420 with CNW – Nevada Bans Employers from Denying Jobs to Applicants Who Test Positive for Cannabis

From the first day of 2020, no employer in Nevada will be allowed to deny a job applicant employment just because that individual tested positive for marijuana during a pre-employment drugs test. The ban is contained in a bill which was signed into law by Gov. Sisolak on June 5. This makes Nevada the first state to enact such legislation in the country.

The new law contains some exceptions for people who may be denied employment on the basis of pre-employment marijuana screening. These include firefighters, EMTs, those who operate vehicles, federal government employees and anyone else applying for a job that the employer deems to be safety-sensitive.

The law also states that when an employer requires a prospective hire to be tested for marijuana, that potential employee has the right to have another test done within 30 days and the employer is bound to accept the results of that additional test. This extra test is at the expense of the prospective employee, according to the newly signed law.

Gov. Sisolak said that he was happy to sign AB132 because the cannabis industry in Nevada was growing and there was need to pass appropriate laws so that all residents of the state remain eligible to take advantage of all the opportunities available. He added that the exceptions included in that law are a matter of commonsense since matters of public safety and transportation have to be taken seriously.

This law has been regarded as long overdue by cannabis advocates since it was naturally expected that positive test results during pre-employment drugs screening would increase after the state legalized recreational marijuana in 2016 and commercial sales started a year later for adults 21 and older.

The law passed and enacted in Nevada is similar to the bill which was passed by the New York City Council in April this year. That bill banned employers from demanding that job applicants pass a drugs test for marijuana as a condition for being employed.

In Maine where recreational marijuana is legal, state law bans employers from discriminating people based on whether they use or don’t use marijuana. However, there is no specific provision banning marijuana testing during the employee hiring process.

Now that Nevada has paved the way, many other states are likely to ask themselves why they hadn’t thought of passing such a law since it is only logical that once recreational marijuana is legal, adults will legally use it and it would be unfair to deny them jobs because they used a legal substance.

Industry commentators would be glad to hear what different companies in the cannabis industry, such as Green Hygienics Holdings Inc. (OTCQB: GRYN) and Green Growth Brands Inc. (CSE: GGB) (OTCQB: GGBXF), have to say about the developments in the cannabis industry in Nevada.

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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 – Colorado Hits the $1 Billion Cannabis State Revenue Mark

The state of Colorado has now pocketed more than $1 billion in revenue from the legal cannabis industry. This marks yet another milestone for the state which legalized marijuana in 2014.

According to marijuana sales data which has just been released by the state, cannabis sales hit the $6.5 billion mark at the end of May this year. The data also shows that the sales of recreational marijuana are continuing to rise higher as the months roll by.

April and May 2019 have also been the best months so far in the entire history of the cannabis industry in Colorado with the monthly state revenue reaching the highest level ever at $24.2 million in April. The state took approximately three and a half years to reach cannabis sales totaling $500 million, but the state was able to double that figure in less than two years to cross the $1 billion mark.

Since July 2017, the revenue collected by the state from the cannabis industry has never gone below $20 million each month. This shows massive growth given that the total state revenue from marijuana in February 2014 was just $3.5 million.

Speaking at a Net Net event in Denver on May 1, Gov. Polis revealed that the marijuana industry was doing very well because it had created “tens of thousands of jobs, reducing crime, filling up buildings and bringing state revenue.”

Speaking of creating jobs, there are 41,076 people who have licenses to work in the Colorado cannabis industry. It is reasonable to conclude that nearly all those people are indeed employed in the industry since the licenses are renewed every two years and it wouldn’t make sense for someone to pay for and renew a license if they aren’t working in the industry.

Gov. Polis wants to see the cannabis industry take even bigger strides and take full advantage of its trailblazer status across the country. He knows that cannabis sales will never equal those in bigger states, such as New Jersey and California, so he has set his sights on other ways through which Colorado can remain a leader in the industry. For example, he wants to see cannabis point of sale systems, cannabis genetics and cannabis chemistry innovations headquartered in Colorado from where other states are served by those companies.

With sales and state revenues hitting such highs, who would blame the governor for dreaming big? The situation in Colorado is far different from other states, such as California, where the legal cannabis industry is struggling under the yoke of high taxes, a vibrant black market and legal battles with local authorities and cities which have banned marijuana sales in their jurisdictions.

