420 with CNW – FBI Data Shows Increased Marijuana Arrests in 2017

New data that has just been released by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) reveals that the marijuana arrests made in 2017 were more than those which were recorded in 2016. These statistics are surprising given the fact that, by the end of 2017, 28 states had legalized medical or recreational consumption of cannabis.

In total, 659,700 people were arrested on marijuana-related charges in 2017, while the figure for 2016 stood at 653,349 arrests.

The wave of cannabis legalization doesn’t seem to have had any impact upon the law enforcement community, especially at the federal level. This is creating a measure of confusion in the public, since daily dilemmas arise regarding the subject of cannabis.

An example of the confusion is the position of Los Angeles International Airport permitting travelers to carry marijuana while the federal transportation authorities at the same airport retain the right to detain anyone found in possession of cannabis.

The FBI data reflects the same mixed signals. For example, about 91 percent of all those arrests were for simple possession of cannabis. That is a high figure given that 20 percent of the American population lives in a state where some form of cannabis legalization exists.

To put this in context, someone was arrested somewhere in the U.S. for marijuana related issues every 48 seconds throughout 2017.

Activists are livid at these statistics, given that about 100 people die each day in the country due to opioid overdoses yet no death has been reported anywhere as a result of a cannabis overdose. Cannabis advocates wondered why the efforts and the meager resources of law enforcement agencies couldn’t be directed where the real danger lies.

To put this misallocation of resources differently, the FBI data shows that for each person who was arrested for murder there were 49 individuals arrested on a marijuana-related charge.

This overzealousness on the part of law enforcement flies counter to the growth in public opinion favoring the use of cannabis either for recreational or medical purposes. If the trend of arrests continues, voters may be compelled to pile pressure on their elected leaders to rein in the law enforcement arm of government, which seems oblivious to what is happening in the states where cannabis is legal. Global Payout, Inc. (OTC: GOHE) and FinCanna Capital Corp. (CSE: CALI) (OTCQB: FNNZF) must be wishing that the unclear regulatory climate around cannabis settles quickly so that the industry can shape up for the good of all concerned.

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420 with CNW – South African Court Declares Personal Use of Cannabis Legal

The constitutional court of the Republic of South Africa made a pivotal ruling last week making it legal for adults to grow, possess and consume cannabis in private.

This case reached the constitutional court after a regional court in Western Province (the province in which the Federal capital of the country is found) ruled that the law banning the use of dagga (the local term for marijuana) by adults in private was unconstitutional.

The government appealed that decision before the highest court on the matter, and Deputy Chief Justice Zondo delivered the binding ruling in favor of the decriminalization of private personal growth, possession and use of marijuana. This reaffirmed the decision of the lower court.

The government is now left with no other option than to implement the ruling.

Indeed, the court gave the legislative arm of the government 24 months within which to come up with an enabling law that will actualize the constitutional court’s ruling.

For example, that law will define how much cannabis someone can have for personal use. The number of plants that an adult can grow for his or her personal, private use will also be clarified once the requisite law is passed by parliament.

In the meantime, cannabis users can point to the court’s ruling as their protection while found cultivating, using or in possession of cannabis in private. Any public possession or consumption of marijuana remains illegal.

It should be noted that various sections of the government, such as the health department and law enforcement, opposed cannabis decriminalization, saying that it posed health risks and could pave the way for people to graduate to stronger substances/illicit drugs. The court has rendered those arguments moot.

South Africa becomes the third country in Africa to permit some form of cannabis use. Lesotho took the honor of being the first country on the continent to legalize medical cannabis last year. Zimbabwe followed suit this year in April. Globally, Uruguay took the lead in legalizing cannabis in 2013.

This small number of African countries in which marijuana is legal in some way is baffling given that approximately 10,000 metric tons of cannabis are cultivated on the continent each year.

The picture is no different across the world ,with possession or consumption of cannabis attracting the death penalty in Saudi Arabia, while Canada is just days away from starting the retail sale of recreational cannabis after allowing the medical use of marijuana years back.

Are the winds of change blowing firmly in favor of the cannabis industry across the world? Choom Holdings Inc. (CSE: CHOO) (OTCQB: CHOOF) and Earth Science Tech, Inc. (OTCQB: ETST) must be hoping that the legal hurdles to the availability of medical cannabis are removed so that the public can reap the benefits that this often controversial plant has to offer.

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420 with CNW – Michigan Legislators Set to Approve Medical Cannabis Home Delivery

The Board of Medical Marihuana Regulation in Michigan is considering allowing provisioning centers (medical marijuana dispensaries) to make home deliveries of medical cannabis to patients who request that service.

