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What Is CBD?

If you’re just joining the class, let’s review the basics. CBD, AKA cannabidiol, is considered one of the core 483 compounds contained in the cannabis plant. While it doesn’t make you high alone, it does induce a mild state of well being. Some other cannabinoids you might know are:

• THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol)
• THCA (Tetrahydrocannabinolic Acid)
• THCV (Tetrahydrocannabinol)
• CBC (Cannabichromene)
• CBN (Cannabinol)
• CBG (Cannabigerol)
• CBDV (Cannabidivarin)

Each of these distinct compounds is known for producing their own set of benefits and effects. However, cannabis is more than the sum of its separate components.

Isolates Vs. Whole Plant CBD

The cannabis compounds above are called isolates, substances that have been separated from their combined mixtures. Each isolate will have its own chemical properties and effects that are separate from the mixture they were derived from.

It’s difficult to overemphasize an important fact: these compounds can have completely different effects as isolates than they do when combined with each other.

THC alone has been proven to cause panic, anxiety and tachycardia (rapid heart rate) in some users. While this reaction isn’t fatal, it certainly interferes with the more pleasant side-effects of a high. The good news is that CBD can mitigate these negative effects.

This isn’t something to take lightly considering the plant’s medical applications. And there are more examples where this came from.

CBD More Beneficial Than THC?

Not at all. There’s an ongoing and incomprehensible myth that CBD is the good cannabinoid while THC is the bad one. Why? Probably because THC makes you high and CBD doesn’t. There’s a basic assumption behind this reasoning: things that make you feel good are bad for you. This couldn’t be more wrong.

Eating chocolate feels good; it has antioxidants, minerals and other nutrients that the body requires to maintain a healthy diet. Actually, eating anything tasty feels good. Why? The body creates reward pathways for survival so we’re more likely to do (and eat) things that are good for us.

The problem occurs when the triggering substance gets replaced with something harmful that carries the same feel-good effect. If naturally nutritious food gets replaced by processed junk, you’ll get sick—even if it feels good.

Pleasure Isn’t the Problem

Take dopamine, the chemical released with “runners’ high,” laughing, and even sex—basically anything that’s awesome. Cocaine also releases dopamine; but while the previously listed activities that lead to its release are usually healthy, cocaine is not. What’s wrong here? We’ve replaced naturally healthy methods of dopamine release with a caustic chemical that causes irritation, bleeding, and tissue damage.

The problem isn’t the reward pathway—it’s the thing that causes a reward. If it’s bad for our health, it’s a problem; if it’s good, it’s a solution. So far, THC shows promise to unlock many health benefits. Is the fact that it makes us feel good a bad thing? Of course not!

Mother Nature Knows Best

There’s another misconception that any cannabinoid works just as well without the others. This isn’t just assumed for CBD. You’ll also find potent MMJ products that have very little CBD and up to 25% THC. This isn’t necessarily the natural form of the plant that we’re evolutionarily designed to absorb.

We actually have specific receptors designed to receive cannabinoids. We create our own endocannabinoids in our cells, which bind to these same receptors. Cannabinoids are the actual substances designed for that reward pathway. Many believe the best cannabinoid combinations are those in their natural form, not distilled and purified like a pharmaceutical.

Considering the emerging evidence, there might be a case for not disturbing Mother Nature. The whole plant, with all of its complementary compounds, was designed to work together both in nature and our bodies.

The Case for Only CBD

Still, there are reasons why you might want to take pure CBD. You may:

• Want to try it for anxiety if you don’t tolerate THC well.
• Live in a state that hasn’t legalized cannabis.
• Want to test cannabis’ health benefits but get drug tested at work.

A CBD-only formula helps at least derive some benefit from cannabis, even though you can’t enjoy the full plant. Hopefully, in the future, the law won’t block anyone from enjoying the benefits of whole-plant, CBD-rich cannabis extracts.

Can CBD Convert to THC in My Body?

There’s a myth that CBD can convert to THC in our digestive systems, which is untrue. The rumor originates from a 1940s study that tested conversion rates in prolonged exposure to artificial stomach acids.

It’d take an enormous amount of CBD to end up with detectable amounts of THC in your bloodstream. Estimates are that roughly 1% to 3% of the amount of CBD ingested is converted to, and excreted out, as ∆9 and ∆8 THC.

Consider Your CBD Source

Lots of companies extract their oil from industrial hemp. It’s a little hard to believe they can extract an efficient amount of CBD from non-flowering hemp since CBD oil is mostly extracted from the cannabis plant’s resinous, flowering tops and leaves.

Other companies are going even further by extracting CBD oil from hemp seeds. While hemp seeds and hemp seed oil are wonderful sources of nutrition, they aren’t usable CBD sources as they don’t produce cannabinoids.

Another risk factor? Since so much industrial hemp is required to extract a tiny amount of CBD, contamination risk increases. If grown in a tainted area, hemp could produce polluted oil as it’s a notoriously powerful bio-accumulator. Those toxins hemp cleans from the soil have to go somewhere, and they go into the plant. So it’s better to use fewer and more resinous plants to reduce environmental toxins in the resulting oil.

What to Look for in CBD Products

The best CBD oil is produced using high-CBD plants with a high resin level, not industrial hemp. Many cultivators breed plants to be high CBD and low THC, less than .03%. These strains are proving to be a powerful treatment against Dravet’s Syndrome and other forms of epilepsy.

Just don’t forget: THC is medicine too. If you live in a legal state and work for a company that doesn’t test for THC, consider the benefits of using whole-plant, high CBD products with a complete cannabinoid profile.

Now that you know the good and bad about CBD, here are the most common ways to ingest it. Remember, always ask your doctor about the best delivery method and how much to take before medicating.

Edibles & Drinkables

There are just as many ways to eat CBD oil as there are ways to ingest THC. CBD oil is used in exactly the same way. And as the plant’s popularity continues to rise, we’re beginning to see CBDs featured at mainstream restaurants and health food stores. One of the most beautiful examples of creative consumption is the Mr. Nice Guy cocktail at San Diego’s Madison on Park.

Since you’re probably taking CBD oil for its health benefits, consider the vehicle you’re putting it in/on CBD gummies are cute and tasty, but also chock full of sugar. Instead, combine your favorite fruits with kale, chia seeds, yogurt or oats in a power smoothie and add a few drops of CBD oil to feel like a true superhero.

Potential Benefits

A CBD edible or drinkable may be a way to counteract an overactive high, since a solid dose of CBD has been shown to help calm anxiety and soothe inflammation.

And speaking of inflammation, several current studies explore the benefits of cannabinoids to soothe intestinal inflammation, Crohn’s, IBS, and other stomach related illnesses. The GI tract is lined with receptors that snatch up CBDs for these anti-inflammatory benefits. In other words, this might be the best and most effective delivery method for these conditions.

Potential Disadvantages

Make sure you have a clean source of CBD oil. As mentioned, cannabis can pull lots of toxins and pesticides from the soil. Other than this, there aren’t any know dangers; you won’t get high and you won’t overdose. Of course, read the package and make sure you’re not about to chow down on a product that contains CBD and high amounts of THC—unless you really want to.

How Much Should I Take?

It isn’t legal to list a recommended amount of CBD since the FDA reserves the right to set guidelines for nutrients. Until then, you should follow the dosage others are doing. If you are taking CBD only, typical doses are anywhere from 3mg per serving to 1,000mg per serving.

Start at a small amount, just a few milligrams, and gradually work up to the right dose for you. Everyone has different needs so most people experiment with different CBD to THC ratios and/or other cannabinoids as well.

A word of caution. If you’ve never eaten THC—even though you’ve smoked it—do not start with a high CBD/THC product. Most novices start with 5-10mg and usually feel medicated for hours. Can you imagine accidentally eating a 1,000mg brownie because you thought it was only CBD? You wouldn’t die, but it’d take a couple days to peel yourself off the walls.

