TESTSTSARDSARSaskatchewan Government Files First Nations Cannabis Authority Legislation by Hazel Norman The emerging cannabis industry has the potential to transform communities and boost opportunities for those that live where cannabis commerce is permitted. A report from earlier this year by Deloitte highlighted just how much the legal cannabis industry has helped communities in Canada. One of the major takeaways from the analysis is that the legal cannabis industry in Canada had created roughly 151,000 jobs as of the report’s publishing. In addition to generating new jobs across the country, the emerging legal cannabis industry was responsible for generating over $15 billion since legal adult-use sales launched in late 2018. The overall economic boost from Canada’s legalized industry is substantial. Deloitte estimated that the legal cannabis industry in Canada had contributed over $43.5 billion to the nation’s GDP since the start of legalization as of February. Cannabis companies have directly invested roughly $4.4 billion into Canada’s economy, with the remaining boost to GDP coming from “indirect” economic contributions, and “induced” contributions according to Deloitte. First Nations in Canada are progressively getting more involved in the emerging cannabis industry, and in Saskatchewan specifically, lawmakers are pushing for First Nations to be able to self-govern and self-regulate the cannabis industry on-reserve. Below is more information about it via a news release form the government of Saskatchewan: Today, the Government of Saskatchewan introduced two pieces of legislation that lay the groundwork for increased First Nations self-governance. The Summary Offences Procedure Amendment Act, 2022 will provide a legal framework that First Nations communities can use to enforce laws and bylaws on reserve. “The Government of Saskatchewan is proud to take this important step as part of our ongoing work with the Muskoday and Whitecap Dakota First Nations,” Justice Minister and Attorney General Bronwyn Eyre said. “These amendments will allow these and other First Nations communities in the future to use the more simplified summary offences procedure, instead of the long-form process under the federal Criminal Code, to issue tickets and fines such as those issued for traffic violations and other provincial offences.” These amendments follow a Memorandum of Understanding that was signed by the Government of Saskatchewan, Muskoday First Nation and Whitecap Dakota First Nation on October 18, 2019, to address longstanding issues around the enforcement of First Nations’ laws. “First Nations assert their jurisdiction and maintain community safety by creating laws under the Indian Act, land codes, and other federal legislation but there have been difficulties in enforcing these laws in the courts,” Chief of Whitecap Dakota First Nation Darcy Bear said. “Through our work with the provincial government, the amendments to SOPA will give us access to prosecution and enforcement tools that will give force to our laws in areas such as environmental protection and community safety; and strengthen the place of our laws alongside federal and provincial law.” The Cannabis Control (Saskatchewan) Amendment Act, 2022 establishes the provincial legal framework for First Nations to license and regulate the distribution and retailing of cannabis on-reserve. “Our government supports First Nations exercising their authority over on-reserve distribution and retailing of cannabis through a legal framework with SLGA,” Minister Responsible for SLGA Lori Carr said. “This change further fosters reconciliation by ensuring First Nation-owned businesses are able to fully participate in the economic opportunities presented by the retail cannabis industry.” The proposed amendments provide First Nations the opportunity to create their own First Nations regulatory framework consistent with federal and provincial legislation to establish a local cannabis authority. Once established, stores regulated by First Nations will have access to federally regulated cannabis products. These amendments will also require all Saskatchewan cannabis retailers to only ask for proof of age when a purchaser appears to be under the age of 25. Currently, retailers are required to ask for proof of age from all purchasers. 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/saskatchewan-government-files-first-nations-cannabis-authority-legislation/
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TESTSTSARDSARWhat Does the Future of Retail Cannabis Packaging Look Like? by Aron Vaughan For distributors and retailers, cannabis packaging can be a headache. There are myriad compliance issues to contend with including labeling and tracking, and logistical challenges such as shipping units from other countries during a time of COVID-related supply chain chaos. Packaging must also be child-resistant, yet easy enough for patients with physical ailments such as arthritis to open. Cannabis is a well-documented and efficacious anti-seizure medication, and patients experiencing seizures need to have immediate and easy access to their flower or concentrate. An industry secret that the average medical cannabis patient may not be aware of is that traditional packaging such as Mylar bags or plastic containers let oxygen and light into the product, resulting in a loss of flower and net weight. Retailers often have to insert additional flower into the package to meet the standards of compliance regulations and customers. N2 to the RescueN2 Packaging Systems LLC is addressing some of these obstacles that retailers experience every day. N2 uses a proprietary technology that injects nitrogen into its packaging. This process preserves the balance of moisture and weight of the product while removing the ambient oxygen and moisture that is in the container. “You are sealing hermetically, the native moisture that exists in that product that sits in the can,” said N2 CEO Thom Brodeur. “So, one of the biggest challenges for the cannabis industry is once you open, once you’ve packaged it, if there’s any presence of oxygen at all, it begins to degrade the product.” N2 also uses pull tabs and child-resistant, senior-friendly lid apparatuses that combine compliance with accessibility. Most of the 13 patents N2 holds in the U.S., Canada, and 11 other countries center around the locking and connecting mechanisms for the actual lid adherence to the can. “What we are responsible for is building the better mousetrap,” Brodeur said. “For us, making it difficult for small hands, or young hands, or unsophisticated hands to be able to put pressure points on the lids in the right places and the twists and alignment moments that are needed has been core to the technology that makes our packaging one of the safest options. “But what we’ve also been mindful