A public hearing on the matter was conducted on September 17 to gather views that may form part of the permanent marijuana regulations for the state.

Michigan has been operating under emergency rules since the start of the year. The permanent rules will replace those emergency rules.

In the proposed law, provisioning centers will be allowed to deliver cannabis to the registered home address of a maximum of three medical cannabis card holders each day. The patient must sign for the delivery before receiving it.

Medical cannabis provisioning centers must submit their detailed plans explaining how they intend to conduct the home deliveries. The regulators will review those plans to ensure that they conform with the state’s requirements before that dispensary is granted a license to start making home deliveries.

Medical marijuana dispensaries will have to install tracking systems in the delivery vans so that the location of those vans can be known throughout the delivery run.

Furthermore, the quantity of medical marijuana that any delivery person can take to patients each day will be capped at 2.5 pounds, while the monthly limit for each delivery worker is 10 pounds.

It isn’t clear how those limits were arrived at, or how feasible they are. The only available information on the matter is that California has similar restrictions and the home delivery of medical cannabis is booming.

The state regulators also propose that dispensaries keep detailed logs of all home deliveries of medical marijuana. Those delivery details will be uploaded to a state-wide monitoring system.

The proposals have been welcomed by advocacy groups and patients, because patients who cannot drive or get out of a car will receive medical cannabis in the comfort of their homes.

Some patients also live far from a provisioning center. Such situations may have arisen because the local authorities declined to have a medical cannabis provisioning center in their jurisdiction.

Home deliveries are also suitable for medical cannabis card holders who may be uncomfortable about being seen going into a medical cannabis dispensary.

The authorities seem to have considered this matter for a while, and the provisions of the permanent regulations will smooth the operation of the medical cannabis industry. Any kinks that develop will hopefully be resolved along the way. Canopy Rivers Inc. (TSX.V: RIV) and ChineseInvestors.com (OTCQB: CIIX) can only hope that all jurisdictions do everything that they can to make it possible for patients to receive medical cannabis without leaving any loopholes that can lead to the misuse of medical marijuana.

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420 with CNW – Colorado Data Shows Drop in Workplace Fatalities After Medical Marijuana Legalization

Researchers from three universities (Montana State University, American University in Washington D.C. and Colorado State University) have analyzed workplace fatality data spanning from 1992 to 2015 and discovered that there were fewer fatal accidents at work once medical cannabis was legalized. The research will be published in October in the International Journal of Drug Policy.

The findings seem to be unexpected given that it has always been known that cannabis use compromises cognition and psychomotor activity, so fatal accidents would increase rather than decrease once medical cannabis use was permitted by law.

However, the data speaks for itself. A 19.5% drop in the expected workplace fatalities was discovered when the U.S. Department of Labor data for the 25-44 age bracket of employees was analyzed.

Furthermore, this reduction seems to increase as time elapses. A drop of 34% in fatal accidents at work was observed five years after legalization. This seems to suggest that the longer medical marijuana stays on the law books, the fewer the fatalities at work.

The researchers were of the opinion that the drop in workplace fatal accidents could be attributed to the reduced use of alcohol and prescription opioids by workers in favor of medical cannabis. This appears to be true given that the reduction in fatalities is statistically significant in those states where pain is one of the conditions for which medical cannabis can be used.

The drop in fatalities pales to insignificant levels when attention focuses on those states where pain isn’t on the list of qualifying conditions for the use of medical marijuana.

The research provides more concrete proof about the gains which can be realized when medical cannabis is permitted by law.

Nevertheless, many states still allow employers to test for and punish employees who are found with cannabis metabolites in their bodies, regardless of whether such an employee was permitted to use medical cannabis or not.

This opens further work for medical cannabis advocates, because the rights of employees need to be protected. After all, one cannot be fired or sanctioned from going to hospital and taking the medication offered, can they? The same understanding should be extended to patients on medical marijuana.

As things stand, patients and advocates can only hope that the wave of medical cannabis decriminalization that is sweeping across the U.S. results in the necessary legal reforms so that users of medical cannabis stop being victimized at work for consuming a legally permitted product. Companies like BLOCKStrain Technology Corp. (TSX.V: DNAX) (OTC: BKKSF) and Cannabis Strategic Ventures, Inc. (OTC: NUGS) know all too well the headaches associated with a mixed bag of conflicting laws.

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420 with CNW – Nearly 1 in 11 Teens Vapes Marijuana

A recent study which was published in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) Pediatrics Edition has revealed that almost one in 11 American teenagers uses an electronic cigarette to consume cannabis.

