It might not be the first country in the general region to legalize cannabis at all, as that designation goes to Georgia. But Germany is still the largest market in the EU, and has potential to be a massive recreational market. Now, with talks between the leading parties from the 2021 election, Germany has been inching closer to legalized recreational cannabis. It’s about time Germany legalized recreational cannabis, and it looks to be getting very close with negotiations among top parties. If it happens, Germany will join places like the US, where not only is cannabis legal in many states, but where an entire market of cannabinoids has opened up outside of regulation. This means compounds like delta-8 THC, THCV, and even hemp-derived delta-9, are available to consumers. We’ve got great deals for delta-8 and many others, so go ahead, and check ’em out by subscribing to The THC Weekly Newsletter. Also save big on Delta 8, Delta 9 THC, Delta-10 THC, THCO, THCV, THCP & HHC products by checking out our “Best-of” lists! The Bundestag elections 2021It was known going into the 2021 Bundestag elections, that current chancellor Angela Merkel would be stepping down, and not going for re-election. As Merkel has been chancellor since 2005, leading with her party the Christian Democrats, her departure has pushed the door wide open for new leadership. And after a 16-year reign, Germany seems to be happy to move in a different direction. In this year’s elections, held September 26th, the center-right Christian Democratic Union, or CDU (the Christian Democrats along with the Christian Social Union in Bavaria), lost its stronghold which it had maintained for a decade and a half. For the majority of Merkel’s leadership, the CDU formed coalitions with the Social Democrats (SPD), a center-left party, which made them voting partners, stifling the Social Democrats on many issues where voting might have been contrary. An example of this is the recreational marijuana bill that was voted on last year, and which didn’t pass even though it had enough support. The likely reason it failed is because Social Democrats, who would have ordinarily voted for it, didn’t do so because of the coalition with the CDU. ![]() This election swung things in the opposite direction, with the SPD taking the most seats, though certainly not enough for a majority. The SPD won by small margins, beating the CDU 25.9% to 24.1%. This equals 206 seats in parliament for the SPD, and 196 for the CDU. Along with the SPD pushing things toward the left, it was joined by the leftist Green party which took 118 seats, the liberal Free Democratic Party which won 92, and the democratic-socialists the Left, which got 39. All of this positions Germany to vote very differently on many topics in the future, including cannabis. Germany inches closer to legalized cannabis, as top parties talk about new legislationRight now, Germany is technically between leadership, as no coalition government has yet been formed. But they’re working on it, and the result of the coalition might result directly in Germany creating a market for legalized recreational cannabis. According to a representative from German publication, die Funke Mediengruppe, who spoke directly with coalition negotiators in regards to a partnership between the SPD, the Green party, and the Free Democratic Party (FDP), an unnamed spokesperson made this statement on behalf of the so-called ‘traffic-light’ coalition: “We’re introducing the controlled distribution of cannabis to adults for consumption in licensed stores. This will control the quality, prevent the transfer of contaminated substances and guarantee the protection of minors. We will evaluate the law after four years for social impact.” This goes in line with a report put out by Bloomberg a week and a half ago which stated: “Negotiators for the Social Democrats, Greens and pro-business Free Democrats are hammering out the details, including conditions under which the sale and use of recreational cannabis would be allowed and regulated, according to people familiar with the talks, who asked not to be identified because the discussions are private.” It should be remembered that Germany has not officially settled on a formal coalition to govern, or a chancellor to take the top seat. However, this proposed union between the SDP, the Green party, and the FDP seems very promising. Under this coalition, its expected that SDP representative Olaf Scholz will be chancellor, and the hope is to have an operational government by early December. Since nothing has been formally decided, nothing can be said yet on the future of cannabis in Germany, though all eyes are on the country waiting to see what happens. ![]() Cannabis in GermanyAs of right now, Germany has the biggest cannabis market in Europe, but it’s a completely medical market. Cannabis is regulated through the German Federal Narcotics Act, and right now its illegal for recreational purposes. Simple possession charges can still incur up to five years in prison, though Germany stopped short at creating laws for using cannabis, so its use isn’t mentioned by law. As such, first-time offenders are generally put in a program, rather than prison, so long as they are not caught using more than a ‘small amount’. This term is highly imprecise, varying throughout different parts of Germany in terms of the amount this relates to, which depending on location can be anywhere from 6-15 grams. Germany also tends to judge amount based on THC quantity in the product, so the potency is directly related to the calculation of the amount. Germany does have a medical cannabis market, which started in 1998 with limited capacity. This was upgraded in 2017 to cover more medical issues, as well as