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Month: August 2019

Mahomes sharp as Chiefs rout Bengals in preseason opener

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes picked up where he left off from his record-breaking debut as a starter, marching the Kansas City Chiefs downfield for a first-quarter touchdown in what became a 38-17 preseason victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday night.

Mahomes did a bit of everything on the only series by the Chiefs’ first-team offense, going 4 for 4 for 66 yards while adding a 10-yard scramble and inducing an an offside penalty.

Andy Dalton was nearly as sharp for Cincinnati, going 7 of 9 for 80 yards while leading his team on a 14-play, 75-yard touchdown march to open the game. Dalton did it without the services of injured wide receiver A.J. Green or his top two running backs, Joe Mixon and Giovani Bernard.

The most interesting thing to happen in the game came late in the first half, when Kyle Shurmur was marching the Chiefs downfield. His throw to Byron Pringle down the sideline was picked by safety Brandon Wilson, scuttling the drive and giving Cincinnati a chance with the ball.

But under a rule change approved by NFL owners in March, pass interference calls can be reviewed — a response to the controversial non-call in the NFC title game last season. And when officials reviewed the play Saturday night, they decided that cornerback Tony Lippett had caused interference.

The penalty gave the Chiefs the ball back and they wound up kicking a field goal.

In a delicious coincidence, the provision passed by a 31-1 vote of owners at the league’s annual meeting in Phoenix. The only team that voted against the rule was Cincinnati.

EARLY EXIT

Chiefs CB D’Montre Wade, who has been competing for a backup job, was ejected in the third quarter for hitting a defenseless receiver near the head. The Bengals ended the drive with a field goal.

ROOKIE WATCH

Chiefs WR Mecole Hardman caught a shuffle pass from Shurmur in the second quarter and went 17 yards for a touchdown. The second-round pick finished with two catches for 31 yards in his debut.

EYE ON THE BALL

Bengals punt returner Darius Phillips recovered his own muffed punt in the second quarter, but he wasn’t as fortunate in the third. The Chiefs’ Deon Yelder recovered his next one, and quarterback Chase Litton proceeded to hit running back Darwin Thompson with a 29-yard touchdown throw.

INJURIES

Bengals SS Clayton Fejedelem was carted off with a right ankle injury. TE Cethan Carter left with a neck strain, RB Trayveon Williams hurt his ribs and DT Christian Ringo hurt his thumb.

Chiefs TE John Lovett left early in the second half with a shoulder injury.

MISSING STARS

Bengals DT Geno Atkins joined Mixon and Bernard in getting the night off. The Chiefs sat RB Damien Williams, who recently returned from a hamstring injury, and DE Frank Clark, who has been dealing with a sore wrist after signing a $104 million, five-year deal in the offseason.

UP NEXT

Bengals: At Washington on Thursday night.

Chiefs: At Pittsburgh next Saturday.

Montgomery records 12 Ks, Royals beat Tigers

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DETROIT (AP) — Mike Montgomery finally got Kansas City a win, 11 years after being drafted by the Royals.

The 30-year-old Montgomery struck out a career-high 12 in seven innings as the Royals beat the Detroit Tigers 7-0 Saturday.

“It took a little while to get my first win as a Royal, but it feels good,” Montgomery said. “We needed this one, which makes it even better.”

Montgomery was selected in the first round of the 2008 draft, but went to Tampa Bay in a trade for Wade Davis and James Shields in 2012. He made his major-league debut with the Mariners in 2015 before winning a World Series ring with the Cubs in 2016.

On July 15, he returned to Kansas City in a trade for catcher Martin Maldonado.

“I would have never believed it if you would have told me it would take this long to win for Kansas City,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of experiences since I was last with the Royals, so to win this game and do it with a career-high in strikeouts makes it even sweeter.”

Jorge Soler homered and scored twice for the Royals, who had lost six of seven.

The Tigers were trying to win three straight games for the first time since May 28-31, against the Orioles and Braves.

“He had a great changeup and he came hard inside on a lot of guys,” Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire said. “We really didn’t even hit many balls hard.”

