Issue link: https://cp.revolio.com/i/1188968
www.AbbysHealthFood.com - Issue 40 | Page 11 A Surprising but Suspicious Change in CBD Classification At the end of 2018, FDA surprised many with this modifica on of the Schedule I classifica on for some CBD products: "With the issuance of this final order, the Ac ng Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administra on places certain drug products that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administra on (FDA) and which contain cannabidiol (CBD) in schedule V of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Specifically, this order places FDA-approved drugs that contain CBD derived from cannabis and no more than 0.1 percent tetrahydrocannabinols in schedule V. This ac on is required to sa sfy the responsibility of the Ac ng Administrator under the CSA to place a drug in the schedule he deems most appropriate to carry out United States obliga ons under the Single Conven on on Narco c Drugs, 1961." Schedule V drugs are considered to have a lower poten al for abuse than other controlled drugs. The category includes drugs whose benefits may outweigh risks such as those for an diarrheal, an tussive and analgesic condi ons such as cough prepara ons with less than 200 milligrams of codeine like Robitussin AC, Lomo l, Motofen, Lyrica and Parepectolin. Yet, does the recent modifica on of schedule status really reflect new realism on the part of the FDA, or is it simply a nod to drug makers' desire to "get in on the ac on" and market share? A er all, we have seen a similar phenomenon when Big Pharma a acks the reliability, effec veness and quality control of popular supplements and vitamins while hypocri cally seeking to market the same products themselves. Cannabis Farms Are Becoming Large and Efficient The Los Sueños Farms, outside of Pueblo, Colorado, with 36,000 plants, depicted in a recent video called "Largest Outdoor Cannabis Farm in World, Canna Cribs Episode 4," from Growers Network, reveals how technologically far the industry has come. The 36- acre farm, which consists of four separate farms, processes 40,000 pounds of "biomass" each harvest. Depending on the gene c expression of the plants, some are grown outside, some in greenhouses and some in greenhouses with no walls to allow solar maximiza on while permi ng fresh air to circulate and prevent too much heat from accumula ng. For the outdoor plants, an advanced drip watering system with an emi er every 12 inches provides pressure compensated irriga on and the ability to provide specific nutrients. Drones with several lenses hover above the plants and report back their respira on rate, any insects or disease risks and plants that might be struggling for one reason or another. Humidity and ligh ng are computer controlled for indoor plants. When the crop is ready, cannabis flowers are dry trimmed in an advanced piece of machinery called a twister. While the machinery does not require human labor, a quality control person does inspect the product as it comes out of the twister to make sure all stems have been removed at their base. Cannabis Post Production Processing Is Crucial for Quality Fer lity and nutrients are important, say Los Sueños Farm employees, but the quality of the product itself comes down to curing. In massive curing rooms, racks of product dry at a temperature of 64 degrees Fahrenheit and are made ready for packaging in seven to 10 days. They are then vacuum packed and nitrogen sealed in 10-pound bags. The bags have a window so customers can view the cannabis and assess its quality without exposing it to the harmful effects of light or environmental humidity. A er the cannabis leaves Los Sueños Farms, prepara on con nues for the end user. At processing facili es and retail dispensaries like the Colorado-based Mesa Organics, a partner of Los Sueños, sophis cated extrac on methods are then used to cull the raw crude extract from the plant material. At Mesa Organics, supercri cal CO2 is used for the extrac on process, not hydrocarbons, says owner Jim Parco, because "any hydrocarbons that are burned over 900 degrees convert to benzene" which can be lethal.