Hemp: Queensland entrepreneurs sowing the seeds for the newest superfood

By Melanie Vujkovic
Source: abc.net.au


PHOTO: Lauchlan Grout and Harrisson Lee spent four years developing hemp seed varieties suitable for Qld and NSW climates. (ABC News: Melanie Vujkovic)

Despite hemp only recently being legalised for human consumption in Australia, it is already being promoted as the newest superfood to hit the local markets.

Hemp — a variety of the cannabis sativa plant species — has been grown in Australia for two decades as an industrial product, but last month the Australia and New Zealand Food Standards Code permitted the sale of low-THC hemp seed foods.

Queensland entrepreneurs Lauchlan Grout and Harrisson Lee, of Hemp Farms Australia, have spent four years developing hemp seed varieties suitable for Queensland and New South Wales climates.

Mr Grout said they were currently growing some of the first commercial crops bred for a Queensland climate, and once the seeds were harvested they would distribute them to growers in their network.

"What we need to do is get farmers on board who are looking for an alternative crop, educate them in the value that hemp can bring to them, whether it's for a rotational crop or whether it's for a higher margin," he said.

"We've built a contract farming model around primary production, focused on getting farmers involved.

"We have built standard operating procedures for them to follow — pretty much a guide for growing."

Mr Grout said he was hoping to create a sustainable supply chain on home soil without the need to rely on imported seed and grain.

"We saw a commodity that was not being capitalised on in Australia, yet everywhere else in the world it was being grown predominantly for food, cosmetic and beverage products," he said.

"With every embryotic commodity industry, there needs to be a viable, consistent and proven seed supply."

PHOTO: Hemp has been grown in Australia for two decades as an industrial product. (ABC News: Melanie Vujkovic)

Hemp food products to hit the market

Before the food laws changed, Hemp Farms Australia focused on industrial products and pet food but now the pair are looking at the potential for new products.

"Because there's such a wide variety of use with hemp — in nutritional value but also fibre — we should see a lot of interesting and creative products hit the market soon," Mr Grout said.

Mr Lee said he believed it would be more than just a niche market.

"It's such a versatile commodity, you can use it to create paper, clothing, textiles, composites, concrete, oils and protein powder," Mr Lee said.

He said he hoped the new food laws would continue to break down the stigma around hemp, as a variety of the cannabis plant.

"There's nothing psychoactive about it, you can't abuse it, it's simply just another crop," Mr Lee said.

After losing his gall bladder in 2008, Mr Lee said he struggled with nausea until he was introduced to hemp.

"It made a noticeable difference — it's not a miracle drug that cured everything but it made a difference," Mr Lee said.

PHOTO: The Food Standards Code has changed to permit the sale of low-THC hemp seed foods. (ABC News: Melanie Vujkovic)

Food Standards Australia New Zealand notes hemp seeds contain protein, vitamins, minerals and polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly omega-3 fatty acids, but does not have therapeutic effects of other cannabis extracts.

It also contains no, or very low levels of THC, the psychoactive compound found in marijuana.

Queensland GP Dr Matt Young has advised consumers not to get carried away with the hype, and always maintain a balanced diet.

"All foods are important as long as they're fresh and healthy," Dr Young said.

"If you look at it as a food source — that's great, but I don't think you want to be pinning all your hopes that it'll have some wonderous influence on your health.

"I don't think you can get away from the basics in health, including eating three healthy meals, exercise and a good night's sleep."

National Hemp Association: 2017 Year in Review

Source: nationalhempassociation.org

Legislative Efforts

H.R. 3530, the Industrial Hemp Farming Act, Released: On July 28, a bi-partisan, multi-ideological coalition, led by Rep. James Comer (R-KY), introduced H.R. 3530, which would permanently remove industrial hemp from the purview of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). 

Once enacted, the bill will catapult the agricultural commodity into the mainstream of U.S. commerce and offer U.S. farmers significant new economic opportunity. Industry groups, including the influential American Farm Bureau Federation and National Farmers’ Union, have endorsed the bill as a key agricultural priority. 

Early 2018 should bring House hearings on the bill, as well as the introduction of a Senate companion by Sens. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Rand Paul (R-KY), and Ron Wyden (D-OR). We are very optimistic about the Industrial Hemp Farming Act becoming law in 2018.

USDA Confirms the Legality of Interstate Sale of Farm Bill Hemp: DEA’s mixed messages about the legality of hemp grown in Farm Bill states prompted the National Hemp Association to facilitate a letter to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture from USDA Acting Under Secretary Ann Bartuska, which confirmed the protections of the Farm Bill and Omnibus Law. 