Montgomery (2-5) picked up his first win of the year as a starter, allowing four singles without walking a batter. He struck out 10 Royals for Seattle on June 13, 2015.

“That was enjoyable to watch,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “You could tell right from the outset that he was on his game.”

Spencer Turnbull (3-10) pitched six innings, allowing two runs on three hits and a walk.

Neither team had a baserunner until Whit Merrifield singled to start the fourth. Turnbull retired the next two batters before Jorge Soler homered off the brick wall behind the stands in right-center.

“I knew he hit it hard, but that’s the deepest part of the ballpark, so I wasn’t sure,” Yost said. “I had to look again to see where it hit. He really crushed it.”

It was Soler’s second homer in as many games and 33rd of the season.

Brandon Dixon broke up Montgomery’s perfect game with a leadoff single in the fifth, but was caught stealing.

“He was really tough out there,” Tigers catcher Jake Rogers said. “He went right after us and we weren’t able to do anything against him.”

The top three in Detroit’s order — Victor Reyes, Niko Goodrum and Miguel Cabrera — went 0-6 with six strikeouts the first two times through the order.

The Royals made it 4-0 off Gregory Soto in the seventh. With two out, Soto misplayed a grounder by Meibrys Viloria. He recovered with time to throw out the bulky Viloria, but threw the ball into right field, allowing Soler and Bubba Starling to score.

“Once the ball hit off his glove, he just panicked,” Gardenhire said. “All he had to do was make a nice, easy throw, but he rushed it.”

The inning could have gotten worse, but right-fielder Travis Demeritte made a running catch of a drive to deep right-center by Humberto Arteaga and got Soto out of the inning.

Hunter Dozier made it 5-0 with an RBI triple in the eighth, and Merrifield added a two-run double in the ninth.

Gardenhire was relieved the Tigers escaped Merrifield’s blooper without major injury. The ball fell between Demeritte, Reyes and Goodrum, all of whom had to take evasive action to avoid a full-speed collision. Goodrum spiked Reyes in the shin, but he stayed in the game.

“That could have been a lot worse,” Gardenhire said. “Merrifield got jammed and it landed in the perfect spot with all three guys trying to make a play. We got lucky there.”

NEGRO LEAGUE TRIBUTE

The Royals wore the uniforms of the Kansas City Monarchs, while the Tigers were dressed as the Detroit Stars as part of Detroit’s annual Negro League weekend.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Royals: SS Adalberto Mondesi (shoulder) is taking grounders and throwing, but has not begun to swing a bat. He’s been out since injuring his shoulder on July 17.

Tigers: LF Christin Stewart (concussion) was recalled from his rehab assignment with Triple-A Toledo after his symptoms returned. He was able to do a cardio workout on Saturday. … CF JaCoby Jones missed his second straight game after being hit in the wrist on Thursday.

UP NEXT

The teams finish their four-game series on Sunday with Detroit’s Daniel Norris (3-9, 4.76) facing Jakob Junis (7-10, 4.88).

Police: 4 Kansas teens jailed for armed robbery

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SEDGWICK COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating an armed robbery and have three suspects in custody.

Bayleigh McMahon photo Sedgwick Co.
Kaedon Greenin photo Sedgwick Co.

Just after 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday, police responded to an armed robbery call at P&S Liquor, 2010 E. Pawnee in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.

Upon arrival, officers contacted three employees who stated three unknown suspects entered the business, and one was armed with a handgun. The suspects demanded money. The employees refused to give them money, and the suspects grabbed several bottles of liquor and fled on foot.

Through the investigation, investigators determined 18-year-old Bayleigh McMahon, 18-year-old Kaedon Greenin and two  17-year-old boys all of Wichita were involved.

Police located and arrested them.

Bayleigh McMahon and Kaedon Greening are being held on requested charges of aggravated robbery. The two 17-year-old were also sent to juvenile detention on requested charges of aggravated robbery.

The Latest: Fire damage will keep SW Kansas Tyson plant closed indefinitely

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FINNEY COUNTY — Tyson Foods spokesman Worth Sparkman said in a written statement Saturday that due to Friday evening’s fire,  the plant west of Garden City will be down indefinitely.

