On April 6 and 7, thousands of people flocked to the Ranch Events Center in rural Loveland, Colorado, for the fifth and largest ever annual NoCo Hemp Expo. The sold-out event featured a crowd of 6,000 people in attendance over the two days, according to a press release issued by the event organizers.
On April 7 at the NoCo Hemp Expo, former pro-basketball player Will Carr teamed up with Apollo Flight Labs to mark the launch of Willpower Products new CBD-infused protein powder in a big way. One thing we learned: jetpacks are loud!
Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Senate Majority Leader, wants to fully legalize hemp. Though the text of McConnell’s bill is not yet available, the goal is to remove agricultural hemp from the Controlled Substances Act, preventing government agencies like the Drug Enforcement Administration from interfering with hemp growers or vendors of hemp products like CBD oil.
A new Indiana CBD law makes the supplement legal for all residents without a prescription, ending months of confusion and police raids caused by a previour bill. The new law could also serve as a model for other states looking to address the legality and purity of CBD oil supplements.
For many people with chronic pain or other conditions treated with CBD, vaping provides convenient and quick relief. With so many different types of vapes and CBD available, , getting started can be a daunting task for inexperienced vapers. This guide will get you started.
After a spinal injury sidelined Adam Kemp’s basketball career, he learned the value of a remarkable natural supplement: CBD oil. Adam explains why CBD is becoming a vital part of sports medicine and many athletes daily routines.
Hemp has been helping people heal for millennia. Like with many plants, we can’t be sure when people first began experimenting with hemp for medicinal purposes, but the first recorded use of hemp as medicine goes back to ancient China.
People love taking supplements in the form of “adult gummies,” from vitamins to CBD oil. in this review, we picked the four brands that offer the best CBD gummies and ranked our favorites in terms of strength, customer service, price and flavor..
Hemp businesses and consumers could soon be celebrating the end of the DEA’s attempts to prevent Americans from producing or selling cannabidiol (CBD) extracts, depending on the outcome of a new lawsuit. Dozens of members of Congress have expressed their support for legal CBD oil in a brief filed in the case.
It’s a product years in the making, but Americans in 37 states can now try hemp-infused wine, the creation of Texas-based TVM Wines. For the wine’s creators, the product is about more than just capitalizing on an increasingly “hip” ingredient.
Consider CBD oil as a safe and effective alternative to opiates for natural pain relief. Many doctors remain opposed to cannabis-derived medicine, despite scientific research which shows that CBD has powerful pain relieving properties, especially for sports injuries.
Consider CBD oil as a safe and effective alternative to opiates for natural pain relief.
Hemp-derived products like CBD oil were legalized under the 2014 Farm Bill. However, you are unlikely to be prescribed CBD by a doctor. Many doctors remain opposed to cannabis-derived medicine, despite scientific research which shows that CBD has powerful pain relieving properties, especially for sports injuries.
CBD oil is an increasingly popular option for natural pain relief of many symptoms.
While there is certainly a place for opioids and other medically prescribed painkillers, you should be hesitant to take these before you consider alternatives.
CBD OIL: NON-ADDICTIVE, NATURAL PAIN RELIEF
In America, dozens of people die everyday from opioid overdose. This is an epidemic that we have so far failed to address. Millions of patients are entering hospitals in search of a solution to their pain, with no history of addiction. They are leaving with an addiction which can ruin or even end their lives.
Fortunately, those seeking treatment of painful sports-related injuries or conditions which cause chronic pain have an alternative. ‘Addiction’ is a loaded term and not always clearly defined. However, scientific studies suggest that those who take CBD as a pain reliever are less likely to become dependent. There is also some evidence that CBD alters the addictive pathways in the brain, potentially helping those with opioid dependency to overcome their addiction.
CBD IS NATURAL PAIN RELIEF WITH FEW SIDE EFFECTS
Opioids work by preventing the release of a chemical known as GABA, which controls the dopamine supply to the brain. Without GABA, a huge hit of dopamine is delivered, creating a high for the patient. CBD, when consumed without THC, provides no such rush. It simply removes the pain.
For some people recovering from injuries, CBD oil offers natural pain relief without the need for opiates or other prescription painkillers.
As a result, even if there were negative effects, people would stop using it. However, most people don’t experience any side effects from CBD at all and most people who take it report feeling fine. Opioids, conversely, can cause vomiting and nausea in the short-term. In the long-term, such painkillers increase the risk of heart attacks and are potentially deadly in an overdose.
HOW DOES CBD PROVIDE PAIN RELIEF?
One of the main ways CBD can help with chronic pain is due to its anti-inflammation properties. This reduces the swelling of cells, preventing much of the pain that would normally occur.
The brain also contains an endocannabinoid system (ECS), which contains some of the neural pathways that signal pain to the brain. CBD interacts with the ESC in order to decrease the body’s pain signals. Other painkillers likely do not affect the ECS in the same way, which may help explain why there are some types of pain that appear untreatable.
Science is in its early days when it comes to research on CBD on the brain, just as all neuroscience is in its infancy. However, there is clear evidence that CBD does have a pain relieving effect.
CBD may not work for everyone or for all conditions and there is a place for traditional pain medication.
However, research suggests that CBD can often effective with none of the side effects or addictive properties. If you are suffering from chronic pain, start with CBD and see what it can do for you.
On April 6 and 7, thousands of people flocked to the Ranch Events Center in rural Loveland, Colorado, for the fifth and largest ever annual NoCo Hemp Expo. The sold-out event featured a crowd of 6,000 people in attendance over the two days, according to a press release issued by the event organizers.
Interest in hemp and CBD is growing faster than ever, and the crowds at the NoCo Hemp Expo prove it.
On April 6 and 7, thousands of people flocked to the Ranch Events Center in rural Loveland, Colorado, for the fifth and largest ever annual NoCo Hemp Expo. The sold-out event featured a crowd of 6,000 people in attendance over the two days, according to a press release issued by the event organizers.
