TESTSTSARDSAR4 Tips to Protect Your Cannabis Business During an IRS Audit by Deena Vallina Did you know the IRS is four times more likely to audit a cannabis business than the mainstream? According to Marijuana Business Daily, the IRS uncovered an average tax deficiency of $282,596 over three audited returns for a cannabis business versus $120,301 per 103 audited returns in the mainstream. At a whopping 81% more collectable shortages with 189% less work by simply targeting cannabis companies and the announcement that the agency would be hiring 87,000 new agents, there is a higher likelihood of your cannabis business being at risk for audit. Follow these four tips and be prepared before they come knocking. Understand the law. Particularly 280e of the Internal Revenue Code. Confirm correct characterization that may qualify expenses as the cost of goods sold under IRS Code Section 471(a). Follow tax court cases to understand past and new rulings. Document everything and maintain organized records. Including all tax returns, receipts, correspondence, contracts, insurance, and other pertinent documentation, for an extended time frame. Don’t forget to get everything in writing and keep all IRS correspondence. Be prepared. Agents have been trained in the details of auditing cannabis companies and employ several methods, including the interview and on-site tour. Other methods are also used, like counting grow lights, calculating the owners’ net worth, and employing external databases for information on cash transports, ATMs on-site, and investor prospectuses. Cooperate and have expert guidance. Work with your accountant and attorney to protect yourself and your rights. Advanced preparation coordinated with a solid, professional team before you’re hit with an audit is best. There are no guarantees regarding audit risk management, but best practices are available to safeguard you and your business should you be their target and reduce your potential tax liability. Consult with a professional experienced in cannabis-specific risk controls before you face IRS auditors. It may not be a matter of if but rather when. Remember, you don’t know what you don’t know. This article first appeared in Volume 4 Issue 3 of Cannabis & Tech Today. A link to your site, with your site's name and description as anchor text. Via https://cannatechtoday.com/4-tips-to-protect-your-cannabis-business-during-an-irs-audit/
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TESTSTSARDSAREdge of Your Seat: Germany’s Timetable for Cannabis Legalization by Johnny Green Over the weekend a potentially significant report surfaced regarding cannabis legalization in Germany. To quickly recap how we got to where we are now, Germany’s Health Minister Karl Lauterbach presented an adult-use legalization plan to the federal cabinet back in October. Since that time, Lauterbach has lobbied the European Union for its permission to proceed with formally introducing the plan for consideration by German lawmakers. According to the report, Lauterbach is ‘certain’ that the European Union will grant its approval and that a formal introduction of the legalization measure will occur ‘in the first quarter of this year.’ Minister Lauterbach added, according to the report, that he ‘has no reason to doubt this schedule.’ Given that the better part of January 2023 is already in the history books, that means that if Minster Lauterbach’s schedule indeed proves to be accurate then Germany’s lawmakers could be considering a national adult-use legalization measure by the end of March (or sooner). Looking at it from a perspective beyond Germany’s borders, if Lauterbach is going to proceed with a formal introduction of a legalization measure with the EU’s blessing, then that logically means that other nations will presumably be able to do the same. If so, we could see the opening of the European legalization floodgates with other nations copying Germany’s model. WHAT WILL BE LEGALIZED IN GERMANY?The plan that Minister Lauterbach presented to the federal cabinet in Germany back in October was not the first version of the plan. In the days leading up to the formal presentation a reported previous version was leaked, and due to various provisions contained in the leaked plan, public outcry was swift. The outcry was largely directed at the initial possession limit (20 grams), an age-tiered THC percentage cap (10-15% depending on age), and the initial cultivation limit (2 plants). What was ultimately presented to the federal cabinet involved somewhat vague language, in that the possession limit was raised to ’20-30 grams’ and that there would be ‘further examination’ as to whether there would at least be THC percentage caps for consumers 18-20 years old. The home cultivation limit was raised in the federal cabinet presentation compared to the leaked version of the plan, from 2 plants up to 3 plants per adult household. One of the most significant components of the plan presented to the federal cabinet was the intention to launch a legal national adult-use cannabis industry in Germany. Right now, the only country that permits sales of non-THC capped cannabis products nationwide to anyone of legal age, including nonresidents, is Canada. Uruguay allows sales to residents, and Malta is in the process of setting up regulated non-profit clubs. No other country permits legal sales of non-THC capped cannabis products nationwide, and given how much larger Germany’s population, economy, and level of tourism is compared to Canada’s, the launch of a regulated national adult-use market in Germany will be a very big deal. LIMITATIONS OF GERMANY’S MODELGermany’s legalization model is not perfect for various reasons, not the least of which is that it is yet to be approved, codified, and implemented. After all, politics can be full of twists and turns, and until a legalization measure becomes the law of the land in Germany there’s always the possibility that provisions could be changed and/or that the process itself could stall. We have already witnessed Lauterbach’s legalization plan