Weed in Review: 12.29.17

by Angie Kopshy, posted in Weed in Review

Weed in Review: Friday, December 29, 2017

In the United States

The 5 Most Surprising Cannabis Stories of 2017: 5) The Canadian mandate requiring citizens to store personal-use cannabis under lock and key. 4) The old-school huffing and puffing of US Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who sought to revive a “War on Drugs” approach to cannabis but failed to rally anyone beyond the ghosts in his mind. 3) The fact that switching from flowery bong hits to concentrated dab hits will suddenly make the former taste like what comes out of a garbage truck’s exhaust pipe. 2) The multifaceted promise cannabis has shown in combatting the opioid epidemic. 1) The abrupt evolution of Orrin Hatch, the longstanding Republican senator for Utah, who this fall punctuated his historic career of conservatism by coming out swinging for medical cannabis.

Part 1, The Top CBD Cannabis Studies of 2017: The past year was important for proponents of medical cannabis. Those seeking to remove cannabis’ Schedule I status are now armed with even more evidence for its medicinal and wellness benefits from a combination of human and rodent studies. From benefits in epilepsy, autism, and beyond, here are some of 2017’s biggest medical cannabis news stories. This installment covers insights relating to CBD, but tune in to the second part of this series for more discoveries uncovered in 2017.

Can Marijuana Improve Your Workout?: Media often portrays cannabis consumers as being lazy and junk-food craving individuals. It’s about time that the narrative on marijuana begins to shift away from stereotypes and toward the facts. Regardless, even those who are educated on the benefits of cannabis may be surprised to find that it has something to offer everyone, from the average Joe looking to get fit to professional athletes.

Veterans and access to cannabis: 2017 in review: 2017 was a year of both setbacks and progress for veterans and their supporters, seeking greater access to legal medical marijuana

The latest edibles are pre-mixed botanical cannabis cocktails: (California) The latest liquid is Monk Provisions’ alcohol-free cannabis cocktails, handcrafted with super herbs, terpenes and fresh pressed juices. The drinks contain THC, which is the psychoactive component of cannabis, so yes, they will get you high. Some also contain CBD, which has calming effects. The beverage comes in three different doses, to suit all needs – a 4oz bottle with 5mg THC and 5mg CBD, a 16oz bottle with 10mg THC and 10mg CBD, and a 16oz bottle with 45mg THC only.

Revolutionary Clinics Offers Marijuana-Themed Comedy: While the performance will focus more on anecdotes than straight information, Fear says that comedy is a great way to communicate about marijuana. “People like listening to other people’s experiences and I think comedy is a good way for people to relax and understand that, sure, sometimes crazy things happen while you’re under the influence of cannabis, but it’s all things that you can look back and laugh on,” he says.

Alison Grimes: Let’s get medical marijuana bill on Gov. Matt Bevin’s desk: Secretary of State Alison Grimes’ New Year’s resolution is blunt: Medical marijuana must be legalized in Kentucky to help veterans suffering from PTSD and others who are painfully ill.

Worldwide

‘Start low, go slow’: Booklets give inside dope on medicinal cannabis for patients, doctors: Doctors who have been reluctant to prescribe medicinal cannabis are getting the inside dope on the controversial drug from the federal government (in Australia).

Get to Know Hempmeds® Brasil: Prior to 2014, the government Brazil considered all cannabis, including hemp and its derived products, to be illegal. After a legal hearing, ANVISA granted the first import authorization for RSHO™ CBD oil. Following a series of historic rulings, ANVISA removed CBD from its prohibited substance use list. RSHO™ has since become the first legal cannabidiol product approved for importation in Mexico, Paraguay, and in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. Overall, MJNA’s RSHO™ products are available and shipped to more than 40 countries around the world.

Canada’s largest pharmacy locks up more medical cannabis supply: Canada’s largest pharmacy chain signed up another major supplier of medical marijuana, further cementing what analysts called the “groundbreaking” entry of traditional pharmacies into the MMJ industry earlier this month.

Dutch councils vie to produce cannabis in bid to cut out criminals: Netherlands trial is designed to stop gangs from supplying cannabis-selling coffee shops
The Swiss cannabis farm aiming to supply ‘legal weed’ across Europe: With its low-THC and high-CBD products already on sale in Switzerland and France – and soon the UK – Swiss business CBD420 are keen to see clearer regulation around the supply of cannabis.