If only one could be a fly on the wall and hear what goes on in the corridors of companies like Golden Developing Solutions Inc. (OTC: DVLP) and Geyser Brands Inc. (TSX.V: GYSR) as they talk about the contrast between what is happening in Colorado and in California!

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420 with CNW – Church of England Starts Investing in Marijuana

If you were wondering how fast marijuana could become a mainstream substance, the Church of England has just provided further proof that this once heavily stigmatized plant is getting the recognition and acceptance that it deserves. The Church of England has instructed its number crunchers to start making investments in medical marijuana companies.

In the past, the Church Commissioners for England (the entity which manages the $16 billion investment portfolio of the Church of England) rigidly adhered to their self-imposed policy of not holding stocks in cannabis companies.

The new policy allows the Church of England to hold stocks of medical marijuana companies. Recreational cannabis is still a no-no and any company which obtains more than 10 percent of its revenue from the sale of recreational cannabis is off-limits for the Church of England.

Edward Mason, the head of responsible investment at the Church Commissioners for England confirmed that they “make a distinction between recreational and medicinal cannabis” and are content with marijuana being used for medical purposes. Mason concluded by saying that the Commissioners for England are happy to invest in medicine.

The Church Commissioners for England have a huge reputation for their “ethical” investment decisions. They will only invest in companies which meet their strict definition of what constitutes Christian values. Consequently, the group will never invest in industries of questionable moral character, such as pornography, gambling and tobacco. Marijuana, or at least its medical side, is now acceptable to the group.

The decision by the Commissioners for England to start investing in medicinal cannabis is a huge step forward in the eyes of patients using medical marijuana because it helps to put a dent in the wall of stigma which those patients have to deal with on a daily basis.

Many people regard anyone using cannabis as stoner, even if the person is consuming medical cannabis purely for therapeutic purposes rather than for the recreational purposes. This stigma has compelled patients to resort to hiding while they are taking medical marijuana, and others have restricted themselves to more discreet modes of administration, such as edibles and suppositories.

Medical marijuana patients therefore hope that the step taken by the Church of England is followed by all the other religious denominations. In this way, medical marijuana will get the broad acceptance which it deserves as a form of medicine.

Both laypeople and cannabis industry analysts wonder how the more favorable direction taken by the Commissioners for England regarding medical marijuana will impact the future plans of industry participants like Earth Science Tech Inc. (OTCQB: ETST) and Chemistree Technology Inc. (CSE: CHM) (OTCQB: CHMJF).

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420 with CNW – Oregon Legislature Approves Marijuana Criminal Record Expungement

The legislature in Oregon has voted to approve a law which will see the marijuana convictions of tens of thousands of Oregonians expunged so that those individuals can have a better chance at finding jobs, getting an education and having access to housing.

Senate Bill 420 seeks to clear all marijuana convictions which are no longer crimes from the time marijuana was legalized in the state in 2014. This means people who were prosecuted and convicted prior to 2014 can have their slate wiped clean.

This bill was initially approved by a 25-4 vote by the Senate in April. However, the bill was modified when it was taken to the Assembly, so the modifications were brought back for approval by the Senate. The State Senate repassed the bill with a similar 25-4 vote. What is now left is Gov. Kate Brown’s signature so that the bill becomes law.

It isn’t immediately clear how many people are eligible to have their criminal record wiped. This is because in the past, court records didn’t reflect the specific controlled substance that an accused person was charged with.

However, estimates put the number of people who were convicted for marijuana possession at about 20,000-75,000 individuals.

Once this bill becomes law, anyone who was convicted for a marijuana crime that is no longer in the law books can fill out a form asking to have their conviction expunged.

Sen. Lew Frederick (D-Portland) supported the bill and says it was long overdue since marijuana convictions follow someone throughout their life and make it hard for that person to get housing, find a job or get an education.

In a related development, the Oregon House also passed a bill granting the state governor authority to negotiate agreements with other states for the purpose of exporting Oregon’s excess marijuana as soon as the federal government tolerates or legalizes interstate marijuana commerce. This bill was passed on the same day (Tuesday, June 11) that the expungement bill was passed.

Supporters of Senate Bill 582 say that Oregon is being forward looking by passing enabling laws in preparation for federal reform of cannabis policies. Some even said that this bill isn’t an endorsement of the cannabis industry, but rather provides support for the business community since exporting marijuana would create more jobs and bring revenue into Oregon from the states with which it is trading.