The findings stem from a survey which was conducted in 2016. Over 2,000 middle and high school teens participated in the study.

That proportion of kids who vape marijuana translates to approximately two million teens across the U.S. A similar study conducted by the University of Michigan had similar findings more than a month ago.

The CDC survey found that more boys than girls were likely to consume marijuana using an electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) or e-cigarette. Teenage vape rates of marijuana were also higher among middle and high schoolers who stayed with an adult that used an electronic cigarette.

The number of heavy vapers who consumed cannabis using an electronic cigarette stood at almost 64 percent, as compared to 33 percent who didn’t vape on a regular basis. Frequency of e-cig use seems to increase the likelihood of consuming other substances using the ENDS devices.

The study also discovered that nearly 39 percent of all students who used other tobacco products also used an e-cigarette to vaporize cannabis. In contrast, about five percent of students who didn’t use other tobacco products vaporized cannabis. This statistic shows that the use of tobacco products may predispose a teen to vaping marijuana.

The use of marijuana in electronic cigarettes causes a lot of concern, because marijuana is known to affect memory and learning in later years.

The head of the Food and Drug Administration, Scott Gottlieb, expressed the determination of his agency to end the growing trend of teenagers vaping. To that end, several manufacturers of popular electronic cigarettes, such as Juul, were given two months within which to prove to the regulators that those manufacturers were doing everything they can to stop underage access to their products. Companies that don’t comply would be shuttered, he warned.

Juul is especially notable, because the product has gained huge traction among students, probably because of its sleek design that makes the device easy to conceal.

The findings of this study create an urgency for steps to be taken to prevent minors from consuming tobacco and other potentially addictive substances. It may be necessary for the regulators to consider other means, since their current efforts don’t appear to be having the desired effects. Companies, such as Pacific Software, Inc. (OTC: PFSF) and The Green Organic Dutchman (TSX: TGOD) (OTCQX: TGODF), must be paying attention to these studies, since they could affect how any product that they bring to the market will be scrutinized.

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420 with CNW – EU Parliament Drafts Medical Marijuana Law

Currently, each EU member country is responsible for formulating and implementing its own cannabis laws as it sees fit. This has created a lot of contradictions and inconsistencies between the laws of the member states. This situation is bound to change in the event that the draft law that is being worked on by the health committee passes through all the stages and is endorsed by the EU council of ministers.

A public hearing is planned for October 1 to discuss the feasibility of that proposal.

One of the key aims of the draft law is to state how medical cannabis differs from any other uses to which marijuana can be put, especially the recreational use of the substance.

The bill will also ensure that all who need medical cannabis can access it. For example, medical marijuana should be covered by insurance providers in the EU in the same way that other forms of medicine are covered.

The draft also seeks to speed up research on the various medicinal uses of marijuana so that accurate information can be availed to the public. Such research could also uncover previously unknown medicinal uses of cannabis and help patients who would have otherwise lost all hope of seeing any improvement in their conditions.

EU member states would also be required to reform their existing cannabis laws in order to allow medical professionals/doctors and pharmacists to prescribe and avail medicinal marijuana without any legal roadblocks to the execution of their professional duties.

The law is intended to curb the black market of medical cannabis by controlling the points at which medical cannabis is sold. Such controls can have the added benefit of limiting underage access to the products.

The process of getting this draft law through all the stages until it is endorsed by the council of EU ministers is lengthy. It is estimated that it may take about eight months for the draft to reach the endorsement stage.

More sobering, however, is the fact that a resolution of the EU parliament doesn’t have any legal force in the member countries. At best, it can only be looked at as a recommendation which may or may not be implemented.

The brighter side of such proposals/resolutions is that they can serve as fodder for advocacy groups to pressure national governments to reform their prohibitionist laws in order to align the countries with the position taken at EU level. Proponents of cannabis decriminalization can therefore take pride in the fact that the EU is waking up to the medicinal roles that cannabis can play in the lives of citizens.

Entities like PreveCeutical Medical Inc. (CSE: PREV) (OTCQB: PRVCF) (FSE: 18H) and Earth Science Tech, Inc. (OTCQB: ETST) can only wish that the proposed harmonization of cannabis laws in the EU happens across the globe so that they don’t have the headache of dealing with different cannabis legal regimes in each jurisdiction where these companies operate.

