Cannavist 4

editor

As we reflect on the last 12-months, its clear to see this year has truly been the year of CBD.

We began in January with what was a period of discontent for many in the medical cannabis community. While CBD was the new year ‘It’ product, the legalisation of medical cannabis in the UK by former Home Secretary Sajid Javid proved not to be the success many had anticipated. Campaigns and lobbying ensued, with many families cast in despair and doctors perplexed at a time which is usually full of hope for a new year, a new chapter.

Merely a month into the year and the European Food Safety Authority announced it would look at restricting CBD infused food products under the Novel Food regulations, blurring the lines of an already greyed area.

Fast forward to the summer months and the landscape had thankfully changed for the better. The first annual Europe CBD Expo took place in July which attracted visitors from all over the world. London became a CBD pop-up shop haven and names you will find in this magazine made it into high street retailers.

Sadly, the black market sale of vape products (believed to be THC oils) in the US has tainted cannabinoid vaping on both sides of the Atlantic in recent months. As consumers, we all have a right to know what we are buying. Do your research on the product you are using. If you take CBD, no matter the delivery method, ensure it is a verifiable product from a legitimate retailer and that the product has undergone third party analysis by a reputable lab.

It’s been a year of highs and lows, but the community and industry have shown signs that 2020 will be the year to remember. Watch this space.

On behalf of the team, I wish you all a wonderful end to the year, and a prosperous 2020.

This publication and the products shown herein are intended for an 18+ audience. The comments and opinions given by contributors to this publication are not the views of the editor or magazine, unless otherwise stated. The products featured in this magazine are not sponsored, were included at the decision of the editor / publisher and were not seen or altered by the suppliers in any way prior to publication.

While every effort is made to respect editorial and advertising standards, The Cannavist cannot accept liability for issues raised or comments made by those featured in this magazine. Should you have a query about the content in this publication, email the editor: roisin@cannavistmag.com

the

Director Pom Kaila Director David Turner Managing Director Paul Caplin

General Manager Abida Razaque

The Editor Róisín Delaney Assistant Editor Gordon Stribling Journalist Lucy MacKinnon

Finance

Popat

Head

Parnell

GUEST WRITERS

Our A-team talk cannabinoids, progress in accessing medical cannabis and a mega year for CBD.

GREGOR ZORN

Gregor is a medical cannabis consultant, educator and researcher. His main area of interest is practical implementation of phytocannabinoid therapies for specific medical conditions.

He is the co-founder of the European Cannabinoid Therapy Association (ECTA) and one of the teachers at the first European Medicinal Cannabis post-graduate educational course, at Padua University Medical School in Italy. He is a teacher at the Masterclass Medicinal Cannabis, a member of the International Association for Cannabinoid Medicines (IACM) and a founding member, author and scientific advisor to Zbudimo. se. On page 84 Gregor writes about the antiinflammatory powers of CBD.

ROBIN EMERSON

Robin is the father of Jorja Emerson who became the first person in the UK to legally obtain a prescription for medical cannabis after legalisation in November last year.

In an interview in the debut issue of this magazine, Robin documented the emotional chaos his family went through in Jorja’s earliest years. In this issue, Robin talks progress, hope and Jorja’s success. Read Robin’s end of year message on page 50

DR RICHARD CUNNINGHAM

Dr Richard Cunningham has a PhD in medicinal chemistry from Queen’s University Belfast, where he also worked as a postdoctoral researcher. Dr Cunningham is a former research instructor at the University of South Alabama’s Mitchell Cancer Institute, where he was assistant professor for a time. Among his areas of expertise are organic synthesis, nucleosides, nucleotides, cellular biology, vitamins, aminoglycosides, drug delivery, phosphorous chemistry and chemical analysis. On page 38 Dr Cunningham explores the psychoactive nature of cannabinoids.

EXTRACT

The SPEEDY RECOVERY

Carey Hart, motocross icon and husband to P!nk, has launched a natural CBD brand in partnership with Green Wave Holdings Inc. He told Forbes, “We started the HartLuck CBD line for active performancebased people… We made things we would use ourselves. I truly believe in holistic forms of pain management and recovery.”

Birmingham City Football Club has announced a ‘World’s first sports partnership agreement’ with Birminghambased Green Monkey CBD. The CBD company will supply their drinks throughout St. Andrew’s Trillion Trophy Stadium on match days and hope to educate football fans on what cannabinoids can do. Head of Media Communications at BCFC Colin Tattum said this will, “Hopefully enhance their overall experience on a matchday.”

NHS: NATIONAL HEMP SERVICE

The youngest son of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Tommy, and his girlfriend Chloe Kerslake-Smith, have opened an Islington store: The National Hemp Service. All hemp-derived products in stock are sourced from like-minded independent businesses. The couple aim to push legalisation forward and hope their store will become a base for legal cannabis awareness and education in the UK.

HERE’S THE TEA

The makers of Arizona Iced Tea are entering the cannabis market in the US. Partnering with Dixie Brands Inc, which currently sells a range of cannabis products, the beverage company plans to produce a line of infused drinks including coffee, seltzer, lemonade, sodas and tea. The iced tea specialists plan to expand into Canada and Latin America after the US launch.

THE ONE THAT YOU WANT

Grease Lightning star Olivia NewtonJohn is campaigning for Australia to legalise medical cannabis after using the oil to manage her own breast cancer symptoms. The actress and singer is due to auction the famous leather outfit she wore as Sandy in the musical, along with other memorabilia, to raise funds for the Olivia NewtonJohn Cancer and Wellness Research Centre to investigate medical cannabis.

THE GRAND DUCHY

Luxembourg plans to be the first European country to legalise cannabis production and recreational consumption. Heath minister Etienne Schneider said the draft legislation includes home-growing and a ban on tourists’ access to cannabis, in order to dissuade drug-tourism. This is expected to be implemented by 2021.

GET A REAL TREE THIS CHRISTMAS

Did you know that Christmas trees have terpenes too? Love it or loathe it, that festive pine scent of a fresh Christmas tree comes from the tree’s terpene profile. Head over to page 42 to learn more.

HIGH FLYER

The world’s first hemp plane has been designed by Canadian cannabis firm, Hempearth. The five-man aircraft will be made from hemp fibres and powered by 100% hemp oil.

As hemp is a lighter material than aluminium, the plane will require less fuel. The walls and wings are said to be 10 times stronger than those made from steel, according to designers.

PAT’S NEW JEWEL

Former EastEnders actress Pam St. Clement revealed on Loose Women that CBD has helped her since she suffered a leg injury. The 77-yearold actress first tried CBD in 2017 on the ITV documentary ‘Gone to Pot’ to relieve muscle inflammation and stiffness associated with polymyalgia rheumatica. She has since used CBD every day and told viewers, “taking this oil has changed my life.”

THAI-RIFFIC

Thailand’s public health ministry has removed hemp from its list of controlled substances. Seeds and oils extracted from the cannabis plant can now be used as ingredients in food, cosmetics and medicines, something Public health minister Anutin Charnvirakul believes will boost the nation’s economy. FDA Thailand has issued more than 334 permits to develop medical cannabis extracts to hospitals and health agencies.

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Experts ‘very disappointed’ following NICE guidelines

Independent scientific body Drug Science fears patients

Aleading independent scientific body has condemned the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for refusing to recommend the use of cannabis-based medicines to clinicians.

Drug Science issued a press release a week after the controversial draft guidance was released. The statement reflected the organisation’s disappointment that NICE would not recommend cannabis medicines for severe treatment-resistant epilepsy. The guidance said this was due to a, ‘lack of clear evidence that these treatments provide any benefits.’

A Drug Science spokesperson said: “This is very disappointing for the tens of thousands of patients and carers having to break the law every day to obtain black-market medical cannabis, which puts them at risk of criminalisation and into contact with more harmful forms of cannabis, such as ‘skunk’ and ‘spice’.”

Drug Science founder and former government drugs tsar Professor David Nutt said that

the decision appeared to have been based exclusively on the use of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) using placebos.

Professor Nutt said that the reliance on this type of data ‘reveals a deep lack of appreciation of the complex and varied nature of medical evidence,’ citing former NICE and MHRA head Sir Michael Rawlins.

Sir Michael previously said that RCTs were ‘illusory tools for assessing evidence.’

Professor Nutt said:

“Clinicians want to practice evidence-based medicines and do what is best for their patients. “That’s why patient experience and effectiveness trials are vital for a proper understanding of the real-world value of medical cannabis.”

The guidance also drew criticism from Hannah Deacon, whose son Alfie Dingley is one of only two patients to have been prescribed medical cannabis on the NHS.

The mother and campaigner took to the airwaves to debate the issue with NICE director Dr Paul Chrisp on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. She explained that her son had

will have To rely on the black market

gone from having as many as 500 seizures a month to being 11 months seizure-free. However, she was keen to point out that cannabis was not a medical cure-all, adding: “Since he’s had a prescription of cannabis oil on the NHS, he’s thrived. He’s not cured, he’s had seizures still.

“This is not about saying this is a cure. This is about giving children like my son with very serious refractory epilepsy, which will kill you, the best quality of life.”

A refractory condition is one that has not responded to conventional treatment.

Deacon noted that ‘many hundreds of thousands’ of UK children are given unlicensed and unregulated medicines each year that are only backed by anecdotal evidence. However, cannabis is still not being readily prescribed.

Instead, families have been forced to spend thousands of pounds a month on private prescriptions.

Dr Chrisp said that doctors were free to prescribe cannabis but that more studies were needed: “We understand that some people do benefit

but to make these products more widespread on the NHS we would need more rigorous controlled trials or observational studies that can support clinicians and give them the confidence when talking to patients about what’s right to them.”

While trials have supported the development of medicines such as CBD drug epidiolex, Deacon argued that ‘you cannot pharmaceuticalise’ the plant.

Instead, she said the medical community should develop an understanding of how the plant works as a whole to see its potential benefits.

“It will not be put into medicines. It will never be as effective as the plant and unfortunately, until you understand how cannabis works and what it is, we are not going to move forward and I think that is extremely sad and patients will suffer.”

Meanwhile, Drug Science has launched its own medical cannabis research project.

The team will study the lives and experiences of 20,000 cannabis patients to document the ‘efficacy of such medicines, their safety and patient reported outcomes.’

“This is very disappointing for the tens of thousands of patients and carers having to break the law every day to obtain black market medical cannabis”

-Drug Science founder Professor David Nutt

cbd oils? IS IT SAFE TO VAPE

Public Health England has re-affirmed its stance on vaping, amid calls in the US for e-cigarettes to be banned following a slew of reports tying illegal cannabis oil vaporisers to multiple deaths.

The UK public health agency has reassured those who vape that the practice is tightly regulated this side of the Atlantic, saying, “All UK e-cigarette products are tightly regulated for quality and safety by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.”

Meanwhile in the US, eight people are thought to have died from a vape-related illness.

In September, US federal health officials issued a public health warning to highlight a mysterious illness believed to be linked to vaping black market THC oils, not regular vape products.

The warning came after it was reported that a fifth person had died from the unknown illness. Officials in the state of Kansas then confirmed that a sixth person had passed away with the same symptoms.

On top of this, US media reports from September said there were at least 450 cases of vaping-associated illness suspected in hospitals across more than 30 states, with that number expected to rise.

This led to an outpouring of support for anti-vape activists, prompting calls for all e-cigarettes to be banned, as some confused the harm reduction devices with illegally obtained cannabis oil vape cartridges.

The Cannavist spoke to Alex Sandorf, Lab Director at Se7enLeaf in Costa Mesa. Alex has been vocal in reacting to the recent headlines. Se7enLeaf is a licensed manufacturer, processor and distributor of cannabis products in California’s legal and regulated industry.

Vitamin E acetate has been found in some black market THC vape cartridges containing MCT oil.

Why would something like Vitamin E be used in such a product and could this be the root of the problem in the US?

“Originally, and for several years, Propylene Glycol (PG) was used. Polyethylene Glycol (PEG400) was also brought out as a solution. Then people switched to Medium Chain Triglyceride (MCT) oil.

“The industry has been playing fast and loose for a long time now, putting ingredients in products with little to no testing or oversight.

“Thickeners, that’s something new. The thickeners allow individuals of a less than ethical constitution to cut the product drastically. Thickness, seeing the air-bubble move slowly or not at all when you move the cartridge, has long been an indication of potency. If it was ‘cut’ then it would look thin or watery. Thick golden oil, like cold honey, was a sign that the cartridge you were buying was pure. With the right thickener, you could cut a cartridge down as far as you wanted, and no one would be the wiser.

“This wouldn’t fly in the legal market of course. We do Certificates of Analysis and no dispensary would buy a vape that only tested at 15 or 20% THC. But black market? The potency is whatever you say it is.”

So, why are people getting sick?

All indications seem to point to a condition called Exogenous Lipoid (Lipid) Pneumonia. Basically, oil particles have been inhaled, coating the delicate tissues in the lungs.

As question marks surround the safety of vaping cannabis oils in the US, The Cannavist spoke to a California-based expert to separate the real concerns there from fake news.

Is this exclusively a THC problem or are you aware of any similar concerns regarding vaping CBD?

