Cannabis May Be Replaced By Beer's Best Ingredient for Pain Therapy

By Sarah Sloat
Source: inverse.com



Cannabidiol, one of the active chemicals in marijuana, is having a moment. While the science remains inconclusive, there’s growing traction for its use as a therapeutic agent for cancer and schizophrenia, and for its inclusion within more for cosmetic items, like CBD-infused bath bombs and acne creams. What makes CBD novel is that it, unlike THC, is a cannabinoid chemical that comes without the high — although as a fixture of a Schedule I drug, in some places, it still comes with the stigma.

The future of CBD, however, may have more to do with an ingredient more associated with beer than with the marijuana industry: hops. In October, Isodiol International Inc. claims it is “the largest global industrial source of CBD hemp oil worldwide,” announced it’s plan to release the markets first CBD products derived from hops — the cone-shaped flowers responsible for flavoring and stabilizing beer.

Hops!

Isolating CBD from a non-cannabis product is a step that Isodiol CEO Marcos Agramont calls “an incredible achievement,” and one that will establish his company as a leader in the market.

And it’s a profitable market to be a part of: Demand is increasing worldwide for CBD oils and creams that are sold as therapeutic aides, with grocery giants like Whole Foods getting in the action. Up to now only derived from industrial hemp and marijuana plants, CBD products are anticipated to grow into a $21. billion market by 2020.

Isodiol-employed scientists created the proprietary technology to extract cannabinoids from hops, a process they say they can apply to other non-cannabis sources as well.

The first product will be a time-released tablet that dissolves in the lower intestine and is designed to, as Hussey says, “maintain bio-activity.” In the company’s announcement for its CBD-extracting technology, it emphasizes that hops-derived cannabinoid products can have promising results as treatments for “various disease” and that they plan on developing further “targeted healthcare remedies,” but Hussey says that “Isodiol cannot make any sort of disease-related claim at this time.”

Isodiol spokesperson Christopher Hussey tells Inverse that there are plenty of alternatives to marijuana when it comes to getting cannabidiol. In addition to hops, flaxseed, liverwort, and black pepper “will prove well worth the discovery,” he says. These plants create cannabinoids and cannabinoid-similar molecules, which interact with the body’s endocannabinoid system.

CBD is more commonly known as a product from cannabis strains.

He also makes the case that hops are not only a promising path for CBD products but a smart one.

“Given the unstable political landscape surrounding cannabis, we believe that the pursuit of alternative sources of cannabis is not only a prudent direction but also the direction the entire industry will take in the future,” says Hussey.

While 29 states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana in some form, all cannabis extracts including CBD are still ruled federally as Schedule I substances. With the Attorney General post belonging to Jeff Sessions, that ruling won’t likely change anytime soon. Hops, meanwhile, are legal everywhere.

CBD can be legally derived from hops.

As of at least 2012, no one had isolated cannabinoids from another plant or animals species. Cannabis and hops, meanwhile, are closely related: Cannabiceae is a family of flowering plants that contain the genera Humuls lupulus (hops) and Cannabis sativa. That’s why both these plants have similar tastes and smells.

As cannabidiol continues to be explored for its therapeutic potential as a treatment for disorders that include, but aren’t limited to, anxiety, schizophrenia, and cancer, it will be interesting to see whether other companies and universities follow Isodiol in the study of CBD derived from hops. The illegality of cannabis has made it difficult for scientists to research its benefits — hops could be a promising route when it comes to exploring how CBD can help people heal.

8 Crucial Differences Between Hemp Oil & Cannabis Oil

By BostonBakedPete
Source: cannabis.net

Close Cousins or Distant Relatives?

There are many misconceptions when it comes to cannabis, especially when a lot of terms in the industry look similar yet, ultimately, have different meanings. Hemp oil, cannabis oil and marijuana oil are often used interchangeably, but they are not synonymous. How are they related? And how are they different? This visual guide from HealthyHempOil.com helps illustrate some of the important factors.

