How to Apply for a New York Cannabis License

For those of you whose summer beach reading list does not include New York’s Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (MRTA), Green Light Law Group has some advice.

Here are some FAQs about the process for obtaining a recreational cannabis license in the Empire State. Future FAQs will examine specific adult-use license types and rules concerning equity applicants.

(Editor’s Note: Parentheticals cite to the relevant MRTA sections (§ = section).)

Q. Can I apply for an adult-use (recreational) marijuana license in NY?

As of the date of this posting … not yet!

By the way, the types of adult-use licenses, listed in this June 16, 2021 posting by the Office of Cannabis Management, will be the subject of a later blog post. Note the disclaimer in the posting:

Please be aware, before the OCM can issue adult-use cannabis licenses several foundational tasks will need to be completed, including appointing the Cannabis Control Board, issuing and adopting regulations, hiring and training OCM staff, and creating [a] process for issuing, accepting and awarding licenses.

Q. When will I be able to apply?

The timeline is not yet clear. Unfortunately, further details are not yet available as key regulatory positions have not yet been filled.

Q. How do I apply for an adult-use marijuana license in NY?

By submitting a written application to the Cannabis Control Board containing “such information as the board shall require.” (§ 61) Helpful, right? The Office of Cannabis Management website is a courteous “check back later” sign. So, for now, we will be textualists and look exclusively to the MRTA statute for answers.

Q. How much does an adult-use marijuana license in NY cost?

We do not know yet. (As a frame of reference, NY Medical Marijuana applicants are required to submit a $10,000 non-refundable fee and a refundable registration fee in the amount of $20,000. Hemp retail and distributor permit fees are much cheaper.)

Here is what we do know:

• There will be an application fee, and it will probably be non-refundable (§§ 61.1, 62.4, and 63.1)
• Fee amounts may be based on the type of license sought, volume of product, or other factors (§ 63.1)
• There will also be a biennial (every other year) license fee (§ 63.2)
• Fees will be waived or reduced for equity applicants (§ 63.3)

Q. What type of business entity should I use for my NY cannabis application?

This is a key business decision with no one-size-fits-all answer: we recommend that you consult with a cannabis attorney. MRTA contemplates that an applicant may be an individual, sole proprietorship, partnership, LLC, or corporation.

Q. What information is required for my license?

The statute offers the following non-exclusive list:

• Racial and ethnic information
• Ownership and investment information (including corporate structure)
• Evidence of good moral character (including fingerprinting)
• Information about the premises to be licensed
• Financial statements

(§ 62.2)

Applicants will be required to affirm that their application is true under penalty of perjury (§ 62.3).

Q. How does the Board decide who gets a license?

The statute once again offers a non-exclusive list of selection criteria that the Board will consider. This includes whether the applicant is an equity applicant or has set forth a plan for benefiting communities and people disproportionally impacted by enforcement of cannabis laws). (§§ 64.1.a, f and j)

Other notable criteria include:

• the number and types of other licenses nearby (§ 64.1.g.ii)
• the effect it would have on foot and car traffic (§ 64.1.g.iv)
• noise levels (§ 64.1.g.v)
• environmental impact (e.g., water and energy usage, carbon emissions, waste, pollutants, and single-use plastics) (§ 64.1.g.vi; § 64.1.k)
• the applicant’s history of violations and compliance with labor law, safety and tax laws (§ 64.1.g.ix) and with the laws of other jurisdictions’ cannabis laws (§ 64.1.g.viii)
• the applicant’s moral character (§ 64.1.h)
• whether the applicant has entered into a labor peace agreement (LPA) with a bona -fide labor organization that represents or is attempting to represent the applicant’s employees (for more on this criterion, see here) (§ 64.1.i)
• an applicant’s track record as a medical marijuana business in NY (§ 64.1.m)

­Q. Will I need to disclose investors and finances in my NY cannabis application?

Yes, you can expect that applicants will be required to provide financing statements (§ 62.2)

The Board will implement “rules and regulations that are designed to … establish application, licensing, and permitting processes which ensure all material owners and interest holders are disclosed …” (emphasis added) (§ 13.3.h)

And sprinkled throughout MRTA are restrictions on having “direct or indirect financial or controlling interest” in multiple licenses and in multiple types of licenses. For example, section 69.5: “No adult-use cannabis processor shall have a direct or indirect interest, including by stock ownership, interlocking directors, mortgage or lien, personal or real property, management agreement, share parent companies or affiliated organizations or any other means, in any premises licensed as an adult-use cannabis retail dispensary or in any business licensed as an adult-use cannabis retail dispensary …”).

Q. Can I transfer or sell my NY recreational cannabis license?

Yes, subject to future rules and regulations.

Generally:

• The board pursuant to regulation, may wholly prohibit and/or prescribe specific criteria under which it will consider and allow limited transfers or changes of ownership, interest, or control during the registration or license application period and/or up to two years after an approved applicant commences licensed activities. (§ 62.8)

Specifically, section 67 addresses transfers of 51% or more in ownership and organizational structure:

• A license shall become void by a change in ownership, substantial corporate change or location without prior written approval of the board. The board may promulgate regulations allowing for certain types of changes in ownership without the need for prior written approval. (§ 67.3)

Other sections in MRTA address the transferability of equity licenses (§ 87.7) and hemp licenses (§ 100), but details are still lacking.

Q. If I have a NY hemp license will I have priority getting a cannabis license?

No.

Q. If I have a NY medical marijuana license, will I have priority getting a cannabis license?

No. The statute authorizes the Board “to grant some or all [medical marijuana companies] the ability to obtain adult-use cannabis licenses” (§ 39).

However, according to this Office of Cannabis Management publication, a registered organization (i.e. medical marijuana company) may not have an interest in or own any other adult-use license type. Instead, medical marijuana company can get adult-use license privileges through a “registered organization adult-use cultivator processor distributor retail dispensary license” or a “registered organization adult-use cultivator processor distributor license.” The timing and manner of a registered organization’s participation in the adult-use market will be determined by the Cannabis Control Board.

Q. Do I need to be a NY resident to get a cannabis license?

Individual applicants must have “a significant presence” in New York. Corporations and other legal entities must:

1. Have a principal corporate location in New York,
2. Be incorporated (or otherwise organized) under the laws of New York, or
3. Have a majority of its ownership be residents of New York.

(§ 3.1)

Via https://cannatechtoday.com/how-to-apply-for-a-new-york-cannabis-license/

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Scientists design a non-hallucinogenic psychedelic analogue to treat mood disorders

In a study published in the journal Science, a team of researchers from China have revealed findings that show a new analogue made from various psychedelic drugs displays antidepressant-like activity in mice without causing hallucinations. 

Psychedelic drugs work by interacting with the body’s serotonin 2A receptor, (5=HT2aR). Their ability to help treat mood disorders and other mental health problems has been known for some time, with research on these drugs starting as far back as 1938 when Albert Hoffman first synthesised LSD. 

However, their potential for use in treatment is slightly hampered by their hallucinogenic properties. Patients who wish to treat mood disorders may have no desire to experience the hallucinogenic effects of these drugs, and care providers have the problem of making sure their patients are safe while undergoing treatment. 

Speaking to Daily Beast biochemist Sheng Wang from the Chinese Academy of Science, and lead author of the study said, “Psychedelics have previously shown potential therapeutic effects in past clinical trials. The hallucination effects definitely restrict their potential use. But now, non-hallucinogenic drugs may solve this problem.”

