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Monday, December 24, 2018

USA is putting the health of its people first before profits and political agendas by making CBDs more accessible to everyone.

Joy Organics - Pharmaceutical Grade Hemp CBD Oil
Posted on Dec 22, 2018, 6 p.m.

 "Coming off the biggest A4M (American Academy of Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine) show ever this past December 13-15 I can finally say the USA is putting the health of its people first before profits and political agendas by making CBDs more accessible to everyone. Just the anti-inflammatory upside of CBDs versus the lack of side affects associated with CBDs make CBDs a better choice than a host of prescription and nonprescription medications," said Dr. Ronald Klatz, President and co-founder of the American Academy of Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine (A4M). 
Hemp prohibition has just been ended across America legalizing industrial hemp farming nationwide with the president signing the new Farm Bill into law, demonstrating support of hemp legalization and agricultural freedom. After close to half a century of prohibition industrial hemp will once again be legal to grow across America beginning January 1, 2019.
This is the first change in the federal classification of cannabis plants since it was unjustly classified as a schedule 1 controlled substance by the Congress using testimony that was little more than hear say that should have been dismissed or at least corrected decades ago; this paves the way for the first federally sanctioned commercial hemp grows since WWII.
Hemp specific provision of the 2018 Act amends Federal Controlled Substances Act so that hemp plants containing no more than 0.3% THC are no longer classified as schedule 1 controlled substances under federal law, which in all fairness should have been done years ago, and has the science to back it up.
Hemp will no longer be jurisdiction of the Department of Justice, however prospective growers will have to submit cultivation plans to the USDA, either through the state governments or the USDA itself.
The Farm Bill essentially de-schedules CBDs and other cannabinoids from the schedule 1 controlled substance list so long as they are produced in accordance with the bill’s stipulations, meaning growers must comply with state and federal regulations, which so far are still not described anywhere. Hemp production will be regulated by the USDA, states that wish to exert more restrictive controls must coordinate plans with the USDA which will have 60 days to either approve, disapprove or amend plans. States that wish to possess primary regulatory authority over the product have to submit a plan, if the plan is not approved it will be unlawful to produce hemp in that state without a licence.
The bill allows the transfer of hemp derived products across state lines for commercial or other purposes, putting no restrictions on sales, transport, or possession of hemp derived products so long as the products are produced in manners consistent with the law.
The FDA has indicated it may pursue regulatory reforms to legalize CBD dietary supplement products nationwide as the new law includes removing hemp from the Controlled Substances Act, meaning they are no longer an illegal substance under federal law. The FDA reiterates it will maintain control over CBDs and that CBDs currently are still not allowed to be sold as a dietary supplement for the cockeyed reason that certain companies are studying them for use as possible prescription medications, which to some is once more showing big Pharma’s reach.
“ it’s unlawful under the FD&C Act to introduce food containing added CBD or THC into interstate commerce, or to market CBD or THC products as, or in, dietary supplements, regardless of whether the substances are hemp-derived. This is because both CBD and THC are active ingredients in FDA-approved drugs and were the subject of substantial clinical investigations before they were marketed as foods or dietary supplements. Under the FD&C Act, it’s illegal to introduce drug ingredients like these into the food supply, or to market them as dietary supplements.”
The FDA signals some willingness to have conversations with industry leaders in regards to outcomes of issuing new regulations that may eliminate its current restrictions of selling CBD based dietary supplements as the FDA has authority to issue regulation allowing use of pharmaceutical ingredients in food or dietary supplements. This translates to the FDA basically implying that CBDs are a pharmaceutical ingredient, even though CBDs have been around for longer they and any pharmaceutical company’s deep pockets have even existed.
Public meetings will be held to solicit input on further regulatory changes it may pursue. Given the public’s substantial interest on the topic and Congress interest in development of appropriate hemp products a meeting will be held for all stakeholders to share experiences, challenges, views, and information related to safety of these products. The meeting will also gather input relevant to lawful pathways such products can be marketed and how to make these pathways more predictable and efficient.

Saturday, December 22, 2018

The US Just Legalized Hemp, Which Is a Key Source of CBD

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The US Just Legalized Hemp, Which Is a Key Source of CBD

The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 is a breath of fresh air for hemp farmers and may pave the way for the rescheduling of CBD.



Image: Daniel Oberhaus/Motherboard


Cannabis containing extremely low amounts of the psychoactive compound THC, otherwise known as hemp, was officially removed from the Controlled Substances Act, the US Food and Drug Administration announced on Thursday.

The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 reclassified hemp—defined as cannabis containing less than 0.3 percent THC by weight—as an agricultural product, which means its production is now the purview of the FDA, rather than the Drug Enforcement Administration.


