Canada’s cannabis industry has seen employment numbers nearly quadruple over the last year – from 2,630 jobs to 9,200 jobs, according to Statistics Canada figures outlined by Bloomberg News. Of those jobs, about 60 percent are in cultivation, harvesting, processing, manufacturing, and administration, while 20 percent work in packaging, marketing, and sales.
In 2017, Canada’s cannabis space counted just 1,438 jobs.
In all, there are 175 cannabis firms operating in the Great White North, up from 83 last year, and just 37 in 2017. Combined, Canada‘s cannabis companies have total assets of C$4.2 billion, as of April – up from C$2.5 billion in fiscal 2018 and C$704 million in fiscal 2017. Wages, salaries, and employee benefits account for about 29 percent of cannabusiness expenses in the nation while raw materials and other inputs account for about 25 percent.
The nation’s licensed producers sold about 46 metric tons (101,413 pounds) of cannabis over the last fiscal year and had 39 metric tons (85,980 pounds) of inventory on hand.
Cannabis companies reported to Statistics Canada that, while their revenues rose 92 percent in fiscal year 2018 and another 52 percent by April, all companies reported overall losses.
In June, Statistics Canada reported that the nation had earned $186 million in excise and general taxes on cannabis-related goods and services during the first five-and-a-half months of legal sales.
A cannabis eradication law enforcement action in Ashtabula County, Ohio uncovered as many as 85 plants but law enforcement officials levied no charges due to the state’s recently passed hemp law, News 5 Cleveland reports.
In a letter to state prosecutors, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation – an agency involved in the sweep – noted that THC-rich cannabis “cannot be identified solely by historical techniques (microscopic examination and Duquenois-Levine color testing)” and “Quantitative analysis is necessary to ensure the THC content exceeds the statutory 0.3 [percent] level.” In the letter, BCI recommends suspending cannabis enforcement and not try “any cannabis-related items […] prior to the crime laboratory … being capable to perform the necessary quantitative analysis.”
Earlier this month, Attorney General Dave Yost announced the creation of a program to help law enforcement agencies differentiate between hemp and illegal cannabis. The program will provide agencies with $50,000 to have “large quantities” of cannabis tested by laboratories with the technology to test THC content.
Crime Enforcement Agency of Ashtabula County Commander Detective Greg Leonhard told NBC 5 there wasn’t enough cannabis seized in this week’s Drug Enforcement Administration-funded flyover enforcement action to charge anyone with a third-degree felony and the hemp law change makes further investigation into the grows impractical. He added that the with the attorney general’s program, people could be charged during next year’s enforcement actions.
No hemp cultivation licenses have been issued in Ohio, so cultivation of the plant is still, technically, illegal in the state.
Some law enforcement officials in other states without legalized cannabis – including Nebraska, Georgia and Texas – have said they would not make arrests or commit to prosecutions for low-level cannabis charges citing their state’s passage of hemp legalization legislation.
Last week I made my way to Montreal, Quebec, Canada — just a two-hour drive from my home in upstate, New York — and, after having covered the nation’s federal cannabis legalization, I was excited to experience it for myself. I came back with the following takeaways on weed in Canada.
Cannabis use is not ubiquitous
Of course, there were people smoking in public — and in the massive line to get into the government-run dispensary in downtown Montreal — but I saw more people drinking alcohol on the street than consuming cannabis. Even once the sun went down on the shore of the Mighty St. Lawrence River, the parks were mostly clear of cannabis odor.
Of course, this was not the case outside of the venue I was a patron of for a punk rock show — there was no shortage of concert-goers smoking joints on that street but the club’s security didn’t mind and those consuming largely did so nearer the street so as not to offend the people walking past the club.
There is also zero advertising, so you would barely notice that cannabis is legal if not for the “No Cannabis Smoking” signs pocked throughout the city. Even the dispensary had no outward signs it was a retail cannabis seller (except for the queue).
Such no-smoking signs are visible throughout Montreal.
There is a need for social-use establishments
As a tourist, it didn’t feel right lighting up in public — I mean, I did and I often do wherever I go regardless of local laws. Throughout my three-day, 11-joint stay, I mostly smoked in alleys, sparsely populated public parks, and outside of the aforementioned music venue; just once smoking “legally” on the balcony of a friend’s apartment. Each time, though, it felt uncouth. I knew I wouldn’t get in trouble or anything but I felt like I was doing exactly what prohibitionists warn the public-at-large about — contributing to public nuisance despite going out of my way to be as incognito as possible.
It would have been ideal to have an indoor place to smoke a joint, have a soft drink, and relax, instead of ripping down a half-gram joint as quickly as possible in an alley or under a tree. The hotel I stayed at imposed a CAD$1,000 fine for smoking in the room, including cannabis — which falls under local no-smoking regulations just like tobacco. If the government and residents don’t want tourists and others to consume in public they need to establish and support social-use establishments.
The market needs edibles
In the absence of social-use establishments, edibles cannot come soon enough. I wouldn’t have even bought flower had edibles been an option — I like them better than smoking and could have consumed them anywhere I had visited. However, with smokeable (and vapeable) products as the only legally-available option, of course people, especially tourists, are going to be consuming in public — there’s no other viable way to enjoy weed in Canada.