The new analogue designed by the researchers is a 5-HT2AR structure which has been bound to traditional psychedelics drugs psilocin and LSD, as well as the endogenous neurotransmitter serotonin and the non-hallucinogenic psychedelic analogue lisuride. It was when these compounds were presented together in the mice models that the non-hallucinogenic and antidepressant qualities were displayed.  

The author of the study writes, “The 5-HT2AR complex structures presented herein and the resulting insights provide a solid foundation for the structure-based design of safe and effective non-hallucinogenic psychedelic analogues with therapeutic effects.”

Psychedelic substances are currently going through a period of renewed interest with scientific communities and the general public alike. Microdosing is being explored for its abilities to provide mental clarity and to generate inspiration, there is ongoing research into potential treatments for conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, treatment-resistant depression and PTSD, and of course for people using them to access their spiritual side.

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The troubled history of hemp and cannabis in the UK

The rising interest in cannabis, particularly for its healing properties, may seem like a recent trend, but the cannabis and hemp plants have a long, colourful, and culturally rich history of human use.  

In the UK, our relationship with this plant has changed many times over the years. Once championed as a wondrous healing tool and robust industrial fibre, cannabis went on to be labelled as a danger to society to be avoided at all costs. The British history of hemp and cannabis is a rather fascinating one.

Early evidence of cannabis use

The cannabis plant has a rich history. It is believed to have been cultivated over 12,000 years ago, evolving on the steppes of central Asia. Many Eastern cultures have been harvesting the medicinal and industrial properties of this plant for thousands of years – long before it first came to the UK.

By 7000 BC, hemp fibre was being woven into fabric and the cannabis plant soon became widely used for industrial purposes. Hemp fabric was used to make clothes, shoes and ropes. It was also made into paper and the seeds were eaten as food. The earliest documented use of the cannabis plant for medicinal purposes dates back to 2800 BC when it was listed in Emperor Shen Nung’s pharmacopoeia. 

The arrival of hemp in Britain

Cannabis entered Northern Europe around 500 BC, but the earliest recorded evidence of cannabis in Britain isn’t until the 10th century. Cannabis seeds were found in a well of what once was a Viking settlement in Micklegate, York. It is believed that the plant was utilised for its durable fibre to make textiles and ropes, but there are no sources that confirm or deny the use of cannabis for its psychoactive properties.

The first reports of cannabis being used as a psychoactive drug in Europe date back to 1271, where Marco Polo told stories of Hasan ibn al-Sabbah and his assassins using hashish, or hash, which is made from compressed trichomes in the cannabis plant.

The golden age of hemp in Britain

Fast forward to the 16th century, the reign of Henry VIII saw a hemp heyday in Britain. In 1533, a hemp cultivation law was introduced. It declared that those with land must dedicate a quarter of an acre for every 60 acres to grow hemp, or they would face a fine. This hemp fibre was then used to produce durable and rot-resistant sails, rope, and nets for the navy.

Aside from the industrial uses of hemp, it is also believed that cannabis was used for its medicinal and more recreational, psychoactive purposes in Elizabethan England. Cannabis was even thought to have inspired some of Shakespeare’s genius; pipe fragments found in the playwright’s Stratford-upon-Avon home have shown to contain traces of cannabis – although this is disputed by historians. But adding weight to this claim, Shakespeare wrote in Romeo & Juliet in 1597:

“And hereabouts he dwells—which late I noted

In tattered weeds, with overwhelming brows,

Culling of simples. Meagre were his looks,

Sharp misery had worn him to the bones”

This, translated into modern text, reads as ‘I remember a pharmacist who lives nearby. I remember he wears shabby clothes and has bushy eyebrows. He makes drugs from herbs’.

Before the 18th century, most accounts of medical cannabis use in Britain were from the diaries of voyagers who learned about the plant’s therapeutic wonders when abroad. Robert Knox, an East India Company merchant, discovered the anti-sickness properties of cannabis when in the Sri Lankan kingdom of Kandy in 1670. He met with Robert Hooke in 1689 to obtain a sample of the plant, which Hooke called the “intoxicating leaf and seed” that was “accounted wholesome, though for a time it takes away the memory and the understanding”.

In 1753, the cannabis plant was formally classified as Cannabis sativa by the Swedish botanist, Carl Linnaeus. A second species of cannabis was then described in 1785 by Jean-Baptiste Lamark, called Cannabis indica. The two strains differ in their cannabinoid content and physiological effects on the body; industrial hemp, in particular, is a class of Cannabis sativa with low levels of the psychoactive compound, THC.

Cannabis, as a medicine, was first introduced to Britain by Dr William O’Shaughnessy, in the 1840s. O’Shaughnessy had witnessed first-hand the positive medical applications of hemp while treating cholera patients in India. The medicinal use of cannabis was more well-documented from the 19th century, the plant was even used by Queen Victoria to relieve her menstrual cramps. Cannabis was believed to have been prescribed to the Queen by Sir J. Russell Reynolds, her doctor, in 1890.

The downfall of the cannabis plant

After the golden age for industrial hemp in the 16th century, British hemp production experienced a major decline. Though hemp was still used in small-scale farming, it became cheaper for it to be imported from overseas. Soon, much of the machinery used to make hemp fibre was shipped abroad, and local hemp textile production was lost.   

Not only did Britain see a decline in hemp production, but the entire Western world’s attitude towards cannabis took a complete turn in the 20th century. Cannabis went from a treasured plant to a demonised drug, and this is how: 

In 1901, a Royal Commission concluded that cannabis is relatively harmless and not worth prohibiting, but the political events that followed completely disregarded this statement. In the US, the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 kickstarted a series of drug restrictions enforced by Western governments. 

By 1920, the UK had made opium and cocaine illegal, but cannabis was not considered dangerous enough to be added to the list. However, in 1925, Britain signed the Geneva International Convention on Narcotics Control. Egypt and Turkey requested for cannabis to be added to the list of controlled substances. This was the first time that cannabis fell victim to global drug controls.

Then, in 1928, Britain introduced the Dangerous Drugs Act. Cannabis, including hemp crops, were criminalised. The nation saw a sudden rise in cannabis prosecutions. By 1950, there were more prosecutions for cannabis in the UK than for opium and other manufactured drugs combined. 

Ironically, this was mirrored by a rise in recreational cannabis use by middle-class, Western citizens. In retaliation, governments began to crack down on cannabis restrictions in the 60s. The United Nations Single Convention on Narcotics Drugs treaty was organised in 1961; cannabis was said to have the same risk to public health as opiates and cocaine, and the World Health Organisation claimed that it had ‘no medical value’. 

In the UK, cannabis convictions rose by 79% in 1965. Just 2 years before US President Nixon declared the ‘war on drugs’ in 1971, the United Nations estimated that there were between 200 million and 250 million global cannabis users. The UK soon followed in the footsteps of the US in their approach to drug policy; cannabis was classified as a Class B drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 – it became illegal to grow, produce, possess, or supply cannabis. 

Where are we now?

In modern-day Britain, our attitude towards the cannabis plant is constantly evolving. Hemp was re-legalised in 1993, provided the grower had a Home Office license and the THC content of the plant was below 0.2%. 

Campaigns to decriminalise cannabis began in the late 90s. In 1997, The Independent newspaper launched a campaign to decriminalise cannabis. In 2001, the Home Secretary at the time, David Blunkett, announced that cannabis would be reclassified from class B to class C. But, in 2009, fears of a link between cannabis use and psychosis prompted the government to move the drug back into class B.