Although you can’t smoke hemp to catch a buzz, the plant has been used for centuries in products ranging from clothing to food. Hemp requires very little water to grow and is great for the soil, so it is widely considered an environmentally friendly alternative to many other crops.

These days, however, hemp is arguably best known as the source of CBD, a molecule found in cannabis that doesn’t give users a high, but a growing body of evidence suggests it might help alleviate symptoms for a wide variety of illnesses, ranging from anxiety and depression to arthritis and epilepsy.

Read More: Why You Can’t Legally Call Organic Weed ‘Organic’

Labelled the “new ‘it’ drug” by the Washington Post, CBD has come into vogue recently due to its claimed health benefits. Indeed, it’s legal in many states where medical and recreational weed remain illegal. Nevertheless, hemp has been federally illegal since 1970 due to its association with high-THC cannabis.

Although the new law legalizing hemp doesn’t formally legalize CBD on a federal level—it is still considered a Schedule I substance by the DEA—it is a significant step in that direction.

The new law appears to be an attempt by the FDA to regulate the burgeoning CBD market. Over the past several years, the FDA has issued a number of warnings to companies that market dietary supplements containing CBD on the grounds that they are not approved by the FDA to treat illnesses and often list inaccurate amounts of CBD on the label.

Image: Daniel Oberhaus/Motherboard

“We continue to be concerned at the number of drug claims being made about products not approved by the FDA that claim to contain CBD or other cannabis-derived compounds,” the FDA wrote in a statement. “The FDA requires a cannabis product (hemp-derived or otherwise) that is marketed with a claim of therapeutic benefit...to be approved by the FDA for its intended use before it may be introduced into interstate commerce.”

In June, the FDA approved the first drug that contains CBD for the treatment of seizures associated with rare forms of epilepsy. The agency said that “pathways remain available” for organizations seeking to introduce CBD-based food or medical products into the market, but that they will be subject to the same rigorous standards as other FDA-approved products.


In the meantime, the legalization of agricultural hemp will be a major boon to the hemp farmers who have been operating in a legal gray zone since the 2014 Farm Bill okayed its production in a narrow range of cases, including in states where it was legalized for research purposes.

While this allowed states such as Colorado to foster hemp production industries that are now worth over $800 million annually in the US, it also placed farmers in an awkward position. Even if hemp was legalized in their state, they still couldn’t engage in many of the activities needed to run a business that were regulated at the federal level, such as opening a bank account.

Read More: Colorado Hemp Farmers are Turning to Bitcoin to Ease Their Banking Woes

“Despite being able to legally participate in a 2014 Farm Bill-compliant hemp pilot program, every participating farmer took some sort of financial or otherwise substantial risk,” Colleen Lanier, the executive director of the Hemp Industries Association, said in a statement. “The hemp provision in the 2018 Farm Bill eliminates those risks in favor of full recognition as an agricultural commodity.”

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WEED
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By Jacob Dubé
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Oct 19 2018, 1:15pm
Canadian Researchers Are Stoked About Access to Legal Weed

Legal cannabis means more people will be able to access science-based information instead of relying on anecdotes from their local dealer.



Legal weed means more money for research on the plant. Image: Shutterstock


Canada’s legalization of pot this week isn’t just a boon to formerly closeted stoners—Canadian scientists are also stoked about easier access and better funding to the devil’s lettuce, kickstarting a new wave of cannabis research.

Research on cannabis has been going on in Canada for years. Several Canadian post-secondary schools already offer classes and degrees related to the industry, and schools such as McMaster University and the University of Guelph in Ontario have entire labs dedicated to cannabis.


But restrictions on obtaining the plant for research purposes continue to be a barrier. As a result, there’s a lot we still don’t know about cannabis—its genetic makeup and effects—compared to other, more easily studied plants.

Read More: Still More Evidence That All Weed Is the Same

“Just preliminarily, even getting data on this extraordinarily valuable crop proved very, very challenging,” said Sean Myles, research chair in Dalhousie University’s Department of Plant, Food, and Environmental Sciences, over the phone.

According to Myles, in the past it was difficult to find research partners that had the proper licenses to produce cannabis—most were only allowed to grow hemp, which doesn’t contain enough THC to make it worth lighting up or to research.

Now that cannabis is legal nationwide, Myles said that it will increasingly be treated—and studied—like any other organism.

“Most of the potential comes from the fact that you can grow large numbers of plants under controlled conditions, measure them, and do the kind of work that really opens [the research] up,” Myles said.

Myles said he’s wanted to study cannabis since as early as 2009. He and his colleagues had been focused on gathering the genetic information of different organisms—mostly apples and grapes—and thought that cannabis studies were an untapped area.

“What attracted us to cannabis in the first place is the fact that it's such an enormously valuable economic crop,” Myles said. “Cannabis has a tremendous value, despite having very poor genomic resources. The amount we know about genetics is way out of whack with its economic value.”


