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Over the past month, hemp entrepreneurs have traveled to the Florida State Capitol to advocate against a proposal to regulate hemp-derived products that could potentially hurt the hemp industry.
But Monday, many of those same professionals were cheering after the sponsor of the latest version of the bill removed any reference to limiting the THC dosage of those hemp-derived products. THC is the compound in the cannabis plant that can get you high.
In a committee meeting Monday, Manatee County House Republican Will Robinson Jr. said: “All caps are O.U.T., Out.”
Robinson was responding to a colleague, Democrat Anna Eskamani, of Orlando, on the committee. Robinson confirmed to her that his new amendment to the legislation would remove any references to capping the amount of THC in hemp products.
That means that products in hemp stores are not going to be affected in terms of their potency to consumers.
At the same time, the bill is still moving on issues regarding safety. The measure still maintains the safety requirements to keep products like Delta-8 THC out of the hands of those under age 21, provisions that aren’t remotely controversial and have been embraced by virtually everyone who has testified in three previous committee meetings held in the House and Senate.
“We’ve sure come a long way on this one,” said Florida Cannabis Action Network president Jodi James.
“You did a great job – saved a lot of businesses,” added William Clark from the Libertarian Party of Florida.
Carlos Hermida owns a hemp dispensary in Tampa and has attended previous committee meetings about the bill. He opted not to travel to Tallahassee Monday when he saw Robinson’s amendment added to the legislation last Friday.
“The public spoke and Robinson listened!” Hermida told the Phoenix in a text message. “I can’t help but be thankful to the representative for protecting the hemp industry and protecting our children.”
As originally written, Robinson’s bill HB 1475 (as well as a similar version in the state Senate) set limits on how much THC could be included per serving and per package of hemp products. Robinson raised the limits after the bill received its first hearing in a House committee, but hemp advocates said the limits still were far too low and would have made hemp-derived products less potent for consumers to purchase and thus threaten their businesses.
Robinson admitted that “there is more work to be done in this space,” but said that it was also a great indication that the committee process works. “It’s very important to take input from stakeholders and others,” he said.
The measure was unanimously approved by the House Infrastructure Committee, its third and final committee and now will go to the House floor. Its Senate equivalent (SB 1676) is scheduled to go before the Fiscal Policy Committee on Thursday of this week.
Hemp absorbs twice as much carbon per hectare of land than a forest does, and hemp-derived products can be used to replace paper, petroleum-based plastics, and cotton fibers.
In 2021, the U.S. hemp market was reported to be worth $824 million in 2021. By 2030, the global hemp market is predicted to be worth $17.24 billion.
The 2023 Farm Bill offers an opportunity to iron out ambiguities surrounding hemp production that will benefit farmers and stabilize the market. The upcoming Farm Bill is also an opportunity to create hemp policies that recognize the historical injustices that Indigenous and Black farmers have experienced.
Across the aisle, the question of how to handle the production of industrial hemp, a newly legalized crop, is on legislators’ minds. As the 2023 Farm Bill begins to come into focus, this carbon-sequestering plant has the potential to reshape U.S. agriculture.
Hemp absorbs twice as much carbon per hectare of land than a forest does, and hemp-derived products can be used to replace paper, petroleum-based plastics, and cotton fibers. But hemp, a strain of the Cannabis plant (from which marijuana is derived), was previously considered a Schedule I substance—the most highly regulated narcotics under the Controlled Substances Act.
The 2014 Farm Bill (P.L. 113-179) legally distinguished hemp from marijuana by defining hemp as having a delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) level below 0.3 percent, which is insufficient to produce narcotics. But it limited hemp cultivation to research purposes only. The 2018 Farm Bill (P.L. 115-334) relaxed many restrictions and established the Domestic Hemp Production Program, making it easier for farmers to grow and sell hemp. The legalization of hemp cultivation in the United States has allowed farmers to employ the crop to promote sustainable farming practices and produce sustainable alternatives to plastics and other materials.