evolve, and technically he has yet to reveal what, if any, changes were made as part of gaining approval from the European Union. Part of the report that surfaced over the weekend described Minister Lauterbach as planning to present a ‘very good solution’ for German lawmakers to consider. Obviously, that is not the same as saying outright that the European Union didn’t demand any changes to Germany’s previously presented approach. If the changes are seen as regressive to some lawmakers in Germany, it’s virtually guaranteed that there will be pushback. One huge limitation that seems to already be agreed upon by Minister Lauterbach and the EU is that all cannabis for Germany’s eventual adult-use market has to be produced domestically in order for Germany to be in compliance with treaties. While we will all have to wait and see how it plays out, I am of the opinion that supply shortages are going to be common due to this limitation. I have no doubt that German cultivators will do their best to produce as much cannabis as legally possible. However, they won’t just be supplying Germany. People from all over the world are going to flock to Germany to partake in the new freedoms. How great the demand for legal cannabis will be in Germany once sales are permitted is tough to say, but I think it’s a safe bet that it’s going to be enormous, and that may create issues. This article first appeared on Internationalcbc.com and is syndicated here with special permission. A link to your site, with your site's name and description as anchor text. Via https://cannatechtoday.com/edge-of-your-seat-germanys-timetable-for-cannabis-legalization/ TESTSTSARDSARTech Co. Akerna Leaves Cannabis, Curaleaf Abandons Three States by Ebby Stone Cannabis stocks have been volatile throughout 2022 and continue into 2023. Two of the industry’s established operators are responding with dramatic restructuring. Akerna Corp. is exiting the cannabis space entirely while Curaleaf Holdings Inc. is closing operations in three states. Akerna, a Denver-based cannabis technology firm, is merging with cryptocurrency mining company Gryphon Digital Mining. The merger is an all-stock deal allowing Gryphon to list publicly on the Nasdaq under Akerna’s ticker (KERN). When the deal is complete, Akerna Corp. will take the name Gryphon Digital Mining Inc. Jessica Billingsley, Akerna’s CEO, will act as one of seven members of the board of directors. Akerna has been selling off assets throughout January, starting with the sale of 365 Cannabis, followed by its flagship product MJ Platform. It also sold Lead Data Systems and Ample Organics in a cash deal totaling $4 million cash. The company’s stock fell 30.9% after the announcement on Friday. In a similar contraction, multi-state operator Curaleaf is closing cultivation and production facilities in California, Colorado, and Oregon. It is also enacting a 10% reduction in payroll for employees in all 18 states in which the company operates. “These adjustments were necessary for the future success and profitability of the business and were made as a result of recent legislative decisions, price compression, and lack of enforcement of the illicit market,” the company noted in a statement. What the company did not cite in its statement is the recent revelation that Curaleaf is under a formal investigation for its ties to Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich. The Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) announced last week that it is looking into several potential regulatory violations including hiding financial associations with Abramovich, running an unlicensed THC research lab since at least 2019, and hiding the use of an x-ray remediation machine at its Webster cultivation facility. According to reporter Grant Smith Ellis, “leaked documents from ForencisNews in late December of 2022 revealed to the world that Curaleaf allegedly owes hundreds of millions of dollars to offshore firms linked to the sanctioned Russian oligarch, and Putin-confidant, Roman Abramovich.” Curaleaf insists they owe less money than reports indicate and have been “assured” Abramovich “no longer owns” the offshore account in question. This is a developing story and will be updated as new information becomes available. A link to your site, with your site's name and description as anchor text. Via https://cannatechtoday.com/tech-co-akerna-leaves-cannabis-curaleaf-abandons-three-states/ Table of ContentsYes, delta-8 THC can show up on a drug test. Question answered—we’re done here. Just kidding, it’s a bit more nuanced than that. While it’s true that the increasingly popular alternative to delta-9 THC can absolutely flag a drug test, there are several factors that influence the chance of delta-8 THC oil or other products producing a positive result. Whether you’re “asking for a friend” or purely curious, this article will break down the basics of delta-8 THC, cannabinoid drug testing, and more to give you a clearer picture of how and when a positive result may happen. The New Kid: A Quick Intro to Delta-8 THCAs we cover more extensively in this Complete Guide to Delta-8 THC, this newly (well, somewhat newly) popularized cannabinoid sweeping the hemp/cannabis industry is as close to its “molecular cousin,” delta-9 THC, as the name implies. Where delta-8 THC has a double bond on the 8th carbon atom in a particular chain, delta-9 THC has the double bond on the 9th carbon atom. Though the two cannabinoids have very similar chemical structures, delta-8 THC still produces significant differences in effects (and side effects), stability, and more. To summarize, delta-8 THC is generally agreed upon to cause a less intense “high,” but is still psychoactive, and the delta-8 molecule is more resistant to oxidation, making it a more apt candidate for shelf-stable products. As for its natural occurrence in cannabis plants, delta-8 THC is much less abundant than delta-9 THC. Selective breeding can increase the amount of delta-8 THC, but only to a small extent. Hence, delta-8 THC is almost always synthesized from