According to the business consulting firm Grand View Research, the global legal cannabis industry is set to be worth more than $100 billion worldwide in the next decade, and Statistics Canada reported that Canadians spent $5.7 billion on cannabis in 2017.

On the first day of legalization, CTV News reported that Alberta sold about $730,000 worth of the stuff on its online store.

But compared to other profitable crops such as rice and corn, which have been extensively researched for years, Myles says we still have a lot to learn about cannabis. There’s such a lack of information that we can’t even get the strains right.

Read More: The Best Science Stories to Read When You’re High

A 2015 study that Myles co-authored found that what’s marketed as C.Indica andC.Sativa, the two main strains of cannabis widely known by consumers, isn’t always based in biology but by their perceived effects. A strain called Cold Creek Kush, for example, could be produced and sold by multiple vendors with little biological similarities, but all be advertised as a stress-reliever.

For Amy Porath, the director of research at the Canadian Centre for Substance Use and Addiction, legalization means that more people will be able to access science-based information about cannabis instead of relying on anecdotes from their local dealer.

Last year, the CCSA released a report detailing its research priorities for cannabis in the next few years, which included its effects on the brain and a person’s mental health. Porath said she’s heard all sorts of false beliefs about cannabis—like it makes you a better driver (it’s still illegal to drive high) and prevents cancer.


“There is a lot of misinformation on the internet,” Porath told me. “There's a lot of mixed messages out there in the popular media, so there's a real need to have balanced, evidence-based public education for youth.”

Myles said that he’s excited that Canadian researchers will be able to work on the forefront of the huge scientific shift happening with cannabis.

The federal government, as well as private institutions, has been pouring money into cannabis research since legalization was announced in 2015. Last year, the Canadian government launched a research grant of $1 million ($766,000 US), giving up to $100,000 to ten cannabis-related projects, with at least one project specifically dedicated towards research involving Canada’s Indigenous peoples. In May, four researchers from the University of Alberta received $300,000 in cannabis-research funding through two private companies, Mitacs Canada and Aurora Cannabis.

“It's super exciting,” Myles said. “Like, this never happens. All of a sudden, there's an organism on the planet that's worth a tremendous amount, that nobody knew anything about, and you're allowed to investigate it with some pretty deep pockets behind it.”


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Friday, December 21, 2018

FDA AND CBD: NEW HOPE FOR A NEW PATH

FDA AND CBD: NEW HOPE FOR A NEW PATH

Yesterday was one for the history books.  Thanks to years of hard work from so many Hemp Supporters, the era of hemp prohibition is now over.  Check out our press page for some of the media clips that highlight our monumental victory.
But the 2018 Farm Bill’s passage was just the beginning.  
As we’ve been reminding you, while the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is now officially out of the hemp regulation business, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) retains its authority to regulate all ingestible and topical products, including those that contain hemp and hemp extracts such as cannabidiol (CBD).  We’ve been concerned about FDA overreach, particularly in light of a non-binding Q&A posted on the FDA web site starting about three years ago which suggests that CBD products cannot be marketed as foods or dietary supplements.  Fortunately, no enforcement actions have been taken against CBD sellers, with the exception of those that inappropriately marketed their products with disease remediation claims.
Shortly after the Farm Bill signing, a letter was released by FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb that restated FDA’s current position, opining that it’s a violation of federal law to introduce CBD ingredients “into the food supply or market them as dietary supplements.” That’s nothing new.
But the letter also contained, for the very first time, new hope for a new path toward FDA’s acceptance of hemp-derived CBD as a food additive or nutritional supplement.  For the very first time, the FDA is seriously considering using its authority to issue a regulation that will specifically allow hemp-derived ingredients in foods and supplements:
[P]athways remain available for the FDA to consider whether there are circumstances in which certain cannabis-derived compounds might be permitted in a food or dietary supplement. Although such products are generally prohibited to be introduced in interstate commerce, the FDA has authority to issue a regulation allowing the use of a pharmaceutical ingredient in a food or dietary supplement. We are taking new steps to evaluate whether we should pursue such a process.
Better yet, as it makes this decision, the FDA is reaching out to the industry and the public:
Given the substantial public interest in this topic and the clear interest of Congress in fostering the development of appropriate hemp products, we intend to hold a public meeting in the near future for stakeholders to share their experiences and challenges with these products, including information and views related to the safety of such products. We’ll use this meeting to gather additional input relevant to the lawful pathways by which products containing cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds can be marketed, and how we can make these legal pathways more predictable and efficient. We’ll also solicit input relevant to our regulatory strategy related to existing products, while we continue to evaluate and take action against products that are being unlawfully marketed and create risks for consumers. At the same time, we recognize the potential opportunities that cannabis or cannabis-derived compounds could offer and acknowledge the significant interest in these possibilities. We’re committed to pursuing an efficient regulatory framework for allowing product developers that meet the requirements under our authorities to lawfully market these types of products.
We can assure you that the Roundtable will be in the room where it happens.  With the guidance of our FDA counsel, Amin Talati Upadhye, and the partnership with other industry organizations such as the American Herbal Products Association and the Hemp Industries Association, the pursuit of this approval path will be one of our top priorities for 2019.
And some more good news from the FDA:  Yesterday as well, FDA issued a statement opining that the “agency has no questions”about the conclusion that hulled hemp seed, hemp seed protein powder and hemp seed oil are generally recognized as safe (GRAS) under their intended conditions of use.  While the GRAS evaluation was made at the request of a specific company, Fresh Hemp Foods, “the GRAS conclusions can apply to ingredients from other companies, if they are manufactured in a way that is consistent with the notices and they meet the listed specifications. Some of the intended uses for these ingredients include adding them as source of protein, carbohydrates, oil, and other nutrients to beverages (juices, smoothies, protein drinks, plant-based alternatives to dairy products), soups, dips, spreads, sauces, dressings, plant-based alternatives to meat products, desserts, baked goods, cereals, snacks and nutrition bars.”
Much work is yet to be done. But just as FDA scientists recently concluded that CBD has no abuse potential and does not pose a risk to public health, the agency is reevaluating its positions on hemp and hemp products.  And the Roundtable will be there to help ensure that they reach the right conclusions.

