In case you missed it, or would like to revisit some of the information, below is the recording from last week’s lunch hour webinar on west coast hemp CBD after the Farm Bill.
Stay tuned for future posts answering some of the questions we weren’t able to get to during the webinar.
Until then, enjoy!
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The study, titled Potential Use of Cannabinoids for the Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer, was published by the Journal of Pancreatic Cancer, and has been epublished by the National Institute of Health.
“Cannabinoid extracts may have anticancer properties, which can improve cancer treatment outcomes”, begins the study’s abstract. “The aim of this review is to determine the potentially utility of cannabinoids in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.”
For the study, “A literature review focused on the biological effects of cannabinoids in cancer treatment, with a focus on pancreatic cancer, was conducted. In vitro and in vivo studies that investigated the effects of cannabinoids in pancreatic cancer were identified and potential mechanisms of action were assessed.”
According to researchers, “Cannabinol receptors have been identified in pancreatic cancer with several studies showing in vitro antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects. The main active substances found in cannabis plants are cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).” There effects are “predominately mediated through, but not limited to cannabinoid receptor-1, cannabinoid receptor-2, and G-protein-coupled receptor 55 pathways.” In vitro studies consistently demonstrated tumor growth-inhibiting effects with CBD, THC, and synthetic derivatives.
“Synergistic treatment effects have been shown in two studies with the combination of CBD/synthetic cannabinoid receptor ligands and chemotherapy in xenograft and genetically modified spontaneous pancreatic cancer models”, notes the study. “There are, however, no clinical studies to date showing treatment benefits in patients with pancreatic cancer.”
The study concludes by stating that “Cannabinoids may be an effective adjunct for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Data on the anticancer effectiveness of various cannabinoid formulations, treatment dosing, precise mode of action, and clinical studies are lacking.”
The full study, published by researchers at the University of Melbourne in Australia, can be found by clicking here.
According to a study of nearly 3,000 people published last year, it was found that cannabis appears to be a safe, effective and well tolerated palliative treatment for cancer.
The study was published in the European Journal of Internal Medicine, and published online by the U.S. National Institute of Health. The study of 902 patients concludes by stating that “Cannabis as a palliative treatment for cancer patients seems to be well tolerated, effective and safe option to help patients cope with the malignancy related symptoms.”
That study and its abstract can be found by clicking here
A study released in September found cannabis to be useful treating a different type of cancer. The study concludes; “This combinatory therapy approach provides new opportunities to treat TNBC [triple negative breast cancer] with high efficacy. In addition, this study provides new evidence on the therapeutic potential of CB2R agonists for cancer.”
A separate study released the same month found that cannabinoids may provide a potential treatment option for prostate cancer. The study, published by the journal The Prostate, concludes by stating that “The following study provides evidence supporting the use of WIN as a novel therapeutic for prostate cancer.” For the full study click here.
The post Study: Cannabinoids May Be An Effective Adjunct Treatment for D appeared first on TheJointBlog.
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The unprecedented move was made possible by a special computer algorithm.
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House Bill 481 was passed last week by the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee in a 10 to 9 vote. The measure now moves towards a vote by the full House of Representatives. Passage in the House would send the bill to the Senate; passage in the Senate would send it to Governor Chris Sununu who would have the option of signing it into law, allowing it to become law without his signature or vetoing it.
Under the proposed law, those 21 and older would be allowed to possess up to an ounce of marijuana for personal use. They could also grow up to six marijuana plants (up to 12 per household).
In addition, the legislation would establish a licensed and regulated system of marijuana businesses. Anyone 21 and older – even those who live outside or New Hampshire – would be allowed to purchase from marijuana retail outlets. Marijuana would be taxed at $30 per ounce for dried bud. A cannabis control commission would be established to oversee regulations and licensing for the legal marijuana industry.
State projections show that legalization would bring in at least $20 million, and as much as $31 million, in new taxes each year.
Under the law, the public consumption of marijuana would remain prohibited, but would be just a civil infraction rather than a criminal offense. The infraction would be an $100 ticket.
Public consumption would be banned and subject to a $100 fine on first offense.
“It was a historic vote,” State Representative Robert Cushing , the bill’s primary sponsor, said in an interview with NHPR. “For the first time in history the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee voted to recommend that we put an end to the prohibition of cannabis and enact a law to provide for the legalization, regulation and taxation.” The measure’s other sponsors include Representatives Carol McGuire (R), Jerry Knirk (D), John O’Connonor (R), James Webb (R), Casey Conley (D), Skip Cleaver (D), Linda Tanner (D), Edward Butler (D) and Scott Wallace (R), as well as Senators John Reagan (R) and Matha Hennessey (D).