The first important distinction to make is that cannabis is a plant genus, which includes both the hemp and marijuana species. These two species are constituents of cannabis. The same holds true when it comes to their respective oils. The term cannabis oil includes both hemp and marijuana oil.

When people speak of cannabis oil, however, nine times out of ten, they’re referring to marijuana oil. While hemp and marijuana oil come from the same plant genus, they are vastly different, just like hemp and marijuana are. A great way to illustrate where the two types of oil differ is the following infographic, courtesy of Healthy Hemp Oil.

THC vs. CBD

There are fundamental differences between hemp and marijuana plants, which is clear by looking at their physical characteristics, size, shape, and preferred growth conditions, as well as their different cannabinoid content and chemical property ratios. It’s estimated that there are nearly 400 cannabinoids in both hemp and marijuana, but THC and CBD are the two cannabinoids of significance for most interested parties.

Each substance has a different effect. In short, THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is the chemical compound that causes the psychotropic effects commonly associated with marijuana. It is the ingredient that gets you “high” or “stoned.” On the other hand, CBD (cannabidiol) is the chemical compound that may be responsible for a plethora of health benefits, such as stress reduction, enhanced sleep quality, decreased inflammation and a general sense of euphoria.

The difference in hemp and marijuana oil’s THC and CBD content leads to different effects and, consequently, lend to different uses. As illustrated by the previous infographic, marijuana can have as much as 200 times the THC content as hemp oil does. Simultaneously, hemp oil may have nearly twice the CBD content of marijuana. These numbers, of course, fluctuate somewhat between different products and strains, but a general rule of thumb stands: marijuana oil has massively more THC than hemp oil, whereas hemp oil trumps marijuana oil in CBD to a sizeable extent.

Which Cannabinoid is Right for You?

Knowing the uses of each oil is extremely important in order to make an informed decision on which type best suits an individual’s needs. Generally, marijuana oil’s high-THC content lends itself to recreational use, where the psychotropic effects of the oil are desirable and much appreciated. It also has a number of proven health benefits, like pain reduction and increased appetite, among many others to varying degrees. On the flip side, hemp oil’s high-CBD and low-THC content makes it an ideal option for those who wish to experience its down-regulating impact on anxiety and other soothing, health benefits, without feeling stoned and getting high.

Legal Aspect

Another meaningful difference between the two types of cannabis oil has to do with their legal ramifications. Unfortunately, not all states are of the same mind on this matter. Although many states allow the purchase of marijuana oil for medical or recreational use, they do so under different circumstances. For others, like Idaho or Kansas, marijuana oil is still considered illegal. Any interested party would do well to consult a local authority and research the latest updates on their state’s respective laws. When it comes to hemp oil, the picture painted by the current legislation is quite different. Since hemp only has tiny, trace amounts of THC, industrial hemp oil can be purchased legally in all 50 states.

8 Differences between Hemp Oil & Cannabis Oil:

•                     They come from different plants within the cannabis genus and have different physical characteristics.

•                     They have different THC and CBD ratios.

•                     Marijuana oil has psychotropic effects, due to its high THC content.

•                     Hemp oil’s low THC content results in no (or negligible) psychotropic effects.

•                     Both have medical applications, primarily due to their CBD content.

•                     Hemp oil has a higher CBD content.

•                     Marijuana oil is governed by different laws and regulations per state, and it is outright illegal in some.

•                     Industrial hemp oil is legal to purchase throughout all states.

As you can see, Hemp Oil and Marijuana Oil each have unique benefits. We hope you consider these differences when deciding on which oil is best for you.

Finding the Highest Quality Products

Another important thing to know is, how to source your oils from a reputable supplier. Sadly, there are many unscrupulous companies in this industry who are out to make a quick buck. But here is the best way to avoid these shady companies.

Make sure that any oil you buy is 3rd-party lab tested to be free of heavy metals, mold and contaminants. Also, make sure your products are tested for proper cannabinoid levels. We've heard horror stories of people getting products with very high levels of THC (when they want CBD).

