Year: 2020

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Hemp is being used in new innovative ways. Necessity is truly the mother of innovation.

(A little humor during this time of stress and anxiety.)

During times of crisis, humans, as a species, tend to unify in the effort to overcome the obstacles by offering ideas and innovative ways to help. Thanks to the hemp industry for alternative measures both in health, wellness and now our very ass. Unfortunately, at this time, supply has been overwhelmed by demand and resources don’t seem to be available for some time. In the meantime, we recommend using CBD products to boost your internal immune and external skin products. As always “Inspirational Technologies” has found Smart product line @ HempSMART. Some new and innovative products include Smart CBD Drink Line, launching soon.

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“Given the pandemic America now faces, could CBD offer help in alleviating future bacterial outbreaks?

Why CBD May have the Answers to your immunity. Ongoing research testing.

Scientists have long thought that cannabis had remarkable powers. Recently, it’s come to light that cannabis is a far more capable cleaner of bacteria than was first realized.

A January 2020 study published in the Cureus Journal of Medical Science found that cannabis cleaned plaque better than over-the-counter hygiene products. The study found:

“Cannabinoids have the potential to be used as an effective antibacterial agent against dental plaque-associated bacteria. Moreover, it provides a safer alternative for synthetic antibiotics to reduce the development of drug resistance.”

This isn’t the first time that research has notated that cannabis has antiseptic properties. The University of Queensland’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience’s Centre for Superbug Solutions in Australia noted that cannabis is not only an anti-inflammatory, but they believe it has potential to be an antibiotic.

Their research team recently unveiled research showcased by Dr. Mark Blaskovich that illuminates the potential around cannabis therapy. Focusing on skin conditions, the team involved found that cannabidiol was, “remarkably effective at killing a wide range of Gram-positive bacteria, including bacteria that have become resistant to other antibiotics, and did not lose effectiveness after extended treatment.”

 

CBD Molecule CANNABIDIOL

Brandon Novy, a microbiology researcher at Reed College in Portland, believes the findings warrant more attention. He’s also presented a CBD-focused study that found the compound had potential to fight “gram-negative infections.”

Given the pandemic America now faces, could CBD or cannabis offer help in alleviating future bacterial outbreaks, especially given that a recent report by the World Health Organization (WHO) believes antibiotic resistant bacteria may claim over 50 million lives by 2050?

19_FACE800_800_1Companies have added hemp and CBD to body products for years. With bans being slowly lifted on cannabis as well, companies are looking into research around effective use of CBD in other hygiene products.

While cannabis has been shown to help strengthen the immune system and allow for better sleep, so far it doesn’t appear cannabis or CBD can help against viruses like COVID-19 — at least topically. But perhaps, given the incredible push to wash hands, that cannabis and CBD can both help with skin health and moisturization in these difficult times. The answer appears to be a resounding yes.

Known for helping with dermatitis and decreasing inflammation, hemp can offer relief from water-chapped hands. Maybe its integration into hand-washing products isn’t too far off after all?”

Source: Hemp, Inc.

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I Talked With A Man, Today

Thank you, Hari, for sharing. We need to learn that our lives are no different from our ancestors and that without a unified effort of sacrifice, we will suffer a much greater toll.

I talked with a man today, an 80+ year old man. I asked him if there was anything I can get him while this Coronavirus scare was gripping America.

Wisdom comes from experience and struggle.

He simply smiled, looked away and said:

“Let me tell you what I need! I need to believe, at some point, this country my generation fought for… I need to believe this nation we handed safely to our children and their children…

I need to know this generation will quit being a bunch of sissies…that they respect what they’ve been given…that they’ve earned what others sacrificed for.”

I wasn’t sure where the conversation was going or if it was going anywhere at all. So, I sat there, quietly observing.

“You know, I was a little boy during WWII. Those were scary days. We didn’t know if we were going to be speaking English, German or Japanese at the end of the war. There was no certainty, no guarantees like Americans enjoy today.

