Norma Pence

fourfivecbd cofounder George Kruis in action fourfivecbd Ever since Cannabidiol (CBD) was made legal in the U.K. in 2016, CBD startups have been springing up everywhere. One of the latest is fourfivecbd , created by two rugby players and aimed at athletes and health conscious people. Founded in January 2018 by England rugby player George Kruis and former Wales international Dom Day, fourfivecbd launched its first range of products this year, including a zero THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) product. The CBD industry is a booming industry, with recent reports forecasting a 700% increase in market growth to $2.1 billion by 2020. In the U.K. the market for CBD is generating around £50 million ($63 million) annually. But what made two successful professional rugby players – Kruis will play for England at the World Cup in Japan in September this year – decide to go into business together? “We saw an opportunity and wanted to create a product that people can trust; for athletes, by a...

Getty Interest in cannabidiol (CBD) is exploding. Now that major retailers are carrying CBD products, plus an enormous selection online, curiosity is only going up. But along with the enthusiasm, we also need healthy skepticism and caution. CBD research is still in the early stages, and marketing is predictably outpacing facts. Concerns about safety, among others, are getting lost in the hype. Apart from a short list of possible side-effects , bigger concerns revolve around how CBD interacts with other drugs. Here’s a brief breakdown of possible risks if you’re thinking of trying it out. What CBD and grapefruit have in common You’re probably familiar with “grapefruit warnings” that appear on a variety of medications, or maybe your doctor or pharmacist has told you to avoid grapefruit or grapefruit juice when taking a particular med. The reason for the warning is that grapefruit contains compounds called furanocoumarins that bind with and effectively neutralize enzymes in the gu...

Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) was the only presidential candidate to bring up marijuana during Thursday’s Democratic debate—and reform advocates weren’t happy about it. In his closing statement, Hickenlooper said that he’s a “small business owner who brought that same scrappy spirit to big Colorado, one of the most progressive states in America” and then rattled off a list of accomplishments he appeared to claim at least partial credit for. That list included cannabis legalization. “We were the first state to legalize marijuana and we transformed our justice system in the process,” he said. “You don’t need big government to do big things,” he added. “I know that because I’m the one person up here who’s actually done the big, progressive things everyone else is talking about.” [embedded content] But as advocates quickly pointed out, the candidate seemed to be offering a revisionist history of his role in the state’s historic marijuana reform move. After all, he active...

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators introduced a federal bill to bolster marijuana and CBD research, a move that could encourage more doctors to recommend medical cannabis and expand legalization efforts. The bill also would amend the definition of marijuana in the federal Controlled Substances Act to exclude the synthetic equivalent of hemp-derived CBD that contains less than 0.3% THC. Sens. Dianne Feinstein, a California Democrat, Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican, and Brian Schatz, a Hawaii Democrat, introduced the Cannabidiol and Marijuana Research Expansion Act. “Our combined bill streamlines the research process and paves the way for marijuana-derived medications that are FDA-approved to keep consumers safe,” Feinstein said in a news release, referring to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Grassley and Schatz added that research is necessary to determine the potential medical and health benefits of the substances. The bill is co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of...

Marijuana businesses hoping to see the end of onerous 280E tax provisions were dealt a setback by the nation’s highest court. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to review a petition brought by a Colorado medical cannabis dispensary challenging the authority of the Internal Revenue Service. Alpenglow Botanicals, based in Breckenridge,  argued in its petition to the high court that Section 280E of the federal tax code doesn’t empower the IRS to investigate and rule that a marijuana business has violated federal criminal drug laws. The federal government responded that 280E specifies that no tax deduction or credit should be allowed for any expense paid or incurred in carrying out a business that “consists of trafficking in controlled substances.” Marijuana is listed as a Schedule 1 drug under the Controlled Substances Act. Both the U.S. District Court in Colorado and the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver had affirmed the IRS ruling. Alpenglow had claimed a variety o...

A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced a bill on Thursday that’s meant to promote federally authorized research into marijuana and its derivatives like CBD. It was one of several pieces of new congressional cannabis legislation to be filed on the same day. Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) are leading the bill, which would streamline the application process for researchers interested in studying the plant, encourage the development of Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs derived from marijuana and clarify that doctors can discuss the benefits of cannabis with patients. It would also require the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to submit a report on the health benefits and risks of marijuana, as well one on barriers to cannabis research and how to overcome those obstacles. The bill, at 22 pages, covers a lot of ground, and that’s partly because it combines legislation previously filed by the sponsors. “M...

A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced a bill on Thursday that’s meant to promote federally authorized research into marijuana and its derivatives like CBD. It was one of several pieces of new congressional cannabis legislation to be filed on the same day. Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) are leading the bill, which would streamline the application process for researchers interested in studying the plant, encourage the development of Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs derived from marijuana and clarify that doctors can discuss the benefits of cannabis with patients. It would also require the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to submit a report on the health benefits and risks of marijuana, as well one on barriers to cannabis research and how to overcome those obstacles. The bill, at 22 pages, covers a lot of ground, and that’s partly because it combines legislation previously filed by the sponsors. “M...