It’s not as expensive as you might think
Seriously, I bought nine joints legally — totaling 6 grams — and it cost me about what flower costs me in the upstate New York illegal market (less than US$60). Now, I realize for Canadians there is a bit of sticker shock, but for me (and the guy from Philly who was in the line next to me) the price was not at all a deterrent for purchasing legal products. I was given a gram by my friend (who still purchases outside of the legal shops), which prevented me from having to go back into the dispensary, but I would not have been dissuaded from making another run because of the price. More likely, it would have been the line.
The exterior packaging of my legal cannabis purchase in Canada.
The packaging is too much
I get the urge to use child-resistant packaging but with two of the pre-rolls I bought they were each in a cardboard box that held a sealed, plastic container for the joint itself — that’s a lot of waste for what, illegally, comes in one plastic bag (along with the rest of the purchase). The other joints came in hard plastic tubes with multiples per tube but still, far more waste than a sandwich bag.
And, sure, I would have received one plastic package had I just bought it by the gram and not pre-rolls, but it would have been much harder to consume as there are not a lot of places to openly roll a joint or use a pipe, and I wasn’t going to risk crossing the U.S. border with even a roach let alone leftovers or paraphernalia.
A look at the excessive packaging from the inside of a box of pre-rolls.
More shops need to open
The line at the dispensary I went to wrapped nearly around the block; however, it moved fairly quickly and I spent about 30 minutes from the time I lined up until the time I walked out. But the long line makes the buying experience a bit stressful, as you don’t want to be the one that holds it up so you sort of make your choices under self-imposed duress. Don’t take that to mean that the staff rushes you along — quite the opposite, actually; they were very friendly and patient but when you know you have 200 people behind you, it makes you want to hurry.
Of course, it’s been less than a year since legal sales commenced and had I wanted to drive I could have found a dispensary that might have had shorter lines, but it was apparent that there is a need for another dispensary or two at least in downtown Montreal.
The Canadian model — at least the one I experienced in Montreal — is what I expect the industry to look like in states that legalize via the legislature: tested, packaged, products with no advertising and no places for non-residents to safely consume. For me, it was the first time I had bought cannabis at a dispensary (although I had made legal purchases at Michigan’s Cannabis Cup) and the experience was, mostly, everything I expected; although, I really did expect to see more people smoking on the streets and advertisements for delivery or a dispensary location services at least.
The next trip I make will likely be after edibles are legalized (the word is they’ll be available by Jan. 1, 2020) and I plan to look around for more cannabis-friendly accommodations and, while weed in Canada is not perfect — I do think they would be served by opening up dispensing to private companies — I didn’t have that fear of being fined or even arrested for the joints in my pocket. And as I walked out with my brown paper bag I uttered, “There is freedom in Canada.”
The Ooze Slugger Dabbin Dugout is a silicone travel kit designed for on-the-move dabbing, and for bringing your dabbing gear on the road.
Complete with silicone padding and smart, secure storage for your ceramic or glass nails, bowls, packaged concentrates, and more, the Ooze Slugger Dabbin Dugout is a sleek, compact design that can fit nicely in your backpack, purse, or — if you’re traveling within a fully legalized state — even your airplane carry-on and/or checked luggage.
One end of the Dabbin Dugout travel case contains two long compartments. These compartments come pre-filled — one compartment contains an Ooze nectar collector, which is a long, straight silicone tube designed for the easy vaporization of cannabis waxes or oils; the other compartment opens into two smaller pockets that each come pre-filled with a nail, one glass and the other titanium.
On the opposite end of the Ooze Slugger Dabbin Dugout, a silicone flap can be peeled back to reveal a larger compartment designed for easy, on-the-go dabbing. The base of this pocket is lined with a glass bowl, which works as a convenient dabbing surface, as the sticky stuff you put there won’t get stuck as easily and the compartment can be swiftly wiped clean when you’re finished. Combined with the nectar collector, this is a much more travel-friendly option than traditional dab rigs, as you won’t have to risk losing or breaking your favorite piece when you’re out and about.
Lastly, one of the travel kit’s long sides contains an additional chamber that has been broken into four individual storage compartments. These pockets are handy for packing away various cannabis concentrate samples — we would suggest keeping them wrapped up in wax paper, however, to avoid making a mess of things!
All in all, the Ooze Slugger Dabbin Dugout does its job without fuss or complications. It’s a great travel solution for bringing your at-home dabbing experience on the road, and is perfect for consumers who want to take that extra step to guarantee their travel experience won’t result in a cracked nail or misplaced gram.
With a $50.00 price tag, we recommend this product for individuals who really enjoy collecting, protecting, and nerding out about their fancy dabbing gear. Remember: while this kit comes with its own collection of nails and vaping tools, you can always insert your own favorite products in their place!
Researchers at Harvard University’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have found a cannabis flavonoid to have “significant therapy potential” for treating pancreatic cancer, according to a CBS Local (New York) report. In studies, the flavonoid derivative – FBL-03G – killed tumor cells in 70 percent of mice with pancreatic cancer.
Flavonoids, which are non-psychoactive, are naturally occurring in plants, vegetables, and fruits, giving them their colors among other things. In cannabis, they make up just .14 percent of the plant.
Wilfred Ngwa, PhD, an assistant professor at Harvard and one of the study’s researchers, told Yahoo Lifestyle that the “most significant conclusion” of the study is “that tumor-targeted delivery of flavonoids, derived from cannabis, enabled both local and metastatic tumor cell kill.” He added that this could “significantly” increase survival rates for the disease.
In the study, the researchers note that the five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer patients is 8 percent and that it often metastasizes to other organs before it’s diagnosed. It could be the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the U.S. by next year, behind lung cancer, according to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.
