cannabis Archives

Historical acts and facts that have influenced cannabis legislation

Posted on September 7, 2022 Leave a Comment

1906 Federal Food and Drug Act The Federal Food and Drug Act was the first time the government started controlling the regulation of food and drugs (including any medicines that contained such items as cannabis). It was meant to oversee the branding, packaging, and risk of contamination of these items. This Act did not […]

Understanding decriminalization vs legalization

Posted on September 7, 2022 Leave a Comment

Understanding the terms decriminalization and legalization is vital to learning about the current state of cannabis law. Some might think that the words are interchangeable, but alas, they are not. Decriminalizing cannabis means that there are no longer felonies and misdemeanors associated with the drug. Rather, a fine is usually imposed by law enforcement. Legalization, […]

Heavy metals in cannabis

Posted on May 20, 2022 Leave a Comment

In 1986, following the tragedy at Chernobyl nuclear power plant, industrial hemp was planted in order to help clean heavy metals and radioactive elements that had seeped into the ground. The cannabis plant, known for being a hyper-accumulator of heavy metals as well as pesticides, can seep up contaminants where other methods fail.1 While this […]

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of THCA

Posted on October 21, 2021 1 Comment

Tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) is a cannabinoid produced by the cannabis flower. It is a relatively unstable compound that is easily decarboxylated by heat. While it does not have any psychoactive properties itself, when decarboxylated, it forms into tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component of cannabis. THCA may play an important role in the treatment of neurological […]

Cannabis and the necessity for USP standards

Posted on August 23, 2021 Leave a Comment

The United States Pharmacopeia (USP) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that provides official standards for identity, strength, quality, and purity in medicines. As well, they also produce standards for food ingredients and dietary supplements.1 For medicine, food, and dietary supplements, the USP publishes reference standards to ensure accuracy and reproducibility of laboratory procedures. For cannabis, […]

THC vs. CBD for pain

Posted on July 26, 2021 Leave a Comment

For thousands of years, humanity used cannabis as a medical treatment for a variety of ailments, pain relief being one of the most common reasons. In the medical community, scientists study cannabis for pain relief, not only to understand the mechanisms of the components of cannabis, but also to provide the most safe and effective […]

Temperature effects on cannabis growth

Posted on April 26, 2021 Leave a Comment

Growing the cannabis plant is relatively easy and straightforward. The plant is hardy to a wide range of temperatures. Growing at an industrial scale, however, is much different, as temperature and humidity can affect the growth rate of the plant as well as flower quality. For such a multibillion-dollar industry as cannabis, growth temperature is […]

A Review of all the Cannabis legislation introduced in the Maryland State Legislature

Posted on March 11, 2021 Leave a Comment

Bill# Cross File# Title Description Senate Hearing and Voting House Hearing and Voting Senate Lead Sponsor(s) House Lead Sponsor(s) 1 HB0217 SB0900 Income Tax – Subtraction Modification – Expenses of Medical Cannabis Grower, Processor, Dispensary, or Independent Testing Laboratory This bill allows what is known as a “subtraction modification” for MD income taxes for […]

What critical regulatory issues face a state’s new medical cannabis program?

Posted on February 18, 2021 Leave a Comment

There are many issues that exist when a state considers legalizing medical cannabis. The regulatory challenges are immense, and the state government must start from the ground up for the unique cannabis industry. Three major regulatory challenges that lawmakers face include: 1) defining which medical conditions qualify a patient for medical cannabis, 2) what quantity […]