420 with CNW – Medical Marijuana Could Be on Louisiana Dispensary Shelves as Early as Next Week

Early this week, officials from the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) announced that medical marijuana products could soon be available in licensed dispensaries as soon as next week. This news brings a sigh of relief to patients who have waited through endless delays since 2015 when voters approved a measure to legalize medical cannabis.

Mike Strain, the LDAF Commissioner, revealed that his department had received the first batch of medical marijuana products that were ready for distribution to the licensed medical cannabis dispensaries within the state. Those samples would be tested to ascertain their potency, homogeneity and presence of contaminants.

If those samples pass the lab tests, then the department would give the manufacturers the green light to distribute their products to the places where patients with recommendations can access them.

GB Sciences, a company that was subcontracted by Louisiana State University, has provided the samples to be tested by the state. Strain revealed that the testing process would take approximately seven days and the products would be available if no issues are found during the tests. If any problem is found, the availability of the products would be delayed until those issues were resolved.

Some of the products that were randomly selected from the stores of GB Sciences for the purpose of testing by the regulator include inhalers and cannabis oil drops. The products were made in different formulations of THC and CBD. For example, some products are high in CBD while others are high in THC and low in CBD.

These products will be available to patients with debilitating conditions as long as those patients have been certified by the state to use medical marijuana as a form of treatment.

Louisiana passed strict rules under which the medical cannabis program would be implemented. For example, only two cultivation and manufacturing licenses were issued. Louisiana State University and Southern University were the recipients of those licenses. However, these two institutions could subcontract partners to help them execute their activities, and that is why GB Sciences had a chance to process the products which are undergoing testing.

Southern University partnered with Advanced Biometrics and they are soon planting their maiden medical cannabis crop. They expect the products from this crop to be ready for the market in about five months since it takes that long to grow and process a cannabis crop.

Marijuana industry watchers believe that industry actors like VPR Brands LP (OTC: VPRB) and VIVO Cannabis Inc. (TSX.V: VIVO) (OTCQX: VVCIF) will be pleased that the long wait is showing signs of coming to an end and Louisiana patients will soon benefit from medical marijuana.

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420 with CNW – Utah Medical Cannabis Program Stays on Course as State Dismisses Protests

Utah selected eight firms towards the end of last month to undergo background checks prior to being granted licenses to grow medical marijuana as the state moves to implement a voter decision during the 2018 midterms. However, six companies that weren’t successful during the application process protested to the state’s Division of Purchasing. The division has responded by dismissing those protests, thereby paving the way for the state to stay on course in its bid to implement the medical marijuana program.

The companies that protested to the Division of Purchasing are North Star Holdings, Pure UT, Wild West Holding, Tintic United Bioscience, JLPR, and Total Health Sciences. These companies were unhappy that Utah had only selected eight companies yet the law provides for a maximum of ten growers.

However, the Division of Purchasing argued that it took the decision to select only eight cultivators in order to avert the possibility of over-supply in the medical cannabis market. They added that the law allows the division to select any number of cultivators as long as the legal cap isn’t exceeded.

Chris Hughes, the director of Utah’s Division of Purchasing, announced on Wednesday that the companies whose appeals had been dismissed could escalate their protest to the Utah Procurement Policy Board and even go to court if they weren’t satisfied with the decisions made.

Meanwhile, several county attorneys are putting pressure on Utah to abandon its plans of having a state-run medical cannabis dispensary system. They say that the current design of the system will put the employees of the state at the risk of prosecution under the existing drug laws of the federal government.

Troy Rawlings (DA Davis County) and Sim Gill (DA Salt Lake County) insist that using the local dispensaries as points where medical marijuana can be picked up would, in effect, turn the county’s medical department workers into drug traffickers in the eyes of the federal government.

Under Utah’s medical marijuana law, seven private medical marijuana pharmacies will be licensed while a “central fill pharmacy” will be run by the state to supply the private pharmacies with the products they put on their shelves. This “fill pharmacy” function will be implemented through the 13 local health departments.

State officials acknowledge the concerns of the DAs and a meeting has been planned for later this month in order to discuss any alternatives that could sidestep the risks that the district attorneys point out.

