420 with CNW — Luxembourg Starts Implementing Marijuana Legalization Law

Luxembourg has finally begun implementing legislation that legalized the possession, use and personal cultivation of marijuana. Advanced by the Luxembourg parliament last month, the marijuana legalization bill took effect last week and makes Luxembourg the second nation in the European Uniont to end the era of marijuana prohibition after Malta.

The bill advanced via a 38 to 22 vote about two year after lawmakers first proposed the idea of ending cannabis prohibition. The ministers of Homeland Security and Justice tabled the legalization bill in 2021, setting the stage for marijuana legalization in the country. Justice Minister Sam Tanson said at the time that the idea of the legislation was to decriminalize cannabis consumption while attracting consumers and revenue away from the illicit cannabis market.

The legislation allows adults to possess up to three grams of marijuana and cultivate up to four plants in a secure, private location at their homes. It also outlines penalties for exceeding allowable cannabis cultivation and possession limits, with people found possessing over three grams of cannabis being subject to a prison sentence of up to six months. Under the cannabis legalization bill, adults are also prohibited from consuming cannabis products in public.

The Ministry of Health has also launched a website to educate the public about the recent changes to the country’s cannabis policies and the reasons behind the policy change. It provides basic information on cannabis and outlines the rules and regulations involved in home cultivation.

For instance, the website notes that marijuana seeds meant for home cultivation will not be considered narcotics anymore and can be purchased online or in physical shops. According to the website, the cannabis legalization bill is the first step in a pilot project to expand access to recreational cannabis in the country. The website also explained that by passing policies to regulate home cultivation, the government wants to regulate cannabis consumption in the country while reducing the risks and harms associated with the cannabis market.

As the June debate drew to a close, Tanson argued that the war against cannabis in the country is an “absolute failure,” a sentiment echoed by lawmakers and drug reformists in several other territories. In the wake of this failure, Tanson said, lawmakers and regulators have to consider another path and seek better solutions.

She also said that the legislation was created with a crime-prevention and risk-reduction approach, allowing adults to plant and consume cannabis within the privacy of their homes while outlining consequences for taking part in cannabis-related activities that are still prohibited such as public possession, transportation and consumption of cannabis.

This legalization of cannabis in Luxembourg is likely to open additional market opportunities for enterprises akin to Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX), which supply the equipment that growers need to get a bountiful harvest of indoor-grown marijuana.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/ACTX

About CNW420

CNW420 spotlights the latest developments in the rapidly evolving cannabis industry through the release of two informative articles each business day. Our concise, informative content serves as a gateway for investors interested in the legalized cannabis sector and provides updates on how regulatory developments may impact financial markets. Articles are released each business day at 4:20 a.m. and 4:20 p.m. Eastern – our tribute to the time synonymous with cannabis culture. If marijuana and the burgeoning industry surrounding it are on your radar, CNW420 is for you! Check back daily to stay up-to-date on the latest milestones in the fast -changing world of cannabis.

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420 with CNW — DOD, VA Oppose Medical Cannabis but Stay Neutral on Psychedelics

The U.S. Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs both hold firm opposition to the use of cannabis in treating PTSD. However, when it comes to psychedelics such as LSD and psilocybin, their stance is more neutral, asserting the need for further research.

In a recent update to joint clinical practice guidelines, the departments offered recommendations on various therapies to address acute stress disorder and PTSD commonly affecting military veterans. Despite many veterans turning to cannabis for symptom relief, the DOD/VA Management of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Acute Stress Disorder Work Group is wholly against this alternative treatment. While the work group strongly opposed medical cannabis, they admitted their confidence in existing evidence was “very low.” This was due to the lack of reliable clinical trials, small sample sizes and selection bias in the available data.

However, the departments actively sought new data on psychedelics, which had not been mentioned in their prior review six years ago. Their investigation into the therapeutic potential of ayahuasca, psilocybin, LSD, DMT and ibogaine yielded no studies that met the search criteria for PTSD effects, as reported by Psychedelic Alpha. Notably, the DOD and VA addressed MDMA separately. The FDA granted “breakthrough therapy” designation to MDMA based on preclinical evidence suggesting its potential for treating PTSD.

However, the departments are cautious, stating there is “insufficient evidence to recommend for or against” the effectiveness of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD. The varying control conditions in the relevant studies could have biased outcomes.

