Cannavist 7 B2C

Behind the

Scenes

The Editor Róisín Delaney

Assistant Editor Gordon Stribling

Senior Journalist Caroline Barry

Creative Director James Parnell

Head of Design Hayley Parker

Lead Graphic Designer Connor Dimberline

Graphic Designer Ayaz Arshad

Junior Graphic Designer Lewis Eyre

Junior Graphic Designer Aaron Rana

Design Support Lucy Booth

Marketing Manager Katie Loomes

Senior Web Developer Aadil Popat

Junior Web Developer Kain Alden

Marketing Executive Carrie Strouther

Finance Director Joanne Stubley Accountant Kris Worton

Finance Executive Anna Difusco Finance Executive Mollie Smith

General Manager Abida Razaque

Client Partnerships Manager

Steve Culf

Head of Sales Tom Slack

Sales Executive Jason Bacon Sales Executive Baz Bassra Sales Executive Peter Masters Sales Executive Carl Mayes

Director Pom Kaila Director David Turner

Managing Director Paul Caplin

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, and 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:

Dmissing in recent times.

Whether it’s being able to visit friends, see family, pack a picnic or something as simple as getting the chance to go to the shops to pick up a magazine. It is fair to say that by now, we have all become a bit fed up with the way things have had to be.

We need to remember that those tough restrictions have saved lives and will help get us all back on the road to recovery as a society. So well done all and keep it up!

The data on CBD use over recent months shows that more of us are looking to CBD as a mental wellbeing aid now compared with life before lockdown. Mental health charities say this period is one of the toughest this generation will live through. Many are seeing a decline in how they may be feeling upstairs and that is just one of the many knock-on effects this horrid pandemic has forced into our lives so rudely.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with

The CANNAVIST is published by Orange Fox Media Ltd in Derby, UK.

released based on this very true story, I for one will look back and probably question just how we did it.

So if you’re feeling lonely, down, whatever you may be feeling, you are not alone. In fact, you may even be in the majority. The Mental Health Foundation acknowledges this, saying that we should all “be prepared for the fact that the end of lockdown might be as hard for us as the start was.”

We all have a role to play in escaping this monster. For myself and our team, we figure that if we can provide a single reader with an ounce of escapism, even for half an hour, then that is one such freedom to celebrate. We hope we achieve this goal in this, our first post-Covid issue.

Stay well x

Róisín Delaney | The Editor

The CANNAVIST is printed and distributed by Warners Group Publications in the UK. Our publication, the first of its kind in the UK and Ireland, is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). We abide by the IPSO Editors’ Code of Practice and we are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism. If you think such a standard has not been met in this issue of the magazine, and you would like to make a complaint, email the editor: editorial@cannavistmag.com. We will endeavour to respond to your complaint as soon as possible, or within five working days. If we are unable to resolve your complaint, or if you would like more information about the IPSO Editors’ Code, go to ipso.co.uk The CANNAVIST (print) ISSN: 2633-4097. The CANNAVIST is a registered trademark.

For all advertising enquiries email: advertising@cannavistmag.com; For event enquiries, email: events@cannavistmag.com. Got an editorial opportunity or work in PR? Email the editorial team: editorial@cannavistmag.com. For more information about this magazine, go to cannavistmag.com or call the head office in Derbyshire on +44 (0) 1332 650 239 to speak to a member of the

The Extract

Less than half of the CBD products on sale in the UK contain the advertised amount of CBD

PLEA - The new medical cannabis advocacy group launches Why are companies here receiving warnings from US authorities?

Landmark UK medical cannabis trial recruits a baby boy

Guest Contributors

Our expert sources discuss the latest innovations in CBD and medical cannabis, and what you need to know.

Dr Parveen Bhatarah, PhD, FRSC. The Centre for Medicinal Cannabis.

Regulatory & Compliance Lead at the Centre for Medicinal Cannabis (CMC). Parveen Bhatarah, PhD, FRSC, completed her PhD in organic chemistry “the synthetic approach to Nagilactone” from Imperial College London and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry. She has held various directorship roles in the generic and herbal pharmaceutical industry with over 20 years of expertise in bulk drug substance and product development including clinical trials, commercial launches, technology transfers and manufacture for ANDA & MA submissions. She has developed several innovative technologies in the pharmaceutical field which is clear from her patents. She has worked closely with various international health authorities on numerous commercial generic pharmaceutical and herbal pharmaceutical product launches and submissions. Most recently, in the cannabis space she was instrumental in the THC project for seed to capsule development, passing pre-approval inspection by US-FDA.

Kerri Moncrieff, MA, CEO, Hemp Lass LLC

Educate. Engage. Empower. These are the three Es which Colorado-based guest writer Kerri Moncrieff, also known as the Hemp Lass, swears by. The CEO works with industry partners to enhance how they present their cannabis story, empowering entrepreneurs to grow their businesses with better communication. In this issue, Kerri writes about the loss the world has suffered following the passing of Charlotte Figi, the little girl who became an inspiration to families of children with Dravet syndrome everywhere.

Jonathan Stefanni-Machado

West London-based CBD enthusiast Jonathan StefanniMachado has spent the last five years managing businesses in the retail, leisure & wellness sectors before co-founding his own company, Treed. Jonathan is a University of Sussex graduate and spent a portion of his studies in his hometown of Los Angeles, where he studied at UCLA specialising in American History & Literature. In this issue, Jonathan writes about the varying levels of stigma in London and LA and how medical cannabis patients here might benefit from the Californian example.

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The EXTRACT

A collection of CBD and medical cannabis headlines from close to home and around the world.

Fresh appeal for NHS access

The mother of Alfie Dingley, Hannah Deacon, has penned an open letter to the British Government on the two-year anniversary of Alfie’s licence. The statement called for increased access to medical cannabis on the NHS. The campaigner writes: “Together with End Our Pain campaign, I support many families every day who now must access this medication privately and fundraise to be able to pay for their children’s medicine. This fundraising has become impossible due to Covid-19. Living alongside Covid-19 for the foreseeable future will mean stark choices for these families. We need to make sure the needs of those with severe and enduring illnesses are not overlooked. This is about timely and early intervention, prevention and ensuring the right medicine is accessible.”

For more on this story see page 91

Three tiers

Mystery Shopper?

Uruguay, the first country to legalise cannabis, has been exporting what are reportedly some of the largest ever transatlantic shipments of cannabis flower to at least one mystery buyer in Europe. The South American nation legalised cannabis in 2013. At the end of 2019, a 1,000kg shipment of high-THC cannabis flower was legally exported to Portugal.

In May, a further 1.5 metric tons (1,500kg) of the flower was shipped, according to customs documentation seen by MJ Biz Daily.

Israel to reform cannabis laws

The Association for the Cannabinoid Industry (ACI) has launched a safety certification initiative as it readies members for the Food Standards Agency (FSA) novel foods deadline. The ACI Certification programme provides a three-tiered route to compliance, starting with an audit and ending with full novel foods authorisation. The ACI believes that the process will 'bring a level of trust to the industry that until now has been lacking.' ACI pharmacy lead, Dr Andy Yates, says consumer confidence in CBD is lacking: “It’s been clear that retailers and consumers don’t have complete faith in CBD products that are currently for sale in the UK. The ACI’s certification is a simple way for retailers and consumers to be sure that the CBD products they are stocking or buying are complying with or working towards all of the relevant regulations.”

The Israeli government has passed a bill which could decriminalise the possession of up to 50g of cannabis and legalise the possession and consumption of up to 15g for over 21s.

The Times of Israel reports that the leaders of the two biggest political parties and the police minister have backed the reform. In 2017, cannabis was partially decriminalised in the country.

Even Avon’s at it

Mum’s favourite door-to-door beauty brand, Avon, has become the latest big hitter to enter the CBD beauty scene. The company says its Green Goddess Facial Oil contains both CBD and hemp ingredients, as well as sunflower and jojoba seed oils. A 95 fl. oz. bottle contains 100mg of CBD and is available online for $50 or for $34.99 if bought through one of the company’s representatives. The oil is currently only available in the US.

The medical cannabis economy

We often hear talk about the economic benefits of legalising cannabis, especially in the production sector. A recently published Grand View report estimated that the global legal cannabis market would be worth €73.6bn by 2027. Medical cannabis reportedly accounted for 71% of the legal cannabis market revenue in 2019.

GW Pharma envisages a strong end to 2020

Medical cannabis makers GW Pharma reportedly lost $8 million at the end of the first quarter but netted $311.3 million in sales at the end of last year. GW manufactures Epidyolex, which is one of two medical cannabis solutions approved for the NHS. CEO Justin Gover commented: “In this current environment caused by COVID-19, we have been able to support the epilepsy community remotely and maintain production of Epidyolex, while taking necessary steps to maintain the wellbeing of our employees. Looking ahead, GW is well placed to emerge strongly from the COVID-19 crisis with significant growth prospects for Epidyolex in the US and Europe, important pipeline clinical trials ready to execute, a strong balance sheet, and an unparalleled leading position in cannabinoid science.” The biopharmaceutical giant, which maintains a base in England, has additional cannabinoid product candidates in phase two trials for autism and schizophrenia.

That’s a no then

The Food Standards Agency says there are no plans to extend the March 31, 2021 deadline for CBD companies to submit novel food applications. It was thought that an extension may be reasonable, given the country-wide effects of Covid-19 lockdown.

Push & Pull in the US

Attitudes towards hemp and CBD in the US are complex to say the least, with FDA regulation still a welcome possibility. In June, the state of Louisiana introduced penalties for the possession and sale of all smokable hemp products and all CBD-infused food and beverages (including alcohol). The move came as the state authority said it could not endorse such products for sale or consumption until there are FDA guidelines for manufacturers to adhere to. Meanwhile lobbyists from several health and consumer advocacy groups have written to Congress in an appeal, “to reject any attempts to force federal regulators” to legalise CBD. Hemp Today reports that the campaigners agree Congress is “not the right evaluator of the safety of consumer products” amid fears of representatives and senators being influenced by “well-funded profiteers.”

Delegates for Consumer Reports, The Public Health Institute, Consumer Federation of America, and the Center for Science in the Public Interest all reportedly signed the letter. Meanwhile in Nevada, thousands of cannabis convictions handed down prior to 2017 have been pardoned by the state’s governor.

LESS THAN HALF OF THE CBD PRODUCTS ON SALE IN THE UK CONTAIN THE AMOUNT ADVERTISED, STUDY

FINDS

More than half contain controlled substances, according to research from The ACI and CMC.

Words by Róisín Delaney

An analysis of CBD products currently on sale in the UK has found that less than half contain the amount of CBD they claim to.

Thirty eight percent of the products tested were within 10% of the advertised CBD content.

Meanwhile 55% percent had measurable levels of controlled substances THC and CBN, as well as most other phytocannabinoids cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), cannabidivarin (CBDV), and cannabidivarin acid (CBDVA). Twenty-nine of the most popular CBD products available online and on the British high street were bought by the Centre for Medicinal Cannabis (CMC) for this study from a range of 27 different suppliers.

Each product was then independently blind tested in a

single laboratory for cannabinoid content, heavy metals, and residual solvents.

Professor Saoirse O’Sullivan, The Association for the Cannabinoid Industry Science Lead, said these UK findings are in line with similar studies conducted in other countries where CBD use has grown popular.

“As has been observed in other countries, we found that only 38% of CBD products were within 10% of the advertised CBD content (one product actually had no CBD in it), and more than half of the products had measurable levels of the controlled substances Δ9tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or cannabinol (CBN).”

Among the authors of this peer-reviewed academic paper, published in the Journal of

Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research in April are Professor O’ Sullivan, Associate Professor at the University of Nottingham and pharmacist Dr Andy Yates of the ACI.

Both said the findings highlight the lack of accuracy on labels, which could have implications for consumers.

“This has significant implications on vulnerable consumers using these products with respect to efficacy, side effects, and drug testing.”

Researchers also found detectable levels of N-pentane, ethanol, isopropanol, heptane, lead, and arsenic, however these were within acceptable levels and were not thought to pose a health risk to consumers.

The study was funded by the Centre for Medicinal Cannabis.

The CANNAVIST understands that third-party testing facility PhytoVista Laboratories provided the analytical testing at discounted rates.

The ACI and CMC are expected to release further academic work in the next 12-18 months.

One product actually had no CBD in it

T H AT CON TAIN T HE

T OF CBD A S ADV ERT ISED*

A PLEA FOR PROGRESS

Medical cannabis patient advocacy group United Patients Alliance has undergone a rebrand and is now known as Patient-led Engagement for Access (PLEA). The patient first organisation has teamed up with Drug Science in support of its landmark medical cannabis registry.

Words by Gordon Stribling

A new patient advocacy group aims to break the stigma around medical cannabis and push for increased access for patients from all demographics.

Launched on May 13, Patient-led Engagement for Access (PLEA) will work alongside patients, medical professionals and researchers. PLEA will also support the Drug Science Project Twenty21 registry, the first and largest of its kind in Europe.

Together, the two groups hope that the registry of 20,000 medical cannabis patients will provide evidence to support wider prescribing of medical cannabis on the NHS. PLEA outreach lead Abby Hughes said: “Patients are seeking support with accessing CBPMs [cannabis-based

prescription medicines] through a safe and regulated framework. “PLEA will advocate for quality of life with medicinal cannabis, bringing together patients, clinicians and researchers to advance evidence of the safety and efficacy of this potentially life-changing medicine.” PLEA’s former incarnation, the United Patients Alliance, was instrumental in the push for legalised medical cannabis in the UK. The group launched in 2014 with the backing of Drug Science founder, Professor David Nutt and former Green Party leader, Caroline Lucas.

However, the legalisation of medical cannabis the UPA advocated for would ultimately lead to a twotier system, with only a handful of patients successfully obtaining medical cannabis on the NHS.

Most medical cannabis users either obtain the drug on the black market or, if they can afford to do so, pay thousands of pounds a month to access it privately.

Lucy Stafford is head of advocacy at PLEA. While she succeeded in obtaining a prescription for her Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), she told the Drug Science Podcast that she now relies on the black market as £1,000 a month for a private prescription simply isn’t sustainable.

Stafford said:

“That’s why Project Twenty21 will completely change my life. “I will know that my medication won’t send me into debt, I’ll be able to get it reliably every single month, know exactly what it is and how much I

should take. I can’t wait for that.”

Professor Nutt aims to get the prescription price down to £150 a month for the average user.

Ultimately, he hopes that the clinical and financial benefits of increased medical cannabis awareness and prescriptions will be a boon for the NHS.

The professor said:

“We are hoping to do a cost effectiveness assessment because there’s going to be a vast amount of savings to the NHS.

“We want doctors, pharmacists and practitioners to celebrate that and understand that and not rely on misunderstanding that goes back to the war on drugs.

“Perhaps my biggest ambition is to get the medical profession to really see the value in the different variations

and pharmacologies of cannabis.” Project Twenty21 is being supported by a number of global cannabis producers, some of which have already received their first prescriptions for UK patients.

Bod Australia expects to supply at least one thousand UK patients with its MediCabilis CBD product. Meanwhile, another firm, Khiron Life Sciences has teamed up with a European partner which will enable the company to ship medicine to people’s homes.

Tejinder Virk, President of Khiron Europe, said:

“We have the flexibility to source medical cannabis products from multiple countries, with an aim to optimise for quality, speed and economics.

“The implementation of virtual consultations in the UK and mail

order fulfilment are also huge milestones, which remove friction for patients and help to drive positive health outcomes.”

PLEA will advocate for quality of life with medicinal cannabis

FDA WARNS UK COMPANY AGAINST COVID-19 CLAIMS

CanaBD allegedly claimed online that CBD may prevent against infection or retain or improve white blood cell count, among other claims.

Words by Gordon Stribling

A British CBD company has been reprimanded by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for presenting its products as a treatment or prevention of COVID-19.

Nova Botanics Ltd, which trades as CanaBD, ships products to the US from the UK and states on its websites that its products are ‘100% US UK Legal.’

The Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) recently sent a warning letter requesting that the company correct the non-exhaustive list of violations within 48 hours.

Office of Compliance director Donald D Ashley, explained:

“FDA is taking urgent measures to protect consumers from certain products that, without approval or authorization [sic] by FDA, claim to mitigate, prevent, treat, diagnose, or cure COVID-19 in people.

“We request that you take immediate action to cease the sale of such unapproved products for the mitigation, prevention, treatment, diagnosis, or cure of COVID-19.”

Ashley cited a long list of infractions which the department found on the CanaBD website and Twitter account, including a blog post titled, ‘How to handle anxiety and stress during the coronavirus and boost your immune system.’

The post allegedly featured the claim that ‘CBD oil may help to prevent getting infected by strengthening your immune system. It has also been proven to offer relief to some of the symptoms.’

It’s also said to have stated that CBD oil could ‘retain

a healthy or even higher than average white blood cell count.’

CanaBD appeared to have removed the offending claims from its website. However, at the time of writing, the Warning Letter page said that the infractions had not yet been adequately corrected.

US businesses unable or unwilling to rectify their infractions face legal action, including, but not limited to, seizure and injunction.

"FDA is taking urgent measures to protect consumers from certain products that claim to mitigate, prevent, treat, diagnose, or cure COVID-19 in people"

While FDA jurisdiction is limited to the US, the drug supply chain extends into the UK and beyond. It is within the interests of the governing body to ensure that the products being sold to US customers are appropriately manufactured and marketed.

The US agency has no authority to regulate the UK market but it can send warning letters to British businesses and seize any products deemed ‘misbranded or unapproved new drugs’ at the border.

CBD companies are not the only businesses to be targeted during the FDA’s COVID-19 enforcement. The department has also written to sellers of homeopathic drugs, hand sanitisers and herbal remedies.

CanaBD did not respond to our request for comment.

World’s first cannabis trial involving a baby begins in London

Doctors hope new trial will help infants who are at risk of developing seizures and brain damage.

Words by Staff Editor

The world’s first cannabis-based medicine trial involving newborn babies has begun in the UK. A research team led by Guy’s and St. Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London, hopes that it will help infants that are at risk of developing brain injuries or suffering from seizures.

So far, two babies born in March have been enrolled in the trial.

Oscar Parodi was the first infant to be offered the chance to enrol.

Oscar was delivered by emergency caesarean at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital on March 11. Complications with Oscar’s health at birth meant that he was moved to the neonatal intensive care unit and kept on cooling therapy for 72 hours. He then remained under observation for nine days.

Medical professionals and researchers are examining whether a cannabis-derived medicine is safe and if it will help to reduce the level of brain injuries amongst babies with neonatal hypoxicischemic encephalopathy (HIE). This condition can occur when there has been oxygen deprivation from the placenta to the brain.

A newborn can compensate for brief periods without oxygen but if asphyxia lasts for too long, doctors say there can be long term brain damage. Alongside seizures and epilepsy, HIE can also cause cerebral palsy, intellectual and developmental issues, speech development problems and orthopaedic conditions.

As part of the potentially groundbreaking trial, patients will undergo cooling treatment which is a standard procedure for HIE. Doctors cool patients down to 33.5 degrees Celsius. The babies are then given a micro dose of the drug or placebo, which is administered intravenously followed by tests to measure the degree of the drug in the blood.

Babies like Oscar are also monitored closely by the trial’s leading doctors with more advanced brainwave monitors so any seizures can be identified quickly. This close monitoring of the brain adds an extra assurance for parents to volunteer their newborns for the trial, according to one of the doctors at its helm.

The infants are given a dose of the drug within the first 12 hours of their lives. The amount administered is kept low at onethirtieth of the standard dose. The trial also involves other neonatal intensive care units in the UK and Europe. It’s estimated it will take up to a year to complete.

The cannabis ingredient being examined is understood to occur naturally in the cannabis plant and is extracted under highly controlled conditions to ensure that any presence of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is minimal.

Professor Paul Clarke, a consultant neonatologist at NNUH, said that while there may be risks or side effects to trialling any new

medicine, the examination is carried out as safely as possible. He said there was, “a lot of excitement on the unit” about the study.

“This is the first time a cannabis-derived medicine has been tested intravenously in human babies,” he said. “It is hoped that it will be good for preventing seizures and protecting the brains of newborn babies with HIE.”

“One of the attractions of this trial for parents is the closer brain monitoring that babies get as part of the study, because a more advanced brainwave monitor is used…

“This gives parents more reassurance that any seizures will be picked up.”

He added: “As with any study of a new medicine, there may be unexpected side effects and unknown risks.

“With this in mind, the trial has been carefully designed to make it as safe as possible and so we are only giving the babies a minuscule dose at the beginning and we monitor them even more closely than usual.”

Oscar’s mother, Chelsea Parodi is from Watton in Norfolk. Speaking about her son’s involvement, she said: “I was approached after the birth about taking part in this study and I consulted my mum and my brother who is training to be a paramedic. It was hard but I wanted to do everything I could to help my baby boy. Oscar was in hospital for nine days and he was being monitored 24/7.”

Chelsea added that her son was “doing fantastically well”.

“The trial has been carefully designed to make it as safe as possible and so we are only giving the babies a minuscule dose at the beginning and we monitor them even more closely than usual.”

– Professor Paul Clarke, consultant neonatologist

TO SAY THE LEAST A Milestone

When the Food Standards Agency announced that CBD was to be regulated as a novel food, businesses and consumers went into panic mode. But the team behind Mile High Labs has some good news as the manufacturer becomes one of the first UK-based firms to apply for a novel foods application.