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Cannabidiol (CBD) — what we know and what we don’t


Peter Grinspoon, MD

Contributing Editor  Source
Cannabidiol (CBD) has been recently covered in the media, and you may have even seen it as an add-in booster to your post-workout smoothie or morning coffee. What exactly is CBD? Why is it suddenly so popular?

How is cannabidiol different from marijuana?

CBD stands for cannabidiol. It is the second most prevalent of the active ingredients of cannabis (marijuana). While CBD is an essential component of medical marijuana, it is derived directly from the hemp plant, which is a cousin of the marijuana plant. While CBD is a component of marijuana (one of hundreds), by itself it does not cause a “high.” According to a report from the World Health Organization, “In humans, CBD exhibits no effects indicative of any abuse or dependence potential…. To date, there is no evidence of public health related problems associated with the use of pure CBD.”

Is cannabidiol legal?

CBD is readily obtainable in most parts of the United States, though its exact legal status is in flux. All 50 states have laws legalizing CBD with varying degrees of restriction, and while the federal government still considers CBD in the same class as marijuana, it doesn’t habitually enforce against it. In December 2015, the FDA eased the regulatory requirements to allow researchers to conduct CBD trials. Currently, many people obtain CBD online without a medical cannabis license. The government’s position on CBD is confusing, and depends in part on whether the CBD comes from hemp or marijuana. The legality of CBD is expected to change, as there is currently bipartisan consensus in Congress to make the hemp crop legal which would, for all intents and purposes, make CBD difficult to prohibit.

The evidence for cannabidiol health benefits

CBD has been touted for a wide variety of health issues, but the strongest scientific evidence is for its effectiveness in treating some of the cruelest childhood epilepsy syndromes, such as Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS), which typically don’t respond to antiseizure medications. In numerous studies, CBD was able to reduce the number of seizures, and in some cases it was able to stop them altogether. Videos of the effects of CBD on these children and their seizures are readily available on the Internet for viewing, and they are quite striking. Recently the FDA approved the first ever cannabis-derived medicine for these conditions, Epidiolex, which contains CBD.
CBD is commonly used to address anxiety, and for patients who suffer through the misery of insomnia, studies suggest that CBD may help with both falling asleep and staying asleep.
CBD may offer an option for treating different types of chronic pain. A study from the European Journal of Pain showed, using an animal model, CBD applied on the skin could help lower pain and inflammation due to arthritis. Another study demonstrated the mechanism by which CBD inhibits inflammatory and neuropathic pain, two of the most difficult types of chronic pain to treat. More study in humans is needed in this area to substantiate the claims of CBD proponents about pain control.

Is cannabidiol safe?

Side effects of CBD include nausea, fatigue and irritability. CBD can increase the level in your blood of the blood thinner coumadin, and it can raise levels of certain other medications in your blood by the exact same mechanism that grapefruit juice does. A significant safety concern with CBD is that it is primarily marketed and sold as a supplement, not a medication. Currently, the FDA does not regulate the safety and purity of dietary supplements. So you cannot know for sure that the product you buy has active ingredients at the dose listed on the label. In addition, the product may contain other (unknown) elements. We also don’t know the most effective therapeutic dose of CBD for any particular medical condition.

