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CBD Topicals vs Oils: What’s The Difference?

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Derived from the hemp plant, cannabidiol (CBD) can provide a host of benefits to the mind and body, all without inducing intoxicating effects.

But with all the different CBD products available on the market, how do you know which one to use? More specifically, CBD oil and topicals may be applied similarly. How do they compare to each other? How do they differ? And more importantly, which one should you use to target whatever ailment you’re experiencing?

CBD Oil

Oil can be applied topically to specific areas that are experiencing discomfort. It’s also an ideal substance to use for a massage, as oils help to lubricate the skin and minimize any friction while a massage is being performed.

The use of CBD oils during a massage also provides the opportunity to add essential oils to help both nourish the skin and provide an aromatic experience.

But CBD is also often taken orally, usually under the tongue using a dropper. By consuming CBD oil orally, it can have a more systemic effect on the entire body. [1]

CBD Topicals

Topicals can be further broken down into different formats, including tinctures, creams, salves, and ointments, each of which has a different texture, consistency, and base.

The different CBD topical formats may also differ in CBD potency, much like CBD oils. These types of products tend to be more commonly used to target specific areas of the body. [1]

Which Should You Use?

The decision between oils and topicals ultimately depends on the reason why you’re using CBD and what your comfort level and preference is. Generally speaking, both topicals and oils can work for pain management.

That said, topicals may be more effective for alleviating acute pain, inflammation, and headaches in a more targeted manner. They may also be more effective for treating skin issues, including eczema, psoriasis, and dermatitis. Further, topicals may be included in a regular skin care regimen to promote healthier skin.

But for those looking to manage chronic stress, anxiety, or insomnia, CBD oils that can be ingested orally may be optimal, as the effects will be more long lasting and impact the body as a whole. It is also easier to control dosing with the oral route. [1]

Having said all that, combining both topical CBD along with oral CBD may provide the best of both worlds. We always recommend speaking to your doctor before initiating CBD use. And it’s also important to test out different products to see which might work best for your body.

Image Credit: Silviarita

Image Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/oil-lip-balm-beeswax-flowers-4262839/

Reference

  1. Bruni N, et al. Cannabinoid delivery systems for pain and inflammation treatment. Molecules. 2018;23(10):2478.

Shimadzu Announces Partnership with Missouri Lab

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In a press release published last week, Shimadzu Scientific Instruments announced a partnership with MoCann Testing, a division of EKG Labs. MoCann Testing is the first state-certified medical cannabis testing lab in Missori.

It sounds like the partnership involves Shimadzu supplying MoCann with instruments and supporting their testing efforts with training, method development and maintenance, though the press release does not mention any details.

“We are excited to support MoCann’s mission to help individuals across the state of Missouri have access to safe medical marijuana through accurate sample testing and quality results,” says Bob Clifford, Ph.D., general manager of marketing at Shimadzu. “Because selecting the right analytical solutions is a critical investment, we provide more than just advanced instrumentation and software. We assist with method development, instrument training and maintenance that keep systems operating at the highest level.”

MoCann Testing is certified by Missouri, accredited to ISO 17025 and they offer the full gamut of testing services for growers and manufacturers in Missouri.

Synthetic Cannabinoid For COVID-19 Approved For Phase I Trials

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A synthetic cannabinoid drug known as ARDS-003 has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to start Phase 1 clinical trials. The substance is injectable and crafted to aid those with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), a serious condition prevalent with COVID-19.

ARDS is known to cause shortness of breath, rapid breathing, low blood pressure, and fatigue. Cytokines are proteins that cause inflammation. While inflammation is considered a healthy immune system response, too much of it can have fatal consequences (called cytokine release syndrome), especially in the setting of COVID-19 infection.

Cannabinoids have found a spotlight in treating ARDS, as research shows they can be natural anti-inflammatories–most notably, cannabidiol (CBD). [1]

The synthetic cannabinoid ARDS-003 was derived by researchers at Tetra Bio-Pharma. While this compound isn’t a natural molecule extracted from the cannabis plant, it’s engineered to act similarly to phytocannabinoids.

ARDS-003 interacts with the endocannabinoid system by binding to the cannabinoid receptor 2. This receptor plays an important role in regulating the immune system.

Guy Chamberland, MSc PhD, CEO and chief of regulatory officer at Tetra Bio-Pharma told Forbes, “We have extensive preclinical evidence that the active pharmaceutical ingredient in ARDS-003 has a profound effect in inhibiting the factors that lead to excessive immune system activation.”