It wouldn’t matter if the product had a balanced THC and CBD ratio either; no amount of CBD can counteract a dose that high. So while you freely experiment with your CBD dosage, approach any accompanying THC with extreme caution.

Sublinguals

Sometimes, under the tongue delivery is the most efficient way to take a medicine. That’s why nitroglycerin is placed under the tongue, instead of swallowed when a heart attack is near.

How does it work? The thin membrane of epithelium under the tongue is filled with large, absorbent blood vessels. When an herb absorbs into these blood vessels, it allows their compounds to pass directly into the bloodstream instead of first passing through the digestive tract.

How It’s Done

Simply place the recommended amount under your tongue and hold it there for a couple of minutes, then swallow.

Potential Benefits

Much faster delivery of its beneficial effects. If you’re using the CBDs for pain, headaches, seizures or other problems that need quick relief, many swear by this method.

Potential Disadvantages

Sometimes, you want to deliver the medicine to your digestive system first. If you are using CBD to help a rumbly tummy, intestinal distress, or liver problems, then you might be better off with an edible than sublingual delivery.

Topicals

This is a great way to take CBDs for skin problems or sore muscles. Many patients swear by CBD lotions, rubs, salves and oils for muscle pain.

How It’s Done

Just rub your CBD lotion onto your achy, itchy or splotchy parts.

Potential Benefits

Might be the best delivery method for skin conditions.

Potential Disadvantages

May not provide as potent a form of relieve as edible administration or tinctures.

A word of caution. Most say it’s impossible to absorb enough THC through your skin to fail a drug test or get high. Maybe. Most topicals just don’t have enough THC to matter. However, a tiny amount can absorb through the skin and make you high if you use enough, though it’d require more than an impractical amount.

Some theorize that many historical figures anointed themselves with cannabis oil to become high during rituals and thus commune with nature, God, etc. Likely, if they were only anointing and not smoking, they just had really soft skin.

Still, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Wait several hours and only increase the amount gradually if you’re concerned about the effects. If you choose one of those lotions with both CBD and THC (not THCA), make sure to start small and see how it affects you first. Non-decarboxylated (not heated) THCA is the precursor to THC and considered to be non-psychoactive until it’s heated.

Vaporizers

Vaping, like smoking, is one of the fastest, most potent delivery systems available. It also lasts the shortest amount of time, so the doses have to be repeated several times a day.

How It’s Done

Special cartridges of liquid cannabis extract are connected to a battery and heated until the liquid is vaporized and inhaled.

Potential Benefits

This is a convenient and unobtrusive way to inhale cannabis without the tell-tale smell. It also doesn’t expose your lungs to the tar associated with smoking dabs or flower, so some people (not all) find it to be less irritating.

Potential Disadvantages

There’s a tradeoff between vaping and smoking. Oddly, people used to consider limited smoking a healthy activity because they believed it would ward off parasites and disease. But now we realize the last thing our lungs need is a daily coating of fresh tar. So, we’ve begun to vape more often for both health benefits and the convenience.

It’s important to remember the law of unintended consequences. We haven’t been vaping long enough to understand the long-term health consequences. Additionally, many alarming safety concerns have popped up in recent months. Recently, the concentrates used in Brass Knuckles vape cartridges failed lab tests for pesticide exposure. One of the most alarming pesticides, Eagle 20, turns into cyanide when smoked—and that’s just one of the nasty pollutants they found.

If you’re vaping CBD-only cartridges for the “health benefits without the high” you could potentially be breathing in pesticides as well. Worse, some of the hemp-only CBD cartridges are sold without the same level of testing required for THC cartridges. Worst of all, many vape cartridges use propylene glycol to water down the oil into something that is easily vaped. This can irritate the lungs and there isn’t enough info about long-term consumption to ensure safety.

Yet this isn’t to say that vaping is a bad choice. It’s just a warning to consider your source carefully. Your best bet for the best benefit is to purchase fully lab-tested cartridges that don’t contain propylene glycol.

If you want to find the best CBD products, use Nugg’s cannabis delivery platform to find and have them brought to you! Unsure where to start? Consult our live chat cannabis experts who’ll help you find the best consumption method(s), dosage and lab-approved CBD products to ensure the best experience possible.

 

Crisis Avoided

 

Facing fierce opposition, a proposal promoting zero tolerance for minors driving under the influence of cannabis was withdrawn this week. The development is the latest in a string linked to public safety as it relates to the Golden State’s newly-legal drug.

 

The Alcohol Parallel

 

Senator Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo) stresses cannabis should be treated like alcohol when it comes to our roads. As a result, he put forward a cannabis driving measure with some pretty hefty penalties. Strike one: driver’s under 21 caught operating a vehicle under the influence would face a 12-month driving ban.

 

But given the proposal’s resistance, it was scaled back. Under the redraft, first-time offenders will now receive a warning. Those caught the second time will face a penalty point – avoidable if they attend a drug-awareness course. Strike three will result in a one-year driving suspension.

 

Among those in opposition of the original bill is Drug Policy Alliance representative Glenn Backes. Mr. Backes doesn’t believe in the efficacy of the current roadside testing procedure, telling representatives in Sacramento: “the tests that are being mandated in this bill are unreliable.”

 

Others worry minorities will be unduly targeted under these unreasonably severe guidelines. ACLU attorney Mica Doctroff leaves little to the imagination telling Senators: “the uneven enforcement of California’s traffic laws on black and Latino drivers is very well established even though there are no documented differences in the driving behaviors of black, Latino and white drivers.”

 

But We Have to Face Facts…

 

Hill responded to both sets of concerns with some alarming statistics. According to the senator, 3.5% of drivers under 21 killed on California’s roads in 2013 were under the influence of cannabis. By 2015, that share had grown to 15%.

 

If these numbers are on the mark, there’s certainly cause for further investigation. But it’s a classic catch-22. Research bans stunt our understanding of cannabis intoxication, not to mention suitable testing and diagnosis protocol. Until the science can catch up to the culture, the endless back-and-forth will continue.

 

Remember, subscribe below and stay informed about the latest cannabis news from home and abroad! 

 

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What Info Does the FDA Want?

 

The notice for public comments asks for opinions on:

 

• Abuse potential
• Actual abuse
• Medical usefulness
• Trafficking
• Impact of scheduling changes on availability for medical use

 

While the notice is required by the Controlled Substances Act, the FDA really does use their input – so it’s vital that we contribute. Currently, there are 22.2 million U.S. cannabis users. It’d be very difficult for the federal government to recommend continued global prohibition if inundated with positive comments from each one of them.

 

We can only submit electronic or written comments for this request from now until April 23, 2018. There’s no time to waste!

 

How Do I Submit My Comments?

 

Enter electronic comments here. Don’t leave any personal info you don’t want publicly known as the site’s comments will be reposted in their entirety.

 

If you wish to make a more private statement, send to the address below and be sure it’s postmarked by April 23, 2018:

 

Dockets Management
Staff (HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration
5630 Fishers Lane, Rm. 1061
Rockville, MD 20852

 

What Can I Say?

 

Tell the FDA anything you want to about the plant. Stories explaining its medical usefulness will be particularly helpful. Form letters tend to be less credible, so personal input will prove the most useful.

 

Don’t be shy if you’re not a wordsmith; the agency won’t be checking your grammar. What does matter is those who’ve benefited from medicinal cannabis profess their desire for full descheduling.

 

The government can’t know it no longer has the consent of the governed unless the governed lets it know. This is our chance to be heard loud and clear; let’s flood the powers that be with more positive cannabis opinions than they’ve ever received!

 

We have senators fighting for states’ rights in our nationwide legalization battle, though it’s an uphill one. If we can end the unreasonable international treaties preventing total decriminalization, we can finally end the costly war on weed at home.

 

Please don’t wait; comment today and share this news with everyone you know so they can share their comments too!

