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In spite of gaining worldwide popularity for its inherent health benefits, CBD oil is still an extremely unwelcome object at Disney World – “The Most Magical Place On Earth.” 69 year old North Carolina resident Hester Jordan Burkhalter came to know about the same in a harsh manner when she was arrested by the park authorities for possessing the controversial chemical.

Park Tour Gone Wrong

 The great-grandmother was found to possess “illegal narcotics believed to be THC oil” on April 15^th by the security officers at Disney World. This was confirmed by an arrest affidavit issued by the concerned authorities. The cannabis-based product was found in her purse by an off-duty Orange County Sheriff’s Office deputy in a glass bottle. It contained a peppermint CBD tincture containing next to none THC content which is infamous for making you feel high after consuming marijuana and similar products.

Arthritis Cure

Burkhalter had been planning the Disney World trip since the last two years and ultimately got the chance to make it happen last month along with her family. However, the felony charge led her to face 12 hours’ custody confinement apart from the levy of a $2000 bond. All this happened in spite of Burkhalter carrying a doctor’s note subscribing the usage of the CBD tonic for her arthritis pain. She was quoted as saying that, “I have really bad arthritis in my legs, in my arms and in my shoulder. I use (CBD oil) for the pain because it helps.”

A Look At The Turn Of Events

Deputy Vernon Lebron”was working in an off duty capacity at Magic Kingdom” on 15^th April when he was suddenly notified by a park security personnel about someone being in possession of illegal narcotics. While inspecting her purse, Lebron enquired whether the product contained THC and Burkhalter refused to answer his question. According to the report, Lebron used a “marijuana presumptive drug test kit” to test whether the bottle contained THC. The positive outcome of the test indicated at the euphoric chemical component of the bottle which ultimately lead to Burkhalter’s arrest.

Legislative Confusion Over CBD

Industrial hemp was legalized by the 2018 Federal law and given the same standing as that of an agricultural product. This has led to the free sale of CBD-infused products in the Sunshine State. In spite of that, it has not gained a legal footing in Florida. State lawmakers are trying to create a proper industrial regulatory framework in the aftermath of passing the hemp bill. However, it needs the signature of Gov. Ron DeSantis for gaining the solid footing of being treated as law.

Bottom Line

Burkhalter revealed that she “didn’t know what to think” while being arrested. She further added that, “I’ve never had one speeding ticket in my life.” Her attorney Jennifer Synnamon pointed out that, “a little drop of oil, with the CBD, is a felony. Meanwhile, you can have up to 19.9 grams of leaf-marijuana, and it’s a first degree misdemeanor.” All charges against Burkhalter were dropped ultimately.

Mondelez International, the parent company of Oreo, Chips Ahoy and Nutter Butter is a food industry mammoth which is weighing out its options for entering into the world of CBD. The Oreo maker wishes to cash in on this latest trend by adding a brand-new flavour to its existing menu chart which is bound to make the game more entertaining in upcoming days. CEO Dirk Van de Put was recently quoted as saying that, “Yes, we’re getting ready, but we obviously want to stay within what is legal and play it the right way.”

What Is CBD

Cannabidiol or CBD is a chemical which is derived from marijuana and hemp. However, it contains low levels of THC compound which does not make you feel high after its consumption. CBD is also believed to bring along certain therapeutic benefits which has led to its worldwide popularity for curing inflammation, seizure, anxiety and insomnia.

Clash Of Farm Bill& FDA

 The farm bill signed by President Donald Trump in December 2018 legalized the usage of products containing CBD. However, the Food and Drug Administration has stringently prohibited its addition in food or beverages. Van de Put was further quoted as saying that, “The space is not clear. It’s a bit clearer in non-food products. In food products, I’m hoping that the FDA will bring some clarity in the coming months.”

CBD- The Hottest Trend Of 2019

The massive popularity of CBD amongst people of all age groups have led brands to explore new options of benefitting out of the same. While everyone is trying to cure depression and similar problems which are slowly evolving into the reality of our mechanical world, CBD infused gastronomic wonders surely seem like a delightful solution to the same. Cannabis-infused foods and drinks has also been listed as the latest catchword by the annual report of National Restaurant Association. Maybe this is why more and more brands are trying to plan out their product lines around the same.

Uncertainty Of Future

Marijuana for sure holds the key to opening the floodgate for massive profits in days to come. But this is more of a catch-22 situation in reality. The food industry is more focused on the adverse impacts which THC – the active marijuana compound might have on the health of people consuming the same. They will continue to be wary about its usability unless proper research studies are conducted on the same.

Legalization Troubles Continue

The legalization of marijuana in different states also stand out as another big hurdle in the expansion plans of business houses. Although marijuana has been legalized in 34 states, 12 of them have imposed various restrictions on its possession and usage which has led to further chaos and confusion. A big gap is generating between the expectation of industries and the operation of government concerning this issue. If the gap keeps on growing, then it might be difficult for manufacturers to benefit out of this trend. Medicinal marijuana users will also be adversely impacted if things take a downturn.

What Happens Next

 Although the Food and Drug Administration has not regulated cannabis-infused products in an official manner, it is planning to hold public hearings on the same in the coming month. A large number of start-ups as well as established manufacturers have taken the risk and launched their CBD infused beverages and edibles.

Maybe this is why market players like Mondelez are dealing with the matter in a careful way. Although the sumptuous snacks are most likely to hit the shelves in “not-so-far future,” you need to wait for some time before getting your hands on the same as the CBD chemical might not be in harmony with the family friendly brand image of the company.

If you thought that pot and weed parties were all about getting high, then it’s time to reconsider your vision. Baby boomers are slowly opening up to the healthy aspects of these medicinal parties and basking in the wisdom of knowledge which can be used for curbing pain and treating other ailments.

Inside The Party

Jasmine Viel of CBSLA visited a party recently where she saw grandparents learning more about the health benefits of cannabis. Catherine Goldberg has been sharing her knowledge about the positivity of cannabis amongst grandparents. She was quoted as saying that,“So what you guys are drinking is CBD water. It’s made from the hemp plant. It’s absolutely not psychoactive.” She further added that, “What we’ve found is that when you combine THC and CBD, that’s when you get the real benefits.”

Finding New Takers

Alan Brause attended one such party and revealed that, “I’m one of those people who never did any pot in his life 70 some years on.” However, his wife Lois had once presented him with a CBD salve for curing arthritis which was not of much help. While sharing his recent enlightenment on CBD, Brause added that, “It feels like it might be doing a little something but then after that I don’t know.” According to Goldberg, the hand salve used by Brause was not adequately strong. He would have benefited more had he opted for a mixture of THC and CBD in 1 to 1 ratio.

A Symbiotic Partnership

Guests do not experiment with psychoactive products in these parties although they are fully aware of the impact they can have on our bodies by making us high. Brothers Mike and Brian Davis, the creators of Mozen vape pens have been experimenting with marijuana since their teenage years and revealed that, “Mozen means balance in Hebrew.”

 The Davis brothers interacted with Goldberg last year while she was educating groups belonging to a temple on Friday and Saturday nights. Davis recalled the event stating that, “So I started these events called Pot Shabbat and High Havdalah.” They were completely floored by the simple explanations provided by Goldberg and gave her the option of joining the Mozen team.

According to Goldberg, “It’s this idea that you can create recipes with not only different amounts of THC and CBD but combine them with these terpenes. Then you get into these really cool effects.” She further pointed out that the Mozen vape pens constituted of terpenes as one of its chief ingredient which are organic molecules traced in plants imparting the distinct smell. Myrcene for example is a terpene which can be found in mangoes.

Bottom Line

Goldberg also revealed that, “We load up the good night pen with myrcene and there’s a little bit of linalool which is found in lavender. So, the good night pen will knock you out.” This definitely came in as a huge plus for seniors like Barbara Weinbaum who had been struggling with insomnia for years.

Barabara has been adding THC to her water and drinking it before bedtime for sleeping in peace. She also added that,“I do that and in addition I have a gummy and edible or a couple of hits off of the vape.” Goldberg advises everyone to have a broad mind-set and try out different possibilities by discussing the impact of cannabis with their health physicians.