Cannavist 9 B2C

Behind the

Editor’s Scenes

The Editor Róisín Delaney

Assistant Editor Gordon Stribling

Journalist Caroline Barry

Creative Director James Parnell

Head of Design Hayley Parker

Lead Graphic Designer

Connor Dimberline

Junior Graphic Designer Ayaz Arshad

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

Photographer Robyn Keetley

Photographer Rob Rutley

Finance Director Joanne Stubley

Accountant Kris Worton

Finance Executive Anna Difusco

Finance Executive Rochelle Warsop

General Manager Abida Razaque

Sales Manager Tom Slack

Client Partnership Manager Stephen Culf

Sales Executive Jason Bacon

Sales Executive Baz Bassra Sales Executive Peter Masters

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, 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, Vapouround cannot accept liability for issues raised or comments made by those featured in this magazine. Should you have a query about the content in this publication, email the editor: roisin@cannavistmag.com

issue 4. None of us could have imagined at that time that there was an evil virus lurking at the other side of New Years. And evil it is…

To all of our advertisers – we really value your support throughout this tumultuous year. Thank you for keeping your commitments. To all of our readers, especially those who have kept in touch by email or social media, thank you for still being with us.

To those who, two years on from the law change on medical cannabis, are still campaigning for access, thank you for giving your time to a very

Amight even see some of these familiar

in one place! We are chuffed to be joining that community. Before we sign off on the year that could have been, we need to say farewell to our lead graphic designer, Connor Dimberline, who has worked on The CANNAVIST from day one. Connor is off to pastures new and we wish him the very best!

Róisín Delaney | The Editor

The Cannavist is published by Orange Fox Media Limited in Derby, United Kingdom.

The Cannavist is printed and distributed by Warners Group Publications in the UK.

The Cannavist is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation. We abide by the 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 at 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 on 0044 (0) 1332 650 239.

Office hours are Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm.

45

Most Influential 2020 ‘Inside the factory’ Tried & Tested: Grassroots CBD facial

141 Cooking with CBD, chef’s top dosing tips! 53 Author Mary Biles on her new CBD book.

Guest Contributors

Our guest experts discuss the latest in CBD and medical cannabis.

Bill Griffin

Media Lead at the Association for the Cannabinoid Industry.

Bill often writes about cannabis in Europe and has more than 20 years’ 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.

Dr Parveen Bhatarah, PhD, FRSC Regulatory and Compliance Lead, Centre

for Medicinal Cannabis.

Dr Bhatarah 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. 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.

Boaz Lehman

Clinical Herbalist. Kiara Naturals.

Boaz ‘Bobo’ Lehman is a man of the wild. His relationship with plant medicine started in 2009 in the Himalayan mountains where he absorbed the knowledge of the locals. After witnessing the power of plants first-hand, Boaz travelled the world gaining a wealth of first-hand ethnobotanical knowledge about all types of plants from across the planet. After completing his training in a variety of natural therapy methods, he started formulating remedies for both patients and therapists.

Oren Landa

Osteopath & Naturopath. Kiara Naturals.

Trained as an osteopath and naturopath, with a master’s in osteopathy, Oren has always been fascinated with the human body. He believes understanding the human body can be translated and applied not only to individual health, but to how we handle our relationships, our communities, our businesses, and our planet. He says: “Natural therapy by necessity must be holistic, and it looks at the person as a whole, from his/her relation to him/her self all the way to the environment. Self-help is key to health but changing our lives and habits to a healthier lifestyle is hard, and we all could use some help.”

The EXTRACT

A round-up of CBD and medical cannabis headlines from around the world.

Italy backtracks

The Ministry of Health in Italy has suspended its decree which would have seen CBD oil labelled a medicine under narcotics legislation. The plan had good intentions, as it was to pave the way for UK made medical cannabis Epidyolex becoming available. It’s thought the wording of the decree would have technically banned oral CBD products like tinctures as a side effect, and the initiative was abandoned in its eleventh hour.

Is the CBD product you sell white labelled?

The Food Standards Agency has said it is concerned about white labelled CBD products, ahead of the impending novel food regulations. The Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes said it was worried about approval being granted to organisations who white label extracts to be added to foods by multiple brands. The main concerns pertain to accurate traceability and the safety profile of the end product and how it can be used. There are various organisations pitching differing pathways towards novel food approvals and the FSA has said a consortium approach to toxicology data is acceptable, but medicine-based data will not be accepted. The FSA is the governing body in the UK on food regulation. For queries, you can email: helpline@food.gov.uk

Good genes

Researchers at the University of Minnesota have discovered a genetic test that can predict whether a cannabis plant will produce mostly CBD or THC as it grows. The development could be just the tool farmers need to assume further cultivation control. The research, published in the American Journal of Botany, looked at industrial hemp as well as wild cannabis.

Back on Earth

Veteran broadcaster and climate change activist Sir David Attenborough, 94, is said to be ‘appalled’ by a CBD brand using his status to endorse products on Facebook. He was made aware of the adverts by a fan, who said she had been overcharged by the company using his image and name, ‘without permission.’ In a statement, a spokesperson for Sir David said the posts were not genuine.

“Sir David Attenborough has been appalled to discover companies are using his name and image to advertise CBD oil on Facebook and elsewhere online. These are not genuine endorsements and Sir David has had no involvement whatsoever with these products.”

Thai patients see med cann benefits

The Public Health Minister for Thailand has said symptoms have improved for at least 70% of the country’s medical cannabis patients. Thailand boasts 311 medical cannabis clinics situated at its hospitals. More than 14,200 people have been treated at a cannabis clinic, most often with terminal cancer, according to the minister. National newspaper The Bangkok Post reports that 98% of the patients have experienced no side effects. The news comes as Thailand continues to welcome medical cannabis as a treatment option for cancer, Parkinson’s, drug-resistant neuropathic pain and insomnia.

Since 2019, almost 12,000 healthcare workers in the country have received medical cannabis training, according to the Thai department of medical services.

Raid of the vending machines

Vending machines filled with CBD products, including flower, have been the cause of police raids across Europe in the final months of 2020. In Germany, nine such machines were impounded in Bavaria, subject to the country’s Narcotics Act. Flower products were removed, and the machines were later returned. Meanwhile, in Poland, authorities in Gdansk removed 11 vending machines from their posts. According to CBD-Intel, devices and products were removed for testing by the local prosecutor’s office.

hej there Denmark!

According to a recent report on the European medical cannabis ecosystem, Denmark is leading the charge on medical cannabis policy exploration. Read how on pages 86-87.

On the up

The global CBD oil market will have grown by $3.52 bn USD by the end of 2020, according to market research company Technavio. The figure represents an annual growth of just over 30%. The company predicts that the impact of Covid-19 on the CBD market will normalize in the third quarter of 2021 in the best-case scenario or the first quarter of 2022 in the worst case scenario.

NHS ISSUES JUST THREE MEDICAL CANNABIS PRESCRIPTIONS IN TWO YEARS

According to a leading patient advocacy group, at least 20 families have been turned down by the NHS.

Words by Caroline Barry

The NHS has issued just three prescriptions for medical cannabis since it was legalised in the UK two years ago, according to advocacy group, End Our Pain.

The group told the BBC that at least 20 families are paying for prescriptions themselves after being turned down by the NHS, despite two medications being approved for the NHS in the last year.

End Our Pain says families are left paying for the treatments that may cost up to £2,000 per month in some cases. CBD-derived drug Epidyolex was approved for epilepsy on the NHS in 2019. However, it does not contain traces of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which is said to further help to control seizures in some patients.

The Department for Health and Social Care said that Epidyolex could be prescribed on the NHS because there was a clear ‘safety and clinical’ evidence and it was cost-effective.

Hannah Deacon, mother to Alfie Dingley who suffers from a very rare form of epilepsy, branded the lack of action by the NHS, a ‘national disgrace’.

“NHS doctors are reluctant to prescribe medical cannabis, as they

lack clear clinical guidance, not to mention the funding issues that still plague the health service,” she said. “The dire lack of accessibility has never been more prominent than in the months of the pandemic, where all too many have felt the financial strain. Yet families still have to foot the bill – costs of up to £2,000 a month –in order to access these life changing drugs.”

In November, on the second anniversary of the medical cannabis law reform, 15-year-old Billy Caldwell

received his first bottle of cannabis oil from his reinstated NHS prescription, by way of a shared care programme on the NHS, following a legal battle in Belfast's Crown Court.

“NHS doctors are reluctant to prescribe medical cannabis, as they lack clear clinical guidance”

‘HOCUS POCUS’ CLAIMS HAMPERING MED CANN EFFORT

Medical cannabis was legalised in the UK two years ago, yet only a handful of individuals have been granted a prescription on the NHS. A Conservative party conference panel discussed the barriers to wider prescribing in the UK. Words by Gordon Stribling

The prescribing of medical cannabis on the NHS is being hindered by misleading health claims from the wellness sector and a lack of supporting data, according to a panel speaking at a Conservative party conference fringe event.

The six-person panel discussed the various barriers to wider prescribing on the NHS ahead of the two-year anniversary of medical cannabis being legalised.

Former Cabinet minister Robert Wilson acknowledged that the medical cannabis industry presented the UK with a huge economic opportunity. However, he said that the growth of the sector has, so far, been lower than expected. Speaking over a virtual webinar medium, he said: “Overall, the industry has lacked real credibility. It’s too associated with ‘hocus pocus’ medicines and unsubstantiated claims about wellbeing products.

Dr Mikael Sodergen of Imperial College London said there was a clear path for cannabis companies to follow in order to get their products licensed by the NHS. He argued that the NHS puts the UK in a great position to build an evidence base to support wider prescribing of medical cannabis via the clinical trials route.

Dr Sodergen added: “I have no doubt that cannabis based medicines will be prescribed for free on the NHS but we need more data and they need to cost less.”

Both Charlotte Caldwell – the mother of 15-year-old epilepsy patient Billy Caldwell – and Michael Abbott, of Columbia Care, argued that the evidence to support more prescribing in the UK is there, it’s just not being considered by the NHS.

Abbot explained that Columbia Care’s customers made up a large evidence base which could be used to support prescribing in other countries.

Meanwhile, Caldwell said that she supported a large network of people who use medical cannabis, most of whom access it on the black market or by growing their own. The medical cannabis campaigner believes that evidence from clinical trials in other countries should be shared with clinicians in the UK and private physicians here should share data with the NHS.

“Testing is showing that some products don’t contain what’s on the label. And it appears at some points [that the industry is] self-serving.”

She said: “What I would like to see is global data sharing of clinical trials because this is one of the ways that we can move this forward.”

“Overall, the industry has lacked real credibility”

The Association for the Cannabinoid Industry is the UK’s leading cannabinoid industry association. We engage with food safety experts, regulators and retailers to ensure the CBD products you buy are safe, legal and ethically sound.

what is stated on the

Advancing Access to Medicinal Cannabis in the UK

The Centre for Medicinal Cannabis is the UK’s first and only industry membership body for businesses and investors operating in cannabis based medicinal product (CBMP) market. We are at the forefront of developing medical cannabis policy for better patient access in the UK, and believe this can only be facilitated through primary clinical research.

The CMC has a unique capability to engage intelligently and strategically with all influential political and public policy stakeholders as well as relevant regulatory bodies, regulators to the medical and academic establishments, and producers of cannabis medicines.

Find out more about becoming a CMC member and membership benefits by downloading our CMC Prospectus online, or contact steve@thecmcuk.org

MEDICAL CANNABIS ON A BUDGET

a budget is now possible.

“We’ve taken a vertically integrated approach to our business model which means that we control cultivation, processing, manufacturing and distribution, essentially cutting out middlemen. “Unfortunately, cannabis is a private market still which means that patients are self-pay.

“By bringing that price down by allowing a supply chain to work efficiently and create cost savings we’re able to pass that on.”

Sapphire pain specialist Dr Michael Platt explains that many patients who obtain a private prescription have to stop due to the costs involved.

UK medical cannabis patients can spend thousands of pounds a month on prescriptions and appointments.

Dr Platt says: “We have certainly seen in the clinic that financial constraints have been a significant barrier to access for many patients.

Words by Gordon Stribling

A network of medical cannabis clinics has become the first in the UK and Ireland to offer prescriptions at a reduced cost to rival the black market.

Sapphire Medical, which has seven clinics across the UK, provides patients with medical cannabis via independent cannabis company, EMMAC.

The supplier controls each stage of the manufacture, distribution and supply, significantly lowering the prescription cost for the patient. The average daily cost to patients is now less than £5 per day, making it a cheaper and safer alternative to obtaining cannabis on the black

market for many consumers.

This is the first time patients have been able to access medical cannabis at a heavily reduced cost outside of the Project Twenty21 registry.

EMMAC co-founder, Ed McDermott, explains how medical cannabis on

“As treatment becomes more affordable, we hope this provides an immediate solution for those patients who would otherwise benefit from medicinal cannabis but have previously been unable to afford the associated costs of treatment.”

Patients who obtain a prescription from Sapphire will also be added to the UK Medical Cannabis Registry. Much like the Project Twenty21 registry, patient data will contribute to a growing evidence base that could support wider prescription of medical cannabis on the NHS.

There are currently only two medical cannabis medicines available on the NHS: Epidyolex for two rare types of epilepsy and Sativex for MS-related muscle spasticity.

Patients wishing to obtain cannabis medicine for other conditions or in other formulations have to rely on the private sector to obtain their prescriptions.

Leigh Sherman started buying cannabis on the black market in 2007 to help treat nausea and panic

The cost of medical cannabis is a huge barrier for many people in the UK, costing thousands per month for some. Now, one group is providing patients with cannabis medicine for as little as £5 per day.

attacks from his anxiety.

The first medicine he legally obtained was imported from Canada at a cost of around £300.

He says: “At the time, I was on benefits. I was on zero hour contracts and it was just a nightmare trying to afford it, basically.

“Now I’m using a product that costs £80 and it lasts two months. On the black market, I was paying up to £70 a week.”

Fibromyalgia sufferer Laura Bland was one of the first people in the UK to receive a prescription for medical cannabis.

Her medicine now costs £1.60 per day - a saving of 90% on the £11.63 she paid for her first prescription.

Laura believes that the EMMAC model could help many more people in the UK access cannabis medicine.

She said: “If patients are made

aware of these significant improvements, prescribed medicinal cannabis may now be a feasible option for them too.”

Around 1.4 million in the UK selfmedicate with so-called ‘street cannabis,’ according to a 2019 YouGov poll commissioned by the

Centre for Medicinal Cannabis. More than half of the adults polled used cannabis every day and just under a quarter used it every week. Meanwhile, 9% of respondents said they grew their own cannabis at home.

By bringing that price down by allowing a supply chain to work efficiently and create cost savings we’re able to pass that on.

A FO R C E O F N A TU R E

PA T CHE S

PHYSI O L O G Y O I L S

For mind, body and soul Huna offers 5 oils with a soothing blend of hemp extract, fractionated coconut oil and a key blend of botanicals for targeted relief and to keep you feeling yourself.

PR O T E IN S

Huna offers four delicious proteins to support recovery and build muscle.

CBD whey protein and recovery formula available in natural chocolate flavour. CBD hemp protein and mass gainer available in natural salted caramel flavour.

HUNA OILS

Our beautifully pure and calming drops are perfect for when life’s putting you to the test and you need some extra help from mother nature. Available strengths; 6%, 12%, 18%, 26%

C A

P SULE S

our fantastically convenient 100% natural Huna CBD in easy to swallow, soft capsules. Incredibly simple to take with a pre-measured dose Ideal for carrying in your bag. Available in 30 and 60 capsule packs.

SURGE IN POPULARITY LEADS TO PROSPEROUS CBD MARKET FOR 2021

The UK’s CBD market is highly competitive, with countless brands of all sizes competing for the same pool of customers. But now, big multinationals and established US brands are making their play.

Words by Gordon Stribling

If you’re tired of hearing the phrase ‘the new normal’ by now, you are not alone. The pandemic has brought with it sweeping changes to all aspects of our lives and almost 12 months since the first case, it doesn’t look like we’ll be seeing a return of the ‘before times’ anytime soon.

But while our own lives may be on hold, the CBD market has continued to evolve. And this year has seen the emergence of trends that could shape the market in years to come.

Alexej Pikovsky is co-founder and CEO of CBD marketplace Alphagreen.io. The platform celebrated a year in business in October, raking in 10 million page impressions.

Over the past 12 months, Alexej has seen more big players enter the market, further establishing CBD’s place in the mainstream.

Alexej says: “There’s an interesting company called CB2, which launched in the UK this year. It is a subsidiary of Hong Kong-listed conglomerate H&H, which is the second biggest baby food producer in Asia.

“I also read the other day that Nestlé had launched a CBD brand. So these bigger names are now coming into the market.”

The pandemic brought with it unique challenges and opportunities for the industry to adapt to. You may have noticed your favourite brands incorporating new ingredients into their products. Alexej cites CBG, which has become

increasingly commonplace in tinctures, but also notes that non-cannabinoid ingredients, like vitamins, can now be found in popular oil blends, too.

“I think that’s because a lot of vitamin brands ran out of stock due to the coronavirus. CBD brands saw an opportunity and started rolling out vitamin products as well, expanding on their product offerings.”

The beauty industry has embraced CBD more than any other over the past few years. Alexej anticipates that the trend will continue in 2021 and beyond, despite the bioavailability of cosmetics products being ‘very low’. Fewer restrictions and clear regulations from the EU CosIng guidelines make it much easier for cosmetic

brands to market products in the UK and elsewhere.

“It’s easier to advertise if you have a cosmetics brand, than if you have a food supplement brand. The cosmetics market is one of the biggest direct-to-consumer markets there is.”

The pandemic that won’t budge, more competition from major players like Nestlé, and the growing reach of major US players, could be the triple threat that sees many of the smaller names wiped off the market altogether in 2021.

Alexej foresees some of the big names gaining an even greater foothold in the UK and Europe, with more wealth being created. He cites Charlotte’s Web as an example of a huge American brand that has not yet gained a foothold

in Europe but now has a chance to truly establish itself here.

“The biggest brand in the UK and Europe has £4 million of revenue. For Charlotte’s Web, it’s £65 million. We are in negotiations to also become one of the big European distributors. But long story short, you will see more brands being recognised and becoming bigger.”

Surprisingly, Alexej is not particularly concerned about two political hot potatoes that many believe to be threats to the industry in 2021.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has given CBD companies until March 31 to apply for their products to be authorised and be marketed as novel foods in the UK.

However, most of the suppliers have either already submitted

an application and conducted toxicology studies or still have time to do so.

Meanwhile, the EU Commission has proposed reclassifying CBD as a narcotic which would mean that companies selling CBD products would require a controlled substances license to do so.

Alexej says, “The reality is that the EU Commission is coming up with ideas. And usually, the EU Parliament does not accept them. What happened was, the EU Commission asked a bunch of brands, ‘do you think we should reclassify?’ And all of the brands said ‘no’.

“There would just be too many lawsuits if that happened.”

MED CANN STUDY GIVES HOPE TO CHEMOTHERAPY PATIENTS

Nausea and vomiting are among the most difficult side effects of chemotherapy treatment, severely impacting on a patient’s quality of life. A recent study from Australia suggests that medical cannabis may succeed for some patients where other routes have failed.

Words by Gordon Stribling

Medical cannabis shows promise in reducing nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy, a world-first clinical trial has found.

In the study, 81 patients who had suffered from vomiting and nausea during chemotherapy were given either an oral dose of 2.5mg CBD/2.5mg THC or a placebo, three times a day.

All of the patients had previously taken nausea prevention medication that had proven ineffective.

At the end of the Phase II component of the study, a quarter of the medical cannabis patients experienced a complete elimination of nausea and vomiting, compared to 14% in the placebo group.

Around a third of the medical cannabis patients received moderate to severe side-effects such as sedation and drowsiness. However, the researchers considered these to be manageable.

Chief investigator Peter Grimison, medical oncologist at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse and Associate Professor at the University of Sydney, said: “Nausea and vomiting are among the most distressing and feared consequences of chemotherapy.

“These encouraging results indicate medicinal cannabis can help improve quality of life for chemotherapy patients.”

The next phase will see another 172 patients recruited into the study to help the researchers determine with more certainty just how effective medical cannabis is for the condition, Prof. Grimison added.