“We were quite surprised that the drug could inhibit the growth of cancer cells in other parts of the body, representing metastasis, that were not targeted by the treatment. This suggests that the immune system is involved as well, and we are currently investigating this mechanism.” – Ngwa, to CBS Local
Ngwa said the team hopes to complete pre-clinical trials with the compound by the end of 2020.
Weedmaps is no longer going to allow for or advertise unlicensed cannabis businesses, the company announced on Wednesday, along with plans to provide tools to help social equity entrepreneurs enter the space.
Under the changes, U.S. retailers will be required to provide a state-issued license number on their listing, and Weedmaps is restricting the use of its point of sale, online orders, delivery logistics, and wholesale exchange software-as-a-service platforms exclusively to licensed operators.
CEO Chris Beals said the changes underscore the company’s “commitment to working with lawmakers and regulators to foster a flourishing legal market.”
Last year, the company came under fire by California regulators for mapping and allowing unlicensed cannabusinesses to advertise on the site. The firm argued that advertisers on the platform “represent and warrant” that they comply with local laws and the individual companies were responsible for operating without a license. The Bureau of Cannabis Control never took action against Weedmaps.
Beals said that the company’s new social equity initiative – which includes professional development and support, resources, and access to Weedmaps services free of charge for one year – would help “give a leg up” to qualified applicants.
Julian Canete, president and CEO of the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, said the initiative provides “minority entrepreneurs with the skills, tools and resources they need to compete for those licenses. And get them.”
“Minorities make up the majority of the unlicensed business owners in the cannabis industry – and the overwhelming majority of them want to operate out of the shadows. The best way to address the unlicensed cannabis problem, promote small, minority-owned businesses, and correct social injustice is simple: give more cannabis business licenses to the people who deserve them.” – Canete, in a statement
Beals indicated that, along with the support program, Weedmaps plans on redoubling its efforts to educate local governments about the need for equitable cannabis licensing for medical access and economic development.
Utah lawmakers are likely scrapping the plan to dispense medical cannabis through health departments, opting instead for at least a dozen privately-operated dispensaries, the Salt Lake Tribune reports. The legislature is poised to hold a special session next month to address the program changes, including adding home delivery.
The decision to take local health departments out of the cannabis-dispensing equation comes after law enforcement officials warned that the plant would make those employees drug dealers in the eyes of federal authorities and some warned that the feds could cut funding. However, earlier this month U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Acting Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources Jennifer Moughalian clarified that the state’s plan would “not affect the State’s eligibility to apply for HHS grants nor … affect the outcome of the State’s application.”
“Medical marijuana is not an allowable cost under HHS grants awards; the post-award program evaluations and audits will examine the allowability of all costs,” Moughalian, said in the July 19 letter to Gov. Gary Herbert (R).
During a recent news conference, Herbert was confident that medical cannabis sales would begin in the state on Apr. 1 as outlined in the legislative-approved replacement bill for the measure approved by voters last year.
Under the proposed changes, patients would be able to order medical cannabis through a website created by the Utah Department of Health which would be delivered by a licensed courier. That site would allow electronic payment – which is not possible under the ‘central fill’ model.
The proposal would also allow cultivators to use both indoor and outdoor methods and would strengthen protections for registered patients, giving them the same protections as patients who use opioids.
A Minnesota hemp delivery driver has been charged with cannabis possession in South Dakota after being pulled over for speeding while delivering 300 pounds of hemp from a cultivator in Colorado to a processor in Minnesota, the Argus Leader reports. According to the Minnesota Hemp Industry Association, the cargo was valued at $22,500.
Association Executive Director Joe Radinovich, a former Minnesota legislator, said the case highlights the need for consistent state laws regarding hemp even though the crop was legalized federally last year.
“A Minnesota Hemp Association member expected a shipment of legally grown hemp. Instead, their driver was arrested and their hemp was confiscated in a state that isn’t complying with the Farm Bill and allowing hemp to be transported.” – Radinovich, to the Leader
South Dakota passed its own hemp legalization law last year and in May the U.S. Department of Agriculture released a memo explicitly allowing hemp to be transported across state lines if it complies with a state-approved program.
“States and Indian tribes may not prohibit the interstate transportation or shipment of hemp lawfully produced under a State or Tribal plan or under a license issued under the USDA plan,” the guidance states, adding that those protections apply to hemp produced under the 2014 Farm Bill.
The driver was charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. While the driver has been released, the hemp extractor company estimates with legal fees and product lost, the arrest has cost the company about $36,000.
Medical cannabis company Tikun Olam is reportedly looking to sell their operations in Israel following a Health Ministry decision to revoke the firm’s license unless founder and controlling shareholder Yitzhak (Tzahi) Cohen cut back on his holdings, the Times of Israel reports. Tikun was the first company to receive a medical cannabis license in Israel and is its largest industry operator.
The company’s operations include a 0.74-acre cannabis farm; a Nazareth Illit factory that is under construction; offices and a clinic in Tel Aviv; and an 8,000-person patient list – altogether worth about $100 million.
Cohen has a 70 percent stake in the company and the Health Ministry had ordered him to whittle that figure down to about 5 percent or lose his license. Law enforcement had also recommended to the ministry that the company’s cultivation license not be renewed, and Cohen end his activities in the space. Last year, the Health Ministry ordered the company to temporarily stop work over concerns that its drying process was not in line with regulations.
Aharon Lutzky, president of Tikun Olam said the company would “act in accordance with the court’s directive.”