other cannabinoids, an inescapable step in the delta-8 oil, gummy, etc. production process that has engulfed the legal conversation across the states and on the federal level in controversy, with proponents lining up on both sides of the issue. At first, big hemp brands were standing at the edge of the delta-8 THC pool and furtively side-eying each other, too proud to actually say, “No, you go first… no, you go first…” but a few have since jumped in with delta-8 THC gummies and other delta-8 products. Now that you’ve at least got a primer on delta-8 THC, on to the issue at hand: when can delta-8 THC flag a cannabinoid drug test? It’s most convenient when sussing out a clear answer to this question to rope all the key variables into two major categories, or “swing factors”: the product (and your use) and the test. Swing Factor #1: The Product and How You Use ItThe delta-8 THC concentration in your product will directly affect how long it takes to peak in your bloodstream, as well as how long the cannabinoid can stay in your system. Similarly, both the amount consumed per day and the length of your overall use can dramatically influence how long (after cessation) delta-8 THC and other cannabinoids will remain detectable in your system. Along those lines, each form in which delta-8 THC products typically come (ingestible oil, topical product, gummy, vape, etc.) has its unique “pharmacokinetics,” meaning a delta-8 THC oil will absorb, peak, and be eliminated at different rates than gummies, topicals, and so forth. Finally, product purity can actually go both ways in terms of helping or harming your chances of failing a drug test with a delta-8 THC product, depending on the situation. For example, a crappy product that is low in purity can test positive for delta-9 THC, or, if it’s impure enough, might even test negative for everything. Though they are certainly influential on their own in terms of flagging a cannabinoid drug test (or not), most of the factors above relating to the delta-8 THC product and your use of it are contingent upon the type of drug test you take. Swing Factor #2: The Drug TestAccording to this Drug Court Practitioner Fact Sheet from the National Drug Court Institute, delta-8 THC may be more likely to flag some types of tests than others. “The same urine that tested positive for cannabinoids in the initial screening test may not confirm as positive by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) or liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS),” the document reads, adding, “If the confirmation test does not specifically search for delta-8 metabolites (and it does not do so routinely), the GC/MS or LC/MS/MS testing will not detect the delta-8 metabolites, and the original positive cannabinoid test may be erroneously reported as negative for THC…” Alright, so there are a few important points to unpack here: First of all, it’s crucial to understand that delta-8 THC and other cannabinoid tests are usually screening not directly for the cannabinoid, but for a metabolite of the cannabinoid. Metabolites are simply byproducts left over in the tissues after the body breaks down substances like food, drugs, and other compounds. Next, don’t be misled to believe based on the above quote that some forms of testing (gas chromatography, liquid chromatography, etc.) are incapable of detecting delta-8 THC; it was simply an example used to illustrate the broader point that any test (whatever it is) not calibrated to specifically detect the unique metabolites of delta-8 THC can produce a false negative. On a less technical note, it’s true that different types of drug tests have unique limitations in terms of how long after your most recent consumption they can detect whatever substance in your system. In general, blood tests are the shortest (less than a day), followed by saliva tests (around 24 hours), urine testing (3-30 days), and good luck if you get the hair test (90 days). As we mentioned above, if your delta-8 THC product contains other cannabinoids, it’s less likely that you’ll have a false negative; both tests (if you take two) will likely be positive, so long as other factors (timing, amount in your blood, etc.) line up. However, isolated delta-8 THC can and does pass some drug tests not calibrated to detect its metabolites. Beyond these key points, the same issues that affect virtually all drug tests can influence false positives or negatives in the case of delta-8 THC drug testing, including, but not limited to:
How Long Does Delta-8 Stay in Your System?As much as we wish we could just give a universally applicable answer, this is yet another case of “it depends.” Here is a list of factors that determines how long delta-8 THC can stay in your system:
While we can’t even come close to a pinpoint response, considering all of these variables affecting how long delta-8 THC stays in your system, we can at least put a very broad fence around it. From the moment you stop consuming delta-8 THC, the cannabinoid itself and/or its metabolites may remain detectable in urine, blood, and/or hair for a period of time ranging from 2-90+ days. Delta-8 Drug Test FAQWill delta-8 show up with urine testing? If the test is calibrated to detect delta-8 THC metabolites, and if there is a high enough concentration of the metabolite(s) in the urine, it’s likely that delta-8 THC will flag a urine test. How long does it take for delta-8 to pass a drug test? Will a small amount of delta-8 make you fail a drug test? It depends on how small the quantity is, how finely calibrated the test is (and whether or not it’s calibrated for delta-8 THC metabolites), how long it has been since you consumed the quantity, and other factors. Key TakeawaysWe of all people understand how valuable hemp and cannabis products are to people battling stress, discomfort, and other issues, but nonetheless, the facts point to early and complete cessation of delta-8 THC use as the best way to prevent a positive result on a cannabinoid drug test. If you pass a drug test while using delta-8 THC, don’t assume you will