Two steps forward, one back It’s interesting to contrast differing banking news that hit this week in West Virginia and Florida . West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice signed a medical marijuana banking bill that will allow financial institutions in the state to bid on providing banking services related to the state’s MMJ program. But SunTrust Bank in Tallahassee, Florida, revealed it was closing the account of the Medical Marijuana Business Association of Florida on April 18. MJBizDaily takeaway: Any moves to improve cannabis banking access are welcome, but short of federal action ( click here for more on that topic), banks will remain leery of taking marijuana business customers, noted Rachel Gillette, head of the cannabis practice at the Greenspoon Marder law firm. SunTrust’s move against the Florida MMJ association “highlights the urgency” of passing a federal banking bill, Gillette said. In a blow to businesses hoping to quickly enter the West Virginia medical marijuana marke...

A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced a bill on Thursday that’s meant to promote federally authorized research into marijuana and its derivatives like CBD. It was one of several pieces of new congressional cannabis legislation to be filed on the same day. Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) are leading the bill, which would streamline the application process for researchers interested in studying the plant, encourage the development of Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs derived from marijuana and clarify that doctors can discuss the benefits of cannabis with patients. It would also require the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to submit a report on the health benefits and risks of marijuana, as well one on barriers to cannabis research and how to overcome those obstacles. The bill, at 22 pages, covers a lot of ground, and that’s partly because it combines legislation previously filed by the sponsors. “M...

A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced a bill on Thursday that’s meant to promote federally authorized research into marijuana and its derivatives like CBD. It was one of several pieces of new congressional cannabis legislation to be filed on the same day. Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) are leading the bill, which would streamline the application process for researchers interested in studying the plant, encourage the development of Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs derived from marijuana and clarify that doctors can discuss the benefits of cannabis with patients. It would also require the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to submit a report on the health benefits and risks of marijuana, as well one on barriers to cannabis research and how to overcome those obstacles. The bill, at 22 pages, covers a lot of ground, and that’s partly because it combines legislation previously filed by the sponsors. “...

Philadelphia, PA – June 21, 2019: Chef Eli Milligan presents a CBD-infused pop-up dinner as a part of Philadelphia Black Restaurant Week. Shown here are CBD-infused cocktails. Clay Williams / http://claywilliamsphoto.com Chef Eli Milligan’s resume reads like an aspiring culinary professional’s wishlist. Starting at age 20 under Philadelphia’s famed Georges Perrier, Milligan went on to stints at two Napa Valley restaurants then returned home for turns with four-time James Beard Foundation Award nominee Nicholas Elmi and Beard Best Mid-Atlantic Chef Greg Vernick. But behind the line on Friday night, June 21, 2019, Chef Milligan wasn’t concerning himself with impressing dignitaries or wondering whether the sommelier would find the perfect cabernet sauvignon to pair with his entrée of smoked short rib, horseradish potatoes and wilted pea tendrils. Rather, Milligan had two normally incongruous things on his mind besides cooking: the active cannabis ingredient known as CBD (canna...

Two Democratic Oregon lawmakers on Thursday introduced congressional legislation to allow states, including Oregon, to export cannabis to other states with legal marijuana programs. The bill is an effort to remove the federal government’s ban on interstate shipment of marijuana, a prohibition that currently stands in the way of an Oregon cannabis export bill signed into law just last week. The Oregon law is seen as a possible solution for a state desperate for ways to ease its massive cannabis glut. U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden and U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer introduced the congressional legislation, called the State Cannabis Commerce Act . It’s unclear, however, whether the bill will gain traction even in the Democratic-controlled House. Wyden argued in a statement that Congress can and should protect the will of state-legal programs such as Oregon from federal interference, even as marijuana advocates continue to fight for broader federal protections or legalization. NORML supports th...

States would be able to legally import and export marijuana under a bill introduced by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) on Thursday. The novel legislation, which would also codify a policy prohibiting the Justice Department from interfering in state-legal cannabis activities, would let states that have legalized marijuana enter into affirmative agreements to engage in interstate transportation. The sponsors’ home state of Oregon stands to benefit from the bill in particular, as Gov. Kate Brown (D) signed legislation last week that provides for exports and imports of cannabis products to neighboring states that have legal marijuana systems in place. That law is only actionable if the federal government allows for it, however, hence the new move on Capitol Hill. Transporting cannabis across state lines is strictly prohibited under current federal law. The Justice Department described such activity as an enforcement priority even under a now-rescinded Obama-era me...

A growing trend among California cannabis retailers to charge brands for shelf space – and, thus, access to customers – has some in the industry decrying the practice as “pay-to-play” that threatens to crowd out smaller companies from the market. According to several industry sources, the practice first cropped up in early 2018 and quickly caught on among California retailers, many of whom are desperate for any income stream because the illicit market is undercutting legal shops. Some retailers in San Diego and Los Angeles, according to several sources, are asking anywhere from $1,000 to $50,000 a month from brands, depending on how much shelf space they want and in how many stores. The most common fee request identified by sources was an average of $5,000-$10,000 a month for prime real estate inside shops, with the highest fees reserved for space in retail chains with multiple storefronts. “We first encountered it last summer,” said Karli Warner, co-founder of Garden Society...