Industry analysts believe that the whole industry, including players like Willow Biosciences Inc. (CSE: WLLW) and Wildflower Brands Inc. (CSE: SUN) (OTCQB: WLDFF), will be hoping that the program in Utah doesn’t run into any hurdles that take implementation beyond the planned 2020 launch date.

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420 with CNW – Federal Court Orders DEA to Explain Cannabis Research Block

A federal court has ordered the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to file a written response to a lawsuit filed by a research company seeking for an explanation about the status of the applications submitted to the DEA by entities that expressed interest in growing research-grade marijuana.

In 2016, the DEA called for applications from interested parties that wished to be licensed to grow marijuana for research purposes in order to supplement what was available from the only licensed facility at Mississippi University.

To date, the DEA doesn’t appear to have taken any action regarding the processing of those applications which were submitted years ago.

Researchers from the Scottsdale Research Institute (SRI) therefore went to court to compel the DEA to explain why additional manufacturers of research-grade cannabis haven’t been licensed since 2016 and yet the products currently available from Mississippi University are woefully inadequate in terms of quality and quantity.

In fact, research done on the products from Mississippi found that qualitatively, the marijuana availed to researchers by the licensed grower was closer to industrial hemp that being similar to the marijuana available at licensed dispensaries in states where cannabis is legal.

SRI, one of the entities which submitted an application to grow marijuana for research purposes, now wants the courts of law to resolve the matter of the DEA dragging its feet on making a decision on the applications submitted.

The D.C. Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals seems to agree with the research group and has written an order to the DEA asking the agency to submit a response, in less than 7,800 words, to the petition filed by SRI. The court has given the federal agency 30 days within which to submit their response.

In a press statement, SRI contends that the actions or inactions of the DEA are counter to the spirit of the Controlled Substances Act, and harms the interests of SRI as well as the veterans who would benefit from the research that SRI wants to conduct on the therapeutic effects of marijuana on people suffering from PTSD.

SRI further argues that everyone, including the federal government, agrees that independent marijuana research is needed, so there is no reason why the DEA continues to stonewall companies which are interested in conducting this needed research.

Attorney General William Barr took office in February with the promise that he would look into the status of the applications before the DEA from entities that wished to grow and manufacture marijuana products for research purposes. However, he too has done nothing on the matter, just like his predecessor Jeff Sessions.

Industry analysts believe that the entire marijuana industry, including players like The Supreme Cannabis Company Inc. (TSX.V: FIRE) (OTCQX: SPRWF) and The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. (TSX: TGOD) (OTCQX: TGODF), will be following this lawsuit closely since the outcome could make it easier for reliable research to be done on the medicinal effects of cannabis, or any other area of interest on this plant.

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420 with CNW – Florida Activists Notch First Victory in Campaign to Put Cannabis Legalization on the 2020 Ballot

An effort to legalize recreational marijuana in Florida registered its first victory on Monday when reform activists announced that they had collected a sufficient number of signatures in order to trigger a process through which the state’s Supreme Court would review the language of their petition.

If the court approves the petition’s language, Regulate Florida, the group behind the legalization effort, will face its biggest hurdle yet. At least 766, 200 voter signatures will need to be collected in order to put cannabis legalization on the state ballot next year. This required number of signatures is approximately ten times what the group had to collect in order to get the Supreme Court to review the measure’s language.

The activists observe that it is very expensive to collect signatures in support of such an initiative. For example, it costs about $2 to print, collect and validate each petition. The reform advocates have not yet received any financial backing from John Morgan, the personal injury attorney who bankrolled the effort to legalize medical cannabis in the state in 2016. Morgan had also financed a failed attempt to legalize recreational marijuana in the state in 2014.

The personal injury attorney seems to have opted to put his money behind an initiative to increase the minimum wage in the state. He is reported to have said that he is doubtful that Florida is ready for recreational marijuana even if recent polls show that 65 percent of adults in the state want to see an end to marijuana prohibition.

However, the activists are confident that Florida voters will do what the lawmakers have failed to do on several occasions. For example, a bill to legalize recreational marijuana stalled even before a hearing had been scheduled in the state legislature.