Words by Gordon Stribling

The CBD market and range of products will likely look very different in eight months’ time. The deadline given by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) for March 31, 2021 means that many of your favourite products may disappear from shelves and online retailers.

But while consumers and much of the CBD industry are fearing for the future, Mile High Labs is seizing the chance to help spearhead a compliant future. Christian Hendriksen is vice president of international expansion for the processing giant, which is a major global supplier of everything from isolate and distillate to finished tinctures, cosmetics and more.

Headquartered at a 400,000 sq ft facility in the CBD production epicentre that is Colorado, the company also ships across Europe from a distribution facility in Belfast. Christian is making the most of lockdown from his central London flat when we talk. Though comfortable and grateful while the capital city weathers the storm, he’s itching to get back to the office.

“It’s the social aspect that can be the hardest,” he says.

“You don’t see your colleagues and I really enjoy getting up in the morning and actually leaving home, working somewhere else and coming back home to relax. Now it’s one big loop.”

Mile High Labs’ supply chain has largely been unaffected by the lockdown. Manufacturing has continued mostly uninterrupted in the US as products continue to be shipped across Europe, while those not essential to production have been working from home.

“Our European business has done surprisingly well under the circumstances,” Christian says.

“When lockdown started in Europe we saw a big downturn because people were not stocking products. That was a couple of weeks but then it came back online.”

One of the big CBD stories to break through the daily onslaught of alarming COVID-19 headlines was the submission of Mile High Labs’ CBD isolate novel foods application. The company was one of the first to submit a CBD application to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

The team met with the FSA early in the summer of 2019, where they and several other companies were told in

no uncertain terms that they would have to comply with the law if they were to have a future selling CBD food products in the UK.

“We were somewhat surprised that more people in that room didn’t take that message as seriously as we did,” Christian says.

“It seems that there’s a lot of hesitation, which is understandable. People need to know how big an undertaking it is.”

The application process has two main parts, Christian explains. The first is to ensure that you can consistently manufacture high-quality products. Mile High Labs’ raw material is

processed in a GMP and ISO-certified lab by people with a pharmaceutical background, so most of the groundwork was already done.

The second is toxicology, where manufacturers gather extensive data to prove that a CBD product is safe for consumption. This explains why Mile High Labs is starting with isolate as there are fewer complexities.

“With a broad spectrum product, you would have to characterise the composition and put in place controls to ensure a consistent product. It is significantly more work.

“Even though we came from a position of strength and focused on CBD isolate, it still took 10 months. It’s far from trivial putting an application together. A lot of work goes into it.”

It’s a daunting prospect, certainly. But Christian says that it is the manufacturers at the root of the supply chain who will be responsible for much of the work and investment. In the future, CBD brands using this approved isolate will be able to leverage its novel food application.

Customers have the option to white label finished products with formulations specified in the original application. They can also request custom formulations for different strengths and flavours, or customers may buy the raw isolate to form their own finished products from scratch.

Essentially, as long as brands stay within the parameters mentioned in a validated and approved application, their formulations can be compliant with the EU and UK regulations. Sounds simple, right?

“There’s still some uncertainty about this in the industry.

“You don’t have to file an application for each product. That would put a huge burden on the FSA. It’s not

feasible, otherwise product innovation would be impossible.”

While there may be limited access to products initially beyond the March 2021 deadline, Christian believes that consumers will be better off in the medium to longer term. A market comprised of demonstrably safe and properly-labelled products will bring peace of mind that has until now been lacking in this industry.

Once its CBD isolate application is authorised, Mile High Labs will, over time, build a complete portfolio of FSA and EFSA-approved isolated cannabinoids and blends. In the meantime, Christian hopes that cannabinoid research will bring further legitimacy to an industry that has been tarnished with the ‘snake oil’ label by some critics.

“CBD and hemp were only legalised on a federal level in the US in December 2018 and in Europe, the regulation is very fragmented.

“There’s still a lot of uncertainty. It will take a couple more years for the research to catch up.

“That said, there’s a lot more research being commissioned into cannabinoids now than there’s ever been.”

But for now, the European team is engaging with customers as much as possible to ensure that they have compliant products ready for the 2021 deadline.

“That’s the key focus for us in the UK and Europe, how to ensure that the maximum amount of people benefit from what should be a positive change for the industry overall.”

At the time of publication, the FSA said it was standing by the March 2021 deadline for applications, despite inevitable setbacks for many in the industry drawn out by COVID-19.

“We want to ensure that the maximum amount of people benefit from what should be a positive change for the industry overall”

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SUMMER 2020 CBD IT LIST

Meet the celebrities turning to CBD during the crisis

What day is it? How many days have passed since that lockdown briefing in March? At the time of going to print on this issue, we human beings had spent almost four months in lockdown, depending on where you are. That’s week after week of restricted movement and isolation. With that has emerged a fresh bout of personal challenges (sorry to rehash it all over again). From insomnia to declines in our mental health to a rise in casual drinking and poor eating choices, the list of knock-on effects caused by the coronavirus is endless.

posts and an IG live, Jade said she had been struggling to cope with the ‘overthinking’ brought on by lockdown.

She wrote: “I lay awake overthinking, plagued with anxiety through the night. I read books. Hug crystals. CBD oil and hot baths and place lavender on every pillow hoping to soothe my frantic mind.”

It shouldn’t come as a surprise then to find out that CBD has become something of a lockdown aid for many during this troubled time. Some of our favourite famous faces have picked up a tincture or two in recent weeks and months. Others have invested in brands. Here’s a breakdown of the celebs who have discovered CBD.

Jade Thirlwall, Little Mix

The ‘Break-Up Song’ hitmaker, one of the four stunning bandmates which make up the UK’s favourite girl band of recent times, Jade has taken to holistic practices like CBD and crystals to help ‘soothe

her frantic mind.’ The songstress lent her support to a mental health support group on social media called The World from My Window during Mental Health Awareness Week back in May.

In a series of honest Instagram

She also referenced the unrealistic image often put forward on social media by influencers in comparison to the very real stories that gripped the nation, in appreciation of NHS workers. “Social influencers compete for who’s doing lockdown best while nurses and carers use masks as bulletproof vests.”

With 6.5 million Instagram followers, the star’s honesty was refreshing to fans. One fan commented, “Thank you so so so so much for open up about your personal struggles (sic) … something that I think about and go through to (sic)… This makes me feel better with myself.”

Another pre-empted the post to be lyrics for a future hit single. But no word on that just yet.

Jane Fonda

The ‘Gracie and Frankie’ actress has found that CBD helps her to ‘keep her groove’ while working online during lockdown. The actress and activist sprays CBD while dancing in her home workouts on social media platform, Tik Tok.

She has also become an ambassador for Uncle Bud’s CBD products, thanking the brand for their hemp-based hand sanitisers, CBD lip balm and hemp body lotion in a post. The brand sent her a self-care package during lockdown before donating hand sanitiser to a youth homeless shelter.

“Thanks for Uncle Bud’s hemp hand sanitiser, CBD lip balm, and hemp body lotion,” she said of her selfcare package. “And an even bigger thanks for donating 1,000 free hand

Image credit: James Shaw/Shutterstock.

sanitisers to @safeplaceforyouth to help keep homeless youth safe during this crisis.”

Fonda is a longtime activist who has campaigned for climate change awareness. She chose to work with the CBD company after she discovered they were an ecofriendly brand.

“They reached out to me thinking the alignment between them and me made sense,” she explains. “I wasn’t so sure in the beginning. Then I tried the products out for a few months, and I really like ’em. I like the skin creams, I like the muscle creams, I like the lip balm, I like the hand sanitisers. I like the fact they were giving free hand sanitisers to a homeless youth organisation. And I think they work. If it wasn’t eco friendly and animal-kind, I wouldn’t have gone near them.”

Her clearly sponsored video had over 66,647 views at the time of writing.

Martha Stewart, US TV Personality

Martha Stewart took to Instagram to share her beauty tips for lockdown life advising her followers on how to look after their skin, hair and nails while the salons were forced to close. She told her users to keep things simple with masks, conditioners and trims instead of attempting big cuts, dyes or homemade products. She also suggested that followers introduce CBD masks and serums into their skincare routines to help keep their skin stress-free. “Apply masks two or three times a

week! If you can find CBD masks and serums use those. We will survive this newest life challenge I know it is painful and hurtful and difficult. But it is not war. It is a virus. We know what we have to do. Do it!” she said. Stewart spoke about CBD on her website prelockdown and is also close friends with rapper and CBD entrepreneur Snoop Dogg. She is set to release a line of CBD-infused pet products in September.

Kristen Bell, actress and narrator

Long time CBD user, Kristen Bell announced during lockdown that she is entering into the CBD beauty space with a line of skincare with American brand, Lord Jones. The brand makes hemp-derived CBD-infused luxury products like elixirs, edible face oils, and balms.

The ‘Happy Dance’ collaboration led by the narrator of hit series Gossip Girl will offer simpler more ‘everyday pick me ups.’ Although there is no clarification on what these may be.

In a press release, Bell said: “I was skeptical at first, but was quickly blown away by the quality, integrity, and consistency in all of the products. When I met Lord Jones’ founders we aligned on a shared desire to make a CBD line that would be accessible to a wider audience at a lower price point while maintaining the same trusted quality as the Lord Jones brand.”

William Shatner, aka Captain Kirk

In June, the 89-year-old actor, who played Captain Kirk in the original Star Trek franchise, confirmed that he uses CBD balms for ‘aches and pains’. In an interview with the Press Association, he said: “I’ve got some aches and pains I didn’t have a few years ago. But I’m finding out there are many things that help aches and pains that we didn’t know about just a few years ago.”

He added: “Well, THC and CBD, and that kind of thing. It’s magical. I’ve had swollen joints where it hurts, you rub some on and while you’re rubbing it on, the pain disappears. It’s magical.”

Image credit: Gage Skidmore/Flickr

CBD: CHALLENGING THE STATUS QUO IN Sports Recovery

More athletes are turning to cannabinoids for relief and recovery.

It’s easier than ever to add this natural alternative to your workout regimen.

Athletes know first-hand the way training can impact the body. Hamstring strains. Tennis elbow. Back aches. Whether a professional athlete or a living-room warrior, niggles big and small can derail the ability to perform. But with studies showing potential health risks associated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), no wonder athletes are looking for healthy, natural alternatives for relieving aches and reducing inflammation. Athletes are increasingly turning to CBD to aid training, manage recovery and support wellbeing, more so since the World Anti-Doping Agency removed CBD from its list of prohibited substances.

CBD quality, though, can vary across the market. Huna, a family-owned CBD brand, was launched on the principle of delivering pure and potent, non-GMO and 100% natural CBD that fits into your daily routine. Huna is taken from the phrase ho’omana, a combination of “to make” and “life force”, which together mean “empowerment”. With that spirit in mind, Huna created a powerful range of lab-tested CBD products that can be easily integrated into workout programmes given the wide array of products and delivery systems available. Here are four simple ways CBD can be incorporated into fitness programmes:

START THE DAY WITH CBD-POWERED PROTEIN

During those hours of restful sleep, your body may be lacking fuel to burn. When that happens, your body goes into a catabolic state, using the muscle mass you have for fuel.

Protein, first thing in the morning is a good way to counter this. Huna’s CBD Whey Protein Powder helps kick-start the anabolic process and is powered-up with pure CBD.

SUPPORT WELLBEING THROUGHOUT THE DAY

The arrival of natural CBD to athletes’ recovery programmes is a game-changer for those seeking an alternative to over-the-counter products. But cannabinoids have more to offer as a supplement for everyday wellbeing.

A recent survey by HelloMD and the Brightfield group (2017) shows people in the UK take CBD for a wide range of conditions, from anxiety to insomnia, and inflammation to arthritis.

To support overall wellbeing, Huna’s CBD Oils range goes from a calming 6% CBD tincture up to a potent 26% CBD oil, depending on individual needs. A sustained and discreet delivery system is available with Huna’s CBD Derma Patches.

REBUILD AND REPAIR POST-WORKOUT

Following a workout, many fitness pros already use protein powder to speed up recovery, improve protein synthesis and reduce muscle damage. Huna’s CBD Hemp Protein Powder is a vegan, plant-based workout partner infused with 100% natural CBD and rich in Omega 3 and Omega 6 essential fatty acids.

TAKE CARE OF THE WEAR AND TEAR

Whether it’s the calves after jumping jacks in the garden or a sore back from downward dogs, aches can persist even after post-workout stretches. Huna CBD Tribal Balm is a powerful topical packed with CBD, cooling menthol and clove and to help refresh tight muscles and sore joints. For more tranquil scents to soothe body and mind, switch to Huna CBD Warrior Rub. This warming topical CBD treatment is infused with ginger and turmeric, and it’s ideally suited for relaxing and restorative sports massage. With the lifting of CBD from sports bodies’ prohibited substances lists—and the worry over long-term health risks from pharmaceuticals —cannabinoids are offering athletes of all fitness levels a natural alternative to support relief and recovery. And with the CBD industry’s continuing innovation it means athletes can live with optimal health in harmony with nature.

To find out more visit hunalabs.com

Lady Business

In this issue, editor Róisín Delaney meets businesswoman Melanie Goldsmith, who at 31, launched Smith & Sinclair, an alcohol and confectionery range designed to make adult life more fun. Mel’s latest development, POLLEN, is a true-to-life CBD vibe that has been curated to ‘get’ millennials. Here, Mel gives an honest account of what it’s like to navigate the ‘Entrepreneurial Rockstar’ era, beating burnout and why it’s not all ‘girl boss’ power and glory.

We didn’t actually meet, of course. If there were one upside to the Coronavirus – and oh is it hard to find positives – it would have to be the flexibility technology has given us all to communicate properly.

Mel and I chatted over Zoom on a Friday afternoon of lockdown in May. I sat at my pinewood desk which has become an extension of myself while working from home. Mel patched in from her New York apartment. It was Memorial Day weekend in the US, and we chuckled at the thought of being able to get out and enjoy a public holiday again. ‘Someday…’

Mel grew up in London with a perspective of alternative medicine. She says that she was brought up with kind of like a “non-medical parenting style.” She says, “My Mom is much more homoeopathic, and sort of Eastern medicine influenced.”

Like many of us in twenty or thirty something friend groups, Mel became aware of the mental health struggles some of her friends had been forced to bear. It’s a winding road with potholes and unexpected crevices travelled all too often by our generation. Already one of the worst problems for young people to overcome, declines in mental health have been heightened by the crises we’ve seen this year.

Mel co-founded POLLEN towards the end of 2018 with Emile, someone she knows as a best friend turned business partner. “Emile is head of innovation across both brands.” With his own struggles to bear, Mel took on most of the heavy lifting in the running of the company, eventually wearing herself out.

“Running the business, I took on the heavy weighting of all the growth and finance and operations and HR of the company, essentially [it] impacted my sleep and my general well-being as you would say. I think well-being, for me, it was much more around the idea that I just didn’t feel myself because

I was just overwhelmed with this constant sense of anxiety and overadrenalin-induced lack of sleep.” She adds that it eventually got to the point where her body just had enough. Mel describes symptoms, which according to most online research, signify a classic case of burnout.

It may or may not surprise you that two thirds of the working population suffer from the chronic condition at some point in their career. Burnout is even recognised as an epidemic in the UK. Research from Montreal University published in 2018 found that women are more prone to work burnout than men.

“And it affected my body,” Mel continues.

“I had to go to the doctor because I was having this like, induced vomiting every morning over a long period of time, which was basically like my nervous system going into a bit of overdrive.”

The irony isn’t lost on Mel. Here she was, the founder of a brand which she was building to help adults unwind, dscribed as ‘Willy Wonka for grown-ups’ while making herself ill in the process. You couldn’t write it.

These personal experiences gave Mel and Emile the strength and the idea to create specific products for maintaining a work-life balance, for what the TV experts often refer to as ‘high functioning adults’ – whatever that means.

Together, they created CBD products with high bioavailability for balance, focus and relief with names like ‘Soothe You’, ‘Powerbank’ and ‘No Pressure’ to reinforce that millennial messaging. And it works.

Mel says one of the barriers to POLLEN’s success in the UK was scepticism around CBD, which she puts down to a knowledge gap and hesitance to cannabis learning.

“What was very apparent was there was this young demographic who hadn’t been a part of that 70s/80s drug wave who were conscious of it, who were kind of sceptical, especially in the UK. There is huge fear mongering around drug taking, especially cannabis. And so that generation of people who are for side

hustles, people like me who were burning themselves out because ‘Entrepreneurial Rockstar’ has become the new celebrity. You’re all fighting for this kind of recognition and success, and it was exhausting and savage and it’s really hard to find that balance.”

know it works

“I was in America for a work trip,” Mel explains.

“I’d discovered edibles and topicals and just became fascinated that while there was a plethora of ways of consuming, the brands were very limited and how they spoke to me, you know, they either looked very medical or kind of ‘stoner-ish.’

“Doing what I do, I don’t want to be sitting with a bottle that looks like a

pot plant on my desk because it gives the wrong message. And obviously, cannabis [recreational] is illegal in the UK. So, you don’t want to have anything that’s dotting that line. And at the same time, something medical didn’t sit well, because your perception is this has been dosed with additives that I don’t necessarily want to consume. I wanted a very natural, very organic experience. There just wasn’t a brand that I felt was comfortable for me. And so Emile and I sort of played around with how we could use the technology we developed with Smith & Sinclair around the gummies to sort of branch over to being a CBD brand.

“We wanted to create a brand that spoke to that Gen Z Millennial audience. That could be huge, you know, that could be mass market and sit in Boots or even in a duty free and feel like you recognise it like you recognise a Chanel bottle of perfume.”

What do you do when you can’t find a product that’s right for you? Create your own, so you

At The CANNAVIST, we use this section of the magazine as a way of saluting the women who are really killing it in the CBD industry. There are so many formidable women at the top who I’m happy to have the chance to get to know and feel empowered by. But it’s not proportionated with respect to other sectors like finance, technology or even the legal society.

In fact, out of Britain’s top 100 firms, there are just six female CEOs. I wanted to know what this female entrepreneur made of such statistics, and to find out if those newsbytes ever play on her mind.

Mel explains that she has always, more or less, been situated in a male dominant environment, ever since her school years.

“I’ve had a really unusual upbringing in the sense that I was in the first girl group to be integrated into an all-boys school at seven.

“We have six women now. I wonder how many there were 15 years ago? There was probably like one, if any. So, you know, there is progress being made.

“I’m not a huge advocate for separating the conversation and having female-only panels or female-only events if we want to progress. I’m definitely a feminist in the way that I’m hugely strong minded in wanting equality and facilitating that but not just for women, for any minority that hasn’t been given equal footing till this point.”

She adds, that when it comes to securing financial backing, it’s important that men are in the room.

“If you only ever go and speak at female-owned events, and you know, the majority of VCs (venture capitalists) are run by men, you will never raise any money because they are just not in the room.”

It wasn’t until Mel had her first senior board meeting in the US when she realised she was the only young woman with a seat at the table.

“America is so much bigger and there is more of a corporate American structure. It wasn’t until I got here that I had my first senior board meeting, where I was the only woman in a room of 12 white men. When people talked about that, I was always like, I get it, but I never had that experience [before]. And then I had it.

What does that feel like?

“It’s just hard to be the first… It’s like, I’m running my business to be the biggest business it can be. And I’m doing that with a community of people I trust and respect, men or women. You know, it’s all about just making sure that you see yourself personality wise and the people who you respect.”

Two brands later with plenty of highs and lows along the way – add in a global pandemic — I want to know if the success has been worth the hustle, and stress.

Mel says, “I think a lot of people start a business because they think ‘I don’t want to work for someone else.’ And what I would just say is the aversion to not wanting to work for someone isn’t the same as wanting to work for yourself.

Because the pressure, you know, people think that it’s this, like, independent, I’m free, I’m in charge, but you are subject to investors, and you’re actually subject to your employees. If you don’t do right by them, and help and support and train up and skill, you know, they will not work for you. And also they won’t be good. And so for you to be a success, it is absolutely a village. In the same way that when I worked for someone: you go to bed at night being like, ‘why did they speak to me like that? Why did I get treated that way?’ I mean, I got humiliated, I still have those same thoughts.

“It may be that something didn’t go the way I thought it would in the communication with one of my team. And I’ll still ruminate on that in the same way that I would in employment. Also, instead of having a boss who you’re reporting to, you’re reporting to a board or investors or a bank if you’ve got a loan, and so it’s not this freedom that I think has been rumoured around.”

So, you think you’ve got a product idea, and recognise a bit of yourself in Mel? Here is her advice on starting a business and raising capital.

“In theory, things can sound really good. In reality it can be so different with a product. You can usually create something quite ad hoc to get it. For us, we did a market stall. The product wasn’t what it is now. It was made in my kitchen with a silicon mould that we bought from a shop. And, you know, there are ways in which you can create something very low-fi. And whether it’s a trunk show in your house, or a market stall, or a private party or a showcase , I think it’s really important to get a stranger to give you money for your product. Whether it’s just a good idea to you and your friends and family versus something that people will actually invest in.

“When a stranger puts in significant personal money into your business, it counts. It gets recognised in a more holistic sense.” withpollen.com

“I’m definitely a feminist in the way that I’m hugely strong minded in wanting equality and facilitating that but not just for women, for any minority.”