“There is no reason to believe this wouldn’t be an issue in the CBD space as well.

“CBD is in many ways the opposite of THC. CBD-a (the raw acid state) is an oil. CBD (decarboxylated) is a crystalline solid. THCa is a crystalline solid, but once decarboxylated becomes an extremely viscous oil, even at laboratory grade purity.

“When making a high purity THC vape cartridge, you need to dilute it only enough to allow it to wick into the coil of the vape device. Thickeners are only used when attempting to give a lower potency product the appearance of a high purity and potency product, which is why this has been so prevalent on the black market.

“With CBD however, you have the opposite problem. Getting high potency into a vape generally can’t be done as the blend will crystallise and solidify, ruining the cartridge. Generally anything over 50-60% CBD, depending on what constitutes the remainder of the cartridge, will solidify.

“Thickeners allow a non-solidifying solution to be used in a cartridge.”

What needs to happen in the US?

“I think this particular issue is largely self-solved. The consensus is all but in that it is the Vitamin E acetate. Vendors have stopped selling the raw thickeners, initiating recalls, and otherwise desperately trying to control the fallout.”

What advice would you give to people vaping CBD in the UK who may be concerned about the recent headlines from the US media?

“Read the ingredients. Ask for batch test results. Be an educated and critically-thinking consumer. In modern developed countries people tend to assume everything is safe, because it generally is. We just assume everything is good because there are regulatory agencies and watchdogs to make sure that it doesn’t happen. We don’t really have that right now in the cannabis or CBD industry. Aside from required testing, which really only looks for very specific things such as very select heavy metals, residual solvents, and pesticides, anything goes.”

The cause of these multiple deaths in the US had not been confirmed by the authorities at the time this magazine went to press. It’s thought most cases are linked to illegally obtained oil-based THC cartridges.

Public Health England has reassured those who vape in the UK that the practice is tightly regulated this side of the Atlantic. However CBD e-liquids do not contain nicotine, and as such do not fall under the Tobacco Products Directive regulation.

“Our advice on e-cigarettes remains unchanged — vaping isn’t completely risk free but is far less harmful than smoking tobacco. There is no situation where it would be better for your health to continue smoking rather than switching completely to vaping. It’s important to use UK-regulated e-liquids and never risk vaping home-made or illicit e-liquids or adding substances, any of which could be harmful.”

CANNA BREAKTHROUGH?

A Harvard University study has demonstrated a significant improvement in radiotherapy results when the traditional treatment is combined with a cannabis flavonoid.

The trial demonstrated an increase in cancer cell death, a delay in tumour progression and an increase in subject survival rates when the flavonoid was applied. Flavonoids are chemicals found in almost all plants and contribute to the unique aromas found in different strains of cannabis. They are also associated with certain health benefits.

Professor Wilfred Ngwa, who was involved in the study, said:

“Pancreatic cancer regularly doesn’t respond to treatment, so a patient’s five-year survival chance is eight percent. Because of that there really is a deep need for new drugs.”

In this experiment, the cannabis flavonoid FBL –03G was delivered to tumours in mice using smart radiotherapy biomaterials, which work like drones delivering packages.

Professor Ngwa explained: “The package is the drug, the flavonoid, and you can basically enter the ZIP code of the address or location so it can deliver the package to the right place. In this case, delivering it precisely to the cancer cells.”

Even though the combined treatment was delivered directly to one tumour, results showed that cancer that had spread to other areas of the body was also affected.

This extremely rare phenomenon is known as the abscopal effect, where distant, untreated areas of cancer have died or shrunk despite not being targeted by medication.

The aggressive nature of pancreatic cancer causes the disease spread to other areas of the body, often before patients are diagnosed.

The authors concluded:

“The data demonstrates significant therapeutic potential for using FBL-03G in the treatment of both local and metastatic disease, significantly increasing survival.”

Although the results are promising, this combined treatment was tested on mice, so its interaction with the human immune system and possible side effects are currently unknown.

The long-term effects of the treatment are not yet clear and more in-depth research is needed to clarify what these could be.

Nonetheless, Professor Ngwa believes that the study warrants further investigation at the clinical level, something that the team are currently working on. He added: “When it reaches the clinic it will be a significant breakthrough for patients.”

New research suggests cannabis-derived flavonoids could work as an ally to radiotherapy in the fight against pancreatic cancer

INSPIRED BY INJURY

James Bedding turned to medical cannabis to treat muscle spasms after a lifechanging injury put him in a wheelchair. now, as the owner of Cannajuice , HE IS among Jersey’s growing number of cBD entrepreneurs and has high expectations as a pioneer in aerial photography.

James Bedding is a life-long resident of Jersey in the Channel Islands. The Cannajuice owner spent the weekend prior to our conversation acquainting himself with his new pet cat, Marvin.

“He was actually called Molly at first because we thought he was a girl. Poor guy must have been very confused!”

James was introduced to CBD about four years ago. But by then, he was already familiar with the potential benefits of the cannabis plant, having been prescribed Sativex: the first cannabis-based medicine to be licensed in the UK, following an accident that left him paralysed from the shoulders down.

“When I was 15, I had an accident. I fell off a pier and broke my spinal cord.

“It’s really difficult to get a prescription for Sativex. I had to pay for it at first but now I can get it on prescription. It was a bit of a mission.”

While the THC oral spray helps to reduce the spasms, the side effects can get in the way of James going about his day. He felt the benefits of CBD straight away

and now uses it as an everyday supplement to boost his endocannabinoid system along with treating the spasms.

“Sativex really helps but it can give you a bit of a high and goes to your head.

“The CBD is great because it’s more subtle and it definitely takes the edge off the spasms and eases the mild anxiety and it doesn’t give you the tiredness of THC.”

As well as the e-liquids that were his entry point to CBD, setting out a path to creating the Cannajuice line, James finds relief in many of the big brand edibles and tinctures he has curated and sells on the Cannajuice website. But vaping seems to offer something that other routes don’t.

“I quite like to have a draw of something sometimes, so if you’re someone that vapes already, I think it’s a good way to start off [with] CBD.

“Maybe the vaping might be a bit more calming but that might be the process itself, the breathing that goes along with it. Plus, you get some nice flavours.”

James is not the only islander with a stake in the cannabis industry. While Jersey follows many of the same rules as mainland UK, the island has its own government, which appears to have truly embraced hemp.

In August, it was revealed that Jersey Hemp would be the first company in the UK to be granted a license to grow hemp for CBD extraction. Jersey is a small island, so it doesn’t come as a surprise to find out James is familiar with those who run the company and he noted how big the license could be for them as well as the countless UK businesses that currently rely on importing CBD for their products.

“There are loads of hemp fields all around Jersey just in random places. They’re just kind of hidden away. You’re driving along the road and there’s a field of hemp. “There’s a lot going on over here. People have been putting a petition together to grow [for] medical cannabis. There’s a long way to go, but it’s happening and it’s quite exciting.”

While much of his time is spent running Cannajuice,

mostly on his own, James has found time to explore the island he calls home like never before, despite his injuries. He recently obtained a commercial drone pilot license, having passed the theory exam with 94% and an A- in the practical flying test, making him the world’s first quadriplegic commercial drone pilot.

“I’ve been interested in flying drones ever since they came out. I tried to find a way to do it. I use a pen in my mouth and then the controls [are] mounted on the chair.”

James shares his drone photography on his Facebook page, ‘James Bedding – Quad Photography,’ and now that he has a permit, he can sell prints and accept special commissions.

“So many people have said to me, ‘Can I buy your photos?’ But you’re not allowed to sell drone photography unless you have a proper license. Even estate agents need a license to take aerial photographs of their properties.

“You have to use a commercial pilot or they have to have a license. So I just thought, ‘I’m going to go for it’ and I passed.”

I’ve been interested in flying drones ever since they came out. I use a pen in my mouth and then the controls are mounted on the chair.

To enquire about any of the imagery featured in this spread, contact quadphotography.je

Lady BUSINESS

In each issue, The Cannavist meets inspirational women who are killing it in the industry. This issue, editor Róisín Delaney meets Christina DiArcangelo Puller from Pennsylvania. With 21 stellar years in traditional biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, Christina gave it all up for medical cannabis and CBD research. Three years after making a career change, Christina is now the CEO, founder and board president of three companies and a non-profit. Oh, and she’s also a mom. Feel bad for saying you were too busy to do something earlier? Us too.

BY RÓISÍN

Christina DiArcangelo Puller comes from an executive background having worked in drug development with some of the biggest names in biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.

Her résumé lists organisations like Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, MedImmune and Biogen. Across those multinational corporations, she has earned 21 years of experience and a world-class reputation.

Then her ‘traditional’ colleagues as she calls them, made light of her ambitions in medical cannabis and CBD. That was three years ago, and we bet they’re not laughing now.

“It’s a weird path. I transitioned into the CBD space three years ago. It was kind of by accident. I had been paying attention to research and I had seen stuff coming out of Israel and Australia and the US – not as much from the US three years ago. Now we’ve started to take a lead on research which is fantastic, but three years ago, it really wasn’t something you talked about. My colleagues on the traditional side made fun of me because they thought I was crazy!

“I am a traditional biotech person who wants to help patients and can see there’s a value here and it needs to be studied so we have to do research just like in anything else.”

Christina’s extensive biopharma background explored several drug development projects, one of which was Remicade, an antibody used to treat a host of conditions.

“Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, paediatric Crohn’s, Crohn’s, psoriatic arthritis, pancreatic cancer… there were a multitude of things we were developing Remicade for, and so that was a really excellent experience for me. Since then I’ve worked on a lot of drugs and I’ve seen a lot of the side effects.”

Four years ago, on October 13, 2015, Christina’s father lost his battle with cancer. In the year that followed, Christina’s path changed as she not only came to terms with his passing but was inspired by it.

“I originally started Affinity Patient Advocacy as a cancer non-profit to help patients because my dad had passed away from stage four liver and stomach cancers. I became his advocate. That was the silver lining in a very negative situation. I knew he was going to die. Leading up to it I knew it was going to happen, I knew I was going to have to try to figure out a way to live without my dad. My son was only three-and-a-half at the time.”

It was at this point when Christina, a confident public speaker, was presented with a challenge – to make a keynote speech from a personal perspective for a local resource, rather than her usual professional podium.

“It was very difficult for me. Most of the time when I’m speaking at something, it’s professional – I suit up – in this instance for the first time ever in my career I was able to talk from my heart about the struggles I had coping with his passing.”

Fast forward to 2019 and Christina is CEO and founder of Affinity Bio Partners; CEO and Board President of Affinity Patient Advocacy; CEO and co-founder of AI Health Outcomes of which the CannaBot is an artificial intelligence brainchild. In her spare time, Christina cohosts YouTube show ‘Coming Out With Cannabis’ and is a Board Member of the American Society of Cannabis Medicine (ASCM).

Her role is still research-focused, but she can voice her educated opinion on matters now as a woman in business, and also as an advocate, something a career in Big Pharma could never afford her.

“In the traditional biopharma space, I could never get involved with politics. That’s a no no. You know how it works, they pay for lobbyists and you have to stay out of it – especially in clinical research. With medical cannabis and CBD, I can get involved with politics. I advocated on behalf of patients before city council, for decriminalisation proceedings, working on a federal level with the American Society of Cannabis Medicine, so I’m down The Hill quite often.

“Now I’m lobbying, I’m meeting with politicians, I’m speaking out on behalf of patients in front of the public and testifying on their behalf.”

“In the traditional biopharma space, I could never get involved with politics. That’s a no no... Now I’m lobbying, I’m meeting with politicians, I’m speaking out on behalf of patients in front of the public and testifying on their behalf.”

What do words like research, biopharma and advocacy all have in common? Money. As CEO, Christina knows all too well that there are people out there who tug on the strings of compassion. How does she balance coming to someone’s rescue with business?

She says, “People call and ask if we will donate our services. But we can’t. We have to work, we have to make a living. We don’t charge the same price points in medical cannabis and CBD research that they do on the traditional side out of respect.”

The CBD and medical cannabis industries are on the cusp of a boom, but funding to back research, or a lack thereof, is still a problem. Christina says, “There isn’t enough funding. People need to understand it’s going to take X amount of money to get you to that finish line. You have to make sure you raise enough or continue to sustain a raise after your first couple of studies.”

While securing funding is an uphill climb for any campaign, this total girl boss doesn’t believe in the so-called green rush everyone else is talking about.

“Everybody is in a rush around here. They’re putting it [CBD] in everything… coffee, tea, cookies, ice cream, water, juice. It’s too much! We’re overloading now, you’re flooding your endocannabinoid system with all of these different terpene profiles. You have to stick with what works for you. Bath bombs are great but this is not a get rich quick scheme!”

Something which has cost an eye-watering amount of money is Christina’s precious CannaBot, a groundbreaking piece of technology.

“We designed the little bot. I’m really proud of this. The COO and I, Wayne Kelly, we designed The Bot together. It was our brain child. It’s an artificial intelligence (AI) platform that patients can use to be educated at the public domain and the subscriber can issue them authorisation for access through the private domain.”