being the start of domestic production. At that time Germany updated laws to allow more imports and exports of cannabis as well. All of this has helped to make Germany the biggest cannabis market in Europe. How big? In 2019, Germany was 2nd in the world for cannabis oil imports, and ranked 4th for cannabis oil exports, 1st in Europe for both. In the last quarter of 2020, Germany imported as much as 3,264 kg of cannabis, bringing the year’s total imports to 9,249. The import market has increased 100% year-over-year from 2018-2020. The newly emerging domestic supply market is expected to inject a further 2,600 kg into the market. In terms of how widely used the medical program within the country is, though BfArM – The Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices, could not give a specific answer to this, what it did provide led market intelligence firm Prohibition Partners to approximate the industry to be serving 128,000 patients a year. Cannabis legalizations in EuropeIf Germany does form a market for legalized cannabis, it would still be the first European country to do so, though not the first to allow some measure of legalization for recreational use. After all, allowing people to grow their own and use it, is vastly different than setting up a taxable regulated market where people can go to a store to buy a product. ![]() The first country to drop some laws of prohibition in this part of the world was Georgia (depending on whether you consider it to be Europe or Asia). Georgia became the 3rd country to do so, through a Constitutional Court ruling in 2018 that said punishing a person for using cannabis is unconstitutional as it doesn’t hurt anyone else, and since such punishments are restrictive of personal freedoms (almost the same reasoning used in both Mexico and South Africa). This ruling erased penalties for cannabis use, unless a 3rd party is being hurt. What it didn’t do, was create a regulated market for the production and sale of cannabis, nor did it legalize growing it, leaving Georgians in the strange situation of being able to use and possess cannabis freely, but without a way to grow it or buy it legally. The more recent near-addition to the European contingency of legalized countries, is Luxembourg, which isn’t shocking as the country has been moving toward relaxing cannabis laws for a little while now. It should be noted, however, that this is still only proposed, and has not gone through. In fact, it’s only scheduled to be tabled (discussed) in 2022. Reported on October 22nd, the Ministers of Justice and Internal Affairs stated that Luxembourg is likely to drastically change its laws on cannabis, though whether it would be considered a full legalization is hard to say. The country, for example, would not take away penalties for having cannabis in public, just reduce fines and take away criminal records. Sounds more like a decriminalization in that way. The part that counts as a ‘legalization’, is that should the change be made, the government will allow adults of 18 years or above to grow up to four plants in their house, and use cannabis privately. Thus making it very similar to South Africa and Washington DC, slightly better than Georgia, but not like Uruguay, Canada, or the legalized states in the US. Luxembourg has not proposed a legalized regulated market, so buying and selling, as well as having and using in public, would still be illegal in some capacity, and would still incur penalties. This is NOT a done deal, and has been erroneously written like it is. It is backed by the current coalition leading the government, but does require passing a vote in parliament and being signed off on by the Grand Duke. These things are expected, though, as the country has been in talks to downgrade punishment for cannabis crimes for a while. ![]() ConclusionGeorgia’s partial legalization, and Luxembourg’s possible upcoming partial legalization aside, if Germany decides on legalized cannabis for the country, it would still be the first to institute full legality in Europe, and the first European country to institute a regulated market. As the governance of the country is leaning toward three parties looking to legalize, it looks like Germany might be adding to its large medical industry, a legalized recreational cannabis market. Hello and welcome! You’ve made it to CBDtesters.co, the best internet source for the most up-to-date and relevant cannabis and psychedelics-related news from everywhere in the world. Check us out daily to stay in-the-know on the constantly-changing landscape of legal drugs and industrial hemp, and sign up for The Delta 8 Weekly Newsletter, to ensure you get every news story first. Disclaimer: Hi, I’m a researcher and writer. I’m not a doctor, lawyer, or businessperson. All information in my articles is sourced and referenced, and all opinions stated are mine. I am not giving anyone advise, and though I am more than happy to discuss topics, should someone have a further question or concern, they should seek guidance from a relevant professional. The post Germany Closer to Legalized Cannabis, With Top Parties Discussing Legislation appeared first on CBD Testers. Via https://cbdtesters.co/2021/11/21/germany-closer-to-legalized-cannabis-with-top-parties-discussing-legislation/