pass the next one, as different testing methods and/or different delta-8 products can affect results. It’s crucial that you understand your tester’s and your state’s regulations on approved and banned substances before considering delta-8 THC or other cannabinoid-containing products. Failing a drug test doesn’t mean you have no recourse, especially if you believe the result was a false positive. Understanding how certain foods/substances impact results may be the difference between being granted a re-test and suffering the consequences of a positive test. via The CBD Insider https://thecbdinsider.com/knowledge-center/does-delta-8-thc-show-up-on-a-drug-test/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=does-delta-8-thc-show-up-on-a-drug-test FDA Boxes CBD Out of Food and Diet Regs, Advocates UnhappyIn a statement released yesterday (Thurs Jan 26th), FDA Principal Deputy Commissioner Janet Woodcock announced that the agency has determined to create an entirely new regulatory pathway for CBD. Per the statement, the FDA has “concluded that a new regulatory pathway for CBD is needed that balances individuals’ desire for CBD products with the regulatory oversight needed to manage risks.” As expected, hemp and CBD advocates like the U.S. Hemp Roundtable are vocally unhappy with the decision—here’s a more detailed breakdown of the FDA’s decision and the (very swift) response from within the CBD industry. Starting from Scratch: The FDA and CBDIn the same statement announcing their decision to rehash CBD regulation from the ground up, the FDA denied three citizen petitions—the U.S. Hemp Roundtable response tells us they were from the Consumer Health Products Association (CHPA), the Council For Responsible Nutrition (CRN), and the Natural Products Association (NPA)—that were pushing for a pathway to allow CBD products into dietary supplements. This move indicates the extent to which the FDA is stepping back on CBD regulation—that is, essentially to square one—which the agency justifies by citing the following concerns:
Finally, the announcement wraps up by promising continued action on the part of the FDA “against CBD and other cannabis-derived products to protect the public, in coordination with state regulatory partners, when appropriate.” The U.S. Hemp Roundtable’s ResponseThe impassioned, same-day rebuttal issued by the U.S. Hemp Roundtable is aptly summarized by their General Counsel, Jonathan Miller, as follows “We were extremely disappointed today with the FDA’s announcement concerning the regulation of CBD.” The roundtable’s response went on to say in no less pointed words that the FDA “gets it wrong” when it comes to CBD safety. Citing more than a decade of widespread retail sales of CBD, extensive safety data, and another vein of research delineating safe and unsafe CBD consumption levels, Miller and company are calling the FDA’s decision to exclude CBD from existing regulatory pathways unprecedented and burdensome. The roundtable also has strong contentions with the FDA’s interpretation of “limited tools” for risk management, citing that the pathways already available under the Federal Food, Drug, & Cosmetic Act would require CBD products and producers to comply with current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMPS), mandatory facility registration and compliance with the Food Safety and Modernization Act, appropriate labeling claims overseen by the FTC, and several other key requirements already in place. However, as the roundtable acknowledges (and we agree), it is at least reassuring to see that the FDA is serious about a legislative pathway that clearly allows hemp-derived cannabinoids into dietary and supplement foods. We expect to see the FDA working with congress and various regulatory agencies to start establishing the broader, foundational pieces of CBD legislation in the near future. via The CBD Insider https://thecbdinsider.com/news/fda-boxes-cbd-out-of-food-and-diet-regs-advocates-unhappy/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fda-boxes-cbd-out-of-food-and-diet-regs-advocates-unhappy TESTSTSARDSARHemp Could Be the Biggest Investment Opportunity Since Plastic by Geoff Trotter “I just want to say one word to you, just one word … Plastics!” This is the phrase Mr. McGuire told a young Dustin Hoffman in the 1967 film The Graduate. His sagely advice applied not only to Hoffman, but to an audience that would soon become the plastics companies’ path to billions of dollars of profits — at great expense to our planet. Hindsight is truly a great gift! But it is not too late to realize the investment opportunity of hemp. Of the 26 disclosure topics Regennabis reviews when conducting an ESG Materiality Assessment for a cannabis company, with nine identified as being “Material” in the retail vertical, four of the nine can be directly impacted by the type of packaging used by the dispensary owner. These are: • Product Quality & Safety • Customer Welfare • Selling Practices & Product Labeling • Management of the Legal & Regulatory Environment It is perhaps understandable then that packaging — and being able to stay on top of regulations pertaining to packaging in the cannabis industry — can present a sizable risk for dispensary-owning cannabis companies. Yet with each risk lies an opportunity. From a corporate and product branding perspective, being an early adopter of non-petroleum-based plastics (the type now being developed, produced, and manufactured by innovators like Hippo Packaging and Dama Distributing) provides the forward-thinking dispensary owner with a significant opportunity to show their environmental smarts in a market constantly seeking such leadership. If only hindsight were foresight. Yet, to some, it is! In the U.S., the recent passing of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) opens-up a number of opportunities for hemp farmers. Producers can benefit from $370 billion available to help push the economy toward cleaner energy sources. There are also other carbon-related markets the hemp sector is well positioned to deliver