The two-tiered system offers answers to frequently asked questions which those curious about CBD and medical cannabis might have, while CannaBot can also provide more bespoke information and services via a private gateway. And the cherry on the cake? “It’s all voice activated through Alexa and Google.”

At this point Christina’s office Alexa interrupted our interview. That’s AI for you.

As the multi-talented and skilled entrepreneur approaches the fourth anniversary of her father’s passing, she is also gearing up to host an event in honour of his legacy.

“This is all stuff I couldn’t have done in the traditional side. It’s all stuff that my Dad wanted me to be involved in since I was a kid, since I was in High School. It’s nice to have that opportunity to bring it back full circle.”

Rising from the Ashes: Collaborations within the medical cannabis and CBD industries takes place October 12 and is presented by Affinity Biopartners to benefit Affinity Patient Advocacy, a non-profit organisation which offers support to medical cannabis and CBD patients and their loved ones. Tickets are available from Eventbrite. The Cannavist is official media partner to this event.

IS CBD SWEET BUT PSYCHO? Scientist ASK THE

CBD products on sale from London to Los Angeles all have one thing in common – a claim to be non-psychoactive. With studies showing the effects of CBD and the endocannabinoid system on the central nervous system, The Cannavist asked Richard Cunningham, PhD: Is CBD psychoactive after all?

If you have developed an interest in CBD, by now you will be au fait with the comparisons made between cannabinoids in what could only be described as a popularity contest: the most competitive being CBD versus THC.

In case you’re not up to speed on your cannabis compounds, let’s recap. THC stands for Tetrahydrocannabinol and this is the main psychoactive compound which can produce that high feeling of euphoria. CBD on the other hand produces no high and must therefore be non-psychoactive. In theory.

This is not strictly true. While CBD does not get you high, it can still influence mood and other cognitive functions.

Psychoactive or psychotropic?

We’re also hearing a lot about the term psychotropic lately. Let’s knock some definitions out of the way. What exactly do psychoactive and psychotropic mean? According the World Health Organization, a psychoactive substance is one that can affect mental processes, such as mood, perception, behaviour and cognition through interaction with the central nervous system. Psychoactive and psychotropic both mean the same thing and can be used interchangeably.

Research has shown that CBD can be an effective treatment for anxiety, through its action upon the central nervous system where there is a presence of endocannabinoid receptors, and in other conditions such as depression, anti-psychotics and the list goes on.

If we refer to the definition of what a psychoactive substance is, we can say yes, if CBD can help with anxiety and depression affecting mood, it most certainly is a psychoactive substance.

When you see claims of CBD as a non-psychoactive compound, in general regards it is more of a misnomer. People are describing more the lack of any high-inducing effect in comparison to that of THC. For more of a scientific description you could say both THC and CBD are psychoactive, however, function in different ways with CBD having no intoxicating effects.

About the author

Dr Richard Cunningham has a PhD in

Belfast, where he also worked as a post doctoral researcher. Dr Cunningham has also worked as a research instructor at the University of South Alabama’s

Cancer Institute in the role of assistant professor. Among his areas of expertise are organic synthesis, nucleosides, nucleotides, cellular biology, vitamins, aminoglycosides, drug delivery, phosphorous chemistry and chemical analysis.

medicinal chemistry from Queen’s University

Mitchell

“While CBD does not get you high, it can still influence mood and other cognitive functions”

Nature’s Creations is an online all-natural CBD oil and aromatherapy manufacturer, wholesaler and retailer.

I first discovered the endocannabinoid system through research on cancer treatments in Canada as my father has cancer and has been fighting it for a long time. His well-being has improved since he discovered CBD oil. I first ordered it from Switzerland and had it sent to him. He noticed a difference within days. Now we are able to send him our own 26% CBD oil, which is blended with coconut oil to be rapidly absorbed under the tongue. I want only the best CBD oil for all our customers.

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BY LUCY MACKINNON

Christmas GET A REAL TREE THIS

YOU KNOW THAT CHRISTMAS TREES HAVE TERPENES TOO? LOVE IT OR LOATHE IT, THAT FESTIVE PINE SCENT OF A FRESH CHRISTMAS TREE COMES FROM THE TREE’S TERPENE PROFILE.

Terpenes are a type of organic compound found in many different plants including both the cannabis plant and pine trees.

Acting as aromatic oils, terpenes are responsible for a plant’s natural scent and flavour, and over 20,000 different types have been discovered.

The compound that causes your house to be filled with the classic smell of Christmas is the pinene terpene, which is most commonly found in pine needles.

Pinene can be found in two varieties and it is the alpha variation that causes this fragrant forest-like smell.

Beta pinene has a different scent, and is present in rosemary, parsley, orange peel and dill.

A combination of alpha and beta, or one variation singularly can be found in a number of cannabis strains.

Just like CBD and THC, different terpenes can have varying effects on the body.

They interact with cannabinoids to produce the entourage effect in whole plant products which magnifies the therapeutic benefits.

When consumed, pinene can cause alertness, memory retention and counteract some of the effects of THC.

Pinene has long been used in herbal medicines as it is believed to be a strong bronchodilator. This means it can dilate bronchi and bronchioles by widening the airways and relaxing muscles in the lungs, making it easier to breathe.

Along with its anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties, there is a potential medical value in pinene as scientists believe it could one day be developed into a treatment for asthma.

A strong fragrance can divide a room even more than a singing Santa decoration. But hopefully this insight into one of the season’s biggest icons will leave you pinene for more terpenes.

DID

Ben Boisterous

Imagine watching one of youR sons progressing through his early years as expected, while his twin brother battles intractable epilepsy. The Cannavist’s Lucy MacKinnon spoke with the Griffiths family from Lancashire, who are fighting for a medical cannabis prescription on the NHS for 10-year old Ben.

Mcannabis Bedrocan, which his family say significantly improved his seizure rates, but in turn, has cost his parents thousands of pounds. Seeing her son go from suffering up to 100 seizures a day to just three on a ‘good day’, mum Joanne is desperate for an NHS prescription, and has jumped every hurdle and hoop thrown her way.

“Ben is a twin, and I can see his twin going to play football, going to parties with his friends, but Ben doesn’t have that. It’s just horrible, it’s upsetting and it’s hard to come to terms with” Joanne told The Cannavist. Lovingly nicknamed ‘Boisterous Ben’, he also has cerebral palsy, severe autism and the mental capacity of a 10-month-old baby, as his mum explains.

“He was late walking, but we did get him walking. Now he can walk and climb by himself whilst he has the mind of a baby so that is worrying, because he has no sense of danger at all.

“Even now he’s still only having three to fifteen seizures a day, and that’s a significant improvement, everyone can see it.”

But getting to this stage was not an easy journey.

Three years later they decided to begin medicating Ben with CBD oil they’d brought back from a clinic in Canada and saw an impressive improvement.

Finally, when medicinal cannabis was legalised in 2018, the desperate parents managed to obtain a prescription for Epidiolex on compassionate grounds.

“It worked really well at first and reduced his seizures, but it very quickly plateaued.” Over the new year period, Ben’s condition deteriorated significantly, and he was admitted to Alder Hey Hospital, where his parents refused to leave his side.

“Watching it was horrific, it was just a horrible situation. He just ended up looking like he was ready to die.

“We never leave Ben alone in the hospital because he is autistic, the staff can’t cope with him and it’s very distressing for him.”

During this hospital spell a nurse observed Ben for 18 hours straight and documented that he had 200 seizures in that time.

After trying courses of anti-epilepsy drugs with no avail, Alder Hey moved Ben back onto an Epidiolex treatment but he was still suffering up to 300 seizures a day.

His parents had to teach him how to walk again and they decided trying another cannabis treatment would be the best next step.

Lancashire-based Joanne and husband Paul first asked about CBD treatments in 2014 but were told their son was not a candidate for the Epidiolex trials that were planned.

That same month Ben joined the referral waiting list for Bedrocan, and in March he was seen by a doctor who agreed it was the right course of treatment.

Parents Joanne and Paul were then told they needed a second opinion.

“He couldn’t even drink at that point, we were managing to only get about 20ml of fluid in him a day and he was really deteriorating quickly.”

Finally, a ray of hope. The family had a second opinion from The Portland Hospital in London and after waiting for the administration processes, Ben started taking the medication in April.

But the prescription was private, meaning the family had to fund the cost.

Using their savings, funds raised by charities and taking money out of their business was the only way his parents could maintain this quality of life. But that money pot will soon dry out.

“The price in the UK is honestly horrific compared to the price in Holland and we can’t keep sustaining spending this amount of money.”

The family, like so many others, have been told an NHS prescription can’t be issued because of a lack of trials and evidence supporting cannabis based medicines.

Joanne was advised to remove Ben from Bedrocan to give him a wash-out period, and then later admit him into the medication’s randomised controlled trial in a few months. “I said to them, ‘Why would I do that?’ to remove him from this medication and put him back into a stage of hundreds of seizures a day, just after he’s had this taste of freedom, is just barbaric.

“The children on this trial could die if they’re put back into a state of hundreds of seizures, that amount of brain activity could kill them.”

Taking part in a discussion with the Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, campaigning with the End Our Pain group and pleading with doctors has still left the family with no sustainable solution. “There are a lot of issues surrounding medical cannabis. Unfortunately, you end up on this big merry-go-round where everyone is blaming each other, and you never get anywhere.

“It just feels like I’m banging my head against a brick wall. Those in control need to work with us, but it feels like they’re working against us.”

“It just feels like I’m banging my head against a brick wall. Those in control need to work with us, but it feels like they’re working against us.”

A YEAR TO remember

By Robin Emerson, medical cannabis campaigner

In the debut issue of this publication, Robin Emerson told of his family’s emotional turmoil as they battled to obtain a medical cannabis prescription for their infant daughter Jorja. Almost a year later, Robin gives his account on the year that not only changed his daughter’s life, but the lives of more than a dozen families in the UK.

As I sit at my desk, I think through the rollercoaster of emotions and the journey I and others have taken this year.

Boom, then it hits me again. The doctors said that they couldn't ever control Jorja's seizures.

Our world-renowned NHS told me to take my daughter home to die.

Looking at a picture of Jorja, I think about how this little warrior has come so far and battled so hard in three years. People talk about how I saved my daughter, but my daughter saved me. She showed me what was important in life, and she gave me the strength to keep fighting. Jorja is now thriving. Previously she was having over 30 seizures a day, now it’s less than five, some days none at all. Her development has shot forwards. She is full of giggles and smiles and started school in

September. Wow. This is all thanks to cannabis – it's given me my daughter back.

The campaign has had lots of ups and downs. The extreme high of the (then) Home Secretary stepping up and doing the correct thing to legalise medical cannabis in November 2018, the tears running down my face that day, and the faces of many others, as we thought the battle had been won and it was time to pack up and go.

The high profile cases of Alfie Dingley and Billy Caldwell had shown the national media that medical cannabis worked. The tireless campaigning from the many, including myself, across the UK all contributed to years of effort by the many activists to change this extremely unjust and out-of-date law.

Unfortunately, then came the stark reality that no one in the NHS was going to prescribe this medication. Indeed, even the private sector was hesitant to prescribe, but Jorja's neurologist stepped up, and putting their head above the parapet wrote the first UK prescription for medical cannabis since the law had changed. Jorja made history as the first child to get a prescription once the law had changed. The mixed emotions of pure euphoria and relief that my child was going finally have an opportunity at life.

I was extremely fortunate to then have Aphria Inc step in to fund Jorja's medication, until we can get this blockage within the NHS sorted.

To date, we have secured approximately 16 prescriptions for other families through Jorja's private neurologist. Again, the mixed emotions of euphoria from parents to see their children, many for the first time, being able to meet milestones and keeping seizures controlled, along with the

stark reality that this is costing them thousands to keep their children alive.

Some have had to re-mortgage their houses; others having to fundraise and beg the public for help. This horrendous and totally inhumane situation continues in the UK. I also think of the thousands of other children with intractable epilepsy, the cancer patients, the MS patients, the people living in agony. We have created a two-tier system in the UK.

It's horrendous. If you have money, medical cannabis is available, yet if you don't, it is not.

I fear that the system we have in the UK with NICE, NHS trusts, and a lack of leadership from Minister Matt Hancock will see the continued block of medical cannabis in the UK for some time.

As to the year ahead, I look forward with the optimistic view that this battle continues to open up access. Hopefully this time next year I will be writing about the fact the NHS has opened up access and we can once again have a health system to be proud of.

People talk about how I saved my daughter, but my daughter saved me. She showed me what was important in life.

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Babushka BADASS

PLANTS NOT PILLS CO-FOUNDER GABRIEL SHPILT ON HOW, AT 17, HE WAS ABLE TO ALTER THE PERCEPTIONS ON CANNABIS HELD BY HIS 80-YEAR-OLD GRANDMOTHER FROM RUSSIA, WITH LOVE.

Klavdiya Goryacheva was no stranger to hard work. After a tough life in extreme climates, the 80-year-old found relief in a plant she never thought she’d try.

Her Canadian-born grandson Gabriel says, “My Babushka was a badass,” surviving a childhood of hunger, war and Gulag-run labour camps during the Stalinist era.