It should be remembered that Oregon has a massive surplus of marijuana, and some people say about six years are needed to consume this excess if current demand levels are maintained.

However, opponents of SB 582 say that the bill is of no consequence since it is akin to hiring a financial advisor simply because you expect that you will soon win the lottery.

Analysts wonder what cannabis industry players like Choom Holdings Inc. (CSE: CHOO) (OTCQB: CHOOF) and ChineseInvestors.com Inc. (OTCQB: CIIX) have to say about the export bill passed by Oregon’s Senate.

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420 with CNW – Canadian Flight Crews Banned from Consuming Marijuana 28 Days Before Flying

According to a new policy which has just been made public by Transport Canada (the federal transport regulator), flight crews as well as other industry employees will no longer be allowed to use marijuana within 28 days before they are due to fly.

The policy, which was announced on Thursday (June 6), takes immediate effect and it affects cabin crew, pilots and air traffic controllers. This policy was released in order to clarify the position of the regulator when recreational marijuana was legalized on October 17 last year.

Transport Canada asserted that aviation industry employees are required to maintain a certain minimum “level of fitness for duty” during the time when they are at work. Those employees must therefore refrain from using or being under the influence of any substance which can impair their faculties to a degree that can compromise aviation safety, the regulator added. Transport Canada also affirmed that their policy decision was informed by the current science available on the matter.

The announcement by Transport Canada isn’t altogether new in the Canadian aviation industry. The policy announcement comes after commercial airlines in the country, such as Westjet and Air Canada, had already issued blanket bans to their staff regardless of whether the employees wanted to consume recreational marijuana when they are off duty.

Speaking about Westjet’s radical policy on marijuana, the airline’s spokesperson said that the policy reflects the airline’s position as a leader in aviation safety, and that was why they were requiring Westjetters to report for duty while fit and stay that way throughout their shift.

Transport Canada has chosen to take the path similar to what the Department of National Defence decided to take on recreational marijuana. The military rules were updated to state that any serving military officer who wishes to use recreational marijuana should not do so within eight hours of starting their shift on duty.

The military rules also state that any personnel who operate weapons or vehicles aren’t allowed to consume recreational pot 24-hours before reporting for duty. Those that engage in high-altitude parachuting and those who serve on military aircraft are banned from using recreational cannabis in the 28 days prior to reporting for duty.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police also announced earlier that any of its personnel who serve in “safety-sensitive positions” are prohibited from using cannabis 28 days prior to reporting for duty.

It would be interesting to know what companies like Canopy Rivers Inc. (TSX.V: RIV) (OTC: CNPOF) and Cannabis Strategic Ventures Inc. (OTCQB: NUGS) think about these policies announced by aviation companies and regulators.

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420 with CNW – Why Columbia Could Reshape the Canadian Cannabis Landscape

The big pot stocks in Canada, such as Tilray Inc., Canopy Growth Corp. and Aurora Cannabis may soon have to contend with an emerging threat as marijuana growers in North America start moving their farms across the border to Columbia.

This migration is eerily similar to what happened to the growers of rose flowers who all moved south to low-cost Columbia.

Paul Henderson, the owner of Grupo Flor (a cannabis cultivation company based in Monterey) is the trailblazer of this migration. He predicts that North American marijuana growers in Canada will suffer the same fate that rose growers experienced. Practically no rose grower was left in Monerey once cultivation starting moving south.

Henderson adds that within the next decade, the cannabis industry will transition into a phase of commoditization. As that happens, it will become increasingly untenable to keep growing marijuana in Canada when Columbia is just a short distance away.

Henderson’s company is currently getting a 1,000,000 square-foot cultivation facility ready on the outskirts of Cali, a city found close to the Equator in Columbia. He boasts that when the facility starts operations, his company would be able to cut the price of its produce by 90 percent and still make a profit, something that growers who are still based in Canada cannot do and stay afloat.

Columbia enjoys several advantages which are only a dream to Canadian cannabis growers. First, the climate in Columbia is so good that the cultivation facilities there don’t require elaborate climate-control systems. Secondly, the labor in Columbia is highly skilled yet more affordable than what is available in Canada.