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CBD Supplements Primed to Explode Ahead of Biopharma as Farm Bill Legalizes Hemp

CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: With Canada legalizing cannabis nationwide in October and the 2018 U.S. Farm Bill completely removing hemp from the DEA’s controlled substances list, the stage has been set for an explosion of products ranging from functional foods and supplements to CBD-based (cannabidiol) biopharma indications.

  • U.S. farm bill legalizing hemp could make CBD an open-pit gold mine.
  • List of demonstrable CBD health benefits growing daily.
  • CBD growth may outpace entire cannabis market combined.

Even before the landmark inclusion of the Hemp Farming Act of 2018 in this year’s Farm Bill, plant-based nutrition experts at leading omni-direct lifestyle company Youngevity International, Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI) (YGYI Profile) had begun marching the team towards the development of a full line of proprietary hemp-derived CBD oil products. And while the identified health benefits of CBD ranging from reducing inflammation to managing pain and anxiety haven’t entirely been proven yet, one need look no further for foundational evidence of such benefits than the success of GW Pharmaceuticals Plc’s (NASDAQ: GWPH) FDA-approved oral solution EPIDIOLEX, which is used to treat severe seizures associated with extreme forms of epilepsy. Pharma-grade medical cannabis producer Aphria, Inc. (OTC: APHQF) (TSX: APH) already has a wide selection of carefully engineered medical cannabis and CBD oil products made from 100 percent greenhouse grown strains. Cara Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CARA) is another company that stands to benefit from easing regulations in North America. And as a principal investment firm dedicated to cultivating medical marijuana companies, Cronos Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRON) surely understands the potential of the space.

To view an infographic of this editorial, click here.

Cannabis Market Booming Amid Deregulation

Canada moving to fully legalize recreational marijuana across the country is a watershed event for the cannabis industry. This event will help to normalize the presence of cannabis-based medicines in the broader market, paving the way for even more widespread research into the non-psychoactive cannabinoid CBD. With more than 37 million people in North America already consuming cannabis in one form or another, even the lofty projections by Amadee & Company of a market worth over $95 billion by 2026 may be entirely possible.

After more than eight decades of prohibition, cannabis is rapidly heading towards decriminalization across the global marketplace. The latest projections from established cannabis sector analysts at Arcview Market Research and BDS Analytics indicate that the North American cannabis market will go from just $9.2 billion last year to $47.3 billion within a decade (17.79 percent CAGR), even as the global market surpasses a whopping $57 billion.

The hemp-CBD segment is set to grow at an even faster pace according to Brightfield Group, hitting upwards of $22 billion by 2022, outpacing the rest of the cannabis market combined. Hemp Business Journal estimates for the underlying hemp market, which grew 16 percent last year in the United States alone to around $820 million, are similarly encouraging, projecting the market to grow around 700 percent by 2020.

And when it comes to regulating the human body’s complex endocannabinoid receptor systems, the upper limits of the pharmaceutical value of CBD — and other phytocannabinoids such as THC — may have not yet been fully validated by clinical studies. Such studies have been and are being done.

Consumers definitely seem to have got the message about CBD and are already enjoying access to this organic compound in an increasing variety of formats. According to Cannabis Trades Association UK official data, cannabis oil users across the UK doubled last year. Given stats like that, it is little wonder that the latest numbers out of Technavio on the global CBD space project a 39.19 percent CAGR through 2021.

Established Supplement Purveyor with Scale, Presence and Reach

To many investors, the burgeoning CBD market is a natural play for a company such as Youngevity International, Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI), a multivertical lifestyle brand that provides a wide variety of consumer goods to people all over the world via direct selling, e-commerce and social selling. In many circles, the name Youngevity is synonymous with plant-based nutrition, and as Youngevity CEO Steve Wallach recently put it during the launch of YGYI’s new proprietary HempFX™ line of hemp-derived CBD oil products, “CBD oil perfectly complements” Youngevity’s product development philosophy.

Already known to consumers around the globe for its broad array of nutritional and healthy lifestyle products formulated using ingredients of the highest quality in state-of-the-art laboratories, ​Youngevity has garnered increasing prominence with the success of its wholly owned subsidiary CLR Roasters’ various gourmet boutique coffee blends. CLR Roasters is produced by a vertically integrated “farm-to-cup” pipeline stretching from the company’s fully licensed fields in Nicaragua, through a state-of-the-art roasting facility in Miami and ending up in consumer’s coffee cups all over the world. YGYI completes the last mile via direct selling, as well as extensive distribution in the cruise line industry and through a variety of private labels that the company produces for major national chains.