of is that pressure for adult or senior hands when it comes to pressure points and clicking and locking mechanisms also has to be fluid. And so, we’ve created rim systems inside of the cans that allow for easier slides for folks who understand how to use child-resistant lids to make it easier for them to access them.” Green is in N2’s DNAMany industries have had to play catch-up when it comes to sustainability. The cannabis industry, however, has largely been a leader in the field. Cannabis companies like N2 are making commitments to organizations like the Sustainable Cannabis Coalition, Sustainable Packaging Technology Group, and the ASTM, which decides standards on packaging across a variety of industries. “We are engaged with those groups because we really do think it’s important that the more voices there are to help shape the policy and the guidelines going forward, A, the regulations don’t become so onerous that we can’t move and do the things we need to do commercially,” Brodeur said. “But B, that there’s some unification and some standardization ultimately in the way that packaging is treated since it is both a first impression for the consumer and their first experience with a product.” Brodeur explained that N2 was founded with sustainability in mind from the beginning. Each 2Can with N2 nitro inside is made from recycled aluminum and tin alloys. All raw materials are sourced from recycled or recyclable materials. Anything that has to be manufactured from scratch comes through a composite process. “One of the biggest things for us is reducing the use of single-use or even multi-use plastics,” Brodeur said. Big Problems Require Big SolutionsThe COVID-19-related supply chain crisis hit the world hard over the past few years. The slow boat from China became infinitely slower, and companies had to adapt or die. N2 chose the former option, moving more than half its manufacturing facilities to the U.S., a decision that has allowed the company to continue thriving in the harshest of economic ecosystems. And if you think reorienting a massive part of a company’s operations to another country is a challenge, you would be right. “I will tell you it wasn’t easy, and it certainly sounds a lot easier on paper until you get started,” Brodeur said. One of the most unexpected challenges was managing branding and consumer perception. Nuances in color on the cans from Chinese to American manufacturers are recognized by customers, so a small issue like color-matching can take up more time than anticipated — something to which we can all relate. The benefits have ultimately outweighed the logistical issues, though, as customers never have to worry about running out of supply or whether or not it’s close and can get to them quickly. “The good news is we have retained 100% of our customers in this turnaround, and we’ve grown the business by 47% since last July when I joined it,” Brodeur said. What’s Next for Cannabis Packaging?In the next 45-60 days, N2 will roll out its “value line” which will not yet have the nitrogen-infused component like the cans, but will give the company a broader wingspan of offerings for customers. “We want to also have a broader option for those of our customers who have what I would describe as multiple lines and multiple brand personas they want to put forward,” Brodeur said. The next generation after that will focus on developing equipment that will allow for nitrogen infusion with Mylar bags and glass jars. “Even with your commodity packaging solution, you will have a nitrogen-infused option, like you would with our recyclable, repurposable cans,” Brodeur said. A link to your site, with your site's name and description as anchor text. Via https://cannatechtoday.com/what-does-the-future-of-retail-cannabis-packaging-look-like/ TESTSTSARDSARRooted in Compliance: A New Education Platform Gives Retailers an Edge by Rachelle Gordon Calling cannabis compliance “complex” would be a major understatement. Navigating the ever-changing regulatory landscape while adhering to strict and often subjective rules can be extremely difficult and frustrating, especially when an operator’s license is on the line. Many cannabis companies have been subjected to serious fines or license revocations due to violations. Mistakes can vary from lacking proper security to disregarding customer privacy at the retail level. Improper labeling, selling over the legal limit, or failing to keep accurate records are also common, yet preventable errors that could spell certain doom for a cannabis business. Rootwurks is a new learning experience platform that raises the bar for cannabis education while ensuring operators remain compliant as the industry changes. The Rise of RootwurksDeveloped with Vicente Sederberg — industry leaders in law and policy — the comprehensive Rootwurks platform goes above and beyond to help businesses thrive through its holistic approach and innovative training methodology. A deep passion for the plant and an honest desire to see the market succeed inspires the Rootwurks team to keep striving for excellence and collaboration. Chase Eastman, founder and CEO, saw his mother find relief with cannabis while she battled cancer. It was an experience he would never forget but would not revisit professionally for two decades. “Cannabis was not anything that I experimented with when I was young, but I saw it in that instance, and it changed my perception of cannabis as a psychedelic drug to cannabis as a medicine,” he recalled. “Ever since, I’ve been fascinated by the plant, and have been watching the industry from afar.” Eastman initially followed in his father’s footsteps, joining his dad’s food safety compliance and training company Alchemy Systems early in his career. A few years ago, Eastman re-connected with childhood friend Shawn Hauser, a partner at Vicente Sederberg. After careful consideration, the pair decided to join forces, launching Rootwurks in July 2021. “We took 20 years of lessons from the food industry and applied it to what we built, tailoring the solution from the ground up to support the unique intricacies in the cannabis market,” Eastman said. The initial content offered by Rootwurks was curated partially by the compliance team at Vicente Sederberg, leaning into its impressive array of expertise. To provide the most value to its clients, the company worked meticulously to conduct additional research on what it really needed to know. “Anytime an operator had been dinged on an audit by a regulatory body, we pulled all that information and the corresponding fines, and then use that to prioritize the topics we cover,” Eastman explained. “We spent nine months doing industry data scraping and public records requests to build a consolidated database of all the non-conformities that have been issued in the industry.” Lessons run the gamut