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CBD News Roundup: California CBD Bill Signed by Governor Gavin Newsom

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Written by The CBD Insider

Here’s the latest CBD news:

  • California governor Gavin Newsom has officially signed AB 45, a bill that legalizes the retail sale of hemp products in the state.
  • Cannabigerol (CBGA), the “mother of all cannabinoids,” shows impressive anticonvulsant properties in a study.
  • A recent survey of more than 500 CBD brands shows a push towards greater transparency.

California CBD Bill Signed by Governor Newsom

AB 45, a bill intended to legalize the retail sale of hemp extract products throughout California, was just signed and immediately enacted by governor Gavin Newsom. 

A key provision in the bill makes clearer distinctions between now-legal hemp products (0.3% or less THC by dry weight, pursuant to the 2018 Farm Bill) and “adulterated” products, while other provisions outline the safety and reporting requirements of manufacturers and retailers of CBD products.

As erring CBD brands across the country continue to be penalized for making health-related statements, AB 45 digs in on this standard, penalizing “health-related statements regarding hemp … that are untrue in any particular manner are prohibited.”

Also of importance for California hemp product brands is a provision in AB 45 that allows the sale of hemp produced outside the state.

To find out more about the landmark bill, check out the official language here. 

Study: CBGA May Beat CBD in Seizure Treatment Potential

A recent study by University of Sydney researchers found that cannabigerolic acid (CBGA) “potentiated the anticonvulsant effects of clobazam against hyperthermia-induced and spontaneous seizures.”

In simpler terms, CBGA in conjunction with an epilepsy drug can produce stronger anti-seizure effects than the drug itself.

Often referred to as the “mother” or “grandfather” of all cannabinoids, CBGA is a chemical precursor found within cannabis plants that is essential for the reactions that produce the other main cannabinoids. 

When tested on mice with Dravet syndrome, a form of childhood epilepsy for which the CBD-based drug Epidiolex is FDA approved, researchers found CBGA to be more effective than cannabidivarinic acid (CBDVA) and cannabigerovarinic acid (CBGVA).

In high doses, however, CBGA had the opposite effect, actually increasing seizure frequency in mice.

For this reason and a more standard set of precautions, these researchers (and contemporaries) are calling for more studies to further explore the safety and efficacy of CBGA.

Oracle Review Shows CBD Brands Upping Transparency

A large-scale survey of 520 CBD results companies recently conducted by cannabis reviewers CBD Oracle has yielded promising results in the area of transparency and others.

In the survey, CBD Oracle asked companies about their third-party testing and hemp sourcing practices, products and categories, extraction methods, use of minor cannabinoids, and more.

Though the general trend was positive in most of these areas, the survey did reveal some striking disparities in transparency, certification level, and more.

Key findings from the survey as reported by Oracle include the following:

  • The vast majority of surveyed brands (90%) use third-party labs to test their products
  • 42% of respondents use the gold standard of CBD extraction methods (CO2), but an alarming 43% would not disclose their extraction method.
  • Only 5% of CBD companies are USDA Certified Organic.
  • 18.1% of respondents sourcing hemp from the USA would not disclose which state(s) the hemp comes from.

As the industry draws nearer to regulation, we will continue to provide updates on findings like these that provide consumers and regulators much-needed context.


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