And no home went without sacrifice or loss. Every house, up and down every street, had someone in harm’s way. Maybe their Daddy was a soldier, maybe their son was a sailor, maybe it was an uncle. Sometimes it was the whole damn family…fathers, sons, uncles…

Having someone, you love, sent off to war…it wasn’t less frightening than it is today. It was scary as Hell. If anything, it was more frightening. We didn’t have battle front news. We didn’t have email or cellphones. You sent them away and you hoped…you prayed. You may not hear from them for months, if ever. Sometimes a mother was getting her son’s letters the same day Dad was comforting her over their child’s death.

And we sacrificed. You couldn’t buy things. Everything was rationed. You were only allowed so much milk per month, only so much bread, toilet paper. EVERYTHING was restricted for the war effort. And what you weren’t using, what you didn’t need, things you threw away, they were saved and sorted for the war effort. My generation was the original recycling movement in America.

And we had viruses back then…serious viruses. Things like polio, measles, and such. It was nothing to walk to school and pass a house or two that was quarantined. We didn’t shut down our schools. We didn’t shut down our cities. We carried on, without masks, without hand sanitizer. And do you know what? We persevered. We overcame. We didn’t attack our President, we came together. We rallied around the flag for the war. Thick or thin, we were in it to win. And we would lose more boys in an hour of combat than we lose in entire wars today.”

He slowly looked away again. Maybe I saw a small tear in the corner of his eye. Then he continued:

“Today’s kids don’t know sacrifice. They think a sacrifice is not having coverage on their phone while they freely drive across the country. Today’s kids are selfish and spoiled. In my generation, we looked out for our elders. We helped out with single moms who’s husbands were either at war or dead from war. Today’s kids rush the store, buying everything they can…no concern for anyone but themselves. It’s shameful the way Americans behave these days. None of them deserve the sacrifices their granddads made.

So, no I don’t need anything. I appreciate your offer but, I know I’ve been through worse things than this virus. But maybe I should be asking you, what can I do to help you? Do you have enough pop to get through this, enough steak? Will you be able to survive with 113 channels on your tv?”

I smiled, fighting back a tear of my own…now humbled by a man in his 80’s. All I could do was thank him for the history lesson, leave my number for emergency and leave with my ego firmly tucked in my rear.

I talked to a man today. A real man. An American man from an era long gone and forgotten. We will never understand the sacrifices. We will never fully earn their sacrifices. But we should work harder to learn about them..learn from them…to respect them.

Borrowed, copied and pasted Do the same ❤️❤️

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Scientists Just Learned How CBD Makes Molecules 30x More Effective Than Aspirin. Why Opioids Just Can’t Compete.

Cannabis is a complex plant with a complex history. It’s been cultivated for at least 6,000 years, but because of its modern legal status, we’re still learning new things about its medicinal benefits.While most of us have heard of the plant’s pain-relieving cannabinoids, such as CBD, there’s a lesser known class of compounds that deserves our attention.

Flavonoids are a group of natural substances that are thought to hold anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-carcinogenic properties. These compounds are found in fruits, vegetables, flowers, tea, wine, and, yes, even cannabis.

In 1986, researcher Marilyn Barrett at the University of London was the first to identify two cannabis flavonoids, known as cannflavin A and cannflavin B, both of which were found to have anti-inflammatory benefits 30 times more effective than Aspirin.

But while the flavonoid pathway has been extensively studied in several other plants, for decades, there has been no specific data on their biosynthesis in cannabis. Now, for the first time, researchers in Canada have uncovered how the cannabis plant creates these important pain-relieving molecules.

Our objective was to better understand how these molecules are made, which is a relatively straightforward exercise these days,” explains Tariq Akhtar, a molecular and cellular biologist at the University of Guelph.

“There are many sequenced genomes that are publicly available, including the genome of Cannabis sativa, which can be mined for information. If you know what you’re looking for, one can bring genes to life, so to speak, and piece together how molecules like cannflavins A and B are assembled.”

Using a combination of genomics and biochemistry techniques, the team was able to pinpoint which genes were responsible for creating these two cannflavins. Their findings provide the first evidence of a unique genetic pathway in Cannabis sativa plants, which uses two enzymes to ultimately create cannflavin A and B.