How can you figure this out? Ask your supplier for a COA (Certificate of Analysis). Any reputable company should be able to provide this for you.

Knowing this little trick will help you find the best suppliers of Marijuana Oil and Hemp Oil.

Cannabis genome project will allow for new crops, better medicine

BY ALEXANDRU MICU
Source: zmescience.com

arijuana is slowly gaining public and legal acceptance, but there’s still a lot to be learned about the plant. With that in mind, researchers from the University of California Davis have started a project to map the cannabis genome.

Hemp and marijuana are two different species, but they’re both strains of the cannabis (Cannabis sativa) plant. The main difference between the two is that marijuana has higher levels of THC(tetrahydrocannabinol), the substance that gets you ‘high’. Both species have a long history of human selective breeding, with marijuana getting a lot more of attention from farmers and breeders in recent times, due to the plant’s high market value.

Parts of the cannabis genome have been studied in the past, too, and now researchers from UC Davis have set out to map it out in its entirety, keeping an eye out for portions of the genome that confer it’s medicinal and nutritional value.

“People have gotten really good at breeding high-THC [weed] for the recreational side,” said Jon Vaught, the CEO and co-founder of Front Range Biosciences, a cannabis biotech company that has partnered with the university on the study.

“There’s really not a lot of work to do there. We’re not really focused on that.”

Instead, Vaught believes cannabis could be the next big commercial crop. It has potential in the field of medicine, pharmaceuticals, health supplements such as CBD oil, or nutritional products like hemp-derived protein powders. However, given that most work on cannabinoids was performed (probably domestically) and with the goal of increasing their THC content, growing it as easily and profitably as corn can be challenging.

Open source genome

This is where the UC Davis team steps in. Led by assistant professor in the department of viticulture and enology at UC Davis Dario Cantu, they have previously mapped the genomes of the arabica coffee bean and the cabernet sauvignon grape, so they should not lack for experience in tackling that of the hemp plant.

“We have successfully applied cutting-edge DNA sequencing technologies and computational approaches to study challenging genomes of diverse crops and associated microorganisms,” said Dario Cantu.

“We are now excited to have the opportunity to study the genome of hemp. Decoding the genome will allow us to gain new insight into the genetic bases of complex pathways of secondary metabolism in plants.”

Because they’re both cannabis plants, the underlying genome information will be broadly applicable. As a public university, UC Davis will make all the findings open to the public, meaning breeders of all kinds of cannabis will benefit from the research. Using this database, breeders will be able to isolate new varieties of cannabis or make existing ones better able to withstand different stressors, like pests or drought, or foster other desirable traits — “a big step forward and consistent with our public mission,” according to UC Davis spokesperson Dan Flynn.

There’s another benefit to be had from this research: right now research into cannabis is slow at best. Since it’s listed as a Schedule I drug at the federal level, researchers need to get approval from the Drug Enforcement Agency to work with the plant. Until regulation for this plant relaxes or goes away completely, having its full genome at hand would be a good way to work around that issue.

HEMP TO BE LEGALISED AS A FOOD IN AUSTRALIA ON NOVEMBER 12

Source: medianet.com.au


One of the most controversial meal ingredients is about to be legalised as a food in Australia.[1]

On November 12th 2017, the Australian government will be legalising the consumption of Hemp, joining a growing global industry worth over $US570 million in the US and Canada alone[2].

Acknowledged by Food Standards Australia New Zealand as a highly nutritious food, hemp has many health benefits. Furthermore, hemp as a plant is one of the most versatile of crops with a wide variety of uses in fibre, fabrics, building materials, paper and bio plastics.


‘Hemp also removes more CO2 from the air than trees do and is highly pest, weed and drought resistant’says Hemp Foods Australia CEO Paul Benhaim.

‘Unlike corn, cotton, soy, wheat and rice, Hemp uses a lot less water and doesn’t require pesticides or herbicides. It also yields food that is more nutritious than all these others combined and isn’t plagued by their allergies.’

