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U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is pushing the DEA to develop testing that can quickly distinguish between marijuana and hemp.

One of the challenges for U.S. law enforcement regarding hemp, which is now legal in the majority of states, is that it can look the same as marijuana when processed. Additionally, while hemp looks quite different to marijuana when growing, it may have THC levels above the 0.3 percent delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) threshold – which is then considered marijuana.

Police sniffer dogs can’t tell the difference and while field tests can identify cannabis sativa, they can’t determine THC levels.

It’s this difficulty to easily distinguish between the two that has created some headaches for law enforcement, cannabusinesses that have had hemp seized, and resistance in remaining hemp holdout states.

For example, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem recently stated until law enforcement can “quickly and affordably” differentiate between marijuana and hemp, states that have legalized hemp have essentially legalized marijuana as well.

That may not be true, and Governor Noem has plenty of other concerns about allowing the broad adoption of hemp cultivation in her state, but the situation does give the anti-hemp corner ammunition for opposition.

Last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved wording from Senator McConnell inserted into a spending bill providing a measure to support the Drug Enforcement Agency to develop technology to enable law enforcement to distinguish between hemp and marijuana with on-the-spot field testing.

“Ensuring law enforcement can differentiate between industrial hemp and its illicit cousin is critical, and I’ll continue working with the DEA and other federal agencies so hemp can be treated the same as any other legal commodity,” said Senator McConnell.

The full wording of the funding bill’s hemp provisions can be viewed on Marijuana Moment.

Senator McConnell has been a staunch supporter of hemp and hasn’t rested on his laurels since being the driving force behind the Hemp Farming Act of 2018. He sees hemp as being an important part of the economy for his home state of Kentucky – and nationally.

Very recently, Senator McConnell also continued his push to have the FDA issue formal “enforcement discretion” in relation to the sale of hemp CBD products.

Chemesis will manufacture, distribute and retail Hemp Cigarettes across the United States & International Markets

Chemesis International Inc. (CSE: CSI) (OTC: CADMF) (FRA: CWAA) (the “Company” or “Chemesis”), will manufacture, distribute and retail hemp cigarettes. The cigarettes will be distributed throughout the United States and European markets as the Company scales production.

In addition to the vape market, the global cigarette market was worth $888 billion USD in 2018, and is expected to grow at 4% CAGR during 2019-2024¹. With recent regulation changes and a shift away from vaping, the Company believes Hemp Cigarettes will become increasingly popular as an alternative.

The Company will offer white-labelling contracts along with its own branded products which will be distributed throughout Chemesis’ dispensaries and distribution network. The Company will also look to offer via e-commerce platforms as its retail strategy further expands.  

“Chemesis has been increasing its manufacturing and distribution capabilities steadily,” said Chief Executive Officer, Edgar Montero. “The Company will continue to expand its catalogue offerings through unique products that give consumers flexibility and choice. Hemp cigarettes provide the Company with another product that brings shareholder value through high margins and mass distribution. The product line compliments the previously announced tobacco-free smokeless cannabis chew.”

On Behalf of The Board of Directors
Edgar Montero
CEO and Director

About Chemesis International Inc.

Chemesis International Inc. is a vertically integrated U.S. Multi-State operator with International operations in Puerto Rico and Colombia.

The Company focuses on prudent capital allocation to ensure it maintains a first mover advantage as it enters new markets and is committed to differentiate itself by deploying resources in markets with major opportunities. The Company operates a portfolio of brands that cater to a wide community of cannabis consumers, with focus on quality and consistency. 

Chemesis has facilities in both Puerto Rico and California and is in the process of constructing a GMP certified facility in Colombia. Chemesis’ Puerto Rico operations are licensed to operate 100,000 ft² of cultivation, and 35,000 ft² of manufacturing floor space. The Company is positioned to win additional licenses in highly competitive merit-based US states and will expand its footprint to ensure it maintains a first mover advantage.

¹ Cigarette Market: Global Industry Trends

Forward-Looking Information: This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating to statements regarding the Company's business, products and future of the Company’s business, its product offerings and plans for sales and marketing. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance and developments to differ materially from those contemplated by these statements depending on, among other things, the risks that the Company's products and plan will vary from those stated in this news release and the Company may not be able to carry out its business plans as expected. Except as required by law, the Company expressly disclaims any obligation and does not intend to update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information in this news release. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct and makes no reference to profitability based on sales reported. The statements in this news release are made as of the date of this release.