Just after 8:30p.m. Friday, Garden City Communications Center received a 911 call from the operations manager at the Tyson Fresh Meats, Inc. 3105 I B P Road west of Garden City, according to police.

He reported there was a fire in the west side of the building where the process begins.

Fire crews, law enforcement and Finney County Emergency Management were also on scene until most of Saturday.

The approximately 1200 employees on scene at the time the fire started were evacuated. Authorities have reported no injuries.

Garden City Police department  worked with USD 457 to send buses out to transport employees from Tyson Fresh Meats to Wiley Elementary in Holcomb.

Red Cross has been working with Wiley to assist those who have been displaced by the fire.

Cause of the fire and additional details have not been released.

 

——-

FINNEY COUNTY —As 6:00 a.m. Saturday firefighters were still fighting the fire inside the Tyson plant west of Garden City, according to the Holcomb Fire Department.

Fire at the Tyson plant west of Garden City -photo courtesy Holcomb Community Fire Department

The fire was not under control. Firefighters were being hampered by a collapsed portion of the roof and near zero visibility.

Tyson has their Haz-Mat team deployed on site assisting firefighters.

All available firefighters from Garden City and Holcomb  were on scene and most have been since the first alarm just after 8:00 pm Friday.

There are no injuries reported.

———–

FINNEY COUNTY —Just after 8:30p.m. Friday, Garden City Communications Center received a 911 call from the operations manager at the Tyson Fresh Meats, Inc. 3105 I B P Road west of Garden City, according to police.

He reported there was a fire in the west side of the building where the process begins.

Fire crews, law enforcement and Finney County Emergency Management is also on scene until early Saturday morning.

The approximately 1200 employees on scene at the time the fire started were evacuated. Authorities have reported no injuries.

Garden City Police department  worked with USD 457 to send buses out to transport employees from Tyson Fresh Meats to Wiley Elementary in Holcomb.

Red Cross has been working with Wiley to assist those who have been displaced by the fire.

 Tyson said there would be no “A” shift production for process and harvest on Saturday

Cause of the fire and additional details have not been released.

————

FINNEY COUNTY — Authorities are working a fire on the slaughter side of the Tyson plant, 3105 I B P Road west of Garden City, according to Finney County Sheriff Kevin Bascue.

Officials evacuated the area where the fire is located and everyone is accounted for, according to Bascue. No injuries are being reported.

Check the post for additional details as they become available.

Link between women’s gun ownership and increased political participation shown in KU study

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Measuring to a paper target on the shooting range. (Photo credit iStock)

KU NEWS SERVICE

LAWRENCE — Politicians pay close attention to the demands of gun owners. They also pay attention to women voters. But little of their focus is aimed at women who are gun owners.

Apparently, that is a big oversight by those seeking public office.

“I wanted to explore the ‘gun gap’ among women,” Alexandra Middlewood said.

“There’s research out there on the political effects of gun ownership, but the effect on women specifically really hasn’t been looked at — especially not in a quantitative way, using survey analysis and data.”

Alexandra Middlewood

Middlewood, who earned her doctorate in political science at the University of Kansas in May, joins KU professors Mark Joslyn and Don Haider-Markel in crafting an article titled “Intersectionality in Action: Gun Ownership and Women’s Political Participation.” It will be published in a forthcoming issue of Social Science Quarterly (now available online).

The article contends that female gun owners display levels of political involvement in gun policy and a greater willingness to engage in discussions about gun control than those who don’t own weapons. Interestingly, the evidence also suggests greater political participation among gun-owning women in matters not related to policy.

Simply put: A woman who owns a gun is more likely to vote.

“A lot of people in politics right now are talking about gun control versus gun rights. If we know who is participating in politics and why they’re participating, and why guns are getting them to engage, it has pretty substantial effects on actual policymaking,” Middlewood said.

To determine these results, Middlewood and her associates accessed Pew Research Center data examining political participation pertaining to gun policy. They then launched their own national survey of nearly 900 gun owners. Integrating a 2016 American National Election Studies survey about behavioral and cognitive forms of political participation completed the process.