At the time, there was an ironic parallel happening between the UK government clamping down on drug laws and the progressions of cannabis in modern medicine. Researchers were learning more and more about the effects of cannabis on the body; the endocannabinoid system was discovered in 1988. CB1 receptors in 1990 – and CB2 receptors in 1993. 

Since then, cannabis-based therapies have made their way to the UK. 2016 saw the legalisation of CBD for its medicinal properties. Then, in November 2018, the UK government changed legislation to permit the prescription of cannabis. But during this time, only three NHS cannabis prescriptions have been given on the NHS. 

Despite the historic use of cannabis for its industrial, spiritual, and medicinal properties, it is struggling to shake its reputation as an illegal psychoactive drug. As science progresses and the public perception of cannabis continues to broaden, the plant may, once again, become a valued tool in society. 

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Academy Awards of Cannabis Back for Its 18th Year

One of the industry’s most anticipated award shows, the Emerald Cup, is joining the Green Street Festival in Downtown Los Angeles May 13-14, 2022.

The 18th annual award show will be judged by some of the most respected names in the industry. Headlining the entertainment are Juicy J & Friends, Gary Vaynerchuck, and Harry Mack. 

“The road to the Cup ends at the Green Street Festival,” said Emerald Cup founder Tim Blake. Founded in 2003, the Emerald Cup is the longest running cannabis celebration in the world.

Attendees can purchase all varieties of cannabis products, brands can submit goods for judging, and everyone can enjoy live music and entertainment.

“Cannabis will always be the headliner,” said Rama Mayo, founder and creator of Green Street Festival. More than 7,000 attendees are expected in historic downtown Los Angeles.  

This year’s judges are cannabis experts, journalists, scientists, celebrities, and connoisseurs hand-selected by Emerald Cup leadership.

Notable personalities include Guy Rocourt, The Dank Duchess, Swami Chaitanya, Roger Volodarsky, and Ophelia Chong.

Becoming an Emerald Cup judge is one of the industry’s highest honors, as the recognition brands receive from the awards can propel a company from obscurity to global recognition.

After hours of scrutiny, judges will offer fans and followers an inside look at the judging experience through enlightening commentary on social media. 

More than 50 categories will be judged during the event, including flower, pre-rolls, solventless concentrate, hydrocarbon, cartridge, edible, alternative cannabinoid, tincture, and topical. 

“This triumphant return of our annual live awards show is our first entrance to Los Angeles and we could not have chosen better partners for this debut,” said Blake.

“Rama and his team at Green Street have created a powerful ecosystem and they’ve done a wonderful job in creating a platform of engagement for us to shine.”

The competition entry window is currently open and the deadline has been extended to Friday, February 11 at 4:00 pm PST. 

Via https://cannatechtoday.com/academy-awards-of-cannabis-back-for-its-18th-year/

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What Impact Does Reform in Europe Have on Youth Consumption Rates?

When it comes to cannabis and youth consumption, it’s an issue that needs to be taken seriously. No responsible cannabis consumer is pro-youth use except in doctor-approved medical situations.

With that being said, when cannabis prohibitionists make alarming predictions regarding a spike in youth cannabis consumption rates due to looming cannabis reform, it needs to be called out.

The fact of the matter is that a regulated industry is better than an unregulated industry from the standpoint of youth consumption rates. After all, no one checks ID in an unregulated system.

Cannabis reform, particularly medical cannabis reform, has swept the European continent in recent decades. What did that do to youth consumption rates in Europe?

Comprehensive Study

A team of researchers in Sweden recently analyzed data of self-reported cannabis use from Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

The data spanned a period from 1994 to 2017, with researchers specifically focusing on the data involving younger consumers.

“Cannabis policy varies greatly across European countries, but evidence of how such policy impacts recreational cannabis use among young people is conflicting. This study aimed to clarify this association by investigating how changes in cannabis legislation influenced cannabis use,” the study stated.

The methodology used was rigorous, as detailed by the researchers: “Available data on self-reports of recreational cannabis use among individuals aged 15-34 years was retrieved from EMCDDA. Information on cannabis policy changes was categorized as more lenient (decriminalisation or depenalisation) or stricter (criminalisation, penalisation). 

“Countries that had implemented changes in cannabis legislation or had information on prevalence of use for at least eight calendar years were eligible for inclusion. We used interrupted time-series linear models to investigate changes in country-specific trajectories of prevalence over calendar time and in relation to policy changes,” the study said.

The researchers concluded that “findings do not support any considerable impact of cannabis legislation on the prevalence of recreational cannabis use among youth and young adults in Europe.”

Likely True in Other Regions

A study of this scope and size has not been conducted on other continents. However, it’s likely a safe bet that if/when similar studies are conducted on other continents that it will yield similar results.

Medical cannabis is popular all across the globe, and thankfully, more and more lawmakers are getting on the right side of history and creating safe access in their jurisdictions.

As previously mentioned, a regulated system is better at keeping cannabis out of the hands of people that are not of legal age compared to an unregulated system.

This is not to say that no cannabis will ever escape the regulated system. Just as alcohol and tobacco are purchased and/or provided to youth illegally, the same will be true of cannabis and any other regulated substance.

Via https://cannatechtoday.com/what-impact-does-reform-in-europe-have-on-youth-consumption-rates/

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The fascinating story of coffee and cannabis

What words do you associate with cannabis?

Medicine? Relaxation? High? Prohibition?

How about coffee?

Coffee and cannabis have been a perfect partnership for an extremely long time. Way beyond the famous Amsterdam coffee shops, even intertwined in their journey through historic regulations and biological interactions. There are many people across the world who enjoy a smoke with their mid-morning espresso and now, this love affair has crossed over into the CBD industry, with CBD infused coffee being a firm best-seller.

Let’s explore this unique relationship further…

Coffee & Cannabis: A History Shared

Legend has it, coffee was first discovered in Ethiopia by a goat herder…and his goats!

While chilling in a field, these ordinarily laid back animals started acting seriously hyped up, so the herder investigated a plant they’d been grazing on. He brought the plant to his local monastery, where the abbot steeped it, drank it himself and stayed up all night long! What he’d discovered were coffee cherries – the part of the coffee plant that cradles the stimulating bean inside.

By the 16th century, coffee was cultivated and its use was widespread, particularly in Arabic countries. For a long time, this drug (which it was considered to be then and still is now, although rarely referred to as such by avid coffee drinkers and popular coffee brands) was consumed to ignite conversation, spur on critical thinking, and offer a social buzz. It was also used medicinally and ritualistically across Arabia, China and India. Essentially, all much in the same way cannabis was (and is) used

Coffee bans and stringent regulations followed. Coffee drinking soon became something reserved only for the elites, particularly in the Ottoman Empire. In 1511, coffee was banned in Mecca (a place that had become famous for its coffee) for being ‘a dangerous intoxicant that inspired radical thinking’.

Meanwhile, cannabis was being used in much the same way around the world. Known in Ayurvedic medicine as a “source of happiness”, “joy-giver”, and “bringer of freedom”. Used, like coffee as a medicine – a treatment for epilepsy (first discovered by Arabic scholars al-Mayusi and al-Badri in 1000AD) and in Chinese medicine for the treatment of rheumatism, malaria, poor memory, gout and much more besides.