The study was conducted using medical cannabis provided by Canadian giant Tilray, one of the biggest

medical cannabis companies in the world. The company also has investments in well-known CBD lifestyle brands.

Tilray’s Vice President of Global Patient Research and Access, Philippe Lucas, said: “The side-effects associated with chemotherapy are some of the primary causes of treatment discontinuation.

“Improving the control of nausea and vomiting can not only improve the quality of life of patients, by allowing those affected by cancer to complete their treatment it can also potentially save lives.”

If medical cannabis is deemed to be sufficiently effective, it could be considered for routine cancer care in regions where medical cannabis has been legalised.

The NHS has not approved medical cannabis as a treatment for any cancer-related conditions in the UK.

However, Nabilone, a synthetic drug derived from THC, can be licensed to treat severe sickness from chemotherapy if all conventional treatments have proven unsuccessful or deemed inappropriate.

“These encouraging results indicate medicinal cannabis can help improve quality of life for chemotherapy patients.”

KOLLUDA.COM

Created by an award-winning design team, Kolluda is a brand-defining range of packaging solutions developed specifically for CBD and nutraceutical products. For a free sample kit email: kolluda@duallok.com

Fighting fit with CBD

Many of us will be thinking about getting in shape as we learn to live in the time of a pandemic. Here, The CANNAVIST looks at the potential benefits of CBD for keeping fit and competing at the highest level.

Dr Elisabeth Philipps is a clinical neuroscientist by training and an expert in the endocannabinoid system. The King’s College London and Oxford graduate educates the public and brands, one of which

“I've worked with a lot of top athletes and many of the England rugby team. What we’ve found is that sleep is absolutely paramount now to performance, recovery and resilience. So if you can get your sleep right, then you're going to have the knock-on benefits and all of those areas: fewer injuries, better injury recovery and better performance.

“The research that I'm doing and looking into has found that CBD really helps in injury and recovery, in particular, around bone health, both in maintaining general bone health and strength. Studies are also beginning to show that there is an improvement in bone regeneration, so around fractures, for example.

“There's a lot of really good research coming out around head injuries. This is a particular area

George Kruis

Co-Founder & Owner, fourfivecbd

that’s passionate of mine as a neuroscientist and the work that I've done around dementia and neuro degeneration. CBD has been shown in models to really help to reduce the amount of damage done to the brain after traumatic brain injury. So for impact sports like rugby, using CBD as part of a programme ,not just sort of ad hoc as and when you want to sleep a bit better, could have huge benefits.”

“These studies are beginning to show that CBD might have a protective effect on the brain, as well after concussion events and traumatic head injury type events. In my mind, CBD is no brainer. We should be taking it as part of a sports programme. It's getting the right product, particularly for athletes who are drug tested. But in terms of CBD as a nutrient, then it's got wide reaching benefits in sports.

“If you would like to incorporate CBD into your sport or fitness regime, firstly think about what you want to take it for. If it’s for sleep, you'll want to take an oil spray, for example, in the evening. But if it’s for general energy and mood, you can take it in the morning. I think that can be confusing. Sometimes people think CBD is a sedative but it's not, it's just how it sort of, you know, affects the body's cycles.

“Alternatively, you might want to try something more topically like a CBD gel or muscle rub to treat an injury or sore muscles if you’d rather not use a tincture or spray. But I would look at talking to companies as well. There are others, of course, but come and talk to us at fourfive cbd and we'll be able to suggest ways of adding products into your routine that's going to suit your training.”

CBD Ready, set

Uplifting Face Care

By Orange County CBD 350mg/50ml Buy: Orangecounty-CBD.com

Throwing yourself into intensive exercise is a sure-fire way to dry out your skin. Orange County’s collagen face cream is designed to moisturise the skin with CBD and essential oils while the collagen element helps keep skin supple and elastic.

Pro CBD Oil with Vitamin D3

By fourfive cbd 1000mg/30ml Buy: fourfivecbd.co.uk

Price £30

This CBD oil has been World AntiDoping Agency (WADA) tested to ensure that it’s completely THC-free and suitable for pro athletes and others who are drug-tested. This product is blended with vitamin D3 which helps keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy.

£64.99 or £51.99 PER MONTH

We’ve handpicked these performance-geared CBD products so you can push your recovery to the max.

In my mind, CBD is no brainer. We should be taking it as part of a sports programme. The research that I'm looking into has found that CBD really helps in injury and recovery

- Dr Elisabeth Phillips

Citrus CBD Beverage Enhancer

By Purekana 39mg/60ml

Buy: Purekana.com

Hydration is of course essential to a healthy workout. And if you’re looking to boost yours with CBD, taurine, caffeine and vitamin B6, this drinks enhancer could be for you. This is a great way to consume CBD due to the enhanced bioavailability.

Natural Salted Caramel Flavour

CBD Hemp Protein

By Huna 600mg/1250g Buy: hunalabs.com

Huna’s CBD hemp protein is designed to build muscle and support recovery and is a great protein source for vegans and vegetarians. It is also broad spectrum, making it a great choice for drug-tested athletes.

CBD Capsules

By Chill Brother

10mg/capsule (30 capsules)

Buy: Chillbrother.com

If you’re after a long-lasting, easy-to-use CBD product that you can use every day or to help you sleep at night, capsules are a great option. These ones from Chill Brother contain 10mg of broad spectrum per capsule and are infused with coconut oil for additional benefits.

CBD Massage Oil

By Pure Earth 250mg/200ml Buy: pureearth.store

There is surely no better way to wind down after intensive exercise than a soothing massage. This oil from Pure Earth features a soothing juniper berry fragrance, rosemary oil and black pepper along with 250mg of CBD.

Re:vive Stay Active Gel

By CUBID CBD 500mg/100ml Buy: cubidcbd.com

This cooling anti-inflammatory gel, enriched with eucalyptus leaf extract, is designed to revive joints and relieve aching muscles. It can be rubbed into skin as required or before bed time to help aid a good night’s sleep.

Premium CBD Oil

By elitemii 2000mg/10ml Buy: elitemii.com

CBD oil is an essential component of any CBD toolkit. Elitemii’s super-strength, fullspectrum offering is packed with cannabinoids, with each drop containing 10.8mg of CBD. This oil is also vegan and organic.

PURE AND HONEST

We are the UK's newest provider of CBD oils and edibles such as gummies, soft gels and mint chewables. Our mission is to demystify the world of CBD by giving you straight forward and honest advice along with great products.

‘TIS THE SEASON TO STRESSLess

Hands up if you have been living under stress this year? Professionals fear the pandemic has side lined mental health services and could be creating a tsunami of mental illness to come.

The CANNAVIST asked plant medicine and stress less experts at Kiara Naturals for some advice on how to de-stress this season.

Asurvey conducted by the Royal College of Psychiatrists in May reported that 43% of UK psychiatrists saw an increase in urgent cases following the initial lockdown period, which as we know, came into being in March.

According to data from the Office for National Statistics, by June, almost one in five adults (19.2%) in Great Britain were likely to be experiencing some form of depression.

That’s nearly double the rate before the pandemic.

The Mental Health Foundation says that of those who have experienced stress due to the pandemic, almost nine out of ten (87%) are now using at least one coping strategy. But not all coping mechanisms are good for us. Stress eating and upping our consumption of alcohol are not our friends.

Boaz Lehman is a clinical herbalist, foraging instructor and a self-declared man of the wild. Oren Landa is an osteopath and naturopath. Together, they are a pair of herbal medicine gurus based in Appenzellerland, Switzerland. Boaz and Oren believe we can manage our stress effectively by making some simple lifestyle changes. First, we need to understand what causes those feelings of being overwhelmed and anxious about things that are

often out of our control. “It’s important to remember that stress and its effects on the body have their roots in healthy and important mechanisms that play a key role in maintaining homeostasis. It’s the typical western lifestyle that imposes extensive and chronic stress that brings on the negative effects related to stress.”

“For the body, the most noticeable and best researched negative effects caused by stress are related to cortisol. This is a hormone self made by the body, produced by the adrenal glands. High levels of cortisol are normal in the morning and decline as the day goes by. The effects of this hormone are increased energy storage, elevated heart rate and other mechanisms that are needed to get us going in the morning. When cortisol is secreted over time due to stress, it leads to high blood sugar levels, reduced insulin sensitivity (which is related to diabetes), and increased weight gain.”

Basically, Boaz and Oren say cortisol tells your body there is a stressful situation happening, so it can prepare for the worst. “Cortisol stimulates the fight or flight mode of the sympathetic nervous system.” That’s the physical feeling of being stressed. How is this harmful to our mental health? The experts in herbal remedies and co-founders of Kiara

Naturals CBD say it is this fight or flight mode response that leads to the stimulation of things we need for survival, and less for day-to-day living. “It shifts energy away from our immune and digestion systems and leads to agitation, short concentration, and mood changes. This is of course enhanced with fluctuating blood sugar.”

Both holistic therapy experts, Boaz and Oren are based in Switzerland, which boasts a higher quality of life rating than the UK on the Better Life Index. Both agree that stress gives rise to inflammation in the body, something which can later lead to disease.

system of the digestion system. A happy gut means a happy person!” “From our clinical experience, CBD has helped our patients with depression, anxiety and chronic pain related mood changes.”

There are, of course, other plant extracts which can benefit the body and mind in winter. But according to Boaz and Oren, we should not be taking immune system stimulants, such as Echinacea, unless we are ill.

“Plants that stimulate the immune system such as Echinacea or Propolis should only be used when you are actually sick. We see a lot of people that use immune stimulating plants throughout winter as prevention, but in fact they are weakening their immune systems and setting themselves up for disease. If you are sick, these plants are great for you, along with a few others which can be found in our Winter Care Tincture.”

How can CBD make me less stressed?

CBD is often praised for its anti inflammatory properties. Should our stressed population turn to this plant extract for stress management?

“Absolutely,” the nature-first clinicians add. “Just by talking to our patients we can see it. The reduced inflammation, the more stable blood sugar and the rest and digest mode all contribute to better mood and a happier, healthier life.

“Interestingly, CBD has been shown to work directly on serotonin receptors in the brain, leading to elevated serotonin. This can also explain the improved mood experienced by our patients. “From a holistic therapy point of view, we have just as much serotonin receptors in our gut as in our brain (possibly even more!) and we know that CBD has very powerful effects on the nerve

If you are trying to prepare your immune system for winter and practice preventative care, the Kiara Naturals co-founders say opt for plants that strengthen the immune system.

“We recommend using plants from the Adaptogenic family, meaning they help the body to adapt to new situations. Plants such as Astragalus Membranaceus (AKA Huang Qi- which means Chi root), Siberian Ginseng, Ashwagandha and Reishi mushroom. Coincidently, these plants are amazing for a variety of other things such as libido, circulation, concentration, and body strengthening.

“Since winter has its fair amount of related depression, we always recommend our patients to take plants that also support the mental aspect. Korean Ginseng and Rhduioa Rosea promote mental capacity and brain functions. They also directly affect serotonin levels and support better and happier moods!”

CBD works as a nervous system modulator, which means it has the amazing ability to regulate the activity of our nervous system. It promotes the rest and digest mode of the parasympathetic nervous system which is responsible for our feeling of satisfaction, calmness, and relaxation. This all leads to increased immune activity and healthy digestion. Perhaps most important, is the effects of CBD on systemic inflammation. Via its relation to Anandamide, CBD is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent, doing the exact opposite than stress related molecules. Really, it’s a highly therapeutic and effective supplement. In the clinic, we can also see the gradual build up effect that CBD has on stress. Most people want an easy fix, so they take large doses and knock themselves out. Take enough CBD, and you will relax right away. However, people who take smaller doses over time, get a much better result of not only reducing overall stress, but get better at dealing with stress when it comes.

“From our clinical experience, CBD has helped our patients with depression, anxiety and chronic pain-related mood changes.”

VAPING TECHNOLOGY REDEFINING CANNABIS

MARKET ANALYSTS Arcview Market

Research and BDSA recently reported cannabis vape sales in the U.S. generated category will reach sales of $10.6 billion if trends continue: Since January 2020, major vape brands have reported sales increases of as much as 71 percent. Without a doubt, vaporizers are thehot cannabis product category right now. Capturing a share of the market isn’t easy, and brands that want to stand out must appeal not only to consumers’ aesthetic tastes but also to their desire for safety, performance and affordability.

MAXCORE RAISES THE BAR

Cannabis vaping technology company MAXCORE, an independent business unit of one of the top e-cigarette manufacturers in the world by volume, develops cuttingedge solutions for the global cannabis market. square feet of production space, the company produces 12.5 million cartridges, disposables, pod systems, and batteries annually. Research and development teams in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Shenzhen, China, comprise more than 300 engineering professionals and R&D experts (20 percent of whom hold PhDs) who have developed 829 national and international patents.According to General Manager Ben, MAXCORE’s current leading technology is a designed for cannabis oil. Engineered to formulated ceramic core fully vaporizes a variety of viscosities to deliver maximum potency without burning, overheating, or waste. Ceramic heating elements including ceramic core porosity, ceramic formula, oil intake hole size,

and resistance are customizable. MAXCORE’s newest product, Clear Plus, was designed to meet evolving consumer expectations. Its discreet size makes the device easily portable, and the 900 mAh high-voltage battery and full-gram volume allow people with busy schedules to recharge themselves day and night.

U.S. MARKET RESPONDS

Cannabis market leaders including Greenlane and VPM have taken notice of MAXCORE’s production capacity, consumer-experiencefocused designs, and dedication to ongoing research and development. “MAXCORE is pushing the boundaries of vaporizer R&D program, which works closely with top universities and leading technology institutes, is especially impressive. Aside from the category-leading ceramic heating platform, their products are visually appealing and priced right, and their production capacity is unsurpassed, meaning we’ll have plenty of supply to meet demand.”MAXCORE expects to release a technology, which spent more than 800 days in R&D, represents another revolutionary ceramic heating design. Adopting a ceramic core with ultra-high

sintering temperature at 1,200 degrees, MAXCORE’s newest technology evenly distributes 100 million micropores across the cannabis oil supply area, resulting in 2.4 times more capacity and a 17-percent increase in vape juice transfer speed. Made of pure foodgrade material, the physical structure has been optimized to improve the ceramic core’s atomizing efficiency and save 20 percent energy. The newest technology will produce excellent consistency and reliability with quick atomizing in 0.1 seconds without flavor decrease over time.“We are excited about the cannabis market’s future,” said Ben, “but our primary focus is helping deliver the cannabis people need for health and wellbeing.”

www.maxcorevape.com

Influential

THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE IN CBD & MEDICAL CANNABIS 2020

The UK & Ireland’s cannabis community is burgeoning with influential people and organisations. The people featured here were nominated in the Advocate of the Year category of The CANNAVIST Awards 2020. The award winners were decided by a public online vote which took place throughout October. The results show was broadcast on November 19 during the CBD LIVE exhibition on VOXPO To find out who won, go to Cannavistmag.com

Marwan Elgamal | Founder, THC London

The High Club is one of the leading cannabis lifestyle brands based out of London that supports UK cannabis reform. Founder Marwan Elgamal entered the cannabis scene after searching for alternative chronic pain solutions, as a result of suffering a multi-ligament disruption of his left knee requiring seven surgical interventions. Marwan has had a hand in creatively building some of the industry’s leading companies across Europe and was behind the organisation of the 2019 ‘420’ cannabis rally, which saw a record breaking turn out of 50,000 attendees. He also coordinated the UK’s first virtual 420 celebration in April 2020.

Steve Moore | Founder, The Centre for Medicinal Cannabis

Steve Moore is the Strategic Counsel for both the Centre for Medicinal Cannabis (CMC) and the Association for the Cannabinoid Industry (ACI) and has over 25 years’ experience of working in social change and political campaigns. He directed the campaign with Charlotte and Billy Caldwell to reform policy relating to access to medicinal cannabis and is now at the forefront of changing the legislation surrounding CBD regulation. Steve was formerly Chief Executive of David Cameron’s Big Society Network and has curated change programmes for Channel 4 Television, the Royal Society of Arts and PWC.

Gemma McKay | Founder, Cannabina Wellness

“I grew up in Jamaica around a family and community that understood and made good use of cannabis, its potential as a healing plant.”

Gemma McKay is a force of nature in Britain’s CBD community. Vivacious and a true advocate of the healing properties of cannabis, Gemma works to educate the health conscious about the safe, holistic aspect of CBD which can make all of the difference to wellbeing.

Buck Angel | CBD Entrepreneur, Educator & Motivational Speaker

Transgender cannabis activist Buck Angel has helped to raise the awareness of medical cannabis and CBD for the LGBT+ community around the world. Born female, Buck transitioned to male and has developed a range of sex toys for transgender people and a best-selling CBD energy drink called ‘The Buck Shot.’

He is outspoken about the need for recognition of queer history within the legalisation of cannabis but also, about the importance of diversity within the newage cannabis industry. Los Angeles-based, Buck Angel stands for diversity, community and sexual wellness all at the same time.

In an interview with The CANNAVIST in spring 2020, the activist said: “I never felt correct in my female body… Many people in my community use cannabis already… There is also a lot of anxiety and depression for which cannabis is a great natural medicine. CBD is magic and so of course I am always thinking of how I can help my community. I am big on sexual wellness.”

The motivational speaker also prides himself on supporting other LGBT+ owned businesses. When asked how the CBD and legal cannabis powers can support minorities, he said: “Hire, hire, hire… Really supporting LGBT focused businesses by putting their products in your shop or donating to organisations like we do.”

Ross took over the running of family-owned British engineering firm CapCoder in 2016 and this year, took things a step further in joining the national effort against the coronavirus pandemic. After 44 years of supplying British industry with creative, solution-based engineering, the company based in Oxford, turned their attention to PPE, following the rise of COVID-19. Ross & co. now produce crucial vials for COVID-19 tests as well as a stream of hand sanitiser. In addition, the CapCoder team counts PCI Pharma Services, Glaxo-Smith Klein, Boots and Estée Lauder as clients.

Ross Prior | Managing Director, CapCoder

Valentina Milanova | Founder, Daye

Originally from Bulgaria, Valentina is on a mission to bridge the gender pain cap with CBD tampons. She set up her team of 20 in London where she moved to in order to take on roles in start-up fintech. Even with this experience, she struggled with pitching a female hygiene product to a vastly male audience.

In an interview with The CANNAVIST earlier this year, Valentina said every investor she has pitched Daye to has been male, and just didn’t understand the tampon concept.

“The tampon industry is completely monopolised and entirely run by men. I’m yet to meet a woman in charge within tampon manufacturing. On top of that, I had to pitch to almost 200 investors, all of them male. They simply didn’t see the product differentiation and didn’t think period pain was a relevant enough cause to invest in.”

Some venture capitalists did understand the potential though, as Daye managed to secure £5.5 million funding.

“Our main goal is to bridge the gender gap in medical research and innovation, starting with female pain. Endometriosis affects 1 in 10 people with periods and it takes on average 7.5 years to diagnose.”

Watch out for Daye in 2021! Valentina has partnered with the NHS and Liverpool Women’s Hospital to engage in a study which will investigate the role cannabinoids play in treating pelvic pain.

Dr Mikael Sodergren | Managing Director, Sapphire Medical Clinics

Dr Mikael Sodergren, MBChB (Hons), DIC, PhD, FRCS is Managing Director and Academic Lead at Sapphire Medical Clinics, the first Medical Cannabis clinic approved by the Care Quality Commission in the UK. His clinical and research interests led him to establish Sapphire Clinics at the start of 2019.

As MD of Sapphire, Dr Mikael strives for continued improvement in all areas and leads on the Real-World Evidence platform, crucial for the development of Medical Cannabis access in the UK. He also works as Senior Clinical Lecturer and Consultant Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgeon at Imperial College London.

Sapphire Medical made headlines in October this year when it was announced that for the first time, low cost medical cannabis prescriptions would become available to the 1.4 million Britons who have, up until now, been self-medicating with street cannabis.

Paul Walsh | Co-founder Greenheart CBD

From the heart of Ireland, Paul Walsh brings his warm and energetic personality as co-founder of Greenheart CBD. His extensive community volunteerism and his wide network of leaders in the crypto and sustainable industries make him well suited to the growing issues in today’s world. An important advocate in the fields of sustainable and organic foods, Paul is currently building out Greenheart’s sustainable food systems, giving Irish farmers the latest in technology. He is also an adviser on multiple blockchain projects to help educate newcomers and successfully navigate the crypto space with helpful education into projects and technology.