The bottom line on cannabidiol

Some CBD manufacturers have come under government scrutiny for wild, indefensible claims, such that CBD is a cure-all for cancer, which it is not. We need more research but CBD may be prove to be an option for managing anxiety, insomnia, and chronic pain. Without sufficient high-quality evidence in human studies we can’t pinpoint effective doses, and because CBD is currently is mostly available as an unregulated supplement, it’s difficult to know exactly what you are getting. If you decide to try CBD, talk with your doctor — if for no other reason than to make sure it won’t affect other medications you are taking.
Joy Organics - Pharmaceutical Grade Hemp CBD Oil

Anxiety Relief Without The High? New Studies On CBD, A Cannabis Extract


TRANSCRIPTSource
April 23, 20184:59 AM ET
Heard on Morning Edition


ALLISON AUBREY




A sample of cannabidiol (CBD) oil is dropped into water. Supplements containing the marijuana extract are popular and widely sold as remedies for a variety of ailments and aches. But scientific evidence that they work hasn't yet caught up for most applications, researchers say.Stefan Wermuth/Bloomberg Creative Photos/Getty Images

As more states legalize marijuana, there's growing interest in a cannabis extract — cannabidiol, also known as CBD.

It's marketed as a compound that can help relieve anxiety — and, perhaps, help ease aches and pains, too.

Part of the appeal, at least for people who don't want to get high, is that CBD doesn't have the same mind-altering effects as marijuana, since it does not contain THC, the psychoactive component of the plant.

"My customers are buying CBD [for] stress relief," says Richard Ferry, the retail manager of Home Grown Apothecary in Portland, Ore., where recreational marijuana use is legal under state law, with some restrictions.


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Another rationale Ferry's heard from clients about their CBD use: "Their mother-in-law is in town, and they just want to chill out!"

"CBD has gotten a lot of buzz," Ferry says, as he displays an array of CBD products, including capsules and bottles of liquid CBD oil that users dispense under the tongue with a dropper.

By one estimate, the CBD industry has doubled in size over the last two years, and is now worth $200 million. But with this popularity the hype may have gotten ahead of the science.




Former Denver Broncos quarterback Jake Plaummer takes a dose of cannabidiol in Colorado in 2016. CBD oil, often dispensed under the tongue with a dropper, has been regulated as a supplement in the U.S., not a medicine. So strength and purity may vary from brand to brand, or even bottle to bottle, scientists say.Aaron Ontiveroz/Denver Post via Getty Images

"There's a lot of confusion about how it [CBD] works and what it does exactly," Ferry says.

Researchers now are trying to nail down CBD's effects.

"I think there's good evidence to suggest that CBD could be an effective treatment of anxiety and addiction" and other disorders, says Dr. Esther Blessing, a psychiatrist and researcher at New York University. "But we need clinical trials to find out."


So far, evidence of the substance's anti-anxiety effect comes from animal research and from very small, short-term human studies that suggest CBD exhibits anti-inflammatory and anti-anxiety properties.




The Marijuana Business Conference & Expo in Chicago in 2015 displayed oil containing CBD extracted from agricultural hemp. Today CBD oil alone is estimated to be a $200 million industry.Carla K. Johnson/AP

These preliminary findings piqued Blessing's interest. For instance, she points to a 2011 study of a few dozen people, some of whom had social anxiety disorder, who were asked to speak in front of a large audience. Researchers compared anxiety levels in people after they took CBD, compared to those who got the placebo or nothing at all. (The participants didn't know if they'd been given the drug or the placebo.)

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GW Pharmaceuticals makes Epidiolex, a medicine containing pharmaceutical-grade CBD. Last week, a panel of FDA advisers recommended approval of the drug to treat severe seizure disorders in children.Kathy Young/AP

And what did the scientists find? "People who took CBD reported significantly less anxiety" compared to those who got the placebo, Blessing says. "It's really interesting."

Now, with funding from the National Institutes of Health, Blessing and group of collaborators are about to begin a clinical trial to test whether CBD can help people with post-traumatic stress disorder who also have moderate or severe alcohol use disorder.

During the study, 50 participants with PTSD coexisting with alcohol use disorder will be given either 400 milligrams of CBD daily, or a placebo. The goal is to see if the participants who take CBD end up drinking less and whether this leads to an improvement in PTSD symptoms. The participants will be given a pharmaceutical-grade CBD, which is more reliable in strength and purity than the supplements that are currently available for sale to the public.

Another Phase 2 clinical trial (to test efficacy and side effects) is exploring whether CBD might help prevent relapse in opioid abusers by reducing craving for the drug. The study's led by Yasmin Hurd, a neuroscientist who directs the Addiction Institute at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

Hurd has been trying to rally other top scientists to study CBD's effects and potential benefits in the treatment of substance abuse.