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Drug cousins ketamine and esketamine are being used more frequently as anti-depressants. But that doesn’t mean they can be found anywhere and be used by anyone. Here are some things to know about ketamine and esketamine therapy, and what to do if you want to try it for yourself. Ketamine and esketamine therapy are all the rage, but they’re still not as easily accessible as cannabis. Fortunately, there has been more focus on these compounds in recent years and the market is poised to explode in the very near future. Remember to subscribe to The Psychedelics Weekly Newsletter for more articles like this one. And save big on Delta 8, Delta 9 THC, Delta-10, THCO, THCV, THCP & HHC products by checking out our “Best-of” lists! What are ketamine and esketamine?Esketamine is a close relative of the drug ketamine, which has been used as a club drug since the 80’s. Ketamine was discovered in 1962 at Parke-Davis, a pharmaceutical company, in an attempt to find a strong anesthetic. When it was discovered, it was described to be a compound with “cataleptic, analgesic and anesthetic action but without hypnotic properties.” The term ‘dissociative anesthetic’ has since been used to describe it, as it has a tendency to disconnect the different parts of the brain. Ketamine’s chemical formula is C13H16ClNO, and it’s only cleared for use as an anesthetic for humans and animals, though it has been found useful for depression and pain issues as well, and is used off-label for these purposes. Esketamine is much newer than ketamine, which shares its chemical formula. It first came out in 1997 in Germany as an anesthetic. While being used in this way, it was discovered that it can very quickly produce anti-depressant effects, and study into its use for this purpose began. The compound finished trials for treatment-resistant depression in 2017 in the US, and the first company to file its application for a new medication with the FDA, was Johnson & Johnson, which subsequently put the drug out as Spravato upon approval on March 5th, 2019. ![]() The current approval stands as a compound to be used in conjunction with other standard monoamine antidepressants. The approval was updated in 2020 to include use for suicidal thoughts. This is a testament to how quickly and effectively it works, that it would be approved for something which requires the fastest of onsets. Ketamine and esketamine are provided through clinics, and administered either as a nasal spray, or IV. How legal is this?I want to take a second to clear something up. When talking about ‘esketamine therapy’, it refers to the only FDA-approved medication put out by Johnson & Johnson called Spravato, which is a nasal inhaler. When talking about the term ‘ketamine therapy’, it generally refers to ketamine IV treatments used for the management of pain and psychological issues like depression, and is administered as an off-label use. While this doesn’t have to matter, it creates confusion when talking about what the drug can be used for, and how its prescribed. Ketamine is currently a Schedule III drug approved for anesthesia (its placement making it safer, according to the DEA, than cannabis). Ketamine will only be officially prescribed for anesthesia purposes for now, because that’s all its approved for. It has no official approval for psychological issues or pain. This, however, doesn’t mean that ketamine won’t be given for these things. Off label use refers to “the use of pharmaceutical drugs for an unapproved indication or in an unapproved age group, dosage, or route of administration. Both prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs (OTCs) can be used in off-label ways, although most studies of off-label use focus on prescription drugs.” If you’re wondering if this is legal, it actually is. According to the FDA, “once the FDA approves a drug, healthcare providers generally may prescribe the drug for an unapproved use when they judge that it is medically appropriate for their patient.” In this way, though ketamine has not been approved for use with depression, it can still be administered for it, making ketamine infusion clinics legal, even if being used for something not authorized for the drug. Since ketamine is still a controlled substance, its use – whether off-label or not, must follow federal and state laws for Schedule III drugs. However, the FDA has no regulation set up for ketamine infusion clinics, and neither do any of the US states. This means that options for treatment really can pop up anywhere, but it should be remembered when considering clinics, that there is no regulation for patient safety protocols. ![]() How to get a prescription for ketamine or esketamine therapyThe first thing is to get your prescription. When it comes to esketamine, you’ll either go to your primary care physician who will give you a referral for a psychiatrist, or you’ll work with your already existing psychiatrist. From going through different sites, it becomes clear that like with any other psychological issue, the prescription of esketamine is very much done based on subjective opinions, meaning if your therapist doesn’t like the idea of it, or doesn’t believe in it, you might need to find a more accepting doctor. Things to be assessed include current and past medications and how effective they were, family history, substance abuse issues, and a general look at overall medical history, including past experiences with anesthesia, likely as a way to assess how well a patient will respond to esketamine. Funny enough, though psychedelics have repeatedly shown strength in dealing with psychiatric disorders, doctors are less likely to prescribe it if a patient has a disorder like schizophrenia. Other issues that will stand in the way include: pregnancy, seizure disorders, the use of aminophylline for COPD or asthma, and those with high blood pressure, cardiac disease, and pulmonary issues. When it comes to ketamine, since its not approved for uses outside of anesthesia, its given as an off-label medication for depression and pain. Many patients go directly to a ketamine clinic, where they are evaluated by the therapists