These reduced production costs put Columbia firmly on course to attain the target of producing a gram of cannabis at just 50 Canadian cents ($0.38) and yet the long-term goal of cannabis production in Canada is to bring the cost of a gram down to CAD $2 ($1.51) . That is a whole world of difference in production costs!

Columbia legalized medical cannabis for domestic use as well as export. This policy shift is responsible for the interest of Canadian cannabis growers in shifting their operations to Columbia.

The emergence of Columbia as a destination for Canadian cannabis cultivators has come at a time when the cannabis industry in Canada has just been dealt a blow by the U.S. FDA. The regulators are reluctant to legalize CBD and it appears to be headed for regulatory oversight by the FDA. This has dampened the hopes of Canadian firms that were gearing up to enter the U.S. CBD market.

Cannabis industry watchers are wondering what major players like Wildflower Brands Inc. (CSE: SUN) (OTCQB: WLDFF) and Youngevity International Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI) can do to respond to developments like transferring marijuana cultivation facilities to another country different from the country where the company has its major operations.

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Dramatically Improved Delivery Systems Promise More Effective Cannabis Treatments

CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: Experiments with next-generation delivery systems appear certain to lead to better cannabis-based products.

Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP) (LXRP Profile) has recently seen spectacular improvements in the effectiveness of cannabinoids thanks to its proprietary chemical delivery treatment. GW Pharmaceuticals Plc (NASDAQ: GWPH) (OTC: GWPRF), which has won widespread praise for its innovative medical work, has seen good trial results for a new treatment for seizures. Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) is supporting studies into the uses of cannabinoids to treat behavioral problems and HIV. MariMed Inc. (OTCQB: MRMD) has set up a subsidiary focused on CBD, currently the highest-profile cannabinoid product. Cronos Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CRON) (TSX: CRON) has established a new research lab to develop devices for CBD consumption.

Currently, cannabis medicines are poorly absorbed by the body.
Delivery challenges increase costs and reduce effectiveness.
Select companies are working on better delivery systems.
Others are working on new medicines so that cannabinoids can improve more lives.

To view an infographic of this editorial, click here.

The Cannabinoid Waste Conundrum

The popularity of cannabinoid products — those containing active ingredients from cannabis — has created a challenge for producers. While these producers are extracting larger volumes of CBD from cannabis and hemp, much of the precious ingredient goes to waste: the human body only absorbs a small fraction of these molecules because of delivery system limitations and human physiology.

This delivery challenge causes several problems. Manufacturers must comply with regulations limiting the amount of active cannabinoid ingredients, but consumers may not be able to obtain the effect or benefit they are seeking, even when needed to overcome serious medical conditions. People could end up consuming more cannabis than they would otherwise, which is both expensive and ill-advised. And in an age when the waste of human society is ravaging the environment, it means that the cannabis industry may also be doing unneeded damage to the environment.

But thanks to the fast pace of cannabis research, a solution may be on the horizon.

Improving the Delivery of Cannabinoids

Across the industry, researchers are looking for ways to more effectively deliver CBD into the human body. Thanks to their latest breakthroughs, the scientists at Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP) appear to be leading the way.

A biotech company based in British Columbia, Lexaria is currently focusing on its proprietary DehydraTECH(TM) technology. This unique technology has been developed to make medicinal compounds more suitable for human consumption in a number of ways. By combining molecules such as CBD with fatty acids at a molecular level, DehydraTECH makes it easier for the CBD to cross the body’s internal barriers. Higher levels of CBD are absorbed, and they are absorbed more quickly.

Consumers need to know this: the quantity of CBD, or any other drug, in the bottle is unimportant. What matters is how much of that CBD actually reaches the bloodstream — and even more importantly — how much reaches the brain.

Most CBD sold in CBD-infused products in America today does not reach the bloodstream. CBD mixed in water and fed to animals demonstrated the incredible power of DehydraTECH. Results announced in May showed that DehydraTECH, in combination with generic nanotech techniques, delivered CBD to the brain 1,137% more efficiently than existing industry formulations. In addition, Lexaria’s patented DehydraTECH delivered CBD into the bloodstream in just two minutes and delivered as much CBD in 15 minutes as generic doses did in 60 minutes.