Extracting and purifying these compounds from a cannabis plant, however, just isn’t practical. Akhtar epxlained to The Toronto Star that these cannflavins only make up about .014 per cent of the plant’s weight, so fields and fields of cannabis would have to be grown in order to capture these anti-inflammatory benefits.

As a result, the researchers hope to use this new information to metabolically engineer their own pain-relieving medicine outside of the cannabis plant. To achieve this, they will be working with the Toronto-based company, Anahit International Corp., which has already licensed a patent from their university.

“The problem with these molecules is they are present in cannabis at such low levels, it’s not feasible to try to engineer the cannabis plant to create more of these substances,” says co-author Steven Rothstein, who studies the molecular and genetic qualities of crop plants at University of Guelph.

“We are now working to develop a biological system to create these molecules, which would give us the opportunity to engineer large quantities.”

Without some of the side effects of other painkillers, the authors think the synthesis of these molecules could make a big difference in the pharmaceutical industry.

Previous studies have shown that the vast majority of patients prefer cannabis to opioids when managing their pain, which suggests there’s ample market for a drug that mimics its benefits.

“There’s clearly a need to develop alternatives for relief of acute and chronic pain that go beyond opioids,” says Akhtar.

“These molecules are non-psychoactive and they target the inflammation at the source, making them ideal painkillers.” 

This research has been published in Phytochemistry.

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Burn One ☝️ For Bernie.

The Senator and Democratic Contender said, “On my first day in office, through executive order, we will legalize marijuana in every state in this country.”

Senator Sanders Endorses Marijuana Legalization

Marijuana legalization hasn’t proved much of a differentiator among the Democratic presidential candidates vying in today’s Iowa caucuses. With a couple of exceptions, the leading contenders would all roll back the federal prohibitions that keep multistate operators like Curaleaf Holdings (ticker: CURA.Canada), Green Thumb Industries (GTII.Canada) and Trulieve Cannabis (TRUL.Canada) from U.S. stock listings—even though they sell pot only where it is legal under state law.

On Saturday, Sen. Bernie Sanders sought to stand out. At a Cedar Rapids rally, he vowed: “On my first day in office, through executive order, we will legalize marijuana in every state in this country.”

Good as that may sound for U.S. pot producers, he reserved a jab for these growing businesses. After promising to expunge the criminal records of those arrested for pot possession, Sanders promised to give industry control to minority communities that disproportionately suffered arrests and incarceration in the war on drugs.

“We will make certain that the legalized marijuana industry is not controlled by a handful of corporations,” said Sanders.

Marijuana’s criminal status under the federal Controlled Substances Act can only be changed by Congress, of course, but members of a Sanders cabinet would get the process rolling. The U.S. also has commitments under international treaties to treat cannabis commerce as illegal.

It is state law that spawned American cannabis companies, No president can directly force faster changes on the states that have yet to legalize medical or recreational sales of the stuff.

Despite these limitations, a federal pot overhaul would greatly ease the lives of multistate operators. Federal financial prohibitions have kept the federally-regulated banking and securities industries from doing business with firms like Curaleaf, Acreage Holdings (ACRG-Y.Canada) or Harvest Health & Recreation (HARV.Canada). That forced the U.S. outfits to Canada for their stock offerings.

Sanders’ latest pledge may not prove much of a distinction from his rivals in Iowa. Every leading Democrat promises to legalize weed, except Biden—who says he would decriminalize it—and Bloomberg—who would let states decide.

Some Democrats wouldn’t stop their changes to drug regulation with marijuana. Andrew Yang and Tom Steyer would decriminalize opioids. Yang would legalize psilocybin mushrooms for veterans. Pete Buttigieg would decriminalize possession of all drugs.

Write to Bill Alpert at william.alpert@barrons.com

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Setting The Florida Stage for Legal Recreational Marijuana

“Immaculate Conception” How does your Marijuana Grow?

Even though a state legalizes the plant, cannabis is still illegal at the federal level, which means it is illegal to get cannabis of any kind, including seeds and clones, outside of that state’s border. So on day one of legalization, where do all the plants come from that will produce the weed you buy in the store? Out of thin air? Well, sort of.