A new study says that ingesting foods containing high amounts of fat might boost the therapeutic effects of CBD.

Most things in life can be improved with a slice of pizza and a greasy burger. Thanks to some science, we can now add CBD to this list.

Researchers from the University of Minnesota discovered that consuming foods with high amounts of fat before ingesting CBD improved the cannabinoid’s absorption rate by a large margin, allowing for more therapeutic effects.

The study, published in the journal Epilepsia, provided CBD capsules to a group of eight patients suffering from refractory epilepsy, and documented their responses to the drug—both while fasting and while consuming a high-fat meal. While the scope of the study was very limited, the results were promising.

Patients who consumed a fatty meal and later ingested CBD experienced 14 times more CBD effects than patients who consumed the cannabinoid while fasting.

“The type of food can make a large difference in the amount of CBD that gets absorbed into the body. Although fatty foods can increase the absorption of CBD, it can also increase the variability, as not all meals contain the same amount of fat,” explains one of the authors of the study.

CBD has long shown promise for treating and preventing seizures, presumably why researchers decided to conduct this study in the first place.

Although CBD reacts differently depending on the body and the ailment that it’s targeting, learning this fact about fat foods is curious, because it goes against traditional beliefs of drugs and their relationships with foods. The latter traditionally diminishes the effects of whatever is being ingested.

Researchers from the study claim that this discovery may reduce costs for patients with epilepsy, decreasing the amount of CBD they must consume in the long term. It also supports the view that high fat foods are the best method of alternative medicine.

Before booking your trip, review the rules governing cannabis in the state where you will be visiting. These laws will clue you in regarding the basics of how much cannabis you can buy.

As more states legalize recreational cannabis, the number of those trying this plant for the first time or resume a habit they gave up after college continues to grow. For those who don’t live in a state where cannabis is legal, traveling to a state with legalized cannabis has become a destination vacation.

Here’s a list of suggestions for first-time cannabis tourists looking to try recreational cannabis.

Do Your Pre-Trip Research

Before booking your trip, review the rules governing cannabis in the state where you will be visiting. These laws will clue you in regarding the basics of how much cannabis you can buy, as well as where you can consume cannabis. Check out Kush Tourism for listings of cannabis tours and cannabis friendly lodgings if you want an in-depth cannabis experience.

Bring Your ID and Cash

Be sure to bring along some form of government issued identification. No one under 21 will be permitted to enter a recreational dispensary. Everyone will be checked at the door regardless of how old they may look. Also, leave the pets at home as only service animals will be allowed to go inside. As this is still a cash only business be sure to bring along enough cash for your purchases. Most dispensaries have an ATM on site but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Give Yourself Time

This isn’t like going into a 7-11. At a quality dispensary, the budtenders give each customer personalized attention, and the lines can get a bit long at times.

Honesty is the Best Policy

There’s no stigma to being a newbie cannabis user or only smoked bad weed during your college haze. Budtenders are used to dealing with first-time cannabis users, and enjoy helping someone have the best experience possible. So let them know you’re new to the current cannabis scene, and ask them for their recommendations for first time users.

Be Mindful of Your Money

It’s incredibly easy to get carried away and walk out with a lot of expensive paraphernalia that you may never use after your trip. A pre-rolled joint is the cheapest option to consume cannabis. For those who don’t like smoking, another inexpensive option is a disposable vape pen that comes fully loaded and ready to use. However, do not skimp out by buying bad weed, as poor quality cannabis will not produce the desired effects you may be seeking.

Follow The Law

Be mindful that cannabis cannot be consumed legally in public, and that hotels, restaurants, and bars do not allow smoking of any kind. Also, Federal law prohibits transporting cannabis across state lines or flying with recreational cannabis. A qualified budtender will not give you recommendations regarding how you can circumvent the laws pertaining to recreational cannabis, so don’t ask. Edibles, vape pens, and topicals are ways one can consume cannabis in a discrete manner that won’t draw attention like smoking.