employed. Conversely, some family doctors will refer patients directly to these clinics for treatment. Though unregulated for this purpose, ketamine is still only administered medically, and interested patients will have to receive doctor approval before using ketamine or esketamine for treatment. How to find a clinic for ketamine or esketamine therapyThis is where it gets a bit dice, since you can’t just walk into a pharmacy to pick up a prescription. Each patient has to find a clinic close to them for their therapy, and this can be difficult depending on location. Interested patients can use the following sites to find a relevant clinic. Johnson & Jonhnson’s Spravato is the most used version of esketamine, and clinics that administer it can be found here. Users can input their locations to find clinics in their area that administer the treatment. Depending on where a person is, there can be various options, or essentially none at all, meaning if you live in a place where there isn’t a provider nearby, you might be out of luck. ![]() If looking for a ketamine infusion, the Ketamine Clinics Directory has listed locations across the US for treatments. This directory shows updated clinic locations in the US, and makes clear that many areas of the country are very much underserved at the moment, leaving people in those locations at a loss for using this treatment. In this way, ketamine and esketamine aren’t the most easily available options. The cost of ketamine therapyApart from simply finding a location to get it, ketamine and esketamine therapy come with another big issue, the cost. Whereas every standard antidepressant is covered by insurance, this is not always the case for esketamine. Some insurance companies will cover all or part of the cost, depending on the exact type of therapy. For example, those using FDA approved Spravato nasal spray, have a better chance of being covered. If there is no coverage – which will always be the case with ketamine, the unfortunate reality is that most people really won’t have access. According to TMS & Brain Health, standard pricing for treatment runs about $400-800 per session, making it an expensive treatment. The same site claimed most clinics will create their own treatment schedule per individual, with standard schedules offering the treatment twice a week for a month, and then once a week for following months, for however long its designated necessary. This schedule is almost always followed when dealing with Spravato nasal inhalers. Another clinic called Revitilist Clinic which works with both ketamine and esketamine, put the cost at $474 for each Mood Protocol Infusion (for depression, suicidal ideations, anxiety, OCD, and PTSD), $600 per each two-hour Pain Protocol infusion, and $800 per four-hour esketamine infusion. Once again, these are not low prices, and this will make getting such treatments very difficult for those who cannot pay these sums out of pocket. For this reason, while I almost never promote a large pharma brand, it might be beneficial for interested users to seek out a Spravato prescription, in order to get at least some costs covered. ConclusionWhen it comes to medications, accessibility is extremely important. As of right now, ketamine and esketamine therapy aren’t exactly widely accessible, leaving many people, in many locations, without any access. Hopefully in the future this will change, especially with impending legalizations for fellow psychedelics MDMA and psilocybin. Hello to all. Welcome to CBDtesters.co, your #1 web source for cannabis and psychedelics-related news, offering the most thought-provoking and current stories going on today. Give us a visit frequently to stay on top of the always-changing world of legal drugs and industrial hemp, and remember to check out The Delta 8 Weekly Newsletter, so you’re never late on getting a news story. Disclaimer: Hi, I’m a researcher and writer. I’m not a doctor, lawyer, or businessperson. All information in my articles is sourced and referenced, and all opinions stated are mine. I am not giving anyone advise, and though I am more than happy to discuss topics, should someone have a further question or concern, they should seek guidance from a relevant professional. The post Want Ketamine or Esketamine Therapy? Here’s What to Do… appeared first on CBD Testers. Via https://cbdtesters.co/2021/11/20/want-ketamine-or-esketamine-therapy-heres-what-to-do/ 2020 and 2021 have been long years. Locked up for some of it, or meeting up under government restrictions for the rest. We know we have to do our bit and make sure that we act responsibly to save lives, but it’s hard not to miss a more social time…. And there were few scenes more different to today than the 90’s rave scene that swept the UK and the rest of the world in the late 80’s and early 90’s.Drugs, sweat, warehouses, bucket hats and pulsating music, hundreds of people swaying in a mass ecstasy. Though there are still the odd raves here and there, nothing quite matched the 90’s scene and the music that came from it. In this article, I’ll be looking at the history of the rave scene and where it all started, with special focus on the music that made it special, the drugs that fueled it and the current state of the rave scene in today’s club scene. The so-called ‘second summer of love’ left an impact on drug and music culture that’s hard to ignore, so let’s dive right in. Some people, cannabis and psychedelics users included, are all about the rave scene… but it’s not for everyone. Some people prefer a more relaxing drug like cannabis. For the hardcode cannabis aficionados out there, there are more options available than ever. Take delta-8 THC for example, no one knew what this alternate form of THC was a few years