Regulate Florida has also adopted another tactic to make the recreational marijuana initiate more attractive. They are positioning this effort as a measure which will make the medical marijuana program more patient-friendly since patients will be allowed to grow a limited number of marijuana plants for their medical needs. Home cultivation wasn’t allowed under the law through which the medical marijuana program was legalized.

The activists are now calling for volunteers to help in the signature collection process, and they are also appealing for donations to fund the signature collectors who aren’t volunteers. Analysts believe that the cannabis industry, including TransCanna Holdings Inc. (CSE: TCAN) (FRA: TH8) and Therma Bright Inc. (TSX.V: THRM) (OTC: THRBF), will be rooting for the reform advocates since the wall of prohibition needs to be pegged back in as many states as possible if the industry is to reach its full potential.

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420 with CNW – Colorado Nurses to Launch Cannabis Information Hotline

A medical marijuana patient and a registered nurse in Colorado are teaming up to start a hotline to answer the questions that potential medical marijuana users have about the drug. If all goes according to plan, this hotline will be launched in September.

Katherine Golden, the registered nurse in this duo, admits that she was skeptical about the medical benefits of marijuana until a family member was diagnosed with cancer and she felt compelled to look for peer-reviewed research on the benefits of marijuana for cancer patients. What she found astounded her and she wondered how all that information was unavailable to members of the medical community.

Her findings were so convincing that she switched careers and started working in a medical marijuana clinic in Boulder.

Jennifer Axcell has been taking medical marijuana to deal with the pain she has been having since she was involved in a car accident thirteen years ago. The medical marijuana proved to be more helpful than the prescription meds she was initially given by her doctor.

Jennifer Axcell met Katherine Golden at Holos Health, a medical marijuana dispensary in Boulder, and they soon bonded. That bond grew as they both strongly felt that there was a need to share information about medical marijuana.

They therefore became unofficial information ambassadors within the medical cannabis community, and the idea of starting the hotline, Leaf411, was born.

Golden feels that the hotline will be invaluable since nurses are highly trusted by members of the community. This view was confirmed by a Gallop poll which found that nurses were the most trusted professionals. 85 percent of the adult Americans who were surveyed by Gallop in December 2018 said that the ethical standards of nurses were high or very high. In contrast, members of Congress had a dismal 8 percent rating for being ethical.

Golden hopes to use the respectability and reputation of nursing to provide reliable information to people who want to learn about medical marijuana.

To that end, she and Axcell have applied for funding from the Colorado state government. They hope to benefit from part of the millions of dollars of cannabis tax revenue earmarked for public health and education.

The pair is also contacting different medical marijuana companies for funding since these entities stand to benefit the most when their potential clients are informed about medical marijuana. Golden feels that a budtender shouldn’t be the first person that a patient approaches for information on medical marijuana.

Golden and Axcell are also hoping to enlist at least four registered nurses with medical marijuana experience to be on the phone for 12 hours each day. They hasten to add that Leaf411 will not be an emergency line, so it will only be available during normal business hours.

Advocates believe that the entire industry, including Sugarmade Inc. (OTCQB: SGMD) and Sproutly Canada Inc. (CSE: SPR) (OTCQB: SRUTF) (FRA: 38G), will be thrilled that members of the medical professional are jumping into the fray to educate their peers and members of the public about medical cannabis.

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420 with CNW – Cuomo Signs Marijuana Expungement and Decriminalization Bill

On Monday, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) signed into law a bill that expanded marijuana decriminalization and also paved the way for people with certain marijuana convictions to have their criminal records wiped clean.

The new law, which will take effect 30 days from the date of signing, will make the possession of less than two ounces of cannabis a non-criminal offense punishable by a fine that varies between $50 and $200 depending on how much marijuana one is convicted for possessing.

In a press release, Cuomo stated that the signing of this law is a critical step towards mending the discriminatory and broken criminal justice system in which people of color were disproportionately targeted during the failed War on Drugs. He added that the expungement provisions and the change in the draconian penalties for marijuana possession offers the affected communities a chance for a fresh start.