6,000 people attended the NoCo Hemp Expo over two days, overflowing the space at the Ranch Events Center in Loveland, Colorado. Next year’s event will take place in Denver. (Ministry of Hemp)
With almost 1,500 more people than in 2017 and 150 vendors, the NoCo Hemp Expo has gotten so large that organizers will move it to Denver next year. Vendors ranged from the best of hemp fashion to innovative foods infused with CBD oil, as well as new offerings for hemp farmers.
“The interest level for this plant and all that it can do was overwhelming,” said NoCo Hemp Expo co-founder Morris Beegle.
Ministry of Hemp attended the NoCo Hemp Expo this year, conducting interviews with some of the top figures in the hemp industry, and sampling new products for review. We’ll have much more in upcoming weeks, but below is a short synopsis.
NOCO HEMP EXPO REVEALS EXCITEMENT ABOUT THE FUTURE OF HEMP & CBD
The Expo took place at a virtual “crossroads” for industrial hemp in the United States. Enabled by provisions of the 2014 Farm Bill, hemp growers in 19 states produced over 25,000 acres of hemp last year. However, the industry is still plagued by government interference over issues like water rights and the DEA’s interpretation of the Controlled Substances Act as it pertains to CBD.
Hemp products from around the world on display at HempToday’s “global village” booth at the NoCo Hemp Expo. (Ministry of Hemp)
Many attendees, whether hemp advocates, vendors, or representatives of nonprofits, felt that these hurdles could soon be removed, leading to explosive growth for hemp in the U.S. The Hemp Farming Act of 2018, which was just introduced by Sen. Mitch McConnell, could fully legalize hemp, and the industry seems ready to take advantage of this change should it occur in 2018.
“This is really the beginning of a strong new movement,” declared Arran Stephens, co-founder of Nature’s Path Foods and one of the NoCo Hemp Expo’s keynote speakers.
U.S. HEMP IS TAKING OFF LIKE A JETPACK
At the culmination of the NoCo Hemp Expo’s second day, Apollo Flight Labs launched a jetpack for a brief flight around the Ranch Event Center, sponsored by Willpower Products, makers of a new CBD-infused protein powder.
Kris Morwood, co-author of the Hana Hemp and Callie Cannabis parents’ guidebooks, poses with one of her books at the NoCo Hemp Expo. (Ministry of Hemp)
At the expo, Ministry of Hemp met diverse members of the hemp industry. We interviewed the creators of the Callie and Friends series of parents guides to hemp and cannabis, and representatives of Sana, creators of sustainable packaging that aims to replace disposable, single use paper and plastic with hemp. We took in panels on indigenous use of hemp and the development of hemp fashion. We even sampled Hempway Foods vegan hemp veggie burgers and queso and Steepfuze CBD-infused coffee.
In all, industrial hemp feels like a jetpack, ready to blast off, if we just can remove the final legal barriers to its success.
On April 7 at the NoCo Hemp Expo, former pro-basketball player Will Carr teamed up with Apollo Flight Labs to mark the launch of Willpower Products new CBD-infused protein powder in a big way. One thing we learned: jetpacks are loud!
Why launch a jetpack at a hemp expo? More like: why not?
On April 7 at the NoCo Hemp Expo, former pro-basketball player Will Carr teamed up with Apollo Flight Labs to mark the launch of Willpower Products new CBD-infused protein powder in a big way. While undeniably flashy, the jetpack stunt drew a huge crowd out of the Ranch Events Center in Loveland, Colorado. One thing we learned: jetpacks are loud!
There’s more to Carr’s offering than just a flying gimmick, however. In our interview, he explains why his new ReGen protein powder is the perfect choice for athletes and anyone who lives a fit, active lifestyle. Carr also explains how he discovered the benefits of CBD oil first hand after an injury:
Last August, I had my first encounter with CBD. I had turf toe, and I’d been taking ibuprofen for two weeks and it wasn’t helping. I took CBD and within 30 minutes my toe didn’t hurt anymore and I was like, “What in the world is this? Why have I never heard of this before?”
Stay tuned: we’ll be sharing our experiences with Willpower’s CBD protein powder and more from NoCo Hemp Expo in the coming weeks.
A jetpack takes flight at the NoCo Hemp Expo to mark the launch of Willpower Protein Powder. (Backstage Flash)
CBD honey, sweet, rich in flavor and packed with natural healing benefits, is the ultimate upgrade to your night time tea. Our review team loved Colorado Hemp Honey by the spoonful, but it can also be added to recipes.
CBD honey, sweet, rich in flavor and packed with natural healing benefits, is the ultimate upgrade to your night time tea.
A warm cup of herbal tea before bed is one of the most soothing ways to end your day, and we recently discovered that a spoonful of CBD honey from Colorado Hemp Honey makes this into a powerful sleep aid. Made from high quality ingredients and third-party lab tested for purity, this product is a great way to add the benefits of CBD and honey to your diet. Colorado Hemp Honey is available in four delicious flavors and can be used almost any way you use honey.
A trio of jars of Colorado Hemp Honey. Ginger Soothe which was reviewed for this article. CBD honey from Colorado Hemp Honey is available in both unflavored and flavored varieties.
We discovered this delicious CBD honey at the 2018 Hemp and Garden Show in Austin, Texas, and it quickly became a favorite ingredient in our kitchen. Read on to find out more about the origins of Colorado Hemp Honey and see our complete review of this unique product.
SUSTAINABLE HONEY & NON-GMO PESTICIDE FREE HEMP MAKE COLORADO HEMP HONEY A WINNER
Colorado Hemp Honey is produced by Frangiosa Farms, which has nearly 100 hives in the Denver, Colorado area.
According to their website, the company invests profits in efforts to promote beekeeping and sustainability, which is especially important given falling bee populations around the world. “Frangiosa Farms is focused on natural, sustainable beekeeping practices that consider the long term effects of maintaining healthy bee colonies.”
Their products are made from raw, largely unprocessed honey so it can be enjoyed in its purest form. Whole plant hemp extract, produced from Colorado grown, Non-GMO and pesticide free industrial hemp, is the final ingredient in this delicious CBD honey. Whole plant, or full spectrum, extract means all the terpenes and other beneficial trace ingredients in the hemp remain.
