01 Apr Top Stories From The Edge – Week of March 27th

A Weekly Roundup of Stories We Found Interesting – From The Profound To The Profane

DEA Gave Preliminary Approval to Syndros, a Synthetic Marijuana Drug
This is hypocrisy of the highest order. The DEA would find a synthetic formulation of THC acceptable, while the natural substance remains classified as a Schedule I drug. Insys Therapeutics, maker of Syndors has a shady history. The company spent $500,000 to keep marijuana illegal in Arizona, and in last December, its former executives were arrested on charges of kickbacks and committing fraud to sell a highly potent and addictive opioid. This is madness.

Johns Hopkins University Abruptly Dropped Out of PTSD Study
Veterans, along with Warriors for Weed Project want an answer. Since 2014, a joined clinical trial has been in the works at Johns Hopkins, and the University of Arizona measuring the efficacy of smoked marijuana as a treatment for PTSD. The lead researcher from U of A was fired before the trial began, allegedly to avoid the wrath of Arizona lawmakers. Now, John Hopkins abruptly dropped out of the study without explanation. Don’t tell me there is no institutional conspiracy against the cannabis industry. The sad part is that this comes at the expense of helping the veterans who are suffering from PTSD.

For Cannabis Businesses, Go Small
There is a dizzying array of small, innovative businesses in the Cannabis market, all filling niches in a highly fragmented market.

Marijuana and Tech
Technology is looking to profit from the marijuana ecosystem for producers, distributors, and consumers.

The Sinister Marijuana Black Market in U.K.
Most of UK black market marijuana is grown by slave laborers who are smuggled into the country, as reported by The Guardian. Many are young teens are victims of human trafficking from Southeast Asia. This shocking report tells the story of Bao, one of these children, who was kidnapped in Vietnam at the age of 14, and soon found himself locked up in a flat, tending to hundreds of cannabis seedlings. There are many more disturbing details. To make things worse, British police have shown a “lack of urgency”. Here is High Times’s take on this.

An interview with Ex-NFLer, Todd Herremans
Herremans is an outspoken advocate for medical marijuana. As an offensive lineman for the Philadelphia Eagles for almost a decade, he experienced enough pains and injuries to last a lifetime for most non-athletes.

Burr, Louis C.K., Chappelle, and More…
A collection of stand-up comedians retelling their own marijuana-related stories. This is comedy gold.

Giant Joint Washed Up On Daytona Beach
Spring breakers in Florida must have forgotten something valuable.

Ready For Prime Time, The First Cannabis-Themed Exchange-Traded Fund
For the investment minded, the first marijuana focus ETF could start trading next week on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Get your money ready.