Billy & Charlotte Caldwell

Mum and son duo Billy and Charlotte Caldwell have fought tirelessly over the last four years for medical cannabis access. Their effort, which turned up the volume on medical cannabis in Theresa May’s House of Commons eventually led to the legalisation of medical cannabis in November 2018. Fast forward two years, and Billy lost not one but two medical cannabis prescriptions – both were withdrawn, leaving him at risk of suffering severe, unpredictable seizures due to a rare form of epilepsy. Billy (15) and his mother Charlotte, from Northern Ireland, have come a long way and this autumn an agreement was reached with the NHS to reinstate Billy’s supply of medicinal cannabis. A move which won’t just benefit their family, but potentially thousands across the UK in the years to come.

In announcing the news of Billy’s new shared care programme on the NHS, Charlotte thanked everyone who supported Billy’s journey. A journey which spread from county Tyrone to London to California and Canada.

“To the tens of thousands of people who have followed Billy’s journey over the years I want you to know that your support meant the world to me. However today, I am also thinking of all the people in the UK and Ireland who are still being denied access to medicinal cannabis and will commit myself to doing all I can to promote access and more clinical research to enable more to benefit from the medicine that has saved Billy’s life.”

Mary Biles | Medical Cannabis Writer & Educator

Mary’s discovery of the medicinal value of cannabis stemmed from a personal experience. The journey started when a friend’s mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Mary witnessed medical cannabis do something which no conventional medicine could achieve. She says, “In the last couple of months she’d been given cannabis oil, which did something that morphine could not. It allowed her to see out her final weeks with almost no pain and with complete lucidity. In short, she was given the chance to die with dignity.” This year, Mary debuted her first book about CBD. ‘The CBD Book – The Essential Guide to CBD Oil’ is published by Harper Collins. When she is not writing, Mary also hosts a podcast series, Cannabis Voices, a platform which she lends to advocacy. Read more about Mary’s story in an interview on page 53.

Carly Barton | Founder of Cancard

In 2008, after complaining of symptoms of exhaustion, a then 21-year-old Carly Barton was diagnosed with Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura. TTP is a rare blood disorder which afflicts several hundred people in the UK. Carly spent the following year at Liverpool Royal Hospital until she was able to leave. She was inspired to keep going and achieve everything she wanted from life, despite her health. She enrolled at Brighton University and moved to the south. But in her third year, she suffered a stroke. When she was well enough, Carly researched cannabis to treat her condition and got in touch with local cannabis clubs. She learned to use sativa strains during the day and indica strains at night. Much to everyone else’s surprise, and mostly to her own, she was actually feeling better. On her blog, Carly’s Amnesty, she writes: “I was finally on top of the pain and the sativa strains were kicking ass with the fatigue, my tremor quieted down, I could get up in the morning without a gruelling battle, I could think and speak in actual sentences, I even called my doctor enthusiastically to tell him that I was painting a fence!”

Carly’s experience and self-discovery of the power of cannabis led to her actively campaigning for medical cannabis access in the UK, leading to the legalisation of medical cannabis in 2018. This year, she launched the Cancard initiative. The holographic photo ID card has been designed for medical cannabis users to safely identify as patients to the police. Announcing the programme, which has the potential to help millions of Britons, Carly received the backing of MPs and police chiefs. At the launch in September, she said: “Cancard should give patients peace of mind and police confidence in using their discretion before any stress has been caused to vulnerable people.”

THERE’S A MACHINE FOR THAT…

Ever wondered what it’s like to be the person who makes the machines which make, well, everything? As the COVID-19 period increases demand on CBD, hand sanitiser and testing, The CANNAVIST journalist Caroline Barry goes ‘inside the factory’ making the machines which make all of that and more a possibility.

Life on lockdown has meant some CBD brands have found a surge in demand for tinctures, capsules and more to help customers cope with pandemic panic. This is where the speed of CapCoder’s machines has helped businesses to keep up with the increase in demand, while offering new lines of products such as little bottles of hand sanitiser.

Company Director Ross Prior took over the running of the business from his grandfather, Lou Bates, in 2016. Originally from an engineering background, Ross found the recent heightened interest in CBD helped to give the business a boost.

“It was a tough transition,” he says. “I had some massive boots to fill but it has worked out well. The CBD industry came along at the right time which helped to give the company a bit of a boost which was good timing.”

Although Ross is involved in all areas of the business, he still prefers designing machines and engineering. He has been responsible for some of the best-selling machines that CapCoder has to offer. The company can make bespoke packaging options for customers and are adamant that if you can’t find what you seek, they can build it.

“We have some machines which are ready to go and can be used off-the-shelf with a little bit of extra design work but we also offer more complex lines. Some machines are totally bespoke or built from scratch depending on the customer requirements.”

The machines need to be able to move quickly adding labels, tightening tops or adding caps. The best selling machine may be fast, but the fastest is capable of producing up to 70 bottles per minute! This isn’t just CBD bottles but also products for laboratory use, aromatherapy, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, diagnostics and e-liquids.

“The Micro Mono is our best-selling machine but the fastest we have ever done is the CC1160. That was able to do about 70 bottles per minute. We made a few changes to it after a few site visits and got it up to that speed.”

Ross adds: “We are always changing things, improving on our previous designs to make newer machines. The Micro Mono, when I designed it, it was because people kept asking for a cheaper, smaller machine that did everything in one small little package so we made it. It helps to listen to what the market needs.”

Based in Oxfordshire, family-run business CapCoder has been designing, developing and building production line machinery since 1976. They supply some of the biggest household names in the food, pharmaceutical, vape, and now, CBD businesses.

Life under lockdown hasn’t been easy for any company, but CapCoder saw the new normal as an opportunity to make positive changes by introducing machines that could help with hand sanitiser production.

The industry shows no signs of slowing down as businesses, service providers, individuals and offices now need personal and premises supplies. Fortune Business Insights estimate that this industry could

be worth $1.96 billion by 2026. A number of CBD companies have introduced their own hand sanitiser and mask lines hoping to gain a piece of this industry growth.

Ross explains that lockdown hasn’t been easy on CapCoder but the decision to move into hand sanitiser was. “Lockdown was tough because we never actually closed down. We had 15 people go on furlough so there were only five of us in the factory trying to get orders out. We were still taking on orders too. The idea for hand sanitiser was a no brainer. Our machines are absolutely ready to do stuff. It was a very sleepless time but we got through it.”

The company has also discovered that their machines are able to help with COVID-19 testing, by producing small vials. “The little vials for COVID-19 testing with the red caps go through our machines so there has been a lot of demand for that,” Ross explains.

As the business has gone from strength to strength over its 44 years in operation, what has been the proudest achievement for Ross?

“I think for me, it’s been watching the team grow from 16 to 27. It’s also been nice to see the machines and the business get a bit more technologically advanced too.

“A lot of our customers are asking for faster machines that can do up to 120-a-minute so that is the next big thing on our agenda for next year.”

“The little vials for COVID-19 testing with the red caps go through our machines so there has been a lot of demand for that”.

Lady Business MEET MARY BILES

Words by Caroline Barry

Getting started with CBD is not easy. There are a lot of buzzwords to learn and piles of anecdotal evidence to read through. Having a reliable source of information at hand is invaluable in helping to decipher the CBD code ahead of making your first purchase.

Author Mary Biles hopes that her new guide, ‘The CBD Book: The Essential Guide to CBD Oil’ can help those looking for a solid source of research. “The main purpose is to act like a roadmap because it’s really confusing for people entering this world. If you google CBD then you get thousands of hits about where to buy the best stuff and how do you differentiate between them? For me, having worked within the digital marketing side of a CBD company, I know the tricks that get played. I really wanted to be an advocate for anyone wanting to try CBD.”

The podcast host adds, “I can’t stand injustice so it upsets me to think that there are people taking advantage of potentially vulnerable people who could benefit from good quality CBD. So hopefully, they get the book, follow the instructions and can start to feel better.”

Mary knows her stuff when it comes to the CBD industry. She started as a journalist writing about plant based medicine before she came across CBD. “I was living in Spain and my ex-boyfriend was growing some medicinal cannabis for a friend who had cancer. We were watching a documentary on Rick Simpson and that was the first time I heard about CBD. Years later, a friend’s mum had pancreatic cancer. She was dying and morphine wasn’t helping with the pain. She lost lucidity and was miserable. Her doctor in Belgium prescribed her cannabis oil and it allowed her to die with dignity. She recovered her lucidity and it helped her with pain. She could sleep and had an appetite again.”

After promising to help her friend fight the injustice, Mary began writing about CBD. “I felt I wanted to do something about it and then everything fell into place. I got a press pass to a hemp fair, went along and met CBD companies. One of them was Endoca so I became one of their full-time writers.”

Writing a book is not something everyone can do. The process can take years and comes with a multitude of changes. Mary completed her CBD guide in just

three months. She was approached by publisher, HarperCollins UK to effectively produce a CBD bible.

“The whole process was quite easy as the publisher came to me. It’s been the year of the CBD book in the UK as there was another book coming out at the same time so they wanted to have one as well. They found me because I write for Project CBD and then realised I lived in London so it was really easy. I’ve written about CBD for the last four or five years from every aspect of it possible. I knew a lot about the science behind it. I wrote the book over three months.”

One of the sections in the book that Mary enjoyed writing the most consists of case studies as it helped to focus on the injustice around lack of access to medical cannabis. It also highlights the positive effect that CBD can have on people’s lives.

“The most important part of the book for me was the case studies. It didn’t take much as there are a lot of people getting extraordinary benefits from CBD. I included my friend, Emily Wilson, who is my case study for anxiety. She runs a project in a refugee camp in Athens. She’s one of the most positive, outgoing and gregarious people but she deals with a lot at the

In each issue of The CANNAVIST, we turn the spotlight on one woman who is killing it in the cannabis community. With a new book released just in time for our Christmas list, we speak to London-based author Mary Biles about how it can help new CBD and medical cannabis users.

“ “

camp so it did take its toll. She has something between panic attacks and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.” With such an enjoyable experience of writing her first CBD book, it’s no wonder Mary is considering working on another.

“I’d like to write another book although I’m not sure what it would be about. I’m also the the chief editor at cannpass.org (Cannabis Patient Advocacy and Support Services, CPASS) and I’m excited about my work there. Part of the work that CPASS do is to educate nurses. We have a nurse guide coming out which celebrates their role in medicine but in particular, cannabis medicine. We are in the very early stages of cannabis being legally prescribed so if you are someone taking medical cannabis then a nurse may be the first person you speak to about your use. We want to support nurses so they feel informed to speak to their patients.”

The main purpose is to act like a roadmap because it’s really confusing for people entering this world.

Are you a curious CBD consumer? Do you know what a good CBD product looks like? Dr Parveen Bhatarah of the Association for the Cannabinoid Industry presents everything you need to know about CBD so you can have your homework done before you buy.

With thanks to the following education partners:

A cannabinoid is a substance that is found within hemp and medicinal cannabis. Hemp is a fully legal form of cannabis that has no mind-bending properties. It has been cultivated for thousands of years and produces strong rope, cloth and paper. There are many chemicals within the cannabis sativa plant and these are cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, along with the other plant matrix.

There are over 114 cannabinoids and two of the most well-known are THC and CBD. THC is the psychoactive chemical that produces a ‘high’. CBD however, is not known to cause any psychoactive effects.

Until the craze for CBD products came about the flowers of industrial hemp were destroyed by farmers. Now it’s the most valuable part of the crop. People who try CBD are adamant that it has many therapeutic properties which is why it is proving to be so popular. CBD products come in many forms including oils, tablets, drops or balms.

IS CBD legal?

If CBD comes from cannabis, is it legal? Growing hemp is completely legal in the UK, providing you have a license. Unfortunately, for UK farmers, they are not allowed to process the flowers from their hemp crop to produce CBD so any CBD you buy will have been produced and imported legally from abroad. It is a different cannabinoid, called THC, which is found within street or medicinal cannabis that is illegal to be sold in your local supermarket. With 0% THC, your CBD products are completely legal.

When comparing hemp oil versus CBD oil, the key difference is that the two products come from different parts of the hemp plant. Hemp oil comes from the seeds, and CBD oil can be extracted from the stems and leaves. Hemp oil is unrefined whereas CBD oil is usually highly refined in order to isolate the most beneficial compounds of the plant.

Drug tests are geared toward identifying THC, not CBD or another cannabinoid. If you are taking CBD with 0% THC then you will not fail the drug test.

What is the difference between Hemp Oil and CBD Oil?

Will I fail a drug test if I medicate with CBD-rich cannabis?

Can I get CBD by eating raw cannabis?

By eating raw cannabis, one consumes THC and the other cannabinoids in their acid form. A CBD-rich strain contains CBD-acid (CBDA), which, when heated, becomes CBD. Unheated CBDA and unheated THCA (THC-acid) may have medicinal attributes, but there has been comparatively little scientific research into cannabinoid acids.

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 (as long as there is no THC in the mix).

What CBD product is best for me?

I recommend first purchasing CBD oil to discover if CBD is right for you. CBD oil is usually sold in a small glass bottle with a dropper. The most cost-effective way to see if CBD oil is right for you is to purchase a 10ml bottle to experiment with. Look for the quality standards and associated certifications of the manufacturing company to ensure it meets the desired safety and legal standards. The Association for the Cannabinoid Industry ensures CBD companies are legally compliant and socially responsible. A good sign that a company can be trusted is that they are an ACI member.

This is the main reason why The ACI, a sister organisation of the Centre for Medicinal Cannabis, is offering ACI certification to help consumers to easily identify products which meet the highest quality standards.

Although Cannabidiol has been studied since its molecular structure was elucidated in the mid-1960s, only a few clinical studies have been conducted. While these studies strongly suggest the beneficial properties of CBD to consumers, further evidence-based data is required. The committee on toxicology in the UK has highlighted some consumer safety gaps which need to be filled. Members of The ACI have formed a consortium to conduct further toxicological studies to fill the gaps to ensure customer safety.

The FSA recommends a maximum daily dose of 70mg of CBD per day. However, further dose range finding studies are being conducted by The ACI as part of their toxicological studies. The ACI’s members are making sure further scientific evidence base data is generated on CBD to ensure consumer safety.

About Parveen Bhatarah, PhD

Regulatory and Compliance Lead at the Centre for Medicinal Cannabis and Director of the Regulatory & Compliance Unit at the Association for the Cannabinoid Industry, Dr Parveen completed her PhD in organic chemistry from Imperial College London. She 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.

How much CBD can I consume per day?

Why are you trying to do more research on CBD when there are so many articles reporting its benefits? Don’t we already know that CBD will be effective against a variety of illnesses?

A WINDOW INTO THE WORLD OF CBD STUDIES

Although this year hasn’t gone according to plan for most, research on CBD & medical cannabis has continued despite Covid-19. We’ve handpicked four studies from this year you need to know about.

Words by Caroline Barry

Med cann study gives hope to chemotherapy patients

Medical cannabis shows promise in reducing nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy, a worldfirst clinical trial has found.

In the study, published in the journal Annals of Oncology, 81 patients who had suffered from vomiting and nausea during chemotherapy were given either an oral dose of 2.5mg CBD/2.5mg THC or a placebo, three times a day.

All of the patients had previously taken nausea prevention medication that had proven ineffective.

At the end of the Phase II component of the study, a quarter of the medical cannabis patients experienced a complete elimination of nausea and vomiting, compared to 14 percent in the placebo group.

If medical cannabis is deemed to be sufficiently effective after further study, it could be considered for routine cancer care.

Med cann is a ‘yes-brainer’ in older patients

Medical cannabis does not impair cognitive function in older adults, a new study from the School of Public Health at the University of Haifa has found.

The study, published in the journal, Drug and Alcohol Review, included 125 patients over the age of 50 of which 63 were licensed to use medical cannabis for chronic pain.

The participants completed computerized tests evaluating

their psychomotor reactions, concentration and memory and learning capacity after using cannabis for one year.

The results showed that medical cannabis does not affect cognitive function in people over 50 if used to relive chronic pain. Areas such as concentration, memory and learning abilities were no different to those not using the plant.

The researchers hope that the findings will alleviate concern about its use for chronic pain which affects 19-37% of the elderly population.

Cannabis oil may improve fibromyalgia symptoms

A placebo-controlled trial has revealed that daily doses of THCcontaining cannabis oil could significantly reduce pain, fatigue and improve quality of life in people with fibromyalgia.

In the study, published in the journal Pain Medicine, 17 women with the condition were given one drop cannabis oil containing 1.22 mg of THC and 0.02 mg of CBD daily, increasing to 3 or 4 over 8 weeks.

The women then recorded their symptoms in a questionnaire every 10 days.

While the placebo group reported few changes for the duration of the study, the cannabis group reported significant improvement in a range of measures, including pain, fatigue, anxiety and depression.

They were also more likely to report ‘feeling good’ and less likely to miss work.

The ramdomized controlled trial

(RCT) is believed to be the first to demonstrate the lifestyle benefits of cannabis for fibromyalgia sufferers.

CBD for Covid-19? Research says it may aid recovery process

Researchers at Augusta University in Georgia have completed a study around CBD and Covid-19 recovery. The results suggest CBD could help with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), which is found in patients of severe Covid-19 symptoms, due to an overactive inflammatory response.

Researchers gave mice a treatment called Poly (I:C) which artificially induces ARDS, recreating symptoms seen in some Covid patients. This caused structural damages to the lungs of the mice similar to the damage seen in Covid patients and while they were experiencing these symptoms, the mice were given CBD.

The results showed that the mice experienced reduced signs of IL-6 which is an important factor in ARDS as well as lowered levels of

pro-inflammatory cytokines. It also showed increases in lymphocyte levels in the blood which are vital in fighting infection.

The researchers concluded CBD could play an immunotherapeutic role in treating some severe respiratory viral infections.

IN THE Lymelight

With cases of Lyme disease on the rise in the UK, former model turned Barre instructor Kelly Gibson Brooks says CBD saved her after she hit breaking point during New York Fashion Week.

Words by Caroline Barry

the number of cases here are on the rise. It is estimated that there are 900 cases a year in England compared to 30,000 in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Warning, despite the fashion angle and the very beautiful Kelly Gibson Brooks, this is not exactly glamorous content! Remember, knowledge is power... So here we go. Lyme disease is caused by an infected tick bite. When left untreated, it can develop into a lifelong condition. Symptoms can include a rash, fatigue, muscle pain, vertigo, depression and fever.

Kelly Gibson Brooks was bitten by a tick when she was nine in Maine in the US, her hometown. Despite showing symptoms as a teenager, it took doctors until she was 17 to diagnose the disease.

“I had a sore at the back of my head and I was staying at my aunt’s house when she discovered I had a tick there. We didn’t know what to do so we left it until my dad arrived. Which meant I had a tick in my head for three days.”

A tick needs to be attached to a person for 24 hours in order to transfer the disease but needs antibiotics to treat the infection. “I would have these episodes of completely blacking out vomiting, and slowly losing consciousness,” she recalls.

“I was diagnosed with having a sodium deficiency, not eating enough, depression, just all sorts of things. They were grasping at straws. When I was 17, a senior in high school, I was quite active and I was a dancer. I was in lots of clubs and was taking advanced placement classes, so I had a lot going on. One day, I just thought, I need to go back home and go to bed, I went to bed and I didn’t get out of bed for about two weeks.”

Kelly relocated to New York to take up a modelling and dance career which was cut short by the disease.

“During my first week in New York, it was fashion week and one of the girls from my dorm needed a model for a show so I very quickly got into modelling. When I started freelance modelling while going to school, the pain, blackouts, tiredness and vomiting episodes returned. I tested positive for Lyme disease and was put on antibiotics for three months.”

She eventually saw a specialist who put her on longterm antibiotics, which Kelly says helped her feel better. However, her lifestyle of travelling for shows began to catch up with her.

“I went a bit crazy as I was 18 living in New York, so I was partying, staying out late, going to school and working. I quickly began to decline again. I began modelling full time which meant a lot of travel to Paris and Milan at a moment’s notice.”