ago, and now, this milder version, which doesn’t create the same anxiety, is available all over the place. We’ve got great deals for delta-8 THC along with delta-9 THC, THCV, THCP, delta 10, HHC, THC-O, so go ahead, and check out our always-updated selections in The Psychedelics Weekly Newsletter. And save big on Delta 8, Delta 9 THC, Delta-10, THCO, THCV, THCP & HHC products by checking out our “Best-of” lists! The History of the Rave SceneIn general the word rave is just the name for a large gathering of people but the term has now become synonymous with an entire subculture. Rave culture has its origins in the bohemian parties at the Jazz clubs of Soho, who in the 1950s and 60’s would host what they called all night raves, decedent parties with music and lots of drink. With the introduction of Disco music in the 70’s, the music people danced to and the way they danced took the centre stage. Music became more focussed on the beats rather than melodies. This leads us to the 80’s where dancing slowly shifted from DJ centred clubs where each person would face the front, but into nightclubs where the DJ was only there to play music and blend in with the crowd. Nightclubs like the Hacienda in Manchester and The Love Club in London were some of the originators of often drug heavy parties. The Arrival of Acid House music from Chicago, with repetitive looped music and the increase in the popularity of the drug ecstasy can be seen as two of the biggest moments in rave culture. Raves started to pop up around the UK, in London often around the M25 a motorway around the city, nicknamed the magic roundabout by ravers. Raves would be organized on pirate radios and people would convene in abandoned warehouses, seed farms and any big buildings people could squat in. This was the essence of the late 80’s, early 90’s rave culture. Converging in abandoned buildings, listening to music, being together and sharing the love. Rave culture began to soar and large parties started to crop up in various places around the UK. One of the most infamous being the Castlemorton Common Festival. In a quiet unassuming part of Rural England, called Malvern, a party was planned. Initially meant to be a small free festival, it exploded into what became a week long rave attracting over 40,000 people. This led to the police getting involved and the party was shut down, but with some consequences. Due to the increasing safety issues surrounding raves and also due to their increasing publicity, the government implemented the Criminal Justice and Public Order act in 1994. This meant that the police had much more power to stop any unplanned or open air raves with a hundred or more people. Raves moved from Underground and outdoor venues into clubs with tickets and bouncers, eventually leading to the reduction in raves around the UK and indeed later the world. Raves still exist and indeed even outdoor and underground raves, if they’re not shut down and the culture around these raves and the raves of the 90’s will never die. DrugsDrugs made rave culture what it was. The music, the people, the dancing a lot of it was influenced by the drugs that were becoming popular at the time. When you look at the way raves are set up you can see how much they are also tailored towards drugs, with the lights, the lasers, the smoke. Let’s have a look at some of the drugs that were influential during the 90’s rave scene and examine how they made a lasting impression on some of the people at these raves. Ecstasy and MDMAWhere would the 90’s rave scene be without MDMA and ecstasy? The entire dance scene changed with the introduction of some little pills which started becoming popular in the late 80’s. Ecstasy gave people the energy and euphoria that allowed the raves to go on for days. Ecstasy is a synthetic stimulant that was actually synthesized in the early 20th Century, but only became readily producible in the 80’s. Mark Moore from S’Express explains the effects ecstasy had on the rave scene in this quote from the Guardian’s interviews on the Second Summer of Love.: ‘It definitely took ecstasy to change things. People would take their first ecstasy and it was almost as if they were born again. They suddenly got it: ‘Oh my God, this is amazing!’ You could watch these people walk into the club as one person and walk out as a different person at the end of the night.’ LSDLSD was also used as one of the first drugs at many of the raves. Before Ecstacy became the rave icon it is today, many people used LSD at the early parties allowing for a more spiritual connection to the music and the others dancing around. In fact in a study of ravers in Australia in the 90’s over 90% of them had used LSD at a rave. SpeedSpeed is another name for methamphetamine, a potent stimulant that was making the rounds in the 90’s rave scene. A partner in crime with Ecstacy, it kept people ‘up’, but without many of the euphoric highs. It was used to keep parties going, and going. It makes you feel awake and energized, often allowing you to dance for ages. Having taken it before I must warn you… it does terrible things to your bowels. KetamineA more modern addition to the drugs used at raves, Ketamine is a tranquilizing drug that creates a dissociative effect when taken. It has started becoming one of the choice drugs for British club goers in fact overtaking some other famous party drugs, MusicThe music is also a crucial part of the 90’s rave scene. Rave music arguably has its origins in Disco music, which made the beat the core element instead of melody and lyrics. Beats became currency for DJ’s in the 80’s and people started using drum machines to find new ways of looping sounds and rhythms. From this beat centered music came House. In the mid to late 80’s in Chicago a new sound was found, what is now known as Acid House music Acid House is famous for its repeating, rather mellow beats. Some famous Acid House artists to listen to are: Phuture, a Chicago based band who were some of the founders of the genre. 