Start Small

Take a short hit from a vape pen or pre-rolled joint. Then sit back and chill for 15 minutes. Then take another hit if you want a stronger sensation. Repeat this process until you have the effect you’re seeking. If you are taking edibles, start with a small 5mg dose. Wait half an hour, and then take another 5mg if you want a stronger hit.

Set the Mood

Clear the schedule so you don’t have to be somewhere within a limited time frame. You don’t know how your body will respond. Even if you don’t go to sleep, you’re liable to be too mellow and relaxed to get behind the wheel.

Have an Emergency Kit on Hand

Before consuming any cannabis have some water or other non-alcoholic beverages readily available as cannabis often produces dry mouth. Also, have some munchies around as certain strains of cannabis can make one hungry. Include pistachios in your munchie mix, as they can come in handy should one consume too much cannabis.

Tennessee legislators can’t get medical marijuana legislation passed to save their lives, but the state’s Bureau of Investigation has announced a new policy that may make it easier on cannabis consumers. The agency will stop testing quantities of marijuana that are under half an ounce.

The shift will supposedly make it prohibitively difficult for prosecutors to build a case against individuals charged with cannabis possession. Without evidence that the substance carried by individuals is cannabis, cops won’t have much to work with.

But as a local news site reports, not everyone is enthused the shift. “This is not necessarily something that should give us any hope,” said Josh Spickler, executive director of justice reform group Just City. “We don’t have decriminalization. It is still a crime, and our police department has been very clear that they pursue arrests for possession of this drug.”

Criminal defense lawyer Brandon Hall says the new 14-gram cutoff may result in more people charged with cannabis offenses opting to go to trial rather than plead guilty.

“It would result in a dismissal because they could not meet their burden of proof to show that the drug, the alleged marijuana, actually contained THC,” Hall said. Currently, the attorney says that not too many possession cases make it to trial, and that the state tries to take care of them before they make it that far.

Despite many pieces of proposed cannabis legislation, Tennessee continues to be a state without legal access to recreational or even medical marijuana. In 2019, for the third consecutive year, a medical cannabis bill went nowhere. Republican state senator and anesthesiologist Steve Dickerson has sponsored the failed plans. He says he will try again next year, when he will hopefully be able to pull together more votes in support of medical cannabis access. Dickerson says the plan is “on the precipice of success,” although it cannot be considered until 2020.

The drag on legalization of even medicinal marijuana runs contrary to the wishes of a lot of state residents. A poll with results published in September found that a full 88 percent of respondents in the Tennessee state capital of Chattanooga were in favor of legalizing medicinal cannabis, and 40 percent thought that recreational marijuana should also be regulated.

Tennessee has also seen a rapid expansion in its hemp industry, with the quantity of licensed farmers expanding by almost 1,500 percent in 2019. Many of those, however, have expressed uncertainty about who will buy their crop when it is ready to be processed. Cooperatives have sprung up to help connect producers with suppliers.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation announced in September that it had developed a minutes-long lab process that could tell the difference between hemp and marijuana. The technology will reportedly assist the agency in processing its current caseload of 10,000 cannabis-related offenses. But happily, thanks to the bureau’s recent memo, it appears that the technology will not be used anytime soon for individuals carrying around a respectable amount of weed.

In the first few days of the four-month ban on all vaping products in Massachusetts, Laura Lee Medeiros, a medical marijuana patient, began to worry.

The 32-year-old massage therapist has a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from childhood trauma. To temper her unpredictable panic attacks, she relied on a vape pen and cartridges filled with the marijuana derivatives THC and CBD from state dispensaries.

There are other ways to get the desired effect from marijuana, and patients have filled dispensaries across the state in recent days to ask about edible or smokeable forms. But Medeiros has come to depend on her battery-powered pen, and wondered how she would cope without her usual supply of cartridges.

“In the midst of something where I’m on the floor, on the verge of passing out, my pen has been very helpful for me to grab,” she said. She carries her vape pen in her purse in case of an emergency, but has only one cartridge left.

Massachusetts imposed its ban on all vaping products, including both nicotine- and cannabis-based products, in response to mounting concern about the potential serious health risks. Governor Charlie Baker, a Republican, said the ban would last at least four months while new legislation and regulation is explored.