HEALTH BENEFITS

Hemp seeds come from the same plant species as cannabis (marijuana), however they contain little or no THC, so you won’t test positive on a drug test. They are in fact highly nutritious and exceptionally rich in healthy fats, protein and various minerals. With a mild, nutty flavor, Hemp is a delicious and nutritious addition to many foods.

Hemp Seeds are the second highest source of whole vegetable protein, containing all 21 essential amino acids, and the optimum Omega 3 : 6 profile (1:4)[3].

Health Benefits

● Nutritious, whole protein, containing 21 amino acids, including all 9 essential amino acids

● Whole hemp seeds contain over 30% healthy fats and are exceptionally rich in Omega 3, essential for brain function, growth and development. A diet rich in Omega 3 has also been shown to contribute to reducing inflammation, heart disease, blood pressure and depression

● High amounts of vitamin E, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium, sulfur, calcium, iron and zinc

● High amounts of soluble and insoluble fiber, which may benefit digestive health

● Contains more protein than both chia seeds and flaxseeds

● Hemp seed oil has been used as a food/ medicine in China for over 3000 years

The hemp plant is as versatile as it is nutritious, and can be consumed as a seed, oil, flour or protein powder. It can be used to bake, can be added to a smoothie, salad or meal ingredient. The seed is fully digestible, and can be consumed directly without heating or soaking.



NEW FOOD SOURCE FOR OUR GROWING POPULATION

In a paper published on October 2011, Australian Trade Minister Dr Craig Emerson noted that by 2035, the Asian population is set to increase by over 1 billion people[4] and the Australian population is anticipated to be approaching 35 million at that time. According to Minister Emerson demand for protein rich foods is set to soar.

With an increasing reliance on grain stock for human consumption and livestock contributing 10% of Australia’s total greenhouse gas emissions[5], it is a social, environmental, and food security imperative that Australia looks beyond animal products to service this demand.

A nation that prides itself on agricultural output, Australia is an important contributor to the world’s food security. Development of agriculture is paramount with the massive demands put on Australian resources by overseas interests, and a growing middle class worldwide.


Hemp can be grown using significantly less water than cotton, needs fewer pesticides and no herbicides. It also has significant environmental benefits with a 90 – 140 day harvest cycle, and capacity for carbon fixing in a range of products making hemp the single best candidate for the carbon farming initiative.

Tribal group sues San Joaquin County over hemp grow

By David Manoucheri
Source: kcra.com

Winnemucca Shoshoni tribe grows hemp in Stockton




A Nevada-based tribe is suing the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors, as well as the county's counsel and the Drug Enforcement Agency, over the removal of 26 acres of what it's calling industrial hemp.

Court papers obtained by KCRA show that the tribe is asking for a temporary restraining order, return of the plants and a declaration that a San Joaquin County ordinance that targets these kinds of grows is unlawful.

The tribe said in the documents, however, that it contracted with SG Farms, a Marin County-based company, that has had more than five years of experience developing marijuana with very high concentrations of THC, far higher than many other hybrids. The court paperwork states that the THC levels of the grow fell just below the legal level to be declared hemp. The tribe claimed to be growing it for research purposes.The Winnemucca tribe rented the property in Stockton to grow what it calls industrial hemp. This kind of cannabis is typically very low in the hallucinogenic chemical THC and was used in the past to make things like rope, clothing and other materials. The tribe claims in the lawsuit that the purpose of the hemp grow is to produce that type of material. Industrial hemp is legal to grow under the California Industrial Hemp Farming Act.

The county told the tribe in August that simple signage and a claim of research were not enough to establish its ability to grow hemp in the county.

On Oct. 10, the DEA and the San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office entered the property and seized the plants. While the tribe claims there were only 26 acres, the DEA claims there was substantially more. In its claim, the tribe -- while claiming it is simply for research purposes and is not marijuana -- touts the health benefits of cannabanoids, the substance used in medicinal marijuana.

The tribe is claiming tribal supremacy and that it has been irreparably harmed by the seizure.

Tribal property, while part the sovereign nation, is still usually subject to all federal laws.