Every product is clearly labeled with the total amount of CBD oil inside. While third-party lab testing results were available for all of Colorado Hemp Honey’s products at the Hemp and Garden Show, they aren’t on the website. We hope the company will provide them online soon. In the meantime, we recommend consumers contact the company to see the lab results.
CBD HONEY SWEETENS THE NATURAL BENEFITS OF FULL SPECTRUM HEMP EXTRACT
“Besides having minerals, vitamins and important enzymes, honey is a natural, healthy energy booster,” notes an article from the Michigan State University Extension. While it’s probably true that honey is slower to absorb into the system than refined sugar, diabetics should still avoid consuming too much.
Rich golden honey is poured from over a spoon so that it drips into a shallow bowl. CBD honey combines the delicious sweetness of honey with the benefits of full spectrum hemp extract.
Our review team tried the Ginger Soothe flavor of Colorado Hemp Honey. The flavor of ginger is warm and strong but not overpowering. This CBD honey is great by the spoonful, but we frequently added it to our herbal teas before bed. Colorado Hemp Honey also offers tangerine, lemon and an unflavored variety.
Consumers should try just a teaspoon at first, because Colorado Hemp Honey is effective and potent. This CBD honey was especially helpful at promoting a restful sleep in a warm drink. Like other forms of CBD oil, it eased symptoms of chronic pain and inflammation.
Though we didn’t try cooking with it, Colorado Hemp Honey can be used in almost any recipe, from the sweetener in pancakes to the glaze on chicken wings. We were advised that CBD honey should not be blended, which is unfortunate as otherwise we’d love to use it in our post-workout smoothies, along with our favorite hemp protein powder.
We wholeheartedly recommend Colorado Hemp Honey’s “Ginger Soothe,” and we bet the other flavors are just as delicious.
DISCOVER THE TOP CBD BRANDS
The market is getting saturated with many different CBD brands. We’ve compared the top brands to help you with your decision. Check it out.
Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Senate Majority Leader, wants to fully legalize hemp. Though the text of McConnell’s bill is not yet available, the goal is to remove agricultural hemp from the Controlled Substances Act, preventing government agencies like the Drug Enforcement Administration from interfering with hemp growers or vendors of hemp products like CBD oil.
Sen. Mitch McConnell, one of America’s most powerful politicians, wants to fully legalize hemp.
McConnell, the Senate Majority Leader, announced the proposed hemp legalization legislation at a press conference on Monday, March 26.
“Hemp has played a foundational role in Kentucky’s agricultural heritage, and I believe that it can be an important part of our future.” – Senator Mitch McConnell
Though the text of the bill is not yet available, the goal is to remove agricultural hemp from the Controlled Substances Act, preventing government agencies like the Drug Enforcement Administration from interfering with hemp growers or vendors of hemp products like CBD oil. The “Hemp Farming Act of 2018,” which is expected to be introduced in early April, could complete the process of re-legalizing hemp which began under the 2014 Farm Bill.
“Basically, it tells everyone in the world that the U.S. is open for business with hemp,” said Brian Furnish, a hemp grower from Kentucky and president of theUS Hemp Roundtable.
A U.S. Senate Committee meeting room. Sen. Mitch McConnell announced the “Hemp Farming Act of 2018, which would remove industrial hemp from the Controlled Substances Act and make it an agricultural commodity.
Furnish said that hemp would be treated like any other “agricultural commodity” under this new law, with each state’s agriculture department able to regulate growers as they see fit.
Furnish and the Roundtable have made passing a bill like this the major focus of their political lobbying. He and many other hemp advocates hope that McConnell’s “Hemp Farming Act of 2018” will succeed where previous efforts have failed.
“I have been pushing for two years for this day,” Furnish told us on Monday.
NEW HEMP LEGISLATION NEEDED TO FREE HEMP FROM DEA INTERFERENCE
“The devil’s always in the details, right?” said Eric Steenstra, president of Vote Hemp when we asked him about the announcement. “They haven’t released the language of the bill yet and, as I understand it, there’s still some conversations going on about little details.”
He’s hopeful though. “From everything I’ve heard, it sounds like it’s going to be a good bill.”
While it’s hard to judge the potential impact of legislation before it’s even introduced, the need for a legal change is clear. An amendment to the 2014 Farm Bill legalized hemp for research purposes, allowing each state to set the terms of that research program. Hemp advocates argue that the farm bill is broadly written enough to include market research, including sales of hemp products like CBD oil, the popular supplement used to alleviate symptoms of chronic pain, epilepsy, and a host of other conditions.
But government agencies like the DEA and the Food and Drug Administration have attacked the legality of CBD oil, primarily by arguing it remains illegal under the Controlled Substances Act. Despite the Farm Bill and legal recreational or medical programs in numerous states, the DEA argues that all forms of the cannabis plant remain illegal at the federal level. The CSA classifies cannabis and hemp as harmful drugs with no medical benefits or safe use, despite the mountain of evidence to the contrary. The result of the conflict has been lawsuits and sometimes police raids on vendors.
A hemp transplant ready to be planted. New legislation is needed to fully support the U.S. hemp industry. That’s where Sen. Mitch McConnell comes in.
Additionally, the 2014 Farm Bill is set to expire in 2019, and while it’s expected to be renewed sometime this year, it’s another sign that a permanent solution is needed.
That’s where Mitch McConnell and his Hemp Farming Act come in. According to Furnish, McConnell’s bill would completely remove hemp from the CSA. He said the bill is expected to include “hemp and all of hemp’s byproducts” including CBD oil, as long as all products and hemp crops remain under the 0.3 percent THC limit set under the Farm Bill.
MITCH MCCONNELL BELIEVES HEMP IS ‘AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR FUTURE’
Hemp is supported enthusiastically by lawmakers from both parties. Mitch McConnell’s announcement of the Hemp Farming Act is evidence that even top Republicans want to see hemp growing from coast to coast.
“Hemp has played a foundational role in Kentucky’s agricultural heritage, and I believe that it can be an important part of our future,” Senator McConnell said in a press release.
These changing attitudes are a sign of the success of the research programs launched by the Farm Bill, and Kentucky is one of the leaders in the country’s budding new hemp industry. The state harvested 3,100 acres of hemp in 2017, according to Vote Hemp’s data, but Furnish says that’s just the beginning.