808 State, a Manchester band who took there name from their drum machine. Lords of Acid, A Belgian-American group who started making more industrial music. Acid house music made a huge impact in the UK. As Chicago DJ, DJ Pierre is quoted saying: ‘The scene took off in Europe and Acid House is credited for the start of the rave scene in London. It was so big and filled with so much energy that the Queen herself called acid house by name and banned it.’ It then morphed into more intense forms of dance music including Jungle and Hardcore house like DJ Eruption’s Jeopardy. The next stage of the rave music evolution was the big beat music and more electronic dance music, including artists like The Chemical Brothers and Prodigy. Perhaps these are the artists most commonly associated with the rave scene, but they still owe a lot to the original pioneers. The Resurgence of RaveUnderground raves will always be a part of party culture. They represent an anti authority and anti rule mentality that will never die. After lockdowns across the world started to relax, there was a spate of illegal raves across both the UK and the US. This behavior at the time of a pandemic was not appropriate and selfish, but still represents the elements of rave culture that was always central, breaking the rules. It was argued that this venting of lockdown frustration was a return to the spirit of the 90’s rave culture, where people would meet up in illegal places and party until they got shut down. Older ravers though have argued that there are always free and illegal parties going on, these modern day ones just got more media attention. ConclusionThe Rave culture of the 90’s was unique. It came out of a culmination of good music, good drugs and good vibes. A reaction to the authoritarian Thatcherite government in the UK and a celebration of individuality and fighting against the establishment. It’s hard to imagine that raving today will ever be as good as it was in the 90’s (There are some people who’ve spent their whole lives trying to match it), but it’s always good to look back at pictures, videos and memories of a time that for many symbolized what it was to truly party. The post What was the 90s Rave Scene? appeared first on CBD Testers. Via https://cbdtesters.co/2021/11/20/what-was-the-90s-rave-scene/ LOS ANGELES, May 13, 2021 — Colorado Botanicals, Inc., a leader in the extraction and formulation of custom, broad-spectrum CBD consumer products, today unveiled a new line of CBD SoftGels in 10 Mg and 25 Mg dosages with 30 counts per bottle. “My partner and I founded Colorado Botanicals to unlock the full potential of hemp by providing our customers with the purest, safest, highest quality broad-spectrum CBD-based consumer products available,” said Narek Sarokhani, co-founder and CEO. “Today, we’re adding a new line of Vegan SoftGels to our expanding product menu to serve the needs of our vegetarian clients and to provide CBD users with a faster dissolution rate that increases bioavailability.” The company’s new line of Vegan SoftGels features Gelatin-free manufacturing using exclusively plant-based materials. According to the company, that makes the SoftGels easier to swallow, Hemp odor- and taste-free, and speeds up the rate of CBD absorption. Because of their unique manufacturing process and plant-based materials, these SoftGels also hold up better in humid conditions as they are hygroscopic. Colorado Botanicals focuses on purity and is able to naturally retain hemp-derived terpenes during its proprietary extraction and purification process. The company does not re-add terpenes from other plants because doing so causes dilution issues and poses a risk of unwanted compounds and undesired effects. The company uses pharmaceutical chemical separation methods to separate the desired compounds, unlike the usual process of using high heat to remove chlorophyll, fats, and waxes which burns off all the terpenes and essential compounds. To demonstrate product purity and to ensure confidence and transparency, Colorado Botanicals makes all its third-party COAs and lab tests available for review on the new website or by scanning the QR code on product packaging. Disclaimer: The statements made regarding these products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This press release is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please check with your doctor. The news site hosting this press release is not associated with (Company Name). It is merely publishing a press release announcement submitted by a company without any stated or implied endorsement of the product or service. Founded in 2017, Colorado Botanicals, Inc., (800) 563-0187, is a leader in the extraction and formulation of Hemp derived broad-spectrum CBD. The firm’s operations and sales office is headquartered at 3819 W. Burbank Blvd. Burbank, CA 91505. The firm has strong partnerships with select farms and an extraction facility in Colorado to produce carefully crafted Hemp-based botanicals that are custom designed by company scientists to leverage the many health benefits of the 80+ Phytocannabinoids and 200 Terpenes present in the firm’s array of thoroughly tested consumer products. Colorado Botanicals puts the customer at the center of their vision and business model and strives to set the highest industry standards for quality and customer satisfaction. The company employs rigorous, third-party testing to ensure all of its products are free of heavy metals, microbial