Kelly turned to CBD after a friend suggested she try it for her joint pain. “A friend of mine who also had Lyme disease sent me a CBD cream that he had been using. I am not really holistic so I wasn’t sure it would work but I put it on my shoulder, my elbow and my wrist. Within five minutes my knee started to hurt but I realised it was because my other pains had dissipated so I was feeling some of my lesser pains.”

She began using CBD topicals and edibles which she says controlled the pain so well that she stopped taking medication. But there were some changes to her body after the years of antibiotics.

“One day, I just thought, I need to go back home and go to bed. I went to bed and I didn’t get out of bed for about two weeks.”

“I did oral antibiotics for five years and IV antibiotics in three different stages for a couple of months at a time. I was very lucky I didn’t have any side effects from it but I have intolerances because all of my gut lining had been killed away, so I became intolerant to cow’s milk, oats and all sorts of things. I also have a very poor immune system because the antibiotics kept it up for so long.”

Kelly has found that thanks to CBD, she now feels better but needs to keep her stress under control.

“I’m very good at the moment. Definitely the best I’ve been in many years. If I work too much, or I don’t sleep enough or I have excess stress then I do get some of those symptoms back with the brain fog, the twitching, jolting, tiredness and arthritis. But now it’s all manageable and I know the signs to look for so I can tell myself to slow down.”

The former dancer, who turned to Barre after making the move to Dorset, adds that she has started using CBD skincare products too. “I have a topical ointment that I use if I do get any rashes. As I’m getting older, I use a CBD night cream as well as an eye cream. I solely use CBD now and I’m still not on medication. I use 1000mg of full spectrum oil along with topicals for my arthritis and zen gummy bears.”

Although Lyme disease may not be as well known in the UK as it is in the US,

UNBE-LEAF-ABLE NEW PRODUCTS FOR 2021

Words by Caroline Barry

2020 has not exactly been a year to remember. It’s time to move on, and we’ve found some exciting new products to help you do just that in the New Year!

Palmers

The popular Palmers line now includes a Hemp Oil Calming Relief Body Lotion and Hemp Oil Calming Relief Body Oil which are made with 100% natural hemp seed oil mixed with the brand’s famous blend of cocoa butter and vitamin E. The products are designed to calm, soothe and hydrate all skin types. “As a 180-year-old company, we are driven by new ways to innovate and lead trends,” said Paul Carpino, Director of Marketing. “During the research and development phase of this new collection, we saw high awareness of hemp, with 85% of consumers surveyed indicating strong purchase intent for Palmer’s Hemp Oil body care products. We

As big brands realise the potential of the hemp market, who should we expect to see making noise next year?

wanted to create a response to address that level of interest.”

Sadly, the products are only available in the US for now, but the company has confirmed the range will be extended.

Garnier

Garnier recently launched two new beauty products containing hemp oil, a Multi-Restore Facial Sleeping Oil and Multi-Restore Gel Cream. The products are designed to soothe, and hydrate stressed skin while helping with anti-aging.

A spokesperson from Garnier, a L’Oréal brand, said, “We know that stress levels are really high, so we conducted research together with Kantar which found that about half of women, 52%, believe they have seen stress show on their skin.

“Hemp is known to be a powerful skin restoring ingredient, so we introduced two new care products under our Garnier Organic range that hero this ingredient.”

The products are also vegan and organic with packaging that is designed to be sustainable by being more recyclable.

Playboy

It is not all about the beauty products this year as Playboy launched three new CBD sexual wellness products.

The broad-spectrum CBD product line which includes an arousal spray, intimacy gel and bath bomb is designed to enhance sexual pleasure, according to the brand.

Anita Little, the Playboy sex and culture editor said, “The launch of our new CBD by Playboy line, and our larger assortment of sexual wellness products, are part of our continued effort to help close the orgasm gap.

“Our aim is to provide everyone with the knowledge, and now also the sexual wellness products they need, to have the most fulfilling sexual experiences possible.” The products contain a combination of herbs and vitamins designed for sexual health

and wellness such as kava kava, yin yang huo, vitamin B3 and maca root.

e.l.f Cosmetics

The collection, which launched in May, features face and body care products that have been infused with full spectrum CBD. The collection is designed to awaken the senses with Japanese citrus and chamomile before soothing and moisturising the skin.

“The skincare category has been outperforming cosmetics during the crisis, and CBD in particular is projected to be a $22 bn industry by 2022. It’s a category our customers have shown great interest in and we’re excited to be able to build based on this demand, all at e.l.f. speed,” said Kory Marchisotto, Chief Marketing Officer.

Last year, e.l.f. Cosmetics introduced a Cannabis Sativa Hemp Seed Oil collection, which helped the brand to grow their skincare sales 27% in 2020.

Colgate

Colgate moved into the CBD industry in 2020. The company acquired dental hygiene company, Hello Products which makes toothpastes, mouth washes and dental floss. The company have two lines: one hemp and the other CBD which is only available at Ulta Beauty in the US while only the hemp line is available in the UK.

The Body Shop

The Body Shop are not new to hemp as they first released products onto the market in the 1990s. However, this year marks their first move into the CBD-sphere with their new Restoring Facial Oil, Soothing Oil-Balm Cleansing Mask and Replenishing Moisture Creams.

The products are designed to be used on all skin types and are certified vegan. They are also sourced ethically and sustainability.

THE ACI EXISTS TO ENSURE CBD CONSUMERS DON’T GET RIPPED OFF

By Bill Griffin, Media Lead, The Association for the Cannabinoid Industry

A year ago, on a crisp, sunny November morning just a stone’s throw from the Oval Cricket Ground in South London, the Association for the Cannabinoid Industry (ACI) was launched by a group of cannabinoid enthusiasts and experts, many of whom are CBD consumers themselves.

Several of the core team had previously worked in an organisation called the Centre for Medicinal Cannabis (CMC). The CMC founder, Steve Moore, had played a significant role in ensuring that Medicinal Cannabis was made legal in the UK in 2018.

In the summer of 2019 a market research study, undertaken by the CMC, identified the need for an association to ensure cannabinoid consumers were not being misled by unscrupulous companies.

As part of the study, the CMC discovered some shocking results. They blind tested 29 popular CBD products and found that a significant proportion did not contain what they stated on the label. One was even found to contain no CBD at all and a couple contained

so much residual alcohol from the CBD extraction process they should have been classified as an alcoholic beverage! A third of the products tested contained less CBD than advertised. The sad thing was this was just one of several similar studies, all with similar findings, released around that time. Even today studies still show that not all products on the market can be trusted. In the report, CBD in the UK, the CMC also identified the size of the CBD market. Back in 2019 it was estimated to be worth a staggering £300m and was growing at such a rate it is expected to hit £1bn by 2025.

However, despite the market being bigger than vitamin C and D combined, it was existing in a legal grey area. UK regulators had had a hands-off approach and as a result companies keen to exploit the popularity of CBD products filled the void. As no authority was responsible for testing products on the shelves some companies felt no obligation to play fairly. This reflected poorly on the CBD industry as a whole, including companies that cared about their customers, and also gave those taking advantage of the situation an unfair competitive advantage. The ACI, which is a industry membership organisation, was created to find a way to engage

CBD companies, retailers, regulators and trading standards on the importance of ensuring that CBD products are not only safe but accurately reflect what is indicated on the label.

A year later, the ACI has made great strides in highlighting the importance of adequate regulations and gaining the necessary support from trading standards to ensure that the retailers, whom you buy your CBD products from, are playing by the rules. The ACI is committed to the development of a legal, safe and regulated cannabinoid market. A fundamental aspect of achieving this is ensuring that consumers have confidence in the products that are sold. To this end the ACI has a certification scheme that will help consumers and retailers easily identify honest, safe and legitimate products.

When we launched a year ago, a study undertaken by YouGov, on behalf of the ACI, showed that only half of all CBD consumers had trust in the products that they were buying. It has always been the ACI’s goal to increase that figure and it has guided our actions so far. For more information on the ACI please visit our website, theaci.co.uk.

5 REASONS WHY YOUR CBD MAY NOT BE WORKING

Here’s why you may not be seeing benefits from the product you’re using, and how to fix it.

If you tried CBD and wondered why you didn’t notice any change, you are not alone. There are a number of reasons why this might be happening with your chosen CBD product. The CANNAVIST examines the top 5 reasons it may not be working for you and how you can fix the problem.

1. You didn’t give it enough time

It would be great if CBD worked right away for everyone. However, it can take a few tries and needs an element of consistency to work with your individual endocannabinoid system.

HOW DO I FIX THIS?

First and foremost, be patient! CBD is different to your average modernday medicine. You shouldnt expect a reaction. Unlike pain medications, you are unlikely to feel the benefits within 20 minutes of taking your first dose. Why? It simply doesn’t work like that. Pain killers block pain, while many plant extracts, like CBD, get to the source of the problem instead.

2. You tried the wrong product

It could be that the method itself isn’t working for you. The results will often depend on the type of product you are using, be it a tincture, a cream or a CBD vape.

HOW DO I FIX THIS?

Ask yourself why you want to use CBD in the first place and adjust your method to your needs. If you’re suffering from pain related to your period, for example, consider CBD tampons. If you have a muscular issue, a gel may be more suitable than oil drops. It’s a good idea to look at product reviews before buying to see if someone in a similar position to you has any advice.

3. The product is of poor quality

CBD oil can be expensive, but did you know, you might be getting ripped off? Less than half of the CBD products for sale in the UK contain the amount advertised on the label, according to research published by the Centre for Medicinal Cannabis. While you can find CBD pretty much everywhere these days, not all CBD products are created equal.

HOW DO I FIX THIS?

Do your research! Ask for recommendations on where to buy good quality oil, read trusted sources of information and ask shop staff to advise you on their products as best they can. If you really want to know if you are getting your money’s worth and do your due diligence at the same

time, ask the seller for the product’s certification of analysis. This should show you a breakdown of all of the active cannabinoid components in the oil.

4. Mixing apples with oranges

You may be confusing CBD with THC and need to adjust your expectations.

If you are expecting to feel a ‘high’, you will be disappointed and you probably won’t feel like anything is working. If this is you, you need to adjust your level of expectation. With CBD, you won’t feel high but you may feel more relaxed and at ease.

5. The dosage isn’t right

Doses are very individual in that what works for one person may not work for another. This is because we all have our own endocannabinoid system, and some are more sensitive to CBD than others. What works for your friend may be too much or too little for you, depending on your endocannabinoid system. It could also be that you don’t know the dose you are taking. Try to always buy a CBD product that gives you an accurate breakdown of the milligrams per serving. Most good CBD oils provide this information on the packaging, and some will have markings on the oil dropper or the bottle.

HOW DO I FIX THIS?

Start low, build slow. By keeping a CBD journal, you can record how much you have taken, the effects of this on your body, sleep or mind and over the course of time discover a pattern of what works for you.

Again, it really is worth researching what is in the product you want to take before you buy. Of 102 products tested in one US study, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found 18 products had less than 80% of the CBD amount indicated. While another 46 were within 20% of the amount advertised. Thirty-eight products had more than 120% of the CBD indicated.

GLOWING!

Nothing says relaxing more than a facial that combines a skin massage with CBD. The procedure has ten steps including lymphatic drainage, dermaplaning, skin peeling and LED PDT therapy to fight skin problems such as acne, ageing or rosacea. All parts of the facial are combined with Grass Roots products which are cosmeceutical in CBD skincare.

After a consultation with the founder of the facial, Zoe at LA Perfection chose a range of products to best suit my skin needs. I need help fighting break outs and dryness mainly. If I’m honest, at 35, I need help with ageing too.

The treatment started with a double cleanse using the Grass Roots AHA Cleansing Wash, a CBD cleanser to remove any of my make up or bacteria. It wasn’t only the bacteria falling away but I felt my stress melting away too as the warm cloth took away a layer of dirt, make up and pollution off of my skin. The cleanser also contained aloe vera and essential oils to make sure my skin stayed moisturised.

After this, the AHA Skin Tonic, CBD Balance, was applied to restore my skin’s PH after cleansing. A combination of tea tree, aloe vera and CBD is said to help calm the skin while preparing for the lymphatic drainage massage. The idea of the massage using the black obsidian Gua Sha stone is to apply light pressure in gentle movements to increase the flow of lymph and reduce toxins in the

face. This was combined with the Super Glow Miracle Oil, CBD Repair, complete with 300mg CBD, which helps the stone to glide over the skin. The CBD is absorbed into the skin helping to reduce any inflammation I might have while 13

essential oils not only keep my skin moisturised but smell amazing too.

Dermaplaning

Once my skin is cleansed of any oil, I underwent a second application of AHA Skin Tonic massaged in to

When we heard about the world’s first verified CBD facial procedure, we just had to try it! The CANNAVIST’s Caroline Barry visited LA Perfection in Oxford to find out what it involves.

make sure I was ready for the next step – dermaplaning.

I’ve been so curious about dermaplaning, if not a little nervous about it. The practice involves running a fine blade across the skin to exfoliate and remove any dead skin cells or light facial hair so the skin can absorb active ingredients better. Despite my many tattoos, I’m a little nervous that I’ll feel it. It turns out that I felt a light, painfree scraping feeling as the blades worked their magic.

An enzyme peel is then applied after this for ten minutes to fight acne and shrink pores before the skin tonic is applied again.

At this stage my skin is now at its peak absorption! Ready for the Skin Drench Super Serum, CBD Hydrate. This serum combines the brightening properties of Vitamin C to reduce any redness with CBD Isolate for its anti-inflammatory potential. A perfect combination for my skin which is wonderfully prone to both redness and acne.

To finish my facial, an LED mask is placed onto my face which uses a light therapy colour and then all I needed to do was relax!

The Results

At the end of the facial, my skin looked incredibly healthy. I’m no stranger to skincare, but this is the cleanest I have ever felt my skin feel. I also notice a glow in a

way that makes me look as if an Instagram filter has been applied to my face in real life. One of the best parts of the facial is that this will continue to work for weeks afterwards so I have a lot of good skin days to look forward to.

The Grass Roots Facial is available from GrassRootsSkin.com , at £99 for an hour.

YOU And MEOW

We get our claws into a CBD smoothie at the UK’s only CBD and cat café. No really. This is a thing. Words by Caroline Barry

Anyone who owns a pet knows how therapeutic time spent with them can be. But what do you do if your landlord has a no pet rules? Cat cafés have the answer.

Although the concept is attributed to Japan, the first cat café opened in Taiwan in 1998. It wasn’t until 2013 that the first such cat hangout opened in the UK with a simple concept – eat, drink and enjoy the company of cats you don’t have to clean litterboxes for. While there are a number of these locations across the UK, Bristol offers the unique experience of the only cat CBD café, You and Meow on Denmark Street.

You and Meow opened in 2017 offering the ‘guidance of feline zen masters’ alongside a range of CBD tea and smoothie options. This includes an extremely popular CBD and mint tea made with cannabis sativa and peppermint leaves, coming in at 2% CBD. Owner Ewa Rukat said Bristol is a great location for this kind of attraction.

“Bristol is very open minded. We focus on healthy products and consciously try to reduce sugar by keeping the menu as simple as possible. I know CBD is good for you and one of my colleagues suggested we explore it. We added it to our menu, and it became one of our best-selling products.” Nothing helps to soothe the soul faster than watching the seven all black kittens that the café currently has play and fall over each other. The cats are inquisitive about visitors opting to sit on laps and play with shoelaces.

Ewa explains that it was a post-lockdown decision to have only black cats. “After lockdown, we reduced the number of cats that we have to seven. According to our license, we can only have a maximum of 14. I always loved black cats and over lockdown I reflected on how we could do things differently. I thought it would be nice to raise awareness of black cats as they are not as popular. They are often left behind at shelters.”

You and Meow can be found at 22 Denmark Street, Bristol, BS1 5DQ. youandmeow.co.uk

Med Cann

Two years on from the law reform that saw medical cannabis legalised in the UK, we look at a timeline of events before and after this landmark moment | Find a medical cannabis clinic near you! | Plus is the island of Jersey a medical cannabis underdog?

MEDICAL CANNABIS IN THE UK

A timeline celebrating two years since legalisation.

Medical cannabis was legalised on November 1, 2018, following the tireless campaigning of mothers Charlotte Caldwell and Hannah Deacon, among others. We look at the events that led to the landmark change in the law and what has happened since.

1843

Provincial Medical Journal publishes ‘On the Preparations of the Indian Hemp, or Gunjah’

The article reports the effectiveness of cannabis as a treatment for conditions including tetanus, joint pain and childhood seizures.

1913

The British Government outlaws cannabis in Jamaica due to its “demoralising and deplorable” effect on “the natives.”

This follows decades of claims from politicians that cannabis was causing a ‘madness’ in the colonies.

1928

Cannabis is banned in the UK after fears over its influence on people of colour spread.

Over the following decades, cannabis is readily available as a ‘wonder cure’.

2004

Labour minister David Blunkett reschedules cannabis to Class C as a harm reduction measure. He also expresses his support for research into its medical use and the potential to license it as a treatment for multiple sclerosis (MS).

1971

Cannabis is classified as a Class B drug under the new Misuse of Drugs Act.

The act is brought in following years of social unrest and protests, with thousands of white middleclass people arrested for cannabis offences.

1971

Cannabis is classified as a Class B drug under the new Misuse of Drugs Act.

The act is brought in following years of social unrest and protests, with thousands of white middle-class people arrested for cannabis offences.

March 7

A UN report reveals that the UK is the largest exporter of cannabis in the world, despite both medical and recreational preparations being domestically illegal.

2009

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith puts cannabis back into Class C despite recreational use and hospital related submissions being on the decline since 2004.

The Advisory Council for the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), chaired by Professor David Nutt, says that evidence linking cannabis use to psychosis had become “more, rather than less, confused,” contrary to Smith’s claims.

March 3

The parents of six-year-old Alfie Dingley appeal to Prime Minister Theresa May and the Home Office after their son is ushered to hospital for a second time following their return from the Netherlands, where he was given cannabis oil for his seizures.

May 14

Drugs minister Victoria Atkins is accused of a ‘massive conflict of interest’ after it’s revealed that her husband’s company, British Sugar, operates Britain’s largest cannabis farm.

The Home Office announces that Atkins has “voluntarily recused herself from policy or decisions relating to cannabis”.

June 20

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt announces a review will be undertaken into making medical cannabis available to patients in the UK.

January 6

Patients in England and Wales with two rare types of epilepsy can now access CBD-drug Epidyolex on the NHS.

The drug is indicated for the treatment for Lennox Gastaut Syndrome and Dravet Syndrome after clinical trials found that it reduced seizures by up to 40%.

Meanwhile, CBD:THC drug Sativex can now be prescribed to patients with MS-related muscle spasticity.

November 7

July 26

Home Secretary Sajid Javid announces that cannabis products will be made available for patients with an ‘exceptional medical need.’

Cannabis will be moved from Schedule I for drugs with no therapeutic value to Schedule II alongside controlled medicines such as methadone, morphine and ketamine.

November 1, 2018

Clinicians on the General Medical Council’s Specialist Register can now prescribe medical cannabis to patients in the UK.

Sajid Javid says of the decision: “I have been clear that my intention was always to ensure that patients have access to the most appropriate course of medical treatment.

“I stressed the importance of acting swiftly to ensure that where medically appropriate, these products could be available to be prescribed to patients.”

The Project Twenty21 medical cannabis registry launches. The landmark project aims to recruit 20,000 patients with a range of conditions, including chronic pain, anxiety and MS. Non-profit Drug Science, led by former ACMD chair Professor David Nutt, hopes the registry will lead to wider prescribing of medical cannabis on the NHS.

September 9

Department of Health figures reveal that just 12 prescriptions for unlicensed cannabis medicines were issued in the eight months since legalisation.

November 1, 2020

September 7

Epidyolex is approved for routine use by NHS Scotland.

October 19

Charlotte Caldwell is invited to sign a shared care plan for 15-yearold son Billy to receive medical cannabis on the NHS in Northern Ireland.

Caldwell penned an open letter in September, urging Health and Social Care Minister Matt Hancock and Northern Ireland Health Minister Robin Swann to ensure a long term solution for her son.

Billy Caldwell makes front page news as he receives his NHS-funded medical cannabis prescription by courier to his home in County Tyrone.

9 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT MEDICAL CANNABIS

Curious about medical cannabis but unsure about where to start, or even the right questions to ask? We got you…

Words by Caroline Barry

What is medical cannabis?

