buckaroo bonzai
Well-Known Member
August 20, 2013
The interest in medical cannabis recently spiked when Dr. Sanjay Gupta aired his special “Weed” on CNN that highlighted the advantages of treating childhood epilepsy with the natural non-psychoactive compound,cannabidiol (CBD). Since the special aired, it has been followed by numerous exposés chronicling the benefits and hypocrisy surrounding the legalization of marijuana use. However, what the CNN documentary did not mention is that CBD is legal and available now from Medical Marijuana, Inc’s (MJNA.PK), PhytoSPHERE Systems and its intellectual property holder, CannaVest Corp. (OTC: CANV).
The availability of CBD in various markets should prove to be a tremendous benefit to those in need and does not negate legislation for legalization and other reforms. Certainly more research is in order and will be conducted as cannabidiol makes greater monetary headway. Without extensive research, some doctors are understandably reluctant to choose components of cannabis as acceptable treatments. But the exposure that medical marijuana has received over the past week has opened many eyes on this subject for the first time. The “Green Rush” is picking up steam, and I suspect that sensible dialog will continue to take shape as the benefits of cannabis and need for further research are better understood.
The Green Rush
While more of a moniker to the economic effects of cannabis on society, the term “Green Rush” also reflects a moral component to the cannabis legalization discussion. Acceptance by a majority of Americans is an important barrier that, according to the Pew Research Center, has finally been crossed. In April, Pew released the findings which stated that, “A national survey finds that 52% say that the use of marijuana should be made legal while 45% say it should not.” (Citation 1)
The percentage of people supporting legalization is most likely much higher and growing after Dr. Gupta’s documentary and subsequent re-airings. The popularity of the special has also sparked others to join in extolling the benefits of cannabis and exposing the deception that has slowed research in recent years.
The “Green Rush” is certainly underway, but I believe the defining moment will be when marijuana is removed from the list of drugs that fall under the Controlled Substance Act of the United States. The move would not mean legalization per se, but it would be the first step at the federal level of government that shows that legislators are willing to start injecting common sense into the cannabis landscape.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie recently indicated that he would allow expansion of options for medical marijuana patients, in particular qualified children. Gov. Christie wants to make sure young patients obtain the approval of a pediatrician and a psychiatrist and wants to ensure that marijuana edibles be restricted only to qualified children before signing the bill into law. Given that Christie is a possible Republican Party presidential candidate, after approving the medical marijuana bill (with requested modifications), I think Christie would be inclined to address the “Schedule I” issue if ultimately elected. With that possibility being a ways off, hopefully our current government leaders will take action long before the next election. (Citation 2)
The Holder Effect
In a recent speech to the American Bar Association in San Francisco, US Attorney General (AG) Eric Holder revealed that the Department of Justice (DOJ) would move to cut mandatory minimum drug sentences for non-violent offenders. This is the first dialog to offer some insight as to how AG Holder will now respond to the conflicts between federal and state marijuana laws. I believe that the statements below—taken from his speech directly—addresses the reconciliation that must take place between federal and state authorities:
“This means that federal prosecutors cannot – and should not – bring every case or charge every defendant who stands accused of violating federal law. Some issues are best handled at the state or local level. And that’s why I have today directed the United States Attorney community to develop specific, locally-tailored guidelines – consistent with our national priorities – for determining when federal charges should be filed, and when they should not…
And I’ve encouraged them to convene regular law enforcement forums with state and local partners to refine these plans, foster greater efficiency, and facilitate more open communication and cooperation.” (Citation 3)
AG Holder believes that the ultimate resolution must come from the legislative and executive branches of government. But until that happens, he’s ensuring that that there is a uniform understanding that tying the hands of federal prosecutors to issue mandatory sentences is not the right approach. The cooperation with state authorities and reduced sentences of people found to be in possession of marijuana should promote the further acceptance and trust of users of cannabis and those in the cannabis industry.
Availability of CBD
The consumption of hemp-based CBD is legal in the United States and may be purchased directly from Medical Marijuana, Inc. and its subsidiaries; it can even be obtained on Amazon.com. The company’s three main CBD products are Dew Drop Hemp Oil Supplements, CanChew gum and Real Scientific Hemp Oil (RSHO). The product descriptions taken from the respective websites are listed below:
Dew Drop Hemp Oil Supplement – Dew Drops sublingual tincture from Dixie Botanicals offers hemp oil support to promote overall wellness and offer relief from the effects of everyday stress and anxiety. This unique Dixie Botanicals hemp oil product is available in both refreshing cinnamon and natural flavors and is offered at two different concentrations. Our 2 fl oz tincture is 2.5 times more concentrated than our 1 fl oz tincture. (Citation 4) Lab Results
CanChew Gum – CanChew is a delicious, all-natural gum infused with CBD from hemp oil. It’s a first-of-its-kind CBD product—a patented chewing gum containing naturally-occurring cannabidiol (CBD) from the hemp plant. Each piece of CanChew contains 50mg of CBD-rich hemp oil and approximately 10mg of CBD. (Citation 5) Certificate of Analysis
Real Scientific Hemp Oil – Real Scientific Hemp OilTM (RSHOTM) contains the highest quality hemp-based cannabidiol (CBD) in the industry. Our 98%+/- CBD-rich hemp oil is currently available in the BLUE Decarbox Pack. Additional varieties of non-decarboxylated and filtered decarboxylated RSHO will be available soon. (Citation 6) Certificate of Analysis
The RSHO™ and CanChew™ gum come in high-quality packaging that provides convenient, measured delivery of CBD that will not produce any psychotropic (high) effects. The CBD products of Medical Marijuana, Inc. are hemp-based and come with a Certificate of Analysis to verify CBD concentration. Dew Drop™ Hemp Oil Supplements, CanChew™ gum and RSHO™ are legal to purchase and consume in all 50 states without restrictions. All of the company’s CBD products are derived from non-psychoactive hemp. The high-CBD marijuana strains mentioned in Dr. Gupta’s documentary do not have the same CBD concentrations as MJNA’s hemp-based products and are still, unfortunately, illegal at the federal level.
The increased exposure of the benefits of medical marijuana and more specifically CBD in the media is well overdue. The merits of marijuana legalization and reform will be difficult for the congressional and executive leaders of this nation to ignore for much longer. For now, access to hemp-based cannabidiol is not an issue due to the foresight of Medical Marijuana, Inc. and its subsidiary partners to bring these products to the market in high quality packaging. – Now it’s time to get the word out!!!
Disclosure: I am an investor in MJNA and (OTC: CANV) and this article was written on behalf of Medical Marijuana, Inc.
Citations
Citation 1 - Website link: http://www.people-press.org/2013/04/04/majority-now-supports-legalizing-marijuana/
Citation 2 - Website link:http://www.latimes.com/nation/natio...ie-medical-marijuana-20130816,0,3429534.story
Citation 3 - Website link:http://www.justice.gov/iso/opa/ag/speeches/2013/ag-speech-130812.html
Citation 4 - Website link: http://dixiebotanicals.com/products/dew-drops-hemp-oil-supplement/
Citation 5 - Website link: https://www.canchewgum.com/
Citation 6 - Website link: http://realscientifichempoil.com/
http://www.examiner.com/article/medical-marijuana-inc-and-subsidiary-partners-offer-legal-cbd-now