In pertinent part, USDA stated: “We think it is clear that section 7606 [of the Farm Bill] contemplated the sale and transport of industrial hemp for purposes of the pilot programs authorized by section 7606 under a limited set of circumstances; namely, those involving the study of industrial hemp marketing.”

H.R. 4711, the Industrial Hemp Banking Act, Released: In December, Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY), joined by Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT), introduced H.R. 4711 in an effort to help deal with a continuing problem for our industry: assuring financial institutions that it is legal to engage in transactions involving hemp. 

Upon the advice of the Roundtable, Rep. Barr included language that extends protection to third parties down the supply chain that use Farm Bill hemp, as well as companies that engage “in commerce with industrial hemp products that are exempted from the definition of a controlled substance under the [CSA].” 

The latter provision contemplates hemp transactions in the wake of H.R. 3530 and/or replacement of the pilot program regime by a permanent exemption of hemp from the CSA.

10 Things to Anticipate in the Cannabis Space in 2018

By NCIA
Source: seedtosaleshow.com

This article was written in partnership with Johnny Green of Weed News.

Predicting what will happen in the cannabis world is very difficult to do from year to year. Every new year brings new opportunities for cannabis industry growth in states that have already reformed their cannabis laws, as well as the possibility of more states legalizing cannabis for adult and/or medical use.

This year was a big year for cannabis, despite not being an election year. Legal states are estimated to bring in $655 million in state taxes on cannabis retail sales by the end of 2017. The cannabis industry now employs as many as 230,000 people via full and part-time jobs. Youth cannabis consumption rates are not rising in the post-legalization era and other doomsday predictions made by cannabis opponents prior to legalization are proving to be unfounded as time goes on.

The cannabis movement's momentum has never been greater than it is now, and that momentum will continue to build with no end in sight.

What will 2018 bring in regards to cannabis reform efforts and the cannabis industry? Below are 10 things to watch for in the new year.

1. More states will likely legalize cannabis for adult use

2018 is an election year, and at least one state is expected to vote on cannabis legalization. The Michigan Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol submitted 360,000 signatures in an effort to place adult-use legalization on the 2018 ballot. 70% of the signatures will need to be valid if the initiative is to be put in front of Michigan voters in November 2018.

If approved by Michigan voters, Michigan's legalization initiative language, would:

• Legalize possession of up to 2.5 ounces of cannabis while not at an adult's* residence, with up to 15 grams of that being concentrates
• Legalize possession of up to 10 ounces of cannabis at an adult's residence, plus any cannabis that was legally cultivated at the residence
• Legalize the cultivation of up to 12 cannabis plants per each adult's residence address
• Create a taxed and regulated system for adult-use cannabis sales

It's quite likely that 2018 could see cannabis reform history made with the first-ever legalization of adult-use cannabis via legislative action. Vermont became the first state to see its legislature approve adult-use legalization via legislative action in 2017, however, the measure was vetoed by Vermont's Governor.

Vermont Governor Phil Scott recently stated that he felt 'comfortable' with plans to legalize cannabis in early 2018. Such a move is far from guaranteed, but with strong support in Vermont's Legislature and a Governor who now feels better about cannabis legalization in his state, it's definitely something to watch for next year.

New Jersey is another state that appears to have a great chance of legalizing cannabis via legislative action in 2018. New Jersey's outgoing Governor Chris Christie is one of the biggest cannabis opponents in the nation and has made it no secret that he would veto any cannabis legalization bill that came across his desk. Fortunately for the residents of New Jersey, there is a new Governor coming into office soon, and he strongly supports cannabis legalization. Incoming New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy made cannabis legalization a key part of his campaign leading up to his election victory and stated in his victory speech that he wants to see cannabis legalized in New Jersey 'within 100 days of taking office.'

Whether or not New Jersey will actually pass a legalization bill within 100 days of Phil Murphy taking office is tough to say for sure, but it is a fairly safe bet that New Jersey will legalize cannabis by the end of 2018. What New Jersey's legalization model would look like is not clear at this time, which is also true with the state of Vermont. Cannabis supporters will have to wait and see if/when either or both states approve a legalization bill.

2. More states will likely legalize cannabis for medical use

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), 29 states have legalized cannabis for medical use. Washington D.C., Guam, and Puerto Rico have also legalized medical cannabis. Some of those states have operating medical cannabis industries and others are in the rulemaking or implementation phase.

Seventeen other states have passed cannabidiol-specific (CBD) medical cannabis measures, but those are not included in the NCSL's tally of medical cannabis states because CBD-specific laws are oftentimes merely symbolic. Only Nebraska, Kansas, Idaho, and South Dakota prohibit all forms of medical cannabis.