While the DOD and VA remain hesitant to endorse psychedelics and strongly reject cannabis for treating mental-health conditions, bipartisan lawmakers urge federal agencies to explore the therapeutic efficacy of these substances. They also aim to protect veterans in legal states from facing penalties for medical marijuana use.

Recent amendments filed for a VA spending bill in the House propose safeguards for veterans using medical marijuana and for VA doctors recommending such programs. However, the House Rules Committee’s approval is needed for these measures to advance to the floor for consideration. The committee previously blocked numerous cannabis and psychedelics amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

Nonetheless, the House Armed Services Committee had previously inserted two marijuana and psychedelics-related proposals into the NDAA’s core text. One proposal mandates that the defense secretary carry out clinical investigations on the therapeutic advantages of psychedelics for active-duty military members suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injury or chronic traumatic encephalopathy, using psilocybin, MDMA, ibogaine or DMT. The Rules Committee did, however, reject some of the NDAA’s suggested changes.

While the DOD and VA are firm in their rejection of the medicinal potential of cannabis, many companies such as IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE: IGC) are so strong in their belief in the potential of these substances that they are investing millions of dollars in commercializing FDA-approved THC formulations against chronic pain and other conditions.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/IGC

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420 with CNW — State Cannabis Associations Implore Senate to Pass Cannabis Banking Law

A group of state cannabis associations is asking Senate leaders to advance bipartisan cannabis banking legislation as soon as possible. The American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp (ATACH) alongside marijuana trade associations from 16 other states sent a letter to Senate Banking Committee chair Sherrod Brown and committee member Tim Scott emphasizing the need for immediate cannabis banking reform.

ATACH was joined by trade associations representing cannabis businesses from Hawaii, Arizona, Alaska, Alabama, Nevada, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Illinois, California, Washington State, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Montana, Mississippi, District of Columbia and Missouri. These entities joined together to urge the committee to pass the SAFE Banking Act “without further delay.”

The SAFE Banking Act would protect financial institutions that serve state-legal cannabis businesses from legal reprisals by the federal government.

Although cannabis is now legal in dozens of states, federal law still classifies it as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act. As a result, this makes it almost impossible for cannabis businesses to access financial or banking services because federal law forbids these institutions from serving businesses that are involved with federally controlled substances.

This has forced many cannabis businesses to operate on a cash-only basis, significantly increasing the risk of robberies and making it difficult for them to honor their tax obligations.

Industry stakeholders have been asking for cannabis banking legislation to finally allow them access to services such as bank accounts, cashless payments and financial aid.

The coalition of marijuana trade associations argued in their letter that the current status quo, which has denied cannabis businesses access to traditional financial services. is “untenable,” with dire safety and public health consequences. Operating on a cash-only basis makes cannabis businesses a prime target for violent robberies, the letter noted, adding that cannabis businesses in Oklahoma, Oregon, Michigan and Washington are already dealing with violent robberies.

Speaking in a recent press release, ATACH President Michael Bronstein said with every moment that Congress fails to act on cannabis banking, state legal businesses and their workers continue to suffer from armed robberies, break-ins and violent encounters that have even taken innocent lives.

Unfortunately, the recent letter came only a day after Committee chair Jerrod Brown reportedly said that his panel wouldn’t be holding any votes this week. This means that cannabis banking legislation likely will not pass during the summer session because once July draws to a close, senators will not reconvene until September.

When cannabis banking becomes a reality, a new spurt of growth in the marijuana industry could come, and that growth is also likely to lift ancillary enterprises such as Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX), whose niche is in supplying what cannabis companies need for their operations.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/ACTX

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420 with CNW — Study Finds Medical Cannabis Beneficial to Military Veterans’ Quality of Life

According to a new study, the vast majority of American military veterans who use medical marijuana claim noticeable increases in their general well-being. The study, conducted by a team from the University of Utah, the University of Massachusetts and various marijuana research institutes, analyzed survey data from more than 500 veterans who openly admitted to using marijuana. The goal was to gain deeper insights into the motives and outcomes of their cannabis usage.

Interestingly, approximately 67% of respondents disclosed that they use marijuana on a daily basis. For 30% of these veterans, marijuana serves as a valuable substitute for conventional medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and antidepressants. Even more striking, 21% claimed that marijuana allowed them to cut down on opioid-based prescriptions, which can be particularly concerning given the ongoing opioid crisis.

Unquestionably, the study’s results are overwhelmingly positive, with an impressive 91% of veterans affirming that medical marijuana significantly enhances their well-being.