As Goes Coffee, So Goes Cannabis

Just to showcase the kind of scale and sophistication of the company’s closed-loop approach to delivering premium organic coffees, it is worth noting how the company recently secured a five-year contract to sell and process more than 41 million pounds per year. This was a huge deal for the full-sized coffee roaster, executed with a purchaser that has more than seven decades in the business and is a major coffee importer and exporter for some of the biggest brands in the industry today.

It is this same kind of full-spectrum approach to cultivation, production and distribution (emphasizing tight quality control as the main objective) that the company is now bringing to the hemp-based CBD business with its “field-to-finish” strategy. The HempFX line of three initial products was described as “just the beginning” when it comes to Youngevity’s move into CBD, during a recent interview with Wallach and Youngevity president and CFO Dave Briskie.

HempFX products currently include a topical muscle restoration and relief product packed with antioxidant rich botanicals called Soothe™, a mood and cognitive performance enhancement product with St. John’s Wort called Uplift™, and a sleep aid called Relax™ that contains melatonin and other relaxing herbs including chamomile and valerian root. Youngevity anticipates emergent revenue opportunities across the vertical as it implements a model similar to what the company has done in coffee. Wallach was keen to point out during the HempFX launch that this process would offer “tremendous advantage” to the company’s many distributors around the world.

Youngevity’s management anticipates that hemp-based CBD will become one of the fastest growing and largest supplemental ingredients moving forward, and the company is not alone in recognizing just how far the CBD market has yet to go.

CBD Market Solid Move for Future Success

GW Pharmaceuticals Plc (NASDAQ: GWPH) has been posting solid price performance since the company’s announcement in late June that the FDA approved its CBD-based oral indication Epidiolex for two forms of severe childhood epilepsy. According to the latest quarterly report, GWPH and its U.S. subsidiary Greenwich Biosciences are primed for commercial success, with a fully recruited sales organization and active engagement via clinical presentations to plans which cover more than 80 percent of the U.S. market.

Aphria, Inc. (OTC: APHQF) (TSX: APH) is gearing up for Canadian legalization big time, signing supply agreements with official distributors throughout all ten provinces and one territory this month to provide high-quality, branded cannabis for the adult-use market. Aphria also recently announced a key MOU with Canadian biotech Rapid Dose Therapeutics, the developer of the oral, fast-dissolving drug delivery system QuickStrip.

Cara Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CARA) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing new chemical entities designed to fundamentally change the way acute pain, chronic pain and pruritus (severe itching) are managed. Cara does this by developing new products that selectively target the body’s peripheral kappa opioid receptors. In the cannabis space, Cara has a cannabinoid receptor agonist, CR701, in preclinical development.

Cronos Group (NASDAQ: CRON) recently announced commencement of a joint medical cannabis study alongside Aleafia Health Inc., which will utilize Aleafia’s Canabo Medical Clinic network to investigate insomnia and daytime sleepiness. The primary goal of the study is to help develop nonaddicting and natural sleep aids that many consumers have been longing for, especially given more recently identified risks associated with prescription sleeping aids, such as worsening mental health and an increased prevalence of dementia. CBD and THC may become powerful tools in the fight against insomnia.

The End of Prohibition, Unprecedented Market Dynamics

It seems that consumers may have put legs under the market as the historic prohibition of the humble cannabis plant nears an end. A plant that turns out to be packed with phytocannabinoids and that may help naturally regulate a vast cell receptor network throughout numerous tissue systems in the human body seems poised to fuel an industry with untold possibilities.

For more information on Marijuana Company of America, visit Youngevity International, Inc. (NASDAQ: YGYI)

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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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The Article and content related to the profiled company represent the personal and subjective views of the Author, and are subject to change at any time without notice. The information provided in the Article and the content has been obtained from sources which the Author believes to be reliable. However, the Author has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of the Author, CNW, or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. This Article and content are not, and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular security or course of action; readers are strongly urged to speak with their own investment advisor and review all of the profiled issuer’s filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission before making any investment decisions and should understand the risks associated with an investment in the profiled issuer’s securities, including, but not limited to, the complete loss of your investment.

CNW HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. “Forward-looking statements” describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as “may”, “future”, “plan” or “planned”, “will” or “should”, “expected,” “anticipates”, “draft”, “eventually” or “projected”. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company’s annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and CNW undertakes no obligation to update such statements.

420 with CNW – Michigan Judge Halts Cannabis Business Closures

Judge Stephen Borrello of Michigan’s Court of Claims has issued an injunction against the state’s order to close almost 100 medical marijuana businesses that hadn’t met a section of the emergency licensing regulations passed by regulators.