One state has already qualified for a 2018 vote on medical cannabis. Oklahoma turned in enough valid signatures in 2016 to make a ballot, but not the 2016 ballot. The exact date on which Oklahoma voters will vote on medical cannabis is still undecided, but a vote will absolutely occur in 2018. Oklahoma's Governor is currently mulling whether to place the initiative on the June 2018 primary ballot, or the 2018 general election ballot in November.

Utah is a state that has already legalized cannabis in CBD-only form. Utah was the first state to pass a CBD-specific measure (2014). A signature gathering effort, led by the Utah Patients Coalition, has been ongoing since June 2017. The effort has until April 15, 2018 to gather at least 113,143 valid signatures in order for the comprehensive medical cannabis initiative to be placed on the November 2018 ballot. The signature-gathering effort is well funded and is expected to be successful. A recent poll shows 73% support for medical cannabis legalization in Utah.

Multiple efforts have been underway in Missouri to put medical cannabis on the ballot in 2018. Missouri was very close to placing medical cannabis on the 2016 ballot, however, the campaign fell short by just 23 signatures. That endeavor, led by New Approach Missouri, is back for a 2018 effort. As of October 21st, New Approach Missouri was on pace to reach its goal of collecting roughly 265,000 signatures.

A second medical cannabis initiative in Missouri has stated that it has already gathered over 150,000 signatures, and if so, appears to be on its way to making the 2018 ballot. A third medical cannabis initiative is also gathering signatures in Missouri with the goal of making the 2018 ballot. It is unclear how many initiatives will be on the ballot in Missouri, but at least one of them is likely to be successful in doing so if not all three.

3. Support for cannabis nationwide will likely continue to increase

Gallup has been asking adults in the United States the following question since 1969 as part of its annual poll:

"Do you think the use of marijuana should be made legal, or not?"

The results from the original poll conducted in 1969 were depressing. Just 12% of poll participants answered 'yes' to the poll question. From the late 1980's into the mid-2000's support slowly climbed. In 2006 the number of poll participants that answered 'yes' to the poll question was 36%.

With only a couple of exceptions, support has grown significantly year after year in the poll. Gallup's poll this year found a record 64% of poll participants answering 'yes' to the poll question. One fact from the poll that particularly raised eyebrows was the jump in support among Republicans from just the year prior. For the first time in the poll's history, a majority of Republicans answered 'yes' to the poll question, reflecting a 9% jump compared to the year prior.

The increased level of support for cannabis legalization has been paralleled in the last decade by the rise of the cannabis industry. The cannabis industry used to be a cottage industry and so it was easier for cannabis opponents to downplay industry successes. With the cannabis industry now operating legally at the state level in a growing number of states, the benefits of a legalized and regulated cannabis industry are undeniable.

A voter does not have to be pro-cannabis use to be pro-cannabis reform. Twelve percent of Americans self-identified as being a current cannabis consumer according to a separate Gallup poll, with 45% of poll participants stating that they had consumed cannabis at some point in their life. That's obviously less than the 64% that support legalizing cannabis. As legalization continues to succeed and the industry continues to increase in size, support will continue to grow among demographics that have historically opposed cannabis reform.

4. Adult-use cannabis sales will begin in California and Massachusetts, more than doubling the size of the industry

Right now adult-use cannabis sales are occurring in Colorado, Washington State, Oregon, Alaska, and Nevada. Adult-use cannabis sales are expected to begin in California on January 1st of next year and in Massachusetts in mid-2018.

The combined population of all five states that currently allow adult-use sales is roughly 20.6 million people. The combined population of California and Massachusetts is over 46 million people. When adult-use sales begin in California and Massachusetts, the size of America's cannabis industry is going to grow exponentially, and not just because of the size of California and Massachusetts' combined populations.

California is the number one tourist destination in America, and as such, it will generate a considerable amount of cannabis sales from people that are visiting from prohibition states.

Massachusetts does not have nearly the population size that California does, but it is essentially going to be a cannabis industry island surrounded by a sea of prohibition states. The only other state on the entire East Coast that has legalized cannabis for adult use is the state of Maine, which shows no indication of an adult-use framework going into place any time soon due to a veto of a cannabis industry regulation bill by its Governor this year. Even when Maine begins allowing the selling of cannabis for adult use, it will not have a significant impact on Massachusetts' market.

Boston is going to be a top destination for cannabis tourism, with people flooding in from surrounding states and beyond to make legal cannabis purchases. California and Massachusetts have more than twice the population as Colorado, Washington State, Oregon, Alaska, and Nevada, but their combined cannabis industry market sizes are going to more than double the size of the current adult-use market.