While this isn’t going to prevent COVID-19 from spreading, it may just help those who are at risk from the novel coronavirus. Scientists have observed that those who struggle most with this virus have an inflamed respiratory system that can drown the lungs with excess fluid.

As ARDS-003 enters into Phase 1 of clinical trials, researchers will observe how it can help individuals with COVID-19. Whether or not the protective effects are long-lasting and are successful for people of all ages, ethnicities, and medical conditions remain to be seen.

Remember, there is no definitive evidence to date to show that using cannabinoids including CBD can prevent or treat COVID-19. Greater research is needed in this important area.

Reference

  1. Khodadadi H, et al. Cannabidiol modulates cytokine storm in acute respiratory distress syndrome induced by simulated viral infection using synthetic RNA. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res. 2020;5(3):197-201.

Image Credit: Michal Jarmoluk

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4Front Ventures to Complete 185,000-Square-Foot Manufacturing Facility in Commerce, Calif.

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PHOENIX November 24, 2020 – PRESS RELEASE – 4Front Ventures Corp. has announced that its fully funded, state-of-the-art, 185,000-square-foot production facility in Commerce, Calif., is nearing completion and will be ready to serve the $3b California cannabis market in Q2 2021. The project is on target to be completed in April 2021 with the company planning for the first of its full line of edibles, tinctures and vape products to be on California retail shelves by May.

Leveraging its Washington facilities, 4Front has successfully introduced its products and brands into Massachusetts, Illinois and soon to be California. The automated, state-of-the-art Commerce facility incorporates unprecedented capacity for finished goods manufacturing, similar to the scale seen in the traditional consumer packaged goods industry. Commerce will have the ability to produce over 10 times the current capacity of 4Front’s 40,000-square-foot Washington production hub.

The successful closing of a C$17.25 million bought deal financing provides the company with all it needs to finish the California facility and to replicate its proven high-quality/low-cost production strategy that has been so successful in even the most competitive of cannabis markets such as Washington State.

“We’re thrilled to be in California and to be completing our largest and most automated manufacturing facility yet,” stated Leo Gontmakher, chief executive officer of 4Front. “Our experience in Washington, Massachusetts and Illinois, where we excel in low-cost manufacturing at scale, uniquely positions us to successfully compete in one of the largest, if not the largest, cannabis markets in the world.” 

Gontmakher continued, “This facility is almost finished and with our large-scale customized production line will produce a minimum of ten times more product per shift than the largest of our other locations. I am not aware of a production facility in the country which will rival us in either size or efficiency and we are poised to attack the California market in a manner that the rest of the industry has been unable to do.

“In short,” said Gontmakher, “this facility is expected to produce quality product at scale and at a price point that pleases both retailer and consumer. Being the lowest cost producer is our strategy for every state in which we operate, and I am excited to soon announce further capacity expansions in Illinois and Massachusetts as well."

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Study: Reddit Users Self-Medicate With CBD

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What do consumers really think of cannabidiol (CBD)? Are they using it to treat medical conditions or wellness? To find out, researchers looked to the popular social media channel Reddit to see what the buzz is all about.

Scientists from the University of California San Diego performed a sweeping analysis of testimonials and the results were an emphatic confirmation of the momentum behind the promise of CBD.

The researchers scoured the r/CBD forum, digging up a staggering 104,917 posts (with 376 analyzed from a sample of 3,000 after filtering), spanning the period from January 2014 to August 2019. To organize all the information, they developed a coding system, which split testimonials into two categories. One revolved around CBD as a treatment of a diagnosable condition, which was made up of 11 subcategories, with the second category focused on wellness, which consisted of two subcategories.

The researchers found that 90% of the Reddit posters believed CBD can treat diagnosable conditions, including psychiatric disorders like depression, which were the most cited (63.9% of the posts), followed by orthopedic conditions (26.4% of the posts). Sleep disorders made up 14.6% of posts, and, finally, neurologic and gastroenterological issues at 6.9% and 3.9%, respectively. [1] Only 29.5%, in contrast, alluded to wellness benefits.

“Because CBD is not an FDA-approved treatment for nearly all the conditions cited by users who post to Reddit, CBD users may unnecessarily experience prolonged illnesses that would otherwise be alleviated with proven effective treatments,” the authors stated. “In addition, CBD use is not devoid of health risks.”