Front Range Biosciences Explores Breeding Cannabis for Disease Resistance, Drought Tolerance and More

By Melissa Schiller
Source: cannabisbusinesstimes.com

CEO and co-founder Jon Vaught has partnered with the UC-Davis for the company’s hemp genomics research project.


Small cannabis branches that have been prepared for use in tissue culture are stored in sealed plastic containers.

Front Range Biosciences may be a start-up, but it looks more like an established research company. That’s because the Colorado-based agricultural biotech company has the backing of an acclaimed agricultural research university to help launch a genomics research project to learn more about the medical and nutraceutical uses of cannabis. 

The company’s co-founders, Jon Vaught and Nick Hofmeister, both have extensive backgrounds in biotech. Vaught is an organic chemist who has spent most of his career in molecular diagnostics, working in pharmaceuticals and developing technologies for early detection of cancer and food safety. Hofmeister, also the company’s COO, holds an MBA from MIT, and Front Range Biosciences is each founder’s fourth start-up in biotech.

Vaught thinks of cannabis as a commodity crop, associating it with food and medically relevant compounds. His team is working to master cannabis production, taking lessons from the many other agricultural crops that have come before it and trying to improve cultivators’ ability to produce it more efficiently. Vaught said new technologies will allow them to explore new territory in cannabis cultivation.

“We’re very excited,” he said. “It’s not that often that you see prohibition end on a new crop, and the ability to produce it around the world and potentially change things, so it’s kind of a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Here, Vaught shares with Cannabis Business Times Front Range Biosciences’ goal to breed for disease resistance, specific cannabinoids and more.

Cannabis Business Times: What does Front Range Biosciences’ partnership with UC-Davis entail?

Jon Vaught: Our company has two areas of business. The first is our clean stock program and tissue culture program for the production of baby plants. These are disease-free, pesticide-free, true-to-type plants that come out of our tissue culture program, and then we distribute them through nurseries to farmers. These could be hemp farmers, [or] they could be marijuana farmers. …

The other part of our business is about genetics, genomics [and] breeding new varietals that have improved traits, things like disease resistance, drought tolerance [and] agronomic traits such as plant structure, how it gets harvested—things … that have been bred into other crops that make them more efficient to grow.

Front Range Biosciences' areas of business include its clean stock program and tissue culture program for the production of baby plants, and genetics, genomics and breeding of new varietals.

The relationship with UC-Davis is really driven toward … laying the foundation for our breeding platform and for developing a better understanding of the plant’s genome so that we can drive for better traits. …

In traditional plant breeding, it can take decades. You grow the crops out, you look at their traits, you breed the ones you like, and you do it again the next year, and the next year, and you do that for many, many years until you have a set of stable traits, meaning that when you cross the two plants, you get the same babies, the same offspring, the same progeny, every time. …

A way to really advance research is through academic partnerships. [UC-Davis has] some of the best scientists who are very specialized. … They also have research facilities that have the instrumentation which can often be very, very expensive. … Partnering with a university is a great way to drive the science forward … much faster than trying to do it on your own. …

[UC Davis is] the best ag school in the world. Dario Cantu, the professor we’re working with, is arguably one of the most innovative and best structural genomicists that’s working on plants. He’s done things in plants that other people have not been able to do in terms of the level of understanding and genome mapping that he’s done for some other crops. For us, it was a very unique opportunity to build a partnership and really lay the foundation for a breeding program that will take a couple of years to develop, but this is the first step.

CBT: Can you go into more detail about what the hemp genome will be tested for during this project and some specific traits that you’re looking at?

JV: Being able to improve the disease resistance in this plant and minimize the use of pesticides, I’d say is one of the top priorities.