In each issue, our go-to science columnists break down the complexities of CBD and medical cannabis so that we can all skip right to the need-to-know knowledge and make informed decisions about what products to invest in.

This issue, Dr Parveen Bhatarah, Regulatory & Compliance Lead at the Centre for Medicinal Cannabis, explains the significance of the Certificate of Analysis (COA).

Q. What is a COA?

A Certificate of Analysis is an authenticated document that is issued by a product manufacturer’s Quality Assurance Department. It ascertains if a product has met its predetermined product release specifications and quality.

The significance of the COA is growing under the globalisation and contract manufacturing culture – the white labelling industry. Predetermined specifications are either based on standards set by national pharmacopoeia or an appropriate specification for each aspect of quality studied during the phase of development and during the validation of the manufacturing process. At least those aspects considered to be critical should be the object of specifications routinely verified.

It establishes specifications, i.e. qualitative and quantitative characteristics, with test procedures and acceptance limits, with which the product must comply during its intended shelf life.

What should be included in the

COA as

a minimum?

Name & address of the laboratory testing the sample

Name & description of the originator requesting the analysis

Name & batch number of the product

Reference to the specifications used for testing

Results of all the tests performed against the limits of the specification 6. Dates: Expiry or re-test date & date on which tests were completed

7. Signatures of the head of the laboratory or other authorised person

The complexity of outsourcing supply chains means it’s crucial to understand all of the testing methodology as used per the COA generation. Especially when you are using this information to manufacture the finish a product and this can lead to incorrect labelling especially the percentage declaration of contents. Therefore, a COA forms the basis of the mathematical correctness for finished product labelling.

practice to check incoming goods and verify or have a written contract where a verification exercise become part of key ingredient release before being used in production.

Once a history of reliable and accurate results from the supplier is established, the purchaser will often perform skip lot testing, in which they verify the COA results on a defined periodic basis, with the exception of the identity test, which should be performed for each incoming shipment.

Three online

for further guidance on COAs

1. IPEC: Certificate of Analysis Guide for Pharmaceutical Excipients, International Pharmaceutical Excipients Council.

2. World Health Organization: Guidelines on the Implementation of the WHO Certification Scheme on the Quality of Pharmaceutical Products Moving in International Commerce.

3. DEFRA: Food standards (labelling and composition)

The mislabelling of CBD products has already been highlighted in various CBD product re-testing exercises as well as in consumer surveys. In June, the Centre for Medical Cannabis published the first major third-party testing exercise of CBD products in the UK. In total, 30 oil products available in the UK (both on and offline) were selected for the blind testing exercise. This revealed a wide range variation in terms of quality, and some concerning poor practice in a minority of cases.

When a supplier is new, the results of the COA are usually confirmed for each shipment of the material by performing independent verification of the test results. Therefore, it’s always a good

These certificates are a tangible and important manifestation of a manufacturer’s relationship with its suppliers of key raw material like CBD and the other materials used to make finished products. A COA supplied to the customer is the key document where the materials suppliers, laboratory control systems and manufacturing interconnect. Hence these certs are important documents for ensuring the safety of the supply chain and consumer confidence in a product.

Buyer Beware!

If a retailer or manufacturer cannot provide you with a COA, completed by an independent lab, you can’t be sure of the quality of the ingredients, or if there is even any CBD in the product!

Meet the Scientist

Parveen Bhatarah, PhD, FRSC, completed her PhD in organic chemistry “the synthetic approach to Nagilactone” from Imperial College London and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry. She has held various directorship roles in the generic and herbal pharmaceutical industry with over 20 years of expertise in bulk drug substance and product development including clinical trials, commercial launches, technology transfers and manufacture for ANDA & MA submissions. She has developed several innovative technologies in pharmaceutical field which is clear from her patents. She has worked closely with various international health authorities on numerous commercial generic pharmaceutical and herbal pharmaceutical product launches and submissions. Most recently, in the cannabis space she was instrumental in the THC project for seed to capsule development, passing pre-approval inspection by US-FDA. You can learn more about her work on the centre’s website: thecmcuk.org

When labels go wrong...

resources

Why do consumers need to know about COAs?

A GUIDE TO CBD OIL

Are you new to CBD? Maybe you just started taking a few drops of CBD oil, or perhaps you’re doing a little research before you shop. Whatever stage you are at on your CBD journey, here are some frequently asked questions about CBD oil, answered by us and a leading manufacturing expert.

WHAT IS A TINCTURE?

A tincture is traditionally defined as a medicine made by dissolving a drug in alcohol. Old school pharmacies still use tincture bottles for in-house tonics and remedies. In CBD terms, a tincture refers to CBD oil suitable for taking sublingually (under the tongue).

There are a number of approved industrial hemp varieties which CBD can be obtained from. Most of the world’s CBD supply originates from the US, but this is changing, with some European countries on the up and coming list of cultivators.

CAN ANYONE TAKE CBD?

It’s not recommended for children, expectant or breastfeeding mothers. Those taking medication should also do their research before thinking about taking CBD. It’s best to consult with your GP before you embark on your CBD journey.

WHERE DOES IT COME FROM?

CBD is a cannabis extract. It is found in both hemp and marijuana, but only hemp-derived CBD is legal for manufacture, sale and consumption in these parts.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF TAKING CBD OIL?

There are many ongoing clinical trials which aim to confirm or deny whether CBD is an effective treatment for this, that and the other. Name a condition and it’s safe to say that CBD has been associated with

it at some point in the last couple of years. That’s not to say it doesn’t work. CBD contains anti-inflammatory properties and as such, it has been proven in animal studies to help muscle recovery and skin repair. It’s also said to help with sleep and stress, epilepsy and pain management.

HOW DOES IT WORK ON INFLAMMATION?

According to one researcher who has spent a number of years investigating this area, CBD gets to work with the endocannabinoid receptors within the immune system.

Gregor Zorn is a co-founder of the European Cannabinoid Therapy Association and an instructor at the first European Medicinal Cannabis post-graduate educational course at Padua University in Italy. He previously wrote an article published by The CANNAVIST on the topic of chronic inflammation. He says: “CBD interacts directly with specific immune cells, supressing the production of pro-inflammatory 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.”

IS CBD OIL THE SAME AS MEDICAL CANNABIS?

Not quite. CBD plays an important role in medical cannabis spheres. In fact, one of the two approved cannabis-based prescription medicines currently available to patients is a CBD-based oral solution. However as a prescription medicine, this product has undergone strenuous testing and studies to ensure quality and safety before being approved for patients of some serious conditions.

IS CBD CANNABIS?

No, not strictly speaking. It is derived from cannabis. But it won’t get you high, and it is not the same thing as recreational cannabis, although some stigma still exists for this connotation.

IS IT SAFE TO BUY ONLINE?

We recommend buying from a reputable source, ideally in-store. A good seller should present you with the full picture of CBD and make you consider why you want to take it in the first place, before putting your hand in your pocket. You’re going to want to see that the label information is clear and that you can understand it. You may also want to request to see third party analysis of the product.

If this information isn’t made available to you, the retailer doesn’t have sufficient evidence of what’s really in the product. It’s important to remember that the CBD industry is still unregulated. But that doesn’t mean manufacturers and retailers don’t have a standard to adhere to and there are some well-produced products on the market.

ASK THE Expert

Oliver Mammon, chief infusionologist at family run Taylor Mammon delves into more detail on four key questions every CBD newbie needs to ask.

Photo Credit: World White Label Expo

IS CBD OIL RIGHT FOR ME?

ISOLATE, FULL SPECTRUM, BROAD SPECTRUM, DOES IT REALLY MATTER?

Oliver says: What is the issue? You have to target the right receptors. For example, anxiety is a CB1 related issue. Tongue drops are relatively fast acting if you leave them under your tongue or take in the back of the throat. It’s a permeable area of the body with relatively quick absorption but also a fast drop off.

Full spectrum extracts are the best but that’s not what you’re buying in the UK. We’ve taken the term from the US market which has different regulations. A true full or broad spectrum oil would contain cannabinoids that are not explicitly legal here, such as CBN and CBC. At least we know how isolate is made. For the past six or seven years, I’ve been ‘Team Isolate.’ It is the most mathematically accurate option and the most reliable and consistent option. It’s also the most honest.

WHICH ONE SHOULD I BUY?

What I’ve found is, the smaller [brands], people who are smart and actually use CBD will make better products than companies who have moved in from other industries. Great products come from perseverance and strict protocol. There are a lot of uneducated brands out there who are in it for the money.

HOW MUCH SHOULD I TAKE?

It’s unfair to individuals and cannabinoids to be black and white because there’s no definitive answer. I know people who will take 20mg, five every hour, others take 20mg straight away. Start with a few drops and if you don’t get the relief you want, try another five drops an hour later.

Beginners CBD VAPING FOR

New ways of making CBD a part of your daily routine are emerging all of the time. One that’s been around for a while is vaping. It’s one of the most effective delivery methods in terms of speed and efficiency, which are important factors for many of us. We asked our vape specialist for some basic steps for having a great experience when vaping CBD.

Words by Benedict Jones

Choosing the right CBD e-liquid for you

E-liquids, as with all CBD products, come in many shapes and sizes. The first thing you need to consider is strength. We recommend choosing a product that is of similar, or slightly lower, strength than the topical or sublingual products that you are familiar with. Since you can take as many or few vapes as you like, it’s easy to regulate intake, provided you are using a strength that you are already used to.

Always make sure that your product is designated specifically as an e-liquid, as some tinctures may contain oils which are harmful if vaped.

The second thing to consider is the type of CBD in your e-liquid. Broadly speaking, this can be described in two categories: CBD isolate and broad spectrum CBD.

CBD isolate is just the CBD compound from the hemp plant, with no additional terpenes or cannabinoids. Isolate products tend to be less expensive, and they also have the advantage of not taking much of a toll on your vape coils, which reduces the maintenance cost of your vaping device.

Broad spectrum CBD products contain additional terpenes and cannabinoids. Many users find that these products have improved effects compared with isolate, though this will vary from person to person. Broad spectrum products tend to be a little more expensive than their isolate counterparts and will noticeably shorten the life of your vape coils, which is something to bear in mind.

periods when using CBD e-liquids and this is particularly noticeable when using broad spectrum e-liquids. For this reason, we recommend finding a device which uses ceramic coils.

In ceramic coils, a block of ceramic surrounds the heating element and though there may still be cotton on the outside, it has less contact with heat and therefore degrades more slowly. Popular vaping devices such as the Vaporesso Podstick and SMOK Nord both have ceramic coil options and are very affordable, which make them great choices.

Be patient after filling your vape

Choosing the right device for vaping CBD

There are thousands of vaping devices on the market and they weren’t born equal. The vast majority of them were designed with nicotine vaping in mind, so this is something you should consider. Nicotine e-liquids have less of an impact on vape coils and the industry standard design consists of a heating element, surrounded by cotton wicking Unfortunately, cotton wicking doesn’t perform very well for extended

If you’re vaping CBD with a refillable device, make sure that you wait for the coil to fully soak before taking your first vape. Powering up the device before this happens could cause your coil to burn, which is not what you want. We recommend waiting a full 15 minutes after filling your device before taking your first vape.

What is THE BEST WAY TO TAKE CBD?

From vaping to taking a few drops of oil orally, what’s the difference between the various methods of consuming CBD? In this short guide, we’ll explore the pros and cons of everything from jelly bears to tinctures and we ask the Centre for Medicinal Cannabis the need to know info before you decide which method is the one for you.

Words by Róisín Delaney

In short, there is no single best way to take CBD. There is no one size fits all approach to this. The optimal delivery method for you personally will depend on your lifestyle and needs. We recommend you consult your doctor about taking CBD before embarking on your CBD journey.

What does ‘Bioavailability’ mean?

This is a term you will hear a lot of if CBD is something you are interested in. It refers to the amount of the cannabinoid which enters the circulation when introduced into the body and so is able to have an active effect. Each way of taking CBD has its own estimated rate of bioavailability, and some are higher than others.

How effective is CBD in skincare?

Skincare has become a massive sector of the CBD industry. According to data from market intelligence firm Prohibition Partners, the CBD skincare market is on course to be worth €870.5 million by 2024. The report adds this figure could be representative of roughly 10% of the global skincare market by that time. But it hasn’t been an overnight success.

Back in 2004, a study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation demonstrated limited evidence that CBD could help with acne. I say limited because there hasn’t been a huge amount of clinical research concluded in this area in almost 20 years. Nevertheless, in 2004 European researchers found CBD can inhibit the production of sebum, the skin’s natural moisturiser, overproduction of which can cause acne. The authors also said CBD reduced inflammation, ultimately concluding that “CBD has potential as a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of acne vulgaris.”

Fast forward to 2017 and to a study by researchers at the University of Colorado who found that cannabinoids can be useful in the treatment of a wide range of skin diseases. The study, published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, noted the potential

for cannabinoids to help with eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis, although large-scale clinical trials have not yet taken place.

CBD infused skincare does work for some people on targeted areas of problematic skin. As we wait for the research behind the claims to play catch up, some brands even go as far as saying their face cream can turn back time. There isn’t yet sufficient evidence beyond that to support claims of anti-aging. Needless to say, we’ll be shouting it from the rooftops if it so happens!

Edibles like capsules and sweets

Capsules and gummies can both be convenient for taking CBD as a regular supplement. But don’t expect to get large doses with any form of edible CBD product. The amount of CBD actually absorbed from this form of product may be less than what is advertised. This is due to the nature of actually eating the sweet as it must go through the first pass metabolism, where, like any food we swallow, it’s broken down, destroying some of the active components in doing so. However, this particular way of consuming CBD may conveniently fit many lifestyles.

According to a review on the absorption, distribution and metabolization of CBD in humans (known as pharmacokinetics in the scientific community), the bioavailability of taking oral capsules is quite low compared to other methods, however there is some suggestion to say that when taken with food, absorption may be greater. “One hour after oral capsule administration containing 5.4 mg CBD in males and females, mean Cmax was reported as 0.93 ng/mL (higher for female participants than male). A subset consumed a standard breakfast meal one hour after the capsules, which slightly increased mean Cmax to 1.13 ng/ mL. CBD remained detectable for three to four hours after administration (Nadulski et al.)”

Is using a tincture or spray best for absorption?

CBD oil is perhaps most commonly administered orally with what is called a tincture, which also comes in spray form. This is an old-fashioned holistic term reborn in CBD realms. A tincture will usually come as a glass bottle with a pipette (a dropper) to allow for a controlled flow of oil. Taken sublingually, the oil is dropped under the tongue where it can be absorbed without being swallowed like an edible. This way, the amount of active CBD which is absorbed is likely greater than the amount absorbed from a gummy or capsule as the liver and first pass metabolism is bypassed. However, the

bioavailability of oral mucosal CBD drops and sprays is estimated to be quite low.

Studies estimate it may be as low as 19% in some cases. If this piques your interest you can read more of

1.0 0.75 0.5O CBD

0.25

ML ML ML ML CBD 101

According to research, vaping is the fastest way to introduce CBD to the body. But it’s not for everyone. In the last year, vaping has received a bad rep due to the rise of black market oils in the US, which caused many deaths particularly among teenagers. More than two thousand people were diagnosed with a lung disease on the back of dodgy cannabis vapes, cut with

Unlike the American market, the vape industry here is heavily regulated under the Tobacco Products Directive

companies have to be responsible in manufacturing and marketing vape products. However the TPD only covers nicotine products and as CBD vapes don’t contain any nicotine, they are not covered by the regulations.

Q: Will I get high or feel strange when I take CBD?

No, you cannot get high from consuming CBD as it is not ‘psychotropic’.

Psychotropic is a scientific way of saying it makes you feel euphoric or even hallucinate. You may however experience a sense of wellbeing from taking CBD, which is why many people consume it. As CBD will not get you high it means it is perfectly safe (and legal) to drive or go about your daily business after consuming a CBD product.

Q: How should I take CBD oil?

You consume CBD oil orally. The best way to do this is to put a few drops under your tongue. Don’t swallow right away or drop it on your tongue. You should keep it under your tongue for as long as you can so as much CBD as possible can enter your bloodstream via the thin skin in your mouth.

If you swallow it you will be relying upon your liver to process it. This will take much longer to have an effect and will also waste most of your CBD as you’ll end up flushing it down the toilet.

To start, put two drops under your tongue and try to keep it there for as long as possible. You’ll find that it has been absorbed before that time arrives.

Q: How do I find my correct dosage?

If you are taking any medication the Foods Standards Agency (FSA) recommends not consuming CBD. If in doubt it is important you talk to your doctor. As CBD oil is expensive, the best way to find the dosage that works for you is to start low, monitor the effects

and gradually increase until you find a therapeutic benefit. At this point you will have found the right dosage for you. Keep consuming that dosage until it is time to buy a new bottle.

For example. On day one take two drops. Continue with this dosage for two days and see how you feel. On day three, increase by a further two drops, if you feel you need it. Continue like this until you feel a therapeutic benefit. Congratulations, you have found the best dose for you. The FSA recommends a maximum daily dose of 70mg of CBD.

Q: Will it interact with other medications I am taking?

Possibly. If you are taking medication do not consume CBD without talking to your doctor first. Many medications rely on your liver to be processed. As any CBD oil you swallow will also pass through the liver it could potentially alter the effectiveness of your medication.

If you are taking medication to reduce your blood pressure or other vital drugs it is essential that you let your doctor know your plans to try CBD.

Q: How do I find a brand that I can trust?

This is one of the major issues with so many CBD products on the market. Back in May 2019, The Times newspaper tested 29 CBD oils available in the high street and online. They found that only 38% of them contained the level of CBD that was stated on the label. Some were under, some were over and one product contained no CBD whatsoever. It’s no wonder that consumers are dubious.

There is research you can do to check if what you are buying is

worthy of your trust and hardearned cash. Every time a batch of CBD oil is made it should have a batch number. Each of these batches should be tested by a third-party laboratory. Good manufacturers will display these test results for each batch on their website. If they do not, it is a warning sign. Some manufacturers display a test certificate but not for each batch. Look out for that as it is also a warning sign.

It is illegal for a CBD manufacturer to state any medicinal claims for their product. If they do, this is a clear sign that they are not fully aware of the law, which is worrying.

Q: What if the label says <0.2% THC?

Some CBD companies seem to think that as long as the THC content is under 0.2% it is ok. It is not! THC is a controlled substance and it is not legal in any amount without a special license from the Home Office. If a product says it contains “less than 0.2% THC” this is a red flag as it shows not only does the company not understand the law, they are actually admitting to breaking it! You can then question what other laws are they not complying to, for example health and safety regulations.

The Centre for Medicinal Cannabis (CMC) is the UK’s first and only industry membership body for businesses and investors operating in the cannabis based medicinal products (CBMPs) and Cannabidiol (CBD) wellness markets. The Association for the Cannabinoid Industry (The ACI) is committed to nurturing a safe, legal and wellregulated CBD market in the UK. Visit thecmcuk.org or theaci.co.uk for more information and resources

The CANNAVIST asked the Centre for Medicinal Cannabis and sister organisation the Association for the Cannabinoid Industry for advice on finding the right product for you, and what you should watch out for. Here is what they said.....

HAS YOUR CBD AND SUPPLEMENT INTAKE INCREASED THANKS TO COVID-19?

Words by Róisín Delaney

According to a recent Brightfield Group survey, the coronavirus pandemic has created a surge in online CBD sales since staying at home became the new normal.

The US-focused data gathered by the CBD and cannabis market intelligence group, shows four in every ten people planned to use CBD more frequently because of COVID-19, with 15% taking a higher dose, according to Food Navigator-USA.

On this side of the Atlantic, small business owners and entrepreneurs across the hemp and CBD market have reported soaring demand since lockdown was initiated by Boris Johnson in March.

According to a study commissioned by the London-based online retailer, Alphagreen.io, 8.4 million Brits have either bought CBD products this year or said they intended to start their CBD journey. Some 42% of recent buyers in the UK are using CBD to relieve or manage pain as per the survey, with 21% seeking to combat insomnia.

Based on the data of 5,000 adult participants, 19% of British CBD users in 2020 use the cannabinoid to address anxiety.

It may not come as a surprise that CBD has surged in popularity during this time. As people are met with the stress of this so-called new normal, finding

ways to unwind and manage stress without having to leave the comforts of home now seems to be a higher priority than ever before.

CBD isn’t the only wellbeing product which has seen an increase in demand amid the global pandemic. Consumer trends show more of us are taking our physical and mental wellbeing more seriously than ever.

According to leading independent market strategists at Euromonitor International, anxiety and lack of sleep are the common denominators among poor mental health mid-lockdown.

Mental wellbeing was the number one response of participants in Euromonitor International’s Health and Nutrition Survey, 2020, which asked what it means to be healthy.

“Rising anxiety levels during the pandemic are turning more consumers towards goods that can help with mental wellbeing,” the researchers say.

At the end of March, high street favourite Superdrug said stocks of immunity-boosting vitamins had run out due to massive consumer purchases.

In mid-April, 17 of the top 20 vitamin category products sold on Amazon were immune system related.

SIRIO Europe, a global nutraceutical firm and

If you answered yes, you’re not the only one.

one of the top five softgel manufacturers in Europe, said COVID-19 has led to demand soaring for dietary supplements.

At the eight-week mark for many EU countries in lockdown, a spokesperson for the multinational supplement manufacturer said: “Already in Europe, we have seen a significant spike in the demand for immunity products across the main economies.

