News Briefs: September 23, 2019

By
HeadQuest

CBD Supplements Lead Natural Wellness Market

With 332% growth year-on-year and $52 million in sales, cannabidiol (CBD) has taken the top spot as the best-selling herbal supplement in the natural channel, according to the 2018 HerbalGram Herb Market Report by the American Botanical Council.

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Mexico will legalize cannabis by the end of October.

Marijuana legalization was set in motion last year when the Supreme Court imposed a deadline to end prohibition. Moving the illicit cannabis market to a legal market will likely be a challenge for the Mexican government due to drug cartels.A CNN report stated that Mexican drug cartels generate $19 billion–$29 billion annually from drug sales in the US.

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Passenger Flying High Causes Emergency Landing

An unruly passenger forced an American Airlines flight from Arizona to Minnesota to make an emergency landing last week after he allegedly threatened passengers, yelling, ‘you’re all screwed’ and lit up what looked like a joint. The suspect claimed otherwise, saying he was high on cocaine.

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CBD Products Laced with Dangerous, Illegal Drugs

Various CBD products are advertised to contain safe cannabis derivative cannabidiol, but not all of them are true to what they promote. Based on data from law enforcement and independent labs, positive hits for synthetic cannabis were revealed in 28 out 350 samples from products sold in Georgia, Louisiana, Alabama, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Utah, and Tennessee. Most of the samples were for CBD vape products, while a small fraction edibles like gummies. Three of such samples were laced with fentanyl.

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White House Turns Deaf Ear to Vape Ban Concerns

The White House abruptly organized — and then quickly canceled — a meeting last week with frustrated conservative policy leaders, to try to tamp down anger about the sweeping vaping ban. The White House claims a scheduling conflict, but could it be something more?

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Study Finds CBD Goes Better THC

The effect of CBD varies from person to person. Some find it helps, while others don’t. A February 2019 study published in Scientific Reports found that cannabis products with higher THC levels were associated with greater symptom relief among more than 3,000 people, but CBD products (with no THC) were not.

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