There are other things that will help make it more efficient to grow, which will reduce its environmental impact. It will allow farmers to compete with dropping prices. We’re seeing commoditization of this crop. … Supply goes up, [and] even though the demand is going up, the quick rise in supply leads to drops in prices, and over time, you see farmers competing with each other to be more efficient as the margins get lower. Anything that can help improve growing efficiency, … [like] disease resistance, is key. Something like drought tolerance, for example. Certain agronomic traits that allow it to be grown more effectively out in the fields and harvested at a large scale. …

Breeding for specific cannabinoids might [also] be medically relevant. … You’ve got compounds like CBD, and there are other cannabinoids, as well, that are even lesser-known [and] that have already shown clinical indications for different diseases. Being able to breed plants that … can create some of these compounds will be absolutely critical for the developing pharmaceutical segment of this market.

Cannabis material is prepared for use in tissue culture.

 CBT: What challenges are you anticipating during this project?

JV: There can be all kinds of technical challenges. Just because you’ve done something in another crop, or because you’ve done this same experiment in another situation, doesn’t mean that it’s going to behave the same way this time around. … I’m confident we’ll encounter some challenges along the way in that regard.

Things like the sequencing and the results and the bioinformatics algorithms, [the methods and software tools for understanding biological data], that we apply to map out the genome and understand it [will be challenging].  … If [we could look ahead] 10 years from now when a lot of other researchers have done a lot of work on this, it might be a little more straightforward, but we really are going to get into some uncharted territory and there’s really only a few other groups in the world who have even started to wade into these waters, so there’s just not a lot of information out there. … We’re starting from scratch.

CBT: What is the timeline of this research? Has the project already been started, and when do you anticipate it being completed?

JV: We have already started, and we’re in the very early stages. The first part of the project is … extracting the DNA from the plant material, which … allows us to send DNA to the university for analysis, which stays very, very clear on the legal side of any federal regulations. We simply do a DNA extraction, and even though it’s industrial hemp, which is more protected under the U.S. Farm Bill of 2014, there’s still a lot of concern and … debate going on at the federal level. … We simply do the DNA extraction, and then we’re sending DNA. … That’s the first stage, and … it can be somewhat of a time-consuming process to do it the way we want and to have the right quality-control metrics so the quality of the DNA is good enough for the work we want to do. That’s ongoing right now. We just started … at the end of the summer, and … as we get the DNA samples submitted, … they’ll do the next-generation sequencing work, then there’s the bioinformatics.

Just to collect all of the data could easily take six months. It could take a little longer, depending [if] occasionally things go wrong—it’s science. Then we expect some of the first significant results to come out about the same time. … Once we collect some of that data, we’ll get some analysis done and we’ll have a sense of where we stand, but the full genome mapping and everything else that will complete the project, that could take up to 18 to 24 months before it’s all actually … tied up with a bow and delivered as this completed project.

If Hemp Is So Great, Why Is It Still Illegal To Grow In America?

By Rosie Dalton
Source: wellmadeclothes.com

I was in the United States recently when recreational marijuana was legalised in the state of Nevada, making it the fifth state to do so. And yet it is still illegal to grow industrial hemp – which can be used for clothing, as well as building materials and paper goods – in America. This is despite the fact that hemp is one of the oldest domesticated crops in the world and has also been touted as one of the most sustainable. So what is the rationale behind this illegality, then? As a big champion of the fibre, Patagonia notes that the fibre’s bad rap mostly comes down to the fact that government agencies still associate it with the drug marijuana. Which is why so many activists, businesses and farmers have been working hard to address this issue of late.

According to The Cannabist, all forms of Cannabis sativa L., which includes hemp, have been classified as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act in America since 1970. “Past legislative attempts to remove hemp from the CSA — six bills in the House and three in the Senate since 2005 — all died in committees without a floor vote.” The one silver lining here, though, is that the Industrial Hemp Farming Act has returned for its seventh iteration in the House, which means that it could now finally get over the line in the United States. And this would represent major positive change for the fashion industry as a whole.

Although it is currently legal to grow industrial hemp in countries like Australia, Great Britain and Spain, America’s unwillingness to budge on the issue means that the fibre is still dogged by stigma surrounding its THC-laden cousin marijuana. And this distinction is pretty important. According to Michael Lewis, founder of non-profit organisation Growing Warriors, “the cannabis plant can produce a sundry of products that are fuel, feed, fibre, and fuel, which have no psychoactive properties at all.” But its association with the closely related marijuana plant is what has landed it on Schedule 1 of the Controlled Substances Act.