 

 

Is Cannabis Really Safer Than Opiates?

 

The general consensus remains that cannabis is a far-safer alternative for treating ailments associated with serious illness than opiates. Here are a few reasons backed by science, not just anecdotal evidence:

 

• There are still no known cases of cannabis death by overdose alone, while there are tens of thousands of opiate overdoses per year.
• Unlike opiates, the amount of cannabis needed to treat a condition is hundreds of times smaller than what’s theorized to kill a human. (Theorized, not proven; death by cannabis alone may be impossible.)
• The body’s own biological responses to THC might actually protect us from overdosing on it. Opiates, on the other hand, are hard-wired to our respiratory system.

 

1) The LD50 (the median lethal dose) for cannabis is many times higher than for any other comparable medicine.
2) There’s a huge gap between the effective cannabis dise and the estimated LD50, while there’s a tiny gap between the effective dose of opiates and the LD50.
3) The body’s own physiological responses when cannabinoid receptors are activated add protection from an overdose of THC, while opiates can easily fatally depress respiration.

 

But what does all this scientific jargon mean, and is it still possible to die from a cannabis overdose? Is cannabis truly a safer alternative, or would patients who use it just trade “one life-wrecking dependency for another that’s only slightly less awful,” as Attorney General Jeff Sessions says?

 

Let’s take a closer look at the facts.

 

You Can Die from a Cannabis Overdose — But It’s Practically Impossible

 

Yes, it’s possible to die of a cannabis overdose. But unlike opiates, this is incredibly difficult to accomplish. And, contrary to some controversial news reports, no one has actually succeeded.

 

This is commonly accepted knowledge, yet there are few people who can explain why this is so. There are plenty of articles online claiming it’s feasible to overdose on edibles with high-potency concentrates. Some even estimate you could die from eating a 2,000mg THC treat. It’s a good idea to consider the source for such an unreasonable claim.

 

All of these speculations add to the confusion that fuels the nationwide legalization debate, and some of them merely defy common sense. For instance:

 

• If it’s physically possible to overdose on an edible commonly available in legal cannabis markets, why aren’t we inundated with a cannabis overdose epidemic along with our opiate one?
• Do scientists truthfully know how much cannabis it takes to kill a mouse, let alone a human?
• How is it possible to get so high from a substance and not die?

 

That last is a legitimate question for anyone who’s ever experienced a massive case of couch lock from that hypothetical 2,000mg candy bar.

 

What’s an LD50?

 

LD50 is an abbreviation for the dose that would prove lethal in 50% of test subjects. For this reason, tests to determine lethal doses are only administered on test animals – often genetically modified lab rats. These are done under controlled conditions where varying doses are given to test subjects; meanwhile, control groups receive the same substance without the active ingredient.

 

If a lab tests the LD50 for oral THC administration in a corn oil base, it would have to test groups with varying doses of THC, and the control groups would get the corn oil. The dosage for the measured substance is in mg/kg body weight, or milligrams of the substance per kilogram the subject weighs. So if we have a freakishly large test rat weighing one kilogram that was in the 50mg/kg test group, it’d receive doses of 50mg THC.

 

It’s important to understand because these tests are performed on animals, not humans – making it impossible to measure the exact toxicity for any substance. There are physiological differences in metabolism and biology that come into play.

 

It’s also true that every substance we ingest has an LD50 – including the ones we need for basic biological functions like water and vitamins. You can die from drinking too much water at once, water intoxication, and it happens quite often. So, it’s important to look at these figures with this understanding.

 

What’s the Cannabis LD50?

 

Scientists have obtained extremely varied LD50 estimates with tests using Marinol – synthetically produced Delta 9-Tetrahydrocannabinol on rats:

 

Method of Administration	Lowest Experimental Result That Caused Death in 50% of Animal Subjects	Highest Experimental Result That Caused Death In 50% of Animal Subjects
Oral Administration	666mg/kg	1270mg/kg
IV Administration	29mg/kg	128mg/kg
IP Administration (injection into the abdominal cavity)	168mg/kg	672mg/kg

 

Thought to be the most psychologically and physiologically active compound in cannabis, Delta 9-THC is not the only one. The cannabis that we normally smoke, eat (and hopefully don’t inject) has many other derivatives that have been tested even less than THC, including:

 

• Delta 8-tetrahydrocannabinol (THCA)
• Cannabidiol (CBD)
• Tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV)
• Cannabinol (CBN)
• Cannabigerol (CBG)

 

Some of these compounds, like cannabidiol, have opposing effects to Delta 9-THC and therefore mitigate the drug’s effects. This is why LD50s for pure THC should be considered only as guidelines for further research, not the definitive guideline for human dosing. View a fairly comprehensive list of the 483 known cannabis compounds and their known physiological effects here.

 

How Does This LD50 Translate to Human Dosing?

 

Since the LD50 estimates based on animal studies are so varied and the tests have only been on animals, it’s pretty hard to nail down how much cannabis would be needed to kill someone.

 

LD50s vary widely between species. A human can tolerate up to 1,000mg/kg of theobromine, the chemical in chocolate that can kill dogs and cats if they eat as little as 300mg/kg. There’s also a large gap between the lowest dose of a substance that can kill and the dose that kills 100% of the test subject – known as the LDLo and LD100 respectively.

 

All we can do is attempt to extrapolate the best guess of the human LD50. Estimates have ranged from “smoking enough to die of oxygen deprivation first” to “drowning in a vat of hash oil.” These claims, far from a scientific explanation, do little to ease the jitters and paranoia suffered by the poor sap who just ate a 2,000mg candy bar for his first cannabis experience. Let’s look at the numbers.

 

The lowest effective oral dose of pure THC that produced fatalities in 50% of rats was 666 mg/kg (a kilogram is 2.2 pounds). That means the sap who ate that super potent candy bar would have to weigh about 6.6 pounds (roughly the size of a small newborn infant) in order to have a 50% chance of dying, according to the most conservative LD50 estimates.

 

If he weighs about 160 lbs., he’d have to consume roughly 48,436mg of pure THC to reach this threshold. If he’s never eaten that much before, it’s a good bet he’s freaking out.

 

For contrast, the LD50 for oral administration of the common opiate fentanyl citrate in rats is 18mg/kg.

 

Effective Vs. Lethal Dose

 

A substance’s effective dose is “the amount of a drug, or level of radiation exposure, that’s sufficient to achieve the desired clinical improvement.” The larger the gap between the LD50 and the effective dose, the safer and more effective the drug. In truth, this number is far more important than the LD50, since it determines the risk of overdose from a standard dose.

 

The measurement of the mean effective dose for a drug, versus the mean lethal dose, is often called the LD50/ED50, or the Therapeutic Index (TI). Here are the TIs of several common drugs to put the issue in perspective:

 

• Alcohol – 10
• Morphine – 70
• Valium – 100
• THC – 1,000

 

According to the TI ratings, the only fully legal drug on this list is also the most dangerous – alcohol. This would explain why there are 2,200 U.S. alcohol poisoning deaths each year. It also explains why we have yet to see a single cannabis poisoning fatality.

 

The Brain’s Added Overdose Protection

 

When THC is introduced to the brain, it releases the hormone pregnenolone, inhibiting the intoxicating effects of THC. In other words, we naturally have a built-in system that keeps us from “getting too high.” Our 2,000mg chocolate-eater wondering why paint is peeling off the walls will probably tell you it’s not working.

 

In fact, many scientists are looking into the effectiveness of pregnenolone for treating cannabis overdose. After all, many people who take too much seek hospital treatment because an overdose tends to make some feel frightened. Most of these people would appreciate a faster option than just “waiting it out.”

 

This can also serve as an effective deterrent to excessive cannabis abuse. Those who’ve experienced a “bad trip” from using too much for their tolerance don’t want to repeat the experience.

