America’s Heroes Shouldn’t Have To Break The Law To Get Relief With Cannabis

by FORBES MAGAZINE | Jun 1, 2019

Our America Veterans should NEVER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT CARE FROM OUR GOVERNMENT – SO why, even though cannabis is legal in two-thirds of the states, why is it the VA still can’t prescribe HEMP or Cannabis for health and wellbeing… THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!

The vast majority of the country’s 18.2 million veterans supports the legalization of cannabis for medical use, but the Veterans Administration (VA) cannot prescribe it to vets dealing with pain, anxiety or PTSD. That’s because the plant is still illegal at the federal level, and the VA, as a Cabinet-level organization, is not permitted to flout federal laws.

But bipartisan attempts are being made on Capitol Hill to nudge the VA closer to its members. Lawmakers are pushing a raft of bills that will force the VA to clarify where it stands on medical cannabis for the benefit of veterans who want to use the drug. In the longer run, the cannabis industry hopes that the VA will embrace the drug and become an important ally in the battle for full legalization.

A few weeks ago, Representative Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, a former Marine Corps officer, re-filed three bills in Congress that would force the VA to beef up its policy on medical cannabis, to conduct a federally funded survey into cannabis use among vets, and to train VA healthcare providers about the drug. The VA serves more than 9 million veterans, and it provides much more than just healthcare benefits: Former soldiers also receive disability compensation, education assistance, home loans and life insurance.

The federal prohibition of cannabis means that the VA’s current position on the drug reads more like an informational pamphlet than a policy. The organization hosts a single 400-word webpage entitled “VA and Marijuana: What Veterans need to know,” which states that cannabis is illegal because America’s Food and Drug Administration still classifies the plant as a Schedule One controlled substance.

The VA then reminds former soldiers of the main consequence of adhering to federal law: Its healthcare providers cannot prescribe or recommend cannabis or any products that contain tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or cannabidiol (CBD). It goes on to state that the VA will not deny benefits to veterans who participate in state cannabis programs and encourages veterans to disclose their cannabis use for treatment purposes.

Many lawmakers would agree that a clear VA policy on cannabis is long overdue. Proponents of medical marijuana claim that cannabis has a long history of helping treat post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and pain, which are rife among veterans. The drug is also much safer than strong, highly addictive pharmaceuticals such as opioids. Most VA facilities decreased their opioid prescribing rates between 2012 and 2018, but they are still heavily reliant on the drugs.

Read the entire story here

Nick Kovacevich

Contributor

Markets I write about business and the legal cannabis industry.

Forbes: When Did Hemp Become Posh?

by FORBES MAGAZINE | May 31, 2019

Grateful to see FORBS and the fashion industry embracing HEMP The world of hemp is changing fast.

When Did Hemp Become Posh? Luxury Hospitality Industry Suddenly Loves Hemp…Only a few years ago, hemp-based products were relegated to headshops and hippie-style stores at tourist spots that sold itchy sweaters and rough t-shirts that often resembled a sack of potatoes a lot more than a clothing item should.

Today, however, healthcare trends, the CBD craze, and legislative measures like the 2018 Farm Bill – which legalized hemp on a federal level, have brought this noble plant to the forefront of collective cultural consciousness. Now everyone is talking about hemp, its derivatives, its potential for the plastic and paper industry, etc. Instead of appearing in back-alley bodegas, hemp is a full-blown mainstream commodity, with products sold at major national retailers and pharmacy chains.

But this is only the beginning of the rule of the “Hempire.”

A Sophisticated ‘Hempire’

Mooncloth Designs Hemp Linen Robe, Hemp Chair Cushion, Chair Design By OSO Studio HANNAH THORNHILL

Hemp going mainstream has not only reflected on its appearance at mass retailers, but also on its penetration of luxury markets. Earlier this year, luxury specialty retailer Barneys New York announced that it would become the first major retailer to open a luxury cannabis lifestyle and wellness concept shop. Dubbed “The High End,” the store offers a variety of cannabis accessories and CBD wellness products.

Aside from retailers, a number of luxury hemp brands have risen to meet the growing demand for high-end hemp products. One such company is Beverly Hills crowd favorite Lord Jones, which offers a variety of hemp-derived, CBD-infused products, like confections, topicals, tinctures, and supplements.

MoonCloth? More Like HeavenCloth

Several months ago, a friend brought up the existence of this hemp fabrics and products brand, arguing it was the prettiest, most sophisticated she’d ever seen.

“Hemp fabrics? Soft? Yeah, right,” I answered, knowing this friend had been obsessed with hemp for years and was probably overstating the products’ real appeal.

She insisted I check it out.

“This hemp brand is on a mission to not only elevate hemp as a source for luxury consumers good, but also to trigger a wider consumer shift towards sustainability,” she added. “It’s about a lot more than clothes and furniture, which they also make. It’s about the environment.”

I was willing to look into the company from a sustainability standpoint. However, what I found was nothing like I’d imagined.

“Hemp is one of the most eco-friendly fibers on the planet, MoonCloth co-founder Sarah Harf explained during a recent chat. “It’s very versatile; there are a lot more opportunities for consumer products that you can design.”

She explained MoonCloth works with hospitality brands like Design Hotels and Sensei to design hemp-based hotel décor and furniture that “both look and feel good.” In recent months, the company has been working on eco-hemp patio furniture for Soho House & Co.’s new downtown L.A. club house, expected to open later this summer, Harf disclosed.

Aside from designing décor for luxury hospitality brands, MoonCloth is also working on launching a product line of hemp home goods and hemp wellness products this summer. Much of MoonCloth’s line will be comprised by consumer versions of the products that they make for hospitality brands, such as pillows and towels.

But the brand will also offer hemp-based health and beauty products, as well as an extravagant line of hemp-silk kimonos. Working with musical artist and style icon Lizzy Jeff, Harf hopes that the hemp-silk kimonos will help drive home the point to consumers that they don’t have to sacrifice comfort for sustainability.

“There’s a lot of stigma around things that are sustainable because people think that you have to sacrifice design, and we believe the opposite,” Harf continued. “Now that hemp has been legalized, we can create beautiful products with the right design and with the right partners.”