And just like that, it’s almost December. We hope your holiday season is kicking off right! To keep the ball rolling, we’re bringing you the latest news roundup from Direct CBD Online. In November, headlines included tribal nations hoping to enter the hemp industry, the approval of two cannabis-based drugs in the UK, and comments pouring into the USDA regarding its hemp rules.
Warm Springs on list of tribes hopeful for USDA approval of hemp plan
The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, located in Oregon, are among 11 other tribes whose hemp plans are currently being reviewed by the USDA. What does this mean for the tribes? Hemp cultivation, if approved, could help fill a growing gap in jobs among tribal-run entities. Warm Springs, in particular, suffered a hit when a resort and timber mill closed in recent years. Other tribes located around the US hopeful for a piece of the hemp pie (nope, it’s not a real product, that we know of) include the Flandreau Santee Sioux of South Dakota, the Fort Belknap Reservation of Montana, the La Jolla Band of Luisenon Indians in California, the Navajo Nation, the Oglala Sioux of South Dakota, the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma, the Pueblo of Picuris of New Mexico, the Santa Rosa Cahuilla of California, the Santee of Nebraska, and the Yurok Tribe of California.
Cannabis-based medicines: Two drugs approved for use by NHS in England
For our friends in the UK, you may have heard that the advisory body NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) approved the use of two cannabis-based drugs. NICE, a division of the NHS (National Health Service), now backs Epidyolex and Sativex. Epidyolex also has a US counterpart, Epidiolex, though it was originally developed and grown in the UK. Epidiolex was approved by the FDA back in June of 2018 for the treatment of Lennox Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome, which cause severe epilepsy in young children. Sativex, a treatment for muscle spasticity (spasms and stiffness) from multiple sclerosis, however, is not yet approved in the US. This drug contains a mix of both THC and CBD. For interest groups in the UK of both epilepsy and multiple sclerosis, this approval is a big win.
More than 500 people have commented on USDA hemp rules so far
The USDA opened a public comment period on its developing hemp rules. Less than two weeks later, they’ve already received more than 500 responses. The rules intend to outline basic guidelines for hemp manufacturers, including licensing, THC testing requirements, and the proper disposal process for subpar crops. While interested parties see the development of guidelines as positive, there are early indications of “excessively strict” regulations.
That’s it for CBD news in November — we’ll see you at the end of December and the end of 2019 if you can believe it! Thanks for joining us on Direct CBD Online, and happy holidays!