Not content with these sorts of results, the company has been working on improving the power of DehydraTECH through a new second-generation version called Enhanced DehydraTECH. Lexaria’s Enhanced DehydraTECH showed remarkable properties in crossing the blood-brain-barrier, delivering 1,937% more CBD into the brain than a generic industry formulation. It also delivered between 717% and 1,098% more CBD into the bloodstream than generic CBD formulations.

Lexaria’s technological advances make it possible to manufacture capsules and edible products that deliver CBD and THC more effectively than ever before.

Satisfying Customers and Regulators

This vastly superior delivery performance holds promise to radically change the CBD industry, at a time when the sector is already going through huge change and growth.

On one level, the benefits of technology such as that being developed by Lexaria are obvious. A more efficient delivery system can do one of two things: it can make the same dose of a drug or vitamin more effective, or it can allow the same consumer effect to be achieved with a smaller dose.

The latter approach may have the widest impact and certainly has potential to shift prices. Recent legal changes in Canada and the United States have led to a surge in demand for CBD, a demand that suppliers have been unable to meet. With demand for CBD outstripping supply and a production process that involves complex technical steps, the price of CBD is relatively high. But if companies can make products that are just as effective but use smaller amounts of CBD, they can reduce their production costs and provide more products with the same raw resources. This change would allow companies to meet currently unmet demand and reduce prices, thus benefitting both the customers and the industry.

There’s also a less-obvious factor, one that industry outsiders might not consider but that companies such as Lexaria are acutely aware of. With the legalization of cannabis across Canada and hemp in the United States, regulators are stepping in to control the production, sale and dosage amounts of CBD or THC products. Limits are being set on how much CBD or THC a product can contain.

Improved delivery systems such as DehydraTECH allow companies to produce more effective products within the same legal limits. Customers can experience the highest benefit from their products while everyone stays inside the law.

Beyond CBD?

But while CBD is proving a profitable testing ground for DehydraTECH, the impact of this first-of-its-kind delivery system could potentially go far beyond this, extending into the wider medical sector.

Recent research results have shown that DehydraTECH is effective in delivering both cannabinoids and nicotine into brain tissue, thus improving the speed and effectiveness of these ingredients. The delivery system also comes with a fast-on/fast-off element, in which the effect of the drug both starts and ends quickly and clearly, providing better control over the use of the products in which drugs are used. DehydraTECH is being evaluated by the largest nicotine company in America for products utilizing oral delivery, bypassing the known disease conditions associated with current pulmonary delivery.

As a result, Lexaria’s technology already has potential medical benefits because it can be used to deliver CBD- and THC-based medicines, in addition to its applications as a solution to cigarette use. But what if it could do more?

Since DehydraTECH has been shown to work with multiple molecules, people are asking if it could be used with central nervous system drugs. By delivering drugs quickly and efficiently across the blood-brain-barrier, this innovative delivery system could enhance the speed and effectiveness of a wide range of drugs and potentially usher in a new era of treatment for a wide range of debilitating diseases. Lexaria has quietly filed patent applications for innovation in treatment options related to central nervous system diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimers.

Experimenting with Cannabis

Given the importance of cannabinoids in treating some of these debilitating diseases, improved delivery systems already have clear medical advantages. Among the companies applying cannabinoids to life-changing medicines is GW Pharmaceuticals Plc (NASDAQ: GWPH) (OTC: GWPRF). With more than 20 years of research in the cannabis sector, GW is a global leader in developing cannabinoid medicines and was named one of Time Magazine’s 50 genius companies for this work. The company recently announced successful clinical trials of EPIDIOLEX, in which this CBD drug was used to reduce the frequency of seizures associated with tubular sclerosis complex.

Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY), a world-leading cannabis company based in Canada, has been working to address the shortage of cannabis and CBD, investing $32.6 million in an expansion of its cultivation and manufacturing facilities. But the company isn’t just working on meeting current needs. Tilray is providing support to two clinical studies that could lead cannabinoids to transform more lives for the better. Through studies like these, the use of cannabinoids is spreading beyond its traditional territory of pain and nausea management.

MariMed Inc. (OTCQB: MRMD), a multistate cannabis company, has been improving the efficiency of its operations through vertical integration and the addition of new product lines, allowing it to more effectively deliver cannabis products to a wide range of customers. At the start of this year, the company established a subsidiary focused on CBD in response to rising sales and the changed legal status of hemp manufacturing in the US.