The study authors note some limitations, such as that results may not translate to the larger population, especially since Reddit users tend to be young and male. But the conclusions are telling:

“The findings of this case series suggest that the public may already perceive CBD as an effective therapeutic for many health conditions. We believe this misperception warrants a multipronged response encompassing regulation, clinical practice, and health education.”

While CBD has not undergone the vigorous clinical trial testing that approved treatments have followed, it is not fair to call these results a misperception, as there are many studies indicating that CBD and other cannabinoids can indeed be effectives across numerous medical conditions. This is evidenced by the approval of Epidiolex® (in the US) for epilepsy and Sativex® (outside the US) for symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

Certainly more data are needed and both physicians and consumers require far more education on CBD and cannabinoid medicine; but numbers don’t lie, and, if so many Reddit users find CBD effective, there must be something to it.

Image Credit: Gerd Altmann

Image Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/social-media-icon-human-personal-2537391/

Reference

  1. Leas EC, et al. Self-reported cannabidiol (CBD) use for conditions with proven therapies. JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(10):e2020977.

Spotlight on Aster Farms | Cannabis Industry Journal

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The Brand Marketing Byte showcases highlights from Pioneer Intelligence’s Cannabis Brand Marketing Snapshots, featuring data-led case studies covering marketing and business development activities of U.S. licensed cannabis companies.

Here is a data-led, shallow dive on Aster Farms:

Aster Farms is based in Lake County, California and operates with an ethos of environmental sustainability. They call themselves the “cleanest, meanest and greenest around” and produce sungrown cannabis with “good genetics, clean cultivation and the power of nature.”

According to Pioneer Intelligence, Aster Farms is showing increased strength in each of the pillars they track: social media, earned media and web-related activities. The reason for such an improvement in performance? It starts with a number of earned media placements driving greater awareness for the brand, like this piece in SFWeekly or this one on Benzinga.

Engagement rates for Aster’s Instagram account have been growing for about two months and received a recent boost in the form of a sweepstakes giveaway. Their web activity performance improved as a result of keyword growth on their site.

All of these factors helped Aster Farms get on Pioneer’s list of Top 100 hottest U.S. cannabis brands for October, coming in at Number 60.

Do Over-The-Counter CBD Products Have Enough CBD In Them?

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Arguably the most popular cannabinoid on the planet right now is cannabidiol (CBD).

CBD’s popularity has grown exponentially in recent years.

In fact, CBD is searched for more often on Google compared to THC, and that has been the case for a handful of years now.

The rise in popularity for CBD has been paralleled by CBD’s availability in most countries.

People can purchase CBD products almost anywhere, from gas stations to online platforms.

In virtually every country that permits legal CBD sales, CBD is treated differently compared to THC from a regulation and public policy standpoint.

Whereas only two countries on earth allow sales of THC products for adult use, dozens of countries now allow CBD in one form or another.

Most CBD is derived from hemp as opposed to non-hemp cannabis, and as such it is easier to produce on a large scale compared to cannabis that is high in THC.

The abundance of global CBD supply is being infused into just about anything imaginable right now and many consumers are left wondering if the products they are purchasing are worth the money?

Not Enough CBD?

If you have ever searched for CBD products, then you are probably well aware that there are an incredible arrayt of options.

Figuring out which one is best for your particular situation can prove to be a daunting task.

A good place to start is to look at how much actual CBD is in the product.

According to a recent study conducted in the United Kingdom, the amount of CBD in a product varies widely.

The study was conducted by a team of investigators at King’s College in London and examined the safety and effectiveness of commercially marketed CBD products that are commonly available over-the-counter.

The researchers found that the contents of the CBD products involved in the study were of “variable quality” and that the amount of CBD in the products was significantly below the doses used in controlled clinical trials.

“Although there is enormous consumer interest in CBD, there is little evidence that OTC preparations have significant pharmacological activity or provide health benefits. … [C]ontrolled trials of OTC preparations are needed to address this issue. There is also a need for more accurate labelling and advertising of OTC CBD products,” the researchers concluded.

Dosage and Source Matter

As you can see from the results of the previously cited study, the amount of CBD in a product will make a considerable difference in how it effects users.

Microdosing may make sense when it comes to THC, however, the same does not appear true for CBD.

The quality of the hemp or non-hemp cannabis from which the CBD is sourced is obviously very important as well.

The proliferation of hemp cultivation around the globe in recent years has resulted in a lot of undesirable hemp-derived products flooding the market.

Make sure the CBD products you buy have sufficient CBD levels, that the CBD was sourced from quality hemp or non-hemp cannabis, and the labeling is accurate.