“The lasting impact of the virus will see a further acceleration of an already popular product class and, in the next few years, we will likely see many new innovative immune formulations delivered via softgels and gummies.”

DEMAND FOR MEDICINAL CANNABIS HAS ALSO RISEN

UK-based medical cannabis manufacturers GW Pharmaceuticals reported a 2.6% rise in shares for the week beginning May 11. According to Market Watch, shares rose after the company sold much more of its cannabis-based prescription medicine, Epidyolex, than it anticipated. The epilepsy drug is one of two medicines approved for prescription in some conditions in the UK.

SUMMER SKIN

From SPF to antioxidants, here’s what we should all be rubbing on our faces this summer and CBD is definitely on the list.

Words by Caroline Barry and Róisín Delaney

CBD has infiltrated high street beauty brands with familiar names like Nyx, Nails Inc. and Make Up Revolution launching CBD-infused must-haves that will probably wind up in our make-up bags, because who doesn’t love something new and now. (Hands up if you’re a beauty marketer’s dream like us!)

As well as these popular and affordable convenience beauty items, there’s a budding community of functional and conscious skincare start-ups incorporating CBD, retinol and salicylic acid to formulae.

Why does Big Beauty love CBD?

On the face of it, CBD has many benefits for the skin. As a plant-based anti-inflammatory, CBD may help in calming those angry breakouts and areas of redness on the skin.

As an oil-based extract, skincare products infused with CBD will be rich in fatty acids and antioxidants which work to protect the skin, as well as the added benefit of CBD itself.

Ask the Expert

From Instagram influencers to YouTube tutorials to A-list facials. Women today are constantly spammed with the hottest new anti-aging tricks which promise to turn back time and promote youthful radiance. We’re separating fact from fiction with London-based skincare consultants Megan and Ksenia, the founders of Lion/ne Ldn , to get their expert and independent advice on summer skincare.

Q. What is the biggest skincare mistake we make during the summer months?

A. “The biggest mistake is to not protect the skin with antioxidants and SPF. In fact, as summer days get longer and sunnier, it is essential to adapt our skincare regime accordingly. Applying SPF in the morning has become a classic step in any skincare regime, but it is not enough to fully protect our skin from UV damage.

“SPF only blocks 55% of the free radicals produced by UV exposure. Yep, that’s right, your morning SPF is not a 100% guarantee from premature signs of aging.

“Combining it with a topical antioxidant is essential as it brings that protection up to 96%. The marriage of antioxidants and SPF is the power couple that you need to provide a protective shield from sunlight and pollution.”

Q. Many acne sufferers say CBD works really well for them. Is this true?

A. “CBD is THE ingredient of the year and it is starting to get the rep of a ‘miracle’ ingredient … There is research that CBD can help with conditions like acne due to its anti-inflammatory properties, however this is not always the case as many times, the formulation [can] contain other botanicals that irritate skin.

Ksenia Selivanova, Lion/ne Ldn

Megan Felton, Lion/ne Ldn

“CBD oil also has antioxidant properties, and although there are many to choose from, it can help fight free radicals.”

Q. What kind of skin would you recommend CBD for?

A. “Speaking generally, we would recommend it is worth trying for those struggling with any type of skin inflammation. CBD could have the potential to control local immune responses in the skin.

Therefore, [by] being an antiwhile also using a product which contains another ‘it’ ingredient like hyaluronic acid or retinol?

A. “CBD has not been researched enough to know exactly how it performs with other ingredients. However, since it is considered an anti-inflammatory ingredient and is oil-soluble, there shouldn’t be a problem using it with other products. Bear in mind that CBD is best assimilated by the skin in an oil or balm format, therefore beneficial at night time as a final step.”

5 CBD beauty buys for all budgets!

1. WANT! London-based skincare company Ohana CBD makes this retinol and CBD night oil serum which we’re dying to try in our nighttime skin prep. This product is so new we can see its shine from here. £68; ohanacbd.com

2. After sun pick: Choose a Better Day with Re:scue Body Butter; £45; CUBIDCBD.com After we SPF, we after sun.

3. Inner calm = outer calm: Balancing Face Cream; £31; hemptouch.com Women are more likely to suffer from adult acne than men, according to the NHS. CBD has been known to help with angry breakouts, creating a balance of oil rather than stripping the skin of its natural emollient.

4. Essential (skin) worker: Miracle Drops; from £30; Disciple London These multi-purpose oil drops are available in various CBD concentrations, ranging from 250mg to 1000mg. Take under the tongue as a tincture or add into your moisturising routine. It’s basically two products in one!

5. High Beauty: Cannabis Cleansing Foam; £23; HighBeauty.com. When you want to wash it all off, opt for a hemp-based cleanser like this one from High Beauty. This a great range loved by Sephora shoppers in the US. (While we wait for Sephora to open closer to home, you can still find this range online.) Though High Beauty products don’t contain any CBD, the expertly formulated range gives skin all of the bioflavonoid benefits of hemp.

Buyer Beware!

Unfortunately, there are some products out there which are being marketed as expensive CBD skincare solutions, while they contain hemp seed oil and no CBD extract. If you specifically seek a CBD product, do your research. Always check the ingredients list for Cannabis sativa L. or Cannabidiol and don’t be afraid to ask questions!

To continue to thrive in design for thirteen years, you need an eye for emerging trends. Wesley Cude, Founder of Cude Design, was drawn to alternative lifestyle choices, such as remote working and entrepreneurial ventures. Wes has personally seen the benefits of using CBD both personally and to those close to him. Because of this and his expertise in digital marketing, he understands that their is room for huge growth in the industry as well the issues facing CBD companies.

His ongoing, successful podcast The Rude Growth explores these emerging trends in-depth, helping others understand where alternative solutions offer exceptional opportunities as well as the Cude Design blog, which receives over 2k visitors per month related to CBD queries. Cude Design is a digital marketing agency that specialises in WordPress websites. When looking into the CBD industry 24 months ago, it became clear Cude Design could pivot their skillset to solve the many pain points that people face when setting up a business online.

By building websites using a CBD friendly platform such as WordPress, you stay in 100% control of your online presence, unlike if you use Shopify, who remain in total control of your website. Combining a passion for CBD and their expertise in digital marketing, the match could not be better suited. The last two years has been spent attending Cannabis/ CBD conferences throughout the UK and Europe. In this time, Cude Design has built extensive relationships with the Cannabis and CBD industry to solve your problems. It is with these strong working relationships that we can seek the payment gateways that accept CBD companies as well as ensuring your website is fully compliant when selling your products online.

WES FROM CUDE DESIGN SAID

‘Discovering CBD has been a revelation both personally and professionally. It has given me the opportunity to combine my professional career of helping business launch successfully while working with a product I also have an interest in.

There are tonnes of room for growth within the industry and by creating a long term strategy of building fresh content and engaging the community, there is a great opportunity to creating a strong online presence and making a difference.’

Change is a

VIRTUAL REALITY

COVID-19 forced campaign groups to take this year's 4/20 rally online, where politicians from all three of the UK's main political parties called for cannabis law reform.

Words by Gordon Stribling

On April 20 each year, cannabis advocates from around the world come together to celebrate the culture and rally for reform. This year was no different.

Unable to gather in London’s Hyde Park due to the COVID-19 lockdown, advocacy organisation Volteface teamed up with London Canna Group and The High Club to bring a virtual 4/20 to the UK's cannabis community.

Four politicians from the UK's main political parties used the platform to push for varying degrees of cannabis law reform, from increased access to medical cannabis to outright recreational legalisation.

CONSERVATIVES

Group in June 2019. The group is independent of the party itself and is at odds with the Tories' 2019 election manifesto, which made no reference to medical or recreational cannabis.

Crispin Blunt MP Chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee

Blunt is chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Drug Policy Reform and founded the Conservative Drug Policy Reform

Blunt said that we should look to countries like Uruguay and Canada and the 12 legal US states to help us draw up a blueprint for legalisation here. He argued that a state regulated and licensed system would have huge public health benefits and better protect children.

The Reigate MP said: "What I want to do is engage people who have an interest in this area to move on from the politics of

protest to the politics of delivery. "We are going to need delivery around evidence."

LABOUR

Smith MP for Manchester Withington

Smith is co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Drug Policy Reform. His party's 2019 election manifesto called for increased access to medical cannabis and a focus on harm reduction rather than criminalisation. However, the party is not calling for recreational cannabis to be legalised. While qualifying that thousands of people in the UK use cannabis without harm, Smith drove home the importance of developing a safe and regulated market. He used the example of alcohol, which is heavily regulated to ensure that it is safe and can only be sold to adults. The politician has set up a Labour campaign for policy reform and all members agree that a legalised and regulated market will mitigate the harms associated with obtaining cannabis on the

black market. "If you had said to me two years ago that we would have medical cannabis legalised, I would have said it would take maybe five years, but it happened very quickly," he said.

"I would probably say the same thing for the recreational use of cannabis. People can change their minds quickly.

"Keep the political pressure on. We need to change minds. I personally think that the arguments [for legalisation] are unanswerable."

LIBERAL DEMOCRATS

cannabis products, not just those that have been 'forced through' the medical licensing route.

He also argued that the criminalisation of cannabis has 'disastrous consequences' and blights the careers of otherwise law-abiding people.

"I think the message is that change is coming. The only question is when, not if," he said.

"Things are happening at a great pace in other countries and it will happen here, but we can accelerate the pace of change by consistently lobbying our MPs and government of the overwhelming case for reform."

The Lib Dems' 2019 election manifesto called for recreational cannabis to be legalised to reduce crime and generate £1.5bn in tax.

Sir Norman has long been an advocate in the fight for cannabis reform. The former chair of the Science and Technology Select Committee believes that adults should be trusted to make judgements about their conditions and have access to a wide range of

It all began in 1971, the year US president Richard Nixon declared his 'war on drugs'. Five students dubbed 'The Waldos' (the name came from the wall by which they were known to gather) would meet at 4.20pm by a statue of chemist Louis Pasteur to hang out and smoke cannabis. '420' became their codeword and this would go on to inspire the annual celebration and global advocacy mission.

Benita is using her mayoral candidacy to push for a cannabis legalisation pilot scheme in the capital. She argued that she could see if legalisation works locally during her four-year mayoralty. If successful, the scheme could then be rolled out nationwide.

"There are countries we can learn from in terms of how we put in different systems and how they brought in different regulations, what worked and didn't work," she said. "There's a real need now, a real urgency, to do something about this and we should start in the capital."

"I think the message is that change is coming. The only question is when, not if"

Jeff

Sir Norman Lamb former Minister of State for the Department of Health

Siobhan Benita 2021 London mayoral election candidate

WHO CHANGED THE WORLD The Girl

As a young child, Charlotte Figi changed the face of medical cannabis and inspired the global CBD movement. Her recent passing has brought tributes from individuals and businesses across the world who have been moved by her family’s story. Words by Gordon Stribling

CBD and medical cannabis would not be the global movements they are today were it not for Charlotte Figi. The 13-year-old died amid the global pandemic crisis from respiratory failure and cardiac arrest on April 7. She had been hospitalised with pneumonia and was treated as a potential COVID-19 case.

Two weeks later, Colorado governor Jared Polis signed an executive order designating April 7 ‘Charlotte Figi Day’ in the state.

Charlotte was the inspiration behind Charlotte’s Web – the first true CBD brand that would both spawn an industry and give hope to countless individuals and families. Her story opened minds around the world to the true potential of cannabis.

In a touching tribute, the Charlotte’s Web team wrote:

“What began as her story, became the shared story of hundreds of thousands, and the inspiration of many millions more in the journey of their betterment. “Charlotte was and will be, the heartbeat of our passion, and the conviction that the dignity and health of a human being is their right.”

To honour Charlotte, the team donated $1 million of CBD to support struggling families during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Blazing a trail

Charlotte Figi was born in Colorado Springs on October 18, 2006. Diagnosed with Dravet syndrome, a rare and severe form of epilepsy, she endured up to 3,000 seizures a week. By the age of five, she was unable to walk or talk. She wasn’t expected to live past eight. In a tale that is now all too familiar to parents struggling to access medical cannabis for their children in the UK, conventional medicine did little to quell Charlotte’s seizures. Desperate for an effective treatment, the Figis began exploring alternative medicines.

It was at this time that Charlotte’s mother Paige found a Denver dispensary that supplied a high CBD, low THC oil. She bought a quantity and gave Charlotte a small dose.

To the family’s amazement, Charlotte was seizure-free for an hour. The dramatic result convinced them to persevere with the

treatment which would reduce the frequency of seizures to just two or three a month.

By now, the success of the medicine was unquestionable. The Figi family began working with Coloradobased siblings, the Stanley Brothers, on the game-changing elixir that would become Charlotte’s Web.

In 2014, Paige said of Charlotte’s Web: “It’s helped everything. She has over 99% seizure control. She doesn’t use her feeding tube anymore; she was 100% tube-fed before. She doesn’t have her autistic behaviour anymore, and she doesn’t have severe sleep disorders.

“She can walk – she’s not in her wheelchair at all – and she’s talking. She couldn’t talk before, and now she’s talking. It’s been a totally lifechanging event, totally life-changing medicine.”

Hope across the pond

The Figi family’s search for seizure relief would have far-reaching

implications for the British families who fought so hard for medical cannabis to be legalised in the UK. The stories of Alfie Dingley and Billy Cauldwell captured the nation’s hearts and eventually led to CBD epilepsy treatment Epidyolex being made available on the NHS.

Jorja Emerson was the first child to be prescribed medical cannabis in the UK after the law changed in November 2018.

Jorja suffers from a rare chromosome deletion that causes epileptic seizures. Like the parents of Charlotte, Alfie and Billy before her, dad Robin was at his wits end.

“Jorja was on a lot of different meds but none of them were working for her. She was in intensive care twice and we were told that she wasn’t going to survive. That’s when I began looking for alternative treatments.”

Robin soon came upon stories of other children whose seizures had been significantly reduced through cannabis treatment, including a girl in Australia who suffered from the same condition as his daughter. This set him on the path to campaigning for medical cannabis.

Now, Jorja’s condition is managed with cannabis supplied by Aphria at their cost while Robin continues to push for an NHS prescription.

“Jorja went from 30 seizures a day and now with 100mg of CBD and 2mg of THC, it’s maybe five and a lot of times she’s seizure-free.”

Robin is keen to emphasise that medical cannabis is not a cure-all, nor does it stop seizures altogether. But it has improved Jorja’s quality of life to a degree that conventional medication alone was unable to achieve.

Like countless other families, Robin says that his family owes a debt of gratitude to the girl who sparked the movement.

“Charlotte was a catalyst for everything moving forwards and the inspiration behind the Charlotte’s Web product that helps thousands of people from across the world.

“She showed the world medical cannabis can help their condition and is probably the reason why many people first looked at medical cannabis for their child because somewhere along the line they read her story.”

With Jorja to look after and numerous business ventures, cannabis now dominates Robin’s life. Meanwhile, the Charlotte’s Web story has inspired him to develop a global brand with the Jorja name alongside Brains Bioceutical.

“Charlotte helped create a household brand, which I hope to replicate with the Jorja brand, to be the largest CBD brand in Europe that is pharmaceutical-created and approved that people can buy on the shelves.

“We hope people can know Jorja’s story, many people know her story and they know it’s trustworthy. It’s not my name, it’s my daughter’s name going on it. It takes a lot to put your daughter’s name on something.”

"What began as her story became the shared story of hundreds of thousands"

FROM TINYAcorns

Charlotte Figi's story made Colorado the epicentre of the CBD revolution. Colorado-based Kerri Moncrieff, of cannabis education service Hemp Lass, continues to be inspired by her legacy.

Words by Kerri Moncreiff

plant that the Figi family did, it displayed courage. They began to tell their story as the parents who wanted the best for their child became a movement of change that happened.

I remember hearing about the loss of Charlotte and it was devastating. It seemed so unfair. It was as if the record stopped at the wrong time, too abruptly, but she keeps singing.

Telling a story that is personal is challenging, even if it is just to yourself. Telling your most vulnerable story of your life to the public is courageous.

When the world is questioning your choices, and you stand your up for your heart is speaking to you, it creates a superhero story. Charlotte wore the cape of innocence. She rewrote bravery.

I came into learning about this hemp/ cannabis story with just a need to trust that this was an option for me. As I started hearing more and watching the trailblazers within Colorado, the name Charlotte Figi was undeniable.

To begin to tell the story of the cannabis

I know that Charlotte's life has paved the way for so many who were seeking options to save and give their children a better future. Let's be honest; she painted a picture of hope for so many and she has left a legacy of strength, tenacity, grace and hope.

The Figi family did not set out to create a revolution; they came into this with a fierce love of Charlotte and making sure she lived her best life. I do believe she will continue to change lives.

The legacy of Charlotte for my business is to continue to provide education and take away the stigma for those who fought to be hard.

Charlotte will continue to illuminate the world, and we will keep telling the story of this plant so that others can find hope in it.

Kerri Moncreiff

Simplifying the world of CBD

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Ethically sourced and 100% organic, every Hempelicious CBD product has been rigorously lab tested in the UK for both quality and consistency.

MODERN SOLUTIONS FOR A MODERN LIFESTYLE

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WHEN THE FUNDRAISING ENDS…

Lockdown has had a huge impact on millions of lives around the country. Millions of pounds have been raised in tearjerking stories that have captured the heart of the nation. But for the children who rely on fundraising to support their private medical cannabis prescriptions, it has had truly life-threatening implications, as The CANNAVIST’s Gordon Stribling has found.

After four months of lockdown, the UK is finally emerging into a brave new world of compulsory face masks, social bubbles and eerily quiet Premier League games. It hit families hard. But while many got by with 80% furlough pay and fewer outgoings, lockdown stripped the families of medical cannabis patients of the fundraising revenue that supports their private prescriptions.

On May 27, 10-year-old Teagan Appleby was rushed to intensive care after her parents ran out of money to pay for her epilepsy medication. One month’s supply costs the family £2,500.

Teagan’s mother Emma Appleby says:

“We’ve had a supply for a few months thanks to a very generous donation and it’s been a massive benefit for Teagan in considerably reducing her fitting.

“But when that ran out, we had to go back to the NHS one and there was a definite decline in her health.”

Teagan’s case demonstrates just how reliant many medical cannabis families are on fundraising. Medical cannabis was legalised in November 2018, but countless families with children who have severe epilepsy simply cannot afford the huge private healthcare fees required to access it.

CBD epilepsy drug Epidyolex can be prescribed on the NHS. However, cannabis is not a ‘one size fits all’ treatment and many individuals need a small amount

of THC to effectively mitigate their seizures. NHS prescriptions are also said to be notoriously hard to come by.

Families like the Applebys have little choice but to fundraise for a private prescription when they find something that works.

Another family, The Griffiths, spends more than £2,000 each month on the medical cannabis oil that brought 10-yearold son Ben’s seizures down from 300-a-day to just 12.

The family no longer relies on donations to fund his private prescription, but mum Joanne told us that the lack of public fundraising events such as football matches has hit other families hard.

“Events pull in the most amount of money. When we were fundraising, we did an Easter event with a tombola and raffles and so on and that brought in £1,500 in one hit.

“We can’t do that when we’re just trying to fundraise online. You might get £100 or so but it’s not as effective.”

The coronavirus crisis has not just limited the platforms through which to raise funds. Whether furloughed, laid off or simply preparing for the worst, many of those who would have reached into their pockets six months ago no longer feel financially stable enough to do so.

Joanne understands.

“People are struggling. They’ve got to think about their own families and how to provide for them because nobody really knows what’s going to happen or if a second wave is going to come.

“They don’t want to be splashing out and throwing money at charities because they just can’t afford it.”

Seven-year-old Murray Gray suffers from Doose Syndrome, another rare form of epilepsy, with an onset of between two and five years.

Murray’s story follows a familiar pattern to the highly publicised stories that catalysed medical cannabis reform in the UK in the run up to 2018’s change in the law.

Mum Karen explains:

“He had his first seizure at age two and then in 2017 he had 12 in one month. He was hospitalised and given really strong rescue drugs to get him out of it.

“That year was horrendous, giving him various amounts of drugs, even ketamine as a rescue medication which didn’t help.

“He was put on steroids and put on two stone over three months at age five.”

Murray found short-term relief from Epidyolex, but it caused side effects and he was soon back in hospital for three months. He stopped eating and talking, his muscles began to break down and he had to be tube-fed.

In March 2019, the family went to the Netherlands where Murray was given a prescription for a 20:1 CBD:THC oil. He is now seizure-free for over a year.

“He’s not in a wheelchair anymore, doesn’t wear a protective hat, goes to school full time,” Karen said.

“It’s unbelievable the difference it has made.”

Like Teagan, Murray is reliant on donations from supporters. But lockdown has scuppered the family’s fundraising efforts.

A planned race night had to be postponed due to social distancing guidelines.

Meanwhile, Murray and the family have been stuck at home, unable to take advantage of the loosening of lockdown measures.

“We’ve been self-isolating. We’ve also had the shielding letter, because of Murray, we have to stay in until the end of July,” Karen said. While the Grays have thankfully not been affected by the virus, Ben’s mum Joanne suspects that her son may have caught the bug.

“He had an antibiotic because his glands were up and he got a rash and a spike in temperature.

“It wasn’t until after he got well that we started hearing about these coronavirus symptoms children were having.”

Ben, Teagan and Murray remain beholden to promises made by Matt Hancock and the government.