5. Colorado's cannabis industry growth will start to level out

Colorado has the distinction of being the first state in America to legalize cannabis, beating out Washington State by a couple of hours. Not surprisingly, Colorado is also the first state to allow sales of cannabis for adult use. Adult-use sales began in Colorado on January 1, 2014. Washington did not start adult-use cannabis sales until July 2014.

A substantial reason why Colorado was able to begin sales sooner than Washington State is that whereas Colorado already had a regulated system in place for its medical cannabis industry, Washington did not. Having the framework already in place for medical cannabis sales gave Colorado a big edge in getting its adult-use industry off the ground faster.

Since 2014, both states have sold a tremendous amount of cannabis, but Colorado is still looked at by many as the national leader for adult-use cannabis. Colorado's industry has generated a tremendous amount of revenue for the state of Colorado via taxes and fees. Below is a year-by-year breakdown:

• 2014 - $67,594,323
• 2015 -  $130,411,173
• 2016 - $193,604,810
• 2017 (Jan-Oct) - $205,080,035

If current trends persist in November and December of this year, Colorado will finish out 2017 with roughly 246 million dollars in taxes and fees generated. It doesn't take a mathematician to see that the rate of state revenue growth in Colorado is slowing down and at some point, it will level out. When that becomes the case there will be year-to-year fluctuations going forward, but exponential growth will cease to occur. This will be a mathematical trend that will occur in every state that legalizes cannabis and ramps up its legal cannabis industry until it reaches capacity.

That's not to say that Colorado's industry is hurting. Colorado's industry is very strong by every measure. However, exponential growth is unsustainable in any state and any industry, and eventually, Colorado's cannabis industry will hit its ceiling. 2018 could be the first year that we see this occur in Colorado, especially with California and Massachusetts coming onboard with adult-use cannabis sales.

Colorado's industry may be leveling out, but it is still a glowing example of how cannabis can be legalized and a regulated industry can be implemented with no major issues. Other states will continue to look to Colorado as a standard to emulate, and Colorado will continue to generate enormous sums of cannabis taxes and fees that help fund many state programs.

6. FDA approval of Epidiolex

In late 2017 GW Pharmaceuticals (based in London) submitted an application with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval for a pharmaceutical drug called Epidiolex. Epidiolex is a medicine designed as a treatment for seizures associated with two Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome (two types of epilepsy).

Unlike Marinol, which is a synthetic cannabis-type medicine, Epidiolex is plant derived. Marinol received approval from the FDA and is currently scheduled as a Schedule III substance. If Epidiolex receives approval from the FDA, it could be on sale across America by the end of 2018. An answer as to whether GW Pharmaceutical's application was approved or denied is expected sometime in mid-2018..

An approval by the FDA for Epidiolex would have a major impact on the emerging cannabis industry as well as future reform efforts. As previously stated in this article, a number of states have approved CBD-only laws. A big argument against such laws is that they do not help people that need to use CBD, in that they often do not provide legal ways to obtain CBD products. That would obviously change with an approval for Epidiolex.

Cannabis supporters could (and should) certainly argue that medical cannabis programs should provide protection and safe access to the entire cannabis plant and its derivatives. However, it will be a harder sell to lawmakers and voters that are hesitant to embrace more comprehensive medical cannabis reform.

Makers of non-pharmaceutical CBD products will have to compete on an uneven playing field if/when Epidiolex is approved. Whereas non-pharmaceutical companies cannot export their products across state lines, GW Pharmaceuticals will be able to sell Epidiolex in pharmacies across America. Also, doctors will be encouraged to promote Epidiolex to patients during doctor visits, which is something that rarely occurs for non-pharmaceutical cannabis products.

GW Pharmaceuticals would be prevented from promoting Epidiolex for any other conditions other than Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome, but clinical trials are underway to test Epidiolex on other conditions. CBD has been found to treat all types of conditions from traumatic brain injuries to nausea.

It's quite possible that Epidiolex could be prescribed for a number of conditions in the near future. It's not out of the realm of possibility that Epidiolex if approved, could become a 'go to' cannabis product across America, which would obviously have a huge impact on the cannabis industry.

7. The cannabis industry will become more crowded

For a long time, the cannabis industry operated in grey areas of the law. As such, one of the main ingredients for success was simply being willing to take the risk of starting a cannabis company. Demand for cannabis has always been strong, but for a number of years, supply was limited. Those days are gone in legal states.