From a botanical perspective, the two are quite distinct. The Cannabis plant contains a unique class of molecular compounds called cannabinoids, two of which are dominant: THC, which is the psychoactive ingredient of Cannabis, and CBD, which is an antipsychoactive ingredient. Marijuana, on the one hand, is high in the former and low in the latter, while industrial hemp is the exact opposite. To put this into perspective: the fibre version contains less than 1% THC. Which is why activists such as Lewis and companies like Patagonia have been so passionate about trying to clear up this misconception.

Harvesting Liberty from Patagonia on Vimeo.

Lewis is interviewed as part of Patagonia’s Harvesting Liberty documentary, which details the many benefits of hemp and how it could help transform the fashion industry. Most importantly, this natural fibre is cultivated with some of the lowest environmental impact we have seen to date. “It requires no pesticides, synthetic fertilisers or GMO seeds,” Patagonia explains. “Cultivation of hemp improves soil health by replenishing vital nutrients and preventing erosion. It’s one of the most durable natural fibres on the planet and results in fabric with wonderful drape that’s comparable to linen.” So why is the US still lagging on legalisation, then, and what are US-based fashion companies doing to get around this red tape?

Patagonia, for one, imports its high-quality hemp from China and continues to push for the ability to grow it onshore in the US without restrictions. The problem they are facing, though, is largely an emotional one. With government agencies still hung up on the misleading connection between a popular drug and a progressive fibre, efforts to repeal longstanding laws have mostly fallen flat. Which is why we now need to see increased conversation around the innovative material and a drive for greater consumer demand as well. Because if powerful agencies respond to anything, it is widespread commercial pressure. 

Of course, there are other more sinister theories about why hemp remains illegal in the States, too. These come down to slander campaigns against industrial hemp, launched in fear of the threat it may pose to the giant paper, chemical, timber, and petroleum industries, as well as the 800-pound gorilla: pharmaceuticals. Whichever way you look at it, though, the North American Industrial Hemp Council is correct in saying that “no member of the vegetable kingdom has ever been more misunderstood than hemp.” And, as a major influencer of industry trends, America needs to get on board with this incredible plant – because the nation’s continued reluctance to embrace hemp isn’t just holding fashion back; it is impacting a wide range of other modern industries as well.  

Study: Out of 2,400 CBD Users, 42 Percent Gave Up Pharmaceutical Drugs

By Kit O’Connell
Source: ministryofhemp.com

A new study shows that many consumers are giving up conventional pharmaceutical drugs in favor of CBD.

CBD, or cannabidiol, is one of dozens of cannabinoids found in hemp, but unlike THC it doesn’t cause people to get “high.”

In a study released in early August, market-research firm Brightfield Group surveyed 2,400 registered users of Hello MD, a medical cannabis education and advocacy website. One of the study’s most dramatic findings is that 42 percent of people who use CBD report that they’ve given up pharmaceutical drugs in favor of cannabis in some form. This figure includes both strains of psychoactive cannabis, a.k.a. “marijuana,” with high levels of CBD and CBD-only products like CBD oil supplements made from industrial hemp.

HelloMD and BrightfieldGroup Study Report 2017

Whether or not it replaced pharmaceuticals, most of the respondents reported that CBD helps a great deal and that they use it regularly. 80 percent said they consume CBD in some form at least once a week, with 41 percent using it daily. The vast majority, about 82 percent, reported that CBD offered significant relief from their ailments, which ranged from anxiety to chronic pain. Although the research has some limitations, it’s compelling evidence that CBD can have healing benefits.

While the idea that people are giving up pharmaceuticals for CBD is making headlines — even in places like Forbes magazine — we wanted to dig deeper into this fascinating study, which reveals a lot of interesting details about how and why people are using CBD in all its forms.

