On December 2, 2022, President Biden signed the Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act into law. This law-which was supported by the Foundation-will make it significantly easier to conduct medical research on cannabis in the United States. Importantly for people with epilepsy, the law also clarifies that health care providers may discuss the benefits and risks of cannabis as a medical treatment with their patients without violating the Controlled Substances Act. Many p had been reluctant to discuss cannabis and cbd gummies use with their patients for fear of legal repercussions. We hope that this change will result in improved communications between people with epilepsy and their health care providers, resulting in improved treatment and outcomes. As of November 2022, 48 states and cbd hemp oil reviews the District of Columbia have legalized either the recreational or medical use of cannabis, or allow access to organic cbd, on the local level. Under federal law, cannabis is currently a Schedule I controlled substance, and illegal to use, buy, sell, or possess.

The restrictive Schedule I status also creates a significant barrier to conducting medical research on the benefits or harms of cannabis as a treatment option for epilepsy and seizures as well as other complex, chronic conditions. However, in May 2024, the Department of Justice opened a comment period on rescheduling cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III. Rescheduling may help to increase research on cannabis, cbd hemp oil reviews but it will not legalize cannabis and will not resolve the conflicts between state and federal law on this issue. Rescheduling could take up to a year, cbd hemp oil reviews and the Foundation will continue to advocate throughout this process for safe and legal access to medical cannabis for people with epilepsy. Additionally, for the past several years, the FDA has been looking at if and how CBD products should be regulated. The Foundation has submitted comments urging that people with epilepsy continue to have access if and as a regulatory framework is developed and that whatever regulatory framework is developed ensures safe and cbd hemp oil reviews legal access.

If you're dipping your toes into the infused beverage space, these businesses can help you get started. As cannabis regulation continues to evolve across the United States and around the world, please be mindful of your local laws and regulations. Alcoholism runs deep in both sides of my family. To prevent possibly continuing those patterns as I get older, I’ve become more interested in exploring other options for social drinking; Alcohol-free wines and cbd hemp oil reviews spirits have become significantly more accessible in recent years, and cannabis-based mocktails is one of the most interesting trends in this space. Picture a zero-proof drink with all the layers of flavor we’ve come to love in a cocktail, but with a THC and/or cbd hemp oil reviews mixture that can be customized for the exact high you’d like to experience. While this trend is spreading, conversations around race and cannabis need to remain at the forefront of this movement.

With Black cannabis entrepreneurs accounting for less than 2% of businesses in this multi-billion dollar industry, the politics around all things cannabis still live in the shadow of the effects of DARE (an anti-drug program that was very popular in the 90’s and early 2000’s that also helped to push the criminalization and stigmatization of recreational cannabis to children), the Reagan-era’s war on drugs, cbd hemp extract tincture as well as a longer legacy of racism in the United States. The first cannabis mocktail I ever tried was in Rose Mary Jane, a Black woman-owned, equity-owned canna-bar and organic cbd lounge in Oakland, California. This location is also a community event center and a dispensary for cannabis products, with a focus on local producers such as Maat Apothecary (their spiced honey is a favorite of mine) and New Life, a flower hybrid that’s ideal for being social and adventurous. In the near future, Rose Mary Jane’s team plans to host classes for people interested in all things cannabis.