The level of competition in the cannabis industry is now at a fevered pitch, and will only continue to increase in the future. Oregon is the top example when it comes to the increased level of competition in the cannabis industry. Oregon does not have residency requirements for cannabis business license approval and does not have a cap on the number of licenses issued (although there are industry bans in some parts of Oregon).

As of December 4, 2017, Oregon had received 3,178 applications for cannabis business licenses. 1,814 of those were for cannabis producer licenses. 733 of the applications were for dispensary licenses. More and more people are jumping into the cannabis industry every day, which is reflected in every Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) license statistical update, as the OLCC also regulates Oregon's cannabis industry.

Other legal states have a higher barrier to entry than Oregon does and have various policies in place that help limit the number of licenses that are issued. But California, which is going to be the biggest state for the cannabis industry by far, will be like Oregon in that it will not have a cap on licenses. Competition is going to be fierce in California as a result. Many pundits are already predicting an oversaturation of supply in California.

Even in states that do have more stringent cannabis industry license approval criteria, competition is still very strong for the limited number of licenses that are up for grabs. In states that have a limited number of licenses, or plan to if/when cannabis becomes legal, application fees are very costly and with no guarantee of winning one or more licenses.

The cannabis industry is the fastest growing, sexiest industry on the planet right now so it should be no surprise that so many people want in on the action. As with all industries, there will come a point in the cannabis industry where competition becomes so strong that entrepreneurs get pushed out of the industry because they can't compete.

But, unlike many other industries that have grown at an exponential rate, the cannabis industry does not appear to be 'on a bubble.' With only five states allowing adult-use sales right now, the industry has a tremendous amount of room left to grow in size. Opportunities for entrepreneurs will be abundant throughout 2018 and beyond.

8. Canada will legalize cannabis, and Canadian companies will continue their head start in the international cannabis market

Ever since Justin Trudeau was installed as Prime Minister of Canada, there has been a push towards cannabis legalization. Trudeau campaigned on a platform that included cannabis legalization, and a goal date of July 1, 2018 was set for Canada to end cannabis prohibition. A legalization bill has already been passed by Canada's House of Commons late November 2017.

The Senate is expected to pass legalization as well, but nothing is guaranteed. With that said, it would be a dramatic development if legalization stalled in Canada's Senate given the way legalization has been progressing with our Northern neighbor. Canada's provinces will each regulate cannabis in their own way with some similarities and overlap.

Unlike the United States, Canada has a national medical cannabis industry already in place. The largest cannabis companies in Canada dwarf the largest cannabis companies in America, and with legalization on the horizon, large Canadian companies will likely continue to grow in size.

Canadian companies are not only beating American companies at the national level, they are also gaining a huge head start on the international market. Canadian cannabis companies now export products to Australia, Brazil, Cayman Islands, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Germany, Malta, and New Zealand. Plans are also underway for exports to begin in South Africa in the near future.

The combination of a nationally regulated industry and the ability to legally export cannabis products give Canadian companies a distinct advantage over companies in the United States. Canadian companies are not just focused on business at home and on other continents. They are also jumping into the United States market, which creates further competition in the American market. Expect this to continue throughout 2018.

9. The cannabis consumer experience will continue to evolve

It wasn't that long ago that being able to visit a dispensary to purchase cannabis was considered revolutionary. The cannabis consumer experience has continued to evolve throughout this decade, and 2018 should be a particularly ripe year for a cannabis purchasing experience revolution.

Cannabis tourism is not a new phenomenon, but it has certainly become more of a 'thing' as more states have rolled out legal adult-use cannabis sales and cannabis-friendly lodging options have increased via companies like Airbnb. This will continue throughout 2018. California is the top tourist destination in America, and with adult-use sales beginning in early 2018, more tourists are going to be planning their vacations around the legal cannabis experience.

Just as cannabis tourism is set to ramp up in 2018 in America, so too will cannabis delivery services increase in 2018. Cannabis deliveries have existed for several years now in various legal states, but as time goes by it will become a very common thing in states that allow legal cannabis sales. Just as people regularly get pizza and Amazon orders delivered to their homes because of the convenience factor, the same will be true for cannabis.

This year, the cannabis industry witnessed the opening of the first cannabis drive-thru in America. A dispensary named Tumbleweed opened the country’s first drive-thru dispensary in Parachute, Colorado in April of 2017. The drive-thru building was previously a carwash, which is an ideal location due to legal requirements of cannabis transactions taking place out of public view. Other drive-thru locations have popped up in Colorado and Nevada, and that is something that we will likely see more of in 2018.