 

Sometimes All That’s Needed Is a Little Common Sense

 

After examining the facts:

 

• No one has ever died from cannabis but tens of thousands a people die per year from opiates
• The LD50 for cannabis is extremely high while the LD50 for opiates is extremely low
• The therapeutic index for cannabis is 14 times higher than morphine

 

It’s hard to believe anyone would consider cannabis as merely a “slightly less awful life-wrecking dependency.” If anything, cannabis is a vitally important and incredibly safe medicine that could provide relief for thousands of people who currently risk addiction or death from overuse of opiates for pain control.

 

If you have questions, our Cannabis Concierge can help steer you towards the products that might be suitable to help you find relief from your symptoms. You should check with your doctor before incorporating cannabis into your treatment regimen, but our team of experts can help lay out your options.

 

Can the Bureau of Cannabis Control Dictate MMJ Limits?

 

About a month ago, we received a great question: 

 

“How much cannabis concentrate can be sold to qualified medical patients?”

 

First, you should know that the state attempted to establish default possession limitations with SB420 in 2003. But these attempts were shot down in 2010 by the People v. Kelly.

 

According to Ballotpedia, “the basis for the court’s ruling in People v. Kelly is that the 2003 legislation amounted to an amendment to Proposition 215 and that the California Constitution prohibits legislative tampering with ballot initiatives approved by voters.”

 

This has been a sticky wicket for those wanting to limit cannabis. Basically, the ruling said the amount of cannabis a medicinal patient can have is the amount the doctor says he/she can have. If the doctor prescribes a daily bath in hash oil, that’s a legally defensible position.

 

This was good news for patients who no longer had to fear prosecution if they truly needed larger amounts of cannabis. The limits established by SB420 still remained in Health and Safety Code Sec. 11362.77, but there is now a valid defense if a patient has a rec for larger amounts.

 

Can Prop. 64 Revoke This Medical Defense?

 

Unfortunately, Prop 64 changed all this. The proposition establishes a pathway for the legislature to alter any part of the voter initiative with a two-thirds vote to “further the purposes and intent” of the act. So, naturally, people assume the sky’s the limit for legislative overreach. It’s not.

 

No section of Prop 64 addresses the amount of cannabis a medical cannabis patient can possess. In fact, all of the patient possession limits in current law are actually installed by SB94, the new law designed to enact Prop 64. So, technically, the legislature once again attempts to establish limits for these needy people, just like in SB420, that hasn’t been voted into law, defying Prop 215.

 

Prop 215 has not been repealed. It’s still a voter initiative passed by the people. It’s still a valid law and was not only left intact by Prop 64, but Prop 64 repeatedly defers to Prop 215.

 

Still, unless you want to be the defendant in that inevitable landmark case revisiting the People v. Kelly, you better know the limit the legislature attempts to impose on patients.

 

Initially, our reader’s question seems reasonable and easy to answer. Under the recently amended SB94, recreational users can buy up to one ounce of flower or up to eight grams of concentrates. Medical patients can purchase up to eight ounces of flower and — oh, wait, the default amount of concentrates a cannabis patient can buy isn’t in the code.

 

What now? Time to message the BCC! 

 

Back and Forth with the BCC

 

On Feb. 7, 2018, we wrote:

 

How much cannabis concentrate can be sold to medical patients?  So far, the regulations only control flower — 8 ounces. They don’t differentiate for concentrate. Does this mean that 8 ounces of concentrate could be sold as well?

 

On Feb. 21, we received this response:

 

Thank you for contacting the Bureau of Cannabis Control (Bureau). Please see the Health and Safety Code section 11362.77. It defines the daily amounts allowed.

Best Regards,
Bureau Staff

 

That’s not a clear answer, especially since we copied and pasted the applicable code sections that refer to Health and Safety Code section 11362.77 for easy reference. Apparently, their staff didn’t read our entire email.

 

So we immediately answered back:

 

I can understand if you didn’t read my question fully. You’re probably getting a million questions. I know it’s referred to in H&SC 11362.77. This is why I mentioned the code at the end of my question and pointed out to you that H&SC 11362.77 doesn’t define medical cannabis at all. The answer is NOT in this code. All this code says is:

11362.77.  (a) A qualified patient or primary caregiver may possess no more than eight ounces of dried cannabis per qualified patient. In addition, a qualified patient or primary caregiver may also maintain no more than six mature or 12 immature cannabis plants per qualified patient.

This code doesn’t mention concentrate at all. So, my question still stands, how much concentrate can a patient purchase?

 

The next day, the Bureau responded yet again:

 

Hello,

Yes we do get a million questions a day. Thank you for understanding. The Health and Safety Code section does not define medical cannabis, but it states how much a patient may purchase as a daily limit. I have highlighted the section below that should answer your question regarding the daily limit of concentrate, not flower.

Best Regards,

 

Well, that’s all well and good, but it still doesn’t answer the question. The code highlighted above is the amount of concentrate allowed for recreational consumers, not the default amount permitted for medical patients.

 

Naturally, we immediately responded:

 

The limit highlighted is for adult-use cannabis, not medical. I am asking what the limit for medical possession is. And it is reasonable to assume that there will be a difference because there is a difference in the amount of flower allowed between adult-use and medical. What they have failed to differentiate is the difference between adult-use concentrate and medical concentrate allowed. 

 

Nearly one month after sending this reply, we finally got an answer — well, not really:

 

Hello,

Health and Safety Code Section 11362.77 states:

(a) A qualified patient or primary caregiver may possess no more than eight ounces of dried cannabis per qualified patient. In addition, a qualified patient or primary caregiver may also maintain no more than six mature or 12 immature cannabis plants per qualified patient.
(b) If a qualified patient or primary caregiver has a physician’s recommendation that this quantity does not meet the qualified patient’s medical needs, the qualified patient or primary caregiver may possess an amount of cannabis consistent with the patient’s needs.
(c) Counties and cities may retain or enact medicinal cannabis guidelines allowing qualified patients or primary caregivers to exceed the state limits set forth in subdivision a.
(d) Only the dried mature processed flowers of female cannabis plant or the plant conversion shall be considered when determining allowable quantities of cannabis under this section.
(e) A qualified patient or a person holding a valid identification card, or the designated primary caregiver of that qualified patient or person, may possess amounts of cannabis consistent with this article.

As indicated in the statute, the limit applies to the dried mature processed flowers of the female cannabis plant or the plant conversion. Therefore, the limit would apply to dried flower and the plant conversion as stated in the statute. We have since come to realize that licensed retailers are not able to readily identify what amount of concentrates the plant conversion may amount to. The Bureau is currently working on further clarifying this regulation.

Best Regards,
Bureau Staff

 

In other words, the Bureau of Cannabis Control doesn’t know yet.

 

The Bureau’s Apparently Stumped—And so Are We

 

Well, that’s okay. The law isn’t clear to us either; that’s why we asked. The problem is the Bureau of Cannabis Control cites a section of code from SB420 (a law that was rendered partially unenforceable by the People v. Kelly).

 

While it remains in several amendments, the latest being SB94, it’s old and does nothing to establish an acceptable limit. The section only dictates what parts of the plant can be considered in determining limits.

 

After over a month-and-a-half of questioning, neither we nor the Bureau of Cannabis Control could find the section of current law dictating the default amount of cannabis concentrate a patient can purchase.

 

Could it be the amount of cannabis concentrate that a patient can purchase hasn’t been established? Understanding that there’s a subtle difference between possession limits and purchase limits, CAN purchase limits be established since Prop 64 didn’t address medical possession limits — especially since some patients have to travel more than 200 miles to find safe access to their medicine? Can SB94 override Prop. 215 any more than SB420 could?

 

We’ll let you know when we find out.

 

What Is the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer Amendment?

 

Originally called the Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment, the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer Amendment stops the federal government from funding enforcement efforts against medical cannabis in legal states.