Last year New Hampshire’s full House of Representatives approved House Bill 656, introduced last session by Represenative Glen Aldrich (R-Gilford), which would have made the possession of three-quarters of an ounce of marijuana legal for those aged 21 and older. The bill, which would have also allowed home cultivation and marijuana stores, was passed 207 to 139, but unfortunately stalled in the Senate.
“The House deserves tremendous credit for taking this reasonable step forward”, says Matt Simon, the New England political director for the Marijuana Policy Project, said after that vote. “Most Granite Staters understand that marijuana is less harmful than alcohol, and they’re ready to see it treated that way. Allowing adults 21 and older to grow a few plants without penalty will give them a much-needed alternative to buying from illicit dealers.”
If New Hampshire does legalize marijuana, they would become the 11th state to do so.
The post New Hampshire House Committee Approves Marijuana Legalization Bill appeared first on TheJointBlog.
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The recent wave of crackdowns on cannabidiol (“CBD”)-infused alcohol beverages has further exacerbated public confusion regarding the legal status of the cannabis plant’s non-psychoactive compound.
This post provides an overview of the regulatory framework of alcoholic beverages, including pre-manufactured industrial hemp-infused drinks and “homemade” alcoholic drinks infused with CBD oil or extracts.
Pre-Manufactured Alcohol Beverages Infused with Hemp
As we previously explained, alcoholic beverages are regulated by federal and state laws. Cannabis is heavily regulated at the state level but unlike alcohol, it is—for the most part—strictly prohibited under federal law. However, one variety of cannabis, hemp, was recently legalized under the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (“2018 Farm Bill”), which removed that particular crop from the definition of “Marihuana” under the Controlled Substance Act (“CSA”). Consequently, hemp is allowed in the formulation of alcohol beverages so long as the product meets specific criteria imposed by federal and state alcohol regulatory bodies.
The formulation of hemp-infused alcoholic drinks is regulated by the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco and Trade Bureau (“TTB”) as well as by state liquor control agencies in states where the production and sale of hemp-infused drinks is allowed. Indeed, in its latest FAQ’s (which pre-dates the enactment of the 2018 Farm Bill), the TTB declared it understood the 2014 Farm Bill to only authorize the use of hemp in the production of alcoholic beverage products for sale within limited state-sanctioned pilot programs.
However, in the same FAQ’s, the TTB explained that before it approves a formulation, it consults with the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) to determine whether a hemp ingredient is safe for consumption and whether its use is lawful under the Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act (“FD&CA”). As we previously explained, the FDA currently deems the use of hemp-CBD-infused foods and drinks as unlawful because CBD has been approved in the treatment of epilepsy (Epidiolex); and therefore, can only be used as a drug. As such, the FDA has refused to recognize hemp-CBD as a safe food additive, which means it would treat hemp-CBD infused alcoholic beverages as unlawful under the FD&CA.
Consequently, alcoholic beverages derived from parts of the hemp plant that do not contain CBD, such as hulled hemp seeds, hemp seed protein and hemp seed oil, grown pursuant to a state pilot program that allows the commercial sale of these products, seem to be the only hemp-infused beverages eligible for TTB approval at the moment.
Drinks Infused with CBD Oil or Extracts
The alcoholic beverages recently banned from state bars and restaurants consisted of pre-manufactured alcohol beverages to which CBD oil or extract was later added. Unlike manufactured alcohol beverages, alcoholic drinks sold in bars and restaurants are directly regulated by state liquor control boards and state departments of health, which are free to defer to and adopt FDA regulations.
Although the FDA has limited its enforcement actions against CBD-infused products by sending warning letters, state agencies have begun confiscating those products, pursuant to FDA guidelines that categorize CBD as unsafe food additives. As I previously explained, food additives must receive FDA pre-market approval to be deemed safe for human consumption. However, given the FDA’s current position on CBD-infused products, such approval has yet to be granted.
Because these “homemade” CBD-infused alcoholic drinks are devoid of TTB and FDA market approval, it is understandable that they be banned from local restaurants and bars as they pose a potential threat to health and safety.
So as of now, only TTB-approved hemp-infused alcohol beverages seem to be legal and officially “safe” for human consumption. And to be honest, we don’t know of any that have been approved. That said, this is an incredibly fast-evolving area of law and policy, and we have seen a dramatic escalation of interest in this space ever the past year.
For more information on this issue, feel free to contact our team of hemp and CBD experts.
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