Social cannabis consumption is something that is likely to spread in 2018. Denver became the first city in America to pass a measure legalizing social cannabis consumption in 2016. The law was implemented in 2017, and the City of Denver is now accepting applications for venues that wish to allow on-site cannabis consumption. Other parts of Colorado along with California, Alaska, and Oregon are considering similar reform measures, with a good chance of passage occurring in 2018.

Massachusetts is the only state so far to adopt a regulatory framework for social use. At the end of 2017 the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission voted unanimously to approve rules that would allow on-site cannabis consumption at venues such as ‘cannabis cafes’ and spas. Social-use regulations in Massachusetts have to be finalized by mid-March (2018), with cannabis businesses expected to open in Massachusetts in July 2018.

10. The demand for craft cannabis industry will continue to increase in 2018

The cannabis industry was a cottage industry for a number of decades, as stated previously in this article. The transition to a robust regulated cannabis industry has been tough for many cannabis industry veterans, with some being able to navigate the turbulent waters better than others. With enormous sums of investment dollars flooding the industry, it is becoming increasingly difficult for small cannabis companies to operate.

But, that's not to say that there is no demand for quality cannabis products produced by smaller companies, often referred to as 'craft cannabis.' The term 'craft' has been applied to many products throughout the years. The craft beer industry is the most akin to the craft cannabis industry.

It will be harder to measure the size of the craft cannabis industry compared to the craft beer industry because the definition of what constitutes craft cannabis is much less concrete than it is in the alcohol industry. The alcohol industry defines craft breweries based on brewery size, the percentage of ownership by actual brewers, and the volume of product produced. Similar standards have not been adopted by the cannabis community so far, but they will eventually, and it wouldn't be surprising to see it happen in 2018.

[RELATED: For more information about the similarities between craft cannabis and craft breweries, join us at Seed to Sale Showwhere keynote speaker and Lagunitas Brewing Co.’s CEO, Tony Magee, is expected to draw parallels between the two industries and reflect on his 25 years of experience.]

Right now craft cannabis is more of a reference to cultivation methods than anything else and doesn't involve factors related to the company that is cultivating the cannabis.

A firm definition of what constitutes craft cannabis will likely come about with increased demand from consumers for products that are not produced on a large scale. Demand for large-scale cannabis will continue to exist too, just as demand for non-craft beer still exists in America, but many cannabis consumers will adhere to a craft-cannabis-only regimen on a scale that is likely to be greater than what is found in the beer industry.

Craft beer sales comprised roughly 12.3% of all total beer sales in America. The size of the craft cannabis consumer base is yet to be determined, but it's a fairly safe assumption that it will be more than 12.3%. However, the first step is defining exactly what craft cannabis is, which will need to be done before the size of the craft cannabis market can be measured.

The cannabis industry remains one of the fastest growing industries in the world. With the constant whirlwind of change, it can be challenging to stay up to date on the latest best practices. For the most up to date information about the cannabis industry, and to learn about what’s to come in the new year, join us for Seed to Sale Show this February 7-8, 2018 in Denver, CO.

Register for #SeedtoSaleShow Now

Or call (888) 409-4418 to Register.

Register by January 5, 2018 to save $300+

The Bookworm Sez: ‘Grass Roots’ lays out history of marijuana

By Terri Schlichenmeyer
Source: peninsulaclarion.com




Is the grass greener on the other side of the fence?

It doesn’t seem to be. Your side looks just fine, healthy, and filled with weed. There’ll be no poison on that, though; weed is exactly what you want there and in the new book “Grass Roots” by Emily Dufton (c.2017, Basic Books, $28, 312 pages), you see how, historically, that’s been a good thing and it’s been bad.

Had you lived in Jamestown 400 years ago, you would’ve been under an interesting edict: all colonists were required by law to cultivate hemp plants. Hemp, a super-strong natural fiber, was important for the making of cloth and rope and, by the late 1800s, its by-product, cannabis, was used as medicine.

Just a few decades later, however, Prohibition was on its way in and marijuana was on its way out. The 1937 Marijuana Tax Act made possession and transfer of cannabis illegal and that was the final word.

For awhile.

On August 16, 1964, Lowell Eggemeier stepped into San Francisco ’s Hall of Justice “and politely asked to be arrested for smoking pot,” which was a felony then. He got what he wanted: to “launch a revolution.” By 1968, “pot had become fiercely political” from coast to coast; by 1970, its usage had swept into suburbia.

Still, despite that weed was widespread, it had its detractors: Richard Nixon “despised” marijuana and did everything he could to link it to society’s ills. Even so, as he “helped pass one of the most sweeping drug laws in American history,” many questioned whether those laws were fair, especially considering the number of arrests for possession of pot. Meanwhile, in Oregon, a member of the House and a pig farmer helped decriminalize weed in 1973, becoming the first state to do so; no other state was willing to follow suit, until Richard Nixon resigned and the decriminalization movement began anew.