“There has been a strong movement among gun groups and businesses to attract more women, but the evidence seems to suggest those efforts have failed,” said Haider-Markel, professor and chair of political science at KU.

“However, if you examine gun ownership since the 1970s, you can see that male gun ownership has declined while female gun ownership has stayed about the same as a percentage of the adult population.”

Specifically, the ratio of women who possess guns has remained stable at 11 percent since 1980, even though ownership among men has dropped from 50 to 33 percent during that same span.

Middlewood cites several factors for this statistic.

“A lot of the reason women will say they own guns is fear of victimization. They also want to feel empowered. They want to feel like they can protect themselves if needed in certain circumstances,” she said.

“There is some significant research that shows when women feel like they’re going to be the victims of crime, or they live in areas where crime rates are increasing, the number of concealed carry permits that women apply for increases.”

Does Middlewood herself own a firearm?

“I do not,” she said. “However, some of the surveys about gun ownership ask, ‘Is there a gun in the house?’ I personally do not own a firearm. But my partner is a police officer, and he owns several. So in certain surveys, I would be considered a gun owner as well.”

A Michigan native, Middlewood spent the last three years at KU earning her doctorate, and she will relocate to Wichita State University this month as an assistant professor of American politics. Her area of expertise is public opinion and political behavior.

She’s already expanded on the politics of gun ownership and gender for her dissertation. She hopes to soon turn this topic into a book.

“The Me Too Movement is becoming stronger and stronger, and it’s what we think of as being a pretty liberal movement. And we think of gun ownership as being associated with conservatism,” Middlewood said. “But the research shows that when women feel victimized, they’re more likely to own a gun. So there may be some unexplored connection there.”

Adult education classes being offered at Kansas workplaces

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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Adult education programs offered by Kansas’ colleges and school districts are increasingly heading to workplaces to help employees with needed skills.

For example, Washburn University will soon offer conflict resolution to staffers at the Ramada Hotel in Topeka. Dodge City Community College will provide customer service lessons at Boot Hill Casino. And several schools are providing English classes, one of the most sought-after skills.

“There’s a major shift taking place in education,” said Karen Ulanski, the director for the Paola school district’s adult education center.

Supporters say the classes help schools, businesses and workers. Schools can offer classes without waiting for students to enroll; businesses attract and retain skilled workers; and workers get free classes without having to go to a new location, Kansas News Service reported .

The trend is partly in reaction to the passage of the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act in 2014, which encouraged education programs to meet private-sector needs. Educators began providing more specialized training for specific industries, such as financial literacy skills for retail sales, leading more industries to welcome in those classes.

“There’s broader interest from employers in a range of industries then there used to be,” said Neil Ridley, the state initiative director at Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce.

Walmart recently announced a $460,000 grant for four Kansas adult education centers to offer more classes at retail and service sector workplaces. Six employers are part of the grant, working with centers that serve about a half-dozen employees. More are expected to be added. Several adult education centers are offering classes for the first time this fall.

But even before the grant, adult education centers across the state were offering similar programs: Paola’s school district now offers programs across three counties.

Tyson Foods, which has several meat processing plants in Kansas, has paired with adult education centers to bring in classes since 2016. Tyson expanded that project to Hutchinson last month and plans to add classes to Olathe, Emporia and Kansas City, Kansas, this year.

Employers like the programs because they help attract and retain employees in a tight job market.

“I’m kind of having to get creative in my hiring because everyone else has a position,” said Thea Parks, human research director for the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Topeka. The hotel’s staff will get training from Washburn Institute of Technology, paid for by the Walmart grant.

One drawback is that workers don’t earn credits for a college degree or credential, which makes it harder for workers trying to advance their careers. The Kansas Board of Regents, which oversees the Walmart-funded grant program, does require that the classes give employees skills applicable beyond their current job.

“These programs really should result in industry-recognized credentials that don’t just help them in their current role,” said Lul Tesfai, a senior policy analyst with New America, a left-leaning think tank that studies education.

Prosecutors charge 13-year-old Kansas boy with murder

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OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — Prosecutors say they have charged a 13-year-old Kansas boy with second-degree murder in the shooting death of a 14-year-old boy at a townhome in suburban Kansas City.

