News Briefs

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HeadQuest

Apple Deletes Vape Apps

Apple has removed 181 vaping-related apps from its App Store. The move comes amid growing concern over the health effects of e-cigarettes and the rise of vaping-related illnesses among young people. In an NPR interview, Matthew Myers, President of the Campaign For Tobacco-Free Kids, said the the availability of apps, as well as social media and online sales and YouTube, is one of the key contributors to the perception of young people that these products are safe, “that they’re cool and that they’re something the young people should be doing.”

Joe Biden: Marijuana May Be Gateway Drug

Former Vice President Joe Biden defended his reasoning to not legalize marijuana on a federal level if elected president, saying there is not “enough evidence” as to “whether or not it is a gateway drug.”

Speaking at a town hall in Las Vegas, the 2020 Democratic presidential candidate said whether the U.S. should legalize cannabis on a federal level is still up for debate as far as he is concerned. He said the decision to legalize marijuana should be left up to individual states.

CBD Searches on the Rise

Curiosity about CBD is soaring and a new study has the numbers to show it. Consumers Googled “CBD” and “cannabidiol” 117.7% more this year than last.

“CBD has become insanely popular,” said Dr. John W. Ayers, the study’s co-author and vice chief of innovation at the University of California, San Diego’s Division of Infectious Disease and Global Public Health “Three years ago, there was essentially no one searching about CBD online, but now there are an estimated 6.4 million unique searches each month.”

Need a Job?

Cannabis recruiting company Vangst just released its 2019 annual salary guide and as expected, as more states legalize medical or recreational cannabis sales, and nascent markets continue to mature, the cannabis job market is strong. Expected growth estimates in the report predict that 414,000 new jobs will be created in the US in 2021.

High-demand positions in the industry currently include Cultivation Technicians, Trimmers, Budtenders, Brand Ambassadors, Directors of Cultivation, and Delivery Drivers. A significant portion of the jobs however will not be full-time or year round. Seasonal employees and freelancers, also called, “on-demand talent,” will likely make up about 40% of the average company’s workforce by 2020 according to the report.

CBD Users Could Test Positive for Marijuana

Vaping CBD products might lead to a positive urine test for marijuana, researchers report. 

A new study tested people after use of cannabidiol (CBD) samples, some containing tiny amounts of THC (the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana). One-third of those who vaped CBD-dominant cannabis had positive urine tests for THC, according to the report in the Journal of Analytical Toxicology.

While packaging of CBD products commonly suggests using them two times a day, researchers warned that people who use more than one dose per day might end up with high enough levels of THC to trigger a positive test because THC accumulates in the body.

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