Marijuana law reform advocates hailed this new law although it fell short of the full legalization that they had hoped for during the just-ended legislative session. Cuomo had delivered his budget proposal without marijuana legalization, but there was hope that any differences over the implementation of the program would be ironed out in the final months of the session.

However, the disagreements over how the policy would be implemented dragged on until the governor announced that a deal couldn’t be agreed upon in time for a vote during the closing days of the session.

The key sticking points were whether local authorities would have the final say on whether marijuana businesses operated within their jurisdictions and the second major cause of disagreement regarded the way in which taxes from marijuana would be spent by the state.

The decriminalization and expungement bill was a compromise law upon which there was little disagreement. Carl Heastie (D), the Assembly Speaker, hailed the law saying that it removed the barriers that were standing in the way of many New Yorkers who wished to find housing, a job and get an education.

Even anti-marijuana legalization groups, such as Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM), welcomed the law saying that it was a reasonable piece of legislation that was long overdue. SAM admitted that they had worked hard to defeat the broader legalization bill, and would continue to campaign for marijuana to remain prohibited in the state.

Sen. Diane Savino (D), who has been a longtime campaigner for marijuana law reform, commented that the decriminalization and expungement law was slight progress since the sale of marijuana was still left in the hands of criminals instead of letting licensed businesses participate in a regulated industry.

Cannabis industry analysts believe that industry players like SinglePoint Inc. (OTCQB: SING) and Plus Products Inc. (CSE: PLUS) (OTCQB: PLPRF) will be pleased by the signing of this law since it marks another chip taken off the wall of prohibition.

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Political Backing, Investor Interest Fuel Kentucky Hemp Boom

CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: The surging hemp industry means exciting benefits for Kentucky.

Hemp is big business in Kentucky. Among the companies working in the state is Sugarmade Inc. (OTCQB: SGMD) (SGMD Profile), a supplier of hydroponic equipment that is now moving into hemp through an investment in Hempistry. In New York, a leading politician has been in contact with Canopy Growth Corporation (TSX: WEED) (NYSE: CGC) to ensure the survival of a hemp project threatened by executive upheaval. Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) is looking even further than North America for growth. Cronos Group Inc. (TSX: CRON) (NASDAQ: CRON) is focusing on innovation in the sector. New Age Beverages Corporation (NASDAQ: NBEV) has been expanding its distribution and marketing power to reach into an ever-growing hemp market.

Kentucky is now the largest producer of hemp by state in the United States, fueled by local and national political support.
The hemp boom promises an alternative crop to struggling farmers.
The burgeoning industry is drawing investment into the state from hemp companies.

To view an infographic of this editorial, click here.

Hemp Achieves Great Growth in Kentucky

This year has seen a serious ratcheting up of hemp production across the United States. After the 2018 Farm Bill passed late last year legalizing national widespread hemp production, companies have been rushing to establish a foothold in the industry. Some are expanding test cultivation sites established under the 2014 bill, while others are setting up new operations.

This boon is proving particularly profitable for Kentucky. Having wholeheartedly embraced hemp cultivation under the previous regulations, the state is benefiting from a relatively well-developed industry that has existing strong political support. These favorable circumstances are attracting hemp companies and hemp investment into the state, helping to balance declines seen elsewhere in the state’s agriculture space.

Heading for Kentucky

A wide range of businesses, including brand-development company Sugarmade Inc. (OTCQB: SGMD), are investing in Kentucky’s hemp sector, funding the cultivation, processing and sale of the plant. Whether it’s being used for grain, fiber or CBD production, hemp crops are booming.

Hemp production in Kentucky began in 2014, when 20 approved growers planted 33 acres of the crop under legislation that supported trials of hemp farming. By 2018, the industry had grown 200 times in size to 6,700 acres cultivated by 210 growers. On top of this, 14 university projects and 72 processors were invested in the crop. Only Colorado exceeded Kentucky for hemp production within the United States.

Since the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, the state has seen a further staggering surge in production. Kentucky now has 60,000 acres devoted to hemp production, making it the biggest hemp-producing state in the country. The industry has produced nearly a thousand jobs, 250 of them in the first half of this year. And as companies such as Sugarmade increase their investments in the state, that growth looks set to continue.