The easiest way to ensure that all happens is to only buy CBD from reputable companies.

Map Helps Guide Hemp and Cannabis Growers on When to Plant, Test and More

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Timing is tricky business in hemp and cannabis field farming. Plant too early, and farmers risk losing their crops to frost. Plant too late, and growers chance early maturation with suboptimal yields. 

It’s the reason The Hemp Mine, a hemp genetics and cannabidiol (CBD) company, created a virtual planting map to help growers make informed decisions about planting, testing and harvesting.

The map includes data points on average frost potential and daylength at different dates for nearly every county throughout the U.S. With this simple data, hemp and cannabis growers can not only make informed decisions about when to plant, which genetics to choose and when to start testing—they can also track their production schedule nearly down to the day.

But before delving into the map, it’s important for growers to understand photoperiodism.

READ MORE: How the Justice Family Transitioned Into Hemp

Photoperiod Primer

Cannabis and hemp are traditionally photoperiodic, meaning a certain amount of time in darkness will trigger them to flower. The number of hours needed in darkness, otherwise called a flowering response time, varies among different varieties. (This is not the case for autoflowering varieties, which will flower after a certain amount of time regardless of day and night length.)

Travis Higginbotham, an owner of The Hemp Mine, explains that cannabis falls into the short-day plant category, meaning it flowers when the night lengths meet or exceed its flowering response time—in other words, it needs long days followed by short days.

“This transition from a long day to a short day initiates flowering and causes the plant to go from vegetative growth to reproductive growth,” Higginbotham says.

Each breeder should provide the specific flowering response time of a variety down to the minute. (If not, Higginbotham suggests asking. This information is crucial.)

A variety’s flowering response time comes into play heavily when looking at The Hemp Mine’s data map.

Using The Map to Decide When to Plant

Using data from The Hemp Mine’s map, farmers can decide the best time to plant based on their genetics. This consists of a delicate balancing act between frost dates, daylength and how long growers want their crop to remain in a vegetative state.

“In the field, you don’t have the ability to manipulate lighting like you do in a greenhouse or an indoor environment, so you have to strategically plan your production outdoors so that you maximize the environment at the location where you are,” Higginbotham says.

First, farmers should look at frost potential. (This is indicated on The Hemp Mine’s map as DATEPERCENTAGE: For example, DATE10% on 5/22 would mean there is a 10% chance of frost on May 22.)

Farmers need to keep this in mind as they then examine day length. (This is indicated on the map in relation to frost potential as DLPERCENTAGE: For example, DL10% of 14.68 would mean on the same date that the frost potential is 10%, the day length is 14.68 hours.)

Higginbotham explains that farmers should only plant when potential for frost is low and when daylength is above that flowering response time. This protects the plant while allowing it to remain in a vegetative state in its early stages so it can bulk up and ultimately prepare to burst with buds. 

Farmers should look at one more data point before they decide when to plant, Higginbotham says: the date when the day length does meet that flowering response time. (This information is not available on the map but is easily found through an online search.) This will determine how long the crop remains in a vegetative state and exactly when it will begin to flower. The longer a hemp or cannabis crop remains in its vegetative state, the more yield it will ultimately produce.

As an example, The Hemp Mine’s Southern Cat Daddy cultivar has a flowering response time of 14 hours. This means farmers growing that variety should choose to plant it when the day length is longer than 14 hours. Also, farmers working with that variety should examine when the day length dips beneath 14 hours to know when it will start flowering.

Other Uses

Using these data points on frost potential and daylength, farmers can determine a plethora of other key factors to drive decisions. 

This information can help farmers choose genetics, as day lengths vary throughout the country. To maximize yield, farmers should choose genetics that allow their crop to stay in a vegetative state long enough to bulk the plant to the yields they’re aiming for. This can ultimately be determined through trial and error, but several weeks in a vegetative state serves as a rough benchmark for beginner growers. 

“Ultimately what dictates the yield per plant outdoors is the length of vegetative growth and light accumulation during flowering,” Higginbotham says.

Frost potential and day length can also help farmers determine when to begin testing their crop, as they can pinpoint the exact day the crop will start flowering. Higginbotham recommends hemp growers specifically test their crops several times throughout the flowering stage to remain in compliance with the 0.3% THC limit, which will also ultimately determine when they harvest.

And, while much of this data focuses on hemp flowering, Higginbotham says this data can also be useful to hemp farmers growing photoperiodic grain and fiber varieties as well. 

