Could marijuana and CBD be helped by a genomic parasite to decrease inflammation and viruses?

Researchers at the CECAD Cluster of Excellence in Aging Research of the University of Cologne, the University of Texas Health Science Center and the Francis Crick Institute in London have made a significant discovery that offers insight into targeting viruses and inflammation alike through identifying a key protein called, ZBP1.

The coronavirus pandemic continues to plague the world, with more and more people unfortunately being infected with every passing day.

A handful of countries that were previously battling significant outbreaks appear to be containing the spread of the virus, which is great news. Sadly, many more are struggling.

If the thought of medicinal benefits without the overwhelming psychoactive effects of THC seems like an attractive proposition, then microdosing might be for you.

By Goldleaf‘s Alfonso Colasuonno, provided exclusively to Benzinga Cannabis.

We’ve all heard about the benefits of organic fruits and vegetables but did you know that, when it comes to CBD, it makes a big difference how hemp is grown?

While every plant absorbs nutrients from the soil, hemp is a powerful “bioaccumulator.” That means it’s especially good at absorbing toxins, including heavy metals, from the ground. That’s great news if you want to clean the soil with hemp. It also means CBD consumers need to be careful. We don’t want to take unwanted chemicals or toxins into our bodies with our CBD supplements. 

A local firm specializing in medical cannabis science is lending its expertise to the University of Saskatchewan-based VIDO-InterVac research lab's quest for a COVID-19 vaccine.

The lab, which received 23 million dollars in federal funding in March to aid its COVID-19-related research, recently moved into animal trials as part of its research.

Smoking weed and having fun is easy. It’s only once you get to know the plant and have had different experiences with it that you start to grow interested in the details and how it can produce different effects. Although not always top of mind, there’s more to weed than the strain and THC content.

Legal cannabis sales have spiked during the coronavirus pandemic.

Since COVID-19 is a respiratory illness that affects the lungs, experts are concerned that people who inhale cannabis through a vape, joint, pipe, or bong could be at a heightened risk for severe symptoms like pneumonia, as Insider previously reported.

As the world shifts toward a more digital work space and marketplace because of the coronavirus, CBD companies interested in expanding their customer base and brand loyalty need to move quickly to build relationships online that will grow and develop long after quarantines and anxiety-inducing crises are past, according to the Brightfield Group.

“It’s an open market at this stage,” says Brightfield Managing Director Bethany Gomez whose organization is providing real-time consumer insights and market intelligence to CBD and cannabis brands navigating through COVID-19-induced sea-changes in the marketplace.

“Ecommerce is the new battleground and if you’re not in it, you’re done,” says Gomez, who notes that the digital space is a particularly sticky medium.

Like THC, CBD has many therapeutic properties which aid in the treatment of numerous conditions. But here’s how the two compounds differ.

CBD, THC, CBG, CBN, CBDa, CBDv, THCa, THCv, etc.. It’s easy to become confused by the veritable alphabet soup of cannabinoids.

All you need to know is that CBD is the cannabinoid that heals and THC is the cannabinoid that gets you high, right?

Well, kind of, but that’s only a starting point.

The Basics

While THC is perhaps most known for its psychoactive properties (i.e. it gets you high), it also offers numerous health benefits.

The coronavirus pandemic has no doubt thrown a massive wrench into business-as-usual for the cannabis industry. While the overall cannabis economy remains relatively strong, some cultivators are struggling far more than others to stay afloat during this crisis. And it’s becoming clear that those faring best have one thing in common: automation. 

COVID-19 and Cannabis Cultivation: The New Reality

Automation’s metamorphosis from a luxury to a necessity is happening all across the economy.