Sugarmade entered the hemp sector through hydroponics. A significant portion of hemp is grown indoors to provide greater control over how the crop is grown. Growth and acquisitions have made Sugarmade one of the hemp sector’s leading providers of hydroponic equipment and supplies, which are vital for this indoor growth.

Now the company is taking a more direct interest in hemp by exercising its option to invest in Hempistry Inc. Founded by Sugarmade’s own CEO Jimmy Chan, Hempistry is growing hemp in Madison County, Kentucky. Sugarmade is making a series of investments in the project that are expected to total an estimated $1 million.

“These investments into Hempistry make sense for Sugarmade, not only from a financial standpoint relative to probable rate of return, but also from a business development standpoint,” said Chan. “As Hempistry and other local cultivators grow, we believe Sugarmade’s status as a potential supplier to cultivators will also continue to rise. We look forward to a successful growing season with Hempistry.”

Kentucky Politicians Back Hemp Farmers

One of the reasons for Kentucky’s hemp boom is the strong support provided by politicians across the state. Representative James Comer and Senator Mitch McConnell have actively backed the industry at a national level, while Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles has been an advocate within the state. Under Quarles’s leadership, the Kentucky Agricultural Department has encouraged the development of the hemp industry, putting policies in place to support it.

This political support is at the heart of what makes Kentucky so appealing to companies such as Sugarmade as they seek opportunities for hemp investment. Though hemp is once again legal on a federal level, the road to this point has been rocky, and the industry is likely to face further political hurdles. Knowing that Kentucky will provide political support makes the state an appealing place to invest.

McConnell has been particularly essential in establishing this support. The senior Kentucky senator used his position as majority leader to push hemp reform through the federal legislative process. This summer, he publicly reinforced his support for hemp through a tour of the industry in Kentucky with Sonny Perdue, head of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The tour marked an important moment for Kentucky as a leader in that industry, as well as the hemp industry as a whole, acknowledging its newfound legitimacy.

Among the issues the two men talked about on the tour was improving access to finance for hemp growers. Though December’s farm bill legislation theoretically should have removed financial barriers, in practice, banks need encouragement to change their approach. With high-profile advocates such as McConnell and Perdue taking a firm stance, this is likely to change rapidly, making life easier for companies such as Hempistry and Sugarmade.

Hemp Provides Something We Need

In strained political times, hemp has provided something we all need — an issue on which politicians from both major parties can agree. The hemp provisions of the farm bill passed thanks to cross-party support, and politicians from both sides of the aisle have been keen to encourage the industry.

Nothing makes this clearer than the involvement of both Democrat and Republican senate leaders in supporting and encouraging the industry. Earlier this month, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer spoke directly to the leadership of Canopy Growth Corp. to ensure that recent changes at the company wouldn’t stand in the way of a building a cutting-edge hemp facility in New York. When companies such as Sugarmade see this type of support, they feel confident investing heavily in hemp, knowing that both parties support industry expansion.

The reason behind this widespread support is that hemp caters to another need — new avenues for farmers to make a living. Farm production in the United States is at a six-year low, with many farmers struggling to get by. Economic disruption and trade wars threaten to further undermine their financial well-being. As a high-value cash crop, hemp offers a lifeline to farmers, making support of the industry more important than ever.

The money poured into the industry by Sugarmade and other savvy companies may be the difference between success and failure for rural communities. And it doesn’t hurt that, along the way, these investments appear likely to be highly profitable for these companies and their investors.

Hemp Producers Rise to Prominence

The growth of the industry has brought hemp-growing companies to greater prominence than ever.

Schumer’s call to Canopy Growth Corporation (TSX: WEED) (NYSE: CGC) highlights just how much influence these companies now have, as they nurture the first shoots of what promises to become a fruitful industry. Canopy Growth Corporation is one of the largest Canadian companies operating in the hemp space, a leader in the field with significant resources and influence. The surprise removal of CEO Bruce Linton caused alarm in some quarters as well as uncertainty about the company’s future direction. But Schumer’s direct intervention has brought reassurance that the company will move ahead with its New York hemp plans.