By 1978, it was reported that children had “easy access to head shops,” and parents went on the offensive. Nancy Reagan just said “no,” and everyone worried that joints led to crack cocaine. Antidrug sentiment was everywhere, until we came full-circle: in the 1980s, AIDS brought back the idea of marijuana as medicine …

“Grass Roots” proves that marijuana has had its highs through the years — and its lows. But learning about it could have been so much more fun.

True, there’s a lot of historical information inside this book, so it can absolutely be said that author Emily Dufton offers what her subtitle promises. There are dates and stats and Presidents and activists here, plenty of laws and names, but all that info is pretty dry in its delivery. It’s not bad — it’s just not very lively. It should also be mentioned that it’s mostly about smoke-able marijuana, not hemp-as-crop.

And yet — anyone wanting to know about where weed’s been and where it’s going would be happy with this book. It’s comprehensive and fact-filled, which makes it a treasure-trove for the right reader. And if that’s you, then “Grass Roots” is a great place to spend your green.

CBD oil is seized amid Utah investigation into legality of cannabis products

By Taylor W. Anderson

Source: sltrib.com

Nonpsychoactive cannabis oil is becoming commonly used by people who say it helps with anxiety, sleep deprivation, seizures and other ailments.


(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Ed Hendershot, owner of Medical Vanguard and Aspen Grove Rustics, said that the Department of Occupational and Professional Licensing came into his store, and confiscated the CBD oil he had been selling in his store on Main Street in Heber City, Wednesday, December 27, 2017.


Utah authorities are investigating a rapidly growing industry that has led businesses to offer cannabis products that people are using without prescription to treat various ailments amid uncertainty in state and federal law.

Businesses across Utah are selling cannabidiol, or CBD, a nonpsychoactive byproduct from cannabis plants that farmers in states and countries where it’s legal began growing in recent years to fill a massive demand for what’s described as a natural medicine for a variety of conditions.

Even Congress recently took steps that opened the door to the budding industry that made its way to Utah. But businesses in the state that are buying products from a wide array of companies abroad and selling them here are operating outside Utah’s laws allowing for limited hemp extracts to be sold, according to state officials.

“It’s not legal,” said Lt. Todd Royce, a spokesman for the Department of Public Safety. “Recreational use CBD never has been legal, and is not currently legal.”

Royce said the state Bureau of Investigation has recently undertaken a broad probe into the CBD industry in Utah, as businesses have openly advertised products that Royce and others say aren’t allowed without a card from the Department of Health.

Last week, the agency said it was investigating in conjunction with the Department of Health an alarming uptick in calls to poison control from people who said they thought they had consumed CBD products but suffered adverse side effects not associated with them. Unlike the byproduct THC, from marijuana plants, CBD itself doesn’t get users high. The two have historically been tied together because they’re both cannabis plants.

Congress added a provision to the 2014 Farm Bill that allowed states to legalize industrial hemp — which produces CBD — and led to the rapid rise in hemp growing and sale of products in many states that legalized it, such as Colorado. Lawmakers later took steps to prevent a reluctant Drug Enforcement Administration from treating industrial hemp like other, still-illegal cannabis plants.

CBD’s popularity has soared among people using it to treat anxiety, sleep deprivation and epilepsy.


State seizure

That’s what led Ed Hendershot to begin offering it through an antiques shop he runs on Heber City’s Main Street. He thought he was legally selling the product when he started offering a Colorado-based CBD product for customers. Within about two months, customers buying the CBD products accounted for about a third of his business, he said.

“We just had people that would come in and try it and the next day they’d come in and report how amazing it was helping them,” Hendershot said, who added that he’d vetted his supplier and had been told the product was legal across the country.

Last week, a representative from the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL) entered Hendershot’s store, gave him an administrative subpoena and told him he was selling an illegal product.

The subpoena sought “any and all records of sale and invoices of purchase of heparin, CBD oil, and any other prescription drugs,” according to a copy provided by the Libertas Institute. The subpoena was addressed to Medical Vanguard, a company Hendershot started in Idaho that sold products for medical kits.

Hendershot told the inspector that he didn’t maintain any such records but said he’d remove the CBD products until he could get better clarity of what state law allows him to sell. The inspector then took about $400 worth of the product when he left, Hendershot said, despite not having a warrant.

Asked about Utah’s CBD laws generally, DOPL spokeswoman Jennifer Bolton said the agency “can neither confirm nor deny that there is an active investigation into Medical Vanguard,” and declined further comment.