Medical cannabis refers to legal cannabis-based products formulated for medical use for different conditions. It’s different from the illegal street cannabis on the black market. It is licensed for the treatment of some conditions such as multiple sclerosis, epilepsy and to help with chemotherapy nausea. Medical cannabis has been legal in the UK since November 2018.

What’s difference between recreational and medical cannabis?

Cannabis purchased illegally is not guaranteed to be safe, with zero traceability and no recall. It may even be contaminated with other chemicals such as pesticides or heavy metals. Like with everything bought on the black market, there is no consistency, so ultimately, it’s risky, especially for self-medicating.

How is CBD different from medical cannabis?

In simple terms CBD is just one extract from hemp or cannabis. While medical cannabis can contain CBD, THC and a host of other cannabis compounds. With medical cannabis, you will often hear the term ‘whole plant’. Medical cannabis comes from cannabis, while CBD is only legal if it comes from hemp.

CBD is available to buy online and on the high street, much like

a supplement, whereas medical cannabis is by prescription only from a specialist doctor.

How do you get a prescription for medical cannabis?

It’s important to note that your GP cannot prescribe cannabis based medicines. It can only be prescribed by a specialist doctor in the case of certain conditions. A specialist will consider prescribing if a person meets the criteria and will first discuss other treatments with a patient before considering a cannabis-based

product. It will only be prescribed if other more conventional treatments are not suitable or have not worked.

What conditions can medical cannabis be prescribed for?

Only a handful of conditions are covered by the guidelines which doctors abide by, including rare forms of epilepsy, spasticity from MS and nausea or vomiting from chemotherapy, but only when other treatments have failed. Some medical cannabis clinics have started to offer dermatological services too.

What is Sativex?

Sativex was the first cannabis based medicine to be licensed in the UK. The drug is normally prescribed for the treatment of MS-related spasticity when a person has not responded to other treatments or their side effects were intolerable. It can also be used alongside other MS medications. Its effects have been studied on pain, bladder symptoms, tremors and sleep disturbance.

It is an oral spray containing both CBD and THC. The number of sprays a patient needs varies from person-to-person.

What is Epidyolex?

Epidyolex is the second and only other approved cannabis-based medicine available on the NHS in the UK. It is an oral solution approved to treat seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome or Dravet Syndrome in children and adults. Both are extremely rare forms of epilepsy. Clinical trials have shown that the oral solution containing CBD could reduce the number of seizures by up to 40% in some children. The costs of the medication have been criticised by advocacy groups and parents.

It is estimated that there are 3,000 people with Dravet and a further 5,000 with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome in England who may prove eligible for the medication.

Is medical cannabis available on the NHS?

In November, Medical Cannabis Awareness Week aimed to highlight the effect that legalisation had on access. In the two years since the law reform, there have been just a handful of prescriptions issued by the NHS.

Meanwhile around 1.4 million people rely on cannabis to treat a medical condition and those unable to afford their medication are forced to use the black market. There are a number of cannabis clinics in the UK but treatment can be expensive.

Sapphire Medical Clinics group is the first to offer access to a new range of UK-manufactured medical cannabis products at more affordable prices in order to prevent patients from sourcing on the black market.

Where can I find medical cannabis clinics?

Private medical cannabis clinics can be found all over the UK. They offer a safe and professional resource for patients with conditions which can be treated with medical cannabis. Different clinics may focus on different conditions. In most cannabis clinics you can self-refer but they will need to contact your doctor to confirm your medical history. Most are now seeing patients via virtual consultation due to the pandemic.

Medical Cannabis

NHS SIGNS OFF ON ACCESS FOR BILLY CALDWELL

Medical cannabis campaigner, Charlotte Caldwell, has expressed her relief that her son will be granted access to medical cannabis on the NHS.

Since 2016, the Caldwells, who live in county Tyrone, have fearlessly campaigned for Billy to receive a cannabis prescription, which prevents him suffering multiple debilitating seizures.

Now 15, Billy suffers with a rare form of epilepsy. Billy’s mum, and doctors, have continuously said that his cannabis medication gives Billy a better quality of life. Over the course of the year, the Caldwells had ramped up efforts to regain medical cannabis access on the NHS, after two of Billy’s scripts were withdrawn.

In September, Billy’s mum Charlotte wrote an open letter urging Health and Social Care minister Matt Hancock and Northern Ireland Health minister Robin Swann to ensure a long-term solution for her son.

The high-profile case led to medical cannabis being legalised in the UK in November 2018.

Billy made headlines before this, when his medication, legally obtained in Canada, was confiscated at Heathrow Airport, resulting in him being rushed to hospital.

Speaking about the recent progress made with the NHS which now will ensure Billy gets his medicine, his mother Charlotte said:

“You can’t imagine how relieved I am to have received this confirmation after all these years of campaigning.”

“I am incredibly grateful to the health authorities in Northern Ireland who have worked with Billy’s treating clinician and prescriber, his GP and the paediatric neurology team at Great Ormond Street Hospital to develop and approve this plan.”

Charlotte also commended Matt Hancock for creating the Refractory Epilepsy Specialist Clinical Advisory Service (RESCAS), a new system which gathers the professional recommendations of specialist consultants which can recommend new age, non-conventional treatments, like cannabis, in specialist cases.

The RESCAS panel of clinical experts at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London considered

Billy’s case in July, recommending that his prescription be continued.

Caldwell also honoured Swann for ‘honour[ing] his personal commitment to ensur[ing] that its outcome was implemented.”

Charlotte also thanked Northern Ireland’s minister Swann for “honouring his personal commitment to ensuring that its outcome was implemented.”

“To the tens of thousands of people who have followed Billy’s journey over the years I want you to know that your support meant the world to me.

“However today I am also thinking of all the people in the UK and Ireland who are still being denied

access to medicinal cannabis and will commit myself to do all I can to promote access and more clinical research to enable more to benefit from the medicine that has saved Billy’s life.”

Billy, who is a massive Harry Potter fan, had previously been granted two medical cannabis prescriptions, but both were withdrawn.

The teen received a private prescription through a Canadian medical cannabis provider which cost over £1,000 per month to purchase and import before the NHS agreed to this new shared care plan. Billy received his first supply of his renewed prescription at the beginning of November.

THE NEW MEDICAL CANNABIS PATIENT CARD AND HOW TO GET ONE

More than one million people in the UK are eligible for a private medical cannabis prescription. A total of 1.4 million are believed to rely on street cannabis to self-medicate for conditions such as anxiety, insomnia, chronic pain and more, but in doing so, risk criminal prosecution. The Cancard initiative aims to change this. Here’s how you can find out if you are eligible…

Millions of people across the UK use cannabis medicinally, either by self-medicating or via a private prescription. If that includes you, you may run the risk of criminalisation, despite medical cannabis being legal since November 2018.

Here’s how to find out if you are eligible for the new medical cannabis card, created by patients, aimed at helping patients – the Cancard.

Almost 1.5 million Britons are thought to self-medicate with cannabis, while an estimated one million could fit the criteria for a legal prescription.

While two medical cannabis products (Epidyolex and Sativex) were last year approved for the NHS, they are not accessible and a grand total of three such publicly

funded scripts have been filled by the health department in the last two years.

As a result, most medical cannabis patients find themselves resorting to either paying for a private prescription, or self-medicating off the black market.

In the autumn, patient access campaigner Carly Barton launched Cancard with the backing of politicians and police leaders, with the aim to decriminalise medicinal cannabis. The first batch of cards are due to be with patients by Christmas.

Find out if you are eligible for the UK’s new holographic photo ID card for medical cannabis patients. First you must have a confirmed diagnosis from your GP, that is currently being prescribed for privately.

You must have tried two types of prescription medication in the past or have discussed and discounted these options based on side effects or fear of dependence.

You will be asked if you are able to afford a private prescription. These can vary in cost, but on average, you could be looking at £1,000 a month.

Ask yourself this: Do you need a small amount of cannabis in order to manage your symptoms? Are you at risk of criminalisation because you self-medicate with cannabis?

How to apply

If you think you meet the criteria, you can register your interest now. Applications for a Cancard can be made via the website, cancard.co.uk

Distribution on the first batch of cards begins from November 30, after being delayed by one month which would have seen the roll out coincide with the second anniversary of medical cannabis law reform in the UK.

To register, you’ll be asked for some basic personal information, and you’ll also need to submit a passport photo.

What do the police think?

Simon Kempton is a serving Police Office in Dorset. He is also Operational Policing Lead and a member of the National Board of the Police Federation of England and Wales. He says initiatives like Cancard serve the best interests of serving officers, as well as patients.

“I did not join the police to arrest people who are simply unwell

and are trying to manage their symptoms or pain. In fact I joined to help people in that position. Initiatives such as Cancard are important because they give police officers vital information which they can use when they have to make decisions on the street.”

Martyn Underhill, Police and Crime Commissioner for Dorset, said he believes the carded system will give patients peace of mind that their health does not have to warrant a criminal record.

“More than a million patients in the UK qualify for a private cannabis prescription for a range of conditions, but sadly many of them cannot afford this and so could face criminalisation if they are found in possession of what to them is a vital medicine.

“The Cancard will provide them with assurance that their ill health

will not lead to a criminal record, while it will also be a valuable tool to help frontline officers, saving them time by providing immediate verification of genuine medical patients and therefore giving them confidence to use their discretion.”

Meanwhile Detective Chief Inspector Jason Kew said:

“No one wants to see a patient in custody”.

5 THINGS

YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT EUROPE'S MEDICAL CANNABIS ECOSYSTEM

Thinking of investing in Europe's medical cannabis market? From east to west, there are significant developments to watch. Here are 5 things you need to know about Europe's medical cannabis ecosystem from a recent report by First Wednesdays.

1. Gaps in medical cannabis testing

The report highlights an, 'undersupply' of reliable, scalable testing companies across Europe, illustrated by the limited number of test-capacity companies presented on the ecosystem.

The report also finds that there is a lack of consistency in quality of testing, saying "not all testing companies are accredited to an internationally recognized standard, such as ISO/IEC 17025."

"There is a clear space in the market for a reliable, accredited, fast and widely trusted testing company."

2. The prescribing and dispensing landscape varies from location to location.

In nations which impose restrictions on accessing medical cannabis, such as the UK and Poland, specialist clinics have enabled patient access on a private basis.

In Germany and Italy, pharmacists play a larger role in preparing formulations. This, the report by First Wednesdays finds, allows for the provision of personalized medicines to patients, targeting specific needs, with less of a focus on off-the-shelf cannabis products.

3. Europe needs more clinical cannabis data

One consistent complaint of health regulators and policy makers about medical cannabis across the continent is the lack of clinical data and this is feeding demand. There is a reliance among healthcare systems on randomized controlled trials, perhaps stemming from the pharma and life sciences world.

A lack of clinical data is the main factor limiting widespread medical cannabis adoption by most European national regulators, First Wednesdays finds.

According to one medical cannabis expert, Dr Steve Hajioff, who contributed to the report, this void of clinical data is currently a barrier

in the way of progress.

"One of the key barriers to research into cannabis-derived medicines in Europe is the lack of standardization within proposed studies. We need a clear target group of patients, a trial using a single product with a single delivery mechanism and a fixed dose. With this sort of standardization, researchers will be much more keen to do further studies."

4. Right now there are 27 ongoing clinical trials on cannabis in Europe

The report on Europe's medical cannabis ecosystem finds there is a clear growing interest in research into cannabis and psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, PTSD, fear and phobias.

Of the 27 ongoing trials Europewide, the majority (70%) are academic-based, while less than 10% are government-backed, the findings show.

according to the First Wednesdays 2020 report.

In 2018, the same year as medical cannabis legalisation in the UK, Denmark announced a 4-year pilot scheme to assess the effectiveness of cannabis based medicines, and build a foundation of what could be rich market which supplies its own pharmaceutical-grade cannabis grown domestically.

The scheme differs from similar programmes rolled out in recent years in other nations. Instead of looking just at barriers to access, it is a two-pronged approach to supply and demand.

Via two parallel four-year trials –one for domestic medical use and another for domestic cultivation - the hybrid approach is especially significant because of the openended system on which it is built. There is no cap on production volumes and no limit to the number of licensed producers.

Analysis provided by the group which carried out this report, First Wednesdays, says there is clearly ‘an interesting’ medical cannabis ecosystem developing in Denmark... “…centred around establishing a viable domestic supply chain.

The Danish market has become a uniquely European model for the regulation of medical cannabis,

Collaboration between licensed cannabis operators and leading non-cannabis companies has been necessary to achieve the required high standards of production, which is evident through the engagement

5. Is Denmark on course to become the European capital of medical cannabis?

The Men in Mental Health

Public health and user-driven social media campaigns have encouraged more of us to open up about our mental health in recent years. This Movember, we talk to one man who confronted his mental health issues with CBD. Words by Gordon Stribling.

The Centre for Mental Health estimates that around 10 million of us will experience long term mental health problems as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Many of those will likely be men who, true to the stereotype, avoid confronting the issue and suffer in silence.

Despite the barriers to discussing this taboo subject being slowly eroded, suicide remains the biggest killer of men aged under 45. There’s still a long way to go.

Matthew Whittaker, 29, is a project manager and founder of the CBD_UK subreddit from Leeds. He admits that, for much of life he ‘didn’t really understand’ anxiety as a condition. To him, it was just an understandable and short-lived reaction to a stressful event. Until a few years ago.

“I was working like mad, juggling an app start-up, doing all this volunteer stuff... basically just ploughing away, doing too much in a world of my own,” he says.

“Then all of a sudden a wave of anxiety just hit me like a tonne of bricks out of nowhere.”

He describes the experience as a ‘chainsaw’ of overwhelming negative and aggressive thoughts and dark subject matter. A therapist would later use an analogy to describe how he dealt with his problems. “You’re not folding things up neatly and putting them in the cupboard in the right place. You’re just shoving stuff in them and shutting

the door.

“I don’t think we consciously know we’re doing it. It’s just how our brain deals with thoughts as they come in. But eventually, that door is going to burst open.”

Matthew’s natural inclination to rationalise himself back to mental clarity only made things worse. Trying to think about how not to worry only perpetuated a cycle that he found increasingly harder to escape from.

But rather than trying to fight the thoughts, he eventually realised that he should take a more mindful approach.

“If my brain says to me something like, ‘some people get so depressed and kill themselves, you know,’ it doesn’t mean that that’s going to happen to me.

“It’s just a thought my brain had. And it’s about not taking it seriously and letting it drift on.”

By now, Matthew had tried just about everything he could to quieten his mind, from hypnosis on YouTube, to running, walking or sleeping it off. Then he remembered how he’d

heard that CBD may help some with depression and anxiety. One day, he went to Holland & Barrett and picked up a tincture.

“I didn’t realise that it helped until hours later. And that’s sort of the idea because I wasn’t being bombarded with thoughts.

“So my brain wasn’t going, ‘is the CBD helping?’ The CBD was helping. It’s like it gently closed that door.”

“Then all those worrying thoughts about how this is permanent, and I might just be in a downward spiral sort of went away, because I had a glimmer of hope that, actually, I could do that would change my thinking.

“I saw very clearly how useful CBD could be for my own personal mental health issues. And it was like a godsend.”

Matthew is not alone in experiencing something of a psychic shift early in his CBD journey.

As one male Reddit user tells me privately: “CBD has changed my perspective on a lot of things and has allowed for more personal growth in that six weeks than I’ve managed in what feels like forever.”

Research into the use of CBD for anxiety is limited. In a 2019 Brazilian study, a 300-600mg dose of CBD significantly reduced anxiety symptoms in 57 adult males. And a 2015 literature review of studies investigating CBD for anxiety disorders concluded that the current evidence ‘indicates CBD has considerable potential as a treatment for multiple anxiety disorders,’ though further research is needed.

There are also no MHRA or FDA approved CBD treatments for anxiety or depression and medical cannabis is not currently available

on the NHS for either condition. But it can be prescribed privately.

Matthew is keen to emphasise that CBD didn’t ‘cure’ his problem, but it was a starting point that enabled him to see his issues more clearly so he was in a better place to address them. He wasn’t trying to face all his battles through a mental fog – but CBD helped clear the clouds.

“It was just pivotal for me. It’s something that I like to suggest to people who are going through issues if they don’t know what to do.”

The blip which led Matthew to CBD is now thankfully in his past. But he still reaches for a tincture when he has a stressful event coming up, either as a preventative or to mitigate anxiety as it arises.

“I want to get the message out there that I was in a dark place and it really helped me out and it probably will help some of the people out there, but there may still be stigma preventing people from fully involved in it.”

If you find you are struggling, there are a number of free helplines which can lend a friendly ear.

Free phone Samaritans on 116 123.

Or call men’s health charity CALM

“I saw very clearly how useful CBD could be for my own personal mental health issues. And it was like a godsend.”

MEDICAL CANNABIS ON THE RISE IN JERSEY

With a population of fewer than 100,000 residents, Jersey’s growing interest in CBD and medical cannabis has led to some asking if the island could be an underdog in the race for medical cannabis efficiency.

Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands, is home to the first British grower licensed to cultivate hemp flowers for CBD extraction. It’s also unique because, in recent times, medical cannabis has often been cheaper than obtaining street cannabis.

According to one resident medical cannabis patient, Jersey, which welcomed its first on-island cannabis clinic in the autumn of 2020, is fast becoming a hub for medicinal use. We look at how this little island is progressing at a fast rate where medical cannabis is concerned.

The island of Jersey recently welcomed its first influx of cannabis clinics. One such facility is the Medicann Clinic, opened in October, which provides islanders with access to local specialist doctors and pharmacists that have experience in prescribing cannabis-based medications.

Prior to its establishment, those seeking a medical cannabis prescription had to liaise with a Londonbased clinic in order to obtain a script. Islanders either attended such clinics in person, pre-Covid-19, or more recently, relied on online consultations via telemedicine.

Patients in Jersey have also had to face extra importation costs incurred than those in the UK, costs which should be lessened due to the new on-island facilities.

The CANNAVIST spoke to Alex Bealey, a medical cannabis patient who lives in Jersey, who has watched the sector sprout with keen interest.

In a video interview in October, Alex said Jersey is likely one of the few places in the world where so called ‘street cannabis’ has been known to be more expensive

and harder to obtain than medical cannabis.

“The black market price of cannabis is higher over here than it is in the UK. Getting medical cannabis is cheaper, generally. And it’s better quality. Also, during lockdown, there wasn’t really any black market cannabis available on Jersey, so I think this is another reason for the massive leap in the amount of prescriptions in Jersey – people couldn’t self-medicate so they had to go down the private route.”

That ‘massive leap’ in the number of people seeking medical cannabis prescriptions came mid-pandemic, with 200 people registered as patients on the island in July this year. According to a Freedom of Information request, answered by the Government of Jersey in October, by the end of September this number had grown to almost 350.

It is now expected to be closer to 500, since the opening of the clinics in recent months.

Speaking to a local newspaper, the Jersey Evening Post, Medicann chief executive Matt Johnson said GPs on the island are coming under increasing pressure.

“What we want to do is take that pressure off them. The way we want it to work is for patients to be referred to us by GPs, like they might be referred to a cardiology clinic.

“There are patients at the moment

who are ordering medicinal cannabis prescriptions from the UK. By having a local clinic we will save them the time it takes in terms of travel and importation, as well as on cost.”

While patients in the UK have been known to pay anywhere within range of £1,000 per month for a private prescription, and up to £200 for an initial consultation, those on the Channel Islands incur

additional costs if using a clinic and pharmacy in London.

“At the pharmacy they have to sort out the export licence. Here in Jersey, you’ve got to sort out the import licence. You have to have it sent over and pay the GST on it, until you eventually get it delivered,” says Alex, who was one of the first people on the island to use a London-based clinic.

He adds that due to Jersey’s small market, with just 100,000 residents living on the island, it could provide the perfect ‘test bubble’ for medical cannabis exploration.

“Because it is so small, word gets around very quickly…

“It’s very under-known at the moment. It’s very interesting in Jersey what’s going on actually, because we’ve got this End Cannabis Prohibition group and now the Jersey Medical Patients Alliance, we’re making it more well-known. First it was all about how to achieve getting a prescription from the UK, of course being in Jersey it was a bit different with video consultations, you’ve got to get import - export licences, things like that.”

With its first clinic now in situ, a growing patient population and struggling black market, what is next for cannabis on this Channel Island?