“I think in Kentucky we can go from 5,000 production acres in 2017 to 100,000 by the end of the next 7 or 8 years,” he said.
Ministry of Hemp will continue to monitor this story as the full text of Sen. Mitch McConnell’s “Hemp Farming Act” is released.
DISCOVER THE TOP CBD BRANDS
The market is getting saturated with many different CBD brands. We’ve compared the top brands to help you with your decision. Check it out.
A new Indiana CBD law makes the supplement legal for all residents without a prescription, ending months of confusion and police raids caused by a previour bill. The new law could also serve as a model for other states looking to address the legality and purity of CBD oil supplements.
A new Indiana CBD law makes the supplement legal for all residents without a prescription, ending months of confusion. It could also serve as a model for other states looking to address the legality and purity of CBD oil.
Last year, Indiana state police interpreted a state law designed to help people with epilepsy access CBD as a mandate to raid vendors who were selling it for other purposes. While CBD is known to relieve symptoms of severe epilepsy, its benefits are numerous and its popularity is growing fast nationwide. Legislators insisted they’d never intended to spur a police crackdown, necessitating the new bill which was signed by Gov. Eric Holcomb on Wednesday.
Now, “any consumer in Indiana by state law can consume hemp products with CBD without any repercussions,” said Brian Furnish, a hemp farmer from Kentucky and the president of the US Hemp Roundtable. Furnish served as a consultant to several Indiana legislators and their staff during the process of writing and passing the bill to legalize CBD.
Though the 2014 Farm Bill legalized hemp research and hemp products like CBD oil, the DEA and other federal and state agencies have challenged the supplement’s legality, necessitating the new Indiana CBD law.
While many experts insist that CBD is already legal under the terms of the 2014 Farm Bill, some government agencies have disagreed, leaving the supplement in a gray area. The Indiana CBD law, which is the first in the country like it, also imposes new labeling requirements on CBD which could help consumers make more informed purchases.
FLAWED EPILEPSY LAW LED TO POLICE RAIDS AND CONSUMER ANXIETY
Over the summer, police raided 57 stores across Indiana, seizing over 3,000 products from a variety of vendors from smoke shops to natural food stores, according to a September 2017 investigation by The Indianapolis Star. The Star’s investigation also revealed that the Indiana State Excise Police were using the epilepsy law as their justification for the raids.
It soon became clear that further legislation was necessary, especially after the state attorney general wrote an opinion agreeing that the supplement was illegal under federal law, despite many hemp advocates and lawyers arguments to the contrary.
The 2014 Farm Bill made industrial hemp legal again in the U.S. as part of state research programs. Lawyers for the hemp industry have argued that its language is broad enough to include market research, such as sales of hemp-based products like CBD. Other legal precedents protect the legality of hemp foods. However, the Drug Enforcement Administration insists that CBD remains illegal under the Controlled Substances Act, leading to a recent, ongoing lawsuit by the hemp industry. There have also been a handful of police seizures of CBD products in other states.
While CBD users haven’t faced legal repercussions, consumers in Indiana were understandably anxious about being able to access this beneficial supplement and the raids were extremely costly for vendors. Fortunately, the Governor halted police seizures of CBD once it became clear the legislature intended to address the matter.
HEMP EXPERTS HELP POLICYMAKERS CRAFT NEW INDIANA CBD LAW
An 8th-generation tobacco farmer who has watched the tobacco industry disappear, Brian Furnish helped lobby for both the passage of the 2014 Farm Bill and the hemp research laws in his home state of Kentucky.
“Hemp has allowed us to stay on the farm and its allowed a lot of farmers to stay on the farm, and it’ll continue to do so in all of the agricultural states I hope can get to grow it eventually,” he told us.
Furnish was originally invited to testify to the state senate about his experience as a farmer in support of a bill to legalize hemp growing, which he expects will pass in a future session of the Indiana General Assembly. However, he soon found himself called upon to talk to lawmakers about CBD as well.
Legislators in both houses of Indiana’s General Assembly consulted with hemp experts like Brian Furnish to help create the new Indiana CBD law.
“I met the Governor’s office, his legislative staff. I met the Senate staff, I met the House staff, and they started commenting and asking a lot of questions about what they should do and shouldn’t do.”
After consulting with experts like Furnish, the result was Senate Enrolled Act 52, a remarkably progressive bill which allows essentially unrestricted access to CBD for residents. After some debate, the final bill doesn’t explicitly legalize CBD manufacture in the state, but a future hemp growing bill could address this.
INDIANA’S CBD LABELING REQUIREMENTS COULD PROTECT CONSUMERS & FARMERS
The Indiana CBD law also imposes new labeling requirements. Every CBD product sold in Indiana stores will be required to have a QR code linking to detailed information about the product’s strength, purity and origins.
According to another IndyStar report, some in the industry called the labeling requirements an undue burden. Furnish had a different opinion. Stressing that he was speaking only as an individual hemp farmer (rather than in his role as president of the Hemp Roundtable), he suggested the requirements will make consumers safer and encourage them to purchase CBD made from U.S-grown hemp.
“A QR code helps protect the American farmer and it highlights the American farmer.” Furnish grows hemp for Ananda Hemp, whose products are “fully traceable from seed to shelf.”
A farmer harvests hemp with a tractor under a cloudy sky. Clear labeling of CBD products, as required under the new Indiana CBD law, would protect consumers and U.S. hemp farmers.
As an unregulated supplement, the CBD industry has been plagued by low quality CBD products. Reputable vendors already offer third-party lab results and clear information about the purity and strength of their products, so Furnish believes the new requirements will be relatively easy to comply with.
FURNISH: INDIANA CBD LAW WILL MAKE THE STATE A LEADER IN CBD SALES
While CBD sales may have dipped in Indiana during the months of uncertainty, Furnish expects explosive growth in the future.
“Indiana will be the number one CBD selling state in the United States probably pretty soon for most companies,” he said.
Not only will consumers feel confident about the safety of the products they’re buying, but the media coverage likely led many to educate themselves about CBD.