 

First introduced in 2001 by Maurice Hinchey, the amendment took over a decade to pass through the House and become enforceable as part of the omnibus spending bill in 2014. Since then it’s been successfully renewed; however, the fight was particularly dicey this time due to Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ attempted interference.

 

And the sense of relief among cannabis patients is almost palpable today – especially in light of Sessions’ increasingly alarming announcements. In fact, his choice to rescind the Cole Memo was just the start of a Nixonian attempt to reignite the drug war. Sessions also reversed an Obama-era stance that prevented asset forfeiture abuse by law enforcement.

 

Worse, just this week Sessions induced the eye-roll heard ’round the world when he literally encouraged the death penalty for drug dealers. Cannabis activists and patients are glad that such ill-conceived concepts won’t affect them – at least until the 2019 budget.

 

How Long Will the Amendment Protect Us?

 

Only until about September, when it must be renewed yet again with the 2019 budget bill. And as much trouble as President Trump has trying to convince Congress to dance to his tune, the 2019 budget could take just as long to approve as it did this year. So, in a few months, medical cannabis patients will surely be sweating again.

 

But do these protection gaps really matter? After all, the amendment has been fairly successful and most Americans now support it. But as it turns out, those gaps do matter. If the amendment doesn’t pass next year, prosecution efforts could move forward on several federal cases currently on hold.

 

What the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer Amendment Isn’t

 

The amendment recently had the support of a 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling. The decision overruled the Justice Department’s aggressive stance toward medical cannabis and forced them to acknowledge that the amendment does prevent federal enforcement against medical users and dispensaries in legal states. But it’s still not a free-for-all.

 

These protections only apply to cannabis for medical use. They don’t protect recreational users. There was an attempt to protect recreational users as well, initiated by Senator Cory Gardner of Colorado, but his efforts failed to gain enough supporters for this round of federal funding.

 

If the community wants to protect newly-won recreational cannabis rights in the eight states that have moved out of the dark ages, it’s going to take some serious effort. Sessions has proven to be rather rabid on the issue.

 

What We Need to Watch For

 

First, stay informed. After all, a good defense is the best offense. See a roadmap to the prohibitionists’ efforts to renew the drug war here. This conservative article from exactly one year ago shares 11 tactics that the federal government can use to enforce federal cannabis prohibitions, and several of these tactics have already been initiated. So this author must be on to something.

 

Among the most alarming suggestions are:

• Rescinding the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network’s bank guidelines.
• Using RICO (racketeering prevention laws) as a prosecution tool.
• Coordinating with lower level state officials.
• Prosecution of cannabis operations’ financiers (including general stockholders?).
• Selecting businesses that are in violation of both state and federal law to prosecute.

 

Tactics like these can be easily be halted in their tracks by informing state and local representatives that we support a legal and safe market for cannabis, not a return to the prohibitionist stone age.

 

At least we can breathe a small sigh of relief knowing that the most vulnerable members of our cannabis community are safe – for now.

 

Who Is Sashi Nakamoto?

 

His true identity is actually a mystery. It’s also evidence of blockchain’s complete anonymity. For all we know, Nakamoto could just be some hapless technoweenie who invented blockchain in his mom’s basement while eating Hot Pockets and playing Halo. General consensus whittles it down to a handful of candidates who still won’t fess up to creating the incorruptible digital ledger.

 

But we do know that whoever (or whatever) Satoshi Nakamoto is, he/it owns about 5% of Bitcoin, the first monetary application of blockchain tech. This gives him/them a net worth of at least $9 billion.

 

Some governments argue Nakamoto is a criminal gang set on breaking the current market with their disruptive technology. Bitcoin is worth roughly $180 billion, yet so anonymous users don’t know who created it or owned the original stake. Bitcoin made Silk Road, the dark web’s eBay, possible.

 

But that’s the point of disruptive technology, right? Create disarray by proving something new is possible. With blockchain, Nakamoto showed it’s possible to have anonymous, decentralized and unalterable transactions on a reliable and efficient network. Blockchain could even become the basis for a new kind of internet.

 

What Exactly Is Blockchain?

 

As Toby Morning, Founder of Lyfted Distribution & Logistics, explains it:

 

“People talk about blockchain currencies and blockchain technology synonymously, but Bitcoin and blockchain technology are not the same thing. If you think of blockchain as a type of operating system, and Bitcoin as a program that can run on that operating system, you’ll have a pretty close analogy.”

 

There are many other “programs” that can also run on blockchain technology. Morning uses it as the backbone for his distribution network’s databasing. The company believes it’s vital to ensure compliance with the state’s new track and trace program.

 

“If you want to break the information flow, you just hack Metrc (the state’s third party track and trace program). We write all of our own transactions to our blockchain application, so in case Metrc gets hacked, or the system fails, we can’t lose our information. This is vital because our customers have a responsibility to the state and can be audited and sued if they don’t comply.”

 

How Blockchain Works

 

When data is added to a ledger on a blockchain network, it’s entered into a block. These information blocks are attached to each other via chain. Once the chain is full of blocks, it’s hashed into the previous info chain connecting back to every other one.

 

The data is then stored in duplicate form across all other computers attached to its network. Think of it as double-entry bookkeeping on steroids, making records more secure and error-proof.  

 

When a transaction is entered, anyone can see it—but no one can edit it (like only viewing a Google doc). All you can do is add new pages and link them to the original document.

 

If there’s a user error, he or she can see the mistaken transaction and agree to correct it with a new one (i.e. getting a refund). Once that transaction’s fixed, the record will contain both the mistake and the correction in the order they were added. This is why it’s so useful for meeting the new compliance standards for track and trace set up by California.

 

Can This Help End Corporate Censorship?

 

Until now, social networks were like old-fashioned central databases. These first generation ones store all of our personal information on a single database that they themselves have complete control over. A social network can censor and eliminate any posts by their direct competition, or any content that doesn’t fit their moral or political agenda.

 

A blockchain network has no single, old-fashioned database that can be controlled. There’s no person or entity to decide what can be posted except users themselves. Once someone adds content, no one can change or alter it without leaving evidence of tampering.

 

Even better, it can be humans, not algorithms, who decide what’s relevant and what constitutes quality content via consensus. And since it’s blockchain, users should be able to enjoy the freedom and security of their shared information while remaining completely anonymous—if they’re careful.

 

For many, this revolutionary social networking concept couldn’t come at a better time.

 

Marketers, writers and activists can expend thousands of hours and energy on their profiles, building up followers and creating a presence, only to lose it to the capricious censorship of the network’s owners.

 

The cannabis industry has been getting the brunt of corporate social networking’s formidable banhammer.

 

Why CEOs Shouldn’t Arbitrate Free Speech

 

By the time our courts decide on the free speech lawsuits surrounding first-generation social media networks, the behemoths that created the controversy won’t be relevant. The internet age is the embodiment of instant gratification and millennials have neither the time nor the desire to fix a broken system. It’s become easier just to move on.

 

Nothing illustrates this point more than the inevitable demise of Facebook, which is now losing young users at an unprecedented rate. Some say the network has simply become uncool because Mom and Dad crashed the party.

 

 

But when Facebook lost $3.3 billion in stock values last month after announcing new changes to their news feed, censorship definitely came into the conversation.  

 

Founder Mark Zuckerberg said in a public statement that changes were designed to make the social network a more personal experience with friends and family again. Others insist this was a cover allowing the company to censor postings that lead to backlash over cyberbullying and “fake news.”

 

Facebook’s response? Zuckerberg said, “we feel a responsibility to make sure our services aren’t just fun to use, but also good for people’s well-being.”

 

So, Mr. Zuckerberg, who gets to decide what’s good for us?

 

It’s not surprising that Facebook’s disenfranchised users have simply decided to leave. And now they have some interesting new options for a replacement forum.

 

How About a Cannabis Network Dedicated to Free Speech?