Alex says there is room for growth where hemp and cannabis cultivation on the island is concerned.

“We have a couple of hemp farms here already, Jersey Hemp, who have been doing it for a couple of years now and there are another two or three. We’re seeing the hemp cultivated here now and hopefully we will see high-THC medical cannabis here too.

“We are in talks with the politicians over here about getting medical cannabis onto the prescription list – that would mean that it would be free on our healthcare system. That’s the next step here.”

Given the progress made in CBD and medical cannabis on the island in recent years, all signs point towards possibilities.

SKIN DEEP

Earlier this year, the first UK medical cannabis dermatology service launched for patients suffering from challenging skin conditions such as acne, rosacea and psoriasis.

Not only is the service a relief to patients who have suffered with painful skin condition and confidence issues, the initial assessment can also be undertaken online. A safer and more convenient option for treatment during COVID times.

The Sapphire Medical Clinic in London is known for its work with medical cannabis. The new skin treatments and consultations with experienced dermatologists have been developed to help patients who have exhausted all other pharmaceutical options.

Patients must complete an online assessment before they opt to have a virtual consultation. They then have the option for follow up consultations.

Dr Mikael Sodergren, Managing Director and Academic Lead at Sapphire Medical Clinics tells how far the clinic has come since the law change two years ago:

Words by Caroline Barry

“The clinic came about after the law changed two years ago when it became obvious that patients were going to struggle to get access to medical cannabis. Doctors were not prepared after the change to prescribe as they had not been educated in these new complex medicines. There were also a number of indications that they are going to be prescribed as unlicensed medicine which makes doctors apprehensive.”

The clinic doesn’t use the same specific brand so patients can bring their own prescriptions to whichever pharmacy they like. Treatments can be CBD-based with or without THC in the blend. The cost of treatment ranges from £150 to £350 per month depending on the specific condition. Patients won’t have to wait for a referral from their doctors either as they can head to the Sapphire website to refer themselves instead.

The UK welcomes the first medical cannabis treatments for skin conditions. We speak to Dr Mikael Sodergren and Dr Richard Watchorn of Sapphire Medical to find out how the innovative treatments work.

Dr Richard Watchorn

Dr Sodergren says, “Patients can refer themselves and we will get the summary care records from their GP so they know what their previous medical history is. It’s very easy to refer as there is a very simple form online.”

Dr Richard Watchorn, a Consultant Dermatologist and honorary senior clinical lecturer at Imperial College London, joined the team of clinicians at Sapphire this year. He is excited about bringing this new treatment option to a wider patient pool. “The treatment depends on the condition. Some forms of psoriasis for example, may be very stubborn in specific sites. The genital form of psoriasis could be very difficult to treat with topical treatments. Applying neck cream for example wouldn’t be feasible either. In those situations, depending on your other medications it may be better to take it orally.”

Dr Watchorn joined the clinic to help find a way for his patients with difficult conditions to access a new type of treatment.

“I’m interested in finding new solutions for patients with difficult conditions. If you take psoriasis, there has been huge investment from pharmaceutical companies with advanced treatments coming through all the time. However, there

is still a massive gap in patients that are not being catered for. I discussed with Mikael how we could support his research in cannabinoids and see if there is a safe way of prescribing to patients who need it. He has an area of clinical and research that I’m interested in and I have patients who need solutions.”

He adds that in order to be considered, patients must have exhausted conventional treatments first. “Generally, the people who are coming to the Sapphire clinic will have been diagnosed with a condition and already received treatments. If you have psoriasis for example, part of being a candidate for cannabinoids is that you have already had conventional treatments so it wouldn’t be normal that we diagnose someone. There are so few treatments out there that with some conditions, there is a chance that there simply isn’t anything. If you are willing to explore cannabinoids, then we can talk you through it.”

Although treatments are new to the clinic, MD Dr Sodergren says that they have been welcomed by patients.

“It’s been very well received. Some of these debilitating conditions can contribute to poor quality of life for patients. We know many of the active ingredients in medical cannabis, especially CBD, are a potent antiinflammatory. We are hoping that in

due course, we’ll be able to provide really compelling data for exactly where we can use these for specific skin conditions which will lead to more treatments being available.”

There still exists the issue of stigma when it comes to people using medical cannabis for any number of treatments. Dr Watchorn stresses that people need to be open minded in order for research to move forward.

“Ultimately the reason we exist is to resolve morbidity, to improve pain or age and improve people’s quality of life. You see the mental suffering that people go through all the time when you limit them to the treatments that are currently available. If we want to move our discipline on to keep helping people, there is no reason not to but there is every reason people need to be open minded about us.”

“If we want to move our discipline on and keep helping people, there is no reason not to but there is every reason people need to be open minded about us.”

Dr Sodergren

FIND YOUR NEAREST MEDICAL CANNABIS CLINIC

Wherever you are located, many medical cannabis specialists are hosting consultancies via telemedicine.

INTEGRO CLINIC

Where: London

About: Integro Medical Clinic provides patient centric high-quality medical care. Their aim is to prescribe appropriate licensed or unlicensed medicine which includes cannabis medicines to patients. integroclinics.com

SAPPHIRE MEDICAL CLINIC

Where: London

About: Sapphire Medical Clinics enable access to medicinal cannabis for patients and provide telemedicine consultation with expert doctors. Sapphire is also the first British clinic to offer cut price medical cannabis prescriptions.

sapphireclinics.com

THE MEDICAL CANNABIS CLINIC

Where: London and Manchester

About: The Medical Cannabis Clinics offer innovative cannabis-based therapies for a range of people living with chronic and debilitating conditions when previous treatments have failed. themedicalcannabisclinics.com

CANNABIS ACCESS CLINIC

Where: London and Online

About: The first 100% online medical cannabis service in the UK proving better access to their prescribers.

cannabisaccessclinics.co.uk

MY ACCESS CLINICS

Where: London, Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester

About: My Access Clinics offer affordable specialist care for people suffering from debilitating and chronic conditions across England.

myaccessclinics.co.uk

SOLIHULL CANNABIS CLINIC

Where: Solihull Health Check Clinic, Solihull

About: One of the only medical cannabis consultancies in the Midlands, this purpose-built clinic is situated in the beautiful village of Dickens Heath outside Birmingham.

solihullhealthcheckclinic.co.uk

MEDICANN

Where: Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man

About: Until now, patients on the Channel Islands have had to appeal to doctors on the UK mainland to get a prescription. Both they and the cannabis company would have to then apply for importexport licenses. It is hoped the establishment of on-island facilities like this will make access to medical cannabis a lot easier. medicann.co.uk

KEY

INTEGRO CLINIC

SAPPHIRE MEDICAL CLINIC

THE MEDICAL CANNABIS CLINIC

CANNABIS ACCESS CLINIC MY ACCESS CLINICS

SOLIHULL CANNABIS CLINIC MEDICANN

STORIES FROM Around the World

THE REFUGEE CRISIS Hasn’t Gone Away

A camp coordinator tells how CBD helps her to deal with the daily horrors of PTSD, as she helps those forced to flee their homes.

Words by Caroline Barry

Few people will forget the photograph of a young refugee boy’s body washed up on the shores of Lesbos in 2015. The image shocked the world which had been turning away from the horrors of refugees fleeing their homes due to violence, war or famine.

For Emily Wilson, this was a call to action.

“I was in Spain at the time, I was teaching in a school in Seville. There was a wave of people going to Greece to engage in volunteer work to help with the refugees. It was around the time of the EUTurkey deal in 2016 so the refugees were coming from Syria through Turkey and there was quite a bit of hostility towards non-government organisations (NGOs). In the end, Turkey didn’t uphold the deal which meant a lot of organisations I wanted to work for were no longer taking volunteers.”

Emily started working with Project

Elea, a group of volunteers from around the world who have come together to work collaboratively with the residents of Eleonas Refugee Camp in Athens. “Project Elea is a communitybuilding education project focused on creative empowerment opportunities, integration and

assimilation. We usually have a huge focus on education but, for now, because of COVID-19, it’s slightly different. We can’t run our activities as the camp is in quarantine. We still work there on a distribution basis.”

The camp currently houses 2,580

people with a range of 26 ethnicities. Home countries of those on site include Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq. The pandemic has meant the number of volunteers are vastly reduced and those working in the camp need to focus on handing out essential supplies.

Emily’s role in the camp as a coordinator means she has been under extreme pressure. So much so she began to suffer from stress and anxiety.

“I’m the volunteer, field and education coordinator for the past three years, then I started to manage a language programme with 400 students, coordinating a team of 30 volunteers and acting as a logistics manager for the distribution of donations while I was doing my master’s degree at the same time.”

She adds, “It was a stressful time where I started to have panic attacks as my thesis deadlines were coming in. My thesis was interlinked with my work in the camp focusing on humanitarian aid. We had very little money which was stressful. At one stage we had €80 in our account, so we were working hand to mouth. It’s never been a stable way of living.”

Emily started to experience Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms, such as sleep issues, visuals and emotional trauma. “I had cases where I couldn’t sleep because of imagery, PTSD and at times it’s been an emotional overload.”

She turned to CBD and noticed a difference in how it helped her PTSD symptoms. “I still use CBD now but

there was a time where I really needed it. It helped me to gain a distance from the work I was doing but in a healthy way. CBD prevented my anxiety, the trauma and daily grind of being around suffering. It prevented that from embodying itself and manifesting physically.”

Emily credits the cannabinoid for helping her to gain control over the emotions she was experiencing. “Before CBD, there were times where I would just stop in the middle of the street and have a panic attack or I would

“CBD prevented my anxiety, the trauma and daily grind of being around suffering. It prevented that from manifesting physically.”

wake up at four in the morning with really awful images in my head but my eyes open. The image would be there despite my eyes being open. The CBD helped me to take control of things and push away the problems. I knew they were still there, but they didn’t take over because of the CBD. It didn’t numb them or make them less important, but it made me more functional.”

Although COVID-19 has led to adjustments at the camp in Greece, it doesn’t mean it has had to stop operating. Emily is optimistic but realistic about the future of the camp in pandemic times. She is also setting up a way for volunteers and aid workers to help safeguard their mental well-being with her own project, Pandora. She hopes CBD will play a part in this.

“I’m currently developing a new project called the Pandora Project, which will focus on well-being such as yoga and trauma training for humanitarian aid workers or volunteers. We are in the first stages but it will help to prevent burn-out, panic attacks and things like that. There will probably be some CBD added in too.”

In the meantime, she adds: “If COVID is around for another two years then we will keep doing distribution and making sure we are helping people that are falling through the net. We want to keep helping the people that system isn’t supporting.”

• At the end of 2018, 70.8 million were forcibly displaced as a result of persecution, conflict, violence, and human rights violations. Double the amount compared to 20 years ago.

• 80% of refugees are hosted by countries beside their countries of origin. Only 16% of all refugees are hosted in the developed parts of the world.

• Syrian refugees account for almost a third of the world’s refugee population.

• The number of refugees arriving in Europe has decreased. In 2018, a total of 141,472 people fled to Europe, compared to 1,032,408 people in 2015.

IS GERMANY’S CBD E-LIQUID MARKET ON COURSE TO BE VAPORISED?

CBD e-liquids are to be classified as tobacco products in Germany from January 1, subjecting them to costly testing and labelling requirements as well as advertising restrictions, in the latest hammer blow for a European market besieged by regulations. Words by Gordon Stribling

The European CBD industry faces an uncertain future on many fronts. The novel foods pathway that looked set to clean up a market beset by misleading claims and charges of ‘snake oil’ may soon be a route exclusive to the UK, if the European Commission has its way.

And in Germany, one of the few CBD products to avoid the novel foods directive is set to be controlled by another.

From January 1, CBD e-liquids will be regulated under Germany’s Tobacco Products Act. Previously the preserve of nicotine e-liquids used to help smokers quit, the classification will require companies to provide German authorities with toxicological data and information on production processes, label their products and adhere to a host of strict advertising restrictions.

Kai-Friedrich Niermann is a lawyer specialising in cannabis law and legal adviser to the European Industrial Hemp Association (EIHA). He has written several legal opinions on nicotine-free CBD e-liquids. Niermann explains what the new classification will mean for CBD e-liquids and CBD vapers in Germany from the new year: “Every product, which was legally in the market until the end of the year, can stay on the market for another six months.

“But for your product to remain on the market after that, you have to notify it within the system as well as a tobacco notification in the EU. And you have to do an emissions test to show what’s in there.

“There are also more labelling requirements, so you have to have a leaflet inside the box with all the information on the product.”

These new testing and labelling requirements are likely to add additional €2,000 to €4,000 to the cost of bringing a CBD e-liquid to market, Neirmann says. While this is a drop in the ocean compared to the cost of a novel foods application, the additional cost could see CBD e-liquids pushed to the sidelines.

“One of my clients is the founder and director of the Hall of Vape event in Germany,” Niermann says.

“He says that CBD e-liquids are a niche product. They don’t play any role during his events and are a small part of the German market.”

Despite its niche status, vaping is recognised as one of the fastest and most effective ways of consuming CBD. Users often consume CBD this way to respond to issues as they arise, rather than taking an edible which might last longer but will take more time to kick in.

Along with the testing and labelling requirements, CBD companies will no longer be able to advertise their e-liquids online, on outdoor advertising or on exterior retail walls, though the outdoor restrictions will

not take effect until January 2024.

The advertising restrictions will place yet another barrier on CBD companies which are already very limited in how they promote their products.

Retailers and manufacturers are prohibited from making medical claims about CBD as the compound is, at least for now, classified as a dietary supplement rather than a medicine.

The European Commission issued a preliminary analysis in July, stating that it was considering reclassifying CBD as a narcotic.

The German Association for Cannabis Dispensing Pharmacies issued a press release in August, rejecting the narcotic classification.

However, the body said that CBD should be controlled as a pharmaceutical and not a cosmetic or dietary supplement.

The organisation said: “CBD is an important ingredient of the cannabis plant, which both influences the effects of THC and can trigger significant effects due to its ability to activate special receptors of the body’s endocannabinoid system.

“As a result, CBD is classified as an active pharmaceutical ingredient and must be treated as such.”

The new e-liquid restrictions are in stark contrast to the UK, whose tobacco laws fall under the same EU law, the Tobacco Products Directive (TPD). Here, only e-liquids containing nicotine are regulated as tobacco-related products. CBD e-liquids are not subject to the same testing and labelling requirements or advertising restrictions.

While non-compliant CBD vapes will be allowed to remain on the shelves for six months, Germany’s enforcement of the novel food regulation suggests that the authorities will not hesitate to clamp down.

Niermann says: “They’re enforcing the novel food directive massively now, with criminal proceedings, with police raiding shops and confiscating goods. Just last week, I got three calls from shop owners who were facing preliminary proceedings.”

“For your product to remain on the market you have to notify it within the system as well as a tobacco notification in the EU. And you have to do an emissions test to show what’s in there”

FRANCE ANNOUNCES FIRST MED CANN TRIAL

Despite widespread cannabis use among the adult population, France has been slow to embrace the plant’s huge medical potential. A trial beginning in March could finally set the country on the path to establishing a medical cannabis industry.

Words by Gordon Stribling

On October 9, France announced its first medical cannabis trial, which is set to begin in March 2021. As part of the two-year trial, 3,000 patients will be given medical cannabis for free to assess its efficacy on conditions including epilepsy, multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuropathic pain.

Companies supplying the pharmaceutical-grade medicine will be required to do so at no cost to the public purse.

The decree states that suppliers:

“…may not claim or expect at the end of the experiment any guaranteed right or direct or indirect benefit linked to their participation, particularly in the event of (general legalization) of cannabis for medical use by the French authorities.”

The trial is, of course, good news for French medical cannabis campaigners.

France has the joint highest prevalence of cannabis use in all of Europe, accounting for around 11% of the population.

The trial is backed by National Assembly member JeanBaptiste Moreau, who said that “France must get out of prehistory in terms of cannabis” and that the plant is “a drug which can also be a medicine.”

However, cannabis reform has been met with resistance from a number of high-profile government

officials, including Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin: “I cannot, as Minister of the Interior, as a politician, tell parents who are fighting to get their children out of drug addiction, that we are going to legalize this s**t.”

CBD IN FRANCE

France is reportedly Europe’s largest hemp cultivator, planting around 35,830 acres in 2019. But cannabis companies can only manufacture, process and market products derived from the fibre and seeds of the cannabis plant and not the CBD-rich flower itself.

This could all change when the Court of Justice of the European Union is set to rule on a landmark case. In 2014, two start-up managers were prosecuted for trying to sell a hemp-derived CBD vape product under the Kanavape brand.

However, the CBD used in the product was legally grown in the Czech Republic in accordance with Czech and EU law.

The French Court of Appeals of Aix-en-Provence passed the case on to the EU. We shall soon find out whether France’s hemp restrictions are in violation of the EU’s free movement principle.

A CLEAN SWEEP

Americans across party and state lines approved sweeping cannabis reforms in the 2020 elections. Advocates will now be hoping that the president elect stays true to his word and ushers in a new era of federal reform.

Words by Gordon Stribling

The 2020 American election will go down as one of the most controversial in recent memory. Despite Joe Biden claiming victory President Trump refuses to go down without a fight. But while the presidential election result continues to divide opinion, the voting population was united in supporting cannabis reform at the ballot box.

Arizona

Proposition 207 was approved by 60% of voters, legalizing the possession and use of cannabis for recreational use.

The measure also expunges the records of individuals convicted of cannabis crimes, including felony possession. The state will also introduce ‘social equity’ licenses aimed at supporting communities disproportionately impacted by cannabis prohibition.

Montana

More than 56% of voters approved Initiative-190, which legalizes the possession of up to an ounce of cannabis for individuals aged 21 and above.

Legal adults are also permitted to cultivate up for four mature plants in an enclosed area out of public view.

New Jersey

Public Question No.1 will legalize possession and use of recreational cannabis for adult consumers. Medical cannabis is already legal in the state.

The vote will amend the state constitution, a move that drew controversy from critics including Don't Let NJ Go to Pot executive director, Gregg Edwards, who said: “[Once] it's in the Constitution, the likelihood of it coming out is slim or next to none."

South Dakota

South Dakota is the first state to legalize medical and recreational cannabis on the same day.

Constitutional Amendment A legalizes possession and use of cannabis by adults. Adults can also grow up to three plants for personal use, if they live in a jurisdiction without a licensed medical cannabis retailer. Distribution and sales are subject to a 15% tax.

Meanwhile, individuals with debilitating health conditions can possess and buy up to 3oz of medical cannabis from licensed dispensaries.

What’s next?

The election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will have given hope of reform on the federal level. Both have supported decriminalization in the past and the industry is already hopeful.

Canopy CEO David Klein said: “We believe the Biden win is an important step on the path to federal permissibility of cannabis in the U.S. market through decriminalization and de-scheduling.

"The results of the ballot initiatives clearly showcase that support for adult-use marijuana legalization extends across geographic and party lines and is supported by a majority of Americans.”

The 2020 election will also been remembered even progressive drug reforms outside of the cannabis realm.

Oregon became the first state to decriminalize the possession of small quantities of harder drugs, including methamphetamine, heroin and cocaine.

Voters in Oregon and Washington approved the use of psychedelic mushrooms for therapy.

Magic mushrooms, which include the psychotropic compounds, psilocin and psilocybin, are already prescribed to some terminally ill patients in Canada.

The FDA has designated psilocybin as a ‘Breakthrough Therapy’ for treatment-resistant

“Support for adult-use marijuana legalization extends across geographic and party lines and is supported by a majority of Americans”

A MISSED OPPORTUNITY?

Cannabis reform may be in the air in the US. But recreational use remains illegal in New Zealand following a very close referendum, which took place within weeks of US voters also heading to the polls.

Words by Gordon Stribling

New Zealand has rarely been far from the headlines in 2020. The Pacific nation with a population of just five million has succeeded where the UK, US and pretty much everywhere else in the West failed in all but eradicating COVID-19 (for now).

The landslide re-election of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern will have shocked few in the international community.

The country also voted on two referendums on October 17. In the End-of-Life Choice Act vote, a resounding 65% supported euthanasia being legalised. The non-binding cannabis legalisation vote, however, was split right down the middle, with 48% voting ‘yes’ and 50% voting ‘no’.

Prime Minister Ardern confirmed

that she had voted ‘yes’ for both reforms.