“… Our goal is to ensure that our patients are able to continue receiving the treatment they are waiting for when the company returns to full activity in Israel – regardless of its ownership structure.” – Lutzky, to the Calcalist, via the Times
The company also has operations in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and Greece. Those divisions are not up for sale.
A cannabis researcher at Arizona’s Scottsdale Research Institute is suing the Drug Enforcement Administration over its hurdles to cannabis research access, namely the government-run cannabis farm at the University of Mississippi, according to a CT Post report. Dr. Sue Sisley claims that the cannabis grown at the farm is genetically closer to hemp than what can be found in both legal and illegal markets, making it hard to reach scientifically valid conclusions using the government-approved cannabis.
Sisley, who recently completed a study focused on cannabis for post-traumatic stress disorder, said that the cannabis from the Ole Miss farm was moldy, contained sticks and seeds, and was not properly tested before being sent to researchers.
“Scientists need access to options and we are handcuffed by a government-enforced monopoly that has only allowed me to study this really suboptimal study drug from Mississippi.” – Sisley, to the Arizona Capitol Times
She described the cannabis as a “standardized green powder that is just cannabis ground up.” She added that she included the U.S. Attorney General’s office in the lawsuit because she doesn’t believe that the DEA “is responsible for impeding” researcher access to quality cannabis. Her PTSD study has not yet been published, although she does not indicate whether that is attributed to the low-quality product used in the research.
Sisley wants the court to force the federal government to allow researchers to use cannabis from sources other than the Ole Miss farm, which was granted a federal license to grow cannabis more than 50 years ago.
She told the Capitol Times that she applied more than three years ago with the DEA to become a Schedule I bulk manufacturer but has not heard back from the agency, despite its acceptance of her application fee.
Earlier this month, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) introduced legislation to remove all federal restrictions on cannabis research which would direct the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to develop a research agenda. That bill would move cannabis from a Schedule I to Schedule II substance but the DEA would still be responsible for granting licenses.
In May, a federal appeals court ruled that the DEA must address the issue of cannabis’ Schedule I status and if the agency failed to act the court has the jurisdiction to “take whatever action might become appropriate.”
The Pew Charitable Trust has issued a warning to states who have passed adult-use cannabis laws to proceed with caution when budgeting their newfound cannabis tax windfalls. Citing the stark contrast between Nevada’s and California’s first six months of cannabis revenue, where Nevada exceeded projected revenue by 40% and California was 45% below their projections, the polling firm offers several reasons for the uncertainty surrounding cannabis tax forecasts.
First, unlike taxes from cigarettes or alcohol, which have been around for decades, there is no historic data on the ebbs and flows of cannabis taxes. Additionally, reliable data on consumption rates is hard to come by due to the illegality of cannabis.
“Clearly if some random person calls on the phone and asks, ‘Have you smoked marijuana?’ at a time when it’s illegal, many people are inclined to lie,” Ken Alper, former Director of Alaska’s Department of Revenue, told Pew.
Additional factors such as a change in demand, black market viability, wholesale prices, and market friction all contribute to the unpredictability of cannabis tax revenues, according to the report.
The report says states can avoid stressing their budgets by putting cannabis tax revenues in separate funds to be spent the year after they were collected like Colorado and California, or placing a percentage of the collections in a “rainy day fund” like Nevada. However, they warn not to fund specific programs such as health care like Washington.
“States should be careful to distinguish between marijuana revenue’s short-term growth and long-term sustainability. While these new dollars can fill immediate budget needs, they may prove unreliable for ongoing spending demands. Policymakers should look to other, more familiar sin taxes for lessons on how to manage marijuana tax revenue most effectively.” (From the Pew Report “Conclusions”)
U.S. Attorney of Florida’s Northern District Lawrence Keefe is taking over the prosecution of cannabis-related cases as some state prosecutors have said they will not pursue low-level charges following hemp legalization in the state, according to a WCTV report. Keefe oversees 25 Florida counties and plans on temporarily deputizing state prosecutors to help with the cannabis caseload.
Some state prosecutors have decided to stop – or temporarily halt – trying cannabis cases as it is hard to differentiate hemp from THC-rich cannabis and their offices do not have access to tests that can determine THC levels rather than just the presence of THC.
State Attorney Jack Campbell welcomed Keefe’s assistance and said the federal cases will help establish standards for cannabis-related prosecutions following hemp legalization – such as odor tests and what “still suffices as probable cause.”
Richard Greenberg, president of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, said he expects low-level offenders will face harsher sentences in federal court.
“I think it is unfortunate particularly this day in age when there’s a movement toward lessening the penalties for marijuana.” – Greenberg, to WCTV
Campbell said his office handles more than 1,000 misdemeanor possession cases per year but did not know exactly what level of offenses Keefe’s office would prosecute.
Some county attorneys in Nebraska, Georgia, and Texas have announced they would not take on low-level cannabis cases following hemp legalization in their respective states, citing the lack of THC tests and issues with probable cause.
The National Credit Union Administration has issued guidance allowing credit unions to serve hemp businesses, noting that the plant has been federally legal since last year. The guidance does outline “risks” involved in serving hemp businesses, including money laundering and ensuring the company is state-legal.
The agency said that the guidelines could change after the U.S. Department of Agriculture issues regulations for hemp and credit unions need “first be familiar with any other federal and state laws and regulations that prohibit, restrict, or otherwise govern these businesses and their activity.”