This research holds particular significance for veterans, considering the disproportionate prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alarming suicide rates within the community. Many veterans have turned to cannabis as a viable treatment option, as evident in a 2019 survey conducted by the IAVA, where 20% of veterans used cannabis for medical use and 66% for recreational purposes.

The Department of Veterans Affairs currently allows veterans to discuss their marijuana use with doctors. However, doctors are legally barred from issuing medical marijuana recommendations. Nevertheless, there are efforts in Congress to change this, with a bipartisan bill aiming to grant doctors the ability to recommend medical cannabis in legal states.

Lawmakers have also shown interest in exploring the potential benefits of psychedelics for active duty military personnel and have initiated a medical cannabis “pilot program” through the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Similarly, the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee approved a bill to study the therapeutic potential of marijuana for veterans with specific conditions, marking a groundbreaking step in cannabis legislation.

Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks introduced a separate bill to promote research into marijuana’s medical potential for veterans with chronic pain, PTSD or other pertinent disorders as determined by the VA secretary.

Despite Congress’s previous failure to pass a marijuana and veterans research bill, there remains a strong coalition of more than 20 veterans service organizations (VSOs) advocating for further research and legislation in this area.

It isn’t surprising that enterprises such as IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC) are seeking to take the medical use of cannabis compounds a step higher by commercializing formulations that have been subjected to FDA scrutiny and oversight.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/IGC

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420 with CNW — How to Make Marijuana Websites Compliant with ADA Requirements

For more than 30 years, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has protected people with disabilities from discrimination in all public places on the basis of their disabilities. This legislation ensures that all public places, including schools, public transportation and office buildings, are designed to accommodate the needs of people living with disabilities. Now that ecommerce is one of the most dominant forms of trade across the country, businesses in America’s state-legal cannabis sector should also make their websites ADA-compliant.

In many ways, websites have replaced the brick-and-mortar stores of old. They allow people to visit different “shops” and make purchases from the comfort of their homes. For people with disabilities, ecommerce websites can save a lot of hassle, especially if the sites also offer home deliveries.

Making your website ADA-compliant will make it more navigable for people with disabilities, and could help you attract and retain customers. Although the ADA Act currently doesn’t apply to business websites, taking the plunge will likely do more good than bad for your business.

Andrea Golan, a lawyer at Vicente, a cannabis law firm in Denver, said that California does not extend the ADA Act to websites while some courts in other states view websites as public places and expect them to be ADA compliant.

Liz Hartsel from Fortis Law Partners in Denver, said that even if the ADA Act does not explicitly cover websites, businesses are at risk of being sued if they are inaccessible to people with disabilities. It is a matter of when you will be sued, not if, Hartsel explained, adding that as a business owner, it is in your best interest to make your websites ADA-compliant.

Making your business more accessible to consumers is always a win, and it may help you stand out from the rest of the competition. It will also save you the hassle of dealing with a lawsuit if you are sued. Hartsel notes that she has seen some 50 cases involving website accessibility in the last two years, and they all settled without a trial. According to Barclay Damon partner Rob Thorpe, settling a lawsuit will be less expensive than defending one in court, so most companies prefer to settle when they are sued.

If you are currently facing an accessibility-related lawsuit, Hartsel recommends immediately making the website more accessible and ADA compliant. Since websites are always being updated, Hartse recommends making your website accessible in the present and keeping it as accessible as possible as time passes.

This includes making sure there are alt tags to allow the use of screen readers if there are a lot of images or providing ways such as captions to allow hearing and vision-impaired people to access the information in videos. In addition, figuring out the best color contrast balance will make it easier for people with color blindness or limited vision to read your website.

The need to adhere to ADA requirements doesn’t only apply to marijuana companies. Even companies such as Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX) should consider the needs of persons with disabilities when designing their websites.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/ACTX

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CannabisNewsBreaks – Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX, LEXXW) Announces New Subsidiary, Provides Update on Nicotine Study

Lexaria Bioscience (NASDAQ: LEXX), a global innovator in drug-delivery platforms, has incorporated a new wholly owned subsidiary: Lexaria Nutraceutical Corp., or LEXX Nutra. According to the announcement, LEXX Nutra was established to support Lexaria’s overall strategy of maximizing the potential for its patented DehydraTECH(TM) technology in a variety of markets. The company issued an exclusive perpetual license to LEXX Nutra, giving the new subsidiary rights to utilize, or sublicense the use of, DehydraTECH in an array of ways, including creating consumer packaged goods (“CPG”) and/or intermediate ingredients composed of any molecule except those associated with nicotine or cannabis. LEXX Nutra is prohibited from using its license for the manufacture of any pharmaceutical product. The company also reported that dosing for its human oral nicotine study NIC-H22-1 was completed on May 8, 2023, and data amalgamation and analysis has started. Lexaria anticipates releasing results from the study in the next two weeks. The study is a human pharmacokinetic randomized, double-blinded, crossover study conducted with a minimum of 36 human volunteers who are current cigarette smokers.