“This little piece of data is really something that can help any [cannabis] grower or breeder,” Higginbotham says. “It truly allows you to put a day-by-day schedule on paper.” 

The Hemp Mine has a video further detailing photoperiodism and how to use the map here.

Five States Legalize Adult-Use Cannabis

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In a year where we all could use some good news, cannabis supporters got it this Election Day, with adult-use legalization initiatives passing in four states, and medical passing in one state. Additionally, Oregon and Washington D.C. dealt huge blows to the War on Drugs.

Here’s everything you need to know about these historic victories for legal cannabis:

Arizona

Spearheaded by activists with the group Smart and Safe Arizona, a significant majority of voters in the Grand Canyon State said yes to Prop 207, legalizing recreational cannabis. People age 21 and older will legally be able to purchase and possess up to an ounce of cannabis flower and a maximum of 5g of concentrates while being allowed to grow six plants, according to AZ Central. Business owners hope recreational sales to be operational by April 2021.

Montana

Montana voters passed statutory Initiative 190, effectively legalizing the sale and possession of recreational cannabis. Voters in Montana have the organization New Approach Montana to largely thank for the victory, as activists collected an impressive 130,000+ voter signatures earlier this summer to qualify the initiative—during the midst of COVID-19 restrictions. The MT Department of Revenue will be tasked with the regulation and licensing of the recreational market.

New Jersey

A majority of voters in New Jersey answered yes to Public Question 1, approving a referendum to legalize recreational cannabis. The adult-use cannabis market is now in the hands of the legislature in the Garden State, but Governor Phil Murphy (D) repeatedly came out in support of legalization well before election day even saying it “can’t fail.”

The New Jersey governor was right, and this landmark passing will influence surrounding East Coast states—most notably those with large cities and potentially lucrative markets like New York and Pennsylvania. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf have both spoken out several times in favor of legal recreational cannabis markets in their respective states—but neither have made that happen.

South Dakota

With voters approving both Amendment A to legalize an adult-use cannabis market and Measure 26 to establish a state medical program, South Dakota has officially become the first state ever to pass both at the same time. This unprecedented win for legal cannabis is one that other states will likely emulate in upcoming years, perhaps as early as 2022 and 2024. The transition that states are now making from having only a medical program to legalizing a recreational market is certainly remarkable, especially considering it took a pioneering state like California 20 years to do so.

Mississippi

Mississippi citizens overwhelmingly approved of a medical cannabis program in their state, with more than 70% of voters saying yes to Initiative 65. And until recently, despite being a state with no legal program whatsover, the University of Mississippi was the only approved research grow facility in the US. And now, the people of Mississippi will have access to what has been growing at the university for years.

Oregon

Oregon became the first U.S. state to decriminalize all drugs, with voters approving a measure that would emphasize funding for treatment over punishment. This monumental victory in Oregon is a major success in pushing back against the antiquated, failed War on Drugs, which has gone on for too long, ruining millions of lives and costing billions of taxpayer dollars in its wake. Much like California got the ball rolling with medical cannabis in 1996, this historic approval in Oregon could signify the pealing back of many layers of hurt.

If that wasn’t enough, votes also approved the use of medicinal psychedelic mushrooms.

Washington D.C.

Voters in D.C. approved Initiative 81, effectively decriminalizing entheogenic plants and fungi, such as ibogaine, dimethyltryptamine (DMT), mescaline, psilocybin, or psilocyn. Law enforcement will place the policing of those possessing these substances at a low priority.

A Celebration for Cannabis Supporters

In a year of struggle and division, citizens in the above states have spoken—and the majority of We the People are in favor of cannabis prohibition to end, once and for all. As we move toward another voting season in 2022 then 2024, these monumental victories will no doubt have a huge influence on voters and lawmakers in states that have not yet legalized plant medicine.

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Trichome Analytical Accredited, DEA-Registered | Cannabis Industry Journal

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In a press release sent out this week, Trichome Analytical, based in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, announced two new developments for their business: They have achieved ISO 17025:2017 accreditation and they are officially registered with the DEA for hemp compliance testing.

The press release also mentions their collaboration with Shimadzu, who supplies 80% of the lab’s equipment and supports the Trichome’s operations with technical guidance.

For the hemp industry, pre-harvest testing for THC levels is a requirement and labs are required to get registered with the DEA in order to perform that testing.

These announcements are somewhat timely, given the results of the election. Voters in New Jersey approved adult use cannabis legalization just last week.