While Canopy Growth has shed its most prominent executive, competitor Cronos Group Inc. (TSX: CRON) (NASDAQ: CRON) has added a new one to its team. Dr. Todd Abraham is joining the company as chief innovation officer. A thought leader in the field of consumer packaged goods, Abraham has shown faith in the staying power of the hemp industry through his move to Cronos. He’ll have plenty of tools to innovate with, as the company recently announced that it is establishing a brand new R&D facility, as well as acquiring a state-of-the-art fermentation and manufacturing facility. These deliberate moves put Cronos Group in a strong position to create new products using cultured cannabinoids.

The industry expansion isn’t limited to just the United States and Canada. Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) has recently arranged the export of CBD-rich oils to Ireland and is expanding its European leadership team. Hemp and CBD markets operate under different rules in Europe, so local knowledge is essential for expansion there, and Tilray is investing in that knowledge.

New Age Beverages Corporation (NASDAQ: NBEV) has also been pushing to become a global brand, following an announcement to this effect in April. But the company isn’t neglecting its American markets. It recently acquired marketing, sales and distribution company Brands within Reach to strengthen its marketing and distribution position in North America, working to take its relaxing drinks to an ever-wider market.

With the support of politicians and business leaders, hemp is clearly growing in popularity. Nowhere is the economic impact of that felt more strongly than in Kentucky.

For more information on Sugarmade, visit Sugarmade Inc. (OTCQB: SGMD)

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420 with CNW – Congressional Bill Seeks to Protect Some Students from Losing Financial Aid Due to Marijuana Convictions

On Friday, a group of Democratic lawmakers introduced a bill in Congress that would protect some college students from losing their federal financial aid if they are convicted for possessing marijuana. The bill also states that to benefit from this protection, those affected students must complete a rehabilitation program in order to remain eligible for financial aid.

The existing law allows the government to strip students of their federal financial aid for a period that can range from a year to indefinitely based on their prior drugs convictions and the gravity of the drugs offense they have been convicted for.

The bill titled “Second Chance for Students Act” is sponsored by Reps. Gwen Moore (D-WI) and Bill Forster (D-IL). Under this proposed legislation, students who are convicted for the first time for possessing marijuana without any intention to distribute the drug can continue to receive financial assistance as long as they enroll for, and complete an approved drugs rehab program in six months.

In a press release, Rep. Forster stated that a single mistake shouldn’t cost a student their education. He added that for many students, their college education is entirely dependent on the federal financial aid that they receive. Discontinuing that aid therefore means that the student’s education, and their future, has taken a huge blow from which they could never recover.

Moore also stated that the existing law harms students of color more than any other demographic group of students since these people are particularly targeted for low-level crimes like cannabis possession.

While the bill has received a lot of support, some critics have argued that it will perpetuate a wrong mentality that people who use marijuana have a disorder for which they need rehabilitation.

Those opposed to the proposed law believe that if it is passed, it will strengthen the stigma against marijuana use and yet advocates are working hard to have the substance legalized. By treating users as people suffering from substance abuse disorder, one unwittingly admits that nobody should be using marijuana.

These critics are more comfortable with a similar draft law which was filed in the Senate by Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) in May. In that legislation, the question on whether a student applying for federal financial aid has ever been convicted for possessing or selling illegal drugs would be removed from the application form. Consequently, more students would be able to benefit from the protection without being coerced into signing up for drug rehab programs whose effectiveness is questionable.

It would be interesting to hear what advice cannabis industry players like Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP) and Hemptown USA would have on this matter so that students are protected from lifelong punishment for one mistake they make.

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420 with CNW – Cannabis Flavonoids Could Trigger Another Medical Marijuana Revolution

Just as skeptics were beginning to grudgingly acknowledge that marijuana’s cannabinoids do have medical benefits, a new wave or revolution is about to start if new research into the painkilling effects of the flavonoids unique to cannabis is anything to go by. A team of Canadian researchers has found that two flavonoids found in cannabis could be 30 times more powerful than aspirin, without the adverse effects associated with the conventional painkiller.

The work of these scientists seems poised to open another front in the medicinal potential of the cannabis plant which is enjoying growing popularity as the decades of prohibition get reversed in several states and jurisdictions.