To view the full press release, visit https://cnw.fm/BT3rZ

About Lexaria Bioscience Corp.

Lexaria Bioscience’s patented drug-delivery technology, DehydraTECH(TM), improves the way active pharmaceutical ingredients (“APIs”) enter the bloodstream through oral delivery. Since 2016, DehydraTECH has repeatedly demonstrated the ability to increase bioabsorption with cannabinoids, antiviral drugs, PDE5 inhibitors and more. DehydraTECH has also evidenced an ability to deliver some drugs more effectively across the blood brain barrier. Lexaria operates a licensed in-house research laboratory and holds a robust intellectual property portfolio with 35 patents granted and many patents pending worldwide. For more information about the company, please visit www.LexariaBioscience.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to LEXX are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/LEXX

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CannabisNewsWire (CNW) is an information service that provides (1) access to our news aggregation and syndication servers, (2) CannabisNewsBreaks that summarize corporate news and information, (3) enhanced press release services, (4) social media distribution and optimization services, and (5) a full array of corporate communication solutions. As a multifaceted financial news and content distribution company with an extensive team of contributing journalists and writers, CNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that desire to reach a wide audience of investors, consumers, journalists and the general public. CNW has an ever-growing distribution network of more than 5,000 key syndication outlets across the country. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, CNW brings its clients unparalleled visibility, recognition and brand awareness. CNW is where news, content and information converge.

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Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (NASDAQ: LEXX) Announces Newly Granted Patent for DehydraTECH(TM)–Nicotine by United States Patent and Trademark Office

Lexaria’s new patent includes claims for many types of nicotine, including nicotine benzoate, nicotine ditartrate, nicotine citrate, nicotine polacrilex, and many others, for use in sublingual delivery formats like oral pouches
The global oral nicotine pouch market was valued at $4.69 billion in 2022 and is expected to grow to $11.91 billion by 2029, driven by the growing ban on e-cigarettes worldwide
The white pouch category is one of the fastest-growing, tobacco-free alternatives to smoking and vaping – growing at a CAGR of 13.4%

Lexaria Bioscience (NASDAQ: LEXX), a global innovator of drug delivery platforms, has announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) has granted a strategically important new patent in the oral nicotine sector for its patented DehydraTECH(TM) technology. The granting of the new patent further substantiates the superior DehydraTECH processing and sublingual compositions through exceptional scientific study results and recognition by the USPTO (https://cnw.fm/Sk9yh).

Lexaria’s new patent, US patent #11,700,875 Compositions and Methods For Sublingual Delivery of Nicotine, includes claims for many types of nicotine, including nicotine benzoate, nicotine ditartrate, nicotine citrate, nicotine polacrilex, and many others, for use in sublingual delivery formats like oral pouches. DehydraTECH-nicotine has shown in multiple sets of animal testing that it can be delivered to the bloodstream up to 10-times to 20-times faster at up to 10-fold higher levels of nicotine into blood plasma from oral absorption than concentration-matched controls. The speed of onset has proven vital to nicotine users.

The oral nicotine pouch category interests Lexaria and the nicotine products industry, growing partly because of its reduced risk of health outcomes, as the US Food and Drug Administration has previously noted. The white pouch delivery method specifically avoids harmful lung outcomes experienced by smokers or vapers. It involves absorption primarily through the buccal and sublingual tissues of the mouth of purified nicotine that has been separated from the harmful substances found in most other formats.

The global oral nicotine pouch market was valued at $4.69 billion in 2022 and is growing at a CAGR of 13.4% (https://cnw.fm/Hv5tb). By 2029, the market is expected to reach $11.91 billion – driven by multiple countries banning the sale of e-cigarettes, the devices used in vaping. Currently, 37 countries have banned these devices, representing a cumulative population of over 2.3 billion people (https://cnw.fm/SWyLu). The initial purpose of vaping was to help wean people off cigarette use, but it has become controversial and is limited in certain countries, with many restrictions and bans worldwide.