By 1535AD the cannabis we know and love today was widely used and accessible. Even under the staunch rules of Catholic and Protestant Britain, Henry VIII would actually fine farmers if they didn’t grow an acre of hemp for the country’s industrial and medicinal use for every 60 acres of agricultural crops. It was coffee that had garnered everyone’s attention – loved by the people, but apparently seriously concerning to the ruling class. Just like in the Ottoman Empire, the way coffee got people talking and thinking was a bit too much for those in power.

In Britain, 1672, King Charles II proclaimed all coffee houses must be closed to “Restrain the Spreading of False news, and Licentious Talking of Matters of State and, Government”. He continued this all out war on coffee for years, but the resistance from coffee drinkers and coffee shop owners was so strong that he was never successful in keeping it illegal for long. However, in other parts of the world coffee remained prohibited, resulting is illegal coffee smuggling and consumption across the world.

Again, all sounding pretty similar to our current ‘war on drugs’.

When the 19th century came along, a bit of a role reversal occurred. Industrialisation and the continued push from the publish brought with it the ability and desire to mass produce coffee. As a result, after a long history of prohibition, money-making prevailed and coffee was rolled out as a ‘drink for the workers’. It soon became what it is today – a household staple. Cannabis, on the other hand, then went from being a widely used plant, to a prohibited substance. 

Why? We can only speculate. But if you ‘follow the money’, the answers may become clear.

Coffee & Cannabis: A Perfect Pairing

During those 100 years, coffee has become a completely accepted drug that consumers are actively encouraged to become addicted to. Even stronger and stronger ‘strains’ are advertised and celebrated. In contrast, cannabis has fallen into the realm of disgrace – a dirty, dangerous drug, not the medicinal, recreational and industrial wonder it once was. Or so the propaganda says.

However, as we know, in areas of the world like Amsterdam, cannabis became illegal but it was also decriminalised, giving rise to the type of coffee shops that would make poor old King Charles II turn in his grave! Coffee AND cannabis?! What heresy is this?! And now that cannabis has (almost) come full circle and is gradually being welcomed back into society, coffee and cannabis have once again become a common pairing. But what is it about the combination that works so well? 

Let’s look at the science. Because we can now!

As it turns out, coffee interacts with the endocannabinoid system (ECS), like cannabis. But, rather than boosting endocannabinoid levels, it decreases them, alongside other biological effects.

On it’s own, this could be seriously detrimental to health, unless you happen to have an over-active ECS which is also indicated to be related to plenty of health issues, including obesity. If you’re potentially endocannabinoid deficient, as might be the case for people experience a number of ‘treatment resistant conditions’ such as fibromyalgia, migraines and IBS, it’s probably best to steer clear of coffee altogether. 

Regardless of your health, pairing coffee with cannabis might be the best way to enjoy the drink, as by using cannabis (or CBD) at the same time, you’re at least balancing out the effects on your ECS. While coffee depletes your endocannabinoids, cannabis increases them. Together, you might find the ideal mix of alertness, without the increase in stress and jitters coffee can cause (probably largely due to the impact it has on the ECS!).

So, what can we take from all of this? 

1. Always use cannabis (or CBD) with your coffee for best results
2. Prohibition never lasts and the resistance of the people can make all the difference

If the perception of coffee can change as radically as history shows, so can cannabis. With any luck, soon we’ll all be able to enjoy both drugs in our own homes (should we wish) without fear of prosecution. 

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Rolling With The Best: RAW Founder Josh Kesselman

When you first think of RAW rolling papers you might think of a natural and more sustainable rolling paper that has organically grown into a worldwide brand. But, when you peel the layers back, you realize that the brand and the attitude of the company is a direct reflection of its leadership and more specifically Josh Kesselman.

Since starting RAW officially, Kesselman has amassed a massive social media following and has become a true steward to the planet, while being entertaining as hell. 

His rolling papers are made from natural hemp fibers and don’t contain chemical whiteners like other brands, but that is just the beginning of his story.

He walks the walk and talks the talk when it comes to sustainability and not wanting to “piss acid on the planet.” He is vegan. He gives millions to charities and feels guilty that he isn’t doing enough. 

But when you look deeper, it’s not just his customers and the planet that he cares about. It’s the people in his life that he prioritizes and makes the focus of his passion.

He takes care of his employees and even paid people to stay home during the pandemic.

He takes calls from his daughter in the middle of an interview; as any dad should. And he gets emotional when he talks about making the world a better place and genuinely loving people. 

So sit back and relax. Maybe grab a beverage or roll your favorite smoke and enjoy this fascinating conversation with one of the true enigmas and innovators of the cannabis industry known for his papers of hemp and heart of gold.

Cannabis & Tech Today: You started collecting rolling papers when you were a younger man, inspired by your father’s interest in paper. At what point did you realize you had a real authentic brand with RAW, and not just a business or a passion?

Josh Kesselman: Wow. No one’s ever asked that before. It’s a tough one … I was out at a club with some friends and the server suddenly turned to me and said, “Oh my God, you make Juicy Jay’s? I love those!” Now that’s 2000, 2001, somewhere around there. So, that’s the first time when I realized that maybe I have a brand —  people actually recognized the product.

C&T Today: Your brand was based around sustainability before it was even cool. What does that word mean to you and why do you think cannabis was late to the party with sustainability?

Josh Kesselman: Cannabis still is late to the party. It really is. That part really hurts me … I just don’t want to leave the planet worse than I got it. It’s just the way that I think, which is you’re trying not to take more than you give. RAW wasn’t a product I was making for the masses. I was picturing my friends and my friend’s girlfriend. She was this blonde girl with hippy dreads and I was trying to make a product they would really love. They were the headiest smokers I knew. [They] knew every aspect of it. I wanted to make a paper for them that I could just picture them connecting with and truly loving, to fit within their way of living. That’s what RAW was really about. 

C&T Today: There’s so much fakeness out there on social media. Your authenticity, I think people gravitate towards it. Can you talk a little bit about your social following and what it means to you?

Josh Kesselman: I freaking love having such a strong social media following.

When I go outside and walk down the block and someone recognizes me and they come to me like, “Oh my God, your videos changed my life. They made me so happy.” You know how happy that makes me?

I went to listen to a TED Talk about some guy saying we should get rid of money and basically replace it with happiness points.

Did you make people happy? Did you uplift? I was like, “Oh my God, that would be epic.” Because that’s something I would strive for.

Social media means a lot to me. I want to be able to talk to people.

I want to be able to get positive messages out in the world and uplift them, because I know that when I go, the only thing left behind that anyone will remember me by are those social media videos. 

C&T Today: So, would you say you’re a tech guy?

Josh Kesselman: I love tech because it makes things better. But I also watch very carefully, just like with our products, I’m looking for evolution not devolution.

I hate it when I witness devolution. I’ll give you an example. That microphone I use for my phone, the older generation of it was a simple cordless mic.

They made this great cordless mic. It was great.

I bought three of them. They came out with a new version. The new version was not as good.

It was smaller, used different channels, but it was truly not as good to the point where I was like, “Is this just me, or is everyone hearing a hiss?” “We’re all hearing a hiss.” Okay, let’s switch out the mic.

Nope. Still hearing a hiss. Back to the old one.

Two years later, they came out with another new one. Again, not as good as the original.

And you’re like, “Okay, who’s running this company? Are you guys using your own products? Who’s fucking this up? How can you not notice that your old ones are so much better than your new ones? And it isn’t like you’re charging less. So, what’s going on here?”