to, such as agriculture, with $300 million being allocated for the National Resources Conservation Service for emissions reduction and carbon capture. Add to this the recent announcement that hemp building materials have been approved for inclusion in the U.S. residential building code (overseen by the International Code Council), to which the IRA provides tax deductions and credits to convert existing buildings into high-efficiency green buildings, and we can see how this new law will accelerate private sector investment in several innovative and disruptive sectors. We are finally starting to see the potential for capital flows into the hemp sector. Returning to the issue around packaging, the economic opportunity (both for the incumbents as well as the startups) for hemp as a replacement for petroleum-based paper, packaging, and plastic is substantial. We estimate that by 2030, at a conservative 2% of market share of the three combined sectors, the hemp sector will be a $53 billion business. If we factor in hemp as a replacement material in other sectors (fuel, food, pharma, etc., at equally conservative market share percentages) the hemp sector could be a near $1 trillion business by 2030. The opportunity for ESG-focused investors is there. Fortune favors the bold. I have a new word for you, just one — hemp! This article first appeared in Volume 4 Issue 3 of Cannabis & Tech Today. A link to your site, with your site's name and description as anchor text. Via https://cannatechtoday.com/hemp-could-be-the-biggest-investment-opportunity-since-plastic/ TESTSTSARDSARContent Creator Advice for Creating an Engaging Online Presence by Patricia Miller What time of day elicits the most interaction from Facebook users? How can I incorporate brand messaging into the latest TikTok dance trend? Is it poor taste to tag my post with something trending even if my content is completely unrelated? Questions like these plague many small business owners. Even companies with a social media coordinator are often left guessing how to enhance their engagement. The issue is even more complicated for cannabis companies. Several platforms, particularly Instagram (IG), have strict rules around cannabis. IG’s terms of service prohibit the promotion and sale of cannabis products. Content creators have to be meticulous about tags, verbiage, and product marketing. For cannabis entrepreneurs, finding success on social requires innovative thinking, creativity, and consistency. To better understand the dynamic world of social media, Cannabis & Tech Today sat down with two cannabis content creators to discover what works and what to avoid. Miss Rad Reefer AKA Michelle “Reefer”Miss Rad Reefer spent 10 years building her Instagram following. Before her most recent ban, her channel had more than 214,000 engaged followers. You can join her journey at MissRadReefer, RadAssMichelle, and RadReeferCompany. Creating a BrandYou tell the tale of the mountain you climbed and it inspires somebody else to climb their own mountain. That’s how I embraced the little lane that I created. Affiliate MarketingI’m super particular about who I work with. I think over the last 10 years, the industry has grown to know that. Also my tribe, my following, they know that I’m not going to just talk about things because I’m going to get 10% when they purchase them. It has to make sense and it has to be worth talking about, so [choose] affiliate programs with things that make sense, the innovative companies, the companies who care. What if Your Page is BannedStart a backup page, especially if you’re always going to be a business. Create maybe one post a week or every other day on your stories. Make it incentive driven though. If you’re a brand and you are creating content on your main page, nobody really cares if you’re like, ‘Just please follow my backup page.’ But if the backup page also serves as a page where all your guides are regularly dropped or information, then it gives them incentive to follow up with you. People are incentive driven. How to Foster EngagementI would suggest knowing your audience with regards to creating because when you create your content, you have to create your content with the person that you’re creating for in mind … Human nature is self-centered. So when you go to people’s pages, a lot of them are just selfies and things that they’re doing in their life … That’s more vanity and vanity metrics versus creating. You are not going to be able to connect with your audience if you’re just constantly posting about yourself. On Creating a FollowingWith social media, you just have to constantly show up. You are always showing up whether you are a hot mess and rolled out of bed and just started talking about your content or not. So that’s probably another reason why so many people connected with me is because my whole grow career has been an absolute shit show up until the last year or two. So everyone’s seen me get robbed, or the trials and tribulations. I had a dog fucking taken from me in a home invasion and everybody on social media shared his stolen photo. It was crazy. So yeah, I think I just put myself out there and people connect. The biggest, most profound thing that I think you can do for yourself as a company that is trying to find its spot on the shelf, because there are a billion fucking companies, but only so many spots … It’s absolutely a thousand percent about consistency. You just have to be consistent. It’s not all about the pretty box, it’s what’s inside the box. So really hone in on what matters and know who your audience is and know what your audience wants. The Hash Sommelier AKA Sarah Jain BergmanThe Hash Sommelier has been sharing content through IG for nearly 10 years. She uses several accounts to connect with her followers, including HashSommelier, SarahJain420, and CannabisCoverGirl. On Being a Content Creator and EntrepreneurI’m literally having to create a job and a career for myself from scratch. So it’s been a lot of ups and downs, a lot of struggles, a lot of trial and error. Attracting New FollowersPeople wonder, ‘Why do all the big accounts interact with one another, they all comment on each other’s posts?’ It’s because that’s where I get most of my new followers, most of my new people are interacting with other major accounts that have 100+ followers, 1,000+ followers, or even 50,000+ followers, just writing in their comments, commenting on something. I get more interaction and more followers from that than anything that I did traditionally. On Paid AdvertisementsNobody wants to see your fucking advertisements, point blank. Nobody gives a shit about what you’re selling. They don’t give a shit about what your friend’s company is selling. That’s a commercial. What do we do through commercials? We skip commercials. But what do people like nowadays? They like interaction, they like drama, they want to be entertained. Most of all, people come to social media to be entertained … But that’s the nature of the beast, and that’s the sad reality is that people are here for entertainment. So they want things to be kept short, simple, entertaining, to the point, and lighthearted. I probably turn down about, I’d say, a good 90% of paid influencer offers, maybe even higher than that. And the reason being is just for what I said, I don’t want my page to be a commercial … That’s something you have to look at, is the money that I’m going to make today worth what it’s going to cost me in followers and believability? What About Other Social PlatformsI’m going to be transitioning more to YouTube. I’m trying to look for platforms that are cannabis-friendly, and YouTube has been a little bit more cannabis-friendly. They went on their little rampage a few years back, but they’re opening up more to things. Another one that surprisingly is the most cannabis-friendly of all the social media platforms, LinkedIn. They look at it as we’re businesses. We are legitimate tax-paying businesses; we should be able to promote our grants and our businesses. And from that, LinkedIn has actually been the most supportive. Event ActivationWhenever there’s an event, I promote it on my page, they promote me on their page. That’s when I get most of my new followers, my new likes, and most of my content. People interact with the event, people post their pictures from the event. You’re able to repost those pictures, which in turn, those people like, follow you, and engage with you. Sexy Pics Get Clicks … at a CostIt’s kind of how I built up [my following], and that’s where I came from. It’s something that’s hurting me now in trying to get my Hash Sommelier business off the ground. Because people look at those bikini pics and all of a sudden, a lot of guys have ulterior motives when trying to work with you. That is very frustrating because you want them to take you seriously. However, from a marketing standpoint on Instagram, the only thing Instagram promotes on any of my posts is the sexy pictures — the only thing. I believe it’s the only reason I’ve been able to get my account back every single time, to be honest. I feel that there is some tech bro who works in Meta somewhere that’s like, ‘I love these beach shots. We cannot have this go away.’ I’ve noticed a lot of cannabis businesses lately, there’s been a couple of pages that kept getting everything flagged, everything taken down, shadowbanned. So what they started doing was just posting pics of chicks in bikinis, and that got engagement, and that got promoted. So sex sells on Instagram, and sex is more okay than cannabis for whatever reason. But if you’re a woman also trying to be taken seriously in that space, what can help you can also hurt you. This article first appeared in Volume 4 Issue 3 of Cannabis & Tech Today. A link to your site, with your site's name and description as anchor text. Via https://cannatechtoday.com/content-creator-advice-for-creating-an-engaging-online-presence/ TESTSTSARDSARFriends in High Places: Cannabis Lobbyists Speak for the Industry by Tami Kamin Meyer Cannabis sales are hot. In fact, according to BDSA, worldwide sales of marijuana are expected to reach just over $35 billion in 2022. That represents a 22% increase over the 2021 tally of $29 billion. By 2026, BDSA predicts that number will skyrocket to $61 billion. With that much green at stake, the world of cannabis plays an ever-increasing role in the American economy. But who speaks for the industry, especially when it comes to the hallowed halls of Congress and every statehouse in the union? David Carlucci, for one. Carlucci is a former New York state senator who turned his attention to lobbying on behalf of cannabis companies since leaving the legislature in January 2021. He is a registered lobbyist in several states. His license to lobby in New York will become effective in January 2023, two years after he held political office. He also serves on the New York Cannabis Control Board, which creates promulgations for all things cannabis in the Empire State. That board “is where important decisions are made” relating to cannabis in New York, Carlucci said. What to Know Before Hiring a LobbyistAccording to Carlucci, a cannabis entity needs to be armed with specific information before it can embark on any lobbying effort. “The most important thing to know is what your [company] mission is. It helps you measure success,” he said. Carlucci’s advice? When a business engages with a lobbying firm, “the mission statement is the first act to be accomplished.” The importance of a mission statement cannot be underestimated. The Role of a Mission Statement in LobbyingA company’s mission statement should be clear and succinct. The mission statement is imperative to the success of lobbying because it is the “key to directing goals with lobbying,” Carlucci advised. The importance of hiring a lobbying firm and creating a strong mission statement is evidenced by the increasing role cannabis lobbyists play in the political scene. According to Carlucci, “more cannabis companies are recognizing the importance of having a government affairs team.” What to Look for in a LobbyistDustin M. Robinson, a Florida attorney