 

That’s why so many ears are perking up at the idea of a new blockchain social network dedicated entirely to what us cannapreneurs and stoners love most—ganja! Smoke Network is more than happy to provide an outlet for dangerous concepts like saying whatever the hell we want about a plant that should be legal anyway.

 

Because the network is based on blockchain, savvy users could keep their personal information as private as Sashi Nakamoto’s—if it’s built well. And since their contributions can’t be edited, deleted or censored, they won’t risk spending hours or weeks on content that gets chucked down the Orwellian memory hole.

 

Even better, Smoke Network created their own cryptocurrency designed to pay users just for hanging out and adding content.

 

Getting Paid to Talk About Bud?

 

So is paying users in “smoke” to hang out a gimmick, or a new way to approach advertising? It’s a bit of a ploy, but think of it this way: corporations already pay networks to get our attention; blockchain simply makes it possible to cut out the middleman and pay the target of that communication directly.

 

This also gives content creators a novel new way to monetize their intellectual property. Though don’t start thinking this is the motherload. You won’t be earning a living surfing the internet and smoking pot. (Only in a perfect world…)

 

The amounts paid are measured in cents and fractions of cents, not dollars. Even if you spend day and night posting content and surfing for pay, it’s more like bonuses that accumulate using a rewards-based credit card.

 

What could go wrong?

 

The Darker Potential of Blockchain Networks

 

The concept of a blockchain social network isn’t all sunshine and butterflies. An anonymous forum is likely to be inundated with horrifying content. This is nothing new. 

 

Supposedly, members will be able to upvote and promote good information while downvoting or ignoring the bad. At least users will get a proper warning before clicking on something that can’t be unseen or undone.

 

Assuming that the majority of users are responsible human beings, the system is capable of self-censoring and creating a relatively safe environment.

 

Consider a poster who wants to sell moldy weed from a ditch in Missouri swarming with pesticides and Feds in equal amounts.

 

If the network is truly decentralized, it’d be very difficult to eliminate this user’s posts, although more honest users could downvote to give others fair warning. This still leaves room for innocents to be victimized. Worse, what if our villains are communicating something truly dangerous like paid foreign propaganda to influence American elections or human trafficking networking instructions?

 

It’s Not a Free-For-All

 

There’s still no standard for enforcing issues like this on blockchain technology. So it’s definitely going to be up to the users to keep the place civil and out of the hands of criminals. It worked out for Silk Road, right? (Read how Silk Road was shut down by the FBI.)

 

But before you decide to join the new network and go wild, think again. It may be difficult to track down users but it’s not impossible. When there’s a will, there’s a way, and the criminal investigations that accompanied the Silk Road shut down should make this crystal clear.

 

In the case of Smoke Network, the network isn’t like the dark web where servers were down more than up. Data will be extremely traceable. So it’s feasible that the very determined investigator could eventually track down its source.

 

In their privacy policy, Smoke Network says they collect users’ data, including IP addresses and personal information. They’ll also hand this info over to law enforcement if they feel it’s justified.

 

Users in Legal States Can Still End Up in Hot Water

 

While most people are contemplating problems like black market sales in a dark web environment, they might be missing other regulations that could target the forum’s creators and users directly.

 

For instance, Smoke Network could accidentally end up paying users for illegal content, like advertisements for black market dealers or instructions for how to manufacture BHO with primitive equipment.

 

This may seem like a free speech matter, which would let the network’s owners and users escape culpability, but not all speech is protected by the First Amendment.

 

Unprotected language includes:

 

• Screaming “fire” in a crowded theater
• Certain obscenities like child pornography
• Speech that incites violence
• Libel and slander
• Blackmail
• Incitement to lawless action
• Solicitations to commit crimes

 

So the idea of incentivizing blockchain social networks based around a Schedule 1 drug seems destined for a lawsuit. Will blockchain social networks be sued over user content?

 

Is Escaping Corporate Censorship Worth the Risk?

 

At the end of the day, no system is going to be perfect. Whatever communication network is created, there’ll always be hackers and criminals eager to crash the party. (And don’t forget Mom and Dad.)

 

Protecting free speech has always been a matter of balancing society’s need for safety with our personal need for expression.

 

Perhaps a completely anonymous blockchain system will open more avenues for criminal action, but this system will give users more options to moderate those actions and protect the community as a whole without government intervention or corporate censorship. Perhaps this is the balance we’re looking for.

 

We need uncensored networks to carry out our activism. Otherwise, how can we change the unjust laws that keep cannabis illegal? There’s a reason that activist speech was the very first topic of the Bill of Rights.

 

Besides, nothing worth having comes without risk. We all know free speech comes at a price. Here in America, we tend to feel that price is worth paying. It’s an uphill battle for sure, and not for the timid, but the courts can’t stay in the way of progress forever.

 

Hopefully, blockchain social networks can make a dent in the current corporate censorship holding back progress towards a free and legal market for all.

 

Of course, it’s all fun and games until someone loses an eye, right?

 

Who Is Benjamin Thomas Wolf?

 

Former FBI investigator Benjamin Thomas Wolf is the last person most of us would expect to become a champion of ending the drug war. His career is chock full of law and order.

 

A Kent, Ohio native, Wolf’s law enforcement career started when he was recruited by the FBI during a Washington D.C. internship. For years his work included counterintelligence, espionage and terrorism investigations.

 

During that time, he was one of the first responders at the Pentagon on 9/11 and an investigator for the 2001 anthrax attacks. Wolf even served in the Middle East and Africa as a security and human rights liaison with the State Department. It’s safe to say Wolf takes the law very seriously.

 

Why then, is he so comfortable talking about his use of a Schedule 1 drug? And how does he plan to help the cannabis community move forward with legalization? We called him to find out, and he was more than happy to fill us in on the details.

 

Interview with Benjamin Thomas Wolf

 

Nugg: Did you ever participate in cannabis investigations or enforcement for the FBI, and did you ever talk about the issue with your coworkers?

 

Wolf: No. I never did those types of investigation. All of my work was at the national security level. I did espionage, counterintelligence investigations and counter-terrorism. As a federal agent, those were unauthorized substances. So, I’d never dealt with cannabis. I’d never taken any drugs whatsoever while I was working for the government. And they’re fairly strict about this. They do drug tests, background checks, so that’s just not something we did. It’s not something that we talked about.

 

Nugg: Do you think it should be a topic of conversation there now?

 

Wolf: Absolutely.

 

Nugg: What’s your favorite way to consume cannabis and when did you start using it? I’m assuming it was a long time after the FBI?

 

Wolf: I started using cannabis just a few years ago here when I moved to Chicago. I was just starting on my Ph.D. and a friend of mine came here from California. We used it together for the first time and I realized that it’s just a wonderful recreational substance for creativity and relaxation. It helps with anxiety. As for how I use it, I usually smoke it in the evening. It’s just a nice way to quiet my plane while I walk the dog or work on my dissertation.

 

Nugg: Do you prefer to see cannabis descheduled or rescheduled?

 

Wolf: Well, let me talk about the election for a minute because, as you know, I’m going up against an incumbent who has a million dollars in the bank. He does not want universal health care. He does not want to legalize cannabis. I do. He does not want the option of free higher education. I do. I would like to have it so people can use cannabis legally throughout the United States. And I want all drugs decriminalized. I say it all the time. If you’re using heroin, it’s because you have an addiction problem. You’re not concerned about prison or anything else. We should be looking at this as a health issue and a public safety issue. If we decriminalized these narcotics and drugs, we could get people the help they finally need.

 

Nugg: How do you think this is going to help veterans moving forward?

 

Wolf: Most of the veterans I speak to here in Chicago are cannabis users. I served in Iraq multiple times, and I had no idea how many veterans were secretly using cannabis until we put this ad out. Now they’re looking to me to lead this movement. I’m incredibly proud to be representing the cannabis community — helping it stand up and finally have a voice. The cannabis community has been ostracized and isolated and even arrested, and it’s time they can finally stand up and be proud of what they’re doing. We’re going to keep moving forward until this is legalized federally.