Police on the scene of the fatal shooting investigation photo courtesy KCTV

Johnson County District Attorney’s office said the Roeland Park teen who was charged Friday is the same boy that Olathe police had arrested a day earlier. Police initially had said he was 14 years old.

The suspect was arrested hours after the 2:15 a.m. shooting. His name has not been released.

Zavier Mendoza of Olathe has been identified as the shooting victim, and police have said the boys knew each other.

Sheriff: 3 captured after man escapes Kan. jail, chase and crash

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Victor Walker photo Sedgwick Co.

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating three suspects after a man ran from deputies at the Sedgwick County Jail.

Just before 4p.m. Friday, 28-year-old Victor Walker was in the Sedgwick County Jail lobby when deputies discovered he had an active felony warrant for his arrest, according to Lt. Tim Myers.

Walker was handcuffed and placed under arrest for the felony warrant.  As the deputy was collecting Walker’s property from him he fled the lobby.  As he ran out the door, he struck two citizens with the door.  The citizens sustained minor injuries.

Walker ran to a Black Chevy Camaro parked on Water Street.  Walker got into the drivers’ seat and drove away from the jail.  As he drove away, the Camaro struck three parked vehicles and drove over the foot of a 41-year-old Sheriff’s Office Sergeant.  Walker drove north on Water Street, went east on Pine, and then turned south on Topeka Street.  Walker drove south on Topeka to Kellogg, and then drove east on Kellogg to Oliver.  As Walker was driving on the off ramp for Oliver, he struck two additional vehicles at the intersection before the Camaro crashed into the northeast traffic signal.

Hollands photo Sedgwick Co.
Patton photo Sedgwick Co.

Police arrested Walker and booked him in the Sedgwick County Detention Facility on requested charges of Aggravated Battery LEO, 2 counts of Aggravated Assault, Felony Obstruct, Aggravated Escape Custody, Felony Evade and Elude, Possession of Marijuana and the Felony Warrant.

Charles L. Patton II, a 37,  was the front seat passenger in the Camaro.  Patton was booked for Aggravated Battery LEO, 2 counts of Aggravated Assault, Felony Obstruct, Aiding Escape, and Felony Evade and Elude.

Camille L. Hollands, a 38 year old black female, was a rear seat passenger in the Camaro.  Hollands was booked for Possession of Marijuana.

SHPTV Share a Story puts 1,551 books in kids’ hands

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em>SHPTV

BUNKER HILL – Smoky Hills Public Television’s summer reading program, Share a Story, visited 71 communities across central and western Kansas this past June and July. There were 1,650 children and 625 adults who attended the 71 presentations held in partnership with the local libraries.

During the Share a Story presentation, children watched a clip from a PBS Kids Program, listened as the presenter read a story and participated in an activity. The Smoky Hills Public Television presenters Carrie Weese, Jennifer Hanson, Jessica Bowman, and Danica Uhl used the Cat in The Hat show and books to tie into this year’s theme of “Space”.

“We love the Share a Story summer program,” said Kelli King, Smoky Hills Public Television’s director of finance and administration. “To be able to put 1,551 books in children’s hands throughout the summer months is something we are very proud of. We at Smoky Hills Public Television take pride in the educational tools we bring to the communities of central and western Kansas.”

Share a Story is part of Smoky Hills’ education initiative. The Share a Story program is based on the PBS learning triangle of TV that teaches (watch it) + story books (read it) + activities (do it). At the end of the presentation, each child attending received a book to take home.

Simple, fun daily activities like reading aloud, story telling, rhyming, singing, exercise, drawing and acting, teach young children language and literacy skills – and that’s what Smoky Hills Public Television’s Share A Story is all about.

Barton Co. man named to State Noxious Weed Advisory Committee

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Musk thistle is a noxious weed in Kansas.

KDA

MANHATTAN — The Kansas Department of Agriculture has announced the members of the State Noxious Weed Advisory Committee. The committee was established this summer following the passage of HB 2583 which made revising the noxious weed list a regulatory instead of legislative process and established the advisory committee to assist the Kansas Secretary of Agriculture in, among other duties, determining which plant species will be on the list. The first meeting was held in July, and the committee will meet at least once but no more than four times per year. The next meeting will be held in August.