Last year, the health secretary assured families that he would take steps to make it easier for them to access their medicine on the NHS.

However, the families are still waiting, forced to fundraise to support private medication that costs thousands of pounds a month. It’s either that or risk their child’s health by replacing a drug that they know works with one that may not or has failed in the past.

Karen adds:

“I get offers of free oil constantly from lovely people but I’m too scared to change anything in case it triggers seizures again. Matt Hancock promised to help but he’s done nothing from what I can see.

“We’ve just been referred to a panel of respiratory epilepsy specialists. They said that Murray should be weaned from Bedrolite and Bedica and back onto Epidyolex. Obviously I refused.”

The CANNAVIST contacted the government for a statement on the issues raised in this article.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said:

“We sympathise with those patients dealing so courageously with challenging conditions.

“Since the law changed, two cannabis-based medicines have been made available for prescribing on the NHS for patients with multiple sclerosis or hard to treat epilepsies, where clinically appropriate. This follows clear demonstrated evidence of their safety, clinical and cost effectiveness. We have also changed how we regulate imports to improve supply and reduce costs.

“However, more evidence is needed to routinely prescribe and fund other treatments on the NHS. We continue to work with the health system, industry and researchers to improve the evidence base and identify what more we can do to minimise the cost of these medicines for patients, NHS or private.”

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ACCESS FOR ALL!

In an open letter penned to the British Government in June, mum and campaigner Hannah Deacon said that now is the time to truly deliver medical cannabis on the NHS.

The 19th June is a transformational day for me – for some a good news story and a compassionate act from politicians – but lifechanging for my son and me. The unpredictability of his condition, frequency of his seizures and frustration of the inability of available medicines to help led to a daily fear that if the situation did not change, he might die.

Two years ago, today, medical cannabis was given to treat my son who suffers from refractory epilepsy – a condition caused by a noninherited gene mutation PCDH19. This decision by the former Home Secretary Sajid Javid led to a key law change on the 1st November 2018 which enabled medicinal cannabis products to be legally prescribed to some patients across the UK for the first time. For vulnerable families and their suffering children, this optimism has now been replaced by abject despondency. To the best of my knowledge access to medical cannabis on the NHS is totally blocked forcing families to fundraise to pay thousands of pounds a month for a medicine that is legal here. It also means that the health of patients is under threat. Covid-19 has merely exacerbated these health and economic inequalities.

This is a national disgrace. Our story really began when Alfie had his first seizure at eight months old – something that was terrifying for both parent and child. From that day we continued to follow doctors’ advice, trying nearly 20 combinations of anti-epilepsy drugs, the ketogenic diet and immune therapy. The only treatment that helped stop his seizures was steroids. I can promise you that watching your child either seize repeatedly or try to get through the days in a haze of drug-induced side effects is horrendous for them but also the whole family. Determined to find a workable alternative without the potent side effects, we went to Holland to use medical cannabis in 2017. This is when Alfie’s miracle happened. Medical cannabis stopped his seizures so much that his quality of life changed immeasurably. I came home and fought alongside the campaign group End Our Pain, to show the Government that there absolutely is a medical value to cannabis. Following a face to face meeting with the Prime Minister, which led to Prof. Mike Barnes – a notable cannabis expert and campaigner applying for a license to prescribe on Alfie’s behalf, Alfie was issued with the first-ever permanent medical cannabis license on 19th June 2018 which secured his access to his medical cannabis type on the NHS. The subsequent change in law on the 1st November 2018, raised the hopes of many other families. We felt every child and adult who had tried everything else may get the chance to use medical cannabis, to keep them out of hospital and improve their quality of life.

But the reality is nothing of the sort. Neither the government nor medical profession seem to able to agree on who should take responsibility for unlocking this stasis. Restrictive guidance from NICE and the BPNA, and a reluctance from the Government and the NHS means that not one new NHS prescription has been written in the last two years.

I have spoken with parents of children who have profound challenges that could be improved by medicinal cannabis. They are at their wits’ end, and it is no surprise to find that some in this country resort to desperate measures. Together with End Our Pain campaign, I support many families every day who now must access this medication privately and fundraise to be able to pay for their children’s medicine. This fundraising activity has become impossible due to Covid-19. Only a few days ago we have seen a child in intensive care because her mother could no longer pay for her treatment. Only due to an exceedingly kind donation can she carry on the treatment for a few more months and has managed to get her child home and safe for now.

Surely being the 6th richest economy in the world, and one of the most sophisticated democracies on earth with a world-leading stateowned and controlled health system means that the Government should never allow this to happen.

Most families have a parent carer who cannot work as they must be on hand for their child full time and have lost all their respite and support during the Coronavirus outbreak. Now, they may also lose access to the treatment that helps their children to have a much better quality of life and more importantly keep them out of hospital.

These vulnerable families are suffering in the most extreme circumstances and you have it within your power to help them today.

Living alongside Covid-19 for the foreseeable future will mean stark choices for these families. We need to make sure the needs of those with severe and enduring illnesses are not overlooked. This is about timely and early intervention, prevention and ensuring the right medicine is accessible. The plight of our children and the need for medical cannabis is so much more than strategy, task forces, or policy announcements. Today, I implore you to all come together and finally deliver appropriate access to medical cannabis on the NHS.

Hannah Deacon, Medical Cannabis Campaigner #AlfiesHope

NEW ENGLAND FIELDS OF HEART

From the West Country to the East Coast of America. Devonshire’s Anthony Sullivan has become a household name across the US thanks to his success with OxiClean TV commercials. In January 2019, the pitching expert turned his attention to growing hemp with a whole lot of heart. Editor Róisín Delaney met with ‘The OxiClean Guy’ in Las Vegas to discuss the inspiration behind his Vermont hempish paradise.

If you have ever spent a week or two in the States, you may even recognise this man’s English-American pitch before even seeing his face. You’re almost certain it’s him. Then comes the famous tagline, ‘OxiClean – Gets The Tough Stains Out!’ And yep – it’s that guy!

On a serious note, Sully, as he is known to friends and colleagues, was in fact the last person I had the pleasure to sit down with in conversation prior to the global crisis which as we now know, would go on to change the way we live forever. Sat across a tall coffee table at the Las Vegas Convention Center, next to a sports car which I think was a Lamborghini pre-social distancing, there wasn’t a facemask to be seen. Instead, we spoke about trivial things like my sparkly shoes, and he made a joke about his friend and business partner Dave’s shoe preference.

Little did we know, a mere two-weeks later, with me back in Derbyshire and Anthony in Florida, that the world as we knew it would be spiralling out of control.

Reeling in the years, the dad-of-one begins to tell me how he ended up on screen in every living room and

kitchen across America. It all started when he was 19, when he got a taste of that classic American Dream.

“I first came to the States in 1988, on a surf trip,” he explains. “I grew up in Devon in the West Country and just always had the dream of going to California and the North Shore of Hawaii… I went right up to my six-month limit on the visa. I always wanted to make it back.”

Now a dad, Anthony recalls being at a bit of ‘a loose end’ back in 1991. Like your average young man in his early 20s, he wasn’t quite sure which direction to take in life, until he witnessed the genius of a car wash charging £10 a pop. (In the early 90s, that better have been a deep clean, wax and shine for that price.) Just like that, he was a born salesman.

“I started working in these country flea markets all around the West Country of England, in Bristol, in Cardiff and then ended up in London. I sort of increased my repertoire for car washes to other little gadgets that I found

interesting. So, I just built up this kind of resumé of being able to sell these different products. I was selling them anywhere I could get a crowd on any given day.

From t-shirts to car washes to random gadgets, Anthony quickly set his sights on going back to America to work in infomercials. Something his dad thought was perhaps not the most realistic career ambition at the time.

“I remember I told my Dad, ‘I’m gonna go to America and be on TV’ and my Dad started laughing.”

Anthony left England US-bound for the second time and landed in California once again. This time it was different, he intended to ‘make it’. But unlike so many with a similar story, he actually did.

Less than a year after he began selling handy items across the States, he was spotted by a TV executive from the HSN channel. While he first went to the US to catch a wave, HSN was Anthony’s big break.

“When I look back on it now, I literally landed in LA with a backpack with this idea that I was going to get on TV … I started doing the same thing in America that I was doing in England. I just started selling everywhere I could. I drove all over the States. I ended up in Florida where I got spotted at a home show by a buyer for a shopping channel with HSN. Within about a year of being in the States, I walked in front of the camera for the first time … I was walking on to a national shopping channel, at

the time TV shopping was big. I sold 5,000 mops in 20 minutes. I was a 23-year-old kid.”

From being in the right place at the right time to getting spotted, as they say, Anthony ended up moving to Florida and OxiClean came soon after.

Fast forward to 2011 and Anthony

welcomed a daughter, who he named after his hometown of Devon.

Born with a rare genetic disorder, Devon needed open heart surgery when she was 4. Her dad tells me of the difficulties she had walking when she was little and that she still doesn’t speak fluently. He says: “I can’t even name you the number of things that she’s had to deal with. But she’s great kid!”

Devon was put on epilepsy medicine Keppra, which in the UK is known as Levetiracetam. A quick study of the NHS advice about this prescription medication shows it comes with a long list of potential side effects, even for children as young as Devon. These can range from mild flu-like symptoms to alarming changes in mental state.

“The neurologist said we needed to put her on Keppra and I, you know, I took the advice of a neurologist. I saw a huge decline in her personality. That was the hardest thing. And then she lost 20% of the body weight when she was perpetually tired. She was falling asleep at school… This kid already has a hard time as it is and now she’s cheated, like she was listless.”

After discussions with family, the priority for Devon’s welfare was to take her off this hardcore medicine which may have been doing her more harm than good.

“The neurologist didn’t want to take her off Keppra, and her mom suggested cannabis and CBD.”

The TV salesman turned hemp farmer was against the idea initially, until he was able to wade through the stigma and learn. Perhaps what was most important to Anthony in this process was the lack of side effects that come with a cannabis-based medicine, compared to the alternative which he had already seen the results of.

“I was against the whole cannabis thing at first. Like many people, the stigma. I didn’t like the idea of my 8-year-old

being ‘baked’. I didn’t know much about CBD at all. But Devon’s mom knew a lot about it.

“She researched it and so she planted the seed in me and then I thought about it for 24 hours and I called her up and I said, ‘look, just do me a favour – let’s not tell anyone but let’s try it.’

“We saw great success with CBD and cannabis – it was a win-win. Devon was seizure-free and her personality came back, that was the biggest thing for me.”

The trip that changed everything

In 2018, Anthony visited Vermont on a trip with someone who happened to be in the hemp business. He took up the opportunity to visit a 25-acre plot which was home to 37,000 plants and it really stuck with him.

“I’d never seen a cannabis plot or a hemp plot in person. I found myself standing in this field, this beautiful valley in Vermont and I had a moment. It just hit me that this was the plant that was helping my daughter.”

After that trip, Anthony started to explore the idea of having his own hemp farm and recalls feeling like an excited kid at the prospect.

“I felt like a kid. I’m like, I need to understand everything about this, asking a thousand questions. I think the farmer thought I was crazy!”

Years before Devon was born, Anthony met friend and Emergency Commercial Structural Drying expert Dave Christian while taking part in an adventure race in Fiji. Dave, with four successful start-ups to his name, was Anthony’s barometer for this somewhat unprecedent adventure.

“I called Dave up and said, ‘I’ve got an idea and I want you to talk me out of it.”

The pair drove back up to Vermont in an attempt to locate the same farm with very little direction or guidance. When they got there, Dave says they both fell silent. “I said, ‘Buddy, I would love to talk you out of it. But this seems like a pretty interesting opportunity.’ It felt like we were at the birth of the internet.”

Nothing would stop them but to buy some land and grow their own crop. “The two of us being you know, a lot crazy and entrepreneurial and biting off more than we can chew, we bought a 116-acre piece of land with no infrastructure on it… The two of us had never grown anything except some tomatoes and a pumpkin patch!”

With a skeleton team of helpers, the pair launched the project with gusto, planting 75,000 plants. “We did a soil testing; we dug a well and hit fresh mountain water at 60 feet. We ran 55 miles of drip irrigation. We bought three tractors. We went through about four tillers, we bought an Italian rototiller, we have a waterwheel, we put four RVs on site we built 3,000 square foot greenhouses…” The list of manual labour goes on. Spring 2019, was the wettest spring on record in Vermont. But neither the weather nor the sceptics were going to get in their way. And they succeeded. Just over a year after closing on the mammoth plot of land (if you can call 116-acres a plot?) Anthony, Dave & co. celebrated the arrival of the first Montkush tincture. “I want people to have the best CBD experience possible. It all started with Devon.”

UP! Listen

Podcasts are having a moment. Listening is big business these days and podcasts are a great place to gain some new insight on niche topics. Take it from us, it doesn’t get more niche than CBD and medical cannabis.

Words by Caroline Barry

While the nation has been in lockdown, many of us have discovered a newfound appreciation for podcasts, audio books and the radio.

Our local and national radio stations have reported a boost in listening figures in recent months as housebound Brits turn to their favourite on-air presenters during the coronavirus crisis.

British media group Global, which owns Heart, Capital and LBC stations, said digital radio reach was up 15% between March 9-17, during the last ‘normal’ week of society before the nationwide lockdown was introduced. The group said listening hours also rose by 9%.

The rise in podcast popularity has been years in the making with shows on everything from fan fiction to true crime. Name an obscure genre, there’s a podcast for that. Naturally there are a number of CBD podcasts out there too, so here are a few we think you’ll benefit from.

CBD TALK PODCAST CBDTALKPODCAST.COM

A weekly CBD podcast hosted by Dawn Peacock. Peacock’s passion for CBD comes from years of personal experience as she was diagnosed with Nail Patella Syndrome, a rare genetic condition that causes problems with the nails, bones and kidneys. The podcast, which started in 2016, reaches a global audience from the US, Norway and even Ecuador with over 207,000 plays.

Dawn started the podcast as a way to get quality information about CBD out there. She said:

“I saw a need for a place where people could get good information that wasn’t tied to a specific brand or product. “I wanted to create something where education and information was the primary purpose and to pass along resources and best practices.”

ReLeaf is a UK-based CBD podcast featuring interviews with industry leaders from regulators to gin manufacturers to veterinarians. A budding podcast, it started in 2019 so it’s easy to catch up on the whole series. Host Hayden Williamson explains how the podcast came about.

“We started this to tell the stories of those that are involved with CBD; including workers, users, regulators and more. We were previously once a week but due to the current situation it has slowed to bi-weekly or monthly episodes. We are available on Apple podcasts, Spotify [and via] our website. This has allowed for a borderless reach and we have had listeners from America, China, Australia, Russia, Iceland and Malaysia which is pretty cool.”

LONDON CANNA GROUP TALKS

LONDONCANNAGROUP.CO.UK

LCG Talks is a new series by the London Canna Group which is a leading cannabis consultancy firm based in London. The group organises the annual Europe Canna Expo. Our own editor, Róisín Delaney is featured on episode 2 discussing what it takes to be featured in The Cannavist. The hosts say, “We started #LCGtalks podcast to offer a unique experience and provide valuable, in-depth

information. Beyond short-form content like social media or blog posts, the podcast longer format allows us to cultivate a deeper relationship with our audience and our grow reach to new listeners at the same time.”

CANNA MACHINE. CANNAMACHINE.CO.UK

Canna Machine is an independent podcast focused on providing information about the UK cannabis scene. They share news, events and opinions from people within the industry. Recent podcasts have featured Lorenza Romanese from the European Industrial Hemp Association and civil rights activists such as Clark French from United Patients Alliance. They discuss campaigning, the right to grow and address cannabis prescriptions on the NHS.

RELEAF CBD PODCAST. CBDRELEAF.UK

BBC RADIO 4; THE BEST THING ABOUT SLICED BREAD? CBD PRODUCTS; APRIL 15, 2020

BBC.CO.UK/SOUNDS/PLAY/P0890619

Greg Foot and guests look at the science behind the bold claims made by brands. While the podcast isn’t a dedicated to CBD, this is a great one-off special edition listen. Greg talks to beauty columnist Sali Hughes and Dr Saoirse O’Sullivan, an expert in CBD research, to examine sportswear, bath bombs and much more.

THE ESTEE LALONDE SHOW; THE POWER OF CBD WITH THE CHILLERY. S1.1 EP.31 ESTEELALONDE.COM/PODCAST

An American podcast that focuses on creating a space where women feel comfortable to discuss a range of topics. In the first series, the show focuses on CBD education with special guests. Host Estee said: “My ambition is to create a space where women can talk about anything that’s on their mind and feel at ease.”

THE CBD SOURCE. CBDSOURCEPODCAST.COM

This podcast offers a range of interviews with host, Col Cheney. It takes an unusual approach by asking guests to call in or record their CBD stories. “We love hearing first-hand experiences, so if you have an ailment, physical condition, injury, or loved one that has found the benefits of CBD, and you want to talk to an international audience and help others then we want to talk to you.”

Our US cover star and Pure Kana founder Cody Alt features in an episode talking about his business and what got him started in the industry.

THE CANNABIS CONVERSATION CANNABIS-CONVERSATION.COM

Cannabis Conversations explores the emerging cannabis industry from a European perspective hosted by Anuj Desai. The podcast examines legalisation, medical issues and access across a range of European countries. Perfect for anyone wanting to look beyond the UK and US industries.

CBD after COVID-19: positive signs?

While the global coronavirus epidemic and consequent lockdowns have caused uncertainty in the cannabis sector, investments in CBD are likely to go ahead in the coming months, some experts in the industry say.

“There is still activity in the investment space,” said Tom McDonald, a senior consultant at cannabis consulting firm Hanway Associates. “I suspect it’s going to dip for a couple of months while people are seeing what’s going to happen, but as soon as we start coming out of this I think there will probably be a bit of a flurry of investment activity.”

Hannah Skingle, chief operating officer at DragonflyCBD, said she had had increased interest from investors in the last few weeks.

“I thought it would be really hard to look for investment at the moment, but actually I have had a number of different intros and positive calls,” she said. “People are still interested.”

While focus has been on the growth of medical cannabis in Europe, CBD has become one of the fastest ways to get a return on investment.

About CBD-Intel

Over the last few years, investors have expected Europe to follow the US and Canada in legalising recreational cannabis, but that has not happened.

“We are taking a conservative, more European approach to it,” McDonald said. “I think longer term medical cannabis is still going to be huge in Europe and will eclipse CBD but now the returns aren’t quite there. There’s just not so many profitable companies in place at the moment because it’s a longer term play.”

Many companies involved with CBD also have their eye on medical and recreational cannabis, he added. Skingle revealed that DragonflyCBD’s online sales have risen since the coronavirus lockdown began. And data from research firm Prohibition Partners supports that statement.

About 60% of more than 2500 survey respondents across the US, Canada and UK said they were unlikely to change their consumption behaviours, while over 25% expected to increase consumption.

Rafael Ortiz, a partner at Madrid-based venture capital firm Becanna, expects more people to turn to CBD and other wellness products even after the lockdowns end. “People are going to take better care of themselves,” he said.

CBD-Intel provides impartial, independent and premium market and regulatory analysis, legal tracking, and quantitative data for the cannabidiol (CBD) sector.

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.

We also offer customised research and consultancy support, and we publish ECigIntelligence and TobaccoIntelligence for the vapour and tobacco-alternatives sectors.

THE BUCK STOPS HERE

Controversial yet creative, we speak to adult entertainer turned canna-business owner, Buck Angel about life in the industry. Words by Caroline Barry

No stranger to controversy, Buck Angel has been pushing boundaries within the LGBT+ community, sex industry and now, the CBD world.

Born female, Angel transitioned to male (FTM) in the 1980s while in his twenties, before going on to become a ground-breaking adult entertainer. He is now a motivational speaker, CBD business owner, sex toy developer and activist.

Angel moved into the CBD realm with his business partner, Leon Mostovoy, to create a line of LGBT+ focused products after they realised a large part of the community used cannabis medicinally. Mostovoy and Angel, who have both transitioned, lead the only trans-owned cannabis business in the US.

The company manufactures balms, vapes, pre-rolls and ‘cannabis meets pride’ themed t-shirts.

“Many people in my community use cannabis already,” Angel says.

“There is also a lot of anxiety and depression for which cannabis is a great natural medicine. We wanted to educate our community on plant medicine as an alternative. We also knew that by building a company with a mission to the LGBTQ community we could create a future for all of us.”

Angel started using CBD products to treat his dog before realising it could also help him with insomnia.

“My dog was having seizures so my friend Leon who is now my business

partner told me about CBD for seizures. I tried it and it worked like magic. As I am sober from drugs and alcohol, I also started using cannabis for my insomnia. I have been using cannabis for over five years now. It has changed my life.”

Angel became the first FTM keyhole chest top surgery in Los Angeles. “I am male. I identify as a man. What that means is that I transitioned from female to male which is basically a sex change. I never felt correct in my female body. My brain said I was male but people saw a female so I took testosterone and had surgery to remove my breasts and now I look

“People in my community use cannabis already. There is a lot of anxiety and depression for which cannabis is a great natural medicine.”

or enhancement drink.

“Sex sells and it’s my passion. So of

course, what better than an erection drink with CBD? This is my secret weapon and biggest seller. I can’t keep it in stock.”