NCUA Chairman Rodney E. Hood said that hemp is providing “exciting new opportunities for rural communities” and that the guidance “keeps with the mission of the nation’s cooperative credit system to serve people who have been overlooked and underserved.”
“Many credit unions have a long and successful history of providing services to the agriculture sector. My expectation is that credit unions will thoughtfully consider whether they are able to safely and properly serve lawfully operating hemp-related businesses within their fields of membership.” – Hood, in a statement
The guidance comes as many hemp business operators continue to report they are denied access to many traditional financial services or must pay exorbitant fees to access services. A federal bill to explicitly allow cannabis businesses access to financial services – the SAFE Banking – was granted a hearing by the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs in July but has not moved to the floor for a vote.
Aurora Cannabis Inc. has completed their purchase of Hempco Food and Fiber Inc. after acquiring all of its outstanding common shares at a value of C$63.4 million. According to the company, Hempco provides Aurora with access to “low-cost, high-volume” raw hemp for CBD extraction.
It first invested in Hempco – whose brands include Planet Hemp and Praise – in 2017.
The move gives Aurora a position end-to-end across the industrial hemp chain and a new brand – Aurora Hemp.
Its chain includes Agropro, Europe’s largest organic hemp producer; Borela, a hemp product distributor in the European Union; ICC Labs, based in Latin America which has access to CBD genetics; cannabis testing laboratory Anadia Labs; and Radient Technologies, which provides extraction technology. The company also has a CBD research program underway with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. That partnership is expected to develop products for a topical CBD brand ROAR Sports.
CEO Terry Booth said the Aurora Hemp brand “is defining the future of cannabis and hemp globally.”
“Aurora Hemp brings together the cultivars, strategic partners, brands, and distribution networks to service medical, consumer, and wellness markets and further advances Aurora’s entry into the U.S. hemp food and hemp-derived CBD markets.” – Booth, in a statement
If you’re new to cultivating your marijuana plants, it can be a little difficult and daunting to choose the right cannabis seeds for you. With so many factors involved, choosing the right seeds and understanding how to grow them are crucial to the success of your harvest.
After assessing the properties of different types of seeds such as their pros, cons, and limitations, it’s essential to choose quality marijuana seeds to ensure the yield you produce is of the highest caliber.
Don’t worry if you’re a little confused and overwhelmed; we’re going to break it all down for you and help you make an informed decision to choose the ideal marijuana seed for your harvest.
Feminized Cannabis Seeds
Feminized seeds can only be produced by hermaphrodite or monoecious female cannabis plants. Cannabis cultivators and growers have accomplished this through methods such as:
A technique called Rodelization
Spraying the plant with colloidal silver
Repeatedly spraying the plant with gibberellic acid for several days
When growing feminized seeds, there will only be a single set of genes present, meaning the plants that are produced from the feminized seeds will be almost identical to the self-pollinated parent plant.
Growers and cultivators of marijuana plants take advantage of the many benefits of feminized seeds. They provide a guarantee to the grower because they ensure that there won’t be any male plants. The seeds from the male plant have the ability to ruin the entire harvest if they’re not detected and removed promptly.
For growers that have limited space and quantity restrictions, the feminized seeds provide a clear way to save space by not having the harvest overpopulated with a mixture of male and female plants. Furthermore, using feminized seeds allows the grower to perform less work, maintenance of the plants and still have the potential to produce high yielding plants.
Autoflowering Seeds
Autoflowering strains are the product of years of heavy research, experimenting and careful breeding. Unlike feminized seeds, they’re not the result of genetic modification but have taken cannabis cultivation to the next level. Auto-flowering seeds require minimal effort and still produce an extremely high yield when grown correctly.
To create potent auto-flowering seeds that produce high yields, regular strains of Sativa and Indica are cross-bred with Ruderalis. The Ruderalis strain originated in the colder parts of the world such as Siberia and China. This environment allowed Ruderalis to evolve and become less dependent on light and more resilient to harsh conditions and terrain.
Auto-flowering seeds have many benefits, making them the number one choice for beginner and expert cannabis growers.
The advantages of auto-flowering seeds:
Harvest all year round: auto-flowering seeds don’t depend on heavy light cycles to produce flowers. This provides a big benefit to growers as they can grow their crops all year round without having to worry about the seasons affecting the success of their plants. Beginners will find this very useful, as they can become more acquainted with cultivating cannabis crops without worrying that their harvest will be unsuccessful.
Faster growth: auto-flowering seeds produce plants and flowers very quickly in comparison to other seeds. Consistent production of fresh plants and yields can be done in as little as 10 weeks and still produce the same level of yield as a conventional strain.
Discretion: if you’re lacking open space or worried that someone might spot your plants, don’t worry. Auto-flowering seeds don’t grow above 1.2 meters, making them ideal for tighter spaces, stealth and discretion.
Resilient: auto-flowering seeds can be grown indoors and outdoors, due to their resilience to the cold and pests. When growing auto-flowering strains indoors, it’s as simple as putting the plants under an 18/6 light cycle.
The Bottom Line
Choosing the right marijuana seeds for your harvest will depend on several factors such as your skill level, the amount of space you have and whether you’re growing indoors or outdoors.
It’s a good idea to assess the type of environment that you’ll be growing your plants in prior to purchasing any seeds, that way, you can ensure the best outcome for your harvest.
Terpenes are arguably the most underrated compounds in cannabis, working silently in the background to produce the myriad therapeutic benefits people seek out from their weed. We all know about THC and its effects, and CBD is now becoming more well-known thanks to trends such as adding it to coffee, smoothies, and even bath bombs.