“People start seeing that CBD is in the news and hemp is in the news and it’s not marijuana and it creates an educational process that we couldn’t possibly spend enough money to pay for, and it’s happening for free.”
While the US Hemp Roundtable hopes to assist other states where police have raided CBD vendors, he hopes that won’t be necessary for long. Furnish suggested that Indiana’s CBD law could be a model for other states to adopt, just as Kentucky’s agriculture laws can guide states that are considering hemp growing programs.
“I just think hemp’s the crop of the future especially for farmers in my area of the country,” Furnish concluded.
DISCOVER THE TOP CBD BRANDS
The market is getting saturated with many different CBD brands. We’ve compared the top brands to help you with your decision. Check it out.
The Texas hemp industry is booming despite the obstacles faced by Lone Star State entrepreneurs. That’s the message of the Texas Hemp and Garden Show, which took place in March in Austin, Texas, near the heart of the popular SXSW festival and not far from the capitol building.
The Texas hemp industry is booming despite the obstacles faced by Lone Star State entrepreneurs.
That’s the message of the Texas Hemp and Garden Show, which took place on March 13 and 14 in Austin, Texas, at a downtown nightclub near the heart of the popular SXSW festival and not far from the capitol building.
2018 marked the Hemp and Garden Show’s second year, and there were about a dozen different vendors or organizations represented when I dropped in on the second day. Activists helped passersby fill out voter registration cards on the sidewalk, a DJ spun tunes from a small stage outside, and inside a succession of experts spoke about topics ranging from agriculture to the war on drugs. At night, musicians took over for the speakers including a surprise appearance from rapper Lil’ Flip.
“To get the vendors from other states that have legal programs interested in showcasing here in Austin was very exciting,” said Mónica Enriquez, one of the organizers of the event.
Enriquez saw the Texas Hemp and Garden Show as an opportunity to educate locals about this beneficial but misunderstood plant while simultaneously bringing national attention to the state’s burgeoning hemp industry. While Texas hasn’t yet legalized industrial hemp, there are signs of slow progress for cannabis in the region.
‘WE’RE GOING TO BE THE BEST STATE’: A FUTURE FOR TEXAS HEMP
“A lot of people are surprised that Texas does have a medical marijuana program in effect,” explained Enriquez. “Once upon a time, Gov. Greg Abbott said that would never happen under his tenure so that’s already a very promising sign of some change for us.”
The Texas Capitol building in Austin. The Texas hemp industry is growing despite legal barriers, and there are signs of a slow but positive change in state policy toward cannabis as a whole.
Under the current program in Texas, a very limited number of patients with severe epilepsy are able to access low-THC CBD oil made from cannabis grown in the state, but there’s already talk of expanding the program to include more residents.
While hemp research is legal nationwide under the 2014 Farm Bill, the law left it up to each individual state to create a legal hemp program, something Texas has resisted so far. Enriquez credits groups like the Texas MAMMAs (Mothers Advocating Medical Marijuana for Autism) with changing attitudes for the better. Another group working on legalization, and one which had a booth at the Hemp and Garden Show, is Foundation For An Informed Texas, which is focusing on educating rural parts of the state about the benefits of cannabis.
John and Kelly Myers are spreading the word about medical cannabis to rural Texas with @InformedTX! Today they are educating folks at the #Austin Hemp and Garden show. pic.twitter.com/IZtixj04iv
The Texas legislature won’t meet again until early 2019, giving advocates like Enriquez time to build a groundswell of support for changing Texas hemp law.
“With the legal program there, we’re not going to be the last state, and hopefully we’re going to be the best state,” she said.
“We’re very hopeful for Texas and obviously if federal law changes than our battle is won.”
TEXAS HEMP AND GARDEN SHOW CREATES EDUCATION & NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES
Along with her husband, Enriquez started Lazy Daze Counterculture, an Austin smoke shop that soon expanded to multiple locations around the country. This led the pair to found Texas Green Rusht to help entrepreneurs and other Texas hemp advocates and professionals network and support each other through shared challenges.
“There’s a lot of different issues that come up running a business in this industry even though our business has nothing to do with touching the plant,” she said.
This in turn led to the creation of the Hemp and Garden Show to capitalize on the massive influx of attention and visitors SXSW brings to Austin. “We really wanted to show what Texas has to offer the rest of the country when it comes to this industry.”
One highlight of the show was a panel of Texas veterans advocating for access to medical marijuana. “That was a very exciting panel, my father’s a veteran and the veteran issue is very important, for us to provide that service to those who have served us.”
In addition to several different CBD brands and a pretzel vendor (they were delicious!), the show also featured a booth representing Dr. Bronners and their Hemp History Week organization.
Another unique vendor was Colorado Hemp Honey, which offered CBD oil infused honey in a variety of flavors. I grabbed a jar of the ginger flavor and hope to review it in the future here on Ministry of Hemp.
“It really was like a ‘Field of Dreams’ experience — if you build it they will come — and we were really excited that other people were excited about what we were doing,” Enriquez told me.
If the enthusiastic response to the Hemp and Garden show is any indication, then hemp has a bright future in Texas.
DISCOVER THE TOP CBD BRANDS
The market is getting saturated with many different CBD brands. We’ve compared the top brands to help you with your decision. Check it out.
For many people with chronic pain or other conditions treated with CBD, vaping provides convenient and quick relief. With so many different types of vapes and CBD available, , getting started can be a daunting task for inexperienced vapers. This guide will get you started.
Vaping CBD is one of the easiest methods available to consume this beneficial supplement.
For many people withchronic pain orother conditions treated with CBD, vaping provides convenient and quick relief. However, getting started can be a daunting task for inexperienced vapers. With so many different types of vapes and CBD available, is that disposable pen vape at the headshop down the street really the best option? Probably not.
Many stores take advantage of new vapers’ lack of knowledge, selling them over priced equipment or, worse, a product that will make them sick. To avoid feeling cheated out of your hard-earned money or getting sick, it is important to acquire a basic understanding of vaping and the components involved before making your first purchase.
WHY IS VAPING CBD POPULAR?
Many users describe an almost instantaneous effect when they first vape CBD.