The US-granted patent is also progressing as a patent application through other jurisdictions internationally. The US patent and international patent applications are partly supported by the superior pharmacokinetic blood plasma data from Lexaria in its animal studies conducted from 2017 through 2021. This new patent builds nicely upon the company’s growing patent portfolio in the oral nicotine delivery sector, including the white pouch category for sublingual and buccal tissue delivery. The patents are built on a foundation of nicotine-specific patent filings dating back to 2019 and DehydraTECH patents dating back to 2016.

Lexaria’s DehydraTECH-nicotine has patents granted for oral nicotine delivery in the US, Canada, Australia, and is pending in numerous other countries. The white pouch category is one of the fastest growing, tobacco-free alternatives to smoking and vaping – emitting no smoke, odors, or vapors that can affect nearby persons and are a superior nicotine delivery method. Lexaria demonstrates this through its granted patents, subsequent studies, and future endeavors for sublingual and buccal delivery with DehydraTECH.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.LexariaBioscience.com.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to LEXX are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/LEXX

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420 with CNW — Study Shows Proximity Vital to Customers Buying Cannabis from Licensed Stores

Marijuana retailers are well aware of the fact that customers prefer to purchase cannabis from nearby sources when possible. This intuition is supported by a recent study on Canada’s legalized marijuana market, which shows that consumers are much more likely to purchase products from legal marketplaces if they are close to licensed retailers.

The research, which is slated for publication in the “Journal of Studies on Drugs and Alcohol,” explores the relationship between Canadian marijuana users’ proximity to authorized retail establishments and their decision to buy cannabis products. Notably, respondents were more likely to choose legal establishments and less likely to choose regulated internet sites if they lived within three kilometers (about 1.9 miles) of the closest permitted cannabis retailer.

The study, which examines data from 15,312 Canadian marijuana users who took part in the International Marijuana Policy Study, spans the years 2019 to 2021. The study uses postal codes, which are typically more precise than U.S. ZIP codes, to locate their locations. The investigation explored various sources from which cannabis users acquired marijuana, such as regulated and illicit stores, websites, dealers, home production, and family and friends.

Compared to those who lived farther away, those who lived within three kilometers of a physically permitted marijuana business were less likely to buy from licensed online retailers or raise their own plants.

Interestingly, a comparison between Quebec and Alberta shows that consumers’ satisfaction declines when marijuana stores get closer to one another. The private cannabis retail industry in Alberta had a significant ratio of 18.7 outlets per 100,000 persons by 2021, compared to just 0.8 stores in Quebec’s government-owned retail monopoly. Albertans are more likely to purchase from regulated stores, although the difference was just 1.6 times greater.

The study also discovered a rise in the percentage of respondents obtaining their cannabis through legal channels and a drop in those obtaining it illegally, which is consistent with Canada’s goals for legalizing recreational marijuana.

It’s worth noting that the three-kilometer distance doesn’t necessarily correspond to the actual travel distance from a respondent’s postal code to the closest retail outlet. Instead, it reflects a straight line.

Canada had more than 3,740 licensed marijuana retail establishments as of April 2023 across all of its provinces and territories, which equates to 0.95 cannabis outlets per 10,000 persons. Alberta continues to be the state with the most marijuana stores per capita.

The report also showed $3.4 billion worth of legal recreational marijuana was sold in 2022, a 17.9% rise over 2021. In contrast, medical marijuana sales have decreased from their high as a result of the spike in recreational cannabis spending since it cannot be purchased through adult-use retail stores.

While companies that sell recreational or medical cannabis have to compete with unlicensed dealers, enterprises that focus on FDA-approved formulations made from marijuana compounds, such as IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC), don’t have such concerns because their products are accessible from pharmacies if one gets a prescription from their doctor.

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420 with CNW — Ohio to Move Medical Cannabis Regulation Away from Board of Pharmacy

Ohio lawmakers have passed an operating budget with provisions that effectively remove the Board of Pharmacy as the entity in charge of the state’s cannabis industry and replace it with a new Division of Marijuana Control. The new regulatory agency for all cannabis-related matters will function under the auspices of the Ohio Department of Commerce.

Ever since former Ohio Governor John Kasich signed House Bill 523 into law and launched the state’s medical marijuana program, both the pharmacy and commerce departments had been tasked with overseeing the fledgling medical cannabis program. While the commerce department handled marijuana cultivators, processors and testing laboratories, the pharmacy department regulated retail operations and dispensaries as well as maintained Ohio’s registry of caregivers and medical marijuana patients.