More than 800 cases of a vaping-related lung disease and 12 deaths across 10 U.S. states have so far been reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Those numbers are expected to climb.

More than three quarters of those with the respiratory illness reported vaping THC, the main psychoactive ingredient of marijuana. Many of them used small e-cigarette cartridges, or “carts,” bought on the black market, where the risk of adulterated products is high.

Some marijuana users had long eschewed vaping even before the ban, often on the advice of doctors who saw the cocktail of compounds being inhaled into lungs as risky.

“I have advised against the vape carts for my patients for a long time exactly out of suspicion of basically what just happened,” said Dr. Ryan Zaklin, a doctor in Salem, Massachusetts. “Who the hell knows what they’re putting in them?”

Some patients like vaping because it is more discreet than traditional burning of marijuana “flower.” The devices are small, produce a relatively odorless “vapor” and is fast-acting: a handheld device rapidly heats liquid compounds into an aerosol that can be inhaled into the lungs.

Many of those patients are now asking their doctors or dispensaries about edible forms of marijuana, liquid tinctures that can be dropped under the tongue or old-fashioned flower buds and pre-rolled joints for smoking.

For Medeiros, who lives in the small coastal city of Peabody, other methods are a poor substitute. She found that edibles take time to take effect, typically about an hour. Tinctures seemed to her similarly slow-acting. And rolling a joint while her vision is closing in and she is hyperventilating from a panic attack is nearly impossible, she said.

UNEXPECTED BLESSING

Medeiros wishes medical marijuana patients had been given time to stock up on the products they use before the ban went into immediate effect.

Pressed on such concerns, the governor has not been swayed to change his decision over what he said was a public health emergency.

“There are many alternative uses available to people who currently have prescriptions for medical marijuana and they should pursue those,” Baker told reporters last week, according to local media.

But some public health experts have warned the ban may drive more people toward riskier black-market, totally unregulated vape products.

At the New England Treatment Access (NETA) dispensary in Brookline, near Boston, which has become one of the biggest suppliers of medical marijuana since the drug became legalized in the state in 2012, several patients said they view the ban as an unexpected blessing.

Denise Sullivan, 62, uses medical marijuana to treat symptoms of her leukemia. She had vaped for more than a year, but stopped after she heard about the ban. During the period she vaped, she contracted pneumonia five times, she said, and now believes that might have been vape related. 

“I can tell when I vape I am more congested not in my lungs but in my sinuses,” she said. She plans to use edibles, which she said kick in with enough time to treat her pain.

Kate LeDoux, 49, had a similar experience. She is a runner and used medical marijuana to help recovery from recent foot surgery. LeDoux stopped vaping a few weeks ago after seeing the news about the lung disease, turning instead to edibles and smoking.

Almost immediately, her “weird cough” cleared up and her running times improved, she said. “Now I know it was 100 percent the vaping.”

In a white, sterilized laboratory on the outskirts of Uruguayan capital Montevideo, biochemist Javier Varela and his team are carefully cultivating plants for a booming multibillion-dollar global market in medical marijuana.

The company Varela works for, Fotmer Life Sciences, has just made the first commercial shipment of medical cannabis from Latin America, 10 kg (22 lb) of dried flowers with high levels of active ingredient THC destined for patients in Australia.

The small but landmark export underscores the country’s push into the burgeoning market for legal cannabis, that has medical uses including helping cancer patients manage chronic pain or treating spasms associated with multiple sclerosis.

“Our goal is to create a billion-dollar industry here in Uruguay in the next five to seven years,” Jordan Lewis, chief executive of Fotmer Life Sciences, told Reuters at the Montevideo lab. The firm soon hopes to announce shipments to the European Union, where Germany is the key market, he added.

Uruguay has been ahead of the curve. It was the first country to legalize the growing, sale and smoking of marijuana in December 2013 in a pioneering social experiment closely watched by other nations debating drug liberalization.

The number of countries legalizing the use of medical cannabis is expected to almost double to around 80 in the future, Lewis said, “creating a potential (global) market of $100 billion in the next ten years.”