of manufacturing and retail compliance, including workplace safety, sanitation, and the proper way to verify customer IDs. High-level, overarching courses, as well as deep dives into subtopics are offered, covering every detail an employee across the vertical would need to know. Compliance Through Your PeopleThe Rootwurks platform provides initial compliance training along with reinforcement through three different modules. Operators can deploy an awareness module, which provides all the pertinent information required by state law. A “micro” module provides bite-sized sessions laser-focused on specific components of the awareness modules. Long-form certification modules are designed for supervisors or those on a cannabis career path that may call for more advanced knowledge. Eastman and the team developed the multi-pronged approach to combat the so-called forgetting curve, a theory arguing the vast majority of adults will lose nearly 8% of the information they learned within 30 days of training. Rootwurks also allows operators to build job-specific training checklists and offers assessment tools to monitor retention. Supervisors can deploy corrective action modules, ensuring staff mistakes are corrected and well-documented should the issue arise again. “Our philosophy is that your path to compliance is your people, way more so than your SOPs being appropriately documented,” Eastman said. “At the end of the day, if your employees are not doing the job correctly, then you’re not compliant.” Rootwurks Strives to Remain at the Top of the ClassDespite being a fairly young company, Rootwurks has an impressive array of solutions in its toolkit, with more on the way. The team is currently building an additional audit module for custom scheduling, as well as automated onboarding plans and custom career paths for customers wanting more specialized coursework for their staff. Rootwurks hopes to become a role model for others in the industry while helping remove the stigma surrounding cannabis. By helping to establish safe and effective practices within plant-touching operations, the company believes overall consumer confidence and trust in the nascent marketplace will increase. The list of training topics is also constantly evolving, remaining up-to-date with regulatory shifts as the space continues to expand. With nationwide legalization approaching, Rootwurks is prepared to tackle legislation on federal and state levels. For Eastman and the rest of the team, the goal is to ensure operators have everything they need to reduce compliance headaches and dedicate their time to what matters: running a thriving company. “We’re trying to build a solution that is very nimble so that we can react to the complex challenges that the cannabis industry faces,” Eastman said. “The ability to help operators navigate that complexity so they can focus on growing their business is something I think is really important.” A link to your site, with your site's name and description as anchor text. Via https://cannatechtoday.com/rooted-in-compliance-a-new-education-platform-gives-retailers-an-edge/ TESTSTSARDSARHow Revelry is Connecting New Yorkers to the Cannabis Industry by Patricia Miller This article first appeared in the Summer 2022 issue of Cannabis & Tech Today. As the leaves change from deep greens to hues of yellow and red in the fall of 2022, New York State will open the doors to its first conditional adult-use cannabis dispensaries. Lulu Tsui will experience the historic shift from her neighborhood in Brooklyn. She splits her time between her home on the East Coast and her community in Oakland, California. She’ll likely visit New York’s first legal shops wearing a chic scarf and a wide-brimmed hat, her piercing brown eyes seeking opportunities to build community and connections. Tsui (pronounced “Sway”) is the co-founder and chief experience officer at On The Revel, a company centered around education, networking, and community-building for the cannabis sector. It hosts a recurring in-person event called Revelry and offers an online membership community, Dope People, which creates podcasts and virtual experiences. Tsui launched On The Revel out of a passion for education, people, and technology. She spent 15 years working in experience design and user experience for companies like Bloomberg, Mastercard, John Hopkins University, and Pearson. She’s using that background to democratize information for those looking to learn more about the new industry. One way she’s approaching cannabis education is through her work as president of the Cannabis Media Council. “Think ‘Got Milk?’ but for the cannabis space,” she told Cannabis & Tech Today during a recent interview. The female-led council will launch its first cannabis-friendly public service announcement this fall to coincide with New York’s adult-use legalization timeline. Tsui’s personality hints at the kind of intellect that intimidates at parties and inspires awe in a boardroom. Multifaceted and dynamic, she’s central to several emerging businesses. As the user experience and research advisor at Oakland Hyphae, she’s changing the narrative around psychedelics as well. The group founded the Oakland Psychedelic Conference and the Psilocybin Cup. Information for AllLaunching a business in the cannabis sector is akin to building an engine based on a picture of a car. You know what the final product should look like, but putting all the pieces together requires more expertise. Cannabis is competitive. People who manage to start a canna-business aren’t often keen on sharing the secrets to their success. Tsui aims to change that. “What we noticed the first couple of years in cannabis was everybody was learning, but there was also a little bit of gatekeeping of information,” Tsui said. “Very specific people were allowed access or had the ability to fundraise. We thought it was important that if people were interested they would have real information, transparent information, and access to good vendors, lawyers, and all the folks in our community that we’ve built in the past six years within New York, as well as other markets.” New Market, Different BeastIt’s not wildly insightful to say New York is likely to become a cannabis mecca in the United States. The Empire State has been setting trends for, well… Was there ever a time when New York wasn’t America’s cultural center? The East Coast has its own cannabis culture and legalization will let people out of their “green closets,” as Tsui remarked, so they can publicly consume. Governor Hochul’s executive budget estimates New York could earn more than $1.25 billion in cannabis tax revenue over the next six years. Those numbers will draw established cannabis operators from other states and Tsui believes they’ll be met with a surprise. “New York is a different beast altogether,” Tsui said. “You