Many plants have flavonoids, and these compounds give those plants their unique pigmentation. These compounds protect plants from diseases and UV radiation, and they also attract pollinators to the flowers of the plants.

More importantly, flavonoids have anti-inflammatory effects, and that is why many so-called superfoods are hailed as beneficial to people with inflammation in their bodies. The Canadian scientists have identified specific flavonoids that are only present in marijuana, and they have called them Cannaflavins.

Of particular interest is Cannaflavin A and Cannaflavin B which appear to be 30 times more potent than aspirin. Their healing effects were first hinted at by scientists at the University of London back in 1980.

However, there seems to be one major hurdle in the way of tapping the therapeutic value of these cannaflavins. These compounds occur in such small amounts that it could be hard to extract them in a way that makes economic sense.

This is where the work of the Canadian scientists comes in. The team, led by Tariq Akhtar (an assistant professor in the department of molecular and cellular biology at Guelph University), has developed and patented a novel technique through which the genes responsible for the formation of Cannaflavin A and B can be identified.

Their method then uses that genetic information to metabolically engineer the properties of those genes so that the therapeutic compounds can be obtained without having to grow vast amounts of cannabis plants.

The scientists have a lot of hope in these cannaflavins since they deal with inflammation at its source without any adverse effects. They therefore hope to conduct more research into these compounds now that the regulatory environment in Canada is supportive of such research.

Cannabis industry analysts believe that industry players like Green Hygienics Holdings Inc. (OTCQB: GRYN) and Green Growth Brands Inc. (CSE: GGB) (OTCQB: GGBXF) could be very pleased because of the Guelph University research that shows there is still so much more that cannabis can offer in the medical arena.

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420 with CNW – Bipartisan Senate Bill Seeks to Ease Marijuana Business Access to Insurance Services

A bipartisan bill introduced in the U.S. Senate on Monday seeks to ensure greater access to insurance policies for marijuana businesses in states where the drug is legal. The bill titled “Clarifying Law Around Insurance of Marijuana (CLAIM) Act” was sponsored by Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ). The cosponsors of the legislation are Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Rand Paul (R-KY) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND).

Currently, federal law makes it very difficult for cannabis businesses to get casualty, property and title insurance cover regardless of the state laws on the matter.

If the CLAIM Act is passed, insurance companies wouldn’t have to fear that they would be penalized or discouraged from selling insurance policies to companies that directly or indirectly serve the marijuana industry. For example, federal punitive action wouldn’t be taken against an insurer who covers the property managers hired by marijuana businesses.

Additionally, the law would bar federal agencies from incentivizing, encouraging or recommending that insurance companies refrain from working normally with a business in the marijuana industry or one indirectly serving the industry.

The draft law also includes protections for people who are employed by insurance companies. Its provisions free these people from being held liable for the work that they do when serving marijuana businesses.

While introducing the bill, Menendez said that marijuana businesses are unable to protect their customers, employees, premises and other property. The bill would therefore correct this situation and put cannabis businesses at par with businesses in other industries.

Sen. Rand Paul added to what Menendez said by saying that the basic principles behind the CLAIM Act are that the federal government should respect what the people in many states have decided and put an end to the barriers legitimate businesses are facing regarding access to basic protections.

The supporters of this bill assert that giving cannabis companies access to insurance cover would also remove some barriers to financing since many lending institutions automatically disqualify businesses that cannot get insurance cover.

While supporting this legislation, the media relations director of NCIA (national cannabis industry association) said that the wildfires in California and other cannabis growing regions had shown that the long-term survival of the marijuana industry depends on their ability to get insurance cover against all the foreseeable risks, just like other businesses do.

Gov. Phil Murphy (D) of New Jersey, who recently signed a law expanding the medical marijuana program of the state, also supported the bill introduced by Menendez. Murphy said it was important that medical marijuana providers are given the same protections that are the norm for the providers of other medical services.

Analysts are waiting to hear what the different marijuana businesses, such as Grapefruit Boulevard Investments Inc. (OTCQB: IGNG) and Golden Developing Solutions Inc. (OTC: DVLP), have to say about the flurry of activity regarding marijuana policy reform in both legislative chambers of the U.S.

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