New Hemp Times

Hello my fellow Hemp nuts! Are you ready for the cannabis bonanza?! Thank you to our Patreon supporters!

https://www.patreon.com/newhemptimes

Greer Barnes (HBO crashing, Chapelle Show) , the Unapologetic Farmer Randy Cameroon, Jr, Jan Roberts, LCSW, and Jahan Marcu, Ph.D dig into recent marijuana science and news after a brief discussion of their week.

Show Segments:

• The Check-In with Jan Roberts, LCSW
• Our word of the day is Harshini
• Research Focus/High Science: THC Analysis in the Dead- interesting implications for policy because of this new data
• CannaBusting - Finding or Fiction We will test your knowledge of recent cannabis news and science
• April 20th? What does it mean to each us?
• Listener Call in, Q and A
• Mind Munchies
• 
  

WORD OF THE DAY:

Harshini the exciter of sexual desire, the rejoicer, delight-giver, causer of elation

HIGH SCIENCE/RESEARCH FOCUS:

Today’s High science research focus, is bigger than the discovery gravitational waves!

New evidence may invalidate a lot of THC testing that is done after people die from accidents or natural causes. Research tries to tie MJ to deaths by looking at levels in the body after people die. Researchers/toxicologists have found what is described as “Oh my god” levels of THC in post mortem analysis.

Post-Mortem THC levels do not shed light on intoxication Levels

Researchers have found that the death greatly affects THC levels in the blood. Potentially discounting all roadside and death related research into cannabis.

If you take a blood sample from a living person, and it is low or within legal limit, but if the day that day, the levels shoot up to “oh my god” levels, due to the body breaking down and releasing it.

Coroners/toxicologists being asked to determine whether marijuana played a role in death state that “we couldn't really answer that question, it is not scientifically possible. because what happens is that if take you the sample after death the results produce artificially high, “sky high”, levels of THC that make you think “oh my god” by in facts its just an artifact from the body breaking down.

“We cant rely on post-mortem THC concentrations when it come to the impairment that  somebody was at or the level they had in their the system when they were alive.”

The fresher the body, the lower the blood levels of THC.

https://www.csindy.com/coloradosprings/study-finds-postmortem-thc-tests-dont-shed-light-on-intoxication-levels-before-death/Content?oid=19419481

CANNABUSTING: Finding or Fiction?

Former Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders coauthored an op-ed on modern-day "Reefer Madness

https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/cultural-psychiatry/21st-century-reefer-madness

• David L. Nathan, MD

• Joycelyn Elders, MD

• Bryon Adinoff, MD

“we acknowledge one key point of agreement with Berenson: Research does show that cannabis can trigger or worsen psychosis in predisposed individuals. Indeed, we have spent years educating the public about this risk.”

“We appeal to government officials, the public, and our fellow physicians to support the sensible regulation of adult cannabis use as a more humane and cost-effective alternative to prohibition. Our nation must embrace science, reject misguided moralism around cannabis use, and recognize that books like Berenson’s are exactly what he inadvertently entitled his own: Reefer Madness.”

Washington State Gov. Jay Inslee (D), a presidential candidate, implied that he consumed high-quality marijuana in the 1970s

https://mobile.twitter.com/PodSaveAmerica/status/1117955769419198464

Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) tweeted a photo of herself meeting with marijuana business owners who "are worried that the feds could step-in at any moment and shut them down. Marijuana is now a multi-billion-dollar industry in our state. We shouldn’t have to worry about suddenly losing a key part of our economy.”

From Twitter

(NAT) Cannabis vaping device maker seeks to inhale $400 million in funding | San Francisco Business Times / The vaping company that used to operate Juul is seeking  to inhale 400 million in funding for a cannabis vape https://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2019/04/16/pax-labs-seeks-to-inhale-400-million-in-funding.html

Pax labs is hitching its star to the cannabis markets. PAX labs is seeking 400million in fund raises after Juul Labs spun out of it operation.

(INT) Canopy Growth Buys Spanish Cannabis Company Cafina in All-Cash Deal | The Street

https://www.thestreet.com/investing/cannabis/canopy-growth-acquires-spanish-cannabis-company-cafina-in-all-cash-deal-14928508

Adds to its European facilities in Denmark and Germany

Carl’s Jr Announces Trial Run of CBD burger (5mg in the sauce)

https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/17/business/carls-jr-cbd-burger/index.html

The company announced for one day only, at one location in Colorado, on 4/20, the will sell a CBD burger, under the name “Rocky Mountain High” Burger.

SCIENCE FINDINGS OR FICTIONS

A recent study conducted by a federal agency, on Police Officer Exposure to cannabis smoke at stadium events, found that over half of officers tested positive for THC after

and they concluded with the recommendation that those officers who are bothered by marijuana smoke and its effects should be assigned to other locations (where exposure .)

Evaluation of Police Officer Exposure to Secondhand cannabis smoke at Open-air Stadium events.

Researchers involved Police officers who worked in areas around and within the University’s football stadium (50K+ capacity). Officers were assigned to patrol various areas in on foot, bicycle, and various small vehicles. Before, after, and during concert events.

19 of 29 (66%) had detectable levels of THC in their blood.

Symptoms reported were red eyes, dry mouth, headache, and coughing, were reported by over 20% of officers.

However, subjective reporting of a contact high was low.

One of the Recommendations:

Recommendations: Assign police officers who report being bothered by secondhand marijuana smoke should be assigned to other locations, where exposure would be low or non-existent.

A study of police officers' exposure to secondhand marijuana smoke at open-air stadium events found "measurable amounts of THC in personal and area air samples" and that "small amounts of THC-COOH, a chemical marker of THC exposure, were detected in urine samples, but not in blood samples," but that "the amount found in the urine would not be considered positive in a routine drug screening test."

https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/77396

Preventative Medicine Reports Indoor Cannabis Smoke and Children’s Health

A recent study found that the air quality of cannabis smoking households is linked to a greater number of adverse health outcomes (but not because of the drugs effect.)

A study found that "odds of reporting a greater number of adverse health outcomes were 1.83 times higher for children of families with indoor cannabis smoking vs families without cannabis smoking, after controlling for exposure to cigarette smoke and other covariates" but that "our results do not indicate a statistically significant association."

Air particle monitors were placed in 298 homes with at least one child under 14.

15% smoked cannabis indoors, 48% of those said they smoked cigerettes inside.

Health outcomes : 31% said none, 44.8% said 1, and 24.1% reported 2 or more.

Types of outcomes: ED visits, ear infection, bronchitis, asthma, skin conditions

Due to higher particulate matter in the air, lower air quality.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335519300385?via%3Dihub

Science/Human: The use of synthetic cannabinoids is associated with more mental health problems compared to natural cannabis

According to an online survey with 367 users of synthetic cannabinoids and natural cannabis, those who used synthetic cannabinoids scored higher on drug abuse, sleep problems, depression, anxiety and other mental health problems.

Department of Drug Monitoring, Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Mensen VT, et al. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2019 Apr 9. [in press]

Science/Animal: Interaction between ketamine and the endocannabinoid system

A study with mice suggests that antidepressant effects of ketamine are mediated by cannabinoid receptors.

Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.

Khakpai F, et al. Biomed Pharmacother. 2019 Apr;112:108717.

Researchers publish article detailing strategies for producing GIANT hempseed and cannabis crops.

Concluding the urgent need to develop public gene bank collections of cannabis.

Criticizes cannabis producers for their shortsightedness for eliminating cannabis germ plasm, because cannabis biomass has a lot of genetic diversity. No R&D on cannabis varieties.

Genetic Resources and Crop Evaluation

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10722-017-0597-y