contamination, residual solvents, bacteria, yeast, mold, and pesticides. The firm’s website is located at: www.coboCBD.com. The post Colorado Botanicals, Inc., Introduces New Vegan CBD SoftGels appeared first on Colorado Botanicals. via Colorado Botanicals https://cobocbd.com/new-vegan-softgels/ “Everywhere I go, I’m constantly meeting cannabis growers who are not yet aware of a widespread disease that has been appearing more and more across the United States – hop latent viroid (HpLVd),” Joseph Ramahi, Ph.D., chief science officer for Cultivaris Hemp, shared with me at an MJBizCon-related networking event. Naturally, I was curious to learn more about this potentially devastating plant pathogen that was wiping out crops in some of the nation’s largest markets… and Ramahi had much to say on the subject.Hop Latent Viroid (HpLVd) is not very well known, but if left untreated, it can greatly reduce a crop’s yield, potency, and overall quality, resulting in roughly $44 million dollars in annual losses. During a largescale study of cannabis and hemp farms in the United States (mostly along the west coast and Canada), nearly every garden tested positive for this viroid in some capacity. Most gardens had a 25-50% infection rate, meaning that’s how many of their plants had been exposed. There a couple different modes of introduction and transmission, but once HpLVd infiltrates a garden, it can spread at an alarming rate and can be extremely difficult to eliminate. In this scenario, education and prevention is key, rather than taking a wait-and-see approach and risk losing up to half of your plants. Cannabis is fun for sure, but it’s also very scientific. From the extensive medical research going on behind the scenes, to studies on the plant’s biology, it seems that every day we’re learning something new and exciting about cannabis. For more articles like this one, make sure to subscribe to The THC Weekly Newsletter. Also save big on Delta 8, Delta 9 THC, Delta-10 THC, THCO, THCV, THCP & HHC products by checking out our “Best-of” lists! What is a Viroid?Viroids are infectious, pathogenic, single-stranded circular ribonucleic acids (RNAs). Although commonly confused, viroids are NOT viruses. The main difference is that a virus is a small infectious agent with a protein outer coating that can only replicate inside most living cells, while a viroid does not have the protein coating and can only infect plants. All known viroids so far inhabit angiosperms (flowering plants) and most cause diseases. While these diseases doesn’t affect humans by way of causing illness, the economic impact can be substantial. The first known viroids presented in potatoes back in the 1920s, although it wasn’t immediately known what was causing the symptoms. Initially, the tubers on affected potatoes became misshapen and elongated, and the illness was dubbed “potato spindle tuber disease.” Over the years, symptoms appeared on budded, flowering sections of various different plants. Fungus and bacteria was ruled out, but what was causing this plant disease remained a mystery. It wasn’t until 1971 when Theodor O. Diener, Swiss-American plant pathologist from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Research Center in Beltsville, Maryland, realized that this was not your run-of-the-mill novel pathogen. It was only 1/80th the size of a typical virus. This is when he proposed the term “viroid” to describe these extra small infectious cells. According to Diener’s research, “Viroids are shown to consist of short stretches (a few hundred nucleobases) of single-stranded RNA and, unlike viruses, did not have a protein coat. Compared with other infectious plant pathogens, viroids are extremely small in size, ranging from 246 to 467 nucleobases; they thus consist of fewer than 10,000 atoms. In comparison, the genomes of the smallest known viruses capable of causing an infection by themselves are around 2,000 nucleobases long.” Viroids can be transmitted in a few different ways: aphids, cross-contamination from poorly sanitized equipment, or plant to plant when the leaves of infected plants touch other plants. They replicate in the nucleus or chloroplasts of plant cells in through an RNA-based system. Hop Latent ViroidHop Latent Viroid is the infectious pathogen known for causing “dudding” or “dudding disease” in cannabis plants. A dud crop can be characterized by abnormal branching, poor trichome/resin production, lower potency and overall quality, and reduced yield. However, HpLVd can remain asymptomatic, or dormant, in some plants for many years. “It is possible for the pathogen to enter a production system and spread quietly while never showing any symptoms,” says Joseph Ramahi. “I have seen many plants test positive but show no symptoms, even over time. What appears to happen is a secondary stress occurs (heat/nutritional/pest) during vegetative growth and flowering, at which point 10%-30% of a crop can be lost to dudding.” “It is also possible that no secondary stress is necessary,” Ramahi added. “It’s possible that with time, even over years, a tipping point is reached and asymptomatic infections become symptomatic as viroid levels in the plants grow.” Like other viroids, HpLVd is transmitted through the above listed common ways – mechanical spread from contaminated tools and equipment, insects like aphids or thrips, and plant to plant transmission – although the extent of which the latter two methods cause disease remains a topic of debate that warrants further research. Testing and PreventionWhen it comes to HpLVd, prevention, or early detection at the very least, will be your best bet. Yes, your plants can be treated for the disease via plant tissue culture, but it’s a very time consuming and