A woman exhales a cloud of vapor after using an electronic cigarette. Vaping CBD is increasingly popular because many users report feeling its effects more quickly than with other methods of taking CBD oil.
Edible forms can take more than 30 minutes to digest and enter the user’s bloodstream. For people using CBD to treat seizures, chronic pain, anxiety or other similar ailments, waiting 30 minutes isn’t always an option.
Vaping also allows users the ability to remain discrete and consume CBD in public. With a tank or a vape pen, a dose is never further away than your pants.
AN INTRODUCTION TO VAPING CBD: KNOW YOUR EQUIPMENT
Not every vape is the same, but they all have four basic components: a battery, a heating element (also known as an atomizer), a mouthpiece and a chamber to hold the material to be vaped. The heating element vaporizes whatever material it comes in contact with in the chamber and the user inhales the vapor through the mouthpiece.
From here there are two distinct styles of vapes that we are concerned with for vaping CBD.
The first type is the pen-style vape used for concentrates. It consists of a chamber with a metal heating coil in the bottom that vaporizes concentrated CBD isolate placed directly on the coils. The problem with vape pens is that the coil must be replaced periodically when it burns out and each one costs upwards of $20.
What’s more, as the heating coil slowly breaks down and oxidizes through repeated use, metal nanoparticles can potentially become aerosolized in the vapor being inhaled. Coil life can be extended by only using pure CBD isolates in the pen. Flavor additives and impure CBD leaves residue on the coil and speeds up oxidation. We will go into that further in a later section.
The second style of vape is the kind that produces the famous billowing clouds associated with vaping. These are known as “tank style” vapes. Tanks require e-liquid, a mixture of propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, flavorings and CBD. The heating coil inside is filled or wrapped with cotton, nylon or silica wick to absorb the e-liquid into the coils.
When it comes to tank style vapes, there are yet another two variations: disposable and refillable. Disposable vapes (also known as “cartomizers” because they use prefilled, disposable cartridges) tend to be made with cheaper materials and are of questionable quality. If used improperly, the coil and wick can burn up, leaving the entire system useless. Users add their own e-liquid to refillable vapes and the heating coils are replaceable on some.
For tobacco smokers, a refillable tank is the most common style of vape; however, for someone who has never smoked, a refillable pen style vape that uses CBD concentrates instead of e-liquid is the best option. These are typically sold as all-in-one kits and replacement atomizers can be purchased online. It allows the user to control what materials are used in the vape and what chemicals are consumed.
All vaporizers have four basic components: a battery, a heating element (also known as an atomizer), a mouthpiece and a chamber or tank to hold the material to be vaped.
The main drawback to using CBD e-liquid over pure concentrates is that the maximum dissolution rate of CBD in e-liquid is about 33mg/ml without the addition of polyethylene glycol, alcohols or other harsh chemicals. This means that to achieve a typical dose of 10mg to 30mg of CBD, nearly 1ml of e-liquid must be consumed in one sitting. To put that into perspective, a small disposable pen style vape has about 1ml to 2ml of e-liquid. This potentially exposes the user to unnecessary risk from metal contaminants and other chemicals. It would take about 20 puffs of e-liquid to achieve the same dose as one puff off a concentrate pen.
There are also more complex, rebuildable vapes for advanced users who want to control every aspect of the vape hardware. However, these require a higher level of knowledge than the average user possesses or is willing to invest.
With disposable vapes, users have little control over the metal used in the coil, flavors used in the e-liquid, the quality of the CBD or the base chemicals used in the e-liquid.
POTENTIAL HEALTH CONCERNS IN CBD VAPES
A small percentage of users are allergic or later develop allergies to some of the chemicals and materials used in vapes. Some studies found negligible amounts of metal particulate and other dangerous contaminants, such as lead and cadmium, in commercially available vapes. That is why it is so important to be informed before pursuing vaping, to avoid any potential allergens or contaminants. As technologies and regulations continue to evolve, these risks will become better understood and easier to mitigate.
COULD METALS POSE A HEALTH RISK WHEN VAPING CBD?
With pen-style, concentrate vapes, the main material of concern is the heating coil. These are typically made from titanium, stainless steel, Kanthal (an alloy of iron, chromium and aluminum), nickel-chromium alloy or pure nickel wire. Most commercially available vapes use Kanthal, grade 1 titanium or stainless steel.
A study from the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that “overall exposure to metals from electronic cigarette use is not expected to be of significant health concern for smokers switching to electronic cigarette use, but is an unnecessary source of exposure for never-smokers.”
While the levels of metals measured in the aerosolized vapors were well below recommended exposure levels, vapers are still consuming metal nanoparticles that they wouldn’t otherwise be consuming. Because there are so many different vape manufacturers around the world, it is important to research what materials are in the vape you plan to purchase and buy it from a reputable source. There is a large market for knock-off vape hardware manufactured from inferior materials.
The study states that choosing a vape made from stainless steel and borosilicate glass could eliminate certain contaminants. The materials used in vapes are typically listed online and on the box. Using a vape with cotton or quartz wick and a titanium, stainless steel or Kanthal heating coil is probably the safest option. With nickel compounds designated as carcinogens and 10%-20% of the population sensitive to nickel, nickel and nickel-chromium coils should be avoided entirely.
As metal wire is heated and cooled repeatedly, an outer layer of metal oxide forms around the wire and prevents further oxidation. When liquid comes in contact with the coils, the oxidized layer of metal nanoparticles can contaminate vapor and travel into the user’s lungs. If this is a major concern for you as a user and you want to eliminate these contaminants entirely, skip ahead to the section on alternatives to vaping. If you still intend to vape, you should know a little bit more about oxidation and wire.
The main oxide on titanium wire istitanium dioxide, a compound commonly used in beauty products andshown to cause DNA damage in mice. Kanthal and stainless steel wire both produce chromium oxides and ions, but the carcinogenic chromium ion, chromium VI, wasn’t found inaerosolized vapor.
It is important to realize that many vapes are marketed as having quartz or ceramic heating elements. This is the case in some new vapes, but many still have exposed wire wrapped around a ceramic or quartz core. Vapes like this are still going to leech metal contaminants into the inhaled vapor.