Without speaking a word of English, she relocated to Toronto to live out the rest of her days with her family where Gabriel was born.

From the 1990s on, suffering from severe back pain and aching arthritis as a result of years of hardship in the Soviet Union, Gabriel’s beloved Babushka was taking what he describes as ‘tons of medication’ to little avail.

“It wasn’t just the amount of medication she was taking. It was her pain and suffering, the signs of old age after a lifetime of heavy lifting and harsh climates, it was all taking

WHAT A WOMAN

its toll – and it was hard to watch.”

In Klavdiya’s time, communist Soviet culture had presented cannabis on a parallel with heroin. Imagine Gabriel’s surprise then, when he managed to convince her to try natural methods, and together they tried cannabis.

“I could tell she was relaxed. We talked for ages. It was remarkable how well it had worked. When I spoke to her the next day, she said, ‘I slept better than I have in years, can you bring me some more?’ I have never regretted introducing her to cannabis, I could see that it considerably helped her. I managed to change the mind of someone who was brought up to demonise it, to accept it – and embrace it.”

This first experience started a pattern. Three times a week Gabriel would visit his Babushka in her tiny apartment, and later at her nursing home, bringing edibles she could try.

“Towards the end I remember her once walking towards me using her walker, and she said to me, ‘Isn’t it funny that we end the same way we begin? Crawling along’. I just dissolved.”

Klavdiya passed away in 2006, almost ten years before the legalisation of medical cannabis in Canada. The journey with his Babushka inspired Gabriel, who was already working in the medical field, to launch a medical cannabis company, Plants Not Pills, together with his brother.

“My only regret is that she never got to experience what so much of the older generation have now – access to medical cannabis and CBD.”

“My only regret is that she never got to experience what so much of the older generation have now – access to medical cannabis and CBD.”

FULL NAME: KLAVDIYA GORYACHEVA. DOB: NOVEMBER 28, 1918 – ONE YEAR AFTER THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION ENDED.

GRANDSON: GABRIEL SHPILT, CO-FOUNDER OF PLANTS NOT PILLS.

WORDS BY LUCY MACKINNON

A WORLD OF difference

Words by Lucy MacKinnon

The rapid growth of CBD products and 2018’s Farm Bill have seen an increase in hemp cultivation, making the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s (TBI) job a lot more complicated.

As hemp and marijuana look, feel and smell almost identical, federal agents have struggled to differentiate between legal crops and their recreational and currently illicit counterparts.

But now, the TBI has developed a solution that could be a game-changer for both the cannabis

industry and law enforcement across the country. Mike Lyttle, Assistant Director of Forensic Services at TBI, said:

“This has been one of the greatest challenges in forensic science over the past couple of years. [How] do you tell the difference between marijuana and hemp?”

Hemp and marijuana respond very similarly to the chemical testing currently used by the TBI and other law enforcement agencies. However, their

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has developed a new cost-effective and time-saving process that distinguishes hemp from marijuana

newest testing method has now been in use since the beginning of September.

Researchers developed a colour test which is added to the plant’s flower to determine its classification.

Special Agent for the Forensic Sciences Division Glen Everett explained: “If it’s marijuana, it’ll turn an immediate deep blue colour.

“[But when the solution is added to hemp] it’s not going to an immediate blue colour, [it] turns a slow pink over time.”

This testing will be the first line of defence. If the results come back as inconclusive, further tests will be done.

The next course of action would be to send the samples off to be identified in a gas chromatograph machine which will test for the exact THC content.

However, this can take up to a few weeks. Lyttle said: “It’s really a trade-off for us to provide testing that’s useful to the district attorney to prosecute cases, also at the same time to be aware of the huge number of plant materials cases we’re going to get in.”

The new TBI test is not only much quicker, but much more cost-effective. The testing kits fetch and average at about $15 per test, while the testing machines start at $100,000.

Meanwhile, state inspectors in Alabama have

began testing the state’s first legally-crown hemp crops.

Samples from 45 growers had been taken at the time of writing, all of which tested below the 0.3% THC threshold required by law, Alabama Agricultural Commissioner Rick Pate said.

The hemp is grown for the extraction of CBD which has been a boon for farmers in a number of states.

The crop has provided a huge business opportunity in Kentucky in particular, where farmers have been forced to look for alternatives to increasingly regulated tobacco.

This has been one of the greatest challenges in forensic science over the past couple of years

On October 17, 2018, thousands of Canadians took to the streets to celebrate their nation becoming only the second in the world to legalise cannabis. Many have looked to Canada as a model for UK reform, including Tottenham MP David Lammy, who was one of three MPs to recently visit Canada for a BBC documentary. However, Canadians are still struggling to access quality cannabis legally, one year after the landmark reform.

Statistics Canada’s recent survey revealed that since legalisation, 42% of consumers still buy at least some of their cannabis on the black market.

Gaining a dispensary license is a long and expensive process and supply has so far fallen well short of demand.

Many medical users have been forced to use unlicensed dispensaries to access affordable, high-quality cannabis medicine. Hundreds of unlicensed dispensaries have been raided all over the country. The market is hugely dominated by multi-billion-dollar players like Canopy Growth, Aurora Cannabis and Tilray. This has left little room for the ‘Mom and Pop’ operations that drove the push for legalisation. There are also limitations on the types of products Canadians can access on the legal market. The edibles, vapes, extracts and topicals

legalisation’?

that have dominated the recreational US market are unlikely to be available until December this year at the earliest.

Meanwhile, the rules on where you can smoke or vape cannabis vary considerably.

byMinistry, ‘Canada’s first high-end cannabis lounge’ is set to open in early 2020. But due to federal regulations and Ontario’s smoke-free laws, patrons will not be permitted to smoke or vape inside, nor will edibles of cannabis-infused beverages be served.

The lack of availability, dispensary raids and former prohibitionists cashing in on cannabis has led some advocates to damn Canada’s approach as ‘New Prohibition’ or ‘Fake Legalisation.’

However, Lammy believes that the UK could learn a lot from Canada, saying:

“The Canadian model is not perfect, but it is high time for the legal regulation of cannabis in the UK.”

Canada’s approach to CBD regulation is different to the UK and US in one important respect: The law does not distinguish between CBD derived from high-THC marijuana and low-THC industrial hemp. All cannabis extracts fall under the 2018 Cannabis Act.

Fresh cannabis, dried cannabis, plants and seeds have been available to buy from licensed dispensaries since the law came into effect on October 17, 2018.

Concentrates, edibles, extracts and topicals containing CBD are expected to be legalised later this year, pending guidance from Health Canada.

One year on from legalising recreational cannabis, The Cannavist’s Gordon Stribling finds Canadians are still struggling to access high-quality legal product, and yes, CBD is Largely still banned.

‘Fake

“The Canadian model is not perfect, but it is high time for the legal regulation of cannabis in the UK”

HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN Grow?

The potential benefits of hemp have become increasingly recognised in recent years. As well as being used in everything from food to insulation, the humble hemp plant has huge potential environmental benefits.

So, when Lucy MacKinnon discovered the largest hemp based environmental study in the UK was right on our doorstep, we had to know more.

THE CANNAVIST’S LUCY MACKINNON FINDS HERSELF SURROUNDED BY A JUNGLE OF TOWERING HEMP PLANTS. NO, IT’S NOT COLORADO. IT’S MARKET HARBOROUGH.

Jamie Bartley is the operations director at Unyte Hemp. He took us on a tour of the company’s 240-acre site near Market Harborough in Leicestershire.

Jamie explained that over 230 million hemp seeds were planted in the first week of May. Just 140 days later the plants were harvested and analysed to uncover their environmental benefits.

“Hemp’s bio absorbency of CO2 can have a massive environmental impact” Jamie explained.

“In the growth timeframe, the hemp will bio-absorb the same amount of CO2 as a forest the same size would in 25 years.”

Although CO2 emissions in the UK have been gradually declining for the past six years, in 2018 it was predicted that Britain alone produced 361 million tonnes of CO2 emissions.

This dangerous level can decrease wildlife populations, increase extreme weather events and cause fertile agricultural land to be lost.

However, planting hemp does not only cause CO2 absorption, it cleans the soil in which it is grown, soaking up the effects of pollution without harming the plants.

Upon harvesting, the five different strains of hemp were compared to identify their best uses, depending on seed and fibre yields.

The main product planned for these crops is environmentally-friendly insulation.

This will be fitted by installers at Unyte Energy, who are working with energy provider SSE to produce sustainable energy solutions.

The insulation binding agent, polylactic acid, can also be produced from this year’s yield, as opposed to commonly used sugarcane starch.

Jamie explained that although sugarcane is another renewable biomass, it is often sourced from South East Asia and is transported to the UK, resulting in a large carbon footprint.

“But we can create it from hemp cultivated in the UK, which means you also get the environmental benefits of carbon reduction.”

As well as insulation, Unyte are working to produce a number of hemp products that have the potential to alter the way we live.

“We are working with universities creating a modular hemp housing system, so that will be 100 percent derived from hemp.”

As the project is focussed on environmentally friendly, sustainable solutions, the team ensured that their set up is as green as their crops.

“The site has a ten-megawatt biomass waste to energy boiler to convert the waste into renewable energy.

“This way we can run on renewable energy and there is on sight disposal for the flower and leaf that we can’t use

at the moment, so it can be used to fertilise next year’s cultivation.”

And it seems even Britain’s unpredictable climate can’t hold this multi-purpose crop back.

During their growth cycle, these ‘made in the Midlands’ plants have sustained the second hottest day on record, prolonged periods of humid, dangerous storms and incredible downpours of rain.

“They can grow up to seven centimetres a day, after ten weeks they’d grown to three metres high which shows how quickly it grows, and how well it can be grown in the UK.”

As well as providing environmental benefits, the production of hemp could also boost the British economy.

Unyte would relish the opportunity to capitalise on the CBD boom. However, only one UK company currently holds a CBD extraction license.

This means it remains common practice to import CBD from Europe and the US, adding to Britain’s emission rates.

“We are big believers that CBD is a massive value added to the crop, so if we can extract CBD from UK crops that goes back into the agricultural sector, causing a boost in revenue which is much needed post-Brexit.”

“The hemp will bio absorb the same amount of CO2 as a forest the same size would in 25 years.”

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Green HOMEGROWN

Irish fossil fuel producers Bord na Móna have met with Ireland’s Health Minister Simon Harris in a bid to become the country’s first medical cannabis supplier.

Their pitch included a plan to repurpose some of 80,000 hectares of wetland into a dedicated medical cannabis cultivation centre.

The plan has been backed by several governmental parties and an independent Teachta Dála (TD), a member of the lower house of Irish Parliament.

Micheal Fitsmaurice TD told the press if this new proposal was approved by the Ministry of Health, Ireland would be “sowing weeds instead of pulling seeds.”

Health minister Simon Harris described the meeting with semi-state agency Bord na Móna as “good” and “interesting.”

Harris spoke at Ireland’s medical cannabis access programme launch at the end of June after signing legislation allowing it to run for five years as a pilot programme.

The pilot will facilitate access to cannabis-based products for medical uses.

Sanctioned medical uses outlined include the treatment of severe epilepsy, combatting the spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis and relief of nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy.

Speaking at the launch regarding the proposal from Bord na Móna, Harris said:

Plans to make use of Irish natural resources could lead to ‘sowing weed instead of pulling weeds’

“Obviously they are a commercial semi-state, it is a matter for them to make these decisions, but instinctively I think in the medium term this is something that would make sense, for Ireland to have its own supply.”

The health minister also indicated that the public health service or the state could end up owning its own supply of medical cannabis.

He said:

“It could well be that Ireland Inc would decide to own its own supply and that the public health service could own its own supply, or indeed that existing state companies and the likes could decide to diversify into this space.”

Although this sounds promising, it has not been confirmed by the Irish government. Nonetheless, it seems that this proposal has been in the works since May 2019 when Sean Canney, Minister of State for Natural Resources, Community Affairs and Digital Development, told The Journal that growing medical cannabis was being discussed.

He said: “It is very much at the project phase at the moment, [but] the option of medical cannabis being grown on the site is being considered.”

As in the UK, Irish citizens have struggled to gain access to medical cannabis, the most high-profile cases involving children suffering from epilepsy.

Repurposing this land has the potential to solve issues around medical cannabis access in Ireland and diminish the amount of environmentally unsustainable fuelling.

Vera Twomey of County Cork has faced many hurdles in trying to obtain medical cannabis for her daughter, Ava. Ava was finally granted permission to use medical cannabis at the age of seven in 2017 following two years of campaigning on her behalf.

Since then, Ava has been able to participate in school and she has not been admitted to hospital in two years.

Ms Twomey told The Irish Times that her daughter is now ‘thriving’ and ‘living a life free of pain.’

“Instinctively I think in the medium term this is something that would make sense, for Ireland to have its own supply” - Irish Health minister

THE CANNAVIST’S 2020 Ones to watch

George Martorano

George Martorano has turned from a life of crime to a life of CBD. The former prisoner, who spent 32 years incarcerated, is thought to be America’s longest serving nonviolent offender. He took a course in how to run a cannabis dispensary upon his release. He was convicted in 1988 and was sentenced to life without parole after he was found guilty of running a $75 million a year narcotics ring. He now runs the Hip Hemp Café in South Philadelphia and plans to expand to open more locations on the East Coast.