also known as “Mr. Cannabis Law,” said Carlucci is not alone when it comes to transitioning to lobbying from politics. “As they [former politicians] build connections, they often ingratiate themselves with insiders,” said Robinson of one-time politicians. Networking is the lifeblood of a lobbyist, so hiring a one-time politician cum lobbyist can be a sound strategy. When hiring a lobbyist, choose someone with an impressive book of contacts in the world in which you want your voice heard. “To be a good lobbyist, you need a strong presence in the state capitol,” Robinson said. “We try to make political connections based on our client’s needs.” Dr. Chanda Macias is the owner and general manager of the National Holistic Healing Center Medical Marijuana Dispensary in Washington, D.C. She said beyond a far-reaching network, an effective lobbyist “needs to know not only who the champions [of particular causes] are but also clear our path of opponents. Balancing the two equals success. A lobbyist also needs to learn how to neutralize opponents.” The biggest challenge facing lobbyists is understanding their audience. On the federal level, Macias challenges cannabis lobbyists to know who in Congress is a “key champion for cannabis.” After they are identified, a lobbyist should familiarize themselves with the individual perspectives of those politicians. That knowledge will assist a lobbyist in adapting their client’s message to appeal to each politician’s sensitivities. What Does a Lobbyist Do?Each state defines lobbying for itself, but the consensus is that a lobbyist attempts to influence government action, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). The NCSL further defines a lobbyist as an employed person who is paid to try and persuade politicians to vote one way or another on a piece of pending legislation. “My job is to help my clients figure out their goals and then develop a strategy to accomplish that goal,” Robinson said. Clients should be aware that strategies and agendas can change over time based on feedback, he added. “Negotiations are a big part of my work, even with a client,” Robinson noted. “We need to manage expectations and timelines. A lot of times, a client wants things to happen immediately, so being upfront about realistic timelines and goals is imperative for a positive professional relationship between myself and my clients.” In Macias’s mind, lobbyists “look at primary issues facing our industry and the patients we serve.” She urges lobbyists to “understand and respect why you want your voice heard in a particular way.” Cannabis OpponentsAccording to Macias, some anti-cannabis lobbying groups are not merely anti-cannabis. The pharmaceutical industry, for one, is against marijuana because it wants patients to continue needing the prescription medicines they manufacture and sell. “Pharmaceutical companies do not want anyone to manufacture anything that works better than their drugs,” she said. The alcohol and beer industries also oppose cannabis because they do not want anything altering American minds besides booze. Macias noted, “Pfizer knows cannabis is getting in position by buying prescription companies that are already using cannabis as an ingredient.” Washington and Colorado were the first states to legalize recreational cannabis in 2012. However, counters Macias, the pharmaceutical industry has been lobbying for decades, so “their roots are pretty deep in our Congress. Cannabis has been in there for ten solid years, except for California, and we’ve really only started to organize.” Diversity in Cannabis LobbyingMacias not only talks the talk, but she also walks the walk. Known as a cannabis pioneer, she became the country’s first Black woman medical cannabis operator when she opened her D.C. dispensary in 2015. She has been a champion of women and minorities throughout her entire career. When Macias hires a federal lobbyist, she takes care to find a female who represents someone like her. “Women are underrepresented in the lobbying world and cannabis, she said. But just because we aren’t there, doesn’t mean we should stop seeking a seat at the table. We need more women speaking out about the true female experience in both the business and everyday worlds.” This article first appeared in Volume 4 Issue 3 of Cannabis & Tech Today. A link to your site, with your site's name and description as anchor text. Via https://cannatechtoday.com/friends-in-high-places-cannabis-lobbyists-speak-for-the-industry/ TESTSTSARDSARNew Research Points to Cannabis for Treating Borderline Personality Disorder by Frank Schuler Borderline personality disorder is a serious mental health condition that significantly impacts the way sufferers think and feel about themselves and the world around them. Examples of the negative impact that the condition can have include self-esteem issues, difficulty managing feelings and actions, and a pattern of being involved in unstable relationships. Borderline personality disorder can involve a big fear of abandonment, and patients may have difficulty being alone, which can be particularly difficult given the fact that the condition often results in people not wanting to be around the patient due to their condition. The condition usually starts during early adulthood, although a diagnosis could happen at any time during the person’s life. Fortunately, a growing body of evidence is demonstrating that the cannabis plant may be able to help treat the condition. Below is more information about a recent study from the United Kingdom which presents a recent example of the promising area of research per a news release from NORML: London, United Kingdom: The use of cannabis products containing THC and CBD are safe and effective in mitigating symptoms in patients diagnosed with emotionally unstable personality disorder (EUPD), according to a case series reported in the journal Brain Sciences. Emotionally unstable personality disorder (a/k/a borderline personality disorder) is a common mental health disorder associated with a range of chronic and debilitating