POTENTIAL ALLERGENS IN CBD E-JUICE
The main two chemicals in CBD e-liquid are propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin. Users with sensitivities to either of these chemicals will notice sinus irritation, nausea or a headache upon use. Individuals with more severe allergies can break out in hives, develop swelling or have difficulty breathing. Lucky for us, both chemicals are so ubiquitous in our everyday lives that it would be nearly impossible to not realize you have an allergy to one of them before you started vaping.
Propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin are common ingredients in smoke machine vapor, cosmetics, hair products, food, drinks, cigarettes, medicine and many more products. Vegetable glycerin allergy is very rare and is more likely caused by an allergy to the plant oil the vegetable glycerin was derived from. Propylene glycol allergies on the other hand are much more common, but entirely avoidable.
Pure vegetable glycerin liquids are available, but because vegetable glycerin is such a viscous compound, it doesn’t readily absorb into the wicking of most vapes. Pure vegetable glycerin juice requires advanced equipment called arebuildable atomizer, or RBA, which is outside the scope of this introduction. As well, pure vegetable glycerin is difficult to use with CBD because it tends to precipitate out of the liquid into crystals. Polyethylene glycol can be added to the vegetable glycerin to allow more CBD to dissolve into the liquid; however, it is extremely bitter and harsh.
ALTERNATIVES TO VAPING CBD
While this article is mainly concerned with vaping and making it as safe as possible for new users, there are many alternative methods for consuming CBD that don’t involve as much fanfare. If quick relief is a concern, high-CBD hemp strains can be smoked or concentrated CBD isolates can be vaporized out of a more traditional water pipe. The disadvantage to this is it is impossible to do in public without looking like an illicit drug user.
A man exhales vapor after using a tank-style vaporizer while using a laptop. Preliminary research suggests vaping is safer than smoking cigarettes, but may still present some health risks, especially for nonsmokers who are considering vaping CBD.
Through a process known as dabbing, a quartz dish is attached to the stem of a glass water pipe and heated up usually with a blowtorch or heating coil. CBD isolate is placed in the quartz dish and vaporized for the user to inhale. This form of consumption is vastly healthier, as the only chemical that the CBD vapor can be contaminated with is water. Quartz is and inert and durable material.
For users who don’t mind waiting or in need of external relief, edibles, capsules and topical creams provide a great alternative to smoking or vaporizing. What’s so great about CBD is the ease in which it can be added to almost anything that people consume.
IS VAPING CBD WORTH THE HEALTH RISKS?
While there may be some health concerns for non-smokers interested in vaping CBD, the exposure to some contaminants is less compared to traditional forms of smoking. Short-term and mid-term studies on the health effects of vaping show no significant side effects in smokers.
Whether or not vaping is right for you, CBD is always an option. With the information laid out here, you should be able to make a more informed and safe decision about how to consume your CBD. It is important to continue doing more research. Read reviews, watch YouTube videos, read Reddit posts, join a Facebook group and search for more information about whatever product you are interested in before you buy it. Chances are someone else already laid out everything you need to know about any given product. And, if you can’t find any information on a product, that is a huge red flag! Don’t buy it!
Until more studies into the long-term effects of vaping are completed and regulations catch up with new technology, it is probably best for non-smokers to avoid vaping entirely. The technology is too new to say definitively that it is safe, especially for sensitive individuals and those with compromised immune systems.
DISCOVER THE TOP CBD BRANDS
The market is getting saturated with many different CBD brands. We’ve compared the top brands to help you with your decision. Check it out.
Growing interest in a lesser known building material could create healthy homes all over America. It’s called hempcrete and it’s durable, sustainable and carbon negative.
Growing interest in a lesser known building material could create healthy homes all over America.
It’s called hempcrete. This combination of chopped hemp shiv and lime binder is durable, sustainable and carbon negative. Lime is an abundant quarried material and hemp is a renewable biomaterial — both safeguarding the sustainable future of hempcrete and our planet.
HOW DOES HEMPCRETE PROMOTE HEALTHY HOMES?
Hempcrete is a breathable matter, absorbing moisture from the air when humidity is high and releasing it again when humidity levels drop. This ensures that water vapour can pass in and out of the wall rather than becoming trapped and causing damp problems.
The wall of a hempcrete building in Singapore. Hempcrete buildings are healthy homes because this unique building material is pest and mold resistant and vapor permeable. (Flickr / Jnzl’s Photos, CC-BY license)
When cooking or in bedrooms at night from the occupants breathing, there is often excess moisture in the air. Hempcrete absorbs this moisture into the walls to be released later, discouraging damp. This in turn combats the formation of fungi and mold spores which are damaging to human health.
The regulation of humidity has been shown to inhibit the spread of viral and bacterial infections, allergic reactions and respiratory conditions. This ability to regulate air quality reduces the need for powered air filters and ventilation systems, allowing for truly healthy homes.
WHAT ABOUT HEMPCRETE AND PEST CONTROL?
Hemp is naturally fire-retardant and pest-resistant. Because of these properties, there is no need to add the chemicals which are usually added to building materials, including formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen and VOCs have been implicated in both asthma and allergies. The omission of these chemicals obviously contributes to the health of the occupants of the house.
A pair of hands holding dried, shredded hemp shivs, which look a bit like wood chips. They are ready to be mixed with lime and water and formed into blocks.
Hempcrete can be used to build new healthy homes or add an extension to your existing home, perhaps a “granny annexe” allowing elderly parents to move in with their children in a healthy environment or a “relaxation room” for family members to unwind and breathe deeply.
HEALTHY HOMES AND HEMPCRETE: WILL THE BENEFITS WEAR OUT?
Hempcrete is an incredible material which has negative carbon emissions. This means that it absorbs more carbon dioxide than is produced by building it.
Even in this form, when hempcrete has consumed more carbon dioxide than it has left in the atmosphere, it remains breathable, so homes continue to be rainproof but remainpermeable to gas and moisture in the environment. Hempcrete homes will stay healthy for life.
What with the growth of green building, interest in healthy homes and and widespread need for sustainable building materials, hempcrete is set to be the home building material of the future.
