In Australia, the New South Wales Government is plowing $3 million into a $10 million medicinal cannabis industry study to be carried out at a secret location in the state.

The study is a collaborative affair involving the NSW and Australian Federal Governments, Cann Group Ltd, Aglive, Southern Cross University and the University of Newcastle.

According to a NSW Government release, the initiative will result in more than triple the number of researchers working to ensure cannabis plants contain the highest medicinal benefit for patients and will delve into all aspects of the supply chain – from cultivation to traceability.

“It is through this study that the NSW Government will build on its ongoing research into the agronomic parameters for cannabis plants while finding the ideal conditions for producing high quality, year-round, consistent medicinal cannabis products,” said NSW Minister for Agriculture Adam Marshall.

The news was announced at the unveiling of a “top-secret” cannabis research facility located in regional New South Wales, which Minister Marshall says will hopefully lead to improved access to relief for Australians suffering serious chronic and terminal conditions. Minister Marshall commented the facility’s goal is to create the “McDonald’s of the medicinal cannabis world”.

It’s the first significant news relating to the New South Wales’ Government’s medical cannabis initiatives for quite some time. The state has a Compassionate Use Scheme for adults with a terminal illness that provides guidelines for NSW Police to use discretion for possession of cannabis not lawfully prescribed if patients and their carers are registered with the Scheme.

The pace of research is picking up in Australia and the Federal Government is also eager to be seen to be supporting the country’s medical cannabis industry.

Earlier this month, the Morrison Government announced $3 million in funding to examine the benefits of medical cannabis use in cancer patients. This has been criticised by some who state plenty of research has been carried in this area and efforts (and cash) would be better directed to improving access; which remains a complex, costly and time- consuming process for doctors and patients.

Certain people in the cannabis business are more prone to carpal tunnel syndrome than others who work in the industry. Just like professions that require their workers to type, cook, or use a cash register all day, marijuana trimmers suffer due to the detailed, repetitive nature of their work.

The carpal tunnel is a thin tube in your wrist, pretty much from elbow to palm of the hand, that houses the median nerve, which becomes inflamed when the syndrome kicks in. Fortunately, cannabis is here to save the day yet again.

The NSAIDs or corticosteroids that are commonly used to treat the pain associated with carpal tunnel have side effects that range from weight gain and easy bruising to osteoporosis. On the other hand (no pun intended) cannabis’ side effects are short term and include an increase in appetite, dry mouth and the potential for giggles. CBD has no side effects at all. However, depending on the severity of your carpal tunnel, you still may need to wear a splint to bed in order to combat the numb, tingling feelings.

Cannabis is a natural remedy for inflammation in soft tissues, for nerve damage and for joint pain — all associated with carpal tunnel syndrome. Peter J Thompson

Another problem with using the anti-inflammatories like NSAIDs and steroids is that your body builds up a tolerance to them over time. This can lead to stronger painkillers, more discomfort and an increased moodiness. Cannabis is a known anti-inflammatory and though you may build up a tolerance if you’ve never tried it before, it evens out pretty quickly. Let’s say in a matter of weeks, though it certainly varies from person to person.

Cannabis is a natural remedy for inflammation in soft tissues, for nerve damage and for joint pain—all associated with carpal tunnel syndrome. It makes the most sense to use a substance that’s able to relieve the three symptoms of carpal tunnel and that has additional benefits like mood elevation and the alleviation of other aches and pains. If you’re using a topical cannabis product, however, it will be non-psychoactive, but it will work wonders.

THC or CBD Topicals are the best bet for workers who fear drug testing and the products work even better in conjunction with CBD tincture, gummies and/or vape pens. If you’re able to get a bit lifted, though, using an edible or smoking/vaping a good strain for pain, like Girl Scout Cookies, will provide deeper relief.

It’s no fun having a syndrome that makes what you’re used to doing either impossible or limited, but there is relief to be had. Incorporating cannabis into your wellness regime may be the difference between a good day and a bad one, a good night’s rest or an awkward tossing and turning to keep your wrists in position. Cannabis is an excellent medicine, especially when it comes to inflammation, and its potential to help mitigate carpal tunnel syndrome is no small miracle.

Florida already has a medical marijuana program in place, but the consensus seems to be that unleashing the leaf from its prohibition standard is the next logical step.