But what are terpenes, and how do they work?
Flavors and smells
You can think of terpenes as the flavor molecules of cannabis. They’re the aromatic compounds that give each cannabis strain its distinct smell and taste — like how Sour Diesel smells citrusy, and Girl Scout Cookies gives off more of a rich aroma. This is because Sour Diesel is abundant with a terpene called limonene, which is derived from lemons. In addition to the citrusy scent and flavor, this terpene is known to have uplifting and energetic effects. Girl Scout Cookies on the other hand, is rich in a terpene molecule called beta-caryophyllene, which comes from black pepper and gives an earthy flavor and contributes to the feelings of relaxation one experiences from smoking this particular strain.
Over 200 terpenes have been identified in the cannabis plant, but there is a handful in particular that seem to love the limelight and show up in higher quantities than others (these are called monoterpenes). In addition to the two aforementioned terpenes limonene and β-caryophyllene, other monoterpenes include linalool (lavender), pinene (earthy pine), and myrcene (citrus-y, hops). Any combination of these molecules during cannabis breeding can create a unique strain and experience for its user.
Terpenes evolved as plants’ ways to either lure in or protect against certain animals. The tempting aromas, bright colors and succulence brought bees, deer and other herbivores to the plant, increasing the plant’s ability to spread its genetic material. Tastes or smells that could be a deterrent to an animal (like something sour or bitter) ensured the plant’s protection against pests, allowing it to grow and evolve. Only recently have humans utilized these molecules to create special strains of cannabis with a blend of effects.
A cured and trimmed cannabis nug sitting on a mirrored surface. Photo credit: Cannabis Reports
Isolating Terpenes
We have also been seeing an upswing of trends to isolate some of the compounds of cannabis — pure THC resin for dabbing, CBD isolate in tincture form, and certain terpenes used for aromatherapy (although aromatherapy has been around for centuries). Is isolating terpenes the right move?
Recent research shows that terpenes have a unique ability to work beautifully with the other molecules in cannabis. The fancy term for this is phytocannabinoid-terpenoid synergy and it speaks to the validity of the entourage effect. Scientists in 2014 found that a full spectrum cannabis extract eliminated issues with CBD dosing as compared to pure CBD isolate. Pure CBD typically behaves such that it treats pain at lower doses but loses its effect at higher ones (this is called a biphasic effect). When given CBD with all other compounds present (THC, terpenes, even CBG and CBN) however, there seemed to be no cutoff, and the drug was analgesic at all doses given.
Clinicians treating patients for epilepsy found a 71% improvement rate in seizure frequency when given a CBD-predominant cannabis extract, versus 36% improvement from pure CBD isolate. They also saw that patients had to take a lot more CBD when in its isolate form than when given the whole plant extract, and this led to more adverse side effects. These results help confirm the entourage effect and phytocannabinoid-terpenoid synergy. We know some terpenes are especially good at treating certain conditions; for instance, limonene helps with anxiety when combined with CBD, and linalool is an anticonvulsant when combined with CBD. We also know CBD itself is anxiolytic—so it looks like these molecules help each other out—when combined, we see greater efficacy than if patients were treated with CBD alone.
Outdoor cannabis terpenes shining in the sun. Photo credit: Brian Shamblen
Heat and combustion
Terpenes also have an interesting amount of variability in their boiling points, and this may speak to some modes of cannabis consumption being superior to others depending on the effect you’re looking for. Myrcene has a boiling point of 334 °F, whereas pinene becomes active at 311 °F. Not a huge difference, but it could mean you want to get a vaporizer where you can control temperature. THC, on the other hand, becomes active at only ~220 °F. If the terpenes aren’t even being activated, they’re probably not going to have any effect—they may work synergistically with CBD or THC, but as far as the actual therapeutic effects of the terpene alone, you’d want to reach that ideal temperature.
Conclusion
Scientists have found that of the five senses, smell is most closely linked to memory — and terpenes are the main reason you might smell some weed and remember all those nights smoking in your dorm room. If you are a big consumer of cannabis, you are most likely able to distinguish different smells and flavor profiles from different strains of cannabis. Maybe you have a favorite strain, and its fruity scent reminds you of summertime. Luckily, with cannabis research on the upswing, we can expect to learn more and more tantalizing facts about these important little flavonoids.
On the most recent episode of its weekly podcast, the Federal Bureau of Investigation announced it was aware of public corruption – including bribes – in cannabis business licensing and is seeking information into companies that may have obtained a permit illegally.
FBI Supervisory Special Agent Regino Chavez said during a short interview that the agency has seen payoffs as much as $500,000 by individuals seeking a license to operate a cannabis business.
FBI Public Affairs Specialist Mollie Halpern, the host of the podcast, claimed that “the corruption is more prevalent in western states” because “the licensing is decentralized.”
“…Meaning the level of corruption can span from the highest to the lowest level of public officials,” she said.
In 2017, the FBI arrested three Michigan men accused of attempting to bribe a Garden City city council member with $15,000 in cash for a medical cannabis license. The officials contacted the FBI, who arrested Mike Baydoun, his nephew Jalal Baydoun, and another relative Ali Baydoun, according to a Detroit Free Press report. Mike was sentenced to 18 months in prison, his nephew was sentenced to one year and a day, while Ali was given three years of probation in the case.
