While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) continues to drag its feet in forging a clear path for the sale and marketing of hemp-derived cannabidiol (“Hemp CBD”) products, foreign agencies and industry players are leading the way by adopting their own sets of regulations. Last week, giant beauty retailer Sephora announced it was now…
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In recent years, the United States has seen a proliferation of ketamine clinics. From 2015 to 2018, the number of clinics increased from 60 to 300; that number is undoubtedly higher today. People are increasingly using ketamine for ailments that resist treatment through traditional pharmaceutical drugs. In an even larger trend, the health care provider…
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Hemp CBD Across State Lines: Oregon
OregonUncategorized March 2, 2020
The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) legalized hemp by removing the crop and its derivatives from the definition of marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) and by providing a detailed framework for the cultivation of hemp. The 2018 Farm Bill gives the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulatory authority over hemp…
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Grading the Presidential Candidates on Marijuana: Michael Bloomberg
Medical MarijuanaRecreational MarijuanaUncategorized February 23, 2020
Last fall, we ran a 13-part series taking a hard look at each of the 2020 presidential candidates’ history and views related to marijuana. We assigned each candidate a letter grade corresponding with our analysis (for the final summary post, go here). In that popular series, grading criteria was as follows: Current stance on marijuana:…
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The Sale of CBD Foods Is Legal in the UK (For Now)
Uncategorized February 21, 2020
Last week, the Food Standard Agency (“FSA”), the agency responsible for protecting public health in relation to food in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (collectively, the “UK”), cleared a path for the sale of CBD-infused food for the next 12 months. Specifically, the FSA is giving the CBD industry until March 31, 2021 to submit…
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Will China Really Buy More U.S. Hemp? There is No Guarantee
Uncategorized January 30, 2020
Two major President Trump-centric events have been unfolding these past few weeks, and each has alternatingly claimed the limelight and been overshadowed by the other. First, we have the ongoing Senate impeachment hearings, which began January 16, and second, phase one of the U.S.-China trade deal, which was signed and made public on January 15….
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It’s MLK Day. Don’t Forget Cannabis is a Civil Rights Issue.
Medical MarijuanaRecreational MarijuanaUncategorized January 20, 2020
Happy MLK Day! For our international readers, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a federal U.S. holiday marking the birthday of its eponymous civil rights hero. Dr. King was the chief spokesperson for nonviolent activism in the Civil Rights Movement, which successfully protested racial discrimination in federal and state law. Dr. King was assassinated in…
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Will the FDA Soon Treat Hemp CBD as a Dietary Supplement?
Uncategorized January 18, 2020
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may soon change its tune on hemp-derived CBD (Hemp CBD) thanks to a bill recently filed by chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN) and cosponsored by Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY), James Comer (R-KY) and Chellie Pingree (D-ME). HR 5587 is an Act “To amend the…
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The Future of Hemp is Genetics
Uncategorized January 14, 2020
Hemp was legalized federally just over a year ago. During the run-up, legislators from Mitch McConnell to Ron Wyden said things like “[b]y removing hemp from the federal list of controlled substances, farmers can explore the bright future of this versatile crop, found in everything from a coffee mug to your car dashboard.” One planting…
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On January 2, the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) issued non-binding guidance (“Guidance”) in which the agency explains how it intends to prioritize enforcement actions to tackle the growing increase in youth use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (“ENDS”)–more commonly and broadly referred to as “e-cigarettes”–as well as to address vaping-associated lung injuries. According to a…
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