Just over 100 dispensaries had submitted partially completed application forms as the September 15 deadline approached. Only those businesses that had submitted their papers would be allowed to operate until December 15, when the licensing process was expected to be completed.

The judge’s injunction orders the state to allow all cannabis businesses, including those that hadn’t submitted their applications, to stay open until that mid-December deadline.

Denise Pollisella, an attorney acting on behalf of one cannabis dispensary, filed the application for the injunction. Pollisella was convinced that she presented such strong arguments that it would be hard for the regulators to launch a successful appeal against the injunction.

Other dispensaries that would have been affected by the closure orders have contacted Denise Pollisella thanking her for acting the way she did. They revealed that they had wanted to file similar cases but feared any possible reprisals by regulator at the time of processing license applications.

Several individuals have also made personal calls to the attorney to thank her for saving the job of their family members or for ensuring that their family members could continue accessing medical cannabis conveniently.

The registration measures in question came as part of the plans to put in place stricter regulations for medical cannabis dispensaries. The application process was introduced by a law passed in 2016.

Attorney Pollisella says that the regulators seem to regard cannabis businesses as a group of drug dealers instead of treating them as legitimate businesses. She cautioned that more issues will keep arising until the regulators start working with industry players to implement regulatory mechanisms.

For example, she states that many of the businesses that would have been given cease and desist letters were not told that it was acceptable to submit application forms that had incomplete sections. Of specific concern was a form indicating that the cannabis business had the approval of the local authorities at the chosen business location. Companies like Golden Developing Solutions, Inc. (OTC: DVLP) and VIVO Cannabis Inc. (TSX.V: VIVO) (OTCQB: VVCIF) are all too aware of such twists and turns in the path of getting regulatory approval for cannabis businesses.

Only the dispensaries which called the regulator asking about this requirement were informed that it was okay to send in their applications even if some sections were incomplete. Why couldn’t the regulators be proactive and let all of the businesses know?

For now, the regulators are tight-lipped about their next step as they are still studying the injunction issued by the court.

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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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420 with CNW – Louisiana Removes Cannabis Patient Cap on Doctors

The state of Louisiana voted to legalize medical cannabis in 2015. However, it has taken years for the laws to evolve and reach a level where patients can start accessing medical cannabis. This is now likely to happen in November of this year. The barrier on how many medical cannabis patients any doctor can handle has now been removed.

Under the 2016 law, doctors with a license to recommend medical cannabis to patients were restricted to a maximum of 100 patients at a time. That limitation was found to be impractical, even before the first medical cannabis dispensaries opened.

This is because only 48 doctors have submitted their applications to join the cannabis program, and just 37 of those have been cleared to write recommendations for patients who wish to use cannabis to treat their health conditions. Approximately 4,000 patients out of the anticipated 100,000 could access a doctor for a recommendation under that restriction.

The Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners saw that bottleneck and voted overwhelmingly (eight to one) to allow qualifying doctors to take on as many patients as they can. This will hopefully reduce the wait lists for patents wishing to access medical cannabis.

Another sticking point that was voted on was the follow up requirement for both medical cannabis patients and doctors. Under the old law, patients were expected to see the doctor who gave them the medical cannabis recommendation every 90 days in order to renew that recommendation.

Patients felt that this requirement was too burdensome, since it would take a lot of time to schedule a doctor’s appointment.

Medical cannabis advocates also felt that the follow up requirement was unnecessary, since the doctor wasn’t responsible for prescribing or overseeing the medical cannabis patient’s treatment. Those visits every 90 days were therefore unnecessary.

The board of medical examiners voted to remove this restriction as well. However, it was a close vote, with five regulators voting in favor while four voted against the removal of that requirement.

However, the removal of those restrictions will not on its own make it easy for patients to get a recommendation for medical cannabis. This is because, as already indicated, the number of doctors signing up for the medical cannabis program is still woefully small.

Advocacy groups are planning to conduct awareness campaigns for doctors in order to address any concerns or information gaps preventing them from joining the medical cannabis program. The state board of medical examiners is supporting this plan, spearheaded by Louisiana State University. Firms like Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions (OTC: REFG) and Sunniva Inc. (CSE: SNN) (OTCQX: SNNVF) must be wishing that all jurisdictions address cannabis issues as progressively as the state of Louisiana is doing.

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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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Something for Everyone: Baby Boomers Signify Shift in the Cannabis Market

CannabisNewsWire Editorial Coverage: Since they came onto the scene after World War II, baby boomers have heavily impacted the world around them, and their influence is being felt now in the emerging cannabis market.