Amir Englund

This scientist at the Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London has been publishing medical research relating to cannabis since 2012. Specialising in mental health research, most of Englund’s research stems from the relationship between cannabis and psychosis, as well as other forms of mental illness such as depression and anxiety. He has also written papers about how cannabis can be made safer and has called for wider education surrounding its compounds in the UK.

The team predicts the future. Here’s who and what to watch out for over the next 12 months.

Growth of minor cannabinoids

With CBD now being found in everything from smoothies to medicine, researchers are beginning to investigate the potential of the ‘minor cannabinoids’. There’s already a lot of talk where Cannabigerol (CBG) is concerned. Known as the ‘stem cell’ of cannabinoids, it’s being evaluated as a treatment for Huntingdon’s Disease, among other conditions. Isolating minor cannabinoids doesn’t come cheap. But it does present companies with an opportunity to stand out in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

Chelsea Leyland

Chelsea is a medical cannabis user turned activist whose documentary ‘Separating the Strains’ is due to be released in 2020. The documentary exposes the difference in access to cannabis-based medication for epilepsy in the US and UK. The epilepsy patient began medicating with CBD and has since moved to New York to be a full-time DJ and now receives a medical marijuana card. Her sister, who suffers from the same condition, lives in a care home in the UK due to suffering over 100 seizures a day. Seeing the juxtaposition in treatment and care spurred on Chelsea’s activism.

UK cannabis reform campaign will gain momentum

While still controversial, full legalisation, or at least decriminalisation, is now a very real possibility in the UK, with numerous opinion polls and a slew of prime time documentaries reflecting a sea change in public attitudes. Liberal Democrat 2020 London Mayor candidate Siobhan Benita has called for cannabis to be legalised. Meanwhile, shadow home secretary Diane Abbot has said the Labour Party would, "establish a royal commission to review independently all drugs legislation and policy to address related issues of public health." This momentum will only accelerate as Canada’s legalisation experiment plays out.

2020 US Presidential Election

All Democratic Party candidates seeking nomination are committed to reducing penalties for cannabis possession, with some pushing for full federal legalisation. But most interesting perhaps is the proposed Marijuana Justice Act, reintroduced this year by New Jersey Senator Cory Booker, which would end restrictions on research and expunge all marijuana use and possession convictions. This could have huge implications for those with cannabis offenses who wish to work in the increasingly profitable, legal industry.

Standard Stuff

Dare we say 2020 may be the year that shapes industry standards and regulation in the UK? We can’t wait to say goodbye to bad labels.

DISCOVERY RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT SPREAD OF CANNABIS

Non-native cannabis pollen found during Newfoundland settlement excavation

“THE RESULTS PRESENTED HERE POSE MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS”

A recent discovery has led some researchers to speculate that Vikings may have used cannabis while exploring North America.

An archaeological team found cannabis pollen not native to the area during an excavation of a peat bog near the L’Anse aux Meadows site in Newfoundland, Canada. The team also found non-native species of beetle from Greenland and the Arctic among the ‘ecofacts.’

Vikings may have picked these up while travelling south. However, it is also possible that other people native to the area may have taken the materials to the peat bog at a later time.

While scientists were unable to determine whether the cannabis was used for clothing, recreationally or as a medicine, the findings raise questions about the spread of cannabis across the globe.

Paul Ledger, the lead author of the paper and a postdoctoral fellow at Memorial University of Newfoundland who led the study urged caution, noting that the pollen could have been carried in the wind. “The results presented here [in the journal article] pose more questions than answers.”

The settlement, founded by Vikings around 1,000 AD, was thought to have only been occupied for a short time. But the radiocarbon dated remains suggests that the Nordic travellers may been in the area as recently as the 13th century.

“I think it is highly unlikely that the Norse [Vikings] would have returned in the 12th and 13th centuries, as there are no structures on the site from that period that could be Norse.”

Patricia Sutherland of the Canadian Museum of Nature who has also done extensive research on the Vikings in North America, said:

“It seems premature to suggest such a scenario on the basis of the ‘ecofacts’ listed in the paper.

“It’s possible that some of the beetles and plant pollen found in the layer were brought to L’Anse aux Meadows by the Vikings around A.D. 1000, and they continued to flourish after the Vikings left.”

In 2012, researchers found strong evidence that farmers had cultivated cannabis in farmland in the Vest-Agder area of Norway, likely for the production of textiles or rope which may have been traded throughout the region.

The discovered remains dated from 650 AD to 800 AD.

While there is to date no hard of evidence of Vikings consuming cannabis for recreational or medicinal purposes, mythical Viking Berserkers were said to fight in a trance-like fury which some scholars have attributed to the use of hallucinogenic mushrooms.

Birgitta Wallace, a senior archaeologist emerita with Parks Canada told Live Science that she was not convinced that the cannabis or other findings could be attributed to Vikings.

ANTIEVERYTHING?

AS THE POPULATION GROWS INCREASINGLY RESISTANT TO EXISTING ANTIBIOTICS, THE MEDICAL WORLD SEARCHES FOR NEW POSSIBLE TREATMENTS. DOES RECENT RESEARCH SHOW PROMISE IN CBD OR ARE WE GETTING CARRIED AWAY?

Research from the University of Queensland has discovered antibacterial properties in CBD, which, scientists say, has the potential to treat MRSA and staphylococcus in the future.

The study tested the response of CBD to infections compared with established antibiotics and found that the plant extract can target and kill harmful bacteria rapidly.

Outlining the findings, the Australian research team confirmed, “Cannabidiol possesses surprisingly effective activity as an antibiotic, compared to widely used antibiotics.”

The study was led by Dr Mark Blaskovich at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience’s Centre for Superbug Solutions, and was co-funded by an Australian government grant scheme and CBD company Botanix Pharmaceuticals Ltd.

CBD contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This we already knew. Now thanks to this fresh research, the possible antibacterial properties of our favourite cannabinoid can be explored further.

This research suggests that the anti-inflammatory and antibiotic properties found in CBD work as a team when fighting bacterial infections: “The combination of inherent anti-microbial activity and potential to reduce damage caused by the inflammatory response to infections is particularly attractive.”

This is because this research has displayed CBD’s potential to treat different aspects of the same infection, with just one form of medication.

Bacteria kill-time, resistance induction and the effectivity of biofilm disruption, which is designed to make cell penetration more difficult, of a synthetic cannabinoid were all investigated. According to the researchers, synthetic CBD was used for this study due to its purity. (Synthetic CBD has no trace amounts of other cannabinoids, solvents as a result of extraction or compounds found naturally occurring within plant extracts, that could mislead results in biological testing.)

The results showed the CBD compound disrupted the biofilm layer around bacteria, killing it rapidly, as well as proving impressive resistance rates.

The research was presented by Dr Blaskovich at the annual meeting of The American Society of Microbiology. Subsequently, a press release detailed: “The drug retained its activity against bacteria that have become highly resistant to other common antibiotics. Under extended exposure conditions that lead to resistance against vancomycin or daptomycin, cannabidiol did not lose effectiveness.”

Vancomycin is commonly prescribed medication used to treat staphylococcus. However, with 50,000 staphylococcus associated deaths each year in the US alone, new developments in treatment are urgently needed.

Dr Blaskovish added: “Given cannabidiol’s documented anti-inflammatory effects, existing safety data in humans and potential for varied delivery routes, it is a promising new antibiotic worth further investigation.”

So far, this study has only been carried out in the lab, where mice tissue was analysed in petri dishes. So it is important to stress that people should not self-medicate to treat infections using CBD. While the promise in CBD-related science may show encouraging signs, always discuss your intake of CBD with your doctor, especially if you are taking other medications.

SO, HOW DOES IT WORK?

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

“Given cannabidiol’s documented antiinflammatory effects … it is a promising new antibiotic worth further investigation.”

THE ANTI-INFLAMMATORY PROPERTIES OF CBD EXPLAINED

CBD is becoming very popular due to its many therapeutic properties and non-intoxicating nature. Besides its antioxidant, antibiotic, neuroprotective, anxiolytic, and anticonvulsant properties, CBD also has high anti-inflammatory activity. Gregor Zorn explains why this makes it incredibly useful, as inflammation is present in a wide variety of different medical conditions.

What is inflammation?

Inflammation is an important mechanism of the immune system that protects our body and increases healing. We can divide inflammation into acute and chronic. Acute inflammation is beneficial – its onset is rapid and lasts only for a short period of time. It works to isolate the damaged area, to mobilise protective cells and molecules to the damaged site and to promote the removal of damaged tissues. If acute inflammation persists for a longer period of time, then we talk about chronic inflammation. It can also be caused by nondegradable pathogens, viral infections, persistent foreign bodies or an autoimmune reaction. Chronic inflammation can last for months or even years, causing cell damage and tissue destruction.

Chronic inflammation and diseases

There is increasing evidence that chronic inflammation can also cause many chronic diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia. It is also estimated that about 15–20% of all cancer cases are preceded by chronic inflammation, including lung, colon and pancreatic cancers. It becomes very clear that reducing or preventing chronic inflammation is something most of us should be actively doing.

The anti-inflammatory mechanisms of CBD

CBD can interact with a wide variety of a molecular targets in our body. Its anti-inflammatory effect is mediated by interacting with different receptors (cannabinoid, adenosine, GPR55), ion channels (TRPV1) and enzymes (lipoxygenase, cyclooxygenase-2). CBD interacts directly with specific immune cells, supressing the production of proinflammatory compounds and increasing the levels of anti-inflammatory compounds. These effects, in conjunction with its other therapeutic effects, make CBD a very effective compound in inflammatory processes.

Other anti-inflammatory phytocannabinoids

CBD is not the only cannabis constituent that has anti-inflammatory effects. Other phytocannabinoids, such as THC, cannabinol, their acidic precursors, tetrahydrocannabinolic acid and cannabidiolic acid, as well as terpenes (D-limonene, β-caryophyllene, β-pinene) have all shown anti-inflammatory activity. An interesting observation is that when these compounds are taken together, as whole plant extracts, they potentiate the therapeutic effects of the single compounds, making them more efficacious and needing lower doses to achieve the same effects.

The verdict

Studies, as well as consumer experiences, are showing the beneficial therapeutic effects CBD can have. As inflammation is present in our daily lives, it is a good idea to add CBD and other anti-inflammatory compounds to our daily regime, as a preventive measure or as a more focused therapy.

About the author

Gregor Zorn is medical cannabis consultant, educator and researcher. His main area of interest is practical implementation of phytocannabinoid therapies for specific medical conditions. He is an international speaker specialised in teaching medical professionals, patients and students about all aspects of cannabinoids and their important role in health and disease. He is the co-founder of the European Cannabinoid Therapy Association (ECTA) and one of the teachers at the first European Medicinal Cannabis post-graduate educational course, at Padua University Medical School in Italy. He is a teacher at the Masterclass Medicinal Cannabis, a member of the International Association for Cannabinoid Medicines (IACM) and a founding member, author and scientific advisor to Zbudimo.se.

BY LUCY MACKINNON

BEAT THOSE winter blues

Seasonal Affective Disorder, aka the winter blues, affects almost one third of Brits. Here are our picks on how CBD can help you get through those rainy days and dark evenings.

With 57% of UK residents saying their overall mood is lowest during the winter season and 40% feeling more fatigued mid-winter than during the summer months, it is clear Britain needs to beat the winter blues.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is associated with reduced exposure to sunlight, which can impact the production of serotonin, melatonin and alter the body’s internal clock. The NHS advises one way to overcome seasonal depression is to make lifestyle adjustments such as managing stress levels and regularly exercising.

These are two things CBD can help with, and here’s how.

1Stress

The natural calming properties of CBD have been widely reported and increasing numbers of people are taking supplements to tackle their stress levels.

Serotonin, sometimes called ‘the happy hormone’ has moodenhancing properties and is often associated with feelings of wellbeing.

Reduced exposure to sunlight can affect its production in the body, making the probability of feeling down more common during the shorter days.

Neurologist and Rehabilitation Physician, Professor Mike Barnes MD explains, “CBD interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). We know that the ECS has an effect on overall calmness and CBD is a good treatment, amongst other

things, for anxiety. It also interacts with other neural systems including serotonin and can improve sleep.”

You can’t beat a great night’s sleep –doctor’s orders.

2Exercise

Exercise releases endorphins which can boost feelings of energy and euphoria, hence the phrase ‘runners high.’ Strong correlations between a reduction in depression after an increase of exercise have been proven, which is promising for those suffering from the winter blues. There are many CBD products designed to aid workout routines. Balms and muscle rubs soothe and relieve tired muscles by tackling inflammation, making the next day’s squat or sprint less painstaking. Oil drops ensure a fast delivery pre and post-exercise, making yoga no hard stretch.

WORDS BY GORDON STRIBLING

CAN CBD REALLY HELP ME sleep?

It’s fair to say this is one of the most frequently asked questions among CBD newcomers. So, I decided to give it one more go.