The 2023 Farm Bill can serve as an opportunity to ensure hemp is cultivated and produced to its fullest potential. Ambiguities in federal laws must be addressed to ensure that the hemp market, which was reported to be worth $824 million in 2021, continues growing.
Power to the Plant
Much of hemp’s appeal as a sustainable solution stems from its carbon sequestration rate. In an interview with Dezeen, Cambridge University researcher Darshil Shah stated that hemp can capture between 10 and 15 tons of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) for each hectare of cultivation, a rate twice that of forests. Its fast growth rate means that farmers have the opportunity to harvest hemp multiple times per year, priming it for climate mitigation efforts.
Hemp’s high yields hold the promise of replacing other fiber- and oil-producing plants. According to the National Hemp Association, one acre of hemp produces double the amount of oil than an acre of peanuts does, and it also produces four times as much fiber pulp used for paper than an acre of trees does. When processed, every part of the hemp plant can be used for a wide range of products, including biofuels and textiles.
The wide range of versatile hemp-derived products has the potential to address U.S. reliance on plastics, fossil fuels, and cotton, by serving as a sustainable replacement. Currently, the Center for International Environmental Law predicts that plastic consumption will continue increasing and account for 20 percent of oil consumption by 2050. Hemp, however, offers a naturally biodegradable alternative that can replace petroleum-based plastic materials on both the commercial and industrial scale. Alongside bioplastics, hemp has gained prominence being a durable alternative to cotton, as it requires less land and around half of the water cotton crops need. Beyond clothing and plastics, hemp has been used in construction with products like hempcrete, and its seeds have been used in cosmetics and in food for their nutritional value. With this plethora of sustainable benefits, hemp has the potential to reshape more than just agriculture.
Moreover, the carbon sequestration of hemp has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from U.S. agriculture—which the EPA estimated accounted for 11.2 percent of total U.S. GHG emissions in 2020. By offering sustainable alternatives to high-emission products, hemp cultivation could help the United States meet its climate goals.
Addressing Diversity in Farming via Hemp
Though the legislative focus on industrial hemp has been relatively recent, Indigenous peoples have been farming hemp long before it was legalized in the 2014 Farm Bill. Yet, current hemp legislation and its enforcement do not quite recognize this—nor do they treat Indigenous farmers equally to their white counterparts.
In 2015, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seized 30,000 hemp plants and invaded sovereign land belonging to the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin, claiming that these plants violated the law as they were intended to produce marijuana. The Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin filed a lawsuit against the DEA agents for the destruction of their crops. They claimed that they were legally growing hemp on their lands for research by the College of the Menominee Tribe, yet the judge agreed with the DEA’s attorney and dismissed the lawsuit.
This case is an example of how the enforcement of hemp legislation is complicated by the history of Indigenous land dispossession by the U.S. government. Environmental activist and member of the Ojibwe tribe Winona LaDuke is advocating for both the environmental benefits and social benefits of hemp policy crafted with respect to communities of color, their histories, and their beliefs.
Writing for the Esperanza Project, LaDuke spotlights how plots of hemp qualify as carbon sinks, with the plant itself being capable of replacing carbon-intensive materials. LaDuke notes that these qualities offset GHG emissions, which prompts ecological restoration that can be led by young Indigenous leaders. Thus, there is potential for hemp production to provide added income to Indigenous communities and act as part of a path toward a sustainable, circular economy.
The hemp market is predicted to continue to grow and reach a global value of $17.24 billion by 2030. With this growth comes the opportunity for more farmers to get involved—farmers such as Indigenous and Black farmers who have been traditionally left behind by agricultural policies. Hemp can be grown on small plots of land, a trait beneficial for farmers of color who typically do not own the same large expanses of land that their white counterparts do.
Black and Indigenous communities in the United States have faced a history of exclusion from land ownership and economic opportunities, and this history has shaped their access to agriculture today. According to a 2012 USDA report, only 1.4 percent of the country’s 3.2 million farmers are Black farmers as a result of discrimination from lending institutions, including the USDA. Black farmers are hoping to see hemp policy address historical injustices in agriculture.