symptoms, including impaired social functioning, unstable mood, and risky, impulsive, or self-injurious behavior. An international team of researchers assessed the use of cannabis products in a cohort of seven EUPD patients. Subjects consumed products containing both THC and CBD in varying ratios for one month. Six of the seven participants reported “an improvement in symptoms,” and “none of the participants reported any adverse side effects.” The study’s authors concluded: “To our knowledge, this case series represents the first medical evidence of the use of CBMPs [cannabis-based medicinal products] for the clinical management of patients with a diagnosis of EUPD. … [O]ur results suggest that, when deployed in a rigorously controlled clinical environment, CBMPs can provide substantial improvement in symptoms associated with EUPD thus warranting the need for further research on this therapeutic strategy.” Full text of the study, “Cannabis based medicinal products in the management of emotionally unstable personality disorder: A narrative review and case series,” appears in Brain Sciences. This article first appeared on Internationalcbc.com and is syndicated here with special permission. A link to your site, with your site's name and description as anchor text. Via https://cannatechtoday.com/new-research-points-to-cannabis-for-treating-borderline-personality-disorder/ TESTSTSARDSARTerpene-Enriched CBD Potentially More Effective Than CBD Alone for Autism by Frank Schuler One thing that I often point out to people is that the cannabis plant is one of the most dynamic plants on earth, and that in many ways humans are just beginning to scrape the surface of understanding and harnessing its full potential. Now it seems terpene-enriched CBD could help autistic patients more than CBD alone. The cannabis plant, and wellness products derived from it, can be used to successfully treat a number of health conditions according to an ever-increasing list of peer-reviewed studies, as well as a growing body of patient testimonials. Research dedicated to specific cannabinoids is becoming more common, thankfully, with research focused on cannabidiol (CBD) being particularly popular these days. One area of CBD-based research that is showing a lot of promise is CBD treatments for autism patients. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability caused by differences in the brain. Tens of millions of people around the world suffer from ASD, including an estimated 1% of all children worldwide. Cannabis-based treatments are a fairly new thing when it comes to younger ASD patients largely due to prohibition-induced stigma, however, international researchers are exploring CBD and autism more and more thanks to reform victories in various jurisdictions. A recent example can be found in Italy where a case study was conducted by researchers in Italy and Israel involving a young ASD patient. The patient was first diagnosed in 2008, and after exploring various conventional treatment regimens the patient eventually started to use CBD. “On August 2018, after contacting a medical cannabis prescribing physician and consulting a specialized laboratory (THC Lab), G was first prescribed a CBD-rich cannabis extract containing 2.5% CBD. This was later exchanged with pure synthetic CBD oil at the same concentration. CBD oil was first administrated at a daily dose of 15 drops (12 mg CBD), corresponding to 0.34 mg CBD/kg bw (body weight) per day. CBD accompanied the Neuleptil treatment. This was found beneficial, completely eliminating aggression and leaving G happy and calm,” researchers stated in an article published by Frontiers in Pharmacology. “CBD treatment was efficient for 3 years, until G turned 16 years old. From April 2021, with puberty, G became highly agitated. In order to control his symptoms, the dose of pure CBD was raised, reaching 27 drops (21.6 mg CBD), corresponding to 0.48 mg CBD/kg bw per day. However, the increased dose did not result in improved efficacy. Aggression had increased, reaching more than two major aggressive events per week. Aggressive events were severe (scored eight to nine on a 0–10 subjective aggressive scale, by G’s parents),” researchers stated. “G’s regular CBD oil (pure synthetic CBD at a concentration of 2.5%) was enriched with one of two proprietary terpene blends, composed of terpenes demonstrated in pre-clinical and clinical trials to produce anxiolytic and calming effects. These included alpha pinene, limonene, linalool, beta caryophyllene and nerolidol. One of these two terpene blends was provided for daily use, and the other – for night use, or for times when G was highly agitated,” researchers also stated. “Since August 2021, G has completed 9 months of treatment with terpene-enriched CBD oil. As can be seen in Table 1 and in Figure 2, aggression was significantly reduced, from two major aggressive events per week during treatment with synthetic CBD oil, to a complete elimination of aggressive events during treatment with the same synthetic CBD oil enriched with the selected terpene blends,” researchers observed. “This case demonstrates the benefit of terpene-enriched CBD oil for treating aggression associated with ASD in an agitated adolescent. Enrichment of CBD with selected terpenes increased CBD potency, providing a therapeutic response wherein CBD alone had insufficient effect,” researchers concluded. This article first appeared on Internationalcbc.com and is syndicated here with special permission. A link to your site, with your site's name and description as anchor text. Via https://cannatechtoday.com/terpene-enriched-cbd-potentially-more-effective-than-cbd-alone-for-autism/ |
ABOUT MEHallo, ik ben Renz Verspaget, ik ben een betrouwbare administratief medewerker in de gezondheidszorg met 4,5 jaar ervaring met patiëntendossiers, medische facturering, werkschema's van ziekenhuizen en gezondheidszorgbeleid. Ziekenhuiskosten met 13% verlaagd door nieuwe factureringsmethoden te implementeren. Archives
April 2023
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