It may seem counterintuitive that a component of marijuana could be useful in treating addiction to another drug. But Blessing says using CBD is very different from using marijuana. Though CBD is extracted from cannabis, it does not lead to altered perception and cognition.


"Drugs can be non-psychoactive and still have an effect on the brain," Blessing says. "CBD does have an effect on the brain, but it seems to affect the brain in possibly medicinal ways."

Results from Blessing study are a few years off. But in the meantime, just last week, a panel of advisors to the Food and Drug Administration recommended approval of the first pharmaceutical grade CBD, called Epidiolex, to treat severe seizure disorders in children. This could open the door to more research to approve its use in other disorders.

Dr. Robert Carson is a pediatric neurologist at Vanderbilt University who has evaluated the effectiveness of CBD supplements in kids with seizures. He says the supplements can be beneficial for these children. However, he says, if the FDA follows its advisory panel's advice and approves a pharmaceutical-grade CBD drug, that would open up a new treatment option by delivering a high-quality, consistent dose of CBD.

"One of the main caveats I tell my patients who use a CBD supplement is that we cannot guarantee what's in it," Carson explains. "We can't guarantee the consistency."

Supplements aren't regulated as strictly as pharmaceuticals, and can vary widely from bottle to bottle or brand to brand.

And there's another issue would-be users face: Though CBD supplements are widely available for sale, a legal murkiness surrounds marijuana extracts.

Even if you live in a state where marijuana use is legal, the federal Drug Enforcement Administration still classifies the CBD extract as a Schedule 1 substance — the DEA's most restricted category. According to the agency, "Schedule I drugs, substances or chemicals are defined as drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse."

Proponents of CBD's use in treating medical conditions and ailments hope the findings of studies now underway will help change that thinking about its legal classification — and its potential benefits.

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CBD and hemp are now legal in the U.S


CBD and hemp are now legal in the U.S., so what does that mean for pot companies?



Published: Dec 20, 2018 6:01 p.m. ET Source



Legalization of hemp leaves CBD decisions up to the states, could boost hemp farming in U.S.

BloombergPresident Donald Trump signed the farm bill on Thursday, which legalized industrial hemp in the U.S.


By
MAXA. CHERNEY

TECH REPORTER



Industrial hemp is now legal in the U.S., which could loosen laws around the popular marijuana extract CBD.

President Donald Trump signed the 2018 farm bill on Thursday afternoon, which legalized hemp — a variety of cannabis that does not produce the psychoactive component of marijuana — paving the way to legitimacy for an agricultural sector that has been operating on the fringe of the law. Industrial hemp has made investors and executives swoon because of the potential multibillion-dollar market for cannabidiol, or CBD, a non-psychoactive compound that has started to turn up in beverages, health products and pet snacks, among other products.

The farm bill is a sprawling piece of legislation that sets U.S. government agricultural and food policy for the country and is renewed roughly every five years. This version of the bill places industrial hemp — which is defined as a cannabis plant with under 0.3% of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC — under the supervision of the Agriculture Department and removes CBD from the purview of the Controlled Substances Act, which covers marijuana. The law also “explicitly” preserved the Food and Drug Administration’s authority to regulate products containing cannabis, or cannabis-derived compounds.

Don’t miss: Everything you need to know about CBD

The overall effect is not assured because, like cannabis — which is illegal under U.S. federal law although some states have allowed medical or recreational use — states will continue to be able to enact laws related to CBD and industrial hemp, allowing for a potential patchwork of legislation across the country. Other questions remain in terms of how exactly the Agriculture Department will regulate the plant.

As CBD goes mainstream and beverage giants, food companies and others have begun to take serious interest in the roughly $2 billion U.S. market. Tilray Inc.TLRY, +10.28% announced a partnership with Anheuser-Busch InBev SABUD, -1.48% this week to research marijuana-based beverages, and Constellation Brands Inc. STZ, -3.03% has invested heavily in pot producer Canopy Growth Corp. Other large companies, like Molson Coors Brewing Co.TAP, -0.92% , have invested in research, and Coca-Cola Co. KO, -0.75% and others have at least considered making a play for the space.


Opinion: Marijuana beverages are the new thing, but investors should only take sips

Smaller companies focused on CBD beverages, such as New Age Beverages Corp.NBEV, +8.73% , have been targeted by investors, but some firms have used CBD-related announcements to pump stock prices as well as fuel excitement in a compound that scientists do not fully understand. Other companies operating in the sector will benefit too: Charlotte’s Web Holdings Inc. CWBHF, +9.17% has focused on a range of CBD products, capturing about 17% market share in 2017 with sales in 3,000 retail locations, according to PI Financial research.