The subpoena is dated Dec. 21, the same day the Department of Public Safety announced an uptick in calls to poison control.

Hendershot said he’s waiting to understand the law before he continues selling CBD, though a half-dozen customers asked him for it since he stopped selling.

”Let’s find out what I can legally do to sell it because this is helping people,” he said.


Regulating the market

Other business owners along the Wasatch Front are already selling the product or planned to do so soon.

Michael Bowen, who co-owns the Salt Lake City-based apothecary Natural Law, said Wednesday he recently ordered his first CBD product to offer his customers.

Dave Card, who owns Dave’s Health and Nutrition stores in Salt lake County, said customers frequently come in asking for CBD products.

“People use it either for nerve pains, sleep issues, a lot of people come back and say it gets them off of opiates,” Card said.

Card and Bowen said they’d researched state law and found that it’s legal to offer the product in their stores.

“It took me a while, actually, to figure out the laws,” Bowen said Wednesday. “If you’re getting CBD oil from the hemp plant, you are legally fine.”

“No, they’re not,” said Rep. Brad Daw, R-Orem, who said state law allows only for people with an epilepsy diagnosis or as part of a study program to legally possess the product.

The Department of Health, which licenses and tracks the number of people who have epilepsy and therefore can possess hemp extracts, such as CBD, said that as of Oct. 31, 119 people had active cards.

“Basically what you have right now is a completely unregulated product,” said Daw, who said he’ll focus on industrial hemp in the upcoming legislative session.

Daw said Sen. Evan Vickers, R-Cedar City, will propose legislation that would allow for the widespread sale and possession of CBD. Vickers didn’t respond to a request for comment, but Daw said the legislation wouldn’t limit who can purchase CBD but would set up regulations for testing and labeling to protect the public.

Best Comments from the original post:

malcolmkyle  The real ransomed turd 🐸 hog. • 14 hours ago

The floodgates to health without going bankrupt?

"The discovery of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) is the single most important scientific medical discovery since the recognition of sterile surgical technique. As our knowledge expands, we are coming to realize that the ECS is a master control system of virtually all physiology. The total effect of the ECS is to regulate homeostasis and prevent disease and aging. The more we learn, the more we realize that we are in the infancy of this scientific field of study. The ECS is a control system which involves tissue receptor proteins, cellular communication and control, molecular anatomy and the scavenging of oxygen free radicals. This new field of science will change medicine forever and prove cannabis the gold standard for many disease processes. Its effect on scavenging oxygen free radicals is applicable to all disease processes and this is why it has such wide medical application and is considered a cure-all by many.

The discovery of the ECS will replace the current medical system of managing and treating disease. Instead of management of symptoms after disease has occurred, we will prevent disease and cancer by manipulation of the ECS.

Research and education of medical students involving the ECS is being intentionally restricted by politics. No justification can be made for the restriction of the scientific study of cannabis and the endocannabinoid system. What is the danger of providing government-grown and tested cannabis to researchers? Diversion of research cannabis for non-scientific or recreational purposes does not seem to be a serious threat to national security."

By Dr David Allen

• Richardv W • 21 hours ago

  “It’s not legal,” said Lt. Todd Royce, a spokesman for the Department of Public Safety”

  Real Meaning: 
  It's not legal until the Legislature get's the nod from the Church! Never mind it contains no THC and no more lethal than Olive oil!

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    Link  Richardv W • 10 hours ago

    The church and their corporate masters in the pharmaceutical industry. $$$$ speak as loud as religion in this state.

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  Rant-N-Roll • 20 hours ago

  Illegal, yet The Department Of Health And Human Services holds U.S. Patent 6630507 B1 "Cannabinoids as antioxidants and neuroprotectants", published in 2003.

Filc Eldnar • 12 hours ago

“Recreational use CBD never has been legal, and is not currently legal.”, said Lt. Todd Royce, a spokesman for the Department of Public Safety

Um, since CBD has no psychotropic affect on anyone how would you go about using it for recreation in the first place? CBD is being used for medicinal purposes only, exactly like hundreds of other herbal extracts currently being marketed across the country. Seems to me the Utah Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Public Safety may want to take a step back and get some clarification on the law before going off half-cocked to harass local businesses. Then again, maybe they simply don't have anything better to do? Kinda like one of their sister organizations, the Utah Alcoholic Beverage Control, which has repeatedly hounded Brewvies for years without actually preventing anything, protecting anyone or helping anything or anyone.

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  Never Cared for Mike Noel  Filc Eldnar • 9 hours ago

  Don't cloud legality with logic.