I run into this often with products. I judge products very harshly. 

C&T Today: Do you like toys? Cars, motorcycles, things like that?

Josh Kesselman: I’m glad you asked. When I was a kid, we didn’t grow up with much money, but one day someone gave me a toy Magnum PI Ferrari.

I thought it was the coolest thing to add to my collection of toy cars … I never thought I’d get to a space where I could afford a Ferrari.

Years later, I got the money under the belt, the whole thing, so you’re living the dream. You go and you buy yourself
that Ferrari. 

I got the Ferrari, I get in and I’m driving and I can’t forget thinking to myself, “This would’ve been so cool when I was 17. Fuck.”

Then when COVID hit, I took the Ferrari out for a quick drive and I felt like a douchebag. I was like, “I got friends out there that are losing their jobs, that are really in trouble, and I’m out here driving a Ferrari.”

So, I sent it to the dealership and said, “Guys, I can’t do this anymore. I don’t want to drive this. It’s not making me happy.” You know what I have fun in? I have fun in my Prius.

We wrapped it, we made it color changing. I did rims on it. My Prius is badass. And now, because my daughter took my badass Prius — Coco, it’s okay. I love you. But because she took my Prius, I got a Tesla.

The coolest thing about the Tesla is the technology. Especially if you’re tired and you’re driving, it has an autopilot that keeps me in the lane and it makes me feel better and safer and I don’t get all paranoid when I’m driving.

That made me so happy. It actually made me happier. 

C&T Today: How do you feel the cannabis industry views you as an influencer?

Josh Kesselman: Well, I think they all think I’m crazy, which I am. I think we all are. You have to be, to be me …

I think the industry appreciates how far I’ve brought it and how passionate I am about what I do. I think they look up to me in that regard as to being like, “Wow, he really brought it, man.” 

The reason I can talk so quick and strong about my products is because I love them and I enjoy making them, and we invent them together, me and the team.

So, you really care about it and you really like it and you get excited about it. I think they look at me as someone who really brought my part of the industry to the highest level it’s ever been.

C&T Today: Nobody’s going to say that you don’t love what you do. Let’s talk about pre-rolls. How has the explosive popularity of pre-rolls affected how RAW operates?

Josh Kesselman: It has affected us a lot in terms of our cone business. We have to make so many cones for them, and we can never make enough …

There’s lots of testing involved, a lot of production. But in the end, I believe our cones are the best there are.

I’ve seen lots of people try to find ways to make them cheaper and easier — like spiral wrapping, which makes them, in my experience, burn wonky. Not terrible, just not as good as a normal cone.

And I’ve experienced so much corner cutting that we refuse to do. 

But in addition, one thing that drives me crazy with pre-rolls is that the overwhelming majority are not filled properly. It’s an uneven experience.

I’ve been to LA and bought some pre-rolls, we’d light it up and you can’t even draw from it. Or then you light one up and it just completely runs. It’s a shitty, uneven experience. You don’t know what you’re going to get.

I think a lot of people making pre-rolls don’t truly understand where the cone comes from and understand how to fill the cone. They don’t have enough experience.

They see a cylinder and the mindset is, “How can we fill this?” Without a thought process of, “How can I make it burn better? What’s the best way to fill this? How can I make an actual burn closer to what people get when they fill it correctly themselves?”

C&T Today: You’re a perfectionist. You are an enigmatic, lovable entrepreneur, and you also are really big into giving. Can you talk about RAW Giving?

Josh Kesselman: Yes, I can. The problem for me with RAW Giving — let me start just from my own shame — is that I don’t believe I give back anywhere near enough …

Once you start getting blessed with tremendous success, well, with that success comes great responsibility.

I believe that whenever you receive a huge reward, like tremendous success, you then have to stop and listen. The universe is talking to you all the time, you just don’t hear it. And many people are deaf to it.

I would just try to open myself up to say, “Okay, what is wanted? What am I supposed to do? Because I know when you receive, you’re supposed to give. What am I supposed to give?”

And one way or another, the universe would guide me on these incredible journeys where I would end up through just sheer happenstance in what I call the gates of hell, which was going through the gates of Mother Teresa’s Hospital for the Destitute and Dying in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

You go through that experience, witnessing people dying in front of you, and you’re experiencing something that you never thought you would actually experience, to the point where you have to go into what’s called “warrior mode.”

Warrior mode is, you have to turn off all your emotion and just function. Your job today is to take these dead people, the person who has passed away, onto this gurney. Other people are going to take the gurney away.

Your job is to take them off the bed, the next person comes and you put them on that same bed, without changing the sheets, so that they can die on that same bed.

This is what you’re doing for the next few hours, Josh. Just do it. Don’t think. Don’t say a word, because if you think one word — you’re gone, man.

Suddenly you realize, maybe there’s a way you could help, and maybe there’s a way you can make this better. That sort of mentality, that experience there, led me to learn they had a water problem.

They couldn’t wash the sheets. They didn’t have water to wash the patients. They just had enough water to drink.

So, we did a water project with them … It turned out they had a real problem that needed to be solved with some tech and ingenuity and we were able to pull it off. The impact I got to witness with that project was tremendous.

When I started really giving back, the universe spoke to me through a friend of mine … I went and had a sit down with Bryan Adams to ask him, “Bryan, I know you give back. You’ve got the Bryan Adams Foundation and all this stuff. What should I do?”

He said “Josh, you’re not going to believe this, but I have a website I was going to use called RAW Foundation. We should use it to give back. That led me down a really cool journey, now called RAW Giving, which is not a 501©(3). We don’t take money from anyone, we just give from the heart.”

The plan was to continue to give back, not take money from anybody to the extent possible, and just try to inspire and uplift people through sharing with them the feeling of giving.

Because when you give back, you get this incredible warm feeling. It’s programmed into our human DNA. Everybody gets it. You just have to trigger it. It’s addictive, because it feels so good when you help people.

So, the plan was essentially to give back in what I believe is an incorruptible way. Where it’s like, “Hey man, you come onto RAWgiving.com. You want to buy a skateboard, or a snowboard, or whatever cool stuff we got on there. 100% of what you spend goes directly to the charity.

“We don’t even take off the cost of goods or anything like that. Blah, blah, shipping, blah, blah, blah. Nope. You just make a donation to Wine to Water, one of our really close friends, for let’s say a hundred bucks, and then you get this thing. I send it to you for free, man. I even sign it if you want me to. Here it is.”

Why are we doing this? I’m not gaining anything from this, except I’m doing the right thing. I’m helping you get that feeling of, you just gave a hundred bucks to Wine to Water. You know what that just did, man? You just saved a human life. You just saved a life. Here’s a signed tray. Thank you.

We’re trying to create a movement, a philosophy, something that’s real, that feels so good to them that they get addicted to it the way that I am, and that they give back too.

C&T Today: Where do you see the cannabis industry in five years?

Josh Kesselman: I believe we’ll have some form of federal legalization that’ll make more cannabis legal than the type that’s already legal. I believe that strongly.

I hope that the industry somehow remains as fractionated as possible. I don’t want there to be any big players. I want there to be a zillion small players, so that humans really have a chance to succeed. 

[I’d like to] keep it small and keep it where we don’t have to work for each other, but we all just work for ourselves — entrepreneurship can take root and do its thing.

That’s what I would love to see more than anything. I’m scared we’re not going to get there, because the people that are putting money in the politician’s pockets are not the small farmers, it’s the big ones. 

