Linder, FDP is a liberal political party of Germany. Holding 80 seats in the government, the party chose to abstain from voting on the issue of marijuana legalization.

In contrast to this, the opposition party had proposed several cannabis reforms that met the same fate as the bill. It had made a case for allowing recreational marijuana experiments in the country. In addition to this, an increase the percentage of medical marijuana cultivated in Germany was also suggested.

Both of these proposals were rejected.

AFD – Alternative for Germany

Represented first time in the parliament in 2017, AFD is characterized as a far right political party. When the proposals of the bill were put forth, it was the only opposition party that was against the bill.

Like FDP, AFD also made separate recommendations for marijuana policy reforms. This suggested treating medical marijuana in a similar way like other medicines for testing success of treatment.

These suggestions were also dismissed.

US Election: What Should the Cannabis Industry Expect if Joe Biden Wins? – The Cannabis Exchange

Although he became a little bit more permissive over the years, as a senator, Joe Biden was very tough on drug offences. Even in 2010, as Barack Obama’s vice president, he was against cannabis legalisation. But what would really happen to cannabis should Biden elected as the president of the United States next week?

As The Atlantic reported, people had a few ideas why Joe Biden, the 77-year-old Democratic presidential candidate, wouldn’t legalise cannabis.

Some argue it is because he was part of the generation scared by “Reefer Madness”, while others thought his personal and political past could prevent him from making the next step.

According to sources, the answer is simple: none of the above influences Mr Biden; he is just worried about public health. He’d simply like to see more studies and research on the topic before making the decision.

In a town hall during the campaign, Mr Biden said: “The truth is there’s not been nearly enough evidence that has been acquired as to whether or not it is a gateway drug.

“It’s a debate and I want a lot more before I legalise it nationally. I want to make sure we know a lot more about the science behind it.”

However, Mr Biden, as a Senator, introduced a number of bills that aimed to impose strict punishment on drug dealers in the 80s.

A decade later, he signed the 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, which resulted in a massive incarceration of those committing drug offences.

As cannabis is very popular among the Democrats, Mr Biden was expected to take a far looser approach to the drug during the presidential campaign.

He (eventually) did. While he never went as far as guaranteeing changes in the federal cannabis policy, he said he didn’t think anyone should be in prison for smoking cannabis.

His VP candidate, Kamala Harris, made some headlines after talking about decriminalisation on live television.

Mr Biden’s spokesperson, Andrew Bates, told CNN: “Vice President Biden does not believe anyone should be in jail simply for smoking or possessing marijuana.

“He supports decriminalising cannabis and automatically expunging prior criminal records for cannabis possession, so those affected don’t have to figure out how to petition for it or pay for a lawyer.”

This might be the key here: Mr Biden would also remove federal enforcement in states that have legalised the drug.

Although the presidential candidate might not be the biggest advocate for cannabis, this policy would go further than Barack Obama or Donald Trump went during their times in the Highest Office, especially if Mr Biden were to reschedule cannabis and remove it from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act to a lower status.

It would mean that cannabis wouldn’t be treated as equivalent to heroin, which is also categorised as Schedule I.

Matt Carr, the chief trends strategist at the Oxford Club, told INN that while policy changes would almost certainly be implemented, the timeline is yet to be confirmed.

He said: “It will be somewhere in the mix, but that is not going to be a first 100 days sort of initiative.

“There’s going to be other things that they’re definitely going to have to tackle first in terms of just their own agenda and the economy.”

Others argued that a Democrat win would be a “huge boost” for the cannabis industry, but as it’s the case with Donald Trump, change is coming with or without Mr Biden.

Cover photo: Gage Skidmore