All posts tagged: History

USDA RELEASES DRAFT RULES FOR HEMP FARMING AND PRODUCTION, SETS 60- DAY WINDOW FOR PUBLIC COMMENT

By Shuki Greer, Esq.

Starting with the 2014 Farm Bill, and continuing with the 2018 Farm Bill, we have seen a dramatic shift in the landscape governing hemp. Prior to 5 years ago, hemp production was entirely illegal, as the Federal government handled industrial hemp the same as it handled high-THC marijuana. It was an established Schedule 1 controlled substance, entirely illegal to grow, harvest, or possess.

As awareness has grown, and the true benefits of the hemp plant have become more widely understood, the federal government has passed legislation to decriminalize hemp. However, although it is no longer considered a controlled substance, the questions about the process and regulatory requirements abound. This is because all plants grown in the United States are highly regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture, or the USDA, which has a complex framework of licensing, reporting, and general requirements for every specific product grown in the country.

Last week, the USDA published the draft of its regulations for the hemp industry. Since the 2018 farm bill, we have been living in the “wild west” for hemp. As promised, the USDA released its rules in time for farmers to get legal and licensed for the 2020 season. However, this long-awaited release has been met with mixed results.

Many lawmakers and industry leaders are happy that the federal government has finally put out regulations for hemp. First, they see this as a dramatic shift from the era of prohibition, alone a cause for celebration. Others see the certainty that we are going to have regulations put in place means that the industry will start to grow and develop at a much faster pace.  It is certainly true that the future is extremely bright for hemp. But other farmers and individuals have expressed concerns with some of the regulation’s details.

The “0.3% THC” limit, which delineates the difference between legal “hemp” and illegal “marijuana”, may be too stringent for some growers. They report that a mature hemp plant will have a THC content that will vary from day to day, including some spikes over the 0.3% limit. The new regulations require strict testing to be done prior to harvest, and if the resulting THC content is too high, the entire crop must be destroyed. This may cause farmers to harvest before true maturity, leading to a decrease in the potency or effectiveness of the CBD derived from such a harvest.

The regulations also allow the states to develop their own plans and submit them for approval. Some are concerned that some states may try to infringe on the interstate commerce occurring there, which could cause all kinds of problems and complications for the industry. Still others are worried that the method for disposing of “hot crops” requires just a little too much DEA involvement, which could also cause disruption or have a chilling effect on growth.

It is clear that these regulations are a good step in the right direction. It’s also clear that this is just the beginning, and there is still plenty of room for improvement. The USDA announced a 60-day window for submitting public comments, and then they will consider any suggestions, and then publish a final rule in the future. I encourage you to read the regulations or a summary of them. I encourage you to think about how you would be affected by these rules, and what suggestions you may have. Speak to an expert about how you can do your part to improve the landscape of the industry for the future.

Submit public comments here:

https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=AMS_FRDOC_0001-1919

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Benjamin Caplan, MDUSDA RELEASES DRAFT RULES FOR HEMP FARMING AND PRODUCTION, SETS 60- DAY WINDOW FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
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Cannabis: Vaporizing vs Smoking

Smoking cannabis brings toxins and unhealthy combustion byproducts into the body. With temps in the ~2000’F range for flame, burning flower incinerates a large portion of the product being consumed. As the distance from the point of flame grows, temperatures are lower, and cannabinoids are vaporizing, in addition to being burned by the flame. Over time, as heating technology has improved, there is no longer a need for blasting temperatures way beyond what the material can safely sustain before turning to tar and ash.

Beyond developed habits of consumption, social familiarity, and simplicity of use, one of the reasons many enjoy combustion is the other effects of heat. As with any human contact with extreme heat, blood rushes to the source of heat, and this may present a platform, through which cannabinoids may enter the bloodstream more quickly. The extravagant heat is also aerosolizing many more cannabis compounds than vaporization temperatures typically support, so the effect of flame is often felt to be more intense.

Vaporizing cannabis, however, is less likely to introduce mutations in the polyphenol compounds found in abundance within cannabis, and some of the mutations create terrible molecules known to be caustic and destructive.

If the medical rationale for vaporizing (over combustion) is not convincing, please consider the financial argument: Though purchasing a vaporizer may be costly, it’s a smart investment that could save money in the long run. Learn more by watching this video:

Benjamin Caplan, MDCannabis: Vaporizing vs Smoking
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Massachusetts enshrines education requirements into the cannabis standard of care

Kudos to the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission for implementing a regulatory standard to ensure a sustained opportunity for education and knowledge improvement into the state’s cannabis industry and community.