Behold: immaculate conception.
To allow cannabis producers to bring genetics—seeds and clones—into a newly created market, a state will basically look the other way for a period of time and not bust growers for bringing seeds into the state illegally. It’s as if your genetics came from thin air, hence the term “immaculate conception.”
So growers starting a new business can buy seeds from all over the country and world, bringing a diverse pool of cannabis genetics into a state. Want some White Widow straight from The Netherlands? How about some Granddaddy Purple from Northern California?
As long as you can get it and tag it in your tracking system before the end of the immaculate conception period—usually 90 days after a producer gets a recreational license—your state will look the other way.
Related
Cannabis Seeds 101: All You Need to Know and More
The loophole explained
So why do states do this? Basically, those plants have to come from somewhere.
“Any product obtained within a newly legal state couldn’t be obtained legally, because the only source of products in a state would have to come from the illicit market,” said Kris Krane, President of cannabis company 4Front Ventures. “Because of this, states have no choice but to look the other way as to where the companies obtain their first batch of seeds or cuttings, even though from that point forward everything is tracked from seed to sale.”
And without legal genetics already in your state, that means growers need to break the law to get that first batch of genetics into their state.
Another route: Some growers start off in the medical market and simply switch to producing for the recreational market when that opens up and they get a license for it. Growers can use the plants they grew for medical, but the funny thing is, even those genetics were originally obtained illegally.
Related
A guide to buying cannabis seeds
The gray area of cannabis legalization
So what do the feds think?
“To my knowledge, there is no communication between the states and the federal government about how they allow businesses to bring in initial seeds and cuttings. All of these businesses are illegal under federal law so states typically do not share any information about their programs in general with the federal government,” said Krane.
Immaculate conception is a perfect example of the dance states do to get around the feds and the gray area of the plant’s legality (banking is another example). Cannabis can be legal in multiple states, but crossing a state line with cannabis is still a federal offense. Taking that Oregon-grown weed into California can get you locked up even though it’s legal for anyone over 21 to buy cannabis in both Oregon and California.
Until federal legalization comes around, states and growers will have to create loopholes like immaculate conception. In the meantime, mum’s the word when it comes where your genetics came from.At present, it’s illegal to possess and use cannabis in Florida. If caught with 20 grams or under, the offender may be given a prison sentence of up to a year, and/or a $1,000 fine. If the amount of cannabis is over 20 grams, the offence becomes a felony, rather than a misdemeanour, and the prison sentence rises to as long as five years (with a possible fine of $5,000).
However, attempts are being made to make recreational cannabis use legal, as it is in some other US states. In 2019, state representatives Carlos Guillermo Smith and Michael Grieco filed a bill, seeking to legalise the drug. This wasn’t given a hearing or a vote. Their bill proposed to permit adults over the age of 21 to “use, possess, and transport” up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis, and grow up to six plantOne significant obstacle stands in the way of recreational cannabis being legalised, and that’s the restriction of citizen drives. Pushed by Republican representatives, the bill limits the impact citizen petitions can have on constitutional amendments. Given that four of the amendments involve changing current cannabis law, this is likely to be a major issue in the future.
Governor Ron DeSantis signed this controversial bill in June 2019, and it came into immediate effect. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel referred to the move as an “arrogant abuse of political power.”
Can you sell cannabis in Florida?
Selling cannabis is also illegal in Florida. If the offender is caught trying to sell 20 grams or less, then the maximum prison sentence is one year, with a $1,000 fine. Selling 25 lb or less is a felony, and can result in up to five years in prison, plus a $5,000 fine. Anything over 25 lb but under 2,000 lb is punished with a three to 15-year prison sentence and a fine of $25,000.
If the laws change after the 2020 general election, then selling cannabis may become legal. Regulate Florida are petitioning to not only get recreational cannabis legalised, but also to create a regulated industry, enabling the plant to be sold to the general public.
Can you grow cannabis in Florida?
It’s illegal to grow cannabis in Florida. If caught cultivating less than 25 plants, the maximum prison sentence is five years (with a $5,000 fine). For 25 to 300 plants, the sentence is increased to a maximum of 15 years and a fine of $10,000; and if the amount of plants is between 300 and 2,000, this changes again, to three to 15 years in prison, plus a $25,000 fine.
If the offender is caught growing 2,000 to 10,000 plants, then the prison sentence is seven to 30 years, with a $50,000 fine. Any cultivation that takes place within 1,000 feet of an educational establishment, park or other specified area can result in a 15-year prison sentence and a $10,000 fine.
The law may change in the future, permitting people in Florida to grow a limited number of plants for personal use only, in their homes. However, at the time of writing, the situation hangs in the balance.
Is CBD legal in Florida?
Since Congress removed hemp from their list of illegal drugs, CBD has been technically legal to use, sell, and buy in Florida. It must come from a licenced grower, and it isn’t allowed to contain more than trace levels of THC (the substance responsible for providing a ‘high’).
In real terms, the law is far more complex. The Florida Department of Agriculture’s official stance is that it’s not legal to sell hemp or CBD, but Nikki Fried, the Agriculture Commissioner, is currently attempting to push through legislation to bring state law in line with federal law.
In the interim period while the situation is ambiguous, the authorities have been largely turning a blind eye to consumers purchasing and using CBD. The few crack-downs that have occurred have been involving CBD retailers, not buyers.
Can cannabis seeds be sent to Florida?
Cannabis seeds are legal in Florida, and may be freely purchased and sold. When it comes to mailing them into the state from another state, the law is a little more ambiguous, and there have been some reports of seeds being withheld at customs.
Medicinal cannabis in Florida
Although medicinal cannabis is still illegal at federal level, it was legalised in Florida in 2016. It was originally approved by Florida’s Senate in 2014, with a 36 to three vote; and it was put in place to ensure that children with epilepsy had access to medicinal cannabis to treat their condition.
The Senate’s decision was based on the case of a young girl called Charlotte, who was using CBD oil to treat her epilepsy. The bill was nicknamed the ‘Charlotte’s Web bill’ in honour of this girl, and after the high CBD cannabis strain that was named after her too (‘Charlotte’s Web).
Obtaining medicinal cannabis in Florida
In order to have access to medicinal cannabis, patients must:
have a Medical Marijuana Use Registry ID card, which permits them to buy and possess medicinal cannabis.
have a qualifying condition.
be a permanent or seasonal resident of the state.
agree to keep the medicinal cannabis in Florida – it can’t legally be taken across the border.
agree to use it privately – public use is forbidden.
store it out of reach of children, ideally in a locked box.
How to qualify for an ID card
In order to qualify for medicinal cannabis, the patient must first be diagnosed by a qualified physician. If the patient is under 18, a second physician needs to agree with the original diagnosis.
Once approved, the patient is then entered into the Medical Marijuana Use Registry (and their caregiver, if applicable). They can then apply for an ID card, and obtain cannabis products at any approved Medical Marijuana Treatment Centre. Alternatively, they can have the products delivered to their home.
Qualifying conditions
The following health conditions have been approved for medicinal cannabis treatment in Florida:
Cancer
Epilepsy
HIV/AIDS
Glaucoma
Multiple Sclerosis
Crohn’s Disease
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Any conditions that are comparable to those listed above
Any terminal conditions
Chronic non-malignant pain
Industrial hemp in Florida,
Industrial hemp was legalised at federal level in 2018, under the Farm Bill. In 2019, Florida’s Senate voted unanimously to pass a bill, establishing a framework for the regulation of hemp cultivation in the state.
If approved, the bill directs Florida’s Department of Agriculture to start drafting the rules for the state’s hemp industry, with regards to safety standards, licencing, and quality control. An advisory council will also be created, providing education to local communities, and explaining how hemp differs from cannabis.

The January 15th, meeting of the Federal Marijuana Policy Board, held by Representative Anna Eshoo D-California (@RepAnnaEshoo) as Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee of Health Chair. reference:  HR 3884

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