CBD AND PHARMACEUTICALS: 52 PERCENT REPORT CBD MORE EFFECTIVE THAN PHARMA DRUGS

HelloMD and Brightfield reported that 52 percent of people who responded to their research agreed that CBD is “more effective,” or “much more effective” than pharmaceutical drugs. People use CBD for diverse reasons, according to the study.

HelloMD and BrightfieldGroup Study Report 2017

“There are a vast range of medical conditions that CBD consumers reported using cannabis to relieve, the principal among which were anxiety, insomnia, joint pain/inflammation and depression,” the authors reported.

An increasingly impressive body of scientific research backs up these CBD users’ first-hand experiences. Scientists have found evidence supporting the use of CBD to treat anxiety, insomnia, many forms of chronic pain and even schizophrenia, as we’ve detailed in previous articles at Ministry of Hemp.

EFFECTIVE BUT NOT A MIRACLE CURE: 57 PERCENT STILL USE CBD AND PHARMACEUTICALS TOGETHER

However, neither CBD nor any form of cannabis are miracle cures and it’s important to note that most people, or 57 percent, reported that they continue to use both CBD and pharmaceutical drugs together. People were also slightly more likely to report that CBD is more effective than over-the-counter drugs than to prescription pharmaceuticals, though users of both reported satisfaction with CBD.  It’s clear to us that while CBD can be a very useful tool for many people, it often can’t completely replace traditional Western medicine and prescription drugs.

Though this study shouldn’t be dismissed, it also differs somewhat from the kind of research that gets published in scientific journals. HelloMD users are presumably already predisposed toward interest in cannabis in all its forms, while those who found it ineffective are less likely to respond to a survey. There was also no placebo group as one would find in conventional “double blind” medical research.

“More research will be required to determine whether there is a causal link between CBD products and relief of the various health conditions discussed,” the authors caution.

VAPING TO GUMMIES, SURVEY REVEALS THE MANY WAYS PEOPLE TAKE CBD SUPPLEMENTS

In addition to comparing pharmaceuticals and CBD, the HelloMD and Brightfield study reveals a great deal about how people use CBD. Over 50 percent of people who responded to the survey said they prefer to vape CBD products, but tinctures, topical ointments and even gummies were also popular.

It’s important to note that a majority of the people who responded say they prefer to use CBD alongside THC, which can be a powerful painkiller. Many of those surveyed regularly use strains of psychoactive cannabis which are high in CBD, or they combine CBD-only products with other forms of medical cannabis. Users of both CBD and THC may be taking advantage of the “entourage effect,” where different cannabinoid chemicals work together to strengthen each other.

“Consumers may, for example, alternate between CBD-only products and THC-dominant products because the ‘entourage effect’ gives them more complete healing, but by differentiating the two it allows them to remain clear-headed during the workday and consume THC when they are relaxing in the evening,” the authors noted.

Of course, since just 29 states plus the District of Colombia have legalized medical or recreational cannabis in some form, and with the federal government still threatening to crack down on states that have legalized it, this option remains out of reach for many Americans.

Among those who only use CBD, 58 percent are women. This lines up with Ministry of Hemp’s informal research which shows that many women seek out CBD supplements to improve their lives or the lives of their loved ones.

THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT FOR CBD AND CANNABIS AS LAWS CHANGE & PEOPLE LEARN

According to Brightfield Group’s predictions, the future seems bright for CBD supplements and other CBD-based products:

“Per this survey’s responses, users have found CBD to be quite effective in relieving various medical conditions – even more so, in some cases, than their over-the-counter and prescription medications. … Over time, as the CBD compound becomes better-understood (especially with regard to its efficacy against medical ailments), and cannabis prohibition continues to wane across the states, CBD products are well-positioned to become an important player in the industry.”

Looking beyond the potential profits for growers and vendors, more importantly this study shows the immense healing potential of CBD. We hope that, in the near future, the medical industry comes to fully embrace CBD for their patients, and that the government continues to remove barriers that prevent people from using hemp and cannabis in all its forms in the ways that benefit them most.