True to form, at the time of writing, the drink was sold out online. He adds that, “CBD is magic and so of course I am always thinking of how I can help my community. I am big on sexual wellness. I created a lube for trans men as well as a balm for pain or sleep.” But with the legalisation and sanitisation of the cannabis industry, LGBT+ minority owned businesses face threats from corporations. What can the legal cannabis industry do to make sure minorities are represented?

“Hire, hire and hire,” he says.

“Really supporting LGBT+ focused businesses by putting their products in your shop or donating to organisations like we do. Every year we give back a portion of our proceeds to the LA LGBT Centre senior services department.”

Where to go next in a post pandemic world? Buck plans to carry on creating. “I just love making products that make people happy! It’s such a gift to be able to do this work and I have so much gratitude. What is next is a big secret but it’s going to be a big deal.”

DEATH DROPS, DABS AND DRAG RACE

As Pride celebrations move into a digital space, we speak to Ru Paul’s Drag Race star Laganja Estranja about CBD and medical cannabis.

Words by Caroline Barry

When you consider that dance moves for Drag Race star Laganja Estranja include jumping into the splits from the roof of her car, it’s no wonder she suffers from aches and pains.

Laganja, like a lot of performers, has had to find new ways to be creative with drag appearances as COVID-19 forced the LGBT+ community, and Pride 2020 online.

Laganja is the stage name of Jay Jackson who shot to fame on Ru Paul’s Drag Race season six. Memorable for her tongue pops, death drops (a jump into the splits move which has since become drag queen standard) and her cannabis activism. She first turned to CBD and medical cannabis after she hurt her back.

“I created my drag character, Laganja Estranja back in 2013” she says. “I grew up in Texas where cannabis was seen in a very negative light. When I moved to California, I discovered that it was actually medicine after I injured my back during a dance piece. It helped me to get over my injury but I also used it for depression, to regulate my sleeping and eating cycles. It was an overall mood stabiliser.”

She also used CBD at the same time.

“My CBD usage was happening at the same time but I didn’t have the knowledge of the plant to understand how it was working. It wasn’t until later when they began separating it from

the THC that I started to use topicals for my knees or taking tinctures for upset stomachs.”

Although Drag Race provided Laganja with a global stage, she has ruled out a return to the show for ‘All Stars.’ She has spoken about her performance on the show being impacted by her lack of access to her medical cannabis.

“During Drag Race, the company did not allow me to medicate even though I had submitted my license under proposition 215. It was so disappointing that here I was working for an LGBT+ company and they were denying me access to my medicine. Unfortunately, I wasn’t allowed to bring it on.”

She adds that this has since changed in recent years. “As far as I know, they do allow cannabis usage on the show now.”

She found the lack of access and stress of the show affected her greatly. “It affected my mood stability the most and I was definitely on a heightened level of awareness. I was very agitated; I couldn’t sleep and I wasn’t eating. I was also addicted to energy drinks so I was drinking a lot of that in place of actually taking my medicine which actually amped up my nerves even more. It was really difficult, but I stand by my

performance on Drag Race.”

Laganja has also been outspoken about what she feels is homophobia and sexism within the industry after a performance at a cannabis event was received negatively. Minority owned businesses are fewer and the LGBT+ community faces being pushed out of the very industry they helped to create. She feels it has taken time, but that people are being more vocal.

“This is the first year I really feel like I’m making waves in the community.

“People are hearing me, they are telling me the story of homophobia as unfortunately the industry is run by straight white men who don’t smoke themselves or have any relation to the plant but they are business men. I feel the culture of cannabis has shifted. I see a lot of sexism, women not being regarded positively even though there are tons of female owned businesses.”

She adds, “Coming out of the cannabis closet was one thing but coming out the sexuality closet is another. We need more leaders who are at the forefront, like myself.”

“I think the industry could be more inclusive by first and foremost creating safe spaces. Obviously, this is difficult with legislation. We have our first cannabis cafe in California and it is my hope that when more of those start to pop up that there are special ones that are just for our community. Not just as a nightclub

“Coming out of the cannabis closet was one thing but coming out the sexuality closet is another. We need more leaders who are at the forefront.”

but as a community centre during the day so it can become more than just people medicating. It can also become a safe space for people to belong.”

What’s next for Laganja in this new digital drag world? “Coronavirus has censored a lot of my plans but that being said I am forging ahead. I’m doing a lot of live digital drag shows doing one last night where I drove in on the top of my car and jumped into the splits from the roof of it. I’m keeping a positive attitude about all of it. I was to release my album, Highconic on National Dab Day (July 10). I don’t know if the whole album will be released due to the coronavirus but I definitely know that I will be dropping a new single that day.”

The 1 in 50,000

Dawn Peacock of CBD Talks Podcast on what it’s like living with her rare condition, Nail Patella Syndrome.

Words by Caroline Barry

Life dealing with rare conditions or diseases can be incredibly isolating and lonely. There is comfort in

“We are responsible for our own health and we need to listen to our bodies . I never realised I was living in a state of constant pain as I didn’t know that there was a better feeling.”

it. I was one of the few that have known my entire life that I have NPS. In fact, that’s one of the things that came up on the NPS Facebook groups that people were saying they didn’t find out until they were in their 60s. They

come with side effects that may damage the kidneys.

CBD offered her a way to treat her symptoms without worry. “This is what got me into CBD in the first place. I was trying to find something I felt comfortable giving to my children.

“I was hyper aware of the kidney implications and a lot of antiinflammatory medications are not great for kidneys. My younger one’s kidneys did start to fail at one point.”

She found it difficult to find doctors to treat NPS symptoms like the missing or smaller kneecaps. “My son needed surgery on his knee as we typically have no kneecaps or they are the size of a silver dollar.

“A lot of the time, it is completely off to the side. We finally got his kneecap operated on but no one in Colorado would touch it, I contacted the children’s hospital and they just wouldn’t.”

Dawn’s doctor is supportive of her CBD use and also there is easy access in Colorado where she is based.

“My doctor knows that it’s part of my regime and understands why. I’ve had other doctors in the past who were not. Her thing is, if it

works, do it but do it in a way where you are monitoring and keeping track of things so you know if it is working or not.”

“I’m in Colorado and we have been cannabis-friendly for quite a while. I’m more of a CBD person then a THC person although I have nothing against THC.

“If my pain gets out of control then I have a particular chocolate bar that I can have which breaks into 5mg pieces.”

Dawn has been active on the CBD and cannabis scene before and now during the canna-boom and sees the future of the plant in normalising daily use.

“I see that it’s going to be a normal part of everyday life. If you go back decades, cannabis was a part of everyday life and hemp was in our food. That’s the thing that makes me wonder, how many ailments could we have avoided if that had remained in our food chain? It is natural and anti-inflammatory with so many good benefits.”

When you are in 1 in 50,000 you don’t meet people with NPS. I had never met anyone outside of my family as it’s just that rare.

“

REASONS

TO BE A PART OF THE CANNAVIST

Fa c eb o o k , Ins t a g r a m a n d G o o gle do n o t pe r mi t s pon s o red p os t s o r o nli n e a d s f or a n y c a nnabis de r i ved p ro du c t , i n c luding h e m p b a s ed CB D In o rder to rea c h t h e B r iti s h c o nsume r , The C ann a v i s t is your g o to o pti o n in the UK w ith both t r ade and c o nsumer di s t r ibu t ion ne t wo r ks

In January 2020, The CANNAVIST made history becoming the first ever cannabis magazine available on the high street. Wi t h i n c reasi n g dema n d f o r ad ve r t isi n g s p a c e a n d eme rgi n g retail oppo r tunitie s , The CANNAVIST continues to grow.

2. W hen it come s to adver tisin g your CBD brand , t here aren't a s many options available a s you mi ght t hink

Supplement

SUMMER

Summer is well and truly upon us, even if it does feel like it was March, like, yesterday. While we’ve been #StayingAlert in lockdown, which has basically been a period of hibernation, some really great CBD products piqued our interest. Here, we’ve curated a selection of our summer favourites. More Oooh, less gloom. Go on, treat yourself!

Muscle Balm by CBDFX cbdfx.co.uk Cannabinoid content: 150mg broad spectrum per 60ml When

Cherry Drops by Tailored CBD tailoredwellbeing.com

content:

Powerbank Gummies withpollen.com Cannabinoid content: 10mg CBD per gummy Try me I’m vegan! (and for focus!) £35.00

Cold Brew Coffee Planet Organic Cannabinoid content: 15mg per 200ml

A TASTE OF Summer

We asked product reviewer Benedict Jones to find us the ultimate summer CBD product. Here’s what he came up with.

IGNITE CBD e-liquid

Watermelon, Cherry & Grape

Cannabinoid content: 500mg per 10ml , options available.

fourfivecbd.com

Re:new

Hand Cream by CUBID CBD CultBeauty.com

Cannabinoid content: 250mg broad spectrum hemp extract per 50ml £30.00

When it comes to CBD e-liquids, I find that simple flavour profiles often work best. A great CBD e-liquid should produce clean flavour, minimise throat hit and allow for practical coil longevity in your device.

IGNITE is one of the world’s leading CBD brands, so it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that their e-liquid offerings tick all of those boxes.

Watermelon, Cherry & Grape is a simple combination of mild candy watermelon and dark concord grape, with a subtle candy cherry accent on the finish.

The CBD aspect and throat hit are detectable in the sample I have for review, which should be appealing to new CBD vapers.

Those who require a different dose should know there are varying concentrations available. The amount of CBD content in will impact the flavour and price for these advanced products.

Stories From Around The World

86% OF AMERICANS ARE FAMILIAR WITH CBD

Words by Róisín Delaney

Anew study has shown that 1 in 5 Americans have used CBD, while 86% of the US adult population at least knows of the cannabinoid.

Among American adults, those aged 35-54 are most likely to spend more than $100 on a CBD product.

And 29% are likely to purchase CBD in the second half of 2020, with some tying links to an uptake in the cannabinoid to the worry brought on by COVID-19.

The key findings come from a bilateral study led by two global data powerhouses and is the largest US CBD consumer survey to date.

The US CBD Consumer Report, conducted in partnership by New Frontier Data and smart payment systems firm Square also shows that 60% of American CBD consumers report using CBD for some form of unwinding. This could be for relaxation, relieving stress or anxiety reduction.

New Frontier Data is an independent, technology-driven analytics company specialising in the global cannabis industry. Square founded the Square Reader, the smart tech payment system. The company now accepts CBD businesses and has offices in the UK and Ireland.

New Frontier Data CEO Giadha Aguirre de Carcer says consumer trends in the US cements America as the largest global CBD market of 2020.

“Our research shows that 1 in 5 Americans have used CBD, which demonstrates a major jump in consumer interest in the sector.

“While this phenomena is taking root across many other regions such as Europe and

Latin America, the United States continues to represent the largest CBD market; understanding its CBD consumers is therefore a priority for enterprises within both the legal cannabis industry and a multitude of mature sectors such as Food & Beverage or Health & Beauty.”

WHERE DOES THE WORLD STAND ON LEGALISATION?

Prior to the pandemic gripping the global population, several governments were exploring plans to legalise and decriminalise cannabis. We examine the future for modern cannabis regulation in these hotspots and how progress has been interrupted by COVID-19

New York

Governor Andrew Cuomo is arguably the sole US politician to come out of the pandemic with a surge in popularity points. His response to COVID-19 and the hold it took on the state of New York gripped relatives and friends with loved ones in the Big Apple the world over, with some calling for the former lawyer to run for president.

Prior to the pandemic setting in, Cuomo vowed to legalise cannabis in New York for adults. In his annual State of the State address in January, Cuomo said, “Let’s legalise adult use of marijuana.” The pro-cannabis push followed a collapsed 2019 effort which fell apart amid concerns over who should be allowed to sell the substance, and where the revenue should go. How far this pledge will be delayed at this stage is not yet known, but it was previously estimated that legalisation could rake in $300 million a year in tax revenue.

MexicoIn 2019, the Mexican government scheduled a vote to approve the legalisation of cannabis, a law which would also allow for a cannabis agricultural economy in the country. The original timeframe should have seen the vote take place in October last year, however after senators failed to reach a consensus, an extension was granted to April 30 this year.

As COVID-19 set in, the Supreme Court accepted a request from a group of senators to postpone the deadline to December. The bill is expected to pass when the next senate session period commences from September.

New Zealand

New Zealanders will take to polling stations in September in a non-binding referendum on the same day as the national election. The vote is designed to gauge public support for the legalisation of cannabis. Should 50% or more of the voting population identify as pro-cannabis, parliament will consider a bill which would legalise cannabis and regulate how it is used and sold.

On the list of proposed changes are ‘health based’ responses to possession, such as a fine or education, which would replace convictions. Cannabis use would be socially restricted to private residences or specialised licensed premises and citizens would be allowed to grow up to two plants per person at home. How likely is the vote to sway in favour of this bill? Prior to the pandemic, only 39% of voters were pro-cannabis, according to a One News Colmar Brunton poll.

Australia (in parts)

As of January 31 this year, it is now legal to grow and smoke cannabis for personal use in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). In this region you’ll find the Australian capital of Canberra, where parliament sits.

Adults can cultivate two plants per person, with a limit of four per household and it’s legal to possess up to 50g of cannabis on your person.

The laws in this region differ to other jurisdictions like in Canada and in some US states – in the ACT, the sale or supply of cannabis remains a criminal offence.

Luxembourg

Last year, health officials in Luxembourg set a course to make this tiny nation the first European country to legalise cannabis. The roadmap to legalisation should see the new regulations in force from 2022.

It may not have made the evening news at the end of January, as the developing story in Wuhan, China dominated prime time bulletins on the cusp of what would turn into a global problem. Where

Poll: What about the UK?

11 US states: Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, Massachusetts, Vermont and Maine. It’s also legal in Washington DC.

Canada (since 2018)

Uruguay (since 2013)

On April 20, marking this year’s 4/20, we asked followers of @cannavistmag if they would favour the legalisation of recreational cannabis in the UK.

For 89%

Against 11%

has cannabis been legalised and decriminalised?

Photos by @visualsbyb3ta @DestinyEarl

Passionate about plants, Kara Bragg also is adept at cultivating people.

Under Kara’s watchful eye and tender care, Sovereign Fields grew fourfold in less than a year. The hempseed and biomass company based in Southern Oregon develops world-class genetics for low-THC, highCBD boutique hemp strains. Kara also has consulted on recreational cannabis cultivation for Humboldt Seed Organization, represented at 12,000 retail outlets in 60 countries.

“We don’t want to be boastful,” said Kara, who serves as Sovereign Fields’ director of production. “We just want to be for everyone. We’re trying to inspire change.”

Anticipating changes in the United States’ legalities for farming hemp, Kara with Sovereign Fields co-founders Eric Foster and Ryan Davidson quickly constructed a business plan in 2018 and launched operations in 2019.

Kara, 39, already had been nurturing her own brand, Cannag1rl, an anonymous online growing journal showcasing Humboldt Seed Organization’s new genetics. Years of growing cannabis and perfecting plant lineage poised the three entities on the crest of North America’s “green wave.”

Kara had sown these seeds all her life. As a kid in Southern California, she learned to garden alongside her parents, who organized horticulture projects on family holidays. Awestruck at the transformation after transplanting a living organism to a new environment, Kara drew parallels between human and plant development, imagining that — like humans — plants experience emotions.

She learned in high school from a friend’s dad how to clone a plant — and what made it a “clone.” To find out what would take root and grow, Kara started cloning any plant that passed into her hands. Her friends soon dubbed her the “crazy plant lady,” a persona that defined the course of Kara’s life. An advocate for medical cannabis, Kara never thought to grow her own until a friend gave her 12 seedlings with a feeding recipe and schedule. Initially unaware that she had embarked on an eight-month project, equipped with little except a green thumb for houseplants, Kara surprised herself with the plants’ success and was hooked.

After 10 years in the cannabis industry, managing and consulting for large-scale growing operations, Kara seeks every opportunity to learn more and, in turn, share insight with fellow growers and breeders, many of whom she considers mentors and friends.

legalisation

The United Kingdom may have a long road ahead toward cannabis legalization, but Kara loves to spread the word that providing food — and medicine — for oneself is not only empowering, but not as hard as one would think.

Above all: “Don’t forget to drink water and get sun,” she said. “You’re basically a houseplant with complicated emotions!”

For growing tips and tricks, follow Kara’s Instagram journal @cannag1rl

Anyone who feels stuck or needs some growing advice should feel encouraged to contact Kara or ASK@CANNAVISTMAG.COM organised

SUJEITO A RECEITA MÉDICA

CBD in Portugal is as above: ‘subject to medical prescription’. The holiday haven, a favourite of many British and Irish travellers, has some of the most progressive drug laws in Europe, just not when it comes to CBD. In attempting to find out why, numerous interviews were dead ends and our journalist was suspected of working for a police magazine. Words by Caroline Barry

Portugal’s liberal drug laws are held as an example of how to manage wide-scale drug use and dependency, but are they as liberal as the government there would like us to think?

Portugal decriminalised drug possession in 2001 following years of increasing heroin addiction, rising HIV infections and overdoses. The country legalised personal use which is defined as anything below the amount of 10 doses. It also introduced methadone, supervised injection sites, increased treatments and narcotic testing labs. The effects were impressive. In 10 years, Portugal has reduced its addiction rate from 100,000 in 1995 to 50,000 in 2019, with 30,000 of those in treatment.

Those caught in possession may have to face The Commission for the Dissuasion of Drug Use. The commission is a panel that will assess if the user has a problem with substance abuse that requires treatment, drug rehabilitation or just a fine.

So far, so liberal, but this raises the question: Why are the laws not so clear when it comes to CBD?

CBD was originally widely available in Portugese health food shops before 2018. The EU novel food ruling declared that extracts of cannabis sativa and derived products containing CBD were novel foods as there was no history of significant consumption before 1997. Portugese policy makers then made CBD prescription only. This has caused widespread confusion and also difficulty in accessing good quality products.

This confusion and also stigma became apparent when we were interviewing for this piece. Sources didn’t want to be named, interviews fell through and also, we were

humorously asked if we were the Polícia Judiciária; ‘É para a revista da Polícia Judiciária! (‘It’s for the police magazine!’ one potential interviewee exclaimed). Most of all, there was confusion about the difference between CBD oil and recreational cannabis.

We managed to speak with a contact in Lisbon who asked not to be named. So for the purposes of this article, we have given her a false name for her protection.

María* started taking CBD as a way to deal with period pain, anxiety and sleep issues. She tells us that education is the key but she worries about bad quality CBD.

“We need to teach our children and physicians about what this is so they learn how it can be used as a medicine. If there was better access, there could be more informational campaigns to explain how it could be beneficial.

“I worry about the quality of CBD here. A lot of people who are looking for CBD are searching for alternative medicines.” Maria stopped taking CBD as she was concerned about the quality of the product she had access to. “I am not taking any CBD because all the supplements I tried weren’t very effective. I tried it for period cramps and for anxiety but also to help me sleep. It worked for the anxiety and sleep disorders but I’m not sure if this was psychosomatic.”

She then started to do her own research. “When I started reading up on it, I started to realise what I had wasn’t being extracted correctly. It wasn’t quite an oil, although it felt oily, it was more liquid.”

Minette Coetzee, founder of CBD company, Symtomax outlines the process of achieving this certification. The company manufactures oral CBD tablets and Minette hopes that Symtomax will become the largest distributor in Europe with their site in Porto.

CBD is available on prescription. The National Authority for Medicines and Health Products, Infarmed, governs the regulation and growth of cannabis and CBD in the Iberian country. No farms are allowed to operate without their strict guidelines and inspections.

“Portugal has a prominent agricultural background, with approximately 22 million farmers and agricultural workers. The Californian-type climate is ideal for the cultivation of outdoor cannabis and a potential market with a population of over 740 million makes for both an attractive location coupled with borderless trade within the EU, a fantastic business opportunity.”

She adds that she sees not just CBD but CBG thriving in the coming months.

“CBD is just starting to take hold in Europe, with product availability

increasing and the variety of the products expanding to include everything from cakes to makeup. We believe this is a great opportunity, not only for Europe but for Portugal as well, with far less competition than the USA or Canada. We predict that other cannabinoids such as CBG, CBN or THCV will also feature prominently in consumer products and goods in the next few years and are poised for eventual use in the European cannabis market.”

“I worry about the quality of CBD. A lot of people who are looking for CBD are searching for alternative medicines.”

COME FLY WITH ME

After lockdown forced many of us to miss scheduled trips to the sun, we’re looking forward to hitting the skies again. So is CBD safe in our hand luggage?

Words by Caroline Barry

We examine what the law says, what it doesn’t say and give you our top tips for safe travel so you don’t end up paying a lot more than overweight luggage fines.

Flights within the UK & Ireland with CBD

CBD is legal as long as the manufacturer has stood by the one milligram of THC rule. If you are concerned, it’s worth contacting the airline ahead of your journey to check if they allow it in hand luggage. Otherwise, packing it in your check-in case might be a better idea to avoid it being confiscated. Also, make sure that your tincture is travel sized (under 100ml) as otherwise you risk it being removed for being over the liquid limit.

European flights with CBD

This is where it gets a bit trickier. CBD may be legal in

London Luton but what happens when you land in the EU? CBD needs a medical prescription in some countries such as Portugal or Germany. Austria, Denmark, Finland and Slovakia may require medical proof such as a doctor’s note too. It’s worth brushing up on what is in your CBD and what the law of your destination country says as you may find yourself having to explain your edibles to confused ground staff.