  • A recent survey has shown a significant increase in cannabinoid-derived product consumption in the United States, most notably among baby boomers.
  • With a combination of disposable income, health issues and liberal attitudes towards drugs, baby boomers represent a natural market for cannabis companies.
  • This trend also signifies wider growth and diversification of products and customers in the industry.

Marijuana Company of America, Inc. (OTC: MCOA) (MCOA Profile) is tapping into this growing market through the production of industrial hemp and the marketing of a wide range of CBD wellness products. Having started out as a medical cannabis company, Organigram Holdings, Inc. (OTC: OGRMF) is adjusting to shifting markets by appealing to recreational consumers while showing loyalty to its existing customer base. A focus on research provides CV Sciences, Inc. (OTC: CVSI) with a growing range of products and the credibility to appeal to health-conscious cannabis consumers. Global innovator and market leader Isodiol International, Inc. (OTC: ISOLF) recently received approval for its cannabidiol (CBD) to be designated as an active pharmaceutical ingredient. And Cannabis Strategic Ventures (OTC: NUGS) just launched a new line of CBD-based luxury skin, hair and body products.

To view an infographic of this editorial, click here.

The Changing Face of Cannabis

It’s hardly surprising to see that baby boomers are an important part of the cannabis and hemp markets. The generation that saw marijuana gain counter-culture popularity in the ‘60s and ‘70s is also a generation with considerable disposable income. As they head into retirement and old age, many baby boomers are looking for ways to enjoy their wealth, as well as ways to manage physical ailments. The growth of both the medical and the recreational cannabis sectors in North America means that this product can cater to both desires.

The growth in cannabinoid consumption by baby boomers is just part of the expansion of the cannabis market. Given the chance to openly research plant and products, manufacturers are vastly increasing the potential of cannabis. Improved strains improve the performance and profitability of the drug, while derivative products and support services turn what was essentially a single product into a whole sector.

Baby Boomers and Cannabis Consumption

For companies such as Marijuana Company of America (OTC: MCOA), baby boomers are an increasingly important market sector. A recent survey of nearly 18,000 adult Americans found that cannabis is becoming increasingly popular among the older generation. The number of cannabis users in the United States has nearly doubled over the past decade, despite it still being illegal in several states and only available for medical use in most. Around 9 percent of those aged 50 to 64 had used cannabis at some point in the year preceding the survey. Among those aged 65 and above, the figure was 3 percent. And while those numbers may not seem impressive, they are steadily growing and represent an increasingly large market for MCOA and its competitors to tap into.

What’s causing this growth in older cannabis users?

Shifting attitudes are clearly a factor. Many baby boomers came of age in the ‘60s and ‘70s, when the hippy movement raised the public profile and popularity of cannabis. They were therefore raised with marijuana as a feature of popular culture, even if they personally didn’t indulge in it. More recently, a shift away from the criminalizing policies of the 1980s towards a more liberal view has started to change attitudes across the generations.

Growing availability is a factor as well. The legalization of medical cannabis in many states has made the drug accessible in ways that it wasn’t before. Given the prevalence of chronic pains and ongoing ailments among those aged 60 and over, it’s relatively easy for seniors in medical cannabis states to get a prescription. And in the states where it’s legal for recreational purposes, the only bar to use is the social attitude of the consumer.

Having grown up during an economic boom and an era with greater government support, baby boomers have emerged with the wealth to enjoy their hobbies in retirement. And for many, cannabis is now one of those hobbies.

Something for Everyone

Baby boomers are just one part of recent growth in the cannabinoid product market. It’s a pattern of growth driven in part by the increasing diversity of cannabis products, sold through separate but interconnected markets.

The first to emerge was the medical cannabis sector. This has grown from a small niche to an important part of the North America market, with cannabis and hemp now legal in parts of the United States and Canada. Millions of people use cannabinoid-based products regularly to help manage chronic pain and treat other ailments, leading to growing recognition that the legal definition of cannabis as having no medical use was both absurd and unscientific.

Medical cannabis has been followed in recent years by the legalization of recreational cannabis. Nine U.S. states and the District of Columbia have taken this step. Canada is following suit on a national level, with legalization coming this October. Strains of cannabis and brands of products aimed at recreational consumers are emerging to cater to a different market from the medical one.

Alongside these products are others related to or derived from other cannabinoids, such as CBD. Industrial hemp, which produces CBD in large quantities, is grown by companies including MCOA, who has the potential to capture a piece of what is projected by The Brightfield Group to be a $22 billion market by 2022. Following trials over the past few years, the cultivation of industrial hemp looks set to become legal across the United States with the upcoming passage of the 2018 Farm Bill.