Lexaria’s work on DehyrdaTECH isn’t the only area where the interests of cannabis and tobacco are merging. Cronos Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CRON) (TSX: CRON), a global cannabinoid company, has had its fortunes and its profile improved by an investment of C$2.4 billion from tobacco giant Altria. The company’s growth has also allowed it to establish a new global research and design center, Cronos Device Labs, in Israel. There, the company will work on devices specifically designed for the consumption of CBD.

As the technology around cannabis improves, so will the efficiency and effectiveness of cannabinoid products, lowering prices and improving outcomes for patients around the world.

For more information on Lexaria Bioscience Corp., visit Lexaria Bioscience Corp. (CSE: LXX) (OTCQX: LXRP)

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Demand for CBD Places Power in Hands of Extraction Providers

CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: Extraction technology plays a crucial part in the production of cannabidiol (CBD) from hemp.

Sugarmade Inc. (OTCQB: SGMD) (SGMD Profile), a company already established in the hydroponic equipment business, is making plans to add extraction technology to its repertoire. Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: WEED) has been researching new medical applications for CBD and related chemicals — medicines for which extraction will be critical. KushCo Holdings Inc. (OTCQX: KSHB) has moved from providing support services to CBD-related companies to running its own store and has recently bolstered its leadership team for further growth. Harvest Health & Recreation Inc. (CSE: HARV) (OTCQX: HRVSF) has expanded swiftly over the past six years, growing from a single operation to a presence in five U.S. states. And in a boost to CBD’s public profile, Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NYSE: ACB) (TSX: ACB) has teamed up with UFC to research the application of CBD and related treatments for mixed martial artists.

Extraction technology is not normally owned by the cultivators growing the crops.
The technology uses a range of different methods, utilizing substances such as ethanol and carbon dioxide.
The need to extract CBD oils allows extractors to take a substantial portion of hemp harvest profits.
Soaring demand for CBD has added to the profits for those providing extraction equipment.

To view an infographic of this editorial, click here.

Turning Hemp Into CBD

In the modern market, CBD is money, a sure seller that can be easily turned into cash by companies with even halfway capable supply chains and marketing. The incredible popularity of this hemp-derived substance has led to its use in medicines, foods, vaping oils, cosmetics and anything else manufacturers can think of.

But just as money doesn’t grow on trees, CBD doesn’t grow in the form of a pure oil that cultivators can just pick and put in a packet. The valuable commodity has to be extracted from hemp plants, a sophisticated process that involves expensive equipment and technical expertise. The need for that extraction work is fueling an important subsector of the hemp industry.

Extraction Efforts

The CBD industry is a complex one, with a range of companies providing different services at different places in the process. Key players include farmers and cultivators, who get most of the press attention; product developers and brand managers, who draw commercial attention onto products; and of course behind-the-scene companies such as Sugarmade Inc. (OTCQB: SGMD), which provides cultivation supplies. Perhaps the most overlooked element of the process — extraction — may be one of the most important in adding value.

All CBD extraction is achieved using a type of solvent. This chemical is mixed with the prepared hemp plants in carefully controlled conditions within specialist machines. The solvent attaches to the CBD and draws it out of the plant. The machinery then separates the solvent-CBD mix from the rest of the hemp remains, and then extracts the CBD from the solvent. The aim is to complete this extraction process as quickly, efficiently and affordably as possible. The ideal extraction system draws all of the CBD from the plant, though it is seldom possible to get 100%; even high-grade ethanol extraction equipment works at 98.5%.

A number of different solvents are used. Carbon dioxide, butane and ice water are among the options. The one favored by many companies, including Sugarmade, is ethanol extraction, in which alcohol detaches CBD from hemp as easily as it extracts common sense from a student on a Saturday night.

Because CBD is essentially useless until it has been extracted, a delicate balance exists in the relationship between farmers and extractors. Growing a crop of hemp takes months, during which the plants are carefully fed, watered and monitored to ensure the best possible harvest. The valuable crop is then taken to the extraction company, which might process the entire crop in a matter of days. Right now, extraction technology is in short supply and high demand, so the extraction companies can take up to 60% of the CBD or its value as a processing fee — a highly profitable outcome for the minority of the work.

This imbalance appears certain to change. While the number of hemp growers has risen dramatically recently, the number of extraction operations has not. Clearly, the time has come for extraction operations to catch up, both in the number available and in the scope of their processing. This obvious need is what Sugarmade is working on as the savvy company makes a move into the market.