 

Nugg: What’s your opinion about the federal government‘s attempt to curb gun rights based on cannabis use?

 

Wolf: I have mixed emotions on that. I’m a gun owner myself, and I trained on these weapons with the FBI and the State Department. I think cannabis users can’t get approved for what they call a FOID card which is the firearms owner identification document here in Illinois. I’m not sure if that’s the right way to go. You can drink alcohol and handle firearms, which is this huge safety issue. But I think this is something that we should talk about after it’s legalized. Otherwise, I’d be putting the cart before the horse. We can get it legalized and then we can work out the parameters of when you can have a firearm and when you can’t. You know, we put out a commercial two weeks ago of me holding an AR-15 and talking about it being a public safety hazard. These are military weapons designed and manufactured to kill dozens of humans, and we’re talking about school shootings right now. This is the same weapon used in all of these school shootings. Assault rifles need to be banned, immediately and indefinitely.

 

Nugg: There are less than 20 days until the election. What can cannabis supporters in Chicago do to help your campaign?

 

Wolf: We meet every night in our campaign office from 6pm to 8pm. It’s at 2048 W. Chicago Ave. We love local volunteers. We love the support. We definitely need volunteers to go canvassing every weekend and we’re also starting to canvass during the weekdays now.

 

We also ask for small donations. We aren’t taking any corporate money on this campaign. We aren’t taking super PAC money or special interest money. So small donations mean the world to us. Also, they can share information about us on Facebook and other social media streams. Honestly, just talking about what we’re doing is the most important thing. Martin Luther King was able to get a million people to march on Washington D.C., and he didn’t have a Facebook page. Word of mouth is an incredibly powerful thing if you go in and talk to your friends in Chicago, or where ever you are in the world.

 

And we are asking our neighbors in Chicago to vote before the 20th. And not only do I ask that you vote for me, but cannabis is on the ballot in Cook County as well. So the cannabis community really needs to show up here in Chicago and support cannabis at the polls.

 

The average age in my district is 33 years old. These are people that use cannabis routinely and they’ve been waiting for someone like me to publicly stand up make this statement. Now they’re flooding in to help us and we absolutely love it. So please, remember to vote. Early voting has begun, and it’s time for us to stand up as a community and vote and be heard. I would be proud to represent not only the cannabis community but my district in Illinois as a whole, and to be seen as the next generation of Democratic leadership for this nation.

 

How to Join Benjamin Thomas Wolf’s Campaign

 

To find out more about Benjamin Thomas Wolf or join his efforts to legalize cannabis in Illinois, please go to wolfforcongress.com, follow him on social media below, or call (312) 600-7256. You can also donate to his campaign here.

 

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Youtube
• Twitter

 

Maya Elisabeth

Founder, Om Edibles; founder, Whoopi & Maya

The amazing thing about cannabis is that she doesn’t discriminate.

 

Nugg: What have been some of your proudest moments/wins for women in the industry?

 

Elisabeth: We have received countless detailed testimonials of women telling us about the relief they have found from our products. A lot of women have searched for relief their whole life and have not been able to find it even with heavy pharmaceuticals. Our Relax tincture has improved women’s overall menstrual cycle if it is taken every day – it’s a real game changer. As for Om, every time we win an award women come up to us and tell us that we are an inspiration and it makes us feel really good. Victory feels good in general but it feels especially sweet when you hear the feedback that you are inspiring others – especially women.

 

Nugg: Is there a time in your cannabis career that you feel being a woman created a bias against you?

 

Elisabeth: Probably all over the place but I don’t care. I love being underestimated! I choose to focus on thriving and women supporting each other. For the most part men have really been more supportive than anything.

 

Nugg: What implications does a woman-led cannabis industry have for gender parity in other industries?

 

Elisabeth: I hope it will lead the example for other industries and show people that it’s possible. I hope to see females step to the forefront in many other industries as well, or at least be equal. That’s something they say about matriarchal societies – there is no leader; everyone is equal and the community is led by everybody. I love that idea! The amazing thing about cannabis is that she doesn’t discriminate.

 

Jane West

CEO, Jane West; founder, Women Grow; founder, Edible Events

It’s about launching a revolution of female-led companies all across the cannabis industry.

 

Nugg: What role will women play in erasing the stigma against cannabis?

 

West: Women are incredibly well positioned to help lead the cannabis revolution. As people see successful business women, stay-at-home moms, working mothers, and even grandmothers adopt cannabis into their healthy, busy, and successful lifestyles, they’ll challenge the lingering stigmas around cannabis use. Women all over the country are also helping to launch credible, sustainable cannabis companies, showing the world that through responsible stewardship, the cannabis industry can be a lasting force for good.

 

Nugg: What have been some of your proudest moments/wins for women in the industry?

 

West: My team and I built the Jane West lifestyle brand on the belief that women and others who have traditionally been underrepresented in corporate culture should have a seat at the table in the cannabis industry, as well as have a stake in our success. Now, through Republic, anyone can own a part of our company, and help shape our future, with an investment of as little as $25. That’s the sort of ground-breaking approach that can really help level the playing field for women everywhere.

 

Nugg: Is there a specific moment in your cannabis career that you feel being a woman created a bias against you? How did you push forward and overcome?

 

West: There were plenty of times during our initial fundraising round when I wondered if it would have been easier for me to raise capital if I were a man. After all, while 38 percent of all businesses are owned by women, only 2 percent of venture capital funding currently goes to female-owned companies. Of course, disparities like that just inspire me and my team to work harder than ever to reach our goals, not just for the success of our own company, but for the sake of female entrepreneurs everywhere.

 

Nugg: What implications does a woman-led cannabis industry have for gender parity in other industries?

 

West: I truly hope that women in other fields will be inspired by the incredible wealth of companies being launched and operated by women in the cannabis space. Because this is a nascent industry, it’s surely easier for women entrepreneurs to gain a foothold in cannabis than it is in established businesses. But that doesn’t mean women shouldn’t fight for positions of power and authority, no matter their trade. From an even bigger-picture approach, I hope that the women who are staking their claim in the cannabis industry and building it into a legitimate, powerful sector of the economy will challenge established views of women in the workplace and ultimately cause the old patriarchal paradigm to shift towards an equitable corporate culture.

 

How is Women Grow/Jane West products helping to create a landscape where young women can win in the cannabis industry, long-term, and how can young women get involved with your efforts?

 

West: I hope young women will take inspiration from our ambition and launch their own businesses, build their own teams of incredible women, and find out for themselves how much is possible when they focus on their dreams. This isn’t just about one female-led company making it big. It’s about launching a revolution of female-led companies all across the cannabis industry.

 

Jodie Emery

Cannabis Rights Activist

We have to be inspiring and optimistic in order to help make things better.

 

Nugg: It was exactly a year ago that your arrest happened on International Women’s Day. You serve as a beacon in the cannabis industry because you’re such a strong female character and you fight so hard for cannabis rights. Do you have anything to say about the significance of International Women’s Day in the cannabis industry?

 

Emery: There’s some horrific stories about how the drug war’s been used to perpetuate sexual violence against women; sexual violence by the state. I definitely was traumatized by the strip searching that went on. When we got to the maximum security prison and they needed to do another strip search and I said,  “So, top first and then bottom?” and she said, “No, everything all at once, squat and cough.” And it’s just so extra degrading. And then I find out that our Canadian courts have said strip searches are unconstitutional.

 

Afterward, I asked my lawyer, “You know when they tell you to take off your clothes, what if you said no?” And he said, “Well you can’t really say no. You are in their control.” So that’s a very traumatic thing to realize. It’s sexual assault at the hands of the government. So, in my life I’ve been through sexual assault, as many women have. And I deal with that. This happens to almost everybody who gets arrested for cannabis dispensaries or even low level crimes. It deprives women of their liberty. For me, it being International Women’s Day and going through that, there is this kind of sick irony to it, especially with the full year of #MeToo.