The ‘no’ vote is a huge blow to cannabis reform advocates, just weeks before six US states would introduce sweeping drug decriminalisation and legalisation bills.

Cannabis reform had been backed by former Prime Minster, Helen Clark, who has long contended that prohibition doesn’t work.

In the run-up to the vote, Clark wrote an article for The Guardian which argued:

“Evidence from longitudinal studies carried out in New Zealand indicates that by the age of 25, 80% of New Zealanders will have tried cannabis at least once.

“Put simply, prohibition-based policy approaches have not eradicated and will not eradicate

cannabis consumption and supply in New Zealand or anywhere else where its use is established.”

Champions of the ‘yes’ vote believe that a regulated market would take supply from criminal gangs, ensure quality and safety and raise awareness of risks with clear health warnings on products.

New Zealand’s cannabis landscape would look a lot like that of Canada, where recreational cannabis was legalised in 2018.

From age 20, adults would have been be permitted to buy 14 grams of dried flower per day from licensed sellers and grow two plants at home.

Shops could sell cannabis in various formulations and strengths, but products such as gummies

that resemble sweets would be prohibited, as would all advertising.

Supporters of legalisation also noted that the current prohibition disproportionately impacts the indigenous Māori population who are three times more likely to be arrested and prosecuted for possession than the rest of the population.

Royal College of General Practitioners president Dr Samantha Murton argued that the close result suggested that it’s now

time to revisit the decriminalisation debate.

Dr Murton said that concerns about the potential health impact of cannabis use could be addressed: "The reason that this was put up was that there are issues with how cannabis is dealt with currently.

"Because there are issues, then we need to deal with them, but then also the other side of that coin is there's some significant health issues, and so we need to be able to deal with it in a balanced way."

New Zealand’s Medical Cannabis Scheme has been in effect since April. The Ministry of Health developed the scheme to make it easier and less expensive for New Zealanders to access cannabisbased medicine.

The scheme allows for domestic cultivation, manufacture and distribution of medical cannabis according to strict licensing requirements. However, the scheme is still a work in progress with patients continuing to rely on expensive imports.

Put simply, prohibition-based policy approaches have not eradicated and will not eradicate cannabis consumption and supply

CBD Circuit

CBD LIVE at VOXPO USA | Sx Tech Eu | Event Guide 2021

THE LINE UP

Are you interested in learning more about CBD or medical cannabis?

Are you curious about parts of the world where recreational cannabis is already legal?

Look no further than CBD LIVE. This global event is put on and hosted by us at The CANNAVIST four times a year. Suitable for all, from the young, empowered entrepreneurs to your old school grandmother.

CBD LIVE has all of the answers to your cannabis questions. The best part is, it’s free!

This three-day event takes place on VOXPO, the virtual exhibition platform November 18, 19 & 20.

Tune in online everyday from 4pm each day and access more than 24 hours of educational content provided by The CANNAVIST and our education partners.

For more information and to register for this free event, go to voxpo-event.com

WITH THANKS TO OUR EDUCATION PARTNERS

Cheri Smith, The CBD Yoga Teacher | Live from California Follow: @thecbdyogateacher

Cheri Smith is a Yoga Alliance Certified Yoga Teacher and CBD Educator. She began her yoga practice in 1999 out of Encinitas, CA. More recently, she discovered the synergistic healing benefits of CBD and Yoga provided relief for her own anxiety, depression, chronic pain/arthritis, insomnia, and autoimmune disease. She understands millions of others are still being held hostage in their lives by their physical/mental pain. As The CBD Yoga Teacher, Cheri is on a soul mission to help others manage their pain, so they can take back their power in life and not just survive, but THRIVE!

Cheri teaches ongoing classes, workshops and retreats, including virtual live events and sells organic, cruelty-free CBD products out of Southern California. Join Cheri Smith for CBD yoga and guided meditation sessions at CBD LIVE.

Cannabis Chef & Edibles Developer Melissa J Parks | Live from Las Vegas

Follow: @chefmjp

As seen on NETFLIX & The FOOD NETWORK!

An experienced cannabis chef, CBD consultant and edibles 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 ‘Chopped’. In a set of special cooking demos for CBD Live at VOXPO USA, the Cordon Bleu-trained chef will give an insight into the dos and don’ts when cooking with CBD, including tips on dosage and flavor. Add a dash of calm to your holiday dining table this year with a healthy serving of CBD!

Christina DiArcangelo, CEO and medical cannabis patient

Live from Philadelphia

Follow: @iamchristinadiarcangelo

Counting CEO and founder of Affinity Bio Partners, CEO, Board President of Affinity Patient Advocacy & CEO, Co-founder of AI Health Outcomes, CannaBot among her credentials, Christina has forged a world-class reputation in the Biotechnology & Pharmaceutical industry for the past 22 years. Christina’s engagements have led to numerous industry awards, keynote speaking engagements, a multitude of global clinical trials as well as working on several drugs that have received FDA approval and the ultimate respect of her industry peers. Throughout the course of her career, Christina has acted in various capacities for Global CROs, pharmaceutical companies and biotechnology firms. Christina says: “My strong work ethic, coupled with my motivation, drive to keep learning, growing and pushing the limits: have helped me reach many of my professional goals. With my vast wealth of biotech & pharmaceutical industry, I am supremely equipped to assist Medical Cannabis & CBD clients not only reaching but surpassing their development goals through running safe, efficient, highly effective, patient focused clinical trials, while building a stronger awareness and providing education within the industry. With the CannaBot™, we will be able to affect change in the ever-evolving Medical Cannabis and CBD Industry with the utilization of Artificial Intelligence. It is imperative that patients have access to reliable information. I believe that every patient should have the support necessary as many of them have unmet medical needs. Additionally, with Affinity Patient Advocacy we are able to advocate & provide Medical Cannabis and CBD patients with the information that they need to feel empowered. I am honored to have testified on behalf of Medical Cannabis patients for decriminalization legislature. My personal & professional focus is always on helping patients. All of these companies TRULY help patients.”

THE CASE FOR LEGALIZING CANNABIS IN NEW YORK, FEATURING...

David C. Holland, Esq.

President of the New York City Cannabis Industry Association Follow: @legalizeitlawyer @normlny

David Holland is a Manhattan-based litigation attorney and co-founder of both the New York City Cannabis Industry (NYCCIA) and the Hudson Valley Cannabis Industry Association (HVCIA). He is also the Executive and Legal Director of Empire State NORML, the New York State affiliate of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML).

David spent a dozen years serving Counsel to the late Michael Kennedy, Esq., a renowned criminal defense and cannabis advocate, and provided counsel to High Times Magazine. David is a frequent lecturer to attorneys and lawmakers about the constitutional issues presented by federal and state cannabis laws and has brought legal actions on behalf of individuals and activist groups challenging the scheduling of cannabis under the Federal Controlled Substances Act.

Elizabeth Shields, Esq.

Executive Director, Hudson Valley Cannabis Industry Association Secretary, New York City Cannabis Industry Association

Elizabeth started her career in NYC politics as a legislative representative for the Mayor’s office working on land use, zoning issues, concessions, franchises, and government contracts. She worked with the NYC Council, unions and community leaders on many quality of life issues including the first domestic partner law and wholesale market regulations designed to root out corruption.

After her work in government, and attending New York Law School at night, she joined Greenberg Traurig to develop a government affairs practice. There she represented clients to create unique public-private partnerships, secure change in land use approvals, and defend against government enforcement actions including investigations before the NYS lobby commission. She has worked with numerous local and State as well as the federal government, on a variety of issues from Native American gaming to sustainable energy systems. Most recently she has focused on cannabis related operations and policies for startups in NY and RI. This work has included the founding of the NYCCIA and grassroots lobbying efforts on behalf of South County Patients’ Rights toward expansion of medical, and eventual legalization, in Rhode Island

Andrew Schriever, Esq.

President, Hudson Valley Cannabis Industry Association Advisor, New York City Cannabis Industry Association

Andrew Schriever is an attorney who helps clients develop their cannabis businesses and a writer and frequent lecturer in this field, having presented on cannabis law to multiple Bar Associations. Andrew is also Co-Chair of the Litigation Department at Cuddy & Feder LLP, one of Westchester’s premier law firms, where his practice includes business and real estate litigation, arbitration and mediation. In 2019, Andrew was selected to work with Judges and Court staff to draft new rules for a new mediation program that is now in place for five County Courthouses in the Hudson Valley. Andrew also has a long history of working with non-profit organizations aimed at community betterment and social justice, having served as President of the Legal Aid Society of Westchester County, Vice President of the Greenburgh Nature Center, Board Legal Counsel for RiverArts, Treasurer of the Westchester County Bar Association, a Delegate to the New York State Bar Association’s House of Delegates, and a member of the Westchester County Bar Association’s Cannabis Law Committee.

Lorenza Romanese

Managing Director, The European Industrial Hemp Association | Live from Brussels

Follow: @eiha.hemp

Lorenza is the Managing Director of EIHA. Based in the Association’s Brussels office, Lorenza is a veteran policy advisor and communication manager at the European level. She has led the EIHA’s efforts in Brussels since February 2019, having worked with a number of Members of European Parliament to propose reforms affecting hemp in the EU’s Common Agriculture Policy. Lorenza previously advised interests in the oil and gas sector and led the European Association of Independent Winegrowers. The European Industrial Hemp Association (EIHA) represents the common interests of hemp farmers, producers and traders working with hemp fibers, shives, seeds, leaves and cannabinoids. EIHA’s main task is to serve, protect and represent the hemp sector in the EU and international policy-making. EIHA covers different areas for the application of hemp, namely its use for construction materials, textiles, cosmetics, feed, food and supplements.

CAN DRONE TECHNOLOGY PUSH YOUR HEMP CROP

TO THE MAX? WITH...

Paul Walsh, Co-founder of GreenheartCBD | Live from Dublin

Follow: @greenheartcbd

From the heart of Ireland, Paul Walsh brings his warm and energetic personality as co-founder of Greenheart CBD. His extensive community volunteerism and his wide network of leaders in the crypto and sustainable industries make him well suited to the growing issues in today’s world. An important advocate in the fields of sustainable and organic foods, Paul is currently building out Greenheart’s sustainable food systems, giving Irish farmers the latest technology. He’s also an adviser on multiple blockchain projects to help educate newcomers and successfully navigate the crypto space with helpful education into projects and technology.

Berta Camps Bisbal, Senior Analyst, CBD-Intel | Live from Spain

Follow: @cbdintel

Berta has a law degree from the University of Barcelona and a Juris Doctor degree from Nova Southeastern University (Florida). She has worked as a faculty assistant in legal research in Florida, she was a member of the Law Review, and interned for a magistrate judge of the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida. In her role at CBD-Intel, Berta is in charge of the US legal analysis, including tracking all federal, state and local regulation. She runs the US interactive regulatory tracker product, following changing regulation in all 50 US states.

Dr Rosemary Mazanet, M.D., Ph.D

Chief

Scientific Officer, Columbia Care | Boston

Rosemary has served as a C-suite executive at several biopharma and investment companies and has led multiple successful drug development initiatives.

Rosemary is a Charter Trustee at the University of Pennsylvania and co-chair the Leonard Davis Institute Executive Advisory Board at Wharton.

Chelsea Pipkin

Vice President of Quality at GenCanna | Kentucky

Chelsea’s expertise spans Quality Assurance, Quality Control, Laboratory Management, Manufacturing Operations, and Regulatory Compliance. Chelsea has led successful implementation and maintenance of Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) systems against both SQF and BRCGS standards. She holds a Master’s Degree from Southeast Missouri State University, with a concentration in Biology.

Dr Ayesha Mian Medical Advisor, The Centre for Medicinal Cannabis | UK Ayesha is a junior doctor with a background in drug policy reform, combining public health and social justice experience. A decade ago, completing a literature review on the Endocannabinoid System sparked a lifelong exploration of drug policy’s impact on society, with a special interest in medical cannabis. Dr Mian recently joined the board of advisors at the Centre for Medicinal Cannabis in London.

Dr Daniel Couch Medical Lead, The Centre for Medicinal Cannabis | UK MB ChB MRCS MBA PhD Specialist registrar in General Surgery. Dr Daniel Couch has 12 years’ of clinical experience. His PhD was in cannabinoid medicinal pharmacology. He is an international speaker in cannabinoid medicine and policy and the author of 13 scientific publications featuring the role of cannabinoids in health and disease. He has a special interest in cannabinoid medicine, clinical research and policy development and is Medical Lead at the Centre for Medicinal Cannabis in London.

Moyra Cosgrove

Head of Nutrition & External Affairs, Naturecan | UK Follow: @naturecanofficial / @acindustry

Moyra Cosgrove has worked in the nutrition, health and pharmaceutical industries for all of her professional life. She holds a BSc Hons in Human Nutrition from the University of Greenwich and completed MSc in Sport Nutrition in 2016 at Liverpool John Moore’s University. Moyra’s experience spans the Nutritional Supplement Industry, the Medical Nutrition Industry and she has appeared on BBC and Sky News on many occasions. She is passionate about emerging nutraceuticals, including novel foods, focussing on evidence-based nutrition. Moyra is a sports enthusiast, a supporter of LFC, a keen tennis player and an avid follower of the professional tennis tours. Moyra is interested in exploring the increasing use of CBD in sports and in consumer health. She will soon begin studying for her Professional Doctorate in Sport Nutrition, with a research focus on CBD. Moyra currently works for Naturecan, on the Novel Food application and other Nutrition projects.

Joseph

Colliver

Chief Financial Officer, Sativa Wellness Inc | UK

Joseph is a Chartered Accountant with a broad range of finance, commercial and management consultancy experience. Before joining Sativa, Joseph was a Director of Consulting at Kantar Consulting, part of WPP PLC, CFO at WPP’s Kantar Futures, and previously Global Commercial Director of WPP’s TNS, a $1.8 billion turnover marketing agency.

Marc Burbidge

Development & Quality Lead,

The Association for the Cannabinoid Industry | UK Follow: @acindustry / thecmc_uk

Marc has spent the past 10 years studying holistic medicines, cannabinoids and manufacturing. He has consulted for some of the largest CBD manufacturing companies in the UK. His experience covers plant genetics, cultivation, extraction, product development, mass manufacturing and retail as well as the legislative and compliance aspects of the industry. Development and Quality Lead for The Association for the Cannabinoid Industry and The Centre for Medicinal Cannabis, Marc is also the founder and CEO of B3 Labs, the first BRC certified CBD manufacturer in Europe.

Shomi Malik Development Director

The Association for the Cannabinoid Industry | UK

Follow: @acindustry / thecmc_uk

Shomi is an entrepreneur who has worked across multiple sectors in Europe and Asia. He moved into the cannabinoid space three 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, including setting up a cannabinoid testing facility and helping brands navigate the complex regulatory landscape.

Ben Langley

CEO, Director, Grow Biotech | UK

Cannabis thought leader, one of the first UK investors into cannabis in 2016. Highly successful banker, investor and entrepreneur. Co-founder of Grow Biotech. Ben helped develop a portfolio of notable cannabis assets over his career. He was previously a partner at Candover Pharmacy LLP and spent 12 years at JPMorgan Investment Bank, covering Commodities Clients. He has a BSc in Economics from the University of London.

Romeo Sacco

Head of Online Beauty, Naturecan | UK

Follow: @naturecanofficial / @acindustry

Romeo Sacco recently joined Naturecan as the Head of Online Beauty. He was previously head of E-commerce for South-West Europe for Lookfantastic, one of the top beauty retailers in the UK, where he helped to deliver fast growth across eight European countries. Romeo was previously Country Manager for Myprotein Italy.

Andrew Duckworth

Founder & CEO, Naturecan | UK

Follow: @naturecanofficial / @acindustry

Andy is a co-founder of CBD brand Naturecan, former CEO of Myprotein between 2012 and 2018, and former Board Director at The Hut Group. At Myprotein Andrew oversaw the brand become the global leader online in the wellness space, driven by extensive range expansion, and aggressive globalization. He was previously Head of Business Planning at Matalan and Pets At Home.

Ivy Lawson, founder and CEO, Ivyees Wellness

Ivy Lawson is the founder and CEO of Logwood Company, LLC DBA Ivyees “Everything Honey” and Ivyees Wellness. After twenty years of working in corporate America as an Advisory Software Engineer for IBM and a Quality Control Engineer for Raytheon, Ivy decided to explore the idea of becoming an entrepreneur. Her first foray into entrepreneurship led her back to her roots in Jamaica. In 2008, she moved with her family to the island to start bee farming as part of her role in an investment project. Because of the rich bauxite soil in Jamaica, vegetation for bees to pollinate grows in abundance, and the result is the best tasting, all-natural raw honey. In 2010, she returned to the U.S. and incorporated Logwood Company to become a re-seller of Jamaican raw tropical honey. Since then, Ivyees “Everything Honey” has expanded its business into making healthy products using honey and its derivatives. These products include hair, face, skin, and body care, as well as condiments such as honey jerk seasoning.

Ivyees Wellness CBD products were born out of a collaboration and friendship with Dr. Henry I.C. Lowe, an ethno-medicinal chemist, businessman, and philanthropist. Dr. Lowe specializes has decades of experience studying medicinal Jamaican plants including marijuana and hemp.

Ivy attended Northeastern University where she obtained a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering, Capella University where she obtained a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology and Tufts University where she obtained a Master’s in Engineering Management.

David Clement

North American Affairs Manager, Consumer Choice Center Live from Ontario, Canada

Follow: @consumerchoicecenter

David Clement is the North American Affairs Manager for the Consumer Choice Center. He regularly writes on cannabis regulations for Canada’s national newspapers (Globe and Mail, National Post and Toronto Star) and is a regular guest on radio and television to discuss how regulatory changes impact Canada’s cannabis consumers.

Additionally, David has been invited to provide expert testimony on cannabis policy at the Senate’s Standing Finance Committee, Ontario’s Social Policy Committee, British Columbia’s Standing Finance Committee and with Ontario’s Office of the Attorney General.

Steve Danyluk

Lt. Col. US Marine Corps, Ret. Founder, Warfighter Hemp | Live from Virginia Follow: @warfighterhemp

Steve Danyluk (Lt. Col USMC, ret) served thirty years, both as an enlisted man and officer in the US military, with two combat tours and one stateside tour working issues for severely injured service members and their families at the National Military Medical Center, Walter Reed. It was there that Steve noticed that while we were providing the best immediate trauma care the world had to offer to our wounded on the battlefield, when it came to their post traumatic care there seemed to be an over reliance on opiates and psychotropic medications that Steve feared would lead to long term issues for our nation’s veterans.

Steve founded Warfighter Hemp as a means to provide a better and healthier alternative to the men and women who he felt deserved better. Veterans enjoy a 50% lifetime discount on all tinctures and 10% of all sales proceeds go to support veteran charities.

Len May, CEO & Co-founder, EndoCanna Health | Live from California Chair of the CBDIA Science Committee

Certified Medical Cannabis Specialist Len is CEO and co-founder of EndoCanna Health, a bioscience research company specializing 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

President of the CBDIA and Co-founder

Original Breeders League Live from California

Priscilla P. Agoncillo is a passionate advocate and prominent business advisor serving the cannabinoid industry for over 15 years. Ms. Agoncillo 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. Ms. Agoncillo is co-owner of OBL Biodynamic Farms, a multiple award-winning licensed cannabinoid breeding farm and co-founder of the Original Breeders League – an organisation created to gather top-performing cannabinoid breeders from around the world. The President of CBDIA will discuss The Importance of Breeding and Genetics in Hemp and Cannabis at CBD LIVE from 2pm on Wednesday, November 18!

Dr Adam Abodeely, MD, MBA, FACS, FASCRS | Live from New York Chief Medical Director of Curriculum, CBDIA Founder, Reserve:MD

Dr Abodeely is double-board certified in general surgery and colorectal surgery. He is the founder of Adirondack Gastrointestinal and Colorectal Surgery where he is an active practicing surgeon. Dr. Abodeely obtained his medical degree from Loyola University Chicago. He then completed his general surgery training at Brown University/Rhode Island Hospital where he earned several teaching awards and was also named the “Outstanding Resident Physician of the Year” while at Brown University. After residency, he completed his colorectal surgery fellowship at the Rhode Island Colorectal Clinic, LLP, an affiliate of Brown University and Boston University.