Massachusetts has consistently shown outstanding leadership in the healthcare arena, and it’s thrilling to see that cannabis is treated no differently.

Already leading the cutting edge of research, education, and cannabis formulation development, CED Foundation is ready & eager to support our industry colleagues with education and guidance, here in MA, and worldwide.

Benjamin Caplan, MDMassachusetts enshrines education requirements into the cannabis standard of care
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The Current Research on Cannabis-Alcohol Interactions and Risk Factors for Using Them Together

Title: Cannabis and Alcohol- From Basic Science to Public Policy

This new analysis summarizes the most recent preclinical trials and epidemiological studies concerning the interactions between cannabis and alcohol, as well as possible risk factors for co-use. Specific risk factors, such as frequency of use or belonging to particular groups, were found to be significant within studies (but not across separate studies.) The compiled data reveals that previous research is inconsistent and emphasizes the need for further research to elucidate at-risk populations.  


This article highlights a few secondary findings which all focus on the gaps in our knowledge concerning cannabis, of which there are many. There may be potential concerns with the integration of cannabis into modern culture, which has essentially normalized alcohol consumption. Future research will undoubtedly evaluate these concerns, and highlight potential advantages that cannabis consumption may offer as an alternative option.

View this review (yellow link) or download:

This paper is also stored here:   http://bit.ly/2Jt1Nfa      inside the CED Foundation Archive

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Benjamin Caplan, MDThe Current Research on Cannabis-Alcohol Interactions and Risk Factors for Using Them Together
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Pediatric Oncology Center Justifies the Use of Medical Cannabis

Pediatric oncologists from Minnesota recently published an article justifying their use of medical cannabis as palliative care for their patients.

The majority of patients at the oncology center were approved for medical cannabis use during their first round of treatment, in order to immediately address the negative side effects of chemotherapy such as nausea, pain, and cancer cachexia. The data provided from the center described much higher chemotherapy compliance rates among patients, and that patients have a much better quality of life when utilizing cannabis.

This article highlights a few promising trends and issues with using medical cannabis; one promising trend is the hope for cannabis to provide antitumor effects. Cannabis has been a subject of exploration for antitumor effects and it has shown promising results. But, there are many limitations to the few studies that have been published, leading the authors to defer any definitive conclusions. The center in Minnesota noted that many of the patients diagnosed with brain tumors were especially hopeful that cannabis would aid in curing them of cancer, second to utilizing the drug for nausea. This is a promising trend because it means the greater public is showing interest in the therapeutic possibilities of cannabis and their support and call for research will aid the drive for the federal rescheduling of marijuana. 

Also highlighted in this article is that, of all the patients certified to use medical cannabis, a subset of 24% never actually registered through the state to receive it. The authors have no firm explanation for these circumstances but seem to suspect that the $200 annual certification fee, on top of the cost for each additional dispensed product may be limiting of patients abilities to afford cannabis. Without the backing of the federal government, insurance companies are unable to cover medical cannabis. As the depth and reach of cannabis research grow, there are good reasons for patients to feel optimistic about medical cannabis.

View this review (yellow link) or download:

This paper is also stored here:    http://bit.ly/2Xb2O3N     inside the CED Foundation Archive


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Benjamin Caplan, MDPediatric Oncology Center Justifies the Use of Medical Cannabis
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Regulation of hemp in Tennessee

Tennessee is yet another state looking to regulate hemp effectively, and a proposed solution to this is on-the-go testing kits to determine THC levels in hemp products. If executed well, this could prevent many from being charged with possession of cannabis and save money in the courts and prison systems http://bit.ly/2ISjm7V

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Benjamin Caplan, MDRegulation of hemp in Tennessee
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The origins of cannabis smoking: Chemical residue evidence from the first millennium BCE in the Pamirs

According to anthropologists, Cannabis plants were burned in wooden braziers (circa 500 BCE) during ceremonies at the Jirzankal Cemetery in the eastern Pamirs region.

 This suggests that cannabis was smoked as part of ritual activities in western China at least 2,500 years ago. Interestingly, phytochemical analyses reveal that these cannabis plants produced high levels of psychoactive compounds, suggesting that people used cannabis not only for medical purposes but also to get intoxicated. 

View this review (yellow link) or download:

This paper is also stored here:   http://bit.ly/2IUbYZU      inside the CED Foundation Archive

To explore related information, click the keywords below:

Benjamin Caplan, MDThe origins of cannabis smoking: Chemical residue evidence from the first millennium BCE in the Pamirs
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