The committee members are: Mike Collinge, livestock producer, Greenwood County; Anita Dille, weed specialist, Kansas State University; Sean Fetty, organic agricultural producer, Wichita County; Walt Fick, weed specialist, Kansas State University; Craig Freeman, Kansas Biological Survey; Mike Friesen, weed supervisor, Meade County; John Lee, weed supervisor, Morris County; Bob Nutt, Kansas Cooperative Council; Ron Ohlde, traditional agricultural producer, Washington County; Carla Pence, county commissioner, Harper County; Johnny Schaben, representing the agricultural industry, Barton County; Stuart Schrag, natural resource professional, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism; and Jacob Thomas, non-traditional agricultural producer, Leavenworth County. Scott Marsh, the state weeds specialist at KDA, will serve as an ex-officio member of the committee.

The committee will serve the state by providing advice and oversight for the KDA noxious and invasive weed program. Read more about noxious weed control in Kansas at: agriculture.ks.gov/NoxiousWeeds.

USDA Inspector General: Moving Research Offices From DC To KC Isn’t Quite Legal

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By AMY MAYER  for the Kansas News Service

Critics of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s decision to move two of its research agencies from Washington, D.C., to the Kansas City area got more ammunition this week.

The most recent development: A report from the USDA’s inspector general that finds some flaws with how the department has executed its plan.

The report found that moving the agencies is within the USDA’s authority, but it failed to meet certain criteria for spending the needed money. The inspector general asked USDA to get an opinion from the legal office, which determined the rules referenced are unconstitutional.

But the inspector general’s report notes that in the past, USDA determined the same rules “are binding upon the Department.”

In response to the report, Norton and Hoyer want USDA to put the brakes on its planned moves.

“We continue to urge Secretary Perdue to halt this misguided relocation process,” the two wrote in a statement.

The offices of Democratic Rep. Sharice Davids, who represents the Kansas side of the Kansas City area, and Missouri Republican Sen. Roy Blunt declined comment on Tuesday after the inspector general’s report became public.

In a guest commentary in The Kansas City Star on Sunday, Blunt wrote that the area makes sense for the agencies for a variety of reasons. Among them: it’s in the animal health research corridor, is close to many land-grant universities in the region that conduct agricultural research and is already home to the USDA’s Farm Service Agency and the Risk Management Agency.

Many groups have criticized the Trump administration and Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue for moving the agencies, branding the move as retaliation against ERS and NIFA research that clashes with the administration’s agenda. The left-leaning National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition issued a statement calling on the moves to be stopped.

“We urge Congress to take this information as an opportunity to end once and for all Secretary Perdue’s strong-arm tactics,” the group wrote, “and stop all action on the relocations until Congress has given its formal approval — or denial.”

Follow Amy on Twitter: @AgAmyinAmes

Kansas retailer: ‘The hemp industry is like the Wild West and Wall Street had a baby’

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CBD comes from low-THC varieties of cannabis, also called hemp. (Photo by Brian Grimmett/Kansas News Service)

By 
Kansas News Service

LAWRENCE — Before starting his CBD company Quiet Trees, Chris Brunin, Lawrence, researched the competition, the labs they used, the products they sold.

He checked out ingredient suppliers and organic hemp farmers. He took everyone’s pitches with a heapful of salt.

“The hemp industry is like the Wild West and Wall Street had a baby,” said Brunin. “You have to vet everything and everybody … to make sure you’re not getting messed with or lied to.”

Brunin advises consumers to do the same. Ask to see lab results. Ask how much actual CBD — not just, say, hemp seed oil — is in a bottle. Comparison shop. Is it overpriced? Often, he says, it is.

Kansas legalized CBD, the cannabis extract cannabidiol, last summer. Since then, the state that came late to this multi-billion dollar industry has seen the number of CBD vendors skyrocket.

Related: Mechanized Concepts hopes Russell will become national hub for industrial hemp production

Spas and massage parlors don’t want to miss their piece of an ever-expanding pie.