A wide range of products have been produced using active compounds from hemp. Oils and pills derived from cannabidiol oil (CBD) are increasingly popular in the health and wellness markets, finding their place on the shelves of wholefood shops.

Catering to Varied Needs

One of the reasons for the success of cannabis companies is their ability to manufacture and distribute CBD-related products for vastly different purposes. MCOA’s hempSMART™ product line shows how these companies build up a range of distinct but related products. hempSMART makes use of cannabidiol (CBD), a non-psychoactive chemical found in cannabis and widely used in health and wellness products.

HempSMART Pain and hempSMART Pain Cream use CBD for one of cannabis’s most widely recognized uses — pain management in relation to minor physical activity. It’s why cannabis had grown so popular and part of why its derivatives are also proving so popular with a variety of different age groups.

HempSMART Brain, on the other hand, is designed to improve clarity, concentration and alertness. HempSMART Face has found a way to use CBD in a moisturizer that moisturizes and replenishes the skin cells on your face. And hempSMART Pet Drops let people share the benefits of CBD with their animal companions. It’s a level of variety that may allow MCOA to get its products into many niches, increasing brand awareness as well as sales.

By creating a wide range of products, cannabis companies are catering to a growing number of markets. By helping with issues such as alertness and pain management, they’re ensuring their relevance to that crucial baby boomer market.

Expanding the Range of Cannabis Products

That sort of varied approach to cannabis is leading to growth for Organigram Holdings, Inc. (OTC: OGRMF). Once a medical cannabis company, Organigram still has a strong focus on that market and is showing its commitment to patients by covering the cost of excise tax on their cannabis. But it’s also expanding into the recreational market, contributing one of its award-winning flowers to the world’s first recreational cannabis variety kit. Creating products such as variety kits and gift sets turns cannabis into more of a luxury consumer product, one to be purchased for special occasions.

CV Sciences, Inc. (OTC: CVSI) is strongly focused on the research side of cannabis, using this as both a source of new products and a way of validating its work to consumers. It’s the sort of work that adds credibility to arguments that cannabis is safe and useful for consumers.

Isodiol International, Inc. (OTC: ISOLF) is a market leader in pharmaceutical-grade pure, natural CBD and an industry leader in the manufacturing and development of CBD consumer products. The company’s line of consumable and topical skin care products features 99 percent-plus pure, natural isolated CBD, micro-encapsulations, and nano-technology for the highest quality products.

Cannabis Strategic Ventures (OTC: NUGS) is marrying cannabis science with an increasing global demand for luxury personal care products in LYXR, its newest product line. LYXR products are developed from a line of hemp-derived phytocannabinoids combined with other natural ingredients that provide high-performing skin, hair and body topical solutions. LYXR’s inaugural product will be a face mask designed to provide hydrating and anti-aging/age prevention benefits. The LYXR product line will eventually include skin, hair and body products.

The cannabis market is seeing huge growth in the variety of both products and customers. With baby boomers increasingly enjoying cannabis into retirement, marijuana appears to be well on its way to entering the mainstream.

For more information on Marijuana Company of America, visit Marijuana Company of America, Inc. (OTC: MCOA)

About CannabisNewsWire

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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DISCLAIMER: CannabisNewsWire (CNW) is the source of the Article and content set forth above. References to any issuer other than the profiled issuer are intended solely to identify industry participants and do not constitute an endorsement of any issuer and do not constitute a comparison to the profiled issuer. The commentary, views and opinions expressed in this release by CNW are solely those of CNW. Readers of this Article and content agree that they cannot and will not seek to hold liable CNW for any investment decisions by their readers or subscribers. CNW is a news dissemination and financial marketing solutions provider and is NOT registered broker-dealers/analysts/investment advisers, hold no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.

The Article and content related to the profiled company represent the personal and subjective views of the Author, and are subject to change at any time without notice. The information provided in the Article and the content has been obtained from sources which the Author believes to be reliable. However, the Author has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of the Author, CNW, or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. This Article and content are not, and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular security or course of action; readers are strongly urged to speak with their own investment advisor and review all of the profiled issuer’s filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission before making any investment decisions and should understand the risks associated with an investment in the profiled issuer’s securities, including, but not limited to, the complete loss of your investment.

CNW HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. “Forward-looking statements” describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as “may”, “future”, “plan” or “planned”, “will” or “should”, “expected,” “anticipates”, “draft”, “eventually” or “projected”. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company’s annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and CNW undertakes no obligation to update such statements.