Read: All the potential red flags for investors in IGC, the pot stock that jumped 1,000% in three months

U.K.-based GW Pharmaceuticals PLC GWPH, -5.38% also stands to gain from the farm bill, as one of its flagship drugs called Epidiolex, a seizure drug, counts CBD as an important component. Epidiolex is the first drug derived from cannabis that the Food and Drug Administration has approved.

Despite uncertainties, cannabis executives and those tied only to the hemp-growing industry are heralding the farm bill as a major victory for business owners and consumers.

Qualis Cannabis Corp. Chief Product Officer Julien Morris said that the bill grants the same legitimacy to hemp farmers as others in agriculture.

“It allows them to use banks, get insurance and investment capital will be less spooked,” he said over the phone.

Luke Zigovits, chief executive of Wisconsin-based Hemp Science, said, “We can finally relax. Because now we can source seed, now we can sell our product across state lines. Prohibition is over. It broadens horizons, allowing universities to do research, for example.” Beyond moving the industry into legitimacy, Zigovits said there are opportunities for tobacco farmers in Wisconsin and elsewhere to start growing industrial hemp crops as well.

Opinion: Follow this company to profit from hemp becoming legal

In Canada, where cannabis for recreational use is legal under federal law, some of the largest licensed pot producers have been eyeing or actively trying to capture the CBD market via hemp-related expansion.

Tilray Chief Executive Brendan Kennedy said over the phone earlier this week that his company has made a supply agreement with LiveWell Canada Inc. to purchase industrial hemp-derived CBD that it will use for “wellness” and medical products distributed across the U.S. and Canada.

More on pot drinks: Weed beer is near, and it’s gonna get weird

“That gives us the opportunity to meet increased demand in Canada and other countries around the world, and presents us with an opportunity to capitalize on a $22 billion market for hemp-derived products,” he said.

Executives from Canopy Growth CGC, -1.78% WEED, -1.38% and rival Aurora Cannabis Inc. ACB, -3.59% ACB, -3.64% both discussed their hemp operations on September-quarter earnings calls that included disappointing results related to early recreational pot sales. Aurora declined to comment on the latest developments and Canopy did not make executives available by the time of publication.

A guide to pot stocks: What you need to know to invest in cannabis companies

“We have intellectual property that we’ve developed around how to manage hemp, and that we thought was prudent, because I think hemp is going to happen in the U.S. and when it does, I know that’s not the time to start,” said Canopy Chief Executive Bruce Linton in November’s earnings conference call. “You should have already been started up and ramped up, and get ready to revenue up. We think we are.”

Aurora Chief Corporate Officer Cam Battley said in the company’s earnings call last month that it has made acquisitions in Lithuania and Uruguay, as well as taken a stake in an Alberta-based hemp producer, giving it a strong position in the market.

“With this large presence in the CBD space, we’re embarking on a CBD-focused strategy that covers the entire value chain from supply through genetics, research and clinical trials to product development and distribution and distributing product to international markets across five continents,” Battley said in the call.

See also: Hemp and CBD now qualify for one of the most lucrative — and wasteful — government subsidies

Cronos Group Inc. CRON, -0.36% CRON, +0.20% , unlike some of its Canadian rivals, may not be as well-positioned to take advantage of changes to industrial hemp laws in the U.S.; it has not banked sales from hemp-related products nor does it have assets related to hemp. Cronos declined to comment.

Cannabis stocks mostly fell Thursday with a few exceptions. Tilray gained 10.4% after Wednesday’s announcement, Cronos fell 2.3%, Canopy dipped 1.8% and Aurora dropped 3.6%. ETFMG Alternative Harvest ETF MJ, -2.24% was down 2.2% as the S&P 500 index SPX, -1.58% declined 1.6%.
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Wednesday, December 19, 2018

CBD Oil : What is it best used for?

CBD Oil : What is it best used for?