Dr Adam Abodeely expanded his surgical practice to include medical marijuana patients with a variety of medical ailments. Being dedicated to patient safety and education, he is an active member in numerous international cannabinoid societies and he serves as Chairman of the Dispensary Review Committee for the Association of Cannabis Specialists. Dr. Abodeely gives presentations to a variety of audiences and provides consultations on various aspects of medical cannabis and cannabinoids.

Dedicated to advancing the science and education of plant-based compounds, he has a special interest in formulating products which merge science and nature to provide optimal harmony and effectiveness.

Dr Abodeely will host a live webinar exploring Gut Health, Gastrointestinal Disorders and the Case for Cannabinoid Therapies LIVE on Friday, November 20 from 11am CST on CBD LIVE

LET’S TALK ABOUT SEX…

Call it a Sexhibition or a Sexpo. Sx Tech Eu, which was to be hosted in Berlin but has since been moved online,, explores the weird, the wonderful and the what the heck?! of the sex, health and wellness industries, and for the first time that includes CBD. The CANNAVIST asked Sx Tech CEO, Ola Miedzynska, how CBD became the gamechanger of the sexual wellness market.

Words by Caroline Barry

When we think of CBD products, we tend to think of tinctures, beauty products or vapes but one growing area of sales is the sexual wellness market. So where better to go to learn more about this than a European sex tech expo in Berlin?

Ola Miedzynska is the CEO and founder of Sx Tech Eu based in Berlin. Like many events scheduled for the end of the year, Ola hoped this event could happen in real life, so to speak. However due to the refreshed restrcitions, it will now happen online from November 27. Ola explains that Sx Tech events started with a view to connecting those working in the sexual wellness and tech industries. “I had been working in the technology industries for years and I was working on a project based on artificial intelligence (AI) where I came across Harmoni AI, the sex robot. It was more developed than Siri or Alexa so I was curious as to how it worked. I approached the industry understanding the technology side, so I started to research toys, ethical porn and immersive entertainment.”

Ola adds that she wanted to create a space that combined all these areas of technology.

“I started to think it would be great to unite everyone under one roof to start working on the business and innovation sides together. It would help us to be more visible and stronger as a global community. This is how Sx Tech Eu started, as a global platform for professionals working in the field of sex technology but also sexual wellness and health.”

This year, Sx Tech Eu welcomes the first panel discussion on CBD for sexual wellness. Ola approached activist and CBD brand owner, Buck Angel and sex toy engineer Raven Faber to take part.

“Buck is a combination of success and hard work on both sides of the industry. He is an activist and entrepreneur. Raven is a great engineer

and the owner of a very professional sex tech brand which includes CBD. We wanted to put these two speakers together to show how the two industries can be combined.”

Ola touches on the stigma that both industries face which can make expanding business difficult. She suggests that partnering between CBD and sex tech companies could be the answer.

“We face a lot of similarities in terms of our difficulties. It’s still taboo for people outside of our bubble but both industries are so connected that we really should stay in the game together. It would be amazing to get mentoring for start-ups where they can access legal, business structure and marketing advice.” The event offers an interesting deep dive into the emerging areas of the sex industry where tech is helping progression. Panel discussions from the future of sex robots, to the digitalization of sex work to how to build a positive sex brand show how AI is changing the way the market works.

The Berlin-based international event attracts a large audience of professionals for this reason. “It’s people who are actually working in this industry that attend. This could be those in adult entertainment, sex wellness, sex health or sex tech industries. We bring investors, businesspeople, CEOs, hackers, influencers, innovators and investors together so they can network. We are very much focused on innovation in business and technology so it’s a very market-orientated event.”

While many brands working with CBD and sexual wellness are startups

or independently owned small businesses, this year has seen big name brands enter the industry for the first time such as Playboy.

Playboy launched its first range of products containing CBD for sexual pleasure with a view to addressing the orgasm gap which is also referred to as, ‘orgasm inequality between couples’.

Ola says: “I started to hear a lot of discussion around the orgasm gap in terms of CBD sexual wellness products. We started to talk to founders about sexual wellness, sex tech products and CBD and found they were having the same issues as us, in that so much of the industry is unregulated. There are a lot of products designed for human sexuality, like lubricants with CBD. The big brands such as Playboy are starting to notice that there is a demand for CBD, wellness and health. It’s very difficult to ignore this although there is lot happening outside of the established trillion-dollar sex industry.”

November 27

Join Caroline Barry from The CANNAVIST as she hosts a Sx Tech X CANNAVIST collaborative discussion on this topic, featuring Buck Angel and Raven Faber. Available to stream on sxtech.eu and in the CBD

LIVE Auditorium on VOXPO: voxpo-event.com

“It’s still so taboo for people outside of our bubble. I think both industries are so connected that we really should stay in this game together.”

EVENT GUIDE

As we say ‘it’s about time’ to a shiny new year, sadly, COVID-19 is still a part of our lives. Lockdowns may still come and go over the coming months, so if you are adding one of the below events to your calendar, it’s worth checking the website before booking if an expo is virtual or happening at a venue.

Here is our guide to some of the best CBD and cannabis events on the horizon as 2020 becomes 2021.

Meet and Greet Mondays

ONLINE ONLY.

Hosted by The CANNAVIST

Get up to speed with all the latest industry news and network with our virtual speed networking event!

First Monday of every month from 4:30pm (London time)

Sx Tech EU

ONLINE ONLY.

sxtech.eu

Where CBD meets sex tech innovation.

November 27

MJBiz Con 2020

ONLINE ONLY.

mjbizconference.com

The annual gathering of cannabis professionals and investors under one virtual roof. With over 80 speakers from every industry from holistic healthcare to canna-journalism. A must attend for industry professionals.

December 2-4

Cannabis Business Europe Frankfurt

ONLINE ONLY.

worldclassbusinessleaders.com/events/cbe20

An online conference presenting case studies, interactive discussions and Q&A sessions with hands-on workshops. A must for anyone working in the cannabis industry.

December 10-11

Athens Cannabis Expo

ONSITE IN ATHENS. athenscannabisexpo.com

A two-day event combining the best of cannabis speakers with after show DJ sets. The Athens Cannabis Expo offers fun, information and networking.

January 10-14

Future Cannabis Strategies Europe 2021, London

ONLINE ONLY. arena-international.com/cannabis

This event brings together business leaders from across a range of canna-businesses for 2 days of insight, discussion and debate into the European cannabis industry.

March 23-24

CBD Show London / January dates

POSTPONED!

rasbmedia.com/cbd-show

The debut London show will offer retailers, buyers, global e-stores, national and European wholesalers, distributors, pharmacies and much more all together in the Olympia. There is also the chance to hear from over 50 international industry professionals. This event was postponed just before this issue went to print, so watch this space!

Pending, 2021!

USA CBD EXPO Atlanta

ONSITE IN GEORGIA. usacbdexpo.com/atlanta

One of the largest CBD and hemp events to physically take place in the US, USA CBD Expo brings the most innovative and best products in America to consumers from around the world. This event will see over 40 speakers from all areas of the industry including leaders in the tech, medical and business fields.

February 5-7, 2021 Cann X, Lisbon

ONSITE IN PORTUGAL lisbon.cannx.org/

This event is back after their show in Tel Aviv in 2018. CannX offers the chance to network with decision makers, build brand awareness and launch new products in an up and coming cannabis environment.

February 16-18

F Her!

Grass Roots CBD Retinol Eye Refiner; £39.99; grassrootsskin.com

‘S-hanna-poo’ Shampoo Bar; £11.99; hannabis.co.uk

CBD-infused Coconut Shampoo: £25; orangecounty-cbd.com

Revolution Skincare CBD Soft Foam Cleanser; £8; beautybay.com / asos.com

Drink Mr J CBD Mixer; £3 / bottle; shop.drinkmrj.co.uk

C-annah Clay Face Mask; £6.49; hannabis.co.uk

Re:scue Body Butter; £30; hollandandbarrett.com

Sparkling Cannabinoid Drink; £14.49 / 6-pack; littlerick.co.uk

Forever Flawless Eyeshadow Palette; £12; beautybay.com

Our Remedy CBD Oil; £31.99; ourremedy.co.uk

‘Pure Wellbeing’ CBD Oil; £34; harrogateorganics.co.uk

Aloe & Arnica Skin Cream; £23; cannaray.co.uk

Garnier Organic Hemp Multi-Restore Gel Cream; £7.99; lookfantastic.com

Zesty Infusion Tincture; £34.99; soul-cbd.co.uk

Cannadox 20-40% CBD Oils; £99-£200; cannadoxshop.com

Pure 500 CBD Oil; £37; cbdpureoils.co.uk

Phyto-Retinol CBD Night Serum; £59.99 / introductory offer; ascendskincare.co.uk

Tru-Immuno Support Supplement; £19.90; harrogateorganics.co.uk

Purifying Priming Water; £7; revolutionbeauty.com

CBD Nourish Boost Cream; £10; revolutionbeauty.com

F Him!

Silly Goose Coffee & Gold Leaf CBD Jotter; part of gift box jjjworth £64.99; serenityboxco.com

‘Tempo’ CBD Starter Kit for Vape Beginners; £37.99; meetharmony.com

Drink Mr J CBD Mixer; £3 / bottle; shop.drinkmrj.co.uk

CBD-infused Nut Butter; £11.99; uk.naturecan.com

Aloe & Arnica Muscle Balm; £28; cannaray.co.uk

Sparkling Cannabinoid Drink; £14.49 / 6-pack; littlerick.co.uk

CBD Tattoo Butter; £12.50; doctor-greens.com

1000mg Topical Cream; £54; cannaphyll.com

Skin Smoothing Serum; £39.99; getcerious.com

Rise & Shine Strengthening Supplement; £35; feelkaya.com

Relaxing Chewing Gum; £6.90; feelkaya.com

CBD Infused Milk Chocolate; £1.49 / bar; uk.naturecan.com

Double Chocolate Cookie; £29.99 / box of 12; uk.naturecan.com

Pure CBD Vegan Gummies; £21.99; iconiccbd.co.uk

Paso CBD Gummies; £18.95; pasocbd.co.uk

Cannadips Starter Kit, 3x15 CBD infused pouches; From £40; cannadips.eu

300mg CBD Capsules; £25.99; elitemii.com

Virtue Tincture; £29.99-£124.99; cbdvirtue.co.uk

The Original’ CBD Oil; £99; 21atoms.com

CBD Oil Glass Syringe; £20; Justgosuckit.com

F Mum!

The CBD Book by Mary Biles; £9; Amazon.co.uk

SaTeaBa Hemp Tea; £25; Sateaba.com

Red wine with CBD-rich hemp extract; £13; Canna-wine.com

500mg CBD Cream; £39.99; Cannadoxshop.com

High on Love Dry Body Oil; £35; Highonlove.store

1000mg Au Naturel Tincture; £44.99; Soul-cbd.co.uk

Massage Oil; £19.99; uk.naturecan.com

Hydrolysed Collagen Supplement; £11.99; uk.naturecan.com

Organic CBD Chocolate; £4.99 / bar; Holistichighlandhemp.com

Multi-Restore Hemp Sleeping Oil; £11.99; lookfantastic.com

CBD + Omega-3 Supplement; £80; Minamihealth.co.uk

Re:lax Aromatherapy Candle; £34; Harrogateorganics.co.uk

Revolution Skincare CBD Tonic; £10; Boots.co.uk

Revolution Skincare CBD Oil; £10; Beautybay.com

CBD Curcumin Capsules; £35; Cannaray.co.uk

F Dad!

itgel CBD Chewables; £29.95; itgelcbd.com

Get Cerious Muscle Relief Balm; getcerious.com

Pure CBD Recovery Cream; £23; cbdpureoils.co.uk

Maria & Craig’s Non-Alcoholic Spirit; £22.99; mariaandcraigs.com

750mg Oral Drops; £30; Cannaray.co.uk

1000mg Active CBD Oil; £49.95; Lifesparkcbd.co.uk

Sweet Dreams Adaptogenic Supplement; £39; FeelKaya.com

500mg CBD X Colombian Roast Coffee Beans; £42; Sträva Craft Coffee, stravacraftcoffee.com

Nespresso Compatible Coffee Pods; £12; Sträva Craft Coffee, stravacraftcoffee.com

CBD Oil + Sleep Well; £39.99; Unlikecbd.com

On OrangeCounty-CBD.com:

- CBD Gummy Worms; £40

- Gummies Grab Bag; £10

- 1500mg CBD Tincture; £60

- 800mg Muscle & Joint Rub; £35

On MedEx-CBD.com:

- Gummies; £29.99

- Soft Gels; £32.99

- Full Spectrum Grapefruit Oil; £24.99

- Infused Cookie; £1.50 x pack

- 45mg CBD Brew; £12.49

For the mum who wants to learn about CBD

The Good Stuff

Soothe th soul Shine briglike

Canna Food Grub ’s Up!

PIE ‘Fries’ FOR DIPPING

Served with CBD-infused Crème Anglaise and salted caramel sauce.

Chef says: Sounds fancy doesn’t it? Just keep reading… I promise you won’t regret it! These short steps will have you impressing any crowd in no time!

Ingredients

• 2 boxes of store-bought pie dough (or equivalent amount of homemade dough)

· ⅛ tsp salt

• Egg wash (to brush top of pie dough)

• 3 tbsp cinnamon and sugar

For the Dippers

CBD oil of your choice

1 container of vanilla bean ice cream, (14 ounces/half a litre approximately), left out to melt

• 1 jar good quality caramel sauce

• Pumpkin Pie Spice

• 3 tbsp ground cinnamon

• 2 tsp ground ginger

• 2 tsp ground nutmeg

• 1 tsp allspice

• 1 tsp cloves

To make any of these CBD-infused accompaniments with Chef Melissa’s help, sign up to CBD LIVE at VOXPO for free to access the step-by-step videos! Go to voxpo-event.com and

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 425 F / 200 C / Gas Mark 7

2. In a medium sized bowl, mix together half a cup of pumpkin purée, a quarter cup of sugar, 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice and the salt until thoroughly combined.

3. Roll out, on a floured surface, one pie crust to approximately ⅛ inch. (Essentially, you are rolling out the dough to even out any imperfections due to packaging and shipping.)

4. Repeat step three with the other pie crust in the package.

5. Take one pie crust and spread an even layer of pumpkin filling. Leave a quarter of an inch of a border in order to seal the dough.

6. Take your other pie dough and place on top of the pumpkin layer.

7. Brush the top of the dough with egg wash. Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top. Don’t be shy with the sprinkle!

8. Using a pastry, pasta or pizza cutter, slice dough into ‘fry shape’ dippers.

9. Transfer ‘fries’ to a parchment lined baking sheet and bake until golden brown, approximately 15 minutes.

DIPPING SAUCE “Crème Anglaise”

Ingredients

Crème Anglaise is a rich, luxurious sweet custard sauce. It can take a bread pudding, store-bought cake, or bowl of berries to the next level in a snap. But, there’s a catch. You have to make it! Some find this recipe to be tricky the first time they attempt it, so why not just skip the “making it” part? A famous chef revealed her trick and I definitely use it when I’m pressed for time. So, here you go.

• 1 tub of good quality vanilla bean ice cream, melted.

• 1 jar of good quality caramel sauce. (Torani Puremade Caramel sauce or Ghirardelli)

• Neutral flavoured CBD oil

• Kosher salt or Fleur de sel

Method

1. Take melted ice cream and add to a medium saucepan over low heat on your stove.

2, Leave on low heat and add your neutral-flavoured CBD product to the sauce.

3. Turn off the heat and stir slowly until everything is combined thoroughly. Allow approximately 8 minutes.

4. Pour the prepared sauce into serving cups for you your guests.

Chef says: “I suggest putting the ice cream in a zip top plastic bag and letting it melt in the fridge.”

5. Melt your caramel sauce in the microwave.

6. Pour the prepared sauce into serving cups for you and your guests. Top caramel sauce with a light dusting of finishing salt.

7. Dip pie ‘fries’ into sauces and enjoy!

SWEET POTATO CRACKERS

Chef says: “Truth be told, I am not a big fan of sweet potatoes, but these crackers changed everything! I finally found a use for all the beautifully harvested sweet potatoes that we have in the autumn.”

Ingredients

• ½ cup sweet potato purée

• 115g / 1 standard size potato cooked, skinned, mashed and cooled to room temperature

• ½ tsp sea salt

• 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• ½ tbsp light olive oil

• CBD oil of your choice (43 to 45 crackers per batch)

• 1 tbsp ground chia seeds

• 3 tbsp rice flour

• 1 tbsp hemp seeds

• 6 tbsp filtered spring water

• ½ tbsp chopped fresh rosemary

• 1⅓ cups almond flour

· A finishing salt of choice

Chef says: “I like Fleur de Sel, sea salt flakes or crushed sea salt – this can be done with a mortar and pestle.”

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350F / 180C / Gas Mark 4

2. In a food processor, place every ingredient except the almond flour and finishing salt. Blend until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the food processor and blend one more time to include remaining ingredients.

3. Place contents of the food processor into a glass bowl, making sure to get all of the ingredients into the glass bowl.

4. Add half of the almond flour to the bowl and mix with a spoon or a spatula. Add in remaining flour and blend until the flour is no longer visible resulting in one cohesive blended mixture.

5. Using your hand, roughly divide the dough in half, making a line approximately in the middle.

6. Set aside the dough while you gather the necessary tools to roll it out.

Note: You will need parchment paper, a rolling pin, a pizza or pasta cutter, baking sheet and preheated oven.

7. Place half of the dough on a sheet of parchment paper.

8. Cover the dough on the parchment paper with a second sheet of parchment paper and carefully use your rolling pin back and forth and up and down, essentially pushing the dough instead of rolling the dough, resulting in a thin layer of dough approximately ¼ inch thick.

9. Carefully pull away the top layer of parchment paper away from the actual dough itself.

10. Transfer the dough on the remaining piece of parchment paper onto baking sheet.

11. Cut the dough resulting in approximately 45 to 48 cracker squares.

14. Remove from oven, while still warm, cut the crackers again to make sure they are separated from each other. The edges will cook faster and brown more quickly, which is acceptable. There will be a CBD loss as a result of the baking process.

15. Allow to cool and enjoy!

Chef says: “My oven runs a bit warmer towards the back, so I rotate my crackers after about 15 minutes of baking.”

GENERAL DOSING INFORMATION FOR COOKING WITH CBD

Chef Melissa is a pro when it comes to cooking with CBD. Here, the Cordon Bleu chef, who took part in this year’s Netflix series ‘Cooked with Cannabis’ breaks down the essentials for getting your dosage just right in recipes.

It is important to note that knowledge regarding cannabis and CBD oil continues to evolve and what is current and appropriate today as an estimate of dosing may change with time.

Remember, you should always consult your doctor before you start taking a new supplement, like CBD, especially if you are taking medication.

Key components for choosing a CBD oil appropriate for your needs and for cooking

1. ALWAYS have a certificate of analysis from a third-party testing laboratory

By seeing the results of a third-party test that the manufacturer has had done, you no longer have to rely solely on the manufacturer’s statements alone and you get important accurate information about what is in the oil.

For example, the test will not only provide the CBD concentration, but cannabinoid and terpene profiles as well, along with heavy metals, organic solvents and more.

2. Look for an oil that is easy-to-dose ‘Easy-to-dose’ means:

• Look for exact milligram (mg) content information

• Look for a well-marked and welllabelled dropper delivery system. Are there measurements on the pipette provided?

• If a dropper is not provided with the oil you have chosen, obtain one from the pharmacy. Purchase disposable droppers with millilitre (ml) markings visible.

3. Neutral-flavoured vs flavoured

I have, in my CBD oil pantry, 3 main types of oil

• Low dose – neutral flavour

• Mid-level dose – orange, lemon, and cinnamon flavoured

• High level dose – neutral, mint and orange-flavoured

This allows me to control my CBD dose as well as control the flavours.

Dosing Suggestions

START LOW. GO SLOW!

1. Everybody is different and dosing may take some time to appreciate. Don’t give up! Once you determine your appropriate dosage, everything else becomes much easier.

2. The optimal dose of CBD depends on your body weight and the potency of the oil you are using. Keep these factors in mind:

• The severity of the condition that you are treating

• Your tolerance to CBD

• Your height and weight

• Your body chemistry

• The potency of the CBD oil you are using