labor-intensive process. Most growers prefer not to waste their time battling an established case of HpLVd unless they’re trying to preserve a very important cultivar. That said, the easiest and most effective way to prevent the onset and spread of HpLVd is by practicing good sanitation… it’s really as simple as that. Use freshly cleaned tools and new gloves whenever handling a plant in any way. Minimize foot traffic and visitors around your grow area, and make sure anyone who comes in contact with your plants takes proper precautions. A 10 percent bleach solution, the same as in healthcare settings, is the best way to prevent the spread of viroids, as well as pretty much all other pathogens. It’s common industry practice to sanitize tools with a mix of 70% isopropanol/ethanol, but according to newly established standards from the horticulture and agriculture industries, bleach is much more efficient. Growers should also make sure to screen mother plants and incoming clones with qPCR (polymerase chain reaction) assays – a technique used to detect specific DNA and RNA sequences – to make sure they are not infected. Keeping mother plants for longer periods and constantly clipping clones off them could also be an issue. If the mother plant has say a dormant HpLVd infection, it could be spread through her clones and infiltrate the entire growing area. ConclusionThis is not just a passing pathogen that will quickly run its course and disappear. We expect to hear about HpLVd for a long time as the industry continues to grow. According to Ramahi, “With the asymptomatic nature of hop latent viroid, this disease will impact both the marijuana and hemp industries for many years.” Make sure to protect your harvest by keeping your tools clean and immediately removing any infected plants from your garden to prevent spread. Hello all! Welcome to CBDtesters.co, your ultimate online destination for the most relevant and thought-provoking cannabis and psychedelics-related news globally. Read-thru the site regularly to stay on top of the constantly-moving world of legal drugs and industrial hemp, and sign up for The THC Weekly Newsletter, so you never miss a thing. Disclaimer: Hi, I’m a researcher and writer. All information in my articles is sourced and referenced, and all opinions stated are mine. I am not giving anyone advise, and though I am more than happy to discuss topics, should someone have a further question or concern, they should seek guidance from a relevant professional. The post Hop Latent Viroid is Destroying Cannabis Crops at Alarming Rates appeared first on CBD Testers. Via https://cbdtesters.co/2021/11/18/hop-latent-viroid-is-destroying-cannabis-crops-at-alarming-rates/ Just in time for Black Friday we have created a short-list of the best Black Friday deals on hemp-derived THC products. Whether it is Delta 8 THC, Delta 10, THC-O, THCP, THCV, HHC or even hemp-derived Delta-9 THC now’s the right time to stock-up on premium products! Vape carts, gummies, tinctures and disposables, everything is on sale and you can get more for each dollar. How to identify the best Black Friday deals?Black Friday deals are your best opportunity to stock-up on products, but how to identify the best products and the most attractive deals? This is where we can help. We have approached several leading suppliers and asked them to offer an additional discount, for clients willing to spend $100-$200 minimum. We have choose that number, as we want to get real deals, that offer both suppliers and clients a WIN WIN situation. The list below is the result of our efforts: Better than ever deals that offer you real stocking-up opportunities! Please be advised that the Black Friday deals below are updating daily, and some of them are only available for a limited time, so keep returning here, to make sure you never miss another stocking-up opportunity. Whenever you see a coupon code please make sure to use it, as the deal might not work without it. TIP: Look for the RUNNING NOW sign, to see a promotion that is currently available. [Last update: 11/17] As always, the best deals are reserved for the subscribers of the Delta 8 Weekly newsletter, so make sure to SUBSCRIBE below. Best Black Friday Deals 2021Black Friday Deal: 30% Discount On THC-P vape cartridges – 8 pack 30% Discount On THC-P Vape Cartridges![]() Looking for a high-potency product? THC-P (AKA Tetrahydrocannabiphorol or THCP) is a new super-potent cannabinoid that is considered to be stronger than both Delta-9 THC, Delta 8, Delta 10 and even THC-O. Each of the new THC-P vape cartridges contains premium THCP distillate, Delta 8 THC and terpenes. 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Flavors: Blueberry Pie, Sour Cherry Lime and Pina Colada. RUNNING NOW: Black Friday deal – Get a 30% discount on the 8 pack, when using the BF30 coupon code. This deal will run from the 18th to the 2nd. TIP: Take advantage of this SITE-WIDE promotion (valid for ALL BUNDLES) to stock-up on HHC, THC-O, THC-P, Delta-8 and Delta 10 products! Click HERE to buy the THC-O gummies – 6 pack(With BF30 coupon code)Black Friday Deal: 30% Discount On Delta-9 THC Gummies – $100 Minimum 25% Discount On Delta-9 Gummies ![]() Black Friday Deal:
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ABOUT MEHallo, ik ben Rosalina Klerkx, ik ben een RHIA-gecertificeerde zorgbeheerder met meer dan 6 jaar ervaring in het creëren van een productieve omgeving voor zorgprofessionals. Leiding gegeven aan een team van 12 opname- en verkoopmedewerkers in een instelling voor langdurige zorg met meer dan 170 patiënten. Opstellen van complexe HIPAA-conforme rapporten aan patiëntendienstcoördinatoren in een zorgkliniek. Archives
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