In the coming weeks the firm will begin exporting 100 kg each month of dried flowers and cannabis extracts, Lewis said.

The potential is clear. While market forecasts range widely, advisory and investment bank Cowen Inc predicts the U.S. cannabis market alone could be worth $80 billion by 2030.

POT PROFICIENCY

In the company’s facilities, in a science park complex 21 km (13 miles) from Montevideo’s center, Varela’s team of scientists are taking things seriously. To get into the white-walled labs, visitors must wear plastic cloth shoes, a tunic, cap, mask and latex gloves.

Varela says it is vital to control the quality of the environment for the cannabis plants, especially given the high global standards needed for making medicines as well as in the handling of agricultural products.

Each plant has a number and bar code, part of system to track the production process and catch possible genetic issues. There were 350 marijuana plants growing and 27 different genetic varieties when Reuters visited.

The plants once ready are transferred to 18 industrial-size greenhouses in Nueva Helvecia, 120 km away, equipped with drying, curing and packaging machinery.

Varela, a biochemist, got interested in studying the uses of cannabis while doing a doctorate in the Netherlands. When he returned to Uruguay, he joined one of the early projects being done by Uruguayan Fernando Sassón along with American Lewis.

Uruguay’s support for the industry has put it at the forefront of the growing global market, he said.

“As we see legalization happening at a global and regional level, Uruguay is pushing ahead to develop highly-qualified people with the right skills really quickly.” (Reporting by Fabián Werner in Montevideo; Editing by Adam Jourdan and Tom Brown)

The first-ever cannabis cafe in the U.S. has officially opened in Los Angeles. The Lowell Cafe declared an end to "prohibition" as it opened the doors of the West Hollywood weed haven to the public Tuesday.

"For over a century we've been forced to hide cannabis consumption out of public view, but that time is now over," the Lowell Cafe website reads. "We're proud to announce Lowell Cafe — America's first cannabis cafe serving farm fresh food, coffee, juice, and cannabis daily."

Lowell Cafe is a hybrid weed lounge and restaurant where you can order up some pot along with your meal. The cafe boasts a "Dab Bar" for the more experienced cannabis consumer as well as a "Flower House" with hosts who can help customers, including novices, choose their perfect "flower."

"So like with a wine sommelier coming to present wine or talk about pairings, that's ultimately what we want to do," general manager Lily Estanislao told CBS Los Angeles.

"A couple of questions we ask at first is: what's your tolerance level, and are you with someone safe or do you have a method to get home after," Erika Soto, a flower host, explained.

The cafe says it aims to be a welcoming place for "cannabis connoisseurs" as well as "those who are just canna-curious."

"I think it's part of getting rid of that stigma, that negative stigma, on marijuana as a whole," Petra McElvenny, a customer who checked it out at a preview event Monday night, told CBS L.A. reporter Jeff Nguyen.

Andrea Drummer, billed as one of the top cannabis chefs in Los Angeles, created "a unique menu of healthy, flavorful, non-infused dishes" that are designed to heighten cannabis experience, the website says. However, due to current laws, Lowell Cafe will not be offering foods infused with any cannabis. The website says there will be limited, pre-packaged "edibles" available for purchase.

There are some rules: No one under the age of 21 is allowed inside, even if they have a medical marijuana card, and the cafe encourages patrons to act as if they are going to a normal bar. That means no driving home under the influence.

Marijuana was decriminalized in California in 2016. The passage of the Adult Use of Marijuana Act allowed anyone 21 years of age or older to legally grow, possess, and use cannabis for non-medicinal purposes, with certain restrictions.

In 2018, it became legal to sell and distribute cannabis through a regulated business in the state. In 2019, new regulations for cannabis businesses were passed, with strong restrictions on selling and advertising to anyone under 21.

There are currently more than 10,000 licensed cannabis operators in California, making it the largest cannabis market in the country, according to the state's cannabis portal.

Recreational use of marijuana has been legalized in nearly a dozen states, and 65% of Americans now think it should be legal — a record high in CBS News polling.

Most view marijuana as less harmful than alcohol and believe it is less dangerous than other drugs. Many opponents of legalization, however, think it leads to a rise in crime and favor the federal government taking action to stop the sale of pot in states that allow it.