The presidential election is just about a year away from either making America great again, again or sending it down the path to a long recovery from the clown shoe politics of the past four years. In the midst of the madness, there is marijuana. Some claim the issue has achieved great strides in 2019, more prominent than ever before, while those of us who reside in a more real place has clearly noticed that legal weed is not really in any better position than it has been in a long time.

But 2020 is supposed to be when the powers that be across the country (whomever they may be) are supposed to get serious about taking the next step to ending a nation of prohibition. Some think that Florida could be one of those states to carry the movement forward in a big way. But just how likely is it that the Sunshine State will pull it together? 

There are a couple of groups (Make It Legal Florida & Regulate Florida) doing an admirable job seeing that the question of legalizing marijuana makes it on the ballot in 2020. Make It legal Florida seems to have the best shot at getting it done, however, since it is the initiative drawing the largest financial support. That’s the thing about trying to legalize weed through the ballot initiative process — it’s super expensive. It can cost millions of dollars to break through to the people and secure their support. Some reports show that it could take $10 million to usher in a recreational weed law next year. As of September, Make It Legal Florida has amassed around $1.1 million.

Make It Legal Florida is also doing exceptionally well at collecting signatures. It gathered somewhere around 100,000 within the first 20 days of its campaign. Still, Regulate Florida isn’t doing too shabby either. The group announced in August that it had collected 77,000 signatures. All either one of these groups has to do is secure 76,632 verified signatures to get a review by the Florida Supreme Court (a weird step that Florida has in its ballot initiative process). 

But they would have to show 766,200 verified petitions by February to be cleared for the 2020 general election. So, it stands to reason that it is going to be grind time for the next few months for Florida to have a shot.

Florida lawmakers are already preparing for the voters to be presented with the question of legal weed next year. It was earlier this week that the House Health & Human Services Committee spent some time discussing the possibility. “We’re all going to be asked by our constituents where are we on this,” said Committee Chair Rep. Ray Rodrigues, (R-Estero), according to ABC News. “We need to be equipped to take a position and articulate why we’ve taken that position.”

The goal of both petitions is to legalize marijuana for adult use the same as 11 other states have done. Florida already has a medical marijuana program in place, something that was pushed through in a ballot measure in 2016, but the consensus seems to be that unleashing the leaf from its prohibition standard is the next logical step. Some of the latest polls show that Floridians are all about it, too. Sixty-five percent of the population is in favor of legalizing for recreational use. In Florida, it will take 60 percent of the vote to pass. But the biggest challenge, as of now, will be getting one of the groups to submit the required signature count before the February deadline. 

It’s time to kick it into high gear.

Regulators have given the thumbs-up to the opening of England’s first approved medical cannabis clinic.

While it will not the first private clinic in the country to prescribe medical cannabis it will the first to be approved by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) – the regulator of health and social care services in England.

This comes as the U.K.’s tardy cannabis prescribing regime continues to fail those in need of cannabis, despite last year’s law change. The failure of the U.K. system to provide medical cannabis following last November’s shake-up means many patients have to rely on private clinics, with many paying over £1,500 a month for their cannabis medication.

Vital Lifeline

The MailOnline website reports that Sapphire Medical Clinic in London has now been given the green-light to start prescribing cannabis-based medicines. Managing Director at Sapphire Clinics, Dr Mikael Sodergren, told MailOnline that it has more than 50 patients on its waiting list for cannabis medicine.

He said that it ‘can now be the lifeline for GPs who are not permitted to prescribe themselves but who think their patients could benefit from medical cannabis’.

The European Pharmaceutical review website reports that Sapphire will create a registry of patient response and efficacy which can ‘contribute to the building of an evidence database which could provide information that enables the widespread adoption of medical cannabis’.

New U.K. Cannabis Group

Meanwhile, one of the few existing private clinics has been taken under the wing of a new organisation, namely; the Lyphe Group which has been spun out from European Cannabis Holdings. The Lyphe Group will be headed by Chief Executive Dean Friday and includes the The Medical Cannabis Clinics – the U.K.’s first chain of private clinics specialising in cannabis-based medicines.

Other businesses in Lyphe are the Academy of Medical Cannabis – an medics online learning platform, Astral Health, a bulk importer of medical cannabis products into the UK, and Dispensary Green – the UK’s first online home-delivery pharmacy for medical cannabis.

Dean Friday, CEO at Lyphe said that it now supports the entire process from training healthcare professionals to helping them embrace cannabis medicine, to providing the infrastructure for importation and fulfilling prescriptions. “Our integrated business model will help combat the disjointed system that currently inhibits patient access,” he added.