Stay in luck on lay over

Be careful that your lay over doesn’t leave you in the lurch. If you have a stopover in another country, even for an hour or two then you are under their laws for that time period. It’s worth checking out what the local laws are regarding CBD. Countries like the UK or Ireland are not a problem but other countries such as Thailand, Malaysia or Japan could mean it’s not just your luggage getting checked.

We’re turning our attention to our next great escape even though it may be a while off. Our latest escapade led us to the local shop. Baby steps. Although CBD is completely legal in the UK and Ireland, not all countries and border forces feel the same.

Keep a lid on it for US fl ights

If you are heading to the US this year it’s worth noting that the Transport Security Administration (TSA) may confiscate any open bottle of CBD just in case the CBD:THC ratio has been tampered with. The THC rule in the US is largely 0.3%. If your bottle is open, it may be confiscated. Think of it as an excuse to treat yourself to a new tincture on the other side?

The TSA says: “… certain cannabis infused products, including some cannabidiol (CBD) oil, remain illegal under federal law except for products that contain no more than 0.3% THC on a dry weight basis or that are approved by FDA. TSA officers are required to report any suspected violations of law to local, state or federal authorities.”

TSA officials posted this light-hearted explanation on their social media to explain the measures they may take concerning CBD or medical cannabis: “Let us be blunt: TSA officers DO NOT search for marijuana or other illegal drugs. But in the event a substance appears to be marijuana or a cannabis infused product, we are required by federal law to notify law enforcement. This includes items that are used for medicinal purposes.”

Epidiolex and the TSA

The TSA changed their stance on Epidiolex in May last year after they became aware of parents travelling with children that suffered from seizures. Officials told The CANNAVIST: “TSA was made aware of an FDA-approved drug that contains CBD oil for children who experience seizures from paediatric epilepsy. To avoid confusion as to whether families can travel with this drug, we immediately updated our site once we became aware of the issue.”

The site currently states, “products or medications that contain hemp-derived CBD or are approved by the FDA are legal as long as it is produced within the regulations defined by the law under the Agriculture Improvement Act 2018."

CBD Sweets

If you are not sure about travelling with tinctures or have too many cosmetics in your case then why not consider travelling with CBD gummies to save space? Not only do they taste great but it can help calm anxious flyers or help with ear pain when landing.

Brexit means…?

Current UK laws regarding CBD and liquids in hand luggage will still stand at least until the UK has officially completed the transition period. However, the EU policies in place are unlikely to change any time soon.

Vape ban

Some countries are not a fan of vaping even without CBD liquids. This includes some popular holiday spots such as India, Thailand, Vietnam and Mexico among others. While some countries can issue fines, Thailand considers prison sentences for vapers caught with devices as they have some of the strictest anti-vaping laws.

Don’t take the Mickey

Don’t forget to check your resort plans. A grandmother was arrested in Orlando at the Walt Disney World checkpoint last year after a bottle of CBD was discovered in her purse. Hester Jordan Burkhalter was taken into custody after she refused to disclose the THC content in the bottle despite a note from her doctor to say it had been medically prescribed for her arthritis. She was charged with a felony, ‘possession of hashish’ and given a $2,000 bail. The charges were later dropped.

SHADES OF GREEN 40

Is hemp the future of Irish farming? Hemp may not be traditional Irish farm produce but the team at Greenheart

CBD is changing the way farmers think about the plant.

Words by Caroline Barry

Rural County Meath may not the first place that people think of for hemp farming but it has proven to be the perfect setting for Greenheart CBD.

Co-founders Mark Canavan and Paul Walsh were inspired to set up the farm after seeing a gap in the market.

Paul says: “I travelled around Ireland talking to farmers about a sustainable fuel system and I met farmers who were growing hemp. They weren’t making any money from it which I found shocking. I went to Mark who was a successful entrepreneur and said there was a huge opportunity for a CBD company, so it went from there.” Ireland’s wet climate is far from the hot temperatures of California or Portugal, but this has worked to the Irish farmer’s advantage, despite restrictions on the strains they are allowed to grow.

Paul explains. “We get one cycle per year and it starts around April and

then we harvest around August. For one cycle in the summer, we have the perfect climate for hemp and it grows phenomenally.”

Mark outlines the process of starting a hemp farm in Ireland. Where do you even begin? “It all goes through the Department

of Agriculture. It’s not difficult providing you have all the pieces of the puzzle in place. You can’t just go planting as you need to show there is interest from someone buying the hemp you produce. Everything is done very strictly, and you can have inspections. They will come out and take samples from

the field to be assessed in order to make sure it’s the strain you said it was. Once you have your certified seed, the land you are growing on and the end user agreements in place then you are given a license to grow. You need to tell them the time you planted and when the first harvest is due. There is no schedule or time for inspections.”

A sight of a hemp farm in the middle of Meath must surely attract the attention of the Garda Síochána, or at the very least, curious locals?

Mark says there have been police sightings, with officers spotted walking the land. “We spotted the Gardaí from a distance in the fields. We think they were curious about the crop being in Ireland as it’s a beautiful sight and a lovely smell.” However, they didn’t speak to the team about the plants. Paul says, “They know no difference between the cannabis [marijuana] and hemp plant. Acres of hemp plants in Ireland is a sight to see so they let themselves in and were having a bit of a wander while smelling it. I think they wanted to educate themselves on it but were too embarrassed to come to the farm.”

The pair utilise artificial drones to monitor plant health and gender, an impressive achievement in farming technology. The drones were originally designed for use in Vancouver but due to hailstones, the beta test and license was passed to Ireland instead.

Some drones can even remove the male plants helping to feminise the

crops, improving their productivity. Paul explains: “Using the data we got from the drone last year, we did a multi-spectrum colour scan on the crop to determine the gender. Stage two was to create a bigger drone that could physically drop a claw down and pick the males out.”

Mark adds: “They are allowing higher value crops to be grown so rather than allowing a 5% CBD to be grown, you might be able to go for 10% CBD plant. There is a huge difference in value when it comes to farming.”

Irish farmers are seeking better cattle prices and more government support which has resulted in widespread boycotts and protest in recent times. Could a move to hemp farming be a crowd pleaser?

Mark says that since the farm appeared on RTE’s ‘Ear to the Ground’, interest has increased.

“After the programme, our phone didn’t stop ringing as there were lots of farmers looking to get into the hemp space. The other sectors, like cattle have been hit so hard that they are looking for an alternative. Farmers have been trying to move into different industries, like sugar beet to make money. As certain parts of farming are being squashed, they are protesting on the M50, holding up traffic because it’s so bad. The government needs to get behind them to start issuing grants for them to grow hemp especially as it is a carbon neutral product.”

There were lots of farmers looking to get into the hemp space. The other sectors, like cattle have been hit so hard that they are looking for an alternative.

Paul and Mark attend the Europe Canna Expo Dublin Conference earlier this year.

HOW CALIFORNIA SHAPED THE US LANDSCAPE FOR MEDICAL CANNABIS ... AND WHY THE UK MUST FOLLOW SUIT

Words by contributor Jonathan Stefanni-Machado

When his mother was involved in a car accident that left her paralysed from the waist down, Moe was unaware of the extent to which his life would change. The acceptance of his new role as her full time caretaker was life-changing in itself, but seeing just how much his mother’s personality would be transformed as a result of the range of drugs she was given post-accident was something that he could not prepare for.

“Initially, the painkillers prescribed seriously affected my mother’s quality of life, by giving her a sedating effect that caused her to become numb to her feelings.

“But coming to terms with the fact she could no longer walk took a massive hit on her mental state. She fell into a state of depression for which she was prescribed more medications, and that just made things worse.”

Cannabis offered Moe hope. It provided a natural way to both help his mother manage her chronic pain, and alleviate the depressive state she would slump into so often. There was only one issue. Moe had no choice but to get his supply from a local dealer, something he says he quickly stopped.

“Were anything to happen to me, there wouldn’t be anyone to look after her – and I couldn’t live with that guilt.”

He is left to navigate the dichotomy of wanting to do all he can to improve the quality of his mother’s life, whilst accepting he cannot go beyond the law. The potential of a better life for the greater good of the person he loves the most is still beyond his reach.

Stories like Moe’s are the everyday struggle for many in the UK, living in a healthcare system that they feel has forsaken them. Listening to his words evoked a certain sense of melancholy. It felt like a kind of struggle I had heard before. The “drugs cocktail” his mother was prescribed, the relentless desire to pursue an alternative approach to medicine, the desperation to help those dealing with chronic debilitating conditions.

It sounded like California in the 80s and 90s amidst the HIV/AIDS health crisis. A crisis which has claimed the lives of over 700,000 people in the US to date.

At its peak, thousands of people discovered cannabis, finding that it was one of the few remedies that could counteract the AIDS-

related wasting syndrome, causing individuals to lose appetite and rapidly shed bodyweight, which would in turn put them at increased risk for opportunistic infections. Many remained unconvinced about the effectiveness of retroviral drugs, and the national attitude to cannabis was one of antipathy.

But within this anti-cannabis environment, a LGBT political activist understood the medical importance of cannabis to his community.

Dennis Peron, a former Vietnam War veteran, was the first to argue for the benefits of medicinal cannabis for AIDS patients as the crisis overtook San Francisco.

In 1991, Peron founded the first public cannabis dispensary in the country – the San Francisco Cannabis Buyers Club (SFCBC) –during the height of the War on Drugs. It was a testament to the power of compassion, and at its height, the SFCBC had nearly 8,000 members.

Across the UK, the single biggest barrier to access is knowledge about cannabis within the medical community. Dr Anne Schlag, Head of Research at Drug Science, outlines that “the endocannabinoid system is a complex and relatively

new concept for prescribers and healthcare practitioners. The lack of education and practice for medical cannabis practitioners has limited the application of medical cannabis treatments.”

Despite the approval of two cannabis-based prescription medicines on the NHS, only 18 NHS prescriptions and 104 private prescriptions have been issued (as per the latest information available when this issue of The CANNAVIST went to press).

There is also a more immediate risk posed to HCPs in the UK. When medical cannabis was legalised in 1996, Californian physicians who

recommended the treatment were offered legal protection, as long as the patient met the relevant criteria of ‘approved conditions’ listed. In the UK, with the exception of Sativex, doctors are not insured to issue prescriptions for cannabis based medicinal products.

This means that if a patient were to have an adverse reaction, the doctor or practice they represent, could be liable. Not only has this been detrimental to the adoption of cannabis amongst patients, but it encourages the attitude and application of cannabis as a ‘last resort’ option, when it could in fact be the best treatment option.

Is a Medical ID card the answer?

Given the shortcomings of the current approach in the UK, one model that could be considered is a qualification system for patients. This has proven successful in California, even after adult recreational use was legalised in 2016. Patients must apply for a Medical Marijuana Identification Card (MMIC) through a county programme. Counties require a copy of a medical recommendation from a certified physician along with proof of identity, residency, and a one-time fee – typically around $100.

Upon successful application, a qualified patient receives their MMIC which they can then use to purchase medical cannabis at a licensed dispensary. The MMIC allows the individual to possess larger quantities of cannabis than recreational users which is often needed given the nature of their conditions and affords them legal protection under state law.

Were the UK to adopt a similar type of model, it could provide the muchneeded environment for doctors to safely recommend and develop their familiarity with cannabisbased medicines, whilst equally allowing patients to access cannabis treatments without engaging in any criminal activity via the illicit market. Moving forward, what the UK needs is strong political leadership, a clear educational strategy, and progressive minded health care practitioners willing to prescribe cannabis. Until these things happen, individuals like Moe will continue to struggle.

West London-based Jonathan Stefanni-Machado is the CEO and Founder of Treed CBD. Jonathan has spent the last five years managing businesses in the retail,leisure & wellness sectors, before co-founding his own company. A former University of Sussex graduate, Jonathan also studies at UCLA specialising in American History & Literature.

“Were anything to happen to me, there wouldn’t be anyone to look after her – and I couldn’t live with that guilt.”

“

“

Business Diaries COVID

COVID-19 has definitely had an impact, both professionally and personally. With the initial shelter in place announcements, we had to quickly close the majority of our 35+ retail locations, which affected over 150 associates throughout the company. Within our company, our staff and their well-being is our top priority, so this was an extremely stressful shift, for them and us.

One of the things we are most proud of is providing a positive and welcoming environment in our stores. From the look and feel of the store, to our trained staff, customers can walk in with questions and leave as experts. The stores that remained open shifted to curb-side pickup only, which made forming

the customer connection more difficult. Because the educational aspect was an essential part of our business, we created a consultation service that allowed customers to schedule 15 minute appointments with a trained staff member, so they could still get any answers to their questions. We also quickly implemented a chat feature on our website, open from 8am to 10pm, to ensure we were always available to provide any guidance or information needed.

These tactics also allowed us to utilise several employees who had previously been working in the stores.

From a personal perspective, did COVID-19 affect us? Of course! I

don’t think there is anyone right now that can say that haven’t also been affected personally as well as professionally. My husband and I are co-owners of CBD Kratom and we have a small child under the age of 2.

We went from going to work each day and working directly with our teams, to being at home and juggling the responsibilities of our business while parenting our son 24/7. In the end, we are learning balance, what works and what clearly doesn’t work and that there are only so many walks you can take in a day!

Dafna Revah, co-owner of CBD Kratom, on running a business with your spouse during the pandemic.

Established in 2019, our business began trading in January 2020 with the launch of the website, tailoredwellbeing.com and bringing on board a further two members of the team. COVID-19 arrived in the UK and the team members due to come on board in late March met via Microsoft Teams.

Teams has since become the primary method of communication for us, as multiple people can join a call. It works well as everybody can still see each other face-to-face, as well as screenshare to discuss documents as you would under normal circumstances from the office.

Onsite, social distancing methods have been introduced with the number of

individuals working from the factory at any one time limited to comply with government advice.

During the COVID-19 lockdown, website traffic increased significantly, particularly to the blog and FAQ pages as people search for more information on CBD, and engagement across social media channels has grown steadily as well. This could be due to an increased interest in some of the benefits CBD oil can offer, including aiding sleep and feelings of anxiety, something which many people may be suffering with during lockdown. As awareness in the UK is beginning to grow around the legality of CBD oil and the various benefits it can offer including alleviating pain or aiding sleep, individuals have now begun

reaching out via social media. People are asking questions, developing a detailed understanding of CBD through Tailored Wellbeing, and showing real interest in the industry. As experts in the field, this is exactly what we hoped would happen. The benefits of CBD oil are vast, and we believe that with our added terpene blends we have the best CBD oil in the UK. Our goal is to transform people’s lives for the better through helping people to understand how CBD works, what to expect, how to take it for the best results, and ultimately by providing a high-quality product that can be trusted.

As the lockdown continues, we hope individuals searching for answers continue to reach out.

Small-batch CBD manufacturers Tailored Wellbeing pen an unlikely account of launching a new business on the cusp of Coronavirus.

CUBID CBD gives thanks to local NHS workers

in Derby.

At CUBID CBD, we wanted to do something to give back, to say thanks and to hopefully brighten someone’s day at a time when going to work may mean risking your own health.

We wanted to say a huge thank you to our local NHS workers!

In light of the pressure COVID-19 has been putting on our healthcare professionals and to honour the formidable force with which our NHS has responded, we joined the nationwide hospital donation drive. As COVID-19 prepared to hit its peak across the UK, NHS workers had never faced such a task and self-care was an unlikely priority.

In recognising the amazing work that our doctors, nurses and other hospital staff have been doing and the sacrifices each member of the NHS makes on a daily basis, we wanted to say a big ‘Thank You’, and have been donating some of our CBD-infused skincare range to NHS Derby. While the advice to wash our hands more frequently and use alcohol based sanitisers appears to disrupt the spread of the virus, this persistent washing leaves hands and nails feeling dry and irritated.

So starting in April, for every online purchase made on cubidcbd.com, NHS Derby received one full-sized Re:new Hand Cream.

CUBID CBD, which prides itself on helping others to Choose a Better Day, is also offering all NHS and emergency service workers with a Blue Light Card 50% off the full range online.

Hi! I hope you are all well. What an awesome idea this is.

We wanted to share with you our story as we have been having an interesting time due to our nature as a hemp cooperative that is a not-for-profit and for the people, community and planet. We see this as an interesting opportunity for people to reconnect.

This has meant that we have had to quarantine as a group of 16 people on our community farm, which has been a very interesting, beautiful but somewhat challenging dynamic.

As a cooperative and communityfocused organisation, we have also

been doing lots of social solidarity work such as Reading Mutual Aid which is an initiative we have been organising to help the vulnerable in the local community throughout lockdown with essential tasks.

The highs of having to quarantine as a group? Weekly salsa classes (as well as Reading Mutual Aid) and being able to help and support local community. Seeing local communities pull together. Also, more of a focus on growing our own food and becoming more selfsufficient utilising our polytunnel to grow food instead of hemp … Zoom calls with Reading Refugee Support group, hosting online events such as CBD yoga live streams and an online

tea party for National Tea Day.

The lows of having to quarantine as a group? Differing perspectives on how strict to act with the quarantine rules and how this brought tension between the group, not being able to see friends and family, lack of trust in the UK government’s ability to look after our mental and physical wellbeing, not being able to go to our trade shows and events that we had planned.

We have also donated a large quantity of our hemp moisturising oils to the local Reading hospital for the NHS and their dry hands from all the hand washing!

Nathan from community-focused Hempen describes what it is like to quarantine in Oxfordshire as a group.

falling into the ‘essential business’ category amid a global pandemic, and says he has seen an increased demand for hemp and CBD in recent months.

Our core business is shipping and logistics of special needs cargo, so we fell into the ‘essential’ category of keeping the world going during lockdown, whether it was for food, medicine or fibre. We were very blessed to have been able to continue business as usual through this terrible global epidemic.

While the rest of the world had become mostly paralyzed, as a result of a large percentage of logistics was coming out of China, we were able to maintain

our supply chains to wherever we have customers, whether in Europe or North America. We chose not to go the route of temporary solutions such as hand sanitisers, masks, and ventilators, because we didn’t want to disrupt our supply chains as obviously, those items were held under heavy governmental scrutiny.

Our Founder Sarah Yetman travelled to 16 countries in the last six months of last year for client visits. Our main challenge has been since we concierge a

global hemp supply chain, we cannot be everywhere at once. One silver lining that resulted from this pandemic is that video conferencing technology has become the new norm for efficient global business.

As the earth has become cleaner, our demand for hemp has actually increased, because companies and governments are looking to solutions on the fibre side of industrial hemp. Then on CBD, the medical side of hemp, everyone is searching for

Joshua Ready, Director of Europe Operations at Sovereignport, LLC, writes about

alternatives to traditional medicines to be as healthy and robust as they can. Meanwhile, other options in the cannabinoid family, for example CBD medical grade smokable hemp, CBN and CBG, which has some research backing bacterial components, has become a major driver of increased consumption in Europe.

Borders are now starting to open up again and I’ll soon be able to visit our Berlin office without quarantine.

We are proud to have a footprint in Germany, as it is the largest and fastest growing hemp and medical marijuana [market] in Europe. We’re also working with an array of large private and public hemp companies in Scandinavia, the Middle East, Africa and India as well. Those ports and markets are very important to us.

We have fostered many relationships in the private sector of the fibre side of hemp to connect with government initiatives that creates new jobs and expands GDP opportunities. We are also deeply committed to help create strategic public-private alliances which is currently fomenting robust hemp infrastructure building in textile fibres, plastics, biofuel, building materials and so on.

And still, we also have large private sector clientele who are working with us to boost infrastructure development for the medical side of hemp and to make it more accessible and affordable for the consumer. Everyone is working simultaneously to achieve this goal. We have been blessed and fortunate to have been able to keep going during this global shutdown because our philosophy is: ‘Anyone can ship. We deliver!’

CBD Circuit

The following pages would usually be filled with the sights, sounds and tastes of the world which the team at The CANNAVIST loves to explore. But like everyone, we’ve been grounded. We can’t wait to get back on the circuit. Until then, we encourage you to take an interest in the many rescheduled events lined up for 2021.

patients

Hitting re-start

2020 had been billed as the big ticket for CBD and medical cannabis events at home and further afield. Then coronavirus struck and by the middle of March, most event organisers and ticketholders were left in limbo. As media partner to these major headlining expos, conferences and seminars, we are pleased to announce many have survived and promise to return. Be warned, your calendar is about to fill up fast. Here’s what we know so far.*

The Body - The Power of CBD - Cologne

Originally planned for: April 3-4, 2020. Now planned for: August 28-29, 2020

Cannabis Drinks Expo - US

CannabisDrinksExpo.com

Originally planned for: July 30, 2020 for San Francisco & August 3, 2020 for Chicago. Now: July 29, 2021 for San Francisco & August 3, 2021 for Chicago.

The CBD Show, London

RASBMedia.com

Originally planned for: May 1-2, 2020. Now: January 2021

Europe Canna Expo - London & Croatia

EuropeCannaExpo.com

Originally planned for: June 26-27, 2020 (London), October 15-16, 2020 (Zagreb)

Now: June 25-26, 2021 (London ) Zagreb dates are TBC. Keep an eye on social media for updates!

HempsFair - Frankfurt

HempsFair.com

Originally planned for: July 1-2, 2020. Now scheduled for : April 17-18, 2021

International Cannabis Business Conference (ICBC) Berlin, Germany and Vancouver

New dates are TBC! Check our website for the latest information.