In 2018, following legalization in California, there were several cases of bribery scandal in the state, including the arrest of a Humboldt County Planning and Building inspector, who allegedly accepted payoffs for fast-tracking permits for industry operators, and the arrest and firing of Adelanto Mayor Rich Kerr and City Manager Gabriel Elliot for allegedly taking bribes from cannabis businesses for licensing and to stop some enforcement on the businesses.
Intelligence Analyst David Kirschner said the agency would help ensure “the corruption doesn’t spread to this new industry.”
During a Friday rally in Concord, New Hampshire, Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang said he would “mass pardon everyone who is in jail for nonviolent marijuana-related offenses,” according to a report from The Grio.
“Americans now recognize just how broken our mass incarceration system is and how much progress we need to make.” – Yang, during an Americans for Civil Liberties Union event on Aug. 16.
It’s not the first time Yang – founder of Venture for America – has indicated his support to set cannabis prisoners free. In April, during remarks at the National Action Network Conference in New York City, New York, he said he would, not only free non-violent offenders charged with drug-related crimes but would “pardon them on April 20, 2021” and “high-five them on their way out of jail.”
Earlier this month in an interview on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who is also seeking the nomination, said he would legalize cannabis via executive order and called expunging low-level cannabis crime records “the right thing to do.”
Other Democrats in the race have shown support for cannabis law reforms, including Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren who has introduced legislation to ensure state-approved cannabis programs could not be targeted by federal law enforcement; California Sen. Kamala Harris who is a co-sponsor on the Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act which would decriminalize cannabis federally and expunge criminal records; Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, who has used clemency to free individuals convicted of cannabis-related offenses in the state; and Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard who has introduced legislation to remove cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act.
In a survey from The Hill and Harris X, Yang polled at just 1 percent, while former Vice President Joe Biden led the field with 31 percent, followed by Sanders (16 percent) and Warren (10 percent). In all, there are 23 Democrats seeking the nomination.
Statistics Canada’s National Cannabis Survey has found that 42 percent of adults who use cannabis in the nation still use illegal sources to obtain cannabis and about one-quarter of users don’t pay for it, relying instead on family and friends. Nearly half of the respondents – 48 percent – said they purchased cannabis via legal sources.
Nearly 60 percent of females surveyed said they had never used cannabis, compared to 51 percent of males. 21 percent of men had used cannabis during the first six months of 2019, compared to just 12 percent of women. About one in three Canadians, both male and female, said they had tried cannabis but were not current users. Most men surveyed were not medical users, as 52 percent said they used cannabis for non-medical reasons, while 30 percent said they used cannabis for both medical and non-medical reasons.
Smoking remains the most popular way to consume cannabis, with 68 percent of male and 62 percent of female cannabis consumers preferring smoking; while 14 percent of women used cannabis through “other methods” including topicals and tinctures. It’s worth noting that flower is the most common cannabis product legally available in Canada as alternative cannabis products – such as edibles – are not yet legal but are expected to hit shelves in December.
The vast majority – 76 percent – of cannabis consumers surveyed said that safety was an important consideration when buying products, followed by price (42 percent), accessibility and potency (33 percent).
Nearly all non-cannabis consumers surveyed (99 percent) said they had no plans to use cannabis in the next three months, compared to 21 percent of current male users and 12 percent of current female users – however, 87 percent of daily users said they would continue to use cannabis at the same rate.
In all, the agency found nearly five million Canadians are using cannabis, which is unchanged from pre-legalization statistics.
In a rules update posted this month to the Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) website, state officials have clarified that hemp-derived CBD is not allowed as a food ingredient or additive. The clarification comes as hemp entrepreneurs and enthusiasts anxiously await federal CBD regulations from the FDA — expected sometime in the coming weeks or months — in the wake of the plant’s recent federal legalization under the 2018 Farm Bill.
Despite hemp’s legal status, its myriad uses face more scrutiny as federal CBD rules and regulations are developed.
“To be clear,” the update reads in bold print, “CBD is not currently allowed as a food ingredient, under federal and state law.”
“The FDA has approved a drug comprised of CBD [Epidiolex] as a prescription drug for treatment of specific health conditions, but has not approved CBD as an ingredient in food. Federal laws clearly prohibit adding drugs to food, except in limited circumstances defined in the law.” — WSDA rules update
Last week, former FDA chief Scott Gottlieb said the hemp CBD food products that are currently available in stores are federally illegal.
“You can’t just put it in the food supply,” Gottlieb, who resigned in April, told CNBC. “Right now, all the CBD is illegal that’s being put into food or dietary supplements.”
WSDA says it has reached out to hemp industry and manufactured-food industry participants to clear up any confusion.
The WSDA update mentions that the parts of the hemp plant that have been federally classified as “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS) — including hulled hemp seeds, hemp seed protein powder, and hemp seed oil — are allowed in food products.
According to a poll from Investor’s Business Daily and TIPP, 63 percent of Americans support cannabis legalization, including 75 percent of Democrats, 66 percent of independents, and 46 percent of Republicans. The survey found that nearly one-fifth of investor households consumed cannabis in the past six months.
Support for legalization was highest in the West at 72 percent, and lowest in the Northeast, at 55 percent. The poll found that 23 percent of those surveyed indicated that someone in their home had used medical or adult-use cannabis in the last six months – 35 percent of those were among people 25-44 years old. In all, 27 percent of independents said they had used cannabis over the last six months, along with 25 percent of Democrats, and 15 percent of Republicans.