have to have your person, your guy, your connections to make anything work in New York.” She feels an abundance mindset and a collaborative atmosphere is central to creating a strong, inclusive industry. “It’s still very local and community-driven. It’s what’s beautiful about the opportunities here — there’s something for everybody.” Something Tsui learned from user design is why it’s crucial to know one’s audience. She engages with her community to understand their questions, goals, and motivations. This approach will help Revel hold its footing in New York’s unfolding marketplace. More so, it will help Tsui deliver the information New Yorkers need to build successful businesses. “I’m not an expert in different industries. I’m an expert in understanding how people want to work in these different industries,” she said. Curated ProgrammingTsui is listening to her community and building programming around their needs. Many businesses are built backward, creating a product or service and then finding a market for it. Tsui takes the opposite approach when crafting Revelry events. “[Revelry] figures out the programming based on information and questions and what’s happening in the New York market,” Tsui said. “Then, we create programming. We go through the Rolodex and decide who would be the best speaker for that.” Each speaker is selected from On The Revel members. This approach keeps Tsui’s community tight, validates the work of Revel members, and prevents bad actors from infiltrating events. She feels people are too quick to trust in this industry. Without due diligence, it’s easy to fall for a “snake oil salesman,” she noted. Background checks and calling references can prevent bad investments before they happen. Revel aims to create networking events that facilitate reliable business connections built on trust. More Women in Weed, PleaseIt’s no secret this industry has a diversity problem. It needs more women, people of color, indigenous operators, and minority ownership. One of the overarching goals of On The Revel is to create opportunities for underrepresented groups. Tsui’s commitment to a diverse industry is born from a desire for better functionality. “We need different ways of thinking,” Tsui said. “We need collaboration.” Women are the missing element to unifying the industry and arranging the “messy stuff” plaguing the sector, according to Tsui. “More women please, on the tech and science side. Please come over to cannabis. We really, really need you.” Perhaps with the help of Tsui and organizations like On The Revel, more women will find resources and connections to approach one of this decade’s most exciting business opportunities. A link to your site, with your site's name and description as anchor text. Via https://cannatechtoday.com/how-revelry-is-connecting-new-yorkers-to-the-cannabis-industry/ CBDistillery Accepting Participants for CBDA/CBD Tincture StudyAs the next leg in their latest (and quite extensive) research campaign, hemp industry leader CBDistillery is currently welcoming participants for a thirty-day study of their Raw Synergy CBDA + CBD Tincture. Since early 2021, CBDistillery has been conducting what they call “pathfinder missions,” or studies examining the effects of their CBD products on various functional targets such as sleep and anxiety. Eight studies in total have been planned and announced by CBDistillery, and current or prospective participants are encouraged to sign up for the Releaf App, which acts as the data collection arm and update center for the CBDistillery studies. This article on the anxiety study CBDistillery held roughly a year ago provides a more comprehensive overview of the studies and how they are conducted. Anyone interested in participating in the upcoming study featuring the Raw Synergy CBDA + CBD Tincture can begin the screening process here. Judging by the questions, people unfamiliar with hemp products will likely be denied registration. For those who are admitted, CBDistillery is offering a 40% discount on the Raw Synergy CBDA + CBD tincture at the outset, as well as another 40% coupon code upon completing the study and submitting feedback. More About Raw Synergy CBDA + CBD TinctureIf, like many, you’re less informed on CBDA (cannabidiolic acid) than CBD (cannabidiol), the former can be considered a raw, unrefined version of the latter. CBDA is the chemical precursor to CBD; when heated (aka, smoking or vaping), the CBDA is decarboxylated, yielding CBD. As you might expect, CBDA and CBD have similar properties, but some studies have found CBDA to be more potent for optimizing mood, while others say it’s a more unstable molecule than CBD. Rather than draw a line between these two and pick a side, CBDistillery is combining them in the case of their Raw Synergy (hence the name) CBDA + CBD Tincture. As we describe in this report of an early 2022 CBDA study—which, by the way, showed CBDA’s ability to fight COVID-19—CBDistillery’s take on the foundational cannabinoid uses a 1:1 ratio of CBDA to CBD (500mg/bottle each). Minor cannabinoids make a convincing appearance as well; as CBDistillery says on the official product page, “Consider this tincture as fresh-squeezed juice.” Here’s the ingredient list: Full Spectrum Hemp Extract (Aerial Parts), Cannabidiolic Acid (CBDA), Fractionated Coconut Oil (MCT), Natural Terpenes. More About CBDistilleryEstablished in 2016 by parent company Balanced Health Botanicals, CBDistillery has been focused on research from the beginning, using it to cut through the misinformation and inform customers about smarter wellness decisions. In fact, it was CBDistillery that spearheaded the #CBDMOVEMENT, a pro-consumer campaign that culminated in several Times Square billboard ads decrying CBD gimmicks and a CBD User Guide with more than 40 thousand downloads. Alongside their at-times lofty awareness campaigns, a catalog of evidence-supported CBD products grew under the CBDistillery name. Now, CBDistillery has dozens of CBD tinctures, softgels, gummies, and more, featuring simpler formulations as well as targeted, synergistic hemp products. To learn more about the Best CBD Brand of 2021, we invite you to check out our comprehensive CBDistillery brand review. via The CBD Insider https://thecbdinsider.com/news/cbdistillery-accepting-participants-cbda-cbd-tincture-study/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=cbdistillery-accepting-participants-cbda-cbd-tincture-study TESTSTSARDSARNew Report in Ireland Recommends Considering Cannabis Legalization by Hazel Norman Ireland’s Oireachtas Justice Committee is recommending that the government consider legalizing cannabis for adult-use, in addition to wider drug policy reforms. According to its website, the Oireachtas Justice Committee “shadows the Department of Justice and considers policy in the fields of justice, security and the rule of law to ensure that Irish society is safe, secure, just, open-minded and impartial.” As we previously reported late last month, People Before Profit TD Gino Kenny formally filed an adult-use legalization measure that, if passed, would legalize cannabis possession for people 18 years old or older in Ireland. The measure is not as robust as the legalization model currently in place in Canada, and would legalize the personal possession of up to seven grams of cannabis flower and 2.5 grams of concentrates. The bill would not legalize cannabis sales. “I believe that if passed, this bill will provide a stepping stone to a more progressive drug policy in Ireland,” TD Gino Kenny stated on Twitter last month. The report by the Oireachtas Justice Committee does recommend that the government consider launching legal sales, with the goal of battling the unregulated market. Per The Journal:
What the report is recommending is something similar to what is currently being put into place in Malta. Malta passed a limited legalization measure in late 2021, with the main way for consumers to eventually source their cannabis involving non-profit cannabis clubs. Cannabis legalization faces an uphill battle in Ireland, as demonstrated by the reaction from some lawmakers in Ireland after Gino Kenny formally introduced his limited measure. If Gino Kenny’s bill is receiving pushback, then it’s a safe bet that the new report will also receive similar pushback. Still, the report is encouraging, and in theory, could move the needle a bit. 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-report-in-ireland-recommends-considering-cannabis-legalization/ TESTSTSARDSARDelivering a Competitive ESG Advantage in a Crowded Marketplace by Geoff Trotter Standardization, regulation, compliance, and licensing — the Four Horsemen of the Cannabis Apocalypse — are topics that are never too far away during cannabis industry discussions. With the ongoing absence of federal legalization in the U.S., no matter where one sits on the cannabis value chain, the reliance on a non-uniform, state-by-state approach to each of these business-critical issues continues to be a burden. As more states and jurisdictions legalize cannabis consumption for both medical and recreational use, the need for a uniform approach to regulation is now imperative. And for those involved in cannabis extraction and the subsequent manufacturing of concentrates, perhaps this need has never been greater. Spoiler alert — this article will not be delivering a panacea for these collective ills. Sorry! That said, with the increasing focus on sustainable practices from seed to sale, a solution that delivers standardization for environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices is finally within reach. At Regennabis we have created cannabis-specific ESG standards based on the Sustainable Accounting Standards Board (SASB) pan-industry standards. These apply to each of the license verticals in the cannabis industry. In total, Regennabis has identified 16 of the 26 SASB Disclosure Topics as applying to the cannabis space. With the International Finance Reporting Standards and the International Sustainability Standards Board both agreeing to use SASB’s standards, the Securities and Exchange Commission has set about indicating which of these standards will be applicable across all industries in the U.S. By adopting and adapting the SASB standards, Regennabis has subsequently future-proofed the cannabis industry to avoid potential hiccups in its ESG Reporting programs by ensuring a more aligned and relevant Materiality Assessment is used for its respective reporting protocol. For manufacturers of concentrates, the graphic below indicates which of the 16 Disclosure Topics apply to them as they set about complying with the mandated and/or market-driven demands being placed on them by regulators. (See chart above.) Ensuring compliance in alignment with an ESG framework will allow a concentrate manufacturer to demonstrate to stakeholders, both up and down its supply chain, that it is focused on mitigating risks in its operational practices. It will demonstrate an adherence to good manufacturing processes across a range of geographies — and that will be an ever-increasing competitive advantage in an already crowded marketplace. A link to your site, with your site's name and description as anchor text. Via https://cannatechtoday.com/delivering-a-competitive-esg-advantage-in-a-crowded-marketplace/ TESTSTSARDSARNew Study Says Evidence Lacking in Cannabis ‘Hangover’ Claims by Frank Schuler When cannabis opponents speak out against cannabis they incorporate a variety of talking points, with some more ridiculous than others, such as the “cannabis hangover” claim. It seems some opponents will do or say just about anything to portray cannabis negatively. In an example of the hypocrisy that often accompanies anti-cannabis propaganda, very rarely do those same cannabis opponents call for an end to alcohol sales due to hangovers. While there is ample evidence alcohol use can result in hangovers, researchers in Australia have found that the same is not true for cannabis (despite what cannabis opponents may claim.) Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML: New South Wales, Australia: The majority of available data fails to support claims that cannabis may potentially impact either cognitive function or subjects’ performance of safety sensitive tasks 24 hours after consumption, according to a review of the scientific literature published in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research. A team of Australian researchers reviewed data from 20 studies involving 458 subjects. Selected studies assessed subjects’ performance 12 to 24 hours following THC dosing. Investigators failed to identify any evidence of so-called THC-specific “next-day effects” in 16 of the 20 studies reviewed. They concluded: “A small number of lower-quality studies have observed negative (i.e., impairing) ‘next day’ effects of THC on cognitive function and safety-sensitive tasks. However, higher-quality studies, and a large majority of performance tests, have not. Overall, it appears that there is limited scientific evidence to support the assertion that cannabis use impairs ‘next day’ performance.” Authors further opined that the imposition of workplace drug testing policies that detect the long-term presence of cannabis metabolites and impose sanctions upon those who test positive for them are arguably not justified by the available data. 