Pharmaceutical Cannabis Compliance Congress - San Diego, US

KANX.org/Cannabis-Congress-2020/

Originally planned for: August 20, 2020 Now: Moved online. Date TBC.

USA CBD Expo - Atlanta

USACBDExpo.com

Originally planned for: May 6-7, 2020 Now: February 5-7, 2021

USA CBD Expo - Chicago

Originally planned for: June 26-27, 2020 Now: December 11-13, 2020

USA CBD Expo - Colombia

Medellin - Originally planned for: September 12-13, 2020 Now: May 29-30, 2021

World CBD Awards - Paris

WorldCBDawards.com - Originally planned for: July 15-17, 2020 Now: December 2-4, 2020

*All of this information was understood to have been correct at the time of print. For the latest on these events and more, go to: cannavistmag.com/events

FLY AWAY WITH VOXPO Airways

The Destination: CBD LIVE

Log on to the only virtual destination for CBD this summer.

Travel and public health restrictions have led to pretty much every CBD and medical cannabis event being cancelled since March. And while that was of course necessary in the fight against COVID-19, it’s left all of these gaps in learning, and in networking. The conversations we were having at CBD parties, workshops and wellness events haven’t been happening. Meanwhile, we’ve all been bound to the confines of our borders.

At The CANNAVIST we have joined forces with our sister publication Vapouround to present a new virtual learning platform called VOXPO.

VOXPO is an exhibition house which will be available online 24/7, 365 days a year.

CBD LIVE at VOXPO offers an expo complete with the educational resources you’ve been lacking over the lockdown period.

If you are interested in dipping your toe into the ocean of legal cannabis products that are out there, or maybe you fancy starting your own CBD business from home, you’ll find everything you’ve been looking for over the past few months at CBD Live.

This virtual expo and conference is open to everyone, all around the world, and it’s totally free to register. Just go to voxpo-event.com and click the big Register button and you’ll be on your way to VOXPO.

HOW IS VOXPO DIFFERENT TO OTHER VIRTUAL EVENTS?

For a start, there is no registration fee. That’s right, you can attend for free!

With other online events, the technical capabilities for registered users and exhibitors are quite limited. At VOXPO visitors, speakers and exhibitors have every opportunity to engage. You can start a conversation in real time via our live Q&A sessions in the auditorium, our live chat functionality

on booths and in our LinkedIn integrated lounge for networking. And on the days that we don’t have a live event running, all of these functions will still be working, so you can drop someone a line at any time.

WHO IS VOXPO FOR?

The beauty about a virtual expo is that there are (virtually!) no limits to the benefits. VOXPO is a B2B and B2C event, offering consumers an insight into the world of CBD that they will not get anywhere else this year, due to the cancellation of physical events caused by the coronavirus. Businesses can make up for time lost over the past few months by reconnecting with contacts and making new connections, closing deals and marketing new opportunities to people around the world, all from the base of a single office desk or work-from-home set up. Education plays a key role at VOXPO, so advocates, experts and enthusiasts are also lined up to participate.

WHO IS EXHIBITING?

We have 100+ exhibitors confirmed, with the biggest names across the CBD and vape industries on board from the first live event. We’re adding to our exhibitors list every day and we are delighted to also have great media and education partners on board too! From hemp growers to

beauty brands to manufacturers to laboratories to cannabis associations, there is no limit to the kind of businesses VOXPO can host.

CAN I INTERACT WITH OTHERS IN REAL TIME?

Yes — on live days you will be able to see questions from visitors and respond to them in real time. You may engage in conversations via telephone, messaging, or video conferencing.

ARE THERE ANY EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES?

Yes — education is one of the key factors taken into account by us, the organisers. We are story tellers at our core. Delve into the auditorium where you will find hours of video content from CBD Live contributors, and our expert education partners.

CAN I ACCESS VOXPO ON MY PHONE OR TABLET?

Yes — you can access the platform from anywhere while on the go, as long as you have a good internet connection.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO EXHIBIT?

We have a number of exhibitor packages available. If you would like to get involved, email info@voxpo-event.com and a member of the team can tell you more.

KEY SPEAKERS AT CBD LIVE, VOXPO

CBD Live at VOXPO presents key experts and insight from the CBD and medical cannabis sector. All at a click of the mouse or the touch of a screen. Did we mention it’s free? Presented by The CANNAVIST, here is a flavour of who you can expect to see at CBD LIVE.

Dr Dani is a double board-certified medical doctor, integrative medicine physician and world leading expert in CBD, cannabis medicine, brain wellness and stress resilience. She was one of the youngest physicians to become American board certified in Integrative Medicine (the newest US physician subspecialty), co-founded the UK Medical Cannabis Clinician’s Society (MCCS), trained the UK’s first cannabis medicine specialists and helped set up the UK’s first cannabis medicine centres. She has lectured at Imperial College, King’s College, and UCL on medical cannabis. She is a published researcher and her book THE CBD BIBLE comes out this summer.

One of the most recognisable names and faces in the global wrestling arena, Rob Van Dam has set his sights on the title of CBD heavyweight in launching his own range of products, RVD CBD.

The professional wrestler is passionate about helping fellow athletes navigate the consequences of a lifetime in impact sports, where the very real and often fatal consequences of sustained concussion may be lead to later in life brain injuries which are only beginning to be understood. Say it with us now, Rob! Van! Dam!

An experienced cannabis chef, CBD consultant and edible developer, Chef Melissa loves to cook with cannabis. So much so that she was a contestant in episode two of Netflix series ‘Cooked with Cannabis’.

She has also been featured by the Food Network on US television hit ‘Chopped’. In a special cooking demo for CBD Live at VOXPO, the Cordon Bleu-trained chef will give an insight into the dos and don’ts when cooking with CBD, including tips on dosage and flavour.

Dr Dani Gordon MD CCFP ABOIM ABIHM

Rob Van Dam Wrestling Champion & CBD Entrepreneur

Cannabis Chef Melissa J Parks

As seen on NETFLIX & The FOOD NETWORK!

George Kruis

Professional Rugby Player & co-founder of fourfive CBD

George Kruis has 10 years of experience as a professional rugby player. His love for rugby and his exceptional skills have led him to gain two European titles, and three Premiership trophies. When he’s not on the pitch, George and former teammate Dominic Day work side-by-side on fourfive CBD. The friends and co-founders created the brand out of their own experiences with injuries and have made a zero-THC formula to give fellow athletes peace of mind when taking CBD.

Jorge Rubio Escalona Advisor to the Mexican Senate

Chief of Staff of the Public Health Institute and Social Services to the Mexican Federal Government. Jorge is both an entrepreneur and a cannabis industry marketing specialist with experience in sales, drug development and education. As an external advisor to the Mexican Senate, Jorge is an expert in Mexican government relations and has first-hand knowledge of Mexico’s pathway to cannabis legalisation.

Nate Erskine CBD-Intel

Nate joined the CBD-Intel team from a recent position in the CBD industry. He was previously an analyst for five years for a London-based consultancy in the oil and gas sector. He holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology. Nate manages the CBD market analysis output and data tracking.

Kyra Reed Founder of Women Empowered in Cannabis

Kyra Reed is the founder of MarKyr Media and is also at the helm of Women Empowered in Cannabis. WEiC started as a facebook group, connecting women from various backgrounds and skillsets, each sharing advice and pointers on how to succeed in the cannabis industry. Today, WEiC is a cross-platform community of thousands of women including influencers, CEOs, entrepreneurs and employees who share resources, provide support and build networks around the world with females who work in cannabis. California-based Kyra has been credited as being ‘a social media pioneer’ for her efforts in building WEiC.

Dr Parveen Bhatarah, PhD, FRSC

Regulatory and Compliance Lead, Centre for Medicinal Cannabis

Dr Parveen completed her PhD in organic chemistry from Imperial College London and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry. She has held various directorship roles in the generic and herbal pharmaceutical industry with over 20 years of expertise in bulk drug substance and product development including clinical trials, commercial launches, technology transfers and manufacture for ANDA & MA submissions. She has developed several innovative technologies in pharmaceutical field which is clear from her patents. She has worked closely with various international health authorities on numerous commercial generic pharmaceutical and herbal pharmaceutical product launches and submissions. Most recently, in the cannabis space she was instrumental in the THC project for seed to capsule development, passing pre-approval inspection by US-FDA

Marc has spent the past 10 years studying holistic medicines, cannabinoids and manufacturing. More recently Marc has consulted for some of the largest CBD manufacturing companies in the UK. His far-ranging experience covers plant genetics, cultivation, extraction, product development and mass manufacturing as well as the legislative and compliance aspects of the industry.

Isabel is a Food Scientist with 25 years in the food industry in all sectors and continents. Isabel specialises in Food Safety and Quality Management Systems [ISO 9001, FSSC 22000, BRC, IFS], both in certification as an international thirdparty auditor and as a consultant in the UK and Spain, helping companies implement international standards and retailer codes of practice. She also has a broad experience of delivering training courses.

Marc Burbidge Development and Quality Lead, ACI Isabel Alber Regulatory and Compliance Assistant, ACI Shomi Malik Development Director, ACI

Shomi is an entrepreneur who has worked across multiple sectors in Europe and Asia. He moved into the cannabinoid space two years ago after having experienced first-hand how beneficial these readily available products could be and has since focused his efforts in bringing quality standards to the industry. He was instrumental in setting up the Cannabinoid Trust - a notfor-profit organisation assisting many companies with product testing.

Len May, CBDIA

Len is CEO and co-founder of EndoCanna Health, a bioscience research company specialising in personalised medicinal cannabis using DNA sequencing, and parent company of the EndoCanna Health DNA Test Kit. With over 25 years of experience, Len is a pioneer in the medical cannabis industry having held positions such as the President of the Cannabis Action Network, Board Member and Lifetime Member of California Cannabis Association, as well as a stakeholder in some of the industry’s most iconic brands. His experience also encompasses a strong understanding of branding and compliance, fundraising, and operations. Len is also a Certified Medical Cannabis Specialist in Medicinal Genomics.

Priscilla Agoncillo, CBDIA

Priscilla P. Agoncillo is a passionate advocate and prominent business advisor serving the cannabinoid industry for over 15 years. Priscilla has brought the expertise of business strategy, branding, and business development to the cannabinoid industry formally being from banking and private equity, sales and entertainment. Priscilla has appeared countless times as a public speaker for patient rights, law reform, and cannabis business insight on various newspapers, television, radio programs, and industry conferences. The co-owner of OBL Biodynamic Farms also has a multiple award-winning licensed cannabinoid breeding farm and is co-founder of the Original Breeders League – an organisation created to gather top-performing cannabinoid breeders from around the world.

Dr Elisabeth Philipps

PhD BSc (Hons) BSc Nutr Med NNA

Dr Elisabeth Philipps is a neuroscientist and is one of the UK’s leading experts in hemp, phytocannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system. She speaks nationally about CBD and the ECS at conferences and clinical education events and provides expert opinion and content for the national press, specialist healthcare publications and health companies. Dr Elisabeth is also passionate about health and wellness education and created NutriHub. org, an online nutrition and lifestyle training platform. Elisabeth’s extensive academic training includes a BSc (Hons) in Biomedical Science from Kings College London, a PhD in neuropharmacology from Oxford University and a BSc in Nutritional Medicine alongside an Institute of Functional Medicine certification.

Jessica Steinberg

The entOURage Network & Ohana CBD

Jessica is a PhD student at the University of Oxford exploring the process of policymaking through the lens of cannabis legalisation. She is managing director of international cannabis consultancy, The Global C, and co-founder of a women’s empowerment organisation cultivating a space for women in the legal cannabis industry, the entOURage Network. Jessica is Head of Community at Ohana CBD, a plant-based selfcare skincare company. Her policy work takes place as an official delegate for cannabis related meetings held at the UN and WHO. She speaks globally about her research and work, as well as the charity that she founded when she was 13, Giveable Giggles.

Rosemary Mazanet

Columbia Care. MD, PhD.

Rosemary began advising Columbia Care in 2013. She joined the Scientific Advisory Board as its chair in 2015 and became its Chief Scientific Officer in 2017. Rosemary trained in Internal Medicine and Oncology at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Dana Farber Cancer Institute before starting her industry career at Amgen in the early 1990s as the head of clinical research. At Amgen, Rosemary led multiple successful product developments including FDA panel presentations. In 1998 she joined Oracle Partners LLC in New York as a General Partner. Since that time, she has been a presence in public and private equity biotech and specialty pharma investments, most recently as a General Partner of Apelles Investment Management. In addition to serving as a life sciences management and investment professional, Rosemary has served as a C-suite executive at several biopharma companies and led development programs ranging from IND submission through NDA approval and commercial launch. Among the many boards she is on, Rosemary is a Charter Trustee at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and is the Co-Chair of the Leonard Davis Institute Executive Advisory Board at Wharton.

Gibson

Founder of Gibson’s Goodology, the newly launched premium CBD drinks brand set to both capture the premium CBD drinks category and disrupt the hugely misrepresented CBD and cannabis drinks industry. Dave is passionate about the cannabis sector having cut his teeth with one of Canada’s largest cannabis dispensary groups, prior to the 18 months he spent developing Gibson’s Goodology. Originally Canadian, Dave has lived in London for 20 years having started his career as a management consultant and then transitioning to starting practices for multi-nationals before moving to scale-ups, capability and company builds. Gibson’s Goodology is the culmination of Dave’s extensive global multi-national business experience and entrepreneurial spirit.

Bill Griffin

Bill writes about cannabis in Europe and has more than 20 years of experience working in corporate communications. In his previous life he worked for SWIFT, Comcast and consulted for British Airways, IBM and other blue-chip companies. Back in 2007, Bill had a medical need for cannabis but had no safe supply. After gaining knowledge of cannabis he set about sharing it with others using his communications skillset. He writes about his experiences and the emerging European cannabis industry. As a freelance expert Bill has supported various organisations within the medicinal cannabis and wellness sectors, is on the Advisory Board of Cannabis Patients Advocacy Support Service (CPASS) and is Managing Director of the CBD brand LXR. He has also worked as a research Analyst for New Frontier Data.

Dave

Grub ’s up! Canna Food

NETFLIX AND…CBD?

‘Milkshake’ singer Kelis brings her new ‘Cooked with Cannabis’ show to Netflix, but what is her connection to CBD? In this interview, The CANNAVIST gets a glimpse into her on-screen kitchen and we meet a contestant from the show.

Words by Caroline Barry

The timing of this new Netflix show, ‘Cooked with Cannabis’ could not have been better. It was released on 4/20 during a lockdown that has seen sales of cannabis (in legal capacities) and CBD rising. The show is hosted by singer Kelis. And yes, she could teach you, but she’d have to charge. (If you know, you know.)

Kelis & Co. take the traditional cooking show format that pitches experienced chefs against each other to win $10,000 but adds the unpredictable ingredient of CBD and cannabis extracts to the pot. A panel of cannabis connoisseurs from Ricki Lake to Top Chef winner Michael Voltaggio sample the servings before choosing the winner. Kelis is joined by her co-host, chef Leather Storrs.

New York born Kelis Rogers started her food career by training at the Cordon Bleu Cooking School while on a break from her music career in 2008. While she celebrates the 20th anniversary of her debut album Kaleidoscope this year, she has also developed a gourmet line of sauces under the name, Bounty and Full. Kelis is keen to stress that while she is not a cannabis chef, she has cooked with elements of the plant before. “In terms of me personally cooking with cannabis, I’ve cooked with it before and I started to dabble in it a few years back. I have integrated it into sauces and butters that I’ve made.”

Based in California, where recreational cannabis was legalised

in 2016 and medical use permitted since 1996, Kelis says she began using CBD medicinally and explains why it is so important that we start to see the plant in a new light.

“I believe in the myriad of benefits that cannabis has for so many people. I think it’s something that has been demonised in a lot of ways and as a result, so many people have missed out on it. I take CBD medicinally. I’ve used it for relaxation and cramps.”

awareness on these issues.”

Growing up in a household where her mother was a chef influenced Kelis along with the many flavours of multicultural New York.

“Food has always been in my life. My mother was a chef when I was growing up, so I grew up cooking. Living in New York City, I was surrounded by many different types of food being that the city is a cultural melting pot, resulting in my love for international diverse cuisine starting early. It was something that I always wanted to do, but I hadn’t had the time because I was always on a label. When I was in between labels after my Flesh Tone album, I decided to dive into the culinary space because I finally had the freedom and it’s really just taken off from there.”

The range of dishes served on ‘Cooked with Cannabis’ are anything but ordinary, ranging from Gazpacho soup served with a layer of cannabis infused smoke to wedding cakes.

She adds that working on the show has given her the chance to highlight the discrepancy between the war on drugs and the growing cannabis industry in the US.

“I think it’s also an industry that is now starting to see a lot of success financially, but there are still a lot of people incarcerated for minor infractions during the war on drugs in the US. So for me, it’s definitely a relationship that has layers to it and with the show, I saw it as a vehicle that could be used to raise some

Each episode is themed with chefs preparing a four course meal to this effect. Chefs are expected to explain the choice of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) vs CBD in each dish. Education features heavily in each episode with an extra emphasis on dosing levels for both the consumer and the dish.

“If you don’t get the dosing right you can fail to unlock the full capabilities of the THC. You can also ruin the dish completely if you mess up the dosing” Kelis adds.

So how hard was it to persuade Netflix to go to new highs?

“I believe in the myriad of benefits that cannabis has for so many people. I think it’s something that has been demonised in a lot of ways and as a result, so many people have missed out on it.”

“I think it was a rather smooth process. The producers came to me after the show was already sold in and pitched me the idea on what they were trying to do. I found their point of view really interesting and I think they’ve done a great job with the show. It’s such a nice balance of being entertaining and also informative.”

Does this mean we could be seeing a second season? “Fingers crossed. We’ll find out soon.”

FEELING THE HEAT

Cooking with CBD is a balancing act of the right conditions, research, heat and plant knowledge. How does it feel to compete for $10,000 under intense scrutiny, face a panel of foodies and be judged by a pop sensation? We got to meet a contestant to find out.

Melissa Parks is an experienced cannabis chef, CBD consultant and edible developer. She took part in episode 2 of the show where contestants were asked to prepare a global inspired menu that brought Mexican cannabis fajitas and Melissa’s own Austrian dishes to the table.

She said there was no doubt in her mind what to make once she knew the theme. “I adore my family and I love where I come but I really love the food. I love Austrian, Hungarian

and Slovakian food as that’s my home but I always put my own twist on it. It was really funny making my grandmother’s crepes... I’m really proud of that. I couldn’t have done anything but what my family does, it felt right.”

The show features experienced chefs who come from a variety of backgrounds. New York-based Melissa has a diverse background including training from the Cordon Bleu. She describes her involvement in the show as pure chance. “I happened to walk out of my apartment in the upper west side and I ran into one of the chefs from The Food Network. We got talking and he connected me. I found out I was the last person to be accepted into the show as I called on the very last day so it felt like it was meant

to be. I called, interviewed and next thing I know I am out in California competing.”

The intense pressure of the show involved cooking under hot lights and explaining decisions concerning THC or CBD levels to the cameras. Is there anything Melissa would have done differently?

“I would not make such a complex menu. German food is complex as it takes steps and time. That was my first cooking competition and I think the complexity I would have taken down a notch or five.”

She adds that she will be launching new products this year, including mouth-watering CBD pastries. You know where to send a batch Melissa!

Cooked with Cannabis Season 1 is on Netflix UK & Ireland now.

CBD Cocktails

TO SEE YOU THROUGH SUMMER

CBD spirits brand Top Beverages has concocted a range of cocktail recipes, for the casual drinker and budding mixologist alike. The British brand is donating 100% of gin sales profits to the NHS in light of COVID-19.

Words by Gordon Stribling

It’s no secret that we enjoy a good tipple, so the rise of CBD-infused alcohol will come as little surprise to anyone. And with temperatures already nudging towards the mid20s in lockdown, I’m sure we were not alone in pining for cocktails in the sun during those long weeks.

Top Beverages is one of many CBD brands to support the NHS during the pandemic. Co-owners Nick Pullen and Saf Ali decided to donate 100% of gin sales revenue to the NHS following their own experiences.

Each bottle contains 50mg of CBD. Both of Saf’s parents, now sadly passed away, had bouts with cancer and received exceptional care from the NHS. And just over a year ago,

US-born Nick experienced the NHS for the first time when he started having chest pains and numbness in his arm as he was about to board a flight out of Stansted.

Nick told us:

“I’m 44, I’m fit but there are heart issues in my family. My grandfather died of a heart attack at 48.

“I got nervous and was ambulanced to hospital. I’m a foreign-born, on business, didn’t get put in the back of the line, I was on the front of the line. I was taken care of. They did their job and they did it well all throughout.

They don’t ask for anything. That’s the great thing about medical staff. They’re doing their job, trying to save lives and help people and they do it without an expectation of anything.”

Want to up your cocktail game and support the NHS? Try one (or both) of these recipes from Top CBD Spirits resident mixologist David Tan, owner of the Tuxedo Social Club in Barcelona.

“I was ultimately fine, but the experience stayed with me. It was one of those things where you think, how do you ever repay that debt?”

SPIKED HOMEMADE LEMONADE

Our product range is blended in the UK to ensure that our customers can be con dent that they are receiving only the nest CBD infused products. Our Pure Earth range is made with high quality ingredients and is not tested on animalso ering a cruelty-free CBD experience.