I have had trouble sleeping all my adult life. Countless nights of either trying in vain to get to sleep or waking up every 20 minutes. Sometimes, when I’m really lucky, it’s both.

If you can think of an insomnia ‘remedy,’ I will almost certainly have tried it. Lavender, melatonin, a warm bath, exercise, limiting screen time. Nothing helped.

Prescription drugs are the only things that have any effect, but they are only a short-term solution.

I tried CBD isolate gummies a couple of years ago. I started with

one 10mg dose on the first night, eventually progressing to 50mg. But frustratingly, it didn’t seem to work. I’ve since found out why this may have been the case. CBD is biphasic. According a Portuguese study published in the journal European Psychiatry, low doses of CBD may actually increase stimulation and alertness in some people. I needed to take a higher, sedating dose. With that in mind I decided to have another crack at getting some much-needed rest.

This time I opted for a full-spectrum tincture in the hope that the socalled ‘entourage effect’ from the other cannabinoids might help.

Acting on advice, I took around 80mg spread across three doses taken throughout the day, the final one just before bed. This way, the CBD could build up in my system. The first night it had absolutely no effect at all. It took about an hour for me to drop off and I woke up multiple times. But as the week progressed, I found that the quality of sleep improved significantly.

While I still couldn’t fall asleep as quickly as I’d like to, I was waking up less frequently throughout the night. And crucially, I woke up feeling as refreshed as anyone can before 7am. Has full-spectrum CBD cured my insomnia? Maybe, or maybe not. But this experience has given me hope that I may have finally found an ally in my quest for rest.

Coming soon: hemp from Jersey

Hemp can now be grown on the Channel Island of Jersey following the issuance of the first licence to harvest, process and store hemp flower in preparation for CBD extraction.

The licence issued to Jersey Hemp was called a sig nificant opportunity for the island by Senator Lyndon Farnham, minister for economic develop ment, tourism, sport and culture

“Extracting Jersey produced CBD will allow the island to take its place in this fast developing sector, supplying controlled and reliable CBD products with strong British Isles provenance,” Farnham said. “Jersey has real potential in this area, and the issuing of this licence signals our clear intent to position ourselves as a centre of excellence in CBD production, research, genetics and intellectual property ”

The island lies off the north coast of France but is politically and economically closely linked to the UK, although it is self governing and as such can make its own laws outside of both UK and EU rules.

Home grown hemp could be an attractive selling

About CBD-Intel

point for CBD, according to Jersey Hemp. “We antic ipate this will allow Jersey Hemp to be able to compete commercially on a level playing field with international producers in China, Eastern Europe and the Americas, where all CBD sold in the UK is presently grown and manufactured,” the company said.

Jersey Hemp said that this was the very first licence issued in the British Isles for the production of CBD from hemp flowers

In contrast, Hempen, based in Oxfordshire, recently claimed it had to destroy its entire hemp crop due to its licence application being rejected by the Home Office

Jersey Hemp said that it has been cultivating and processing industrial hemp for three and a half years, and this year’s harvest will be its third culti vation and the first to include the flowers It has also used CBD in some of its products but this previously had been only imported CBD

The first licence in the British Isles to grow hemp flowers for CBD is big news Though other compa nies claim to be producing hemp derived CBD in the UK already, whether it’s commercially possible to produce CBD from parts of the hemp plant other than flower remains a matter of some debate

CBD Intel provides impartial, independent and premium market and regulatory analysis, legal tracking, and quantitative data for the cannabidiol (CBD) sector, with a focus on non US markets.

We offer a one stop source of market and regulatory strategic data for the CBD industry. Providing all the data in one online platform reduces the amount of time and money spent monitoring the sector for multiple international markets. Our global perspective on the international CBD sector offers you key data such as market trends, key players, regulatory obligations and industry dynamics.

CBD Intel’s team is made up of lawyers , economists and journalists. The team is based in London, Barcelona and New York, and enhanced by correspondents and contributors from around the world.

In addition, we offer customised research and consultancy support We also publish ECigIntelligence for the global e cigarette and tobacco alternatives sector

BY LUCY MACKINNON

Annual ANXIETY ATTACK

Supermarkets, department stores, even high street boutiques leave me gasping for air year upon year, when the Christmas shopping panic sets in. Key word, panic. For me, there are too many people on a mission, in too tight a space.

So, I try to do most of my shopping online, but there are always several things I need to buy in person –unfortunately.

This year I decided to immerse myself in an experiment to see if CBD could help me overcome this mountain I’ve made from a molehill.

I took to the city of Leicester, armed with a CBD vape. I decided to go against my gut and visit my local shopping centre there at its peak time between 1 and 3pm on a Saturday.

A Colorado study from earlier this year found that CBD treatment decreased stress levels in a group of 72 participants citing anxiety concerns. The results showed 79% felt a decrease in anxiety symptoms after a course of CBD.

Last year, Brazilian researchers conducted a randomised controlled public speaking study with 57 participants. The evidence showed that those administered with 300mg of CBD before speaking publicly had significantly reduced anxiety, compared to those in the placebo group.

Primark, one of the busiest retail outlets at any given time of the year, was my first pit stop. I went in and made it about 10 yards before panicking, so I left and puffed some CBD e-liquid.

I returned a few minutes later with my game face on and I was pleasantly surprised.

The shop was just as full, the people were just as determined, but I was a lot more relaxed.

I was still rubbing shoulders with many strangers, but I felt almost as though I was drifting through the aisles instead of forcing my way through them.

Although I still felt tense, I didn’t feel terrified, which is an extreme improvement.

My internal ‘its busy buzzer’ had quietened.

I spent two hours shopping that day, visiting a list of stores and managed to get my Christmas shopping done, all without one panic attack – a major accomplishment for me.

I also had a friend come with me and with CBD in my system I was actually able to enjoy a proper ‘girls shopping trip’ for the first time in my adult life.

THE ‘MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR’ CAN ALSO BE THE MOST STRESSFUL, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ARE PRONE TO ANXIETY, AS LUCY MACKINNON WRITES.

“Year upon year, when the shops get full, I get frightened.”

Avoiding my

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stressed? blessed TOO TO BE

YOU MUST BE ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES. LAST YEAR, 74% OF US FELT STRESSED, OVERWHELMED OR UNABLE TO COPE, ACCORDING TO A YOUGOV POLL. NOW MORE AND MORE OF US BRITS ARE TURNING TO HERBAL MEDICINE, AND ASHWAGANDHA IS EVERYWHERE.

It doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, but it’s this season’s herb du jour. Could Ashwagandha be the perfect companion for the CBD in your life?

Like CBD, Ashwagandha is classified as an adaptogen, meaning that it can help the body manage stress. As an adaptogen, it is defined as a nontoxic plant extract which can increase the body's ability to resist the damaging effects of stress.

Studies show Ashwagandha may lower blood sugar levels, reduce cortisol, boost brain function and help fight symptoms of anxiety and depression.

What is it?

Naturopaths believe this ancient herb to be one of the most important herbs in Ayurveda, a form of alternative medicine which is based on old Indian principles of natural healing.

Ashwagandha is also known as Indian ginseng and it grows as a small, yellow-flowered shrub native to India, Pakistan and Africa.

The Stress Hormone

Cortisol is commonly known as the stress hormone, and the good news is that like CBD, Ashwagandha has been shown to reduce cortisol levels, helping us manage our stress levels better. One study in particular, which explored the stress management potential in what researchers called ‘chronically stressed humans,’ highlighted positive results. All subjects showed improved levels of stress and anxiety at both day 30 and day 60. And collaborating researchers from India and the US found Ashwagandha “reduces experiential feelings of stress and anxiety at all dosage levels tested supports the claims of anti-stressadaptogenic effect.”

ASK THE EXPERT

Karl Bedson is a registered Medical Herbalist with the National Institute of Medical Herbalists and a registered nurse with the Nursing & Midwifery Council. Before discovering herbal medicine, Karl worked as a Nurse Practitioner with NHS24, as well as with Marie Curie Cancer Care, where he specialised in triage, wound-care and community and palliative health. Karl practices in Derbyshire.

Karl says: “Ashwagandha is a herb I use with around 60% of my current patients, I (and many other medical herbalists) find it invaluable in the treatment of many forms of anxiety, depression, insomnia, etc where there is a history of stress or showing of a lack of drive, energy, effort… I use it mainly for patients with exhaustion, from chronic fatigue, nervous overstimulation such as long-term anxiety, long term stress, and from the fighting of long-standing diseases/ conditions. Think of it as an excellent recuperative herb. I also add it to herbal mixes for patients with either low or high immune responses, so boosting a person during a chronic infection and also easing the hyper-vigilant immune system for patients with say rheumatoid arthritis and allergies. Another area I have used it is with couples trying to conceive and for patients (especially men) with a low sex drive.”

If you’re interested in taking Ashwagandha or any other herbal medicine, Karl says it’s always best to consult a medical herbalist, GP or pharmacist first, especially if you have an underlying health condition.

We asked a medical herbalist for the skinny on the Ashwagandha…

the cbd circuit

USA, USA, USA!

The

Anticipated as the biggest CBD event on the East Coast of the US, set among crystal clear beaches and tropical waters, USA CBD Expo Miami did not disappoint. Apart from the unfortunate weather we had, that is, but we can’t blame the organisers for that.

With over 350 exhibitors, 13,500 attendees and 50 industryrenowned speakers, the bar has definitely been set for

CBD exhibitions in the US. With such a huge variety of products presented by hundreds of stands, I spent the weekend making my way around as many as I could, indulging in CBD sweets, chocolate and drinks and sampling cosmetics and endless supplies of CBD coffee. It’s fair to say that this was the most chilled expo experience I’ve had yet!

There is such a huge diversity of brands available in the US, so there really was something for everyone. There were some familiar faces like Pachamama, Hugs and Ignite. But what was wonderful to see was the amount of starter companies that had recently launched their first ranges.

A personal new favourite of mine was Vaital Organics – a CBD-infused superfood blend. I can’t believe something that tastes just like a chocolate milkshake could be so good for you. That’s definitely one to watch out for when it reaches the UK.

The atmosphere of the event was great. Don’t forget, the team behind USA CBD Expo is Jason Monti and Vape

As the US expo calendar becomes more and more competitive,

Cannavist’s Katie Loomes rates the biggest show to hit the East Coast yet.

chilled expo experience I’ve had yet.”

Conventions – experts in specialist exhibitions. Exhibitors were kept busy with the constant floods of people walking around. Stoked CBD kept visitors entertained with a team of female dancers while PhenoPen created their own CBD fun fair.

So, whether you’re looking for a host of new brands to fall in love with or to experience educational talks from leading experts in the CBD industry, check out the next USA CBD Expo which will take place in February in Las Vegas.

This event should leave you feeling relaxed, optimistic and inspired. The February show is definitely one not to miss!

Film Fest CANNA

The first ever London Cannabis Film Festival celebrated cannabis culture, history and of course, film.

community arts hub Rich Mix played host to the London Cannabis Film Festival (LCFF) debut.

Fusing their love of cinematics, cannabis culture, history and education, organisers Mark, Connor and Francis selected a diverse range of films to showcase.

After meeting several years ago at a Patients in Parliament protest run by the United Patients Alliance, the trio were determined to launch their own event using film as a power tool to provide insight and information.

Divided into five screenings covering hemp heroes, short films, cannabis in pop culture, women in weed and the

opioid crisis, the screening schedule was packed. The social side encompassed panel discussions on cannabis in pop culture and women in the community, with interactive and artistic aspects, where guests joined together in creating a cannabis canvas print. Connor said, “We’d definitely like to expand over two days next year to make sure all the content isn’t so packed into a one-day schedule, other than that we thought the format worked with the venue superbly.

“We thought the event went incredibly well, the feedback we received was beyond expectation and we were glad to see so many people come together in attendance.”

WATCH THIS!

The following awards were presented by the LCFF. Best Documentary The Secret Story Best Short Cheer Up Charlie Best Foreign Film Grass Roots Trailblazer Extinction Rebellion Best Feature Breaking Habits

IN THE EUROZONE

Just as in lots of industries, a boom in the cannabis sector has led to increasing numbers of events, which can create competition.

In some cases, rapid market expansion like this can see commercialisation overtake core industry values.

London Canna Group’s Paul Raggett believes that in this sector, expansion “needs to be directed in such a way that the reputation of the industry is not put at risk.”

In the aftermath of the success of the first ever Europe CBD Expo in London this summer, Paul told us he hopes the Europe Canna Expo next June will circulate credible and crucial information via education.

And it’s working.

The level of press attention, fuelled, no doubt in part, by the presence of Dan Bilzerian and his ‘Ignited Kingdom,’ coupled with an unrivalled agenda of expert speakers made the first show a tough act to follow.

“The massive international coverage of our event in July led many to hear of the success and now they are naturally trying to replicate our formula.”

But imitation is a form of flattery, or so they say. After its successful debut, the organisers decided to change the title to Europe Canna Expo to encompass multiple cannabis components, not just CBD.

This not only gives the event a new dimension for attendees, it transcends the parameters of other UK-based events in the industry.