C&T Today: You have a lot of empathy, clearly, and I believe empathy is a superpower. Where do you see yourself in five years, and what brings you hope?

Josh Kesselman: I don’t think I’m going to change much over the next five. I’d like to believe that I will.

I know I’ll get better at everything. I’m always learning. I’m always fucking up, always making mistakes, but I try to learn from each one of them. I’m hoping that we’re going to pull off some incredible RAW pre-rolls that are going to help people experience it in a better way. 

I want to be more of an advocate … Someone who, either through our actions or other methods, really helps to elevate the entire industry towards mutual success with a lot of people, rather than king of the mountain …

I create my products through empathy, and everything I do is really very much through empathy. When I smoke with you, I’m trying to understand how to better it.

I’m trying to understand your needs, trying to think of every little detail of how you roll and how you smoke.

And that’s where the next product comes from and that’s the process of RAW Innovation. If you want to know the big secret, I’ve had companies sue me trying to get to our secrets, it’s trying to figure out how I can make it better for you.

Not doing it through a fake way, “What can we do to make it better for this group of testers?” No, you got to hang out and session with somebody. You got to really hang out and chill and understand them and connect with them.

And you can’t do that in a panel. It’s got to be done through your friends and just people, humans.

C&T Today: Josh, it’s been a pleasure. I think our audience is going to get a deeper understanding of what’s behind RAW and — 

Josh Kesselman: I don’t want them to have a better understanding of what’s behind RAW.

I want them to ideally, if you came this far, I’m hoping that I helped you. I’m hoping that I helped the reader.

I’m hoping that somehow, even if it’s just a little bit, I elevated you or caused you to do something that betters the world in some awesome way.

C&T Today: Well, to everybody reading, let us know. Let us know and we will let Josh know if you felt elevated, if you felt touched, and if you felt inspired from this interview.

This article first appeared in the fall 2021 issue of Cannabis & Tech Today. Read the full issue here.

Photos by Michael Rodriguez/RandomLyfe

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Active component of cannabis could protect brain cells from diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s

According to research published in the journal Free Radical Biology and Medicine, scientists from the California based science institute Salk have found that the non-psychoactive cannabinoid cannabinol (CBN) can protect brain cells in an ageing brain. This makes it a potential treatment for neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. 

As reported in Medical Express, the research team said that CBN may be used to help lessen the impact of a process called oxidative stress, which could be caused by external factors such as tobacco smoking, and is also thought to be a result of ageing. Oxidative stress, or oxidative damage is thought to be a leading cause of neurodegenerative disorders. 

Pamela Maher, a research professor and head of Salk’s Cellular Neurobiology Laboratory said this, “We’ve found that cannabinol protects neurons from oxidative stress and cell death, two of the major contributors to Alzheimer’s. This discovery could one day lead to the development of new therapeutics for treating this disease and other neurodegenerative disorders, like Parkinson’s disease.”

The team found that not only did CBN protect neurons, but also mitochondria. Protecting mitochondria is important because it is this part that creates the majority of the chemical energy required to power the metabolic activities of the cell.

In cells damaged by oxidative stress the mitochondria is observed to curl up, similar changes are seen in the mitochondria of Alzheimer’s patients. Researchers found that by treating cells with CBN the mitochondria did not curl up and continued to function as they are supposed to. 

The team confirmed their findings by replicating the experiment in nerve cells with the mitochondria removed; they found that CBN did not demonstrate its protective effect. Maher said, “We were able to directly show that maintenance of mitochondrial function was specifically required for the protective effects of the compound”.

CBN is believed to work on the endocannabinoid system, however a key finding of the team’s research showed that it does not activate the cannabinoid receptors; this is required to produce a psychoactive effect. Which makes its potential as a medicine greater as patients will not experience a high. 

“Evidence has shown that CBN is safe in animals and humans. And because CBN works independently of cannabinoid receptors, CBN could also work in a wide variety of cells with ample therapeutic potential,” says first author Zhibin Liang, a postdoctoral fellow in the Maher lab.

In 2020, it was estimated there were an estimated 145,000 people living with Parkinson’s disease, and over 900,000 people living with dementia in the UK. A number of studies have shown the promise of CBD, another cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant, for treating the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. However, CBN (Cannabinol) is specifically listed as a controlled substance in the UK under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

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New Data Further Indicates Legalization Is Working in Canada

Canada made history in 2018 when it became the first G-7 nation to legalize cannabis for adult use, and the second country on earth to pass a legalization measure, only behind Uruguay.

Unlike Uruguay, Canada immediately implemented a nationwide adult-use industry that was open to everyone of legal age, regardless of their residence status (or lack thereof).

In many ways Canada has served as an unparalleled cannabis public policy experiment, with international lawmakers and regulators watching from afar to see if legalization is working.

According to new data out of Canada, a major metric used to gauge cannabis legalization’s success is indicating that legalization is having a positive impact.

Regulated Sales Data

One sign that legalization is succeeding in any given country, including Canada, is if regulated sales are competing in a meaningful way with unregulated sales.

Unregulated cannabis sales will never go down to zero in Canada, or anywhere else that legalizes cannabis for adult use.

After all, unregulated cigarettes and alcohol are still sold all over the place to some degree despite being legal.

According to data published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 58% of consumers surveyed by researchers with the University of Waterloo, School of Public Health Sciences indicated that they purchase cannabis through regulated sources versus unregulated sources.

It is worth noting that not all of the remaining 42% necessarily purchase cannabis from unregulated sources. 

It’s likely some of that subgroup either legally cultivated their own cannabis or had cannabis legally gifted to them by friends and/or family.

Continued Improvement

The results of the previously cited study are inline with results from another study which also found that the majority of consumers in Canada purchase their cannabis via regulated sources.

Both the new study and the previous study found that the regulated sales numbers improved compared to the year preceding each study.

As time goes on, the data should continue to improve year over year until it reaches a plateau. As previously mentioned, it will never go down to zero.

It will be very interesting to see where the data plateaus, and how Canada’s eventual market share for regulated sales compares to other nations as more countries move towards implementing their own regulated adult-use industry.

Via https://cannatechtoday.com/new-data-further-indicates-legalization-is-working-in-canada/

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Study finds no link between impulsive violent behaviour in patients with schizophrenia, but does find a link with alcohol

A recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, found no association between lifetime cannabis use and impulsive violent behaviour among subjects with schizophrenic spectrum disorders. 

A combined Italian and Canadian research team set out to investigate if there was any evidence to support the claim that there is an association between lifetime cannabis use disorder, and severe violence in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders from a high-security hospital.

Researchers used a cross-sectional representative study involving 124 patients with schizophrenia who had all been admitted to a high-security hospital. Their past violent behaviour (VB) was assessed using various methods including the History of Aggressive Behavior Form-Subject of the MacArthur Violence Risk Assessment Study, and their impulsivity was assessed using the Psychopathy Checklist. The patient’s substance abuse history was analyzed using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 

In the published findings the researchers found that violent and nonviolent patients showed a similar prevalence of cannabis use disorder, whereas alcohol and cocaine disorders were more prevalent amongst violent patients. 

They also found no association between those with cannabis use disorder and impulsivity, alcohol use disorder however was heavily correlated to impulsive thoughts. 

Researchers showed with confidence that alcohol use disorder, unlike cannabis and cocaine use disorders, “was a factor associated with violence”. 