Putting two departments in charge of medical cannabis proved to be a major headache for companies in Ohio’s medical cannabis market. These companies had to deal with both departments and all the bureaucracy that came with each. Large vertically integrated companies that were involved in cultivation, processing and sale had an especially challenging time dealing with both departments.

Ohio Medical Cannabis Industry Association’s government affairs director Charlie Trefny states that this system of shared governance would lead to disagreements due to different interpretations of rules. In some cases, Trefny says, the two departments would give cannabis companies different responses regarding the same issues. This includes providing conflicting feedback on critical issues such as product labeling, which could have dire consequences for medical cannabis operators.

Companies that aren’t vertically integrated were also forced to interact with both pharmacy and commerce. For instance, the pharmacy department would have to review labels attached to products from cultivators or processors resulting in cases where it would reject product labels that had been approved by the commerce department.

Medical cannabis operators have been asking regulators to grant the sector one regulator rather than two since its inception to make the regulatory environment more business-friendly. Trefny noted that consolidating regulation under a single department will make the medical cannabis supply chain more efficient as well.

According to language included in the recently approved operating budget, the pharmacy department will have to transfer its oversight of retailers, dispensaries and the state medical marijuana patient and caregiver registry to the commerce department by Dec. 31, 2023.

On the other hand, medical cannabis operators aren’t pleased with language included in the bill that would allow standalone processors to receive additional cultivation licenses and allow level 2 cultivators to expand their growing space to 15,000 square feet.

The improvements, which are likely to result from streamlining the regulation of medical cannabis in the state, could have additional benefits such as allowing ancillary firms operating in the same space, including Advanced Container Technologies Inc. (OTC: ACTX), to do brisk business with marijuana companies as demand grows.

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420 with CNW — Study Links Cannabis to Reduced Pain, Elevated Runner’s High

A recent study has unveiled a fascinating connection between marijuana usage and an enhanced exercise experience, particularly for runners. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder, focused on 49 runners. The individuals were asked to evaluate their running experiences under two conditions: one after consuming cannabis and the other without any marijuana intake.

The findings, recently published in the “Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research” journal, revealed that participants had significantly fewer negative emotions and greater feelings of positive affect, dissociation, enjoyment and tranquility during their marijuana-influenced runs compared to their nonmarijuana runs. Furthermore, the intriguing concept of a “runner’s high” was more pronounced when marijuana was involved.

Although the runners’ pace was slightly affected after consuming marijuana, the researchers deemed the decrease of 31 seconds per mile statistically insignificant. Surprisingly, the study revealed that pain levels were lower after the cannabis-influenced runs, while perceived exertion remained unchanged between the two conditions.

The implications of these results point to the possibility that acute marijuana use might contribute to a more gratifying exercise experience for regular marijuana users. Nevertheless, the researchers emphasized the need for further investigations encompassing diverse methodologies, exercise types and populations to ascertain the potential long-term benefits and risks associated with this behavior.

Interestingly, the positive exercise effects of cannabis align with the findings of an earlier study from 2019, which revealed that individuals using marijuana to enhance their workouts tend to engage in a more wholesome amount of physical activity.

In addition, an unrelated study in 2020 demonstrated that older individuals who consumed cannabis were more inclined to participate in physical activities. The study found that older marijuana users had lower BMI at the start of the study, participated in more exercise days and were involved in more exercises during the study period than their noncannabis user counterparts.

Breaking yet another stereotype, a 2021 study highlighted that frequent marijuana users are more likely to be physically active than their nonusing counterparts. This counters the notion that cannabis consumption leads to a sedentary lifestyle.

On another note, the use of medical marijuana has shown significant improvements in the quality of life for individuals with conditions such as insomnia and chronic pain. A 2023 study by the American Medical Association (AMA) found that the positive effects of medical cannabis were sustained over time. Late last year, the AMA also revealed study results linking state legalization of cannabis with a decline in the prescription of opioids to some cancer patients.

These studies attesting to the beneficial and therapeutic effects of cannabis are probably the grounds upon which many companies such as IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC) have focused on developing standardized medicinal formulations from THC and other cannabinoids so that patients can have access to effective cannabis-based treatments which are approved by the FDA.

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to IGC Pharma Inc. (NYSE American: IGC) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://cnw.fm/IGC

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