 

Nugg: Looking back, do you regret anything?

 

Emery: No I don’t regret it. We helped provide access to tens of thousands of people. We really helped save lives literally, as all cannabis providers do. There’s an opioid crisis happening across North America and we know that cannabis dispensaries reduce opioid deaths and people literally came in saying it saved their lives. I also use cannabis personally for depression and anxiety.

 

I’ve been through a lot in my life. I lost my father to suicide, I’ve been through all sorts of horrific things. But I am a strong and tough woman. So, cannabis helps me cope. We have to be inspiring and optimistic in order to help make things better.

 

Nugg: What’s next?

 

Emery: The next step is get legal, have retail stores, lounges – you need consumption spaces. I want cannabis culture to be legal in that way. And then I want to work with hemp because I am a green environmentalist at heart. But politically, calling for a moratorium on arrests. They could have stopped the arrests immediately but they’re not. I also need to work on amnesty for all records. The gov’t will be pressured into getting rid of records for simple possessions. That will probably happen in a year or two.

 

Aliza Sherman & Ashley Kingsley

Co-Founders of Ellementa

 

                                            

Nugg: Can you speak about about how Ellementa came to be/what your driving motivations were?

 

Sherman: Ellementa came out of a personal need for pain relief and chronic insomnia. I was suffering from arthritis in my neck from years of tech use and my sleep was interrupted from peri-menopause. The quality of my life was dwindling from lack of sleep and pain. Once I tried it before bedtime – I live in Alaska where it is legal – realized it was the natural remedy I was seeking. When I slept through the night for the first time in several years, I cried from relief. Then I set out to make sure other women who were suffering in silence were getting the information they needed to help and heal.

 

Nugg: Tell us a bit about Ellementa gatherings. How can women get involved in future gatherings?

 

Sherman: Our gatherings are small by design – average attendance is about 20 women although some markets bring in 30 or 40. We try to branch off into additional gatherings in any given area to keep them intimate so they are not intimidating to newcomers. Women are moved by the candid stories told by our experts or by other women in the room. We showcase brands through “show and tell” – we always lead with education before sales.

 

Nugg: Do you feel there is gender parity in the cannabis industry, or do we still have a long way to go? How will we carry these lessons forward towards racial parity in cannabis?

 

Sherman: Decriminalizing and legalizing cannabis nationwide will hopefully address some of these inequities and wrongs but it is a much more complex undertaking than simply changing laws. Expecting any industry, including cannabis, to completely transform societal biases is quite a heavy load. But if we have a chance to ensure that the cannabis industry is about inclusion and equality, we have to keep that top of mind in everything we do. Women are the change in cannabis. We want to see diversity and representation for all.

 

Nugg: How is the cannabis movement better as a sum of its parts? Why is it important for women to come together in the cannabis industry instead of battling for first place?

 

Kingsley: I truly believe we must lift each other up and build the cannabis industry together and support one another. There are an unlimited amount of opportunities to innovate and create – and together, we are better. We don’t have to do this alone and it does not need to be a race or a competition. Women are natural collaborators – and with collaboration comes amazing partnerships, strategies, unique and collective ideas. Our industry needs every single last one of us in order to grow and move cannabis to the mainstream. I think it is so important to always honor the plant first – without her, we wouldn’t be here.

 

Ophelia Chong

Photographer & Founder, Stock Pot Images

Photography has changed public opinions from wars, to how people see a celebrity.

 

Nugg: What have been some of your proudest moments/wins for women in the industry?

 

Chong: Everyday I see people move a step closer to their goals and I applaud them all. If I had the pick one instance it would be seeing Cat Packer take on the arduous job of Chief Executive of Cannabis for the city of Los Angeles. The goal is to bring equality to a white male dominant industry.

 

Nugg: What challenges lie ahead for women in cannabis?

 

Our challenge will be not resting on our laurels. Rather we should be constantly moving forward and be open to reinventing ourselves.

 

Nugg: Where do you see the synergy of art + cannabis taking our culture in the future? How has it gotten us to where we are today?

 

Chong: Art is based on theory and thesis, not on a substance. Cannabis is a stimulant and it also relaxes. Art is from the mind and heart and whatever you use to stimulate both is where it began, but it is not the end product.

 

Molly Peckler

Founder, Highly Devoted (cannabis matchmaking)

Women are just being more bold and they’re not taking “no” for an answer.

 

Nugg: How did your cannabis matchmaking service Highly Devoted come to be?

 

Peckler: I was a mainstream matchmaker for several years. That’s where I really started to become familiar with helping people find love, and that’s where I first started tapping into my coaching abilities. I have a degree in psychology – I’ve always been very curious about people and what makes them tick, what their motivations are. And I’ve always just been a coach to all of the people in my life when it came to relationships, so it came very naturally to me. But I was curious about getting into the cannabis industry because it’s been a huge passion of mine as well. I left mainstream matchmaking to take a gig at a cannabis consulting firm.

 

Nugg: Why is cannabis such a good connector for matchmaking?

 

Peckler: First and foremost, if cannabis is an important part of your life, it’s a lifestyle, it’s a perspective, it really goes to your core and who you are. And so to be able to be with  someone who gets that, and respects that, and doesn’t judge you for that, and can even connect with you on that same level is really powerful. It’s also a great tool for anchoring yourself in the current moment and really being there in the here and now with your partner. I feel like it lets your walls come down. It always makes my ego go on the back burner. I’m a better listener. I always feel like I’m the best version of myself when I use cannabis.

 

Nugg: What are some other ways you see women winning it in the industry, and why do you think it’s important for women to have a strong hand in the progression of the cannabis movement?

 

Peckler: Women are just being more bold and they’re not taking “no” for an answer. It’s still completely lopsided when it comes to investment and a whole host of aspects of the industry, but I think women are getting a lot of attention in media and that’s really powerful. Really becoming authorities and experts in the industry. Every single day I’m excited to wake up and see what I can do and how far I can go. If I was a man in this industry I would have had it easier in some ways, but I wouldn’t trade this for anything. I love the opportunity I have and the niche that I’ve carved out specifically. And I don’t think I could have done that if I was a man.

Kandice Hawes-Lopez

Executive Director, Orange County NORML

Women have been behind most of the historic changes in social and political policy.

 

Nugg: What have been some of your proudest moments/wins for women in the industry?

 

Hawes-Lopez: For me personally, I feel the city of Santa Ana underestimated me as a young woman in the industry. After lobbying the city and getting no action regarding the regulation of medical cannabis dispensaries, I co-authored and organized the campaign that collected over 10,000 signatures and qualified for the ballot. I was very proud because I was able to organize 20 male-led collectives in this effort and force the city into action.

 

Nugg: What role will women play in erasing the stigma against cannabis?

 

Hawes-Lopez: Women have been behind most of the historic changes in social and political policy. It’s women’s compassion, caring and nurturing qualities that put us in the line of fire for others. As women change their views on issues like cannabis, these new views are passed down to the children they raise, and family they care for.

 

Nugg: What implications does a woman-led cannabis industry have for gender parity in other industries?

 

Hawes-Lopez: I think we need to see more large cannabis companies run by women. If society sees wives and mothers in the cannabis industry I think it will help remove the stigma and normalize the industry. I hope having more women-led cannabis businesses will help gender parity in other industries. If society sees women making great strides in complicated industries, it will encourage other industries to not discount our abilities.

 

As women, we all have a vested interest in the future of the cannabis industry. It will eventually affect every other business industry in the world. So, we are in this together, and we will rise together. If you would like to show your support, Nugg is donating the proceeds of our International Women’s Day celebration T-Shirts to support women entrepreneurs in cannabis.

 

Visit www.womensday.getnugg.com to learn more and get involved.