As with its previous work in cultivation, Sugarmade isn’t going into extraction itself — at least not yet. Instead, the company is preparing to provide state-of-the-art extraction equipment. Move is designed to allow more companies to get involved in this lucrative piece of the CBD trade. As more companies get involved and existing operations grow larger, supply should push down prices, meaning a better deal for cultivators.

A change looks to be imminent in the CBD industry. But how did this extraction bottleneck arise?

The CBD Rush

The answer lies in the extraordinary growth of the CBD industry. Barely even a novelty talking point a decade ago, CBD has seen its profile soar in recent years. In the health and well-being sector in particular, CBD has become the new wonder ingredient, the elixir that customers want and retailers are eager to provide. The key component is used to tackle problems such as pain, insomnia and anxiety, and is also used in relaxing vaping oils and edibles.

CBD was given a boost in December when the U.S. government legalized its production on the federal level. Previously produced under state-level licenses, CBD was grown in an uncomfortable legal area, with federal constraints making business complicated. With the change in the legal status of this crop, cultivators are making the most of a CBD rush.

But despite the best efforts of companies such as Sugarmade, supply of CBD isn’t keeping up with demand. It’s been less than a year since laws making production easier were introduced in both the United States and Canada, and the industry is working feverishly to catch up. In many areas, companies can’t obtain enough CBD to keep up with what their customers want.

This supply-vs.-demand problem is exacerbating the power imbalance between cultivators and extractors. Working to meet the mounting demand — a demand that appears certain to only continue its upward trend—cultivators are eager to obtain CBD as quickly as possible and move it on to market. This forces them to accept the rates offered by extractors. But fortunately, as is often the case, the trend is forcing change.

The same legal changes that have created greater demand and greater cultivation make it easier for companies to move into or expand their extraction business. Supply chains are becoming better established both for CBD and for the equipment involved in its processing. The provision of more extraction equipment, regardless of the solvent used, will remove the bottleneck and allow the CBD to flow free.

CBD Spreads

The growth of the CBD market has both encouraged and been driven by the success of companies working in the field.

Canopy Growth Corporation (NYSE: CGC) (TSX: WEED) is one of the largest companies working with CBD, in part thanks to a multibillion-dollar investment from drinks manufacturer Constellation Brands. Already a leading player in the market before the Constellation deal, Canopy Growth has seen its profile and business go from strength to strength. But while that deal drew attention to the recreational side of the company’s work, and it has recently made a move in skin care through acquisition of This Works, Canopy Growth’s core focus is still on medicine. The company’s research division recently provided an update on its work, which includes the development of a whole range of medicines that include CBD.

Like Sugarmade, KushCo Holdings Inc. (OTCQX: KSHB) first moved into the CBD space as a support company, providing packaging solutions. The company has since moved to a more central position, with an online store for CBD and related products. And to ensure continued high-quality leadership, the company recently bolstered its leadership team.

Founded by a former lawyer in 2013, Harvest Health & Recreation Inc. (CSE: HARV) (OTCQX: HRVSF) provides CBD-related products in the United States. The company has shown an eagerness to expand, already spreading from a single location to five states in the space of six years. Harvest also has a focus on education and information that reflects the community-minded approach of many businesses within the sector.

One of the companies that has seen the greatest growth is Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NYSE: ACB) (TSX: ACB), which has profited from Canada’s liberal drug laws. Aurora has become heavily involved in research, looking at new treatments that can be produced with CBD. The company has even partnered with mixed martial arts company UFC to explore how its products and discoveries can help consumers.

All of these companies rely on extraction technology to create products that use CBD. Growth in the extraction industry and better provision of its technology will provide a boost for many of them as the CBD market grows.

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

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420 with CNW – New Technologies Offer Solutions to Cannabis Dosing Challenges

One of the biggest issues that has stood in the way of medical marijuana patients and healthcare professionals has been the challenge of how to determine the precise dosage to be administered in order to attain the required therapeutic effects. Additionally, it has been hard to find cannabis products whose potency is uniform in order to trigger repeatable outcomes in patients. To compound matters even further, CBD normally brings therapeutic effects at a certain specific concentration. Anything greater or lower than that optimum level reduces its efficacy. The marijuana industry has responded to these challenges by getting more clinical and scientific.