Last month, Dillons supermarkets rolled out non-edible CBD offerings — balms, lotions and the like — in its Kansas grocery stores with pharmacies.

But as Americans turn to CBD in search of help for everything from migraines to insomnia to cancer, scientists and regulators worry that some companies market unproven health claims, and that others sell products with inaccurate labels. What’s more, even though the products shouldn’t get you high, some might still make you flunk a drug test.

Meanwhile, people who see medical promise in CBD fret about incompetent or unscrupulous manufacturers tainting an industry that activists fought to legalize. Kansas is one of just four states with exceptionally tight laws on all things cannabis.

Related: CBD Oil With THC In It Is Now In Kansas Stores, But Good Luck Figuring Out If It’s Legal

“Honestly, I’m scared for people,” said Lisa Sublett, of medical cannabis proponents Bleeding Kansas Advocates. “I don’t trust the stuff at your gas station, sorry. You really have no idea what’s in the bottle.”

She recommends consulting The Patient’s Guide to CBD, a 50-page primer from Americans For Safe Access that explains labels, lab analyses and more.

An ad in a Kansas City gym suggest using CBD for Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, psoriasis, Alzheimer’s and more. The FDA has cracked down on companies for similar ads. (Credit Scott Cannon/Kansas News Service)

Done right, advocates say CBD products can change an ailing person’s life.

Scientific studies suggest they’re right — at least for people with certain rare epilepsies, and maybe for others. But the vast majority of anecdotal claims piling up about CBD’s medicinal qualities don’t have backing from clinical trials to prove they’re more than sales pitches and the power of placebo.

“There’s some real value here,” Mayo Clinic physician Brent Bauer said. “But we have to do a lot of work to kind of chip away at the rough edges and find out: How big is the diamond? Is it one carat or is it 40 carats?”Definitive scientific studies will take time. A few intriguing leads include possible benefits for treating anxiety and pain.

Ask for lab results … but know they can be wrong

Quiet Trees, Brunin’s small-batch company, lives in an unassuming 1,500-square-foot lab-and-packing facility in southwest Lawrence.

Shelves line the walls with clear plastic boxes full of bath bombs, vaping mixes and gummy bears. A big blue barrel holds 55 gallons of organic hemp seed oil from Kentucky. A small crew in white lab coats produces, packages and ships products daily to customers — mostly retail shops — in a half dozen states.

One of the shortest routes the products take lands them at CBD of Lawrence. It sits on Massachusetts Street, the heart of the college town’s boutique and local shopping.

There, customers eyeing a bottle of tincture or packet of vape cartridges can whip out a smartphone and scan QR codes on the packaging. That takes them to a Google Drive copy of third-party chemical analyses by a lab in Massachusetts that tests the materials Quiet Trees uses.

Lawrence pharmacist Dustin Hothan says he only stocks CBD brands willing to disclose third-party lab results. (Photo by Nomin Ujiyediin/Kansas News Service)

Pharmacist Dustin Hothan wants that transparency. The co-owner of CBD of Lawrence says he won’t stock anything without independent lab results.

He pores over product reviews online, looking for any quality complaints about the CBD capsules, beverages and more on the shelves of his store.

Still, Hothan once got a tip that a product he stocked contained detectable amounts of THC, the compound in cannabis that can get you high, or, in smaller, non-intoxicating doses, still make you fail a drug test even weeks after discontinuing use.

“So we sent it off for testing,” he said. “It turned out, it did contain THC.”

Consumers can ask to see lab results when buying CBD products. Quiet Trees uses QR codes to let customers view chemical information with smartphones. (Photo by Celia LLopis/Jepsen/Kansas News Service)

The label had promised otherwise. The original lab results, too. Hothan dropped the product.

How can mistakes like these happen? Lab quality varies. The quality of manufacturers in this rapidly ballooning industry does, too. Even the best-intentioned retailers must figure out which names to trust, homing in on labs and brands that prove themselves.

All retailers great and small

Nationally, market analyst Brightfield Group estimates the value of the U.S. CBD industry multiplied seven times over in 2018. In a new report this month, it pegs the market at nearly $24 billion by 2023.

After all, national retailers have joined the action. Customers not drawn to vapