CSUN On Point

Cannabinoids, most commonly known as CBD products, are making their way into the consumer market, but questions continue to arise as to whether they are safe and legal.

New Frontier Data found that the $390 million market for all hemp products will triple by 2022. CVS and Walgreen have already announced they would begin selling hemp-derived CBD products in stores nationwide.

The products are gaining popularity after users reported they reduce anxiety and help with sleep issues. Some users believe CBD offers a natural alternative to drugs that relieve pain and treat anxiety, inflammation and depression.

The Controlled Substances Act of 1970 had made all hemp-derived products prohibited under federal law, but that ban ended with the 2018 Farm Bill. This bill lifted the federal ban, and allowed states to grow CBD products, which are extracted from cannabis and known as hemp. States that want to grow hemp products must apply and meet the requirements of the Agriculture Department.

Despite CBD’s increasing popularity, few scientific studies exist to prove its benefits, leaving many people confused about the difference between CBD and medical marijuana. CBD does not contain the THC component of marijuana, but some people, including some doctors, say they still have safety concerns.

“A lot of doctors kind of don’t know [what CBD can do] either, so they’ll discourage their patients,” said CBD entrepreneur Marissa Sanchez.

Sanchez said she started using CBD because she did not want to become dependent on prescribed medications for depression. She attended a CBD workshop at Feeling Groovy Wellness and Cafe, in Claremont, Calif., where she met CEO and Founder Nicole Lanni, and learned about the benefits of using CBD infused products.

“My overall well-being is much better, ” Lanni said. “Physically, I feel better. My skin is better. I think my relationships with people are better.”

Questions about the legality of products containing CBD oil still come up, despite how common they are in some cities.

States are allowed to ban CBD, despite it being legal now under federal law, and in states where CBD is produced legally, truck drivers may still be arrested for drug trafficking when trying to deliver it across state lines.

Still, proponents say its popularity will continue, especially because of its potential to help people.

“CBD can actually help people get off of other addictive substances,” Sanchez said.

Moderator: Chris Farias

Producer: Chris Farias

Anchor: Jamontae Hickman

Social Media Editor: Karissa Preciado

Reporters: Gloria Alas, Enrie Amezcua, Chris Farias, Darya Hariri, Jamontae Hickman, Coraima Hurtado, Karissa Preciado

Getting a flu shot can save your life.

According to the World Health Organization, between 250,000 to 500,000 people die every year from the flu. The most common flu symptoms are fever, cough, sore throat, chills, runny nose and a headache. Urgent care physician’s assistant Vanessa Guzman said the flu can also lead to pneumonia.

The vaccine is made, often using egg-based technology, and adjusted every season by drug manufacturers, working in collaboration with the WHO and the FDA, to test and improve the effectiveness of the shot depending on which viruses are expected to be in circulation.

But the National Opinion Research Center reports that in 2018,  41 percent of Americans said they did not plan on getting the flu vaccine. Some people say they never get the flu, or they don’t believe in vaccines. And about one in three say they choose not to get vaccinated because they believe the flu shot will make them sick.

“It is really impossible to get the flu from the flu vaccine,” said Mercedes Gallup, Nursing and Clinical Supervisor at CSUN’s Klotz Student Health Center. She said most of the time people who do get sick had been exposed to the virus prior to the vaccination.

Gallup recommends getting the shot before flu season begins, because the immune system takes two weeks to build itself up from the vaccine, leaving a vulnerability period in which you can become ill if you’re exposed to the virus.

Other people don’t get vaccinated because they worry about side effects. The most common are a sore arm or bump. The CDC recommends that those with allergies to eggs should take precautions, but may be vaccinated.

Even after the shot, people can still limit their exposure to viruses, and decrease their chances of getting sick, with some simple precautions like washing hands regularly and avoiding people who are ill.

“You can do your best to minimize and mitigate the chance of an infection, from not just the flu, but other things as well,” Medtronics Inc. associate scientist Simrat Kalsi said.

The Klotz Student Health Center offers the flu shot at a low price, and with medical insurance students can get the vaccine for free at most pharmacies.

Moderator: Monica Campos

Producer: Demothy Tien

Anchor: Alan Cardoza

Social Media Editor: Kimberly Lopez Chavez

Reporters: Kenia Arevalo, Monica Campos, Alan Cardoza, Lauren Cienfuegos, Zaira Garcia, Kimberly Lopez Chavez and Demothy Tien

Fad diets are diets that claim to help people with weight loss. There are several well known ones, such as the Paleo Diet, the Five Bite Diet, the Master Cleanse, Juicing, Gluten-free diets and many more.

“How do you spell diet?…and what are the first three letters of diet?” asked Professor Terri Lisagor from CSUN’s Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science Program. “Diets that we see in our society are built-in failures…When we are trying to give people advice, we want them to practice balance, variety, moderation, and exercise.”

She said the best way to get fit is by balancing the food groups, having variety in those food groups, not feeling guilty about food intake, and exercising.

Many of these diets do become trends. Seeing a celebrity endorsing something immediately makes people want to try it. There’s always an assumption that it’ll work. The truth is, nobody really knows if a fad diet will work unless real research and time is put into making sure all parts of a fad diet are understood. Extreme programs like the Master Cleanse can be particularly unhealthy.

“It can be really dangerous,” Certified Nutritionist Liz Voosen said. “You’re really just drinking, and not eating anything, and you can end up with all kinds of health problems. People actually pass out from it, because their blood sugar goes all wonky…” Learning how to eat right is essential; just juicing won’t fix anything. “You lose a couple of pounds, [and think] ‘hey that’s great!’, [but] you can’t sustain it,” Voosen said.

“I think we’re all searching for health,” Voosen said, “and we’re all searching for what is the right diet…[but fad diets] just don’t work and they don’t last.”

“People are looking for an easy fix,” Lisagor said.

Voosen and Lisagor said education, overall health and cultural preferences should be taken into consideration when trying to find ways to help people eat better.

Moderator: Melanie Rosales

Producer: Marissa Martinez

Anchor: Angela Bickmann

Social Media Editors: Karin Abcarians and Jesyka Dunn

Reporters: Karin Abcarians, Angela Bickmann, Jesyka Dunn, Marissa Martinez and Melanie Rosales

Recently, social media have started setting a high beauty standard for both men and women.

Billions of dollars are spent annually on beauty products in this country, and a  study done by a British makeup company found that 68 percent of employers say they would not want to hire women who don’t wear make up.

“One’s sense of self-esteem is hit hard when one feels as though he or she doesn’t measure up to the classic image of the media,” psychologist Yvonne Thomas said.

“The media’s job is to tell a story, ” said Gender and Women’s Studies Professor Shira Brown, Director of the Women’s Research and Resource Center. “The story being told portrays a false sense of image for the average person, especially young boys and girls, whether it’s on television, magazines or the radio…Unfortunately the story being told is [of] a particular body or hair type, which puts pressure on society’s body image.”

The Internet has become the go-to way for finding information. Many people go online to do research about health and beauty, and find the same unrealistic standards of beauty there that they would in traditional media. Experts said those standards have an impact on individuals.

“I got a lot of doors shut on me, and that really actually lowered my self-esteem and I did get anorexia,” said social media model Magi Tcherno. She said she didn’t feel beautiful until she under went a breast augmentation. Tcherno jumpstarted her own modeling career by representing herself online after she was rejected by modeling agencies who told her she wasn’t good enough. It was at that point, she said, that she became more determined and developed the self-confidence to build her own modeling career.

Dove, a personal care products manufacturer owned by Unilever, has built a marketing strategy around increased self-esteem for men and women, partly by showing many different body types and standards in their advertising.

“I believe that good things come when you show diversity in body type; good things come when you show diversity in skin color and height,” Brown said.

Moderator: Delmy Moran

Anchor: Brittni Perez

Producer: Celene Zavala

Social Media Editors:  Jordan Williams

Reporters: Delmy Moran, Brittni Perez, Kiesha Phillips, Daniel Saad, Jordan Williams and Celene Zavala

California voters face an important decision in this upcoming November ballot, about making marijuana legal for recreation use.

Prop 64, also known as the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, will let Californians decide whether to allow individuals 21 years or older possess up to 28.5 grams of marijuana for legal use.

The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws says four states: Colorado, Washington, Alaska and Oregon, have legalized the use of recreational marijuana without any major problems, while other states have legalized it for medical use.

The initiative would create a 15% excise tax on the retail price of recreational marijuana. “The government of California would rake in a substantial amount of revenue from that,” said CSUN economics professor Dennis Halcoussis. The projected revenue from legalization is expected to exceed $1 billion.

Marijuana retailers also expect to make money from the new law. “I think [business] is going to be even better,” said Garden Secrets Medical Marijuana Dispensary owner Tommy Amady.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the revenue that will come from taxes will be used for substance abuse education and treatment programs, environmental improvement, and more.

“Our biggest win, that I think is unprecedented compared to all the others states, is we have a $50 million reinvestment fund that will go to communities previously harmed by the War on Drugs,” said Campaign Program Associate for Californians for Responsible Marijuana Reform, Leslie Otañez.

Voters will have their opportunity to cast their vote on November 8, and decide whether they are ready for a change in the marijuana industry.

Moderator: Thomas Gallegos

Anchor: Jackie Wawee

Producer: Susana Guzman

Social Media: Alicia Dieguez and Ke-Alani Sarmiento

Reporters: Alicia Dieguez, Thomas Gallegos, Ke-Alani Sarmiento, Nicholas Torres and Jackie Wawee