After a spinal injury sidelined Adam Kemp’s basketball career, he learned the value of a remarkable natural supplement: CBD oil. Adam explains why CBD is becoming a vital part of sports medicine and many athletes daily routines.
I believe that cannabidiol (CBD) products are not only useful, but vital for athletes.
Having played professional basketball in Europe for the past 4 years, and playing basketball and other sports my entire life, I feel like my story is important for understanding the role of CBD in sports medicine to manage chronic pain, inflammation, and mental stress.
As many people already clearly know, athletes deal with chronic pain, anxiety, and stress daily. Personally, I have been using CBD products for about four months now, and my results have been amazing!
Would you like to learn about why I think cannabidiol is the future of sports medicine? Just read the rest of this article …
WHY DID I BEGIN USING CBD PRODUCTS?
Although I had learned a bit about cannabidiol in the past, I didn’t begin using it myself until October of 2017.
As a professional basketball player, dealing with injuries and pain is a simple occupational hazard.
A basketball player prepares to throw the ball. CBD oil can help ease the inflammation of injuries, chronic pain issues and other health problems associated with sports.
This past September though, I suffered a spinal compression fracture which ended my season pre-maturely. I like to believe that everything happens for a reason though, because if I had not had this injury I might not have ever discovered how beneficial cannabidiol products are for myself and other athletes.
I started using CBD for pain relief as soon as I came back home from Europe (I was playing in Bulgaria). While I was in Bulgaria, I had been administered a “cycle” of corticosteroid injections for my back, as well as daily non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. After just a couple of weeks of being treated with this medication regiment, my body was already starting to wear down.
These type of injections and medicines can be effective for reducing pain and inflammation, but the side effects are horrible! The injections made my body sweaty and jittery, and they kept me up all night. The NSAIDs were wearing my stomach and digestive system out by the day, and the pain relief wasn’t even very effective overall.
After trying to survive by using these medications for about a month, I can confidently say I would never want another athlete, or person in general, to have to use this type of “medicine.”
CBD IN SPORTS MEDICINE: RELIEF OF CHRONIC PAIN AND INFLAMMATION
If there was ever an occupation that made you predisposed to dealing with chronic pain and inflammation in the body, professional sports is certainly that.
Cannabidiol is especially important for athletes at this time because 2018 is the first year in which it has been off the World Anti-Doping Agency Banned Substance list. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is the standard for drug testing for athletes throughout the world, and having them remove CBD from their banned substance list is a huge step for athletes.
Dealing with chronic pain impacts your quality of life, as well as your ability to perform at your job. For an athlete, CBD is the natural answer to dealing with many challenges that your body is going to face each year.Studies have shown the ability of CBD to reduce inflammation and help treat arthritis, which plagues many athletes as they get older.
Furthermore, there have been widespread anecdotal reports of the anti-inflammatory power of CBD. Inflammation in joints and muscles is the cause of most chronic pain for athletes, which is why using a natural anti-inflammatory product is so effective.
Without even talking about dealing with the stress and anxiety of competing in sports at a high-level, it is clear that CBD is a wonderful product for athletes to use!
HOW DO I USE CBD IN MY OWN LIFE?
Since beginning to use CBD products about four months ago, I have been steadily using different “forms” of CBD and different amounts of CBD per day.
In general, I have developed a routine for CBD use which has allowed me to live happy and (relatively) pain free even with this spinal compression fracture in my back.
Adam plays basketball in Detroit.
One aspect which is unique about CBD is that every person will need a different dosage of CBD to get the full benefits. The routine that I talk about below works for me but it took me a few months of learning my own body to figure out. Your body could need similar amounts of CBD per day, or it could be totally different!
My routine is to wake up with one CBD capsule, normally ranging from 25mg to 50mg for my first dose of the day.
I drink this first capsule immediately upon waking, and I can begin to feel the pain relief and calming sensation that CBD provides within about 15 to 30 minutes normally. I start every day with this amount of CBD, and a warm cup of tea. If I can tell my back is feeling a bit “creaky” on certain days, I will also put a few drops of a CBD oil tincture in to my morning tea.
Following this, I normally head to do my physical therapy for the day. I love CBD in the morning before training because I am also a firm believer in the power of intermittent fasting for overall health. Using CBD before intermittent fasting helps me to have some additional natural energy, and it does not “break” my body’s fasted state.
After I am done with my training for the day, I normally only use one more CBD capsule in the evening, a couple hours before I head to bed.
Along with this though, two times during each day my wife will apply a topical CBD relief product on my back, and any other muscles that are particularly sore that day. We both use CBD topicals twice per day, and it is especially effective for the issue with my back.
Although there is no conclusive proof at this time, CBD has been shown to be effective for reversing osteoporosis, and even helping to heal fractures!
Due to this, I have been making sure to use both orally ingestible CBD and CBD topicals.
It has worked wonders for me, and many other people have experienced similar benefits as well.
SHOULD DOCTORS USE CBD IN SPORTS MEDICINE?
Without having conclusive medical proof of the benefits of CBD products, it is obviously difficult to make any bold claims about who should and who shouldn’t use cannabidiol.
However, from my own personal experience, I believe CBD is one of the best medical treatments possible for athletes.
A doctor examines an athlete’s ankle. CBD in sports medicine is now a serious option thanks to changes in global drug policy by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
If you would like to learn more about myself and my own journey with CBD, you can check out my website!
This has been a great few months for CBD since it has been officially removed from the WADA Banned Substance List, and the World Health Organization declared it safe for use as well.
I recommend wider use of CBD in sports medicine because it can neutralize inflammation-based issues such as muscle pain and tendonitis, relieve the chronic physical pain that sports can induce, and help athletes to manage stress and anxiety from needing to perform at a prominent level every single day.
There are certainly tons of other benefits of CBD, and as more research comes out it will be great to have a further understanding of how best CBD can be used to help athletes and everyone else.
At this point in time, I still rely on it to manage my ongoing back pain and help me live a pain-free life!
DISCOVER THE TOP CBD BRANDS
The market is getting saturated with many different CBD brands. We’ve compared the top brands to help you with your decision. Check it out.
