Wetiko: The Necessity of Facing Evil Within & The Trap of Externalizing All Evil

Wetiko: The Necessity of Facing Evil Within & The Trap of Externalizing All Evil

Wetiko: The Necessity of Facing Evil Within

& The Trap of Externalizing All Evil

By Bernhard Guenther, August 31, 2024

“The line separating good and evil passes, not through states, not between classes nor between political parties either – but right through every human heart – and through all human hearts. This line shifts. Inside us, it oscillates with the years.”

– Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

Topics:

    • Misconceptions And Distortions About Wetiko
    • Wetiko Makes Us Think The Problem Is Outside Of Us
    • Wetiko Hijacks Your Creative Potential And Turns It Against You
    • Evil Within You Is Not Always That Obvious
    • The Blindspot Of Many Anarchist and Alternative Communities Within The Truth Movement
    • The Charlatan, Evil Persona, And Shameless Impersonator Within You
    • The Necessity For Psycho-Spiritual Work For The Next Stage Of Humanity’s Evolution
    • Resources For Inner Work
    • The Four Ignoble Blindnesses Of Wetiko

Paul Levy, the author of three books on Wetiko, defines Wetiko as a contagious psycho-spiritual disease of the soul, a parasite of the mind, that is currently being acted out en masse on the world stage via an insidious collective psychosis of Titanic proportions.

This “mind virus” – which Native Americans have called “wetiko” – covertly operates through the unconscious blind spots in the human psyche, rendering people oblivious to their own madness and compelling them to act against their own best interests.

I have referenced Wetiko extensively in my writings over the past ten years since Levy published his first book, Dispelling Wetiko, in 2013. Paul was also on the Cosmic Matrix podcast three times, where we explored this topic more deeply in the context of current and past events:

    1. Paul Levy – Wetiko and Quantum Revelations | TCM #14
    2. Wetiko: Healing The Mind-Virus That Plagues Our World – Paul Levy | TCM #62
    3. Undreaming Wetiko, The Nightmare Mind-Virus – Paul Levy | TCM #111

The topic of Wetiko has become more popular over the past few years thanks to Paul’s incredible research and revelations based on personal experiences. More people are also open to this information out of necessity, considering the state of the world as people look for deeper answers and insights.

Misconceptions And Distortions About Wetiko

However, with the popularity came many distortions and false ideas about Wetiko. I have noticed that many people have made up their own concepts and assumptions without ever having sincerely researched the subject.

Paul has also encountered a lot of distortions and premature assumptions about wetiko over the years to the point of making up a name for it: Premature Comprehension Delusion, or PCD:

“Wetiko has myriad ways of derailing any serious investigation into its nature. Oftentimes, for example, I’ll meet a person or a group of people who seem genuinely interested in wetiko and want to learn more.

They’ll ask me a couple of questions and then, after hardly any time at all, they think they’ve got it and feel they sufficiently understand what it’s all about—an attitude that short-circuits any deeper inquiry into realizing the endlessly mind-blowing revelation that is wetiko.

When this plays out, instead of them “getting” the radical nature of wetiko, wetiko has “gotten” them. I have come up with a name for this syndrome: premature comprehension delusion, or PCD.”

– Paul Levy, Undreaming Wetiko

One significant distortion is the tendency to see only Wetiko [and evil] in others, a particular group, or the “system.”

It’s the same trap and illusion to see the matrix only “out there” [in its various 3D manifestations] and not realize how the matrix and wetiko also work through us. It is based on the illusion that the outside world is separate from us.

Ironically, the insistence on only seeing evil out there and projecting the matrix externally keeps Wetiko and evil in power while people fight shadows on the wall. As a result, many people – even within the truth movement – have become “infected” by Wetiko, projecting it onto others and the world at large.

“We all potentially have wetiko, as it pervades and informs the underlying field of consciousness. Any one of us at any moment can fall into our unconscious and unwittingly become an instrument for the evil of wetiko to act itself out through us and incarnate in our world.

If we see someone who seems to be taken over by wetiko and we think that they have the disease and we don’t, in seeing them as separate we have fallen under the spell of the mind “virus””.

– Paul Levy, Healing the Mind-Virus That Plagues Our World

You can see it in people who are primarily negatively oriented and only see psy-ops out there with very over-simplified black-and-white views of “good” and “bad” based on psychological splitting and lacking nuance.

Lack of psychological self-awareness [inner work] and blind to a spiritual higher vision [in the context of the evolution of consciousness], many people hardly recognize any goodness [and the Divine Force] anymore but become harned, nihilistic, and disembodied (caught in the head.)

As a result, they are disconnected from Essence and their creative potential. Being disconnected from their true self, Wetiko installs a counterfeit false persona mistaken for the “true self.” This false persona becomes the vessel through which Wetiko and, as an extension, the occult hostile forces create their desired reality through negative projections.

Wetiko Makes Us Think The Problem Is Outside Of Us

One of Wetiko’s favorite strategies is to make us think the problem is outside of us while, in truth, the real problem is our misconception of who we are. As Levy writes, “Once we realize this, we can turn our attention inward, which is where the source—and the solution—of our problem is to be found.

“When we connect with our authentic self, with our true nature, we discover that our nature is naturally creative. To remember who we really are is to connect with our creativity; and in a positive feed- back loop that generates abundant life, to express oneself creatively deepens our knowledge of who we truly are and further reveals our essential nature.

Since the root essence of the wetiko mind-virus is not knowing one’s true nature, not recognizing who we truly are, this then insures that our true nature, instead of expressing itself creatively in service to ourself and others, will be channeled destructively in a limited and uncreative way that drains our life force.

If we don’t mobilize our creative resources, wetiko is more than happy to use our inner assets in a way that serves its agenda rather than our own true nature. Instead of endlessly tapping into our source and resourcing and refreshing ourselves, our own natural reserves get turned against us in a way that creates a nightmare, just like the one we are currently dreaming up in the world.”[…]

Wetiko subversively turns our “genius” for reality-creation against us in such a way that we become bewitched by the projective tendencies of our own mind.

Falling under wetiko’s spell, we become entranced by our own intrinsic gifts and talents for dreaming up our world in a way that not only doesn’t serve us, but rather, is put at the service of wetiko (whose agenda is contrary to our own). Our creativity then boomerangs against us such that we hypnotize ourselves with our creative genius, which cripples our evolutionary potential.

To the extent we are unconsciously possessed by the spirit of wetiko, it is as if a psychic tapeworm or parasite has taken over our brain and tricked us, its host, into thinking we are feeding and empowering ourselves while we are actually nourishing the parasite.

Wetiko is a virulent, psychic pathogen that insinuates thought-forms and beliefs into our mind which, due to their misleading and false nature, when unconsciously accepted and acted upon, feed it, and ultimately kill its host – us.”

– Paul Levy, ibid

As I wrote in “Facing The Deep State And Psy-Op Within Yourself—The Essence Of Shadow Work,” most people, normies, and “awake” truthers alike indulge in their projections (sometimes truthers even more than normies, ironically).

The mind and reality (by extension through the process of projective identification) will always give them a “reason” and “justification” to indulge in their projections—augmented with thought injections by occult forces [and wetiko] that trigger their unconscious shadow to feed off the emotionally charged projections of the suppressed shadow.

As Paul Levy explained in his work, this is also the modus operandi of wetiko tagging into the shadow – it feeds you what you want to see to feed off you even more. That’s why trying to expose all the lies, psy-ops, and conspiracies “out there” in the world is an endless feedback loop because “you” and the collective psyche will “dream up” more of the same, living under the illusion that the outside world is separate from “you.”