The IBD/TIPP poll is consistent with a 2018 Gallup poll which found 66 percent of Americans supported broad cannabis legalization; although, that poll found 53 percent support by Republicans, and 71 percent support among independents. Both polls found three of four Democrats support the reforms.
A Fox News poll, conducted by both Democratic and Republican polling firms last February, found 59 percent support for legalization. An NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll from the prior month had similar results showing 60 percent support.
A 2017 poll conducted by Survey USA for Marijuana Majority found stronger support – 76 percent – for allowing states to enact their own medical cannabis regimes without federal interference while just 12 percent said the feds should arrest and prosecute people using cannabis, even if legally allowed by the state in which they reside.
Professional mixed martial arts fighter Nate Diaz sparked a joint during a public workout at the Honda Center in Anaheim on Wednesday, just days before his UFC 241 face-off against Anthony Pettis in the same venue.
Cameras filmed the fighter puffing heavily on the joint before passing it to his videographer, who in turn passed the joint to nearby fans, reportedly at Diaz’s request.
“I said pass it around. It’s good etiquette, for sure.” — Nate Diaz, via ESPN.com
While some fans were concerned that the joint could result in an anti-doping violation, Diaz said the joint contained just CBD, which as of 2018 is no longer considered a prohibited substance by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
Diaz is known alongside his older brother Nick — also a UFC contestant — for bringing attention to cannabis and CBD as a potentially beneficial substance for professional fighters. The fighters say that CBD helps with pain, anxiety, and swelling.
Nick Diaz has been suspended three times for cannabis use during his career.
Former Detroit Lions Calvin Johnson and Rob Sims are partnering with Harvard University to research the effects of cannabis on chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and pain management, according to an ESPN report. Johnson, a former wide receiver, and Sims, a former lineman, co-own medical cannabis firm Primitive.
The deal includes an undisclosed six-figure donation to the International Phytomedicines and Medical Cannabis Institute at Harvard. The university will conduct the medical research, run clinical trials and its medical school will provide quality assurance for any products created by the company.
“Really just being able to help people. I’m a second-generation NFL kid, both my father and father-in-law. I’ve seen the good, the bad and the ugly of what it looks like when you’re done playing ball. If we can help this facet of people suffering from CTE or other cognitive disease, that’s the real goal here.” – Sims, to ESPN
Sims said the company hopes that the study will help the company produce plant-based medicines, use nanotechnology to “deliver payloads” to areas of the brain affected by CTE.
Sims said the company started two years ago after he and Johnson got into cannabis-related real estate. Johnson recently joined the board of the Michigan Cannabis Industry Association after Primitive received approval to open a medical cannabis dispensary in the state.
Former National Football League running back Ricky Williams launched a cannabis brand last year, while in 2016 the Baltimore Ravens released offensive tackle Eugene Monroe after he called on the league to remove cannabis from its banned substances list and fund research into using cannabis as a CTE treatment. At that time, Monroe said he couldn’t “say for sure” whether his release was related to his activism.
Last year, the league denied free agent running back Mike James an exemption for using cannabis as a painkiller but announced this year that the league and the player’s union were creating a Joint Pain Management Committee that will include cannabis and cannabinoids as part of its research into pain management and alternative therapies.
The Maryland Court of Appeals has unanimously ruled that while police can still use cannabis odor has justification for a vehicle search, they cannot search anyone in the vehicle unless they find evidence of a crime which does not include finding a small amount of cannabis, the Baltimore Sun reports.
“The same facts and circumstances that justify a search of an automobile do not necessarily justify an arrest and search incident thereto. This is based on the heightened expectation of privacy one enjoys in his or her person as compared to the diminished expectation of privacy one has in an automobile.” – Maryland Court of Appeals opinion
In Maryland, possession of 10 grams or less of cannabis is considered a criminal offense that carries a $100 fine.
The ruling comes from the May 2016 arrest and search of Michael Pacheco in Wheaton by Montgomery County Police officers. According to the report, police testified they had smelled “fresh burnt” cannabis when they approached his vehicle while he was parked and found a joint in the vehicle’s center console. The officers searched Pacheco and found cocaine in his pocket and upon searching the vehicle they found a cannabis stem and two packs of rolling papers.
Pacheco moved to suppress the cocaine, arguing that he was illegally searched because officers didn’t have probable cause to believe he possessed more than 10 grams of cannabis. Prosecutors argued the smelt of cannabis gave the officers cause to search both Pacheco and the vehicle. Pacheco was charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and given a citation for the cannabis possession.
The Court of Special Appeals ruled on behalf of the prosecution; however, the Court of Appeals said the lower court’s ruling relied on “pre-decriminalization cases” and that the search and arrest were “unreasonable because nothing in the record suggests that possession of a joint and the odor of burnt marijuana gave the police probable cause to believe he was in possession of a criminal amount of that substance.”
In a concurring opinion, judges called the decision “reasonable and thoughtful” but said that cannabis odor may be evidence of possession of 10 grams or more of cannabis, possession with intent to sell, or operation of a vehicle under the influence” which gives them cause to search vehicles. They said that police who smell cannabis can only search a person if they find evidence of those, more serious, crimes.
Courts in Pennsylvania and Vermont have made similar rulings.
Earlier this month, a Pennsylvania judge ruled that cannabis odor was not grounds for search if anyone in the vehicle has a valid medical cannabis card. In Vermont, which allows adults to possess cannabis, the Supreme Court ruled in January that the smell of cannabis was not grounds for a search.