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/evidence-lacking-cannabis-hangover-claims/ Table of ContentsWelcome to our NuLeaf Naturals Review! Established several years before CBD exploded in popularity across the US, NuLeaf Naturals has remained unswayed by the whacky trends rising and falling over the still-unregulated market. This isn’t to say they’ve shied from innovation, of course, but that they’ve been much more measured in how they develop and promote game-changing products like their Multicannabinoid Full Spectrum Oil, which features an unprecedented 1:1:1:1 ratio of four major cannabinoids (more on this later). After meeting some of the NuLeaf team at Expo West 2022, interviewing leadership, and giving the products a go ourselves, we arrived at a score of 87.1/100. NuLeaf is among the most scientifically supported brands on the market; we recommend their products to anyone serious about hemp-based wellness. Full-Spectrum CBD OilThis cannabinoid-rich tincture is powered by a whole-plant extract. NuLeaf uses their proprietary strains to ensure the cannabinoid concentration is optimized for wellness. If hemp is all you need, this full-spectrum extract carried in organic virgin hemp seed oil is about as clean as it gets. Multicannabinoid CapsulesMade with organic tapioca syrup, berry flavoring, and fruit and vegetable juices (for color), these CBD gummies are among the cleanest on the market. Hemp-wise, each gummy contains 30mg of CBD and 10mg of CBN as part of a full-spectrum hemp extract. If you’re interested in CBD for sleep improvements, this is an excellent place to start. CBD:CBN 3:1 Full Spectrum GummiesMade with organic tapioca syrup, berry flavoring, and fruit and vegetable juices (for color), these CBD gummies are among the cleanest on the market. Hemp-wise, each gummy contains 30mg of CBD and 10mg of CBN as part of a full-spectrum hemp extract. If you’re interested in CBD for sleep improvements, this is an excellent place to start. Hemp-Forward From the Start: NuLeaf’s Origin StoryA solid three years before the CBD boom gave rise to CBD-infused everything (including pillows, sigh), NuLeaf was among the small cluster of brands laying the groundwork. NuLeaf was officially founded in 2014, and from this very beginning, have had their gaze fixed on simple, pure, and effective CBD oils. As you’ll notice when thumbing through their assortment of hemp products, NuLeaf indeed keeps it simple: full-spectrum hemp, USDA organic hemp seed oil. Boom—those are the only ingredients in most cases. On this platform of simplicity and quality, NuLeaf experienced steady growth, eventually adding pet CBD oil (2019) and plant-based softgels (2020) to their selection. “Minor cannabinoids” like CBC (cannabichromene), CBG (cannabigerol), and CBN (cannabinol) made their NuLeaf debut in 2021, which includes the 1:1:1:1 multicannabinoid product that is definitely drawing envious side-eye from the competition. As Marketing Director Adam Ragsdale told us, “Our story is about the product and the customer,” a sentiment aptly reflected in the way NuLeaf has stayed focused on pure, high-quality hemp extracts. Our NuLeaf Naturals ReviewEvery brand we review is assessed according to these criteria:
NuLeaf earned an overall score of 87.1/100. As always, let’s kick off the official review portion with a look at quality. QualityMax score = 35 points NuLeaf = 33 points End product quality will obviously stay a key criterion within the quality category, but diving deeper into testing, manufacturing, and certification standards will reveal a much more reliable picture of a CBD brand’s overall quality. Hence, we take a look at all of the above—here’s how NuLeaf stacked up, starting with the product themselves. Product QualityAs NuLeaf Marketing Director Adam Ragsdale informed our team, 100% of the hemp used in NuLeaf products is grown in the USA. Colorado acts as a hub for some of their main extracts, though NuLeaf does acquire some from other states. Full-spectrum hemp—meaning that which contains all of the original cannabinoids from the plant (including delta-9 THC)—is the only option at NuLeaf. Of course, if you’re going to offer one type of hemp extract, full spectrum is the obvious choice, so we apply a smaller ding for not offering broad-spectrum hemp products. As for ingredients, NuLeaf’s products consistently stick to a minimalistic range of high-quality carrier oils (e.g., organic virgin hemp seed oil), natural flavorings where applicable, and more, though we will say the lack of non-CBD botanical enhancers may leave some shoppers feeling miffed. Finally, NuLeaf makes CBD oil, softgels, gummies, and pet products, and though they aren’t marketed as such, we know from the cannabinoids featured on some of their products (namely, CBN and CBG) that NuLeaf covers the bases we want to see covered in terms of formulation type: some form of “relief,” “relax,” and “active.” Testing and CertificationNuLeaf products undergo full-panel testing administered by Botanocor, a reputable third-party hemp testing laboratory. The term “full panel” denotes a broad range of potential contaminants that the finely tuned lab instrumentation analyzes the product for, including, but not limited to:
In addition to contaminants, testing also confirms the potency of cannabinoids found in each sample. As for certifications, NuLeaf is USDA Certified Organic, GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) Certified, and Certified B Corp. GMP is an FDA-ready standard that ensures compliance with the agency’s regulations, and B Corp Certification is awarded to companies that meet high standards of social, ethical, and environmental sustainability. Extraction MethodNuLeaf uses CO2—the CBD industry’s gold standard for extraction methods—to safely and efficiently remove the hemp extract from the plant biomass. Alongside ethanol extraction, CO2 is about as safe and reliable as it gets, so it’s an ace for extraction in NuLeaf’s case. The same can be said for the quality category at large, where NuLeaf and their carefully crafted products and processes shine. TransparencyMax score = 12.5 points Simply put, the more relevant information a brand is willing to share with their customers (and us), the more we reward them. Transparency is a major component to trust, and as such, we look for content—mostly on the brand’s website—divulging product details, operations, supply chain structure, and other useful points. Info AccessibilityOn the NuLeaf naturals website, this batch report page will provide third-party test results for the batch in which your product was produced and tested, provided you can enter the lot/batch number. You can find this number on the product packaging, which, by the way, provides a QR code for easy access to the testing page from your mobile device. However, we do reserve a small buffer for brands that directly take you to the lab result pertaining to the scanned product, which NuLeaf doesn’t—you have to enter the batch number regardless of how you arrive at the page. On product pages, site visitors can quickly glean the ingredient content, potential benefits, dosage/usage suggestions, and a “NuLeaf Naturals Difference” blurb within a few seconds, creating a well-rounded and informative introduction to each product that doesn’t clutter the page too much. Finally, the “who we are” section, as we call it, doesn’t feature any leadership profiles to complement the short synopsis of the company’s origins, achievements, etc. Supply Chain TransparencyAn above-average breakdown of the supply/manufacturing structure of NuLeaf can be found on their about page, which details the following points, among others:
Combined with our experience in the interview, this content assured us of the active effort NuLeaf makes to share several key insights about their key standards and operations with their current and potential customers. Though we’d definitely like to see more information on company leadership (and the company’s history/background itself), NuLeaf still makes a solid showing for overall transparency. Website ExperienceMax score = 7.5 points So long as the design scheme isn’t heavily distracting or outdated, we aren’t sticklers—we’d rather see a smooth browsing/shopping experience and ample educational content. Product Navigation and PurchasingThanks to the help of one-step filters (just click them to auto-adjust shown products, you don’t have to click a “search” button) at the top of their shop page, it’s very easy to find the product(s) you’re looking for on the NuLeaf site. The filters allow you to narrow down your desired selection according to the two most important criteria: featured cannabinoid(s) like CBD/CBG and product type, e.g., CBD oils, softgels, gummies, etc. Once on a product page, you’ll find a clean, minimalistic layout granting quick access to the product description and ingredients. There’s also a section entitled “The NuLeaf Naturals Difference” that provides a solid overview of their hemp extraction methods, guarantees, and the extract itself. The one-page checkout process is about as simple as it gets, with no weird pop-ups or splash pages to break the immersion. All of this displays and functions properly on mobile devices—better, actually, since some of the larger chunks of empty space on product pages is resolved on mobile. Finally, keeping in mind our disclaimer about design being a secondary consideration, the site does feel a bit dated. It certainly doesn’t break the experience, but a facelift would enhance it. Site ContentBetween the product pages, About Us page, and the NuLeaf Naturals Blog, the beginner-friendly knowledge base we hope to see is there. Beginners to CBD or hemp in general can peruse informative and easy-to-read posts on how CBD affects anxiety, where delta-8 THC comes from, and more. We do wish the link for the blog was given a place on the main navigation menu of the homepage—it’s accessible via a footer link only. Otherwise, the NuLeaf site provides an approachable, balanced content selection that can inform newbies while keeping more experienced hemp users updated on the industry’s latest movements. Customer ServiceMax score = 10 points Automate all you want, the importance of the human element will (hopefully) never go away when it comes to customers interfacing with hemp brands. In addition to customer support services themselves, we also evaluate shipping and return policies. Contact Options And ResponsivenessNuLeaf Naturals has email and live messenger. Though we would prefer one of the two to be a phone service, having both mostly compensates for the lack thereof. The chat service quickly supplied a response to our question, but it wasn’t very thorough. The email service didn’t respond, but we’re almost positive it’s because their system registered the chat inquiry we opened soon after sending the email. Overall, we were pleased to get a quick response from a human being, but a bit more engagement would be welcome. Shipping and Return PoliciesNuLeaf offers free shipping on purchases over $74 to anywhere in the United States, quoting a delivery window of 2 to 5 business days. They also offer express shipping (1-2 days). Customers have 30 days to return new, unused, and unopened products for a full refund, though they have to pay return shipping. Finally, the shipping and returns page highlights a 60-Day Guarantee, but it does not clearly stipulate that NuLeaf will provide any type of refund, exchange, etc. if a customer isn’t satisfied within this window of time. Rather, the guarantee is more of an assurance that customers who use the products consistently and vigilantly monitor their dosing can establish a healthy routine within 60 days, or NuLeaf will coach them through the process. Taking into account both the human and policy side of the NuLeaf Naturals customer service department, we acknowledge a healthy framework in place, but one that could still use a bit of polish. ValueMax score = 10 points By balancing raw price with product quality, we provide an opportunity for both value and premium brands to score well (or poorly) in this category. Pricing and Ingredient QualityWe take the entire product catalog into account, but typically, our benchmark for assessing a brand’s pricing is their standard full-spectrum tincture, at whichever concentration comes closest to 1500mg (roughly a month’s supply). NuLeaf charges $89.99 for their 1800mg Full-Spectrum CBD Oil, which reduces to just under $0.05/mg. This price point firmly positions NuLeaf on the more affordable half of the spectrum, as most well-reputed CBD brands are charging around $0.03-$0.11/mg for their version of this product. Further strengthening their argument for value is the NuLeaf Subscribe & Save program. Subscribers Save MoolahBoth as reviewers and consumers, we always look for two key factors when determining whether or not any particular subscription program is worth it. First, are the savings significant (e.g., 10% or more)? Finally, does signing up lock you into an oppressive contract, or can you come and go as you please? The NuLeaf Naturals Subscribe and Save program, which they also call the NuLeaf Naturals Wellness Club, goes two for two; you save 20% on every order and can pause, skip, or cancel at any time. The setup is pretty familiar: sign up, set up your standing order—not all products qualify, by the way—and that’s about it. In addition to pausing or skipping orders whenever, you can also edit delivery dates through your account if you’ve given them enough time. Brand ValueMax score = 25 points It’s hard to quantify the total impact a brand has had on their industry, but using the following “buckets,” we can at least make a general assessment that stays consistent across all the hemp brands we review:
Product InnovationWithout question, the frontrunner for NuLeaf in the area of product innovation is the Multicannabinoid Full Spectrum Oil, which is also available as a capsule. Though we’ve seen competing hemp products that have a 1:1 ratio of two different cannabinoids (like CBD/CBG), we definitely haven’t seen the ratio maintained across four cannabinoids in a single product. Also, it’s still pretty rare to see hemp oil tinctures completely dedicated to non-CBD compounds, of which NuLeaf has four: CBN Full Spectrum Oil, CBG Full Spectrum Oil, CBC Full Spectrum Oil, and Delta-8 THC Full Spectrum Oil. They aren’t the most active brand in terms of loading every product with (non-CBD) botanicals like ashwagandha, etc., but if hemp is your focus, NuLeaf is bringing several high-quality, innovative options to the table. Community, Research, and Legislative InvestmentAmong the most prestigious of NuLeaf’s certifications include U.S. Hemp Authority and B Corp. The U.S. Hemp Authority standards, which they revise annually, require hemp brands to maintain safe, ethical, high-quality practices across the board. B Corp, which applies outside of the hemp industry as well, rewards socially and environmentally responsible companies. NuLeaf also earns a solid credit boost for their ownership over the supply chain, allowing them full control over quality and safety. They have yet to officially participate in scientific research, but informed us that they are actively seeking and vetting potential partners. On the activism side, NuLeaf takes the lead from their parent company, High Tide. Like so many brands across the industry, High Tide is very passionate about supporting a regulatory pathway for CBD products, i.e., FDA regulation. Finally, NuLeaf is very active in donating products to pet facilities, which constitutes the largest portion of their annual donations. Our NuLeaf Naturals Overall RatingAll tallied, we arrived at an overall score of 87.125 for NuLeaf Naturals. They excelled in product quality and innovation, supply chain oversight, testing, safe hemp extraction, and more. As for areas of improvement, there were no red flags, but a broad application of 10-15% deductions in certain customer service aspects (see section), industry/community involvement, research, site content, and so forth. Overall, we’re impressed with the product quality most of all, including everything that goes into it—how NuLeaf sources and extracts their hemp, etc. To cap off our review, here’s a quick look at the NuLeaf Naturals product catalog. NuLeaf Naturals ProductsCBD OilsNuLeaf has seven CBD oils on offer, covering a broad range of concentrations and cannabinoids. Included in this selection is a full-spectrum pet oil and a delta-8 THC tincture. Here’s the complete list: Multicannabinoid Full Spectrum Oil CBD Full Spectrum OilConcentration300mg/.17oz IngredientsFull-Spectrum Hemp Extract, Organic Virgin Hemp Seed Oil SoftgelsMade with vegetable glycerin and cassava root extract, NuLeaf manufactures a high-quality, vegetarian-friendly capsule that comes with a choice of five different extracts. Here’s the complete list of NuLeaf CBD capsule products: Multicannabinoid Full Spectrum Capsules Multicannabinoid Full Spectrum CapsulesConcentration300mg/20ct IngredientsFull Spectrum Hemp Extract, Organic Virgin Hemp Seed Oil GummiesIt’s definitely not a huge selection, but NuLeaf’s CBD gummies have it where it counts, so to speak And by that, we mean that they’ve covered the bases we would have covered if we were keeping it to a three-product inventory: CBD Full Spectrum Gummies, Delta-9 THC Full Spectrum Gummies, and CBD/CBN Full Spectrum Gummies. The CBD/CBN gummies are one of NuLeaf’s few products to have a functional target listed on the label (sleep), and with a 3:1 ratio of CBD:CBN, it’s a claim with some legs under it. CBD:CBN 3:1 Full Spectrum GummiesConcentration400mg/20ct Price: Click “learn more” to see price IngredientsFull Spectrum Hemp Extract, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Tapioca Syrup, Pectin, Organic Berry Flavor with Other Organic Flavors, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Organic Fruit & Vegetable Juices for Color Pet ProductsNuLeaf is running with just the one pet product for now—this Full Spectrum CBD Pet Oil—but at 4.9/5 stars after 2,700+ reviews, it’s a worthy entry. And there’s no indication from the ingredient list that NuLeaf has cut corners on quality for their pet product like some brands do; the only two ingredients are the full-spectrum hemp extract and organic virgin hemp seed oil. Full Spectrum CBD Pet OilConcentration300mg/.17oz IngredientsFull Spectrum Hemp Extract, Organic Virgin Hemp Seed Oil via The CBD Insider https://thecbdinsider.com/review/nuleaf-naturals-review/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=nuleaf-naturals-review Citing the scarcity and testing capabilities of currently DEA-registered hemp laboratories, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is extending the DEA registration deadline imposed on hemp testing labs by a year, pushing it from Jan. 1st, 2023 to December 31st, 2023. The requirement stems from the USDA’s Final Rule for the Domestic Production of Hemp, which went into effect on March 22nd of 2021, and included several other provisions related to allowable hemp testing methods, THC “negligence limit,” acceptable measure of uncertainty values, and more. Hemp producers, laboratories, and anyone else operating under the regulatory scope of the USDA Final Rule still have to comply with the other requirements; the DEA registration requirement is the only one that has been delayed thus far. Though hemp advocates breathe a sigh of relief in the wake of the delay, some—like the U.S. Hemp Roundtable—are vying to have the requirement removed altogether. “We are very pleased that the USDA has provided producers another year to avoid the tremendous burden of securing a DEA-registered lab for hemp testing, but we would like for this requirement to be eliminated permanently,” said the Roundtable’s General Counsel, Jonathan Miller. Indeed, many pro-hemp advocates like Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-ME) are vocalizing their dissent about the DEA registration requirement, citing a poorly prepared infrastructure when it comes to hemp testing on a national level. “There are insufficient testing facilities,” Pingree is quoted as saying in the U.S. Hemp Roundtable report. “Right here in Mane, we don’t have one at all—and there’s two that cover all of New England.” As always, we’ll point to the Roundtable’s Federal Action Center as a means for hemp supporters to promote fair regulation, and will report back with any updates. via The CBD Insider https://thecbdinsider.com/news/hemp-testing-labs-given-a-year-extension-to-register-with-dea/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=hemp-testing-labs-given-a-year-extension-to-register-with-dea |
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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