“We realise people in Europe and the UK in particular are craving for credible, unbiased information and our aim is to provide detailed education to the public and the industry as a whole,” Paul says.

“We are here for the longterm; we are not here to make a quick buck. We believe the industry needs organisations

such as our own to push for a change in perception in government and the general public.”

At the time of publication, we were more than eight months out from the June 2020 event, and yet more than 125 exhibitors are already confirmed to appear, along with 90 speakers, five keynote speakers, panel discussions and special guest appearances.

Over a backdrop of live music, cannabis science, patient care and access, culture, cultivation and business will all be discussed, exceeding the line-up of last July’s event. Paul adds, “I am particularly looking forward to the increased conference programme and the fact we are able to bring the leading experts to London to help us drive our industry forward.

“There is a major lack of credible information available to consumers and patients and by bringing the experts together to discuss what is happening globally, we can help to develop a safe and respectable industry here in the UK and across Europe.”

Brexit or no Brexit, Europe’s biggest celebration of legal cannabis products has found its home in London. With a slight name change.

Europe Canna Expo will dominate 2020 with education from Dublin to Croatia.

“We are here for the longterm; we are not here to make a quick buck.”

THE AWARDS

Segmented into three categories, the winners will be revealed live on the night.

READERS’ AWARDS

The winners in this group will be decided by the public via an online vote.

Best Influencer - Best Advocate - Best Online Shop

PRODUCTS OF THE YEAR

The winners of this category will be selected by a panel of independent judges.

Best Tincture - Best Edible - Best Topical Best Pet Care Product - Best Vape - Best Device - Product of the Year

THE CANNAVIST AWARDS

The winners will be chosen internally by The Cannavist team of experts.

Best Innovation - Best Branding and Marketing - Best Up and Coming Brand Best CBD Distributor - Outstanding Contribution to the Industry - Industry Leader

SPONSORSHIP

Become a sponsor of the most elite CBD awards ceremony. Visit cannavistmag.com/awards for more information and opportunities.

Events for you!

Stuck for something to do? Interested in learning more about CBD or medical cannabis?

We’ve handpicked these UK-wide events to get you through winter.

CBD - Nature’s Gift

This one stop shop for CBD knowledge will take place on November 1 at The Feel Good Café in London. Guests will learn the science behind CBD and how to decipher lab reports, dosage techniques, strengths and delivery systems. The legality of cannabidiol and current studies will be explained, and attendees are encouraged to participate during the Q&A session.

Analytical Cannabis Expo Europe

The Analytical Cannabis Expo will be held on November 12 at the Radisson Blu Edwardian near Heathrow airport. This expo focusses on worldwide scientific developments and will explore how cannabis can integrate with the cosmetics, food, supplements and medical industries. Novel technologies in cannabis processing and extraction methods will be presented, accompanied by a range of speakers.

Global Cannabis Institute Europe 2019

Celebrating medical breakthroughs, technological advancements and successful consumer product strategies, this event brings together industry leaders. Taking place November 13 and 14 in London, the two-day show will operate as an education and networking service to expand knowledge and long-lasting relationships in the industry.

Bristol Medical Cannabis Conference

Happening November 28 in Bristol, this medical cannabis conference will explore topics surrounding chronic pain, mental health and epilepsy. With confirmed speakers such as Professor Mike Barnes and Hannah Deacon, leading figures in the cannabis industry will look at prescribing obstacles, good medical practice and the role medical cannabis can play in the future. Tickets start from £39.99.

CannaBiz Innovation Hub Conference

Focussing on European regulatory and governance issues along with enterprise ideas in cannabis market, this global convention will be held in London December 4-5. Leaders in the pharmaceutical and consumer product market are invited to take part in the conference that covers business strategies as well as health, wellness and science topics.

Medical Cannabis Educational Seminar

Taking place in Birmingham, January 22, this event is free to attend for GPs, nurses, specialists in pain, neurology, psychiatry and gut disorders as well as prescribing healthcare professionals. Hosted by Drug Science, the seminar aims to address the barriers involved in prescribing medical cannabis and the current levels of scientific evidence for medical cannabis.

Happy @ FARM GIRL Hot Choc

Hot chocolate just got a sweet upgrade

What’s better than your traditional hot chocolate?

A happy hot chocolate of course! There are few more wholesome and comforting winter warmers than this luxurious cup of cosy.

This sweet sensation transports even the world-weariest adult back to cold and rainy childhood days wrapped up in a duvet reading a book or watching cartoons.

And it turns out it’s not just us Brits who are hot chocolate aficionados.

Australian-owned café chain Farm Girl began three years ago with the goal of creating a dining experience that bridged the gap between speciality coffee and restaurants.

Their Notting Hill, Chelsea, Soho and Knightsbridge locations each offer a truly unique dining experience, with a mixture of light and hearty menu options featuring organic and locally sourced ingredients.

Farm Girl’s Happy Hot Choc takes an old favourite to a whole new level, a million miles from the powdery packet mix you might grab from a supermarket on a whim. Plus, you have the added special ingredient in CBD for a true winter wellness boost.

Ingredients

1 tsp of raw cacao powder

½ tsp of date syrup

½ tsp of matcha powder

60ml or half a cup of hazelnut milk

1 drop of peppermint essence

Your desired number of drops of CBD oil

30ml of hot water

Method

1.

Using a bamboo whisk, blend the matcha, date syrup, peppermint essence, CBD oil and cacao with the hot water. The water must be below 80 degrees centigrade or the quality of the matcha will be destroyed.

2.

Whisk the mixture until it develops a nice, smooth texture.

3.

Steam the hazelnut milk until it is nice and frothy. 4.

Pour the milk with the other ingredients et voilà!

FYI

While CBD oil doesn’t usually mix with water (unless it’s a water-

1 medium butternut squash

1 red pepper

1 red onion

3 garlic cloves

2 tsp smoked paprika

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp siracha

Ingredients Method

½ tbsp maple syrup

½ tbsp high-CBD hemp paste

We used a great quality raw paste from Dutch company Cannapol. (cannapol.com)

250ml

1 chicken stock cube

200ml coconut milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 180°C and drizzle two baking tins with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Peel the butternut squash and dice into small cubes, then place onto one of the baking tins, top with a drizzle of olive oil and 1tsp of smoked paprika. Place into the oven to bake.

After 15 minutes, rotate the squash on the tray, slice the onion and pepper and place onto the other baking tray with the peeled garlic, top with more olive oil and smoked paprika. Place into the oven underneath the butternut squash.

Leave the tins for another 15 minutes before turning the oven off. Then crack open the oven door to let the steam out.

Whilst the vegetables are still in the oven, pour 250ml of water into a large pan and bring to boil.

Add the chicken stock to the water and mix well before adding the vegetables and stirring well.

Add the siracha and maple syrup to the mix and leave to simmer for 10 minutes.

Turn down the heat of the pan to low and in a jug add the CBD paste to the coconut milk.

Once the temperature of the soup has been brought down, add the coconut milk mixture to the pan, mixing well, and once again leave to simmer for 10 minutes.

Turn off the heat completely and leave to cool for at least 10 minutes.

Blend the contents until smooth and add salt and pepper to taste.

Place back onto the heat to serve hot, or keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.

tried & tested

HUGS | XYLEM | FUTURE CBD | SUNMED | CIBDOL AND MORE...

Skincare

REVIEWS

HYDRATION HEMPEFIT HEMP INFUSED FACE MASK

BY LISA BLAKE

I used this while taking a bath with a CBD bath bomb (also reviewed in this issue). It is the wet, double-sided sheet mask type that you have to be very careful unfolding for fear of ripping the facial feature cut-outs.

Something that struck me from the packaging was that it states it’s gluten free – are my other face masks not coeliac friendly? News to me.

Another disclaimer tells me it’s not tested on animals, which pleases me. The back of the packet claims the mask will, “naturally heal, nourish, moisturise, detoxify and brighten” my skin. Big claims.

It also talks about nanotechnology and pantex technology – terms which I felt needed more explaining as I was none the wiser as to how this ‘tech’ would leave me looking youthful and radiant.

After following steps 1-5 on the packet, namely prepping the skin by washing, drying and applying, I relaxed back into my bubbles. 30 minutes later (10 minutes longer than recommended due to much needed relaxing time) it was time for step 6. I peeled it off and rubbed in the extra serum. Did my face feel more nourished, brightened and moisturised? Yes. Did it feel detoxified? Mmm, not really. I always think that claim should be left to blackhead removal scrubs.

Did I feel naturally healed? I’m not sure my face was in need of healing but the overall result was positive. I felt like my skin had absorbed more moisture than it would with a regular mask which I’ve used before and I definitely noticed a new dewy glow that wasn’t there before. A thumbs up from me.

DR JACK’S CBD RELIEF BODY BUTTER

BY LUCY MACKINNON

Body butters can go one of two ways for me as I suffer from problematic skin. They can either make my skin even more red and angry, or silky soft and smooth. I am happy and relieved to say Dr Jack’s CBD Relief Body Butter did the latter.

I used this product for a week, applying in the morning and in the evening each day to closely monitor the impact it had on my skin and within a few hours of the first application I could feel my skin getting softer.

The cream is unscented and non-greasy which is desirable in a body butter. Its effects were long lasting which is why I opted to only apply it twice a day. Within several days, the redness in my skin had reduced significantly and it felt more nourished and hydrated after each application.

What makes this product even better is that it is cruelty and paraben-free.

HEMP BOMBS PAIN PATCH

BY GORDON STRIBLING

Having recently returned to football in my mid-30s, I’m getting very used to firefighting pain. When someone recently stamped on my foot midgame, I had the perfect opportunity to give the Hemp Bombs CBD Pain Patch a try.

The transdermal patch comes with 50mg of CBD along with menthol and lidocaine. It is designed to slowly release CBD into the bloodstream and can be worn for 8-12 hours.

I removed one of two patches and gently stuck it to my foot, catching a light whiff of menthol along the way. The slim patch hugged contours of the pain area, instantly allaying my concerns that it might become loose as I went about my day.

I noticed that I was less distracted by the pain when sitting down than I had been the night before. The patch also stayed securely in place throughout the day.

While the patch didn’t completely numb the pain, it did take the edge off while I was sat down working. I’ll be interested to see whether the brand’s new CBD Pain Freeze rub takes Hemp Bombs’ power to the next level.

FUTURE CBD BALM

BY RÓISÍN DELANEY

Balms, salves, butters, gels… whatever we’re calling them these days, they’ve been one of the best products to launch this year. From athletes to the elderly and everyone in between, CBD balms have done really well on the market beaten only, in my view, by tinctures.

The staple ingredient in almost every balm or salve I’ve tried has been coconut oil. Again, Future have incorporated this into their product. The problem I sometimes find with this is the balm ends up melting too quickly and isn’t very tangible in application. But this blend works really nicely.

Other prominent ingredients like refined shea butter, sweet almond oil and beeswax give this a more firm and durable texture. Does it work? Yes. I had a deep tissue shoulder massage using this very balm, and it certainly made a difference. I think anyone who treats themselves to a regular massage would really benefit from this – it’s one of the better versions I’ve tried and I introduced it to my masseuse who has been using it ever since!

XYLEM CBD BALM

BY GORDON STRIBLING

1000mg is a lot of CBD to cram into a 30g container. But the potent CBD tang reassured me that XYLEM were true to their word.

Aching from a day in the office, I rubbed a small amount into my neck and shoulders. It’s smooth and free of stickiness, with a petroleum jelly-like texture. There are no nasty chemicals here, just 100% organic ingredients including beeswax, virgin hemp oil, fractionated coconut and of course that all important full-spectrum paste.

While I was expecting a reduction in tension, I was pleasantly surprised when my skin looked and felt nourished the following morning. This was especially noticeable on the area of my arm where I’d rubbed some of the balm before applying it to my neck and shoulders. I don’t know which ingredient was responsible for the moisturising effect but, either way, I will reach for XYLEM next time I have a flare-up.

DR JACK’S BATH BOMB

BY LUCY MACKINNON

Finding the right bath products has always been difficult as I have extremely sensitive and problem skin. I was a little concerned that the citrus elements would sting my broken skin from an eczema breakout, but I was pleasantly surprised as it felt soft even against my most irritated skin.

I didn’t notice the hydrating effects it had on my skin until the following morning, but the great night’s sleep I had was most welcome.

The skin that was red and inflamed before bathing was considerably calmer. The wild orange scent was strong but not overpowering and left the bathroom, and my skin, with a citrus fresh scent which was an added bonus.

I like that the packaging on this product is environmentally friendly, something I look for. However when I received this bath bomb it had unfortunately lost its shape in transit from the US. The bomb was more of a powder when I got the chance to use it, so perhaps a stronger form of packaging would be better for international shipping.

DR JACK’S BATH BOMB

BY LISA BLAKE

25mg per bath bomb - Wild Orange 25mg per bath bomb - Lemongrass

The first thing to address about this bath bomb is the beautiful scent of lemongrass. GENIUS. I’m not a big fan of that hemp taste or smell. Not to mention walking around smelling like a giant ball of CBD afterwards, especially in a conservative workplace where the mere mention of CBD once drew gasps of horror and concern when I suggested my boss take some to help her sleep through her chronic back pain. I digress.