The researchers state that their findings show that both cannabis and alcohol are largely abused and co-abused by patients with psychotic illnesses who have a propensity for violence. However, the data shows that it is only alcohol that is associated with impulsive and violent behaviour.

The premise that cannabis can cause its users to become violent, especially those who suffer from mental health issues such as schizophrenia and psychosis based illnesses, is an often-cited argument against loosening cannabis restrictions. 

The view has been repeated many times, an example being the Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson using this argument to link the violence caused by a mass shooter in Ohio USA in 2019 to cannabis use. Carlson linked this and other violent acts to the perpetrators’ use of cannabis, even though the Ohio shooter also had Xanax, cocaine and alcohol present in his system. 

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Re-imagining the future of relaxation with Goodrays

Each January, our collective conscious reflects on the hangover of festive excess. Whether your liver has taken a pounding, you are shifting some Christmas weight or you’re just looking to start the next 12 months with an air of calm, alcohol becomes less of a priority at the start of a new year, with many of us opting to commit to a dry January. As the month winds on, some will be counting down the days until the 1st of Feb’s first glass of red, but others will be appreciating the benefits of abstinence, and wondering what the alternatives might be in an alcohol-free world.

One solution that holds promise is cannabis. Americans have been flaunting the Cali-sober lifestyle for some time now, basking in the glory of adult access markets to the plant, finding a way to unwind without the dreaded next day’s hangxiety. Here in the UK, we’re limited in our choice when it comes to cannabinoids, but Goodrays is a brand harnessing the power of the cannabis plant to help us relax. 

The brand’s star products take CBD, a non-intoxicating compound found in the cannabis plant, to create a range of natural, alcohol free seltzers. The drinks range is aimed firmly at the discerning health-conscious adult, looking for a grown-up drink that helps them relax but doesn’t get them drunk. “We use some of the finest quality natural ingredients, with help from the former innovation team from Diageo and world-class chefs, to help ensure each serve is delicious, refreshing and original. Consumers spend good money on CBD, so they deserve something exciting.” founder Eoin Keenan tells us.

This commitment to quality goes beyond flavour. Goodrays want to ensure their products not only taste good, but do the job properly. Each drink packs a whopping 30mg of CBD per can, twice the market average. “From a product perspective, we’re really proud of what we’ve brought to the table. We make sure every product contains a sufficient dose of CBD. If you consume a coffee, an energy drink or a beer – you want to feel the full effects in each serve, and that’s what we offer.” 

We’re really proud of what we’ve brought to the table. We make sure every product contains a sufficient dose of CBD. If you consume a coffee, an energy drink or a beer – you want to feel the full effects in each serve, and that’s what we offer

This commitment to creating a CBD based beverage with genuine benefits isn’t surprising when you learn more about Eoin’s journey in cannabis. After studying drug policy at university, and writing a paper on International Cannabis Policy, he found himself in the rolling cannabis filled hills of the Emerald Triangle, California, absorbing knowledge from many of the legacy farmers who had been cultivating, studying and understanding the cannabis plant since the heady days of the 60s. 

Learning from these original pioneers and champions of the cannabis plant, Eoin got a deep understanding of the medicinal effects, the culture and the environmental benefits of the plant, and was determined to harness its ability to become a natural solution to modern stresses. On his return to the UK in 2016, CBD was still an outlier, and difficult to obtain, however, seeds of legislative reform were appearing. So Eoin took a position that enabled him to shape the legislative and policy side of the industry, working alongside academics, policymakers and business leaders and spending four years at cannabis consultancy Prohibition Partners and leadership summit Cannabis Europa.

This deep understanding is reflected across Goodray’s entire brand. As well as the flagship CBD drinks, the company also offers high strength CBD gummies, and two CBD oils, each one designed for night or day use. Education is also an important part of the business, Eoin tells us. “I’ve been working in the industry for a while so it’s easy to forget that many consumers still don’t know the answer to important questions such as; What is CBD? How much do I take? Where does it come from? We, as brands, have a responsibility to provide really clear and concise information so we can help build a category which is responsible, accountable and transparent.”  

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Education around CBD has become more important than ever, as popularity increases, so does the need for the right information. We’re now seeing CBD on mainstream TV, with endorsements from leading celebrities and professional athletes. Goodrays can be found on the shelves of stores such as Selfridges and online through Amazon, a platform that has until recently shied away from CBD. We wanted to ask Eoin if he thought this greater understanding and acceptance of CBD would play a role in the legalisation of cannabis for adults in the UK? 

“I’m Irish, so please excuse me for the commentary on British politics but there is a real institutionalised conservatism and traditionalism here when it comes to cannabis policy. The current UK government would rather ‘wait and see’ than take any action, despite what’s best for the British people. The reality is that they’ll wait to see how legalisation unfolds in more progressive countries, like Germany, before acting. Once they realise there’s a persuasive economic argument, coupled with tax benefits and a decreased burden on state resources, they’ll make changes. With the evidence we have from other countries, it’s now a matter of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’.”

Politics aside, it’s clear that this commitment to education, quality, and a decent dose of CBD is working for the brand, as Eoin tells us “The UK has become a hotbed for CBD brands because of the increased demand for ‘wellness’ or ‘relaxation’ food and drink. In some channels, we’re outselling the likes of Red Bull and Lucozade, which is blowing our minds!”

To learn more about Goodrays visit https://www.goodrays.com/

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New Study Suggests Anti-COVID Potential of CBD

A newly published study authored by University of Chicago microbiology and cancer experts has illuminated several anti-COVID actions of CBD.

Using data from the National COVID Cohort Collaborative, the authors of the study found that a population of 1,212 patients with a “history of seizure-related conditions” who were taking 100mg/ml CBD had a significantly lower COVID infection rate (6.9%) than a control group consisting of patients with similar histories but no CBD use (8.9%). 

On a cellular level, the mechanism proposed by the researchers to explain this discrepancy involves the suspected CBD-supported activation of an enzyme (RNase) that breaks down ribonucleic acid (RNA), or as well as interferons, which are pro-inflammatory compounds the body uses to respond to viruses.

The RNase component is especially prudent considering COVID-19 is an RNA virus, which means it embeds itself into RNA (single-stranded molecule that encodes proteins from genetic information), blending into the existing RNA created by our own DNA.

It gets even more technical, but the point is that cannabidiol’s demonstrated ability to aid the body in the breakdown of RNA has apparently proven harmful to the spread of the coronavirus throughout human cells.

The study designers went on to theorize that “CBD could be acting by blocking viral entry to host cells,” hinting at the need for more research to more accurately pinpoint the specific antiviral mechanisms CBD uses to deter COVID-19. 

The authors noted that this effect of CBD on the spread of the virus can also take hold in the “later stages” after infection.

We’ll continue to report on this vein of research as more studies are published.

To learn more about the CBD and COVID-19, feel free to consult this contemporary finding we recently reported on. 

The post New Study Suggests Anti-COVID Potential of CBD appeared first on The CBD Insider.

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France lifts ban on sale of CBD flowers

On the 31st December 2021, French authorities presented the nation’s CBD vendors with a very unwanted gift, the banning of the sale of CBD flowers and leaves in all forms. 

The industry fought back immediately, with the Union des Proffesionnels du CBD filing an injunction in the courts on January 1st against the new ruling, working through the night of New Year’s Eve to do so. Their argument was that as the EU classified CBD as non-narcotic, and as France is a member state of the EU, CBD should be treated no differently in their country.