Stratos, a cannabis company based in Colorado, is one of those entities which have stepped up to provide medical cannabis products that are consistent in terms of potency. Their products are so precise that splitting a tablet in half is a guaranteed way to take just half of the dose indicated on the product label.

Charlotte Payton, the VP of Development and Co-founder of Stratos, revealed that the company leveraged the roots of its founders in the medical arena to find ways to bring the consistency which is a given in other industries to the medical cannabis space. She wondered why people would easily get reliability and consistency in pharmaceuticals but not cannabis. Strato’s solution addressed that issue.

GoFire is another healthcare technology company which is also blazing a trail in finding solutions to deliver consistency in the medical cannabis industry. One of the products which they have brought to market is called the GoFire Inhaler. The inhaler’s unique convection heating system, precision dosing mechanism and medical-grade materials and design have just been patented.

The inhaler made by GoFire was designed for medicines extracted from plants, so patients can use this product to take cannabis flower and concentrates. Buyers of the inhaler also get an app which allows them to track and document their dosage preferences in addition to connecting with a community of other users of the GoFire Inhaler.

The work of these two companies has been welcomed by both medical professionals and patients. One such professional who was full of praises for the inhaler is Denver-based Dr. Michael Keller. He said such devices help to ease some of the concerns that members of the medical community have about prescribing medical marijuana products. The possibility of recommending exactly how much a patient should consume at a given frequency brings medical marijuana closer to what is expected of any therapeutic product.

VPR Brands LP (OTC: VPRB) and VIVO Cannabis Inc. (TSX.V: VIVO) (OTCQX: VVCIF) applaud the innovations introduced by Stratos and GoFire since these technologies will bring medical cannabis closer to becoming a mainstream way to treat or manage different health conditions.

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420 with CNW – First Cannabis Charity Launches in Canada

Hope for Health, a Toronto-based charity, has been launched as the first cannabis charity registered by the Canadian government. The charity is registered in the category of organizations whose intention is the “advancement of education.”

Hope for Health says it aims to enable patients to manage their health effectively while also giving them the autonomy to choose which cannabis products and cannabis producers to deal with.

The charity kick-started its operations amidst fears that medical marijuana patients are getting reduced attention as more attention is directed towards the recreational market. This is seen in the rising medical marijuana product prices. Access points for medical cannabis are also reducing while a new excise tax on marijuana prices has also been imposed on medical marijuana products. This excise tax can only be waived on the product price if the company selling medical marijuana products opts to absorb that cost.

To alleviate this increased cost of medical marijuana products, Hope for Health has decided to avail a renewable monthly stipend to patients who meet the eligibility criteria of the charity. This stipend is conditioned upon the patient purchasing their medical marijuana products from one of the 170 producers licensed by the Canadian federal government.

Hope for Health intends to take on at least 150 patients during its first year of operation. More patients will be onboarded each year and the number will vary depending on the resources available as well as the level of interest displayed by patients.

The charity doesn’t only have its eyes on patients. Hope for Health plans to create and disseminate educational materials to health care professionals about the medicinal benefits of marijuana. This will be done in conjunction with creating partnerships with research organizations, academic institutions and medical associations.

Hope for Charity is the brainchild of Auxly Cannabis Group, an entity that provides financing to cannabis cultivators. Auxly Cannabis Group has committed itself to availing funding that they are calling “a cornerstone donation.” The funds will be used to get the charity on its feet.

Hugo Alves, the director of Hope for Health, remarked that the idea of the charity was conceived three years ago. The founders felt that every entity which had reaped from the cannabis industry in the country would rally around the idea and support its operations.

The founders also strongly felt that the leadership and management of the charity should be independent if Hope for Health is to retain its appeal to all players in the industry. To this end, they selected Dr. Jenna Valleriana as the Executive Director of the charity.

Dr. Valleriana is a respected cannabis policy expert who heads the National Institute for Cannabis Health and Education. She recently published a cannabis education toolkit which was used by two other organizations to design digital tools aimed at educating students and parents about marijuana.

TransCanna Holdings Inc. (CSE: TCAN) (FRA: TH8) and Therma Bright Inc. (TSX.V: THRM) (OTC: THRBF) commend the people behind Hope for Health and wish them all the best in their noble undertaking.

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