Getting back to the bath, it’s hard to distinguish what was relaxing me more. Lying in a warm tub adorned with aromatherapy candles and streaming the dulcet tones of Dolly, Pandora and special guest David Nicholls? Or the CBD permeating slowly but surely through my skin cells? That said, it is a genuinely delightful way of enhancing an already very relaxing activity. Just be careful you don’t nod off under the suds.

REVIEWS

HUGS MANGO TINCTURE

BY ZEAHNA YOUNG

1000mg/30ml

This tincture definitely made me want to hug myself! I have used many different brands and one of the main things I look for is a natural-tasting product, which this manufacturer has nailed.

Hug Yourself Mango manages to maintain a mild hemp taste with a very authentic mango flavour that isn’t overpowering or artificial at all. Their packaging is clear and straightforward, with a tactile label that almost feels like fabric, and it’s easy to see exactly what you’re getting in the bottle.

The full-spectrum CBD product itself is one of the best I’ve ever used. I loved making this a part of my daily routine! It is gently calming, without being overpowering or making me sleepy, so it’s the perfect product to use to start the day with a smile. Hugs all round.

HUGS RASPBERRY TINCTURE

BY RÓISÍN DELANEY

I say it’s about time for something other than citrus or peppermint flavoured tinctures. Don’t get me wrong, there are some which I absolutely love and I take them time and time again. I definitely have my go-to brands. On the flip side, I’m really into the antioxidant powers of berries, so when I tasted this raspberry tincture from HUGS, I instantly liked it. HUGS HQ are flavour masters and they’ve got this full spectrum berry blend perfectly mixed. I’ve yet to try a product from their range which I haven’t liked, and everyone knows I’m picky. I also really like a brand that puts plenty of information and advice on their labels, and the pipette comes with accurate 1ml measuring guides, and a childproof close.

SUNMED BROAD SPECTRUM

HEMP OIL TINCTURE

BY LISA BLAKE

1000mg/30ml

Where.have.you.been.all.my.life? Seriously. Dramatics aside, this is by far and away the best CBD product I’ve tried so far. Why am I so enamoured? CBD droppers have always been my go-to product to combat racing thoughts and “always on” mode when I need to chill out most, such as after 9pm or before I take a flight.

Previously I would have had a glass of wine to calm down in the evening/at the airport, but that was starting to have the opposite effect, much to my surprise.

I’d have a glass of white, end up feeling more uneasy and jittery than before and end up having 1-2 drops of what I deemed “the magic oil” to relax again.

I cut out the middle man, or grape as it were, and started going straight for the stuff I knew worked. What differentiates this particular dropper from previous brands I’ve tried is the flavour. Orange makes it a whole lot more palatable! I’d highly recommend going for a flavoured version as it’s not ideal going to sleep with an unpleasant taste in your mouth. The fact I’m already halfway through this one is ironically making me jittery so I’ll definitely be stocking up again soon.

XYLEM CBD SPRAY

BY LUCY MACKINNON

1000mg / 10ml

This is the first oral spray I have ever used and I have to say I do like its easy administration. By making this product into a spray as opposed to using a pipette, XYLEM have made it simple and discrete to use anywhere. It would also be useful for anyone who has trouble with tremors or unsteady hands as there’s no chance for mess or spilling half a bottle.

Another plus for using sprays over pipettes is the user can get the same dose per spray, whereas not all pipettes come with a measurement aid.

This spray contains 10% full spectrum CBD with terpenes, giving it that natural taste which is very prominent when sprayed sublingually.

XYLEM stands out well on a shelf. Approved by both the vegan and vegetarian society this food supplement spray is also completely organic. The name XYLEM originates from the plant tissue which transports water from the roots of a plant to its stems and leaves. We’re suckers for anecdotes!

TINCTURE

BY PHOEBE FULLER

Wow, this tincture is delicious! That was my immediate response and is a comment I have relayed to so many people with the same enthusiasm I usually reserve for baked goods. The peppermint taste isn’t overwhelming but adds a subtle freshness which completely masks any CBD taste.

For me, the taste of an orally-administered CBD product is important because regardless of any proposed lifestyle benefits, if I don’t like the taste of something, I’m not going to continue using it.

What I also loved about this was the consistency of the oil itself, which seemed to melt away beneath my tongue and didn’t leave my mouth filled with that all too familiar oily residue.

A few drops under the tongue and, once absorbed, you’d hardly know you had anything there.

With a weighty bottle and a sturdy pipette, you feel like you’ve got a quality product in your hands.

I tried and loved Future’s 300mg balm so I happily tried this spray too. First of all, I’m of the opinion that strawberry is a brave flavour to use in a tincture. Too sweet and it becomes sickly, like an ice cream syrup. If it’s not sweet enough, it’s just not strawberry anymore. Future seem to have tried to navigate the line between the two and the end result is more in line with bubblegum.

I always tell my team of reviewers to be honest in giving their reviews, so I’d be a miss if I didn’t abide by my own advice: while I think anyone who loves that sweet strawberry gum sensation would like this little blue bottle of full spectrum oil, it’s not to my personal taste. Future is a great British brand with a growing range of reliable products, but I think this one is more of an acquired taste.

CIBDOL AUTHENTIC CBD OIL

BY LUCY MACKINNON

5% / 10ml

I took these full spectrum oral drops three times a day for a week to analyse their full benefit, which for me seemed to be an increase in concentration. I also think they may have helped me feel much more motivated. The product is advertised to complement a healthy diet and lifestyle, and I certainly felt like this oil gave me more balance.

Personally, I’m not a fan of the natural hemp taste, but this golden liquid flavour profile grew on me as time went on. The flavour feels natural, with slightly woody tones giving you a real sense of hemp.

I’ve started to add 2.5mg of this bottle to my first coffee each morning to see how it could disguise the taste, which is something I recommend if you feel the same way I do. Ultimately flavour is all about personal preference.

The 10ml bottle slots perfectly in pockets, even in ladies jeans, which is another plus for me.

CANNAPOL Nº1 CBD OIL

BY PHOEBE FULLER

460mg / 10ml

Cannapol’s Nº1 CBD Oil certainly means business. Owing to the sizeable CBD content in such a diddy bottle and the fact that CBD has been put front-and-centre, without any unnecessary additives.

The taste of this product could be a little strong for anyone taking their first foray into the world of CBD, though for those of you who have been around the block a few times and are now looking for an inexpensive, no-nonsense product this affordable offering (that certainly doesn’t skimp on quality) may well be right up your street.

As you’ll have picked up on in my previous reviews, I can be quite sensitive to how these types of products taste. Would I have preferred a fancy flavour? Probably. But those that are accustomed to the taste of hemp will find no flaws here.

This oil has a great texture, not too thick and not too runny – you do feel that you’re actually using something, and it melts away nicely without leaving an oily coating on your palette.

A simple product at a good price.

Food & Drink REVIEWS

CBD SPRING WATER

BY RÓISÍN DELANEY

10mg CBD per 200ml

CBD waters are a great way to rehydrate after a night on the tiles, in the sun or during a workout. But they are also a good starting point for those who haven’t taken CBD before and wish to start with a low dose.

CBD Spring Water claims to be ‘fast acting’ and a ‘highly effective CBD delivery system,’ but does it work?

At first I was a little concerned when I poured the contents of the electric blue bottle into a glass to check the colour. Cloudy, I was hesitant to try a sip. I had tried a few CBD waters prior to this occasion and none resembled this liquid. It almost looked like that organic pale lemonade you get at upmarket health food stores in Fulham, without the sparkle.

I learned there’s actually a reason for the cloudiness. The manufacturers say this is due to the water being rich in minerals. Packed with calcium, the water is sourced at the Welsh foothills of Mount Snowdon. I love trying British-made products – that’s a big selling point for me.

I can’t fault the glass bottle either. It’s a good idea at a time when everyone is joining the ‘ban plastics’ brigade. One thing I have seen on similar products from the US, which doesn’t appear to be listed on this packaging, is the use of water-soluble CBD extract. I suspect this is what the manufacturers used, as they boast its high bioavailability on the bottle.

British made CBD-infused water hasn’t been easy to come by in 2019, but this is a great introduction for those who want to try it. If there was one thing I’d love to try, it’s a sparkling version!

FUNKY FARMS VITAMIN DRINK

BY VICTORIA SMITH

It’s well known around the office that I’m the one to come to if you need a vitamin or remedy of some kind. I’ve got an entire drawer full of everything from paracetamol down to magnesium effervescent. So, when I was asked to try out this vitamin sachet by Funky Farms I wanted to see how it differed from regular effervescent supplements. I tend to buy the orange flavour usually, but this was a citrus blend.

My initial thoughts of the sachet were that it looked like it could fit in well in any health food store. When pouring it into the glass I noticed it was a fine powder with orange grains. It has the same vitamin profile as Berocca, with the added extra of 25mg of hemp extract. The citrus flavour works well against the hemp notes but is slightly overpowering and it does linger after finishing the drink. Still, not much more than a regular vitamin drink would.

HUGS PICK ME UP

BY RÓISÍN DELANEY

Fast acting, zero THC and packed with caffeine. A box of five sachets, not to be used every day, rather for when you have that lull before a workout, or if you’re struggling with jetlag. I actually found a glass of water with one sachet to be really effective in making me more aware and awake on a late work night, when I couldn’t bring myself to drink another coffee or down a Red Bull.

CBD has been shown to counteract those jitters we often associate with drinking too much coffee, so it works well in balancing the effects of 75mg worth of caffeine. The CBD used by Hugs in this product is also water soluble, increasing bioavailability.

PLANTS NOT PILLS CAPSULES

BY RÓISÍN DELANEY

The first thing that drew my attention to this product was the breakdown of the cannabinoid content on the reverse of the packaging. It provides a recommended daily intake of up to four capsules per day. That works out as 168mg of hemp oil extract, which has 100mg of CBD, zero THC and the rest, I suspect, is a mix of other cannabinoids. I don’t tend to opt for soft gels or capsules, preferring oil drops instead. But these capsules are tiny in size compared with others. While the brand name definitely fits a plant-based lifestyle, they have used beef gelatin for the capsule shells, making them unsuitable for vegans. They are, however, gluten, lactose and fructose free and non-GMO.

BY LUCY MACKINNON

This comes with a range of flavours to try, including orange mint zest, peppermint, chocolate and chocolate mint. Natural as well as gluten free, these sweets have a great USP and may be more appealing to those who have tried but never warmed to gummies.

They’re also individually wrapped meaning they can stay in your handbag until needed and eaten on the go, rather than carrying a jar of gummies around town.

My favourite flavour was the peppermint. The terpene flavour is present at first, but as you chew, the fresh peppermint taste takes over. I love the texture as it melts in the mouth.

Mix ‘n’ Vape with Flavour Art

All concentrates reviewed here were mixed with a flavourless CBD isolate vape additive. 30mg/ml. VG/PG ratio of 50/50.

By Benedict Jones

Forrest Mix @ 4%

This is a fully saturated blend of blackberry, blueberry and raspberry with mild strawberry notes. These all come across authentically, so this concentrate is not limited to candy mixes. The deeper blackberry and blueberry provide some earthiness to any fruit mix, making Forrest Mix a great choice for bakery profiles. This flavouring almost entirely masks the botanical flavours of CBD, so is great for those who wish to create products with a broader appeal.

Pazzo Jack @ 6%

Jack is a full-bodied strawberry, which takes the sweetness and authenticity of this brand’s Fragola and combines it with moderate candy notes, resulting in a wellrounded strawberry candy that can be utilised by a mixer of any experience level. Jack brings a deep sweetness to any mix, along with a noticeable sticky mouthfeel, which can be used to transform almost any fruit flavouring into a candy profile. I found the botanical flavour of my added CBD to be quite noticeable when mixed with Jack on its own, though with the help of additional fruits you can certainly mask the flavour if that’s your preference. A great strawberry candy.

Vimtonic @ 2.5%

This flavouring appears to be a mix of Flavour Art’s Blackcurrant and Raspberry, with a hint of grape. The blackcurrant is sweet and dense, with a syrup-like feel. The lighter raspberry note brings some tartness, along with some brighter sweetness. The mild grape stops this from becoming overly dry and adds some floral notes. I found the flavour of the CBD isolate I used to be more apparent here than in some other mixes.

Mango @ 3%

This is a bright mango, with moderate tartness, mild sweetness and subtle earthy notes. Unlike some other mango flavourings, this one does not impart any unpleasant, over-ripe off-notes. Although convincing, this mango does need some help from other tropical fruits to truly shine, as it lacks a bit of body on its own. It pairs very nicely with Flavour Art’s Coconut and Mangosteen flavours for a balanced and well-rounded tropical medley. A beginner-friendly choice.

Fuji @ 2.5%

Fuji is a bright, crisp and authentic apple concentrate that packs some serious potency. Although it does bring a moderate level of sweetness to any mix, it’s a natural apple without any artificial candy off-notes. This can easily be used in single-flavour mixes between 2% and 4%, or combined with any number of bakery or fruit flavourings. Fuji is also excellent at masking the flavour of CBD. A must-have for any mixer.