On Friday 14th January the French Supreme Court ruled in favour of the CBD industry by temporarily suspending the ban while the Conseil d’État (Council of State) investigated further.

The Conseil d’Etat’s decision reads, “The judge in chambers of the Conseil d’État considers that there is a serious doubt about the legality of this general and absolute prohibition measure because of its disproportionate nature.

”Indeed, it does not appear, at the end of the contradictory investigation and the exchanges which took place during the public hearing, that the flowers and leaves of cannabis sativa L. whose THC content is less than 0.3 per cent would present a degree of harmfulness to health justifying a total and absolute prohibition measure: this threshold is precisely that retained by the contested decree itself to characterize the cannabis plants authorized for cultivation, importation, export and industrial use.” 

The French CBD industry, which includes approximately 1800 vendors, celebrated the suspension of the ban. One of the main arguments put forward by the industry when the ban was announced was that CBD flower sales represented the majority of sales in these specialist shops. 

Speaking to BusinessCann, Benjamin-Alexandre Jeanroy, of Paris-based cannabis consultancy Augur Associates, said: “This result is great news for all businesses that faced having their livelihoods taken from them by the government actions. But it’s in no way the end of the road. We will have to see how things unfold but I believe the Government will look for another baseless argument. As long as the government wishes to show it is ‘tough’ on drugs” – whatever that means – we can throw out any rational, data, or even legal argument, it won’t make them change their position. Not during an election campaign.”

In the UK, CBD flowers are not legal, as stated in the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, which makes no distinction for cannabis with a low THC, high CBD content:

“cannabis” (except in the expression “cannabis resin”) means any plant of the genus Cannabis or any part of any such plant (by whatever name designated) except that it does not include cannabis resin or any of the following products after separation from the rest of the plant, namely—

(a) mature stalk of any such plant,

(b) fibre produced from mature stalk of any such plant, and

© seed of any such plant;]

“cannabis resin” means the separated resin, whether crude or purified, obtained from any plant of the genus Cannabis;

Despite the UK having a CBD industry worth an estimated £690m, the current law means UK farmers who legally grow hemp for the CBD and fibre markets at present have to destroy up to 80% of their crop. In a report entitled Pleasant Lands, campaigners have called on the government to adopt a Swiss-style model which would allow farmers to grow hemp crops with THC levels up to 1%, wirth the ability to extract CBD from the whole plant, not just the stalks and seeds.

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Pioneering With Pride: Celebrating LGBTQ in Cannabis

The cannabis industry owes a lot to the LGBTQIA+ community. Not only has the community continuously fought to be seen authentically, it has led an uphill battle for the cannabis plant to be seen as well. 

Noteworthy LGBTQIA+ advocates for cannabis came at a time when the streets were alive with gay liberation protests, anti-war movements, and the fight for racial equality.

During the AIDs epidemic of the 1980s and early 90s, gay activists like Dennis Peron and Kiyoshi Kuromiya recognized the healing properties of cannabis and what it could do to help in the treatment of suffering patients. LGBTQIA+ activists were beyond their time, seeing potential in the plant that we’re reaping the benefits from now.

Let’s take a look at a few influential, modern-day LGBTQIA+ pioneers who have made a name for themselves within the cannabis industry and are creating a more prosperous environment for others. 

JJ McKay: Founder and Publisher of The Fresh Toast

JJ McKay is the founder and publisher of The Fresh Toast, one of the largest consumer-facing cannabis media companies in North America.

By delivering reputable medical cannabis news through their partnership with Skipta, The Fresh Toast attracts 1.7 million health care professionals each month.

Their reliable reputation awarded them press credentials during the 2020 presidential election. 

McKay quickly took note of the cannabis industry’s straight, male-dominated demeanor.

“I think there’s more work to be done,” McKay said. “When you go to meetings, 80% of the industry is still white, straight males of a variety of ages and a variety of backgrounds.”

That being said, McKay has noticed the industry evolving in other ways. 

“When we launched at the end of 2016, 50% of the meetings would be your classic grower that’s moving into legalization — people who are fighting [for their] dream and fighting the man,” he said.

“Then it evolved into more people who see it as a legitimate industry and a way to establish themselves in an industry that’s going to be very profitable.

“I’m usually hosting the conference or doing things like that — and we have such a big voice, a million people see our content every day, so people are nice. But, it’s definitely still a cliquey, old boys thing.

“I think the easier pathway is getting more women involved in the industry, because then that opens up a certain level of tolerance that also opens up a certain level of inclusiveness,” said McKay. 

Brie Brewer: Founder of Proud Mary

The Proud Mary Network was created to support queer voices within the cannabis industry through cannabis education by LGBTQIA+ writers, hosting networking events, and advocacy work.

Brewer, who founded the organization in 2019, said the idea came together when noticing the lack of queer representation at an MJBizCon event.

“I can’t tell you how disappointing it is to see all of these conventions and all of these keynote speakers and there’s such a lack of representation, specifically for trans individuals,” Brewer said.

“I want to change that. I want to put us all in the limelight. I want to give everyone a chance to speak their truth and speak their voices and have a platform to do so.”

While Brewer is the mastermind behind Proud Mary, she has a lot of support from those within the industry. Proud Mary is heavily involved with popular drag queens Ducky and Patsy.

The  network has collaborated with LGBTQIA+ filmmaker and founder of cannabis consulting firm Synergy, Johann Balbuena. Brewer has future plans to make Proud Mary into a nonprofit, as well as to create a job board that filters for queer-friendly companies. 

“People reach out to me specifically to tell me how important this is and how much of an impact I am making. And you don’t know unless people check in, right? It’s so heartwarming and it feels like I’m doing something good,” Brewer said. 

Danielle Gray and Brande Elise: Founders of Unoia 

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Driven by their passion to inspire and educate people about mental health awareness and CBD wellness products, entrepreneurs Danielle Gray and Brande Elise founded their Atlanta-based CBD lifestyle and product company, Unoia. 

The couple started out originally just selling CBD honey, but their business has since expanded to also selling CBD agave, fruit gummies, CBD topicals, CBD peanut butter pet treats, and CBD pet tinctures. 

There are many aspects within the company that mirror their own life.

Both Gray and Elise were former college athletes, so they know firsthand how tinctures can provide relief from physical pain.

Their CBD oil drips were also flavored after Georgia peaches to reflect the state in which they reside.

Gray emphasizes how important representation is for them to be an honest brand. 

“We’re representing a Black voice, a female voice, a queer voice, and also a voice from the South, which is a very different voice as well, coming from a place that’s very conservative and anti-cannabis and all those things,” Gray said.

“It’s interesting in itself. There’s a lot of fun perspectives we have on cannabis.” 

Gray and Elise value transparency within their company, as well as in their own lives.

When viewing their website, customers can view an organized and detailed display of the Certificate of Analysis for each product they offer. 

“That [transparency] was a big deal for us, and there’s a couple of reasons why. One is just being — and this is our experience as not necessarily LGBT, it could be too — but just being Black, people don’t always think that you have everything together. So with that, you have to make sure it’s just super together,” Gray said.

“We want to make sure we’re giving the people that we support and that buy from us, that they know exactly what everything looks like, where everything comes from, that you’ll be safe, and you’re okay. You’re okay in the world of Unoia.”

This article originally appeared in the fall 2021 issue of Cannabis & Tech Today. Read the full issue here.

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_{Danielle Gray and Brande Elise.}

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