CBD is one of the most important cannabinoids extracted from the cannabis plant. It is popular for its use in remedies and ailments. It does not have mind-altering effects and works only for relieving pain.
THC which is another cannabinoid from the cannabis plant is known to be psychoactive having similar properties like marijuana. CBD Oil is made by using any carrier oil such as coconut oil for dilution. CBD oil is known for its properties of treating chronic pain diseases which are also backed by scientific evidence.
How Does CBD Oil work in the Body?
Pain relief is essential to those suffering from it continuously. CBD oil makes it possible for such sufferers to live a healthy life without any pain suffering. There are certain components in CBD that work to relieve pain by having an impact on the endocannabinoid activity in the body.
The neurotransmitters in the body are produced as endocannabinoids which bind to the cannabinoids received by the nervous system. CBD reduces the sensations of pain significantly through this activity. However, the combination of CBD with THC has more effective and impactful properties for relieving pain.
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What are the Benefits of CBD?
CBD is the chemical compound known for its ailing properties and it may be helpful for you in many ways.
Pain Reliever
Scientists have carried out various experiments for proving that CBD is useful as a pain reliever. It helps relieve chronic pain as well by interacting with neurotransmitters. An oral spray containing both the compounds CBD and THC is approved for human use as it can help in getting rid of the pain. Arthritis pain is known to get relieved with it as well.
Anxiety and Depression
CBD oil has positive effects on the body which helps fight depression and anxiety. Anxiety disorders may be troublesome in an individual’s life together with depression which again accounts for several disabilities. CBD is not known to be addictive which marks it safe for human use without posing any risks for health.
Anxiety disorders are usually treated with the help of medical drugs which may have side effects in form of sexual dysfunction, headache, insomnia, drowsiness, and agitation.
600mg of CBD dose was given to people with anxiety disorder before speaking publicly. The study proved that people given CBD shots had less anxiety than the ones who were not given CBD. It is known to regulate mood and reduce depression by interacting with serotonin.
Alleviates Cancer
CBD can help wave off the symptoms of cancer like nausea and pain. CBD and THC both worked to reduce pain in cancer patients who were not even able to find a cure through medicines. The anti-cancer properties make the compound worth a lot as treatments become expensive with other drugs.
Good for Heart
A compound that helps the heart to perform well can be termed as effective in many terms. CBD is known to lower blood pressure to improve the circulatory system. This way CBD also prevents conditions like metabolic syndrome which affects health badly. The powerful antioxidant properties of CBD helps reduce inflammation and dying of old cells to decrease the risk of heart stroke.
Studies on mice and rate have shown that CBD played a role in preventing heart damage in diabetic condition.
Reduces Acne
Acne is a skin condition that people suffer from if there are issues internally in the body. Several factors account for acne such as genes, bacteria, oil glands producing excess sebum, or inflammation. CBD oil is known for its anti-inflammatory properties which helps treat acne.
CBD helps to Quit Smoking
Evidence has proved that CBD is helpful in letting people quit smoking. This was done by cutting off cravings for nicotine through CBD inhalers CBD is becoming a promising treatment therapy for addiction disorders.
However, CBD itself is not addictive in nature as it helps with several conditions and disorders in the body. It has been seen to reduce anxiety, insomnia, and pain which is a good sign.
CBD – Best Known for Treating Neurological Disorders
Neuropsychiatric disorders are the most difficult to deal with common medicines as they don’t treat the symptoms altogether but can provide temporary relief only. CBD based products may treat various complications resulting from neurological disorders.
CBD is believed to have effects on the neurological system through endocannabinoids as it signals the brain to react certainly. It is known to improve sleep and well being for people suffering from Parkinson’s disease. It may also help patients with Alzheimer’s disease as it improves brain activity in several ways.
study published in the Current Pharmaceutical Design stated that CBD has similar properties to that of various anti-psychotic medicines.
The treatment is safe and very effective in many terms as it does not pose any serious risks for health. Neurotherapeutics have found the compound useful for anxiety as it manipulates the brain and its transmitters to react well.
Alzheimers Disease
Alzheimer’s disease is known for behavioral problems among patients as their memory gets weaker with time. CBD is able to prevent deficits of social recognition of patients in an early stage.
Alzheimer’s disease is known for behavioral problems among patients as their memory gets weaker with time. CBD is able to prevent deficits of social recognition of patients in an early stage. It slows down the progression of various diseases for better well-being.
Epilepsy
CBD was approved to treat two complex conditions of Epilepsy through Epidiolex as it was effective in reducing the symptoms. The year 2018 made its approval official as doctors can now prescribe epidiolex as a therapeutic drug.
The two severe forms of epilepsy disease are known to be treated with CBD oil which is a plus point about it. This has made FDA approve its use as a medicine in such cases. The decision was made after clinical trials for which patients which will be able to receive a reliable dose. Not all forms of marijuana have been approved as there is still doubt about its safety for humans.
CBD – Legality and Terms of Use
CBD is often associated with marijuana, however, it is different in nature and does not cause abusive cases. It is legal in most of the states of America considering the potential benefits it serves us with. In the year 2018, FDA approved the use of CBD oil in form of epidiolex which is used for treating epilepsy.
The recreational and medicinal properties of CBD has pushed it to become legal for use in the United States. Although the use of marijuana is still under debate as there is less evidence to prove that is harmless. CBD is legal for use as a hemp product which provides several medicinal benefits for the body.
Different states have allowed different doses of CBD to be used in products considering its safety for humans. Also, different levels of prescription are required to be treated with CBD in some of the states. Only a local health provider can help determine the reliable source for CBD according to local laws.
Although there are no significant side effects reported with CBD oil, it is restricted for use in high doses. Only doses prescribed are safe for treating a condition. However, some of the most common side effects include diarrhea and tiredness.
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