A change to hemp licensing would be a first step to addressing historical injustices. Federal law requires farmers applying for hemp licenses to not have had a drug felony in the past 10 years. As the Drug Policy Alliance reports, Black and Latinx people are more likely to have marijuana-related drug felonies which, under this policy, further excludes them from harvesting the benefits of hemp.
A lack of hemp education is another issue affecting both Black and Indigenous farmers that hemp policy could address. The Pew Charitable Trusts has reported on organizations forming to educate people on hemp, what it is, and how to acquire a license for it. Such education could be undertaken by the federal government to ensure that hemp production is inclusive and sustainable for all.
Hemp’s Future in the Farm Bill
The Farm Bill has always been an opportunity for policymakers to address agricultural and food issues on a federal level. The federal government defined industrial hemp, differentiating it from marijuana, and developed the Hemp Research Pilot program to legalize hemp cultivation for research purposes in the 2014 Farm Bill. Outside of research, hemp production was still illegal under federal law. The 2018 Farm Bill legalized hemp cultivation outside of pilot products, though it also restricted the THC content of hemp plants.
Ahead of the 2023 Farm Bill, the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Biotechnology, Horticulture, and Research held a congressional hearing to see how the next Farm Bill could improve hemp production. In this hearing, the need for clear regulations around CBD (the active ingredient in cannabis derived from hemp plants) and for stronger supply chain processing were highlighted, alongside further opportunities for hemp-derived products within climate markets.
Frustration and confusion around CBD laws has been a topic of concern for hemp farmers since the 2018 Farm Bill. Now, it is one of the issues hemp industry advocates hope to see addressed in the 2023 Farm Bill. Beyond CBD, the National Hemp Association is hoping to see three other major changes. It is advocating for a specific carve-out for hemp grain and fiber to develop a framework for promoting these products, for hemp grain to be allowed as animal feed to support farmers, and for the THC limit to be raised to one percent instead of 0.3 percent. Raising the THC limit has been discussed by numerous hemp organizations and farmers, as a one percent limit provides leeway and lessens the need for crops to be destroyed.
The National Law Review highlights further hemp-related changes that may be included in the 2023 Farm Bill, one of which being the revision of the broad definition of hemp. Currently, only delta-9 THC has been regulated in the 2018 Farm Bill, and there are worries that this is a loophole for unregulated hemp sales of other kinds of THC. Moreover, federal laws do not address what happens when the THC level of raw hemp exceeds the 0.3 percent allowed, even if it is ultimately processed into a product that will have a lower THC percentage (this is often referred to as “in-progress” hemp).
With many organizations highlighting the need to iron out ambiguities surrounding hemp laws, the 2023 Farm Bill may be the prime opportunity to do so. Including smart hemp production and cultivation policies in the 2023 Farm Bill has the potential to make the hemp industry more sustainable, inclusive, and profitable.
Author: Lynlee Derrick
We, at Inspirational Technologies are at the forefront of Inspirational and Frontrunners on the frontier of current technology. We are often faced with our own personal conflicts which directly influence our interactions with our peers and family.
When Inspirational Technologies is an endorsement of the “Cannabis” approach to the medical condition, we say, let’s let the look at the data and the people who say that they benefit for cannabis alternatives.
1st Hemp USA News is a resource of Inspirational Technologies (2021-2023)Inspirational Technologies (2023) AllRightsReservedYour ONE STOP BLOG FOR INFORMATION, EDUCATION, & INSPIRATION OF ESSENTIAL INNOVATION & RENOVATION of You-THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST*This site receives virtually no compensation for sales of some or all mentioned products. We however place humanitarian value over monetary interests. Our monetary income goes back into research, development, discovery and healing.Inspirational Technologies – is Committed to Your Health Wellness Beauty and EnrichmentReporting on Today’s Internal Botanical and Skin Product Benefits
4 Hemp Club was Inspired by Steven Smith’s vision to “Have an older generation 4H Club, where an older community of adults could carry on what the younger 4H Club envisioned.
Our 4H Platform Uses HEMP as an Agricultural Focal Point, deserving of research, development and with the
4 Hemp key points being Health Hope and Happiness, thru Hemp“.
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Did you ever wonder why cannabis doesn’t affect everyone the same way? Why do some people experience pleasure and relaxation when smoking pot and others get anxious or even paranoid?
To understand the various effects the same plant has on the same species, we humans that is, it’s essential to understand not only the plant and its components, but our own endocannabinoid system.
Enter neuroscience.
First things first, what is the endocannabinoid system?
Simply put, it is a biological system in the body that helps regulate and balance key bodily functions. An American psychiatrist with a private practice in San Francisco and Marin County focuses on addictions. In his book, “Marijuana on My Mind: The Science and Mystique of Cannabis,” Timmen L. Cermak, M.D. explores various questions about marijuana and its effects.
In his January post in Psychology Today, Cermak tries to explain how it feels to be high and why this experience can sometimes resemble meditation. In a new post, he focuses on “how THC and CBD ingestion produces pleasant effects for so many people, why too frequent use of cannabis can produce subtle cognitive and emotional impairments, and how selective use of cannabis has medicinal benefits for a variety of illnesses.”
Cermak looks at Koen Van Laere’s discovery of how genetic differences in the density of active CB1 receptors determine temperamental characteristics of extroversion exhibited in novelty-seeking and often risk-taking and introversion’s novelty and risk avoidance.
Cermak explains how THC increases endocannabinoid system activity, lowering the bar for experiencing novelty. This is why, when some people are, they notice things that they hadn’t noticed a long time ago, like the rainbow on each soap bubble. For some cannabis consumers, weed can help them become more fascinated with the everyday world.
On the other hand, too frequent cannabis use leads to raising the bar for experiencing novelty higher than normal, thus leading to a sense of boredom. “High cannabinoid activity produces novelty; low cannabinoid activity reduces novelty,” writes Cermak.
This means that people born with low CB1 receptors may feel good when THC increases their amygdala endocannabinoid system activity, as it “brightens their interest in the world.” On the other hand, people with high CB1 receptors who are already close to saturation with novelty could be overwhelmed with THC to the point of feeling anxious.
Temperament & Personality
Cermak notes an important distinction between temperament and personality when he says that “temperament is genetically determined and should not be conflated with personality.” He explains that two people with the same temperamental trait of novelty-seeking can develop two destructive personalities: “one becoming an inveterate world traveler while the other becomes ensnared in a series of drug addictions.”
In the end, Cermak highlights how Laere’s research offers a basis for understanding why the 20% reduction in CB1 receptors caused by frequent marijuana use could lead to temperament and ultimately personality changes. However, research confirming this theory would be unethical, so all we can do is trust anecdotes that indicate how regular marijuana use is related to various personality changes.
For More Information on Cannabis and CBD and YOU. Click On the Following Link
1st Hemp USA News is a resource of Inspirational Technologies (2021-2023)Inspirational Technologies (2023) AllRightsReservedYour ONE STOP BLOG FOR INFORMATION, EDUCATION, & INSPIRATION OF ESSENTIAL INNOVATION & RENOVATION of You-THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST*This site receives virtually no compensation for sales of some or all mentioned products. We however place humanitarian value over monetary interests. Our monetary income goes back into research, development, discovery and healing.Inspirational Technologies – is Committed to Your Health Wellness Beauty and EnrichmentReporting on Today’s Internal Botanical and Skin Product Benefits
4 Hemp Club was Inspired by Steven Smith’s vision to “Have an older generation 4H Club, where an older community of adults could carry on what the younger 4H Club envisioned.
Our 4H Platform Uses HEMP as an Agricultural Focal Point, deserving of research, development and with the
4 Hemp key points being Health Hope and Happiness, thru Hemp“.
Cannabis CBD and Me Inspirational Technologies Inspirational Technologies (2014) @Inspire123tech Background Noise Studios Logos bySteven M Smith
Members of the Texas House of Representatives advanced legislation today seeking to expand the pool of patients eligible to obtain state-licensed cannabis products.
Lawmakers voted by a nearly five to one margin in favor of the legislation, House Bill 1805. Specifically, it amends the Texas Compassionate Use Program so that physicians may recommend certain products containing fixed levels of THC to patients with “a condition that causes chronic pain, for which a physician would otherwise prescribe an opioid.” It also empowers state health officials, rather than lawmakers, to add additional qualifying conditions. Currently, patients with autism, ALS, cancer, incurable neurological disorders, intractable epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, post-traumatic stress, and seizure disorders are eligible to obtain low-THC medical cannabis products.
The measure also amends limits on the amount of THC that may be present in state-licensed products.
“I am thrilled to see the proposed legislation advancing through the legislative process,” said NORML State Policies Manager Jax James, who also serves as Executive Director for Texas NORML. “Medical cannabis is an objectively safer alternative to the array of pharmaceutical drugs that it could potentially replace. I urge my fellow Texans to voice their support for this important legislation and to reach out to their Senators to encourage their backing as it moves through the legislative process.”
Texas lawmakers initially enacted legislation establishing the Compassionate Use Program in 2015. In 2021, legislators expanded the program to allow patients with PTSD and all forms of cancer to qualify for medical cannabis. That legislation also raised the limit on permissible levels of THC in licensed products from 0.5 percent to one percent.
When Inspirational Technologies is an endorsement of the “Cannabis” approach to the medical condition, we say, let’s let the look at the data and the people who say that they benefit for cannabis alternatives.
1st Hemp USA News is a resource of Inspirational Technologies (2021-2023)Inspirational Technologies (2023) AllRightsReservedYour ONE STOP BLOG FOR INFORMATION, EDUCATION, & INSPIRATION OF ESSENTIAL INNOVATION & RENOVATION of You-THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST*This site receives virtually no compensation for sales of some or all mentioned products. We however place humanitarian value over monetary interests. Our monetary income goes back into research, development, discovery and healing.Inspirational Technologies – is Committed to Your Health Wellness Beauty and EnrichmentReporting on Today’s Internal Botanical and Skin Product Benefits
4 Hemp Club was Inspired by Steven Smith’s vision to “Have an older generation 4H Club, where an older community of adults could carry on what the younger 4H Club envisioned.
Our 4H Platform Uses HEMP as an Agricultural Focal Point, deserving of research, development and with the
4 Hemp key points being Health Hope and Happiness, thru Hemp“.
Cannabis CBD and Me Inspirational Technologies Inspirational Technologies (2014) @Inspire123tech Background Noise Studios Logos bySteven M Smith
April Rules is a colloquial term for April Fools, on current appropriate verbiage.
So, let it out. April does rule. It is the beginning of spring, and the hope for a new beginning, (aside from the tossed New Year’s resolutions).
This year the new collective bargaining agreement between the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association excluded any and all marijuana testing for players per The Athletic.
The NFL hosts franchises in many states where marijuana use is legal for medicinal and recreational use, but the “No Fun League” always fell back on the fact that it remains a controlled substance under federal law.
But now that more and more states are legalizing it, it seems the league might be moved to ban testing altogether, while still maintaining order among players who choose to indulge.
But the league’s current laws surrounding marijuana use and testing might not have anything to do with the substance itself, but rather, a political move. The NFL regards the marijuana ban as part of collective bargaining. This means that, before they get rid of it, they want something in return from the NFL Players Association.
Some believe this has already happened, or the league just refuses to enforce any violations, but it’s simply not the case. The NFL still levies harsh fines for positive tests, and multiple violations still mark players for the treatment program and potential suspensions.
But for how much longer?
Too soon to tell, but there’s no question the NBA’s decision to ban marijuana testing for players is a move other leagues will be monitoring closely.
We, at Inspirational Technologies are at the forefront of Inspirational and Frontrunners on the frontier of current technology. We are often faced with our own personal conflicts which directly influence our interactions with our peers and family.
When Inspirational Technologies is an endorsement of the “Cannabis” approach to the medical condition, we say, let’s let the look at the data and the people who say that they benefit for cannabis alternatives.
1st Hemp USA News is a resource of Inspirational Technologies (2021-2023)Inspirational Technologies (2023) AllRightsReservedYour ONE STOP BLOG FOR INFORMATION, EDUCATION, & INSPIRATION OF ESSENTIAL INNOVATION & RENOVATION of You-THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST*This site receives virtually no compensation for sales of some or all mentioned products. We however place humanitarian value over monetary interests. Our monetary income goes back into research, development, discovery and healing.Inspirational Technologies – is Committed to Your Health Wellness Beauty and EnrichmentReporting on Today’s Internal Botanical and Skin Product Benefits
4 Hemp Club was Inspired by Steven Smith’s vision to “Have an older generation 4H Club, where an older community of adults could carry on what the younger 4H Club envisioned.
Our 4H Platform Uses HEMP as an Agricultural Focal Point, deserving of research, development and with the
4 Hemp key points being Health Hope and Happiness, thru Hemp“.
Cannabis CBD and Me Inspirational Technologies Inspirational Technologies (2014) @Inspire123tech Background Noise Studios Logos bySteven M Smith
Alcohol Distributors for Federal Legalization of Marijuana are Asking Congress to Act Now.
Story by Jessica Gleman •
One of the largest alcohol distributors, Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA), has called on Congress to legalize marijuana on the federal level this month. The wholesaler argued the continued classification of cannabis as a Schedule I drug has “given rise to an untenable conflict between state and federal law.” WSWA wants Congress to enact regulations similar to that of alcohol.
In 2022, three more states legalized recreational weed, Rhode Island, Maryland and Missouri. There appears to be a growing trend of legalization sweeping the nation, as new measures appear on state election ballots each year. The number of states with legal marijuana will likely increase with every election.
“More than 50 percent of the U.S. population lives in a legal adult-use cannabis state,” read WSWA’s statement.
The statement continues, “The fact is cannabis legalization at the state level is here to stay, evidenced by nearly a decade of newly legalized state markets and no meaningful effort to undo them. Rather, states that have legalized are expanding their markets and even discussing ways to begin interstate commerce of the product. Yet they receive no support from the federal government in determining how to ensure that products are not hazardous or that the market is fair and competitive especially as the market becomes increasingly national in scope.”
A major problem under the current system means states where cannabis is legal face issues with banking or tax deductions because it is not federally legal.
The WSWA wants the federal government to legalize and regulate cannabis in a similar manner to alcohol, which would give distributors an avenue to make a lot of money. The US currently has a three-tier system for alcohol which makes distributors legally necessary middlemen between the producers and the retailers. Therefore, WSWA’s push for legalization is not a selfless act.
We, at Inspirational Technologies are at the forefront of Inspirational and Frontrunners on the frontier of current technology. We are often faced with our own personal conflicts which directly influence our interactions with our peers and family.
When Inspirational Technologies is an endorsement of the “Cannabis” approach to the medical condition, we say, let’s let the look at the data and the people who say that they benefit for cannabis alternatives.
1st Hemp USA News is a resource of Inspirational Technologies (2021-2023)Inspirational Technologies (2023) AllRightsReservedYour ONE STOP BLOG FOR INFORMATION, EDUCATION, & INSPIRATION OF ESSENTIAL INNOVATION & RENOVATION of You-THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST*This site receives virtually no compensation for sales of some or all mentioned products. We however place humanitarian value over monetary interests. Our monetary income goes back into research, development, discovery and healing.Inspirational Technologies – is Committed to Your Health Wellness Beauty and EnrichmentReporting on Today’s Internal Botanical and Skin Product Benefits
4 Hemp Club was Inspired by Steven Smith’s vision to “Have an older generation 4H Club, where an older community of adults could carry on what the younger 4H Club envisioned.
Our 4H Platform Uses HEMP as an Agricultural Focal Point, deserving of research, development and with the
4 Hemp key points being Health Hope and Happiness, thru Hemp“.
Cannabis CBD and Me Inspirational Technologies Inspirational Technologies (2014) @Inspire123tech Background Noise Studios Logos bySteven M Smith
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