Until you stop externalizing, withdraw your projections, focus the vision within, and start living from within—grounded and embodied in Self – and reclaim your creative potential that has been hijacked against you. The wetiko-infused psyche and suppressed shadow will pull more of the same out of the “magician’s hat” to justify your projections, and you become like Don Quixote, fighting illusory windmills or shadows in Plato’s allegory of the cave.

Wetiko is powerless to control our true nature, but it can control and manipulate this false identity which it sets up within us. When we fall under the sway of wetiko’s illusion, we simultaneously identify with who we are not, while dissociating from and forgetting who we actually are – giving away our power, not to mention ourselves, in the process.”

– Paul Levy, ibid

Wetiko Hijacks Your Creative Potential And Turns It Against You

As you identify with the counterfeit version of yourself and externalize all evil, augmented by Wetiko, you will see and create more of what you claim to fight against externally. It’s an endless loop. Living in that externalized state – especially constantly glued to the internet in a disembodied state – you are more vulnerable to manipulation and control while you believe [lie to yourself] that you are “awake”, “free”, and “sovereign.”

As within so without. What we see playing out in the external world disguised as conspiracies, psy-ops, or the deep state is also related to our personal and collective shadow. That which we don’t face within ourselves is also manifested in the outside world as “fate” on an individual and collective level. Hence, all there is are lessons.

It’s very important to understand and see within ourselves how we can easily become unwitting agents of Wetiko, for we all have the potential for evil within. It’s part of our shadow.

No one is exempt, and if you think you are exempt and think you are only “good” and “virtuous” and see only evil “out there” in others, then you have already become a wetiko-infected agent of evil – and the matrix “has you.”

This is how Wetiko disguises itself. You are blind to it within yourself but only project it externally, creating more evil via projective identification. That’s how most humans are trapped in a frequency prison distracted by the shadows on the wall, creating and feeding more of the same, just in different disguises.

Wetiko-infused evil is not always apparent but works in more subtle ways. It tags into your unacknowledged shadows, traumas, ego blindspots, and weaknesses, giving you thought suggestions and desires that are not of your own but that you think are your own. It works with temptation while targeting your lower nature of vanity, lust, narcissism, envy, jealousy, greed, self-importance or self-pity, and poor-me consciousness, and so on.

Most of all, it feeds on fear and revels in blame and victim consciousness, caught in the endless drama triangle of victim-rescuer-perpetrator.

Evil Within You Is Not Always That Obvious

Evil, in this context, doesn’t have to be apparent wrongdoings and crimes like murder, violence, rape, etc. In Buddhism, there is the concept of far enemies and near enemies of the four Divine Virtues (Brahma-Vihara). These Divine Virtues are:

    1. Equanimity (Inner Balance/Peace)
    2. Loving Kindness
    3. Compassion
    4. Sympathetic Joy

Every virtue has a far enemy, its opposite, which is very obvious. The far enemies of equanimity are instability, agitation, craving, and paranoia –  for Loving Kindness; they are hate and ill-will – for Compassion; they are cruelty and sadism – for Sympathetic Joy; they are jealousy, resentment, and envy.

The near enemies of these virtues are more challenging to discern, especially in ourselves, and that’s how Wetiko easily gets in under the disguise of distorted virtues.

The near enemies of equanimity are indifference, cynicism, and apathy – for Loving Kindness; they are sentimentality, selfish affection, conditional love, and co-dependence – for Compassion; they are pity and feeling sorry for others [diminishing them] – for Sympathetic Joy; they are hypocrisy, phoniness, and exuberance.

All these near enemies are aspects of “evil” [i.e., they are not aspects of the true Self], and we all have them inside of us—unless we are enlightened and continuously live in Joy, the state of our eternal soul’s being of the true Self.

Many pathological traits have become normalized in today’s sick society. We live in a wetiko-infected world, and it’s within all of us, at the very least, in the potential. For example, when you look at another person’s behavior and say, “I could or would never do that,” or shame others with projected anger, envy, superiority/inferiority online or offline [even non-verbal via your thought projections], wetiko has you in its grips, and you don’t know it.

The Blindspot Of Many Anarchist and Alternative Communities Within The Truth Movement

Wetiko operates nonlinearly, nonlocally, and multi-dimensionally. You can’t hide from it or escape from it physically.

Over the years, I have witnessed many “anarchist” communities and movements striving for “sovereignty” and “independence,” trying to ”exit the system.”

However, their lack of spiritual (and psychological) development and insight (primarily via externalizing everything and not sincerely facing evil within but only projecting it externally) resulted in disintegration and many other issues – a classic example of what Gurdjieff called the “trap of the revolutionary mind.” It’s how easily Wetiko can take over these communities through its members unconsciously.

“One of the reasons wetiko is so hard to pin down is that it has multiple channels of operation: both covert and overt, inner and outer and everywhere in-between. Wetiko simultaneously operates intrapersonally (within our own mind), interpersonally (through our relationships), and transpersonally (through collective world events).

Each of these—our individual, relational and collective processes—are internested iterations of a deeper fractal – which is to say that these different dimensions of our experience are actually indivisibly interconnected and inter-reflective of each other. All of these multi-dimensional processes are informed by wetiko in different yet similar ways.”

– Paul Levy, Healing the Mind-Virus That Plagues Our World

It doesn’t imply not striving for communities and self-sustainability. However, if it is a mechanical reaction under the assumptions that matrix or “system” is something we need “exit” or “escape” from physically not realizing that the outside world is a reflection of our internal landscape and unconscious, and we are only fixated on seeing the problem “out there” [as Wetiko tricks us into thinking], then Wetiko has us already in its grips, and nothing will change fundamentally in the outside world.

The Charlatan, Evil Persona, And Shameless Impersonator Within You

“This hidden foe lodged in the human breast Man must overcome or miss his higher fate. This is the inner war without escape.”

– Sri Aurobindo

Wetiko feeds through you and makes you feel “better” about yourself in comparison to others [looking down on “normies,” “sheeple,” or “statists”]. It strengthens the false self you mistake for the true self. It’s an extremely hard addiction to break, for it indulges in your lower nature and is supported by society and your peers of consensus reality overtaken by a group hive mind entity. It feeds on identification with a side, belief, ideology, movement, group, etc.

Be honest with yourself. How quickly do you judge anyone you see on social media with your projected negativity as you scroll down the timeline? How much do you feed off of any attention you get? Wetiko is right there in you, and it’s very mechanical and without “free will.”

Your ego-personality and wounded self will rationalize, justify, and deny the potential for evil within you. Even as you read this article, wetiko is already trying to give you excuses for denying it all.

Wetiko will overinflate you with narcissistic self-importance or dimmish you with self-pity, false humility, and avoidance, trying to hide from everyone. It acts out in passive or overt aggressiveness. It will try putting others down [even just within your mind via thought injections] to make you feel better about yourself. It will get you stuck in pride, not being able to admit that you are wrong and lying to yourself.

Side note: Letting go of pride and blame is a crucial breakthrough in one’s spiritual evolution based on the map of consciousness (David Hawkins) to rise above 200. Eighty percent of humanity is below 200, which is also the frequency where Wetiko and the occult hostile forces have easier access. More here:

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I put this mirror right on me. I can see all the traits within me, all aspects and potential of evil, lurking and waiting to project and act out if there is anything unconscious within me it can grasp and tag into.

All these are seeds of evil—of “The Ignorance,” as Sri Aurobindo called it. In his work of the Integral Yoga, Sri Aurobindo also hinted at Wetiko, the false counterfeit version of us. He referred to it as:

“…An incorrigible charlatan and actor, full of hidden movements…a shameless impersonator,…covering himself with a sevenfold overcoat of tragedy and gloom, and he would not feel his existence justified if he couldn’t be colossally miserable.

At every moment he [the seeker] must proceed with a vigilant eye upon the deceits of the ego and the ambushes of the misleading Powers of Darkness. Wherever desire and ego harbor, passion, and disturbance harbor with them and share their life.”

– Sri Aurobindo

Sri Aurobindo also calls it the Evil Persona, mimicking the true self as Wetiko does. It attaches within us and is the exact opposite of what we are trying to achieve on our path toward awakening:

A person greatly endowed for the [Great] work has always or almost always, a being attached to him, sometimes appearing like a part of him, which is just the contradiction of the thing he centrally represents in the work to be done.

Or if it is not there at first, not bound to his personality, a force of this kind enters into his environment as soon as he begins his movement to realize. Its business seems to be to oppose, to create stumblings and wrong conditions, in a word, to set before him the whole problem of the work he has started to do.”

– Sri Aurobindo

Similar to Wetiko, Sri Aurobindo also points out in his own words that the “pathogen” of the evil persona is also the “medicine” and, when utilized correctly, helps one to advance in the work and accomplish the goal:

“It would seem that the problem could not, in the occult economy of things, be solved otherwise than by the predestined instrument making the difficulty his own. That would explain many things that seem very disconcerting on the surface.”

As The Mother explained:

You have a special goal, a special mission, your own particular realization, and you carry within yourself all the obstacles needed to make this realization perfect. Always you will find that shadow and light go together in you: you have a capacity, you have also the negation of that capacity.

And if you discover a very dense and deep-rooted shadow in you, you can be certain there is also a great light somewhere. It is up to you to use the one in order to realize the other.”

– The Mother Mirra Alfassa

The Necessity For Psycho-Spiritual Work For The Next Stage Of Humanity’s Evolution

Witnessing its mechanicalness within is what Gurdjieff called coming face to face with the “terror of the situation” or the “trickster and charlatan within,” in Sri Aurobindo’s words. These are just different expressions for facing wetiko within oneself. That’s when the real work begins. Anything else is just shadowboxing or spiritual bypassing.

But I also know that wetiko ONLY has power if it is left unchecked—if I deny it within myself and shove it into the shadow of my unconscious or project it on others in an oversimplified black-and-white manner where we only see “good” or “bad” without nuance—the process of psychological splitting.

That’s where Wetiko thrives, and the occult hostile forces take over and tag into – in the parts of yourself, you are not aware of or any pathologies you have normalized and justified within yourself. As long as I pretend to be all “good,” I have given Wetiko more power as it drives my life unconsciously. It comes out in mechanical self-sabotaging ways, even potentially hurting others.

As an extension, by shoving it into the shadow, you feed and “create” the evil “out there” collectively. You then also feed the hostile forces that feed on all human unconscious mechanical behavior and projections. The only way to defeat wetiko and evil is to make it conscious and turn the pathogen into medicine, for it contains its remedy.

This is a highly vulnerable process because you need to allow yourself to feel feelings you have suppressed for years and even lifetimes. “Toughing it out” or escaping into the head creates more armor, avoidance, and entry points for Wetiko.

Paul Levy also points out Wetiko’s teaching function. By engaging in inner psycho-spiritual work, we turn the “pathogen” into “medicine.”

“Its own self-revelation, wetiko disease provides its own psychic medicine, but in order to receive its healing ‘benefits’ we have to recognize and more deeply understand this miracle in psycho-spiritual health care.

The very thing that is potentially destroying us is at the same time waking us up. A potential catalyst for our evolution as a species, we are all co-creating and dreaming wetiko up together.

Wetiko is a truly quantum phenomenon, in that it is the deadliest poison and the most healing medicine co-joined in one superposed state. Will wetiko kill us? Or will it awaken us? Everything depends upon if we recognize what it is potentially revealing to us.

The powers of darkness are coming up, and we need to come to terms with what they are revealing – or suffer the consequences. Contrary to solely being a sign of increasing moral degeneracy or decay, the revelation of darkness is a necessary and critically important part of the next stage of humanity’s collective psycho-spiritual evolution.”

– Paul Levy, ibid

Before we can awaken, we must admit to ourselves how asleep we really are. Before we can truly discern truth and lies in the world out there, we must face the lies we tell ourselves first and foremost, which is the hardest part for the avoidance, justifications, and rationalizations of the wetiko-infected mind will avoid the necessary “disillusionment” at any cost, getting stuck in blame and victim consciousness, self-pity, or self-importance.

That’s why working alone is hard and limited: Your wounded ego will trick you, as you cannot see yourself objectively. We need to engage with others in the same Work so we don’t get off the path. This has also traditionally been the role of a “guru” or “teacher”: a mirror to help you see yourself clearly, not someone who saves you or gives you knowledge and information.

I would not have been able to do the Work over the years without my teachers, mentors, friends, and partner. There is a limit to how much self-work you can do on your own, for wetiko will eventually trick you.

Before we can do ”good” in the world and “help” others, we must face the potential for evil within ourselves, our selfishness, and our narcissism and recognize how we already contribute to it. Again, I’m not taking myself out of the equation.

Great humility is needed, but not a distorted humility of self-diminishment. We need the humility to admit how insincere we actually are without blaming ourselves or falling into a spiral of internalized shame when we face the parts of ourselves we’d rather not see or acknowledge.

But the only way out is through. In my exploration of the shadow within and Wetiko entry points, I have also found the Divine, my essence and true Self that rises above all, for Wetiko can’t take over, possess, or affect our true nature.

But no steps can be skipped, and it’s easy to slip off at any point during the Ascent and Descent.

There is still much more work to do. The resistance of the lower nature and collective slumber of the masses are palpable, but we are far beyond the point of return.

Everything is interrelated. Nothing is isolated.

As within, so Without. As Without So Within.

Resources For Inner Work

Learn more about how to do this inner work and ignite your creative potential, bringing forth your true Self and closing off any entry points for Wetiko and occult hostile forces:

The Four Ignoble Blindnesses Of Wetiko

A play on the Four Noble Truths of Buddhism by Paul Levy

    1. You are blind to your own blindness, i.e., you are doubly blind. You’re blind and you do not know you are blind and in fact imagine that you can see clearly and come to believe that you can see more clearly than those who are clear-sighted. You then become unaware of what it is to be sighted, as you have no reference point for comparison.
    2. You are blind to the very existence of wetiko and its malign effects within your mind. You do not see how you are unwittingly colluding with wetiko’s pernicious effects and thereby you are unaware of how you are having negative or ill effects upon others and the world.
    3. You are blind to your own light, which is to say that wetiko blocks you from seeing both your own darkness as well as your own light. You are blinded to and incapable of seeing your true nature and identify instead with a false imposter of who you truly are.
    4. You are blind to the fact that wetiko is a revelation. Being blind to your blindness, being blind to the existence of wetiko, and being blind to your own light necessarily results in being blind to wetiko’s revelatory function. Wetiko is potentially revealing your own creative genius, power and agency. Recognizing that wetiko is a revelation is to realize that wetiko contains encoded within it not just its own medicine and cure, but a blessing, for it is helping you to wake up to the dreamlike nature of the universe and to remember who you actually are.

Abridged Video Version:

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420 with CNW — Washington State Marijuana Industry Readies for Change as Feds Mull Reclassification

420 with CNW — Washington State Marijuana Industry Readies for Change as Feds Mull Reclassification

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Cannabis industry leaders in Washington State are contemplating the implications of reclassification for researchers and local customers. President Joe Biden disclosed in May that the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) was considering a substantial change to the classification of cannabis. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) currently classifies marijuana as a schedule I substance, classing it with methamphetamine and heroin. This classification suggests that there is little to no medicinal benefit to marijuana.

The Biden administration’s proposal suggests moving marijuana to a less severe schedule 3 status, indicating a lower potential for abuse or addiction.

Dr. Susan Ferguson, director of the University of Washington’s Addictions, Drug and Alcohol Institute, noted that the change cannot come fast enough. Ferguson and her team have faced challenges due to what they view as outdated federal cannabis regulations. Currently, Ferguson’s lab is studying the effects of marijuana on mice to explore nonaddictive treatment options, which could potentially lead to breakthroughs in conditions such as epilepsy. Unfortunately, the quality and quantity of cannabis available for research is quite low due to the federal scheduling of marijuana.

On the other hand, critics highlight the risks of addiction and the increasing prevalence of Marijuana Use Disorder, particularly among teenagers. Ferguson acknowledges these concerns but argues that research is essential for achieving medical advancements.

While many in the industry support relaxed federal restrictions, some worry about the consequences. Marijuana store owners, for instance, could benefit from being able to make tax deductions under more lenient federal rules, but some fear that large corporations will eventually dominate the market, pushing out smaller retailers.

Ryan Kunkel, an early pioneer in Washington’s cannabis retail business, has already seen these challenges firsthand. At the height of his career, Kunkel’s company, Have a Heart, held 22 licenses across six states. Now, he’s exiting the business, having sold many of his stores. Today, he only operates a few locations in the Seattle area. “In due course, marijuana will be offered for sale in grocery stores and other establishments alongside tobacco and alcohol,” said Kunkel.

Despite these concerns, Kunkel believes that reclassifying marijuana at the federal level could lead to lower prices for users.

An unprecedented 43,000 remarks were made in the public comment period about the DEA’s rescheduling proposal. The comment window closed on July 22, 2024, but there is still no definitive timeline for the DEA’s final ruling. An administrative hearing is scheduled for Dec. 2, 2024, which may delay any conclusive action until 2025.

This ongoing rescheduling process isn’t only being awaited by companies in Washington State. Even entities in other jurisdictions, such as Cronos Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CRON) (TSX: CRON), are also waiting for the final rule so that they can ascertain how their operations and plans could be impacted.

About CNW420

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Manitobans may finally be able to grow cannabis at home in 2025

Manitobans may finally be able to grow cannabis at home in 2025

Manitobans may finally be able to grow cannabis at home beginning in 2025, according to a new announcement from the provincial government. 

In an email to the Winnipeg Free Press on September 25, Manitoba Justice Minister Matt Wiebe said the provincial government is in the process of drafting the regulations for a bill passed in June.

“The (Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Authority) is drafting regulations to ensure the framework for growing cannabis at home prioritizes public safety, with a focus on protecting youth and ensuring cannabis plants are not accessible to young people,” the minister’s email said.

The provincial government is expected to post the proposed regulations by the end of 2024 to allow time for public feedback. This is a change in the plans announced in June when a source with the Manitoba government told StratCann that such rules would be expected to be in place by November 2024.

When the bill was being debated in Manitoba parliament earlier this year, the Progressive Conservative opposition brought up concerns that they were passing a bill that had not yet been written. Only once the regulations are finalized will people in Manitoba be able to grow up to four plants at home. 

Specifics such as where plants can be grown on a person’s property are still unknown. 

 “Who will monitor these grows, and who will monitor the sale of the seeds to produce these cannabis products?” asked PC MLA for Brandon West Wayne Balcaen when the bill was debated earlier this year.

The penalty in Manitoba for growing cannabis at home is currently a $2,542 fine, as well as up to a year in prison and forfeiture of personal property.

Manitoba and Quebec are the only two provinces to ban growing cannabis at home. In April of this year, the Supreme Court of Canada upheld Quebec’s ban on home-grown cannabis, ruling that the province has the authority to enforce such a ban, even in the face of federal rules allowing up to four plants per household.


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Simply Solventless announces plan to acquire ANC for $10 million

Simply Solventless announces plan to acquire ANC for $10 million

Simply Solventless Concentrates Ltd. has entered into an agreement to buy cannabis producer ANC Inc. for $10 million in cash and shares. 

In an announcement on September 25, Simply Solventless Concentrates (SSC) says the acquisition will complement SSC’s portfolio, especially ANC’s track record with pre-roll manufacturing. 

The purchase price includes $7 million in cash paid out in three instalments through May 31, 2025, along with $3 million in shares of SCC at $0.50 per unit.

“We are thrilled to announce the foundational acquisition of ANC, continuing our strategy of profitable organic revenue growth and opportunistic acquisitions,” says SSC’s President & CEO Jeff Swainson. “ANC holds significant intellectual property, some of which is patented, and they have garnered industry-wide respect for their execution ability. Together with ANC’s incredible team, led by Clayton Bordeniuk, Tairance Rutter, Thomas Facciolo and James Clarke, we will leverage SSC’s strategic positioning, our complimentary core competencies, and our proforma profitability to capture continued opportunity and value for our shareholders.”

Following several positive quarters, SCC has been on a bit of a purchasing spree. On June 25, 2024, the Alberta-based company behind cannabis brands like Astrolab, Frootyhooty, Roilty, and Zest entered into a services agreement and share purchase agreement with CannMart Inc., a cannabis company located in Etobicoke, Ontario for $2.5 million. SCC also recently acquired Lamplighter in January 2024. 

As of June 30, 2024, the Company had a working capital surplus of $5,909,655, compared to $4,263,711 as of March 31, 2024.

ANC was first licensed as a micro cultivator in 2019 and later received its micro processing licence. The company then scaled up to a standard licence, with a focus on seed production and pre-roll manufacturing, something they have become well-known for in the industry. The acquisition will give SCC the ability to manufacture pre-rolls in-house, giving the parent company a new avenue for its own products to reach consumers.

Clayton Bordeniuk, President & CEO of ANC, stated in a press release: “ANC Solutions is a leader in infused pre-roll manufacturing in Canada, and we are excited to integrate into the SSC family. This partnership allows us to leverage our operational expertise and SSC’s broad network to drive continued innovation; and together, we will expand product offerings and enhance operational efficiencies while continuing to deliver premium cannabis products and services to the market. This deal marks a pivotal moment for ANC, as SSC is the growth partner that we had been looking for. It is our belief that our combined team, coupled with our shared focus on profitability and operational excellence, creates a platform for explosive growth and strong results as we move forward together.”

ANC is currently generating around $15 million of annualized revenue and $3.6 million of annualized net income. As this is B2B and tolling revenue, it is also not subject to excise taxes, something SCC says will its overall corporate blended excise tax rate.

Featured image via ANC Solutions.

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Parsons Foundation Makes Major Donation to Mount Sinai Psychedelics Center

Parsons Foundation Makes Major Donation to Mount Sinai Psychedelics Center

Last week, Mount Sinai Health System announced that it had received a $5 million donation from the Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation, which changed its name to the Parsons Research Center for Psychedelic Healing. This follows the expansion of its psychedelic research center to a new location focused on supporting the center’s capacity to assist in clinical trials that involve compounds such as psilocybin, ketamine and MDMA, among others.

These drugs have attracted a lot of attention in research for their potential in helping manage symptoms of mental-health conditions such as anxiety, depression and PTSD.

The gift will also facilitate the expansion of the center’s capacity for research, therapy and therapist training. The new location is at 600 West 112th Street and will have individual treatment rooms as well as a group therapy room with features to allow for research, teaching and therapy supervision. Additionally, it will offer a view of streets that are lined by trees and large windows to bring in a lot of natural light.

The research center’s clinical director, Amy Lehrner, explained that this design embraced the importance of setting in therapeutic outcomes. She added that patients would feel safe when they entered the space, noting that natural light and views of nature communicated warmth and serenity.

This expansion demonstrates the commitment made by Mount Sinai to offer strong scientific vision and institutional resources, as well as helping to advance groundbreaking clinical trials.

The funds from the foundation also reflect an understanding that the times demand serious research and unwavering commitment to finding effective therapies for veterans, many of whom are living with conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, which are resistant to traditional treatment.

Bob Parsons, cofounder of the foundation and U.S. Marine Corps Vietnam war veteran, revealed that after decades of struggling with PTSD, it was psychedelic-assisted therapy that helped him heal.

Dr. Rachel Yehuda, director of the research center, stated that since 2021, the research center had made progress toward better understanding the therapeutic potential of psychotherapy involving psychedelics. She added that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s recent decision to reject the use of MDMA-assisted therapy had caused uncertainty on when and how psychedelic therapy would be made available to all.

Currently, the center is developing protocols for different studies, with researchers at Mount Sinai also carrying out studies on ketamine and psilocybin-assisted therapy for patients with intergenerational trauma and major depression. This is in addition to researching the effectiveness of MDMA-assisted therapy for individuals with eating disorders.

As academic institutions increase their involvement in psychedelic research, the work they do will help to supplement what publicly traded entities such as atai Life Sciences N.V. (NASDAQ: ATAI) are doing in their quest to develop psychedelic medicines.

About PsychedelicNewsWire

PsychedelicNewsWire (“PNW”) is a specialized communications platform with a focus on all aspects of psychedelics and the latest developments and advances in the psychedelics sector. It is one of 60+ brands within the Dynamic Brand Portfolio @ IBN that delivers: (1) access to a vast network of wire solutions via InvestorWire to efficiently and effectively reach a myriad of target markets, demographics and diverse industries; (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ outlets; (3) enhanced press release enhancement to ensure maximum impact; (4) social media distribution via IBN to millions of social media followers; and (5) a full array of tailored corporate communications solutions. With broad reach and a seasoned team of contributing journalists and writers, PNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that want to reach a wide audience of investors, influencers, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, PNW brings its clients unparalleled recognition and brand awareness. PNW is where breaking news, insightful content and actionable information converge.

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420 with CNW — Washington State Marijuana Industry Readies for Change as Feds Mull Reclassification

420 Expo: New Jersey’s Largest Consumer Cannabis Convention Ends the Summer Season with 3-Days of Industry ‘Edutainment’; Announces Winners of the First-Ever Legal Statewide Cannabis Cup

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The 420 Expo (https://www.420expo.com/) recently concluded its third annual three-day event series with over 14,000 cannabis enthusiasts making their way to the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center, in Edison, September 13-15, 2024.

Presented by Wakit Grinders (https://wakitgrinders.com), the B.Y.O.C. (bring your own cannabis) public event featured access to a large variety of cannabis-friendly vendors and dispensaries, cultivators, CBD businesses, accessories, and beverages, clothing and apparel, jewelry, art, food trucks, celebrity guests, glass blowers and lots of other brands and products. Guests had the opportunity to attend a variety of seminars and engage with canna-focused nonprofits and advocacy groups, as well as learn more about expungements, cannabis industry employment opportunities, and much more. Attendees were also able to experience a massive outdoor consumption area, music, and numerous curated food trucks.

The event also featured the inaugural 420 Expo Cannabis Cup, produced by High End Events. The 420 Expo Cannabis Cup was the first statewide compliant cannabis competition. Some of the state’s premier cultivators entered their favorite strains and products in six different categories. The judge’s kits were available for a limited time at both HoneyGrove Dispensary and NJ Leaf in Freehold to consumers to purchase and then vote on their favorites. The results were revealed on the main stage at an awards ceremony Saturday.

Your inaugural 420 Expo Cannabis Cup winners are: 

Indica

  • 1st, Full Tilt Frost – Donkey
  • 2nd, Garden Greens – Blueberry Cruffin

Hybrid

  • 1st, Garden Greens – Grape Junky
  • 2nd, Brighterside Farms – Free Mac 

Sativa

  • 1st, Clade 9 – J1 
  • 2nd, Garden Greens Super – Lemon Haze 

Non-Infused Pre-Roll

  • 1st, Hillview Farms – White Truffle 
  • 2nd, Hamilton Farms – Night Charmer

Infused Pre-Roll

  • 1st, Mudd Bros – Melon Bomb x KW #11
  • 2nd, Acreage/Superflux – Red Carpet Runtz 

Vapes

  • 1st, Timeless – Jungle Punch
  • 2nd, MPX – Marmalade Ro

“As a community effort, our vision became a reality through the tireless efforts of the area’s cannabis industry thought-leaders and influencers,” says J. Handy, Director of Three Expo Events and co-creator of the 420 Expo. “Our team appreciates all of the hard work done by the High End Events team of Bobby and Bailey Nuggz of High End Events, along with 420 Expo Cup participating dispensaries NJ Leaf and HoneyGrove. We made lots of new friends over the weekend and we can’t wait to see what the future holds.”   

“Thank you to everyone who came out to enjoy a special weekend filled with music, munchies and Mary Jane,” says Dan Davis, Director of Operations for Three Expo Events and co-creator of the 420 Expo. “The feedback and love from both attendees and exhibitors is overwhelming, to say the least. We’re proud to produce this event for the Jersey market and we will continue to do our part to remove the stigma against marijuana by promoting information and legal products that advance this growing industry.”

Notable guest appearances included stars from “The Sopranos,” Vincent Pastore (“Big Pussy”), Federico Castelluccio (“Furio”) and director and reality tv guest Danny Provenzano at the Bada Bloom booth, as well as Clerks star Brian O’Halloran; former WWE champion and UFC fighter, the “Super King of Bros,” Matt Riddle; and “Real Housewives of Jersey” personality, Frank Catania, Sr. at the Dispensaries of New Jersey booth.

Attendees were also able to take advantage of a full schedule of seminars featuring top educators and speakers from around the country, a slate of entertainment featuring stellar musicians on the main stage, daily “Paint & Puff” and “Craft & Chill” sessions from NJ Garden State of Mind, Anja Dispensary and Meesh’s Goods, silent disco, “Joint Rolling” competitions, stoner karaoke and nightly after parties featuring top DJ’s such as Drewski (Hot97 and “Love & Hip Hop New York”).

The 420 Expo is scheduled to return to New Jersey, September 12-14, 2025.

Brands, products, and services targeting medicinal and recreational cannabis users can inquire early about exhibitor/vendor opportunities and secure coveted placements in front of thousands, by requesting a sales kit at https://420expo.com/exhibit. For additional information visit https://420expo.com.

Follow “420 Expo” on Instagram, X/Twitter and Facebook @the420expos.

Receive Early Alerts For The 420 Expo in 2025 at https://420expo.com

ABOUT 420 EXPO:

420 Expo is the largest consumer-based cannabis event in New Jersey. Presented by Wakit Grinders, the third annual event series took place on September 13-15, 2024, and featured over 100 cannabis-related vendors, food trucks, celebrity appearances, live music, seminars, B.Y.O.C. (bring your own cannabis), interactive and immersive experiences, and more. The 420 Expo, the “Ultimate Smoke Sesh,” will return to New Jersey in 2025, September 12-14.

On-site sales of any sort of marijuana or THC is not permitted. In accordance with New Jersey state and local laws, attendees are able to legally consume their own stash in a dedicated outdoor consumption area.

Cannabis industry brands and services, as well as vendors with appealing and ancillary products can inquire about exhibitor/sponsorship opportunities and placement in front of thousands by requesting a sales kit at sales@3xevents.com.

Follow “420 Expo” on Instagram, X/Twitter, and Facebook @the420expos.

Media Contact: Alvin Woods, alvin@themediamodel.com

About CannabisNewsWire

CannabisNewsWire (“CNW”) is a specialized communications platform with a focus on cannabis news and the cannabis sector. It is one of 60+ brands within the Dynamic Brand Portfolio @ IBN that delivers: (1) access to a vast network of wire solutions via InvestorWire to efficiently and effectively reach a myriad of target markets, demographics and diverse industries; (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ outlets; (3) enhanced press release enhancement to ensure maximum impact; (4) social media distribution via IBN to millions of social media followers; and (5) a full array of tailored corporate communications solutions. With broad reach and a seasoned team of contributing journalists and writers, CNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that want to reach a wide audience of investors, influencers, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, CNW brings its clients unparalleled recognition and brand awareness. CNW is where breaking news, insightful content and actionable information converge.

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Cannabix Technologies and Omega Laboratories advance marijuana breathalyzer technology

Cannabix Technologies and Omega Laboratories advance marijuana breathalyzer technology

(Globe Newswire) Vancouver –  Cannabix Technologies Inc. reports that it will be presenting the company’s marijuana breathalyzer system at the Society of Forensic Toxicologists (SOFT) conference in October in St. Louis. Cannabix Senior Advisor, Dr. Bruce Goldberger (bio below), will be presenting at a conference workshop session titled, “Chasing Impairment – Advancement in Technologies or a Paradigm Shift? – You be the Judge!”. The workshop will explore the latest advancements in the field of drug and impairment testing including cutting-edge techniques for detecting recent cannabis use via breath-based testing protocols.

Furthermore, the company reports that Omega Laboratories Inc and Cannabix have incorporated several new features to the company’s marijuana breathalyzer technology to meet market and emerging regulatory requirements. In particular, Cannabix has upgraded its Breath Collection Unit – handheld technology to include an “on demand” periodic quality assurance check, a new startup self check and new ambient air sample collection procedure. The sample collection cartridge has been modified to be able to collect a single sample or dual sample consistent with Federally regulated programs that require a simultaneous A, B sample collection. These additional features have been added in collaboration with Omega. Cannabix and Omega are actively working together to set limits of detection (LOD) and limits of quantification (LOQ) as well as the cutoff level for the detection of delta-9 THC (primary psychoactive ingredient in cannabis) in breath. During spring 2024, Cannabix entered into a strategic partnership and development agreement with Omega Laboratories to advance the development and commercialization of the Cannabix marijuana breathalyzer technology. Omega Laboratories is an international industry leader in forensic drugs of abuse testing with multiple international certifications and accreditations.

Highlights:

  • Cannabix engineers have incorporated several new features to the company’s marijuana breathalyzer technology to meet industry and emerging regulatory requirements.
  • Dr. Bruce Goldberger will present the company’s marijuana breathalyzer system at the Society of Forensic Toxicologists conference in October.
  • Thus far, Omega scientists have been able to detect and quantify delta-9 THC in the low picogram range – a level of detection low enough for detecting drug compounds in breath.
  • Omega scientists have established a delta-9 THC calibration curve with samples obtained from the Cannabix Breath Collection Unit (BCU) for the purposes of quantification using Omega’s preexisting and well-established extraction and detection processes.
  • Omega scientists have consistently detected and quantified delta-9 THC from breath samples collected from subjects utilizing the Cannabix BCU.
  • Omega scientists have developed a test method for a breath sample that successfully detects, isolates and quantifies delta-9 THC, delta-8 THC, CBN and CBD. Cannabix and Omega have begun working together on multiple fronts including hardware refinement, marketing and preparing numerous validation studies.

Omega Laboratories is headquartered in Ohio, USA in a state-of-the-art facility providing drugs of abuse testing to over 6,000 clients worldwide, including several Fortune 500 companies, police, highway patrol, court systems, military organizations, and school systems. Omega also has one of the largest Third-Party Administrator (TPA) client lists in America.

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About Dr. Bruce Goldberger
Dr. Bruce Goldberger is a professor and the former chief of the Forensic Medicine Division in the Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine in the College of Medicine at the University of Florida. Dr. Goldberger was the director of the University of Florida forensic toxicology laboratory for approximately 30 years. Dr. Goldberger is the principal investigator of the Florida Drug-Related Outcomes Surveillance and Tracking System (FROST) and Co-investigator of the National Drug Early Warning System (NDEWS).

Cannabix Technologies and Omega Laboratories advance marijuana breathalyzer technology

Tilray Brands leverages hemp and beverage scale to launch hemp-derived Delta-9 THC drinks in key markets across the United States

(Globe Newswire) New York – Tilray Brands, Inc., through its newly formed Tilray Alternative Beverages business unit, unveils its portfolio of hemp-derived Delta-9 THC (HDD9) beverages to launch in key markets across the U.S., beginning in October 2024. Tilray’s lineup of HDD9 drinks include premium mocktails, seltzers and sparkling drinks made with high-quality hemp extracts and ingredients that provide consumers with a familiar, convenient, and delicious way to relax and unwind.

Tilray Brands is a leader in the cannabis, hemp, and beverage industries, driving innovation and paving the way for a new era of consumer products. With the leading branded hemp food business in North America and the 5th largest craft beer business in the U.S., Tilray’s team of hemp and beverage experts have conducted extensive research and product testing to develop a portfolio of HDD9 brands and products that meet the company’s high standards for quality, safety, and experience.

As consumers seek out new and alternative adult beverages, Tilray is strategically entering the growing HDD9 beverage category in the U.S. market with a consumer-centric model that targets different occasions across various consumer audiences and price segments. Tilray’s inaugural portfolio of HDD9 brands includes 420 Fizz, Herb & Bloom, Fizzy Jane’s, and Happy Flower. Additionally, Tilray plans to introduce other HDD9 brands and product categories later this year.

420 Fizz is a sleek and modern brand built off Tilray’s iconic 420 beverage platform. Enhanced with 5mg HDD9 per can, 420 Fizz is an exciting new seltzer with a refreshing taste.

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Herb & Bloom, a super-premium mocktail, offers a unique way to experience timeless classics with its harmonious blend of refreshing fruit notes infused with 5mg HDD9 per can. Each drink is crafted for a smooth and balanced experience, resulting in a delicious taste. Welcome to a world blooming with possibilities.

Fizzy Jane’s is a light and delicious seltzer with 5mg HDD9 per can and three classic flavors Blackberry, Blood Orange and Vanilla. A nostalgic brand created for the curious consumer.

Happy Flower is inspired by classic cocktails, with a citrusy Margarita, a juicy Strawberry Daiquiri, and a bubbly and fruity Peach Bellini. Each Happy Flower cocktail contains 5mg HDD9 THC per 12oz. can and provides a new way for consumers to relax and unwind in a format that’s familiar, convenient, and delicious. Tilray will launch Happy Flower in partnership with Emergent Beverage in the Texas and Louisiana markets.

Tilray’s portfolio of HDD9 beverages offers consumers carefully formulated products for a smooth and balanced experience, providing a new and responsible way to enjoy adult alternative products. This initial offering is just the beginning of Tilray’s strategic approach to capitalize on the growing demand for alternative adult beverages and the HDD9 beverage market. 21+ only. Always enjoy responsibly.

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Cannabis Divided: Parsing the impacts

Cannabis Divided: Parsing the impacts

On a federal level in the United States, Cannabis sativa L. occupies two classifications: hemp and marijuana. Hemp is a federally legal substance currently feeding the adult-use market, where consumers 21 years of age may purchase over the counter products below 5mg of hemp THC in formats such as beverages and edibles. “[These products] produce an intoxicating effect,” says Bob Hoban, Clark Hill cannabis attorney, “all day long and twice on Sundays.” 

The same plant containing more than 0.3% THC by weight – the stigmatized maddening marijuana – has recently been rescheduled from Schedule I to Schedule III in the Controlled Substances Act beneath the Biden administration, reserved for regulated substances that possess some medicinal value. On a case-by-case basis, some 24-38 states have legalized marijuana for recreational and/or medical purposes via clinics and dispensaries. These products cannot cross borders as they are federally non-compliant. 

Therefore hemp (aka “red state weed,” says Hoban) comprises the federal adult-use market for low dose, over the counter intoxicating products, while marijuana is now recognized for its medicinal value. 

A polarizing topic for some, the use of hemp and marijuana by the American people is hot-button issue at the forefront of the presidential election taking place Nov. 5, 2024, between the new leader of the Democratic party, Kamala Harris, and the Republican nominee, former president Donald Trump. Publicly, the candidates’ respective stance on cannabis has oscillated, though it now appears that Harris advocates for legalization. 

What is the likelihood of federally descheduled marijuana in the U.S., on either side of the political aisle, and is federal legalization even a good idea? Denver-based attorney Bob Hoban, with 25 years of experience, and Vancouver’s Rob Laurie, founder of Ad Lucem Law Corporation, joined Grow Opportunity last month to share their views on the U.S. federal election and what it could mean for both Canada and United States on matters  of hemp, marijuana and the global cannabis marketplace.

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Historic prohibition & recent rescheduling 

Regardless of whether Americans view the rescheduling as “an election day ploy,” considering the proximity to the Democratic National Convention and the final results on Schedule III moving forward, this fall the verdict will finalize on the advancement of marijuana on a Schedule III substance. “In other words,” says Hoban, “just a couple of weeks before Election Day, if you care about marijuana, ‘look what we, the Democrats, did for you. We relaxed the restrictions around marijuana.’” 

Why did cannabis even end up with opium in the first place, poses Laurie, citing the Asian Exclusion Act and the backdrop of racism: “Cannabis was used as well with hash and opium to go after and prevent the Asian immigration in the last century.” A jump to the 1970s shows the “Nixon administration and the demonization of cannabis being effectively the poster child of counterculture drugs, along with psychedelics,” he says, “the injustices of which we’re still grappling with today.”

As previously mentioned, despite that Harris may now be coming around to cannabis, “of course she’s had a history of flip flopping on the issue,” recalls Laurie, going back to her days as Attorney General for the state of California.

The U.S. stance on cannabis and marijuana ultimately impacts the global market on an international level and is indeed a step in the right direction. Trump did not greenlight the use of marijuana during his presidency, but he did create a “$23 billion hemp industry in the United States when he signed our Farm Bill into act,” says Hoban; “he’s no stranger to business around cannabis.” 

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Laurie and Hoban consider the economic allure of a regulated cannabis market, questioning whether the more right leaning party might be the ones to take the bold step creating a framework around cannabis that generates revenue and draws tax dollars. 

On the flip side, it’s worth noting that the Democrats, and Joe Biden specifically, implemented the “three strikes rule.” This policy drastically altered the demographics of federal prisons in the U.S., shifting the majority from Caucasians to minority communities.

“So Democrats are no friends of cannabis; don’t make any mistake here,” says Hoban. “However, they have a social justice approach to it, largely, whereas the Republicans have spoken about it more in favour of a business approach.”

So it’s anyone’s guess what happens next, but Hoban does not expect to see federally compliant cannabis businesses. “I think you’re going to see this continued patchwork with federal policy that stays Schedule III.”

The hemp vs. marijuana civil war 

Hemp has gained traction in red states, largely free from the stigma attached to marijuana. However, the compounding effects of cannabinoids in products like beverages or gummies can still produce an intoxicating effect, even if they’re milder than the higher-dosed items found in dispensaries in states where marijuana is legal. “I would be interested to see how Schedule III effectively eliminates the notion of adult-use cannabis or recreational cannabis,” says Hoban. 

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He continues, considering that flower in its natural state in accordance with Schedule III will need to be produced for a medical purpose within a medical supply chain. So how do you do adult-use? The over the counter void as it currently stands is being filled by low dose hemp products, inciting a battle between the hemp and marijuana sectors. “You’d have to figure out how a product that could potentially be consumed by inhalation fits within a medical framework,” he says.  

Whereas descheduling is concerned, that “was never really a real possibility from a government agency,” says Hoban, “that’s a political move.” However, it also begs the question: is federal legalization in the United States a good thing? 

“I’m not so sure it is,” he says.

“Federal legalization could make this purely a pharmaceutical play, purely a go-to-your-doctor-and-get-a-pill play, that continues to foster the illicit market because if I want my cannabis flower, I’ll be damned if the law is going to tell me I have to go to a doctor and get a pill for the same effect.”

Furthermore, the specifics of a Schedule III license remain uncertain, particularly regarding whether the DEA will even issue those licenses. Then once a cultivator or manufacturer obtains registration under Schedule III, they will be limited to selling only to other Schedule III license holders, and the international equivalent, in order to engage in commerce. 

Photo: Ева Поликарпова / Adobe Stock

Seeking reconciliation 

Both Laurie and Hoban agree that eventually the systems do merge, and there does need to be an opportunity to reconcile on an international level: meaning hemp and marijuana are called cannabis, regulated by its use. 

“If I’m going to put anything in my body, even if it’s for protein or omega 3s versus cannabinoid content, then there’s largely going to have to be some sort of synergy between the two sectors,” says Hoban. “It should all be cannabis regulated pursuant to its uses… But you just never know. Political leadership comes in weird shapes and sizes and economics and consumer behavior usually drives that discussion.” 

Already low dose THC hemp beverages are being sold at professional sporting events, big concert venues, and over 5,000 liquor stores across the U.S. sell low-dose Delta 9 hemp derived beverages. 

“It would not surprise me at all, no matter who wins our presidency,” says Hoban, “if they see this clamor towards Schedule III and they see the cons, they really then start to look at the consumer numbers.” 

Election Day predictions 

Independent, libertarian-minded Hoban suspects the American voters will divide into three groups: one-third reliably votes Democrat, one-third reliably votes Republican and the swing voters, swayed by key issues, often determine election outcomes influenced by hot-button topics like abortion rights and racial divides. He sees economic issues dominating the discussion, with many blaming the Biden administration for the rising cost of living, predicting that voters will “vote with their wallets,” leading to a 51/49 Republican victory. 

On a similar note, Laurie sees voters in both the United States and Canada getting fed up with leaders unable to handle rising costs effectively, predicting that this frustration will likely lead to a narrow win for Trump. 

“I think both camps can capitalize on exactly what Bob identified, the fact that the cost of living now, it seems almost like our respective leaders are incompetent or impotent with respect to their abilities to deal with the rising cost,” he says. 

Laurie points out the role cannabis could play in elections, noting some interesting overlaps with the religious and Indigenous issues, but is ultimately being eclipsed by other pressing problems and perhaps feelings of alienation by the progressive left. He says that cannabis may not even be a factor in the way people vote, because “any of the demographics in the middle that haven’t made up their mind will vote either with their wallet, their faith, or the fact that they want to see a return to white picket fence, apple pie and baseball America.” 

“Unfortunately, hemp versus marijuana has become such a politicized issue,” says Hoban, “but the industry is cannibalizing itself as well.”   Rather than the marijuana sector partnering with anti-hemp prohibitionists, both sectors need to be aligned, and they need to be patient. 

“Because I honestly think that any industry that still has these barriers and these boundaries is going to struggle and flounder,” says Laurie. “Especially when the Canadian cannabis industry can only move as far and as fast as the elephant south of the border, and their international and drug policies,” he concludes. “And I do expect huge things from the legal U.S. industry.” 

Combination of Extraction Processes

Combination of Extraction Processes

The need for greater efficiency in the preparation of samples has already started to stimulate the search for combinations of extraction processes to revolutionize the production and research and development sector in the public and private environment. Conventional techniques such as solid phase extraction (SPE), liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) can be well combined with some microextraction techniques such as solid phase microextraction (SPME) and dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME), while, taken individually they have advantages and limitations. 

Innovative strategies such as combining different methods serve to limit the problems related to complex matrices such as environmental ones (soil, water, air, etc.), food products and biological samples.

The main objective is to optimize separation, enrichment and purification of analytes. The overall improvement of the analysis is achieved through the synergistic approach which allows the isolation of compounds even in traces and very low concentrations, fundamental for accurate and sensitive detection. 

Technological advances are driving the demand for protocols for more efficient and reliable analytical methods. Indeed, these hybrid techniques are not only designed to meet specific extraction requirements, but also to simplify and reduce the number of steps in analytical work, especially by reducing the use of solvents and decreasing the need for specialized equipment. 

Why Combining Extraction Processes? 

Combining extraction processes is driven by several compelling reasons that address the inherent challenges and limitations of individual extraction methods. One of the primary motivations is the need to handle complex matrices effectively. Traditional extraction techniques often struggle with samples that contain multiple interfering substances. For example, by combining methods such as SPE with Dispersive Liquid-Liquid MicroExtraction of UAE with µ-SPE , better separation and purification can be achieved during laboratory analyses, thus improving purity and increasing concentration. 

in combination with simultaneous Liquid-Phase Micro Extraction (LPME) can ensure maceration and extraction in a single step, optimizing time and costs. This not only increases operational efficiency but is intended to be in line with the principles of green chemistry, reducing waste and energy consumption to a minimum. 

The flexibility offered by combined methods allows for customization to specific analytical needs. Whether solid or liquid samples, extractors can select the appropriate combinations that best suit the nature of their samples and the analytes of interest. 

Combining Extraction Processes for Solid Samples 

Combining extraction processes for solid samples is a highly effective strategy for improving analyte recovery, selectivity, and overall analytical performance. Solid samples often present challenges due to their complex matrices and difficulty accessing target compounds. Traditional methods alone may not be sufficient to achieve the desired levels of efficiency and sensitivity.  

By integrating techniques such as microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) with microextraction methods, results can be significantly improved, responding to market demands. Technologies based on microextraction exploit small quantities of solvents and materials, in line with the principles of green chemistry. Miniaturizing the process means increasing extraction efficiency and reducing environmental impact. The analyzes can also be automated and coupled with further advanced analytical tools (HPLC, GC, MS). 

If you integrate technologies like the MAE or UAE with microextraction you can notice improvements in the quality of extraction, let’s see some examples. 

MAE combined with Microextraction 

MAE, which uses microwave energy to rapidly heat the , increases the transfer speed of the analytes into solution, with evident time savings. This method is particularly advantageous for solid samples that require the disruption of strong intermolecular forces to release target analytes. One of the main advantages of this combination is the significant increase in extraction yields.

MAE’s efficient heating mechanism ensures that a greater proportion of target compounds are transferred from the solid sample to the extraction solvent. This is particularly useful for extracting thermally stable compounds from plant materials, soil and food samples, where traditional methods may prove lacking. 

If microextraction techniques such as SPME or Liquid-Phase Microextraction are combined, the process benefits from high enrichment factors due to MAE and the specificity offered by these miniaturized methods. 

UAE combined with Microextraction 

Researchers also use ultrasound-assisted extraction techniques (UAE) because this technology takes advantage of the production of cavitation bubbles induced by a device equipped with a probe (called sonotrope) which is immersed in the solution. Ultrasounds are generated by means of piezoelectric materials such as quartz or barium titanate: the frequency, the power of the generated waves and the type of propagation in the materials vary based on the material chosen. 

Ultrasound facilitates the release of analytes from the solid matrix into the solvent by stimulating the rupture of membranes or cell walls through the implosion of bubbles near the surfaces of the solid creating microjets at very high temperatures and pressures, while microextraction allows selective extraction of compounds based on chemical characteristics. This synergy leads to extracts with reduced contamination or co-extracted impurities with considerable time savings. 

When UAE is combined with microextraction methods such as SPME or DLLME there are multiple advantages. The mechanical action of UAE guarantees complete extraction of analytes, even those deeply embedded in complex matrices.  

The microextraction technique concentrates these analytes into a smaller volume, improving the detection limits and sensitivity of the assay. An advantage of this combination is the improvement in yield. The ability of UAE to break down solid/complex matrices more effectively than conventional methods leads to higher recovery rates of target compounds. This is particularly advantageous for bioactive compounds in medicinal plants, pesticides in soil, and contaminants in food products, where achieving high yields is critical for accurate quantification. Selectivity is another significant advantage. 

Combining Extraction Processes for Liquid Samples 

One of the main disadvantages of extraction from liquid samples is the large variety of polarities of the analytes and the presence of interfering substances. Even in this case, the combination of extraction processes can represent a solution. In fact, traditional extraction methods such as LLE may not be sufficient to address these complexities. 

By integrating advanced techniques such as SPE with microextraction methods, extractors can significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the extraction process. One of the main advantages of combining extraction processes for liquid samples is the ability to achieve high enrichment and improved cleanliness.

For example, SPE-DLLME is a popular combination in which SPE serves to isolate and pre-concentrate target analytes from large volumes, while DLLME further improves the concentration of these analytes, leading to significantly improved detection sensitivity. This two-step approach ensures that even trace-level analytes can be accurately quantified. 

SPE combined with Microextraction Techniques 

The objective of combining techniques such as SPE with microextraction techniques such as DLLME or SPME is to improve the efficiency and selectivity of the extraction method applied to liquid samples. SPE is renowned for its ability to handle large volumes of liquid, offering robust cleanup and pre-concentration of analytes.

When combined with microextraction methods, the overall analytical performance is significantly enhanced, and the volumes of materials are reduced. Microextraction techniques typically use very small amounts of solvents, which complements the SPE process, making the overall extraction procedure more economical and environmentally friendly, reducing the environmental footprint of the extraction process. 

One of the primary advantages of combining SPE with microextraction techniques is the substantial increase in enrichment in the analyte’s concentration. 

SPE can efficiently isolate and concentrate target analytes from large liquid volumes, removing many interfering substances. The following application of microextraction methods like DLLME further concentrates the analytes into a much smaller volume, resulting in exceptionally high enrichment factors and improved sensitivity for trace-level detection

The selectivity of the extraction process is also greatly improved through this combination. SPE cartridges can be tailored with specific sorbents to target particular classes of compounds, while microextraction methods add another layer of selectivity based on the physicochemical properties of the analytes. This dual selectivity ensures that the final extract is highly purified and free from many potential contaminants. 

Summary of Combining Extraction Methods 

The combination of extraction processes creates innovative solutions to overcome the limitations of individual methods. By integrating techniques such as MAE and UAE with microextraction methods like SPME and DLLME, extractors can achieve superior extraction yields, enhanced selectivity, and more efficient workflows

For solid samples, the synergy between advanced extraction techniques and microextraction facilitates the thorough disruption of complex matrices, enabling the efficient release and concentration of target analytes. In liquid samples, combinations like SPE-DLLME provide enhanced cleanup and ultra-high enrichment factors, ensuring precise and sensitive detection of trace compounds. 

While combined extraction methods offer numerous advantages, including reduced solvent usage, minimized procedural steps, and improved adherence to green chemistry principles, they also present challenges such as increased operational complexity and time. Future research should focus on addressing these challenges through the development of automated and online coupled extraction systems. Such advancements could streamline the analytical process, reduce the likelihood of human error, and further enhance the efficiency and reliability of combined extraction methods. 

References: 

  1. M. Sajid, J. Płotka-Wasylka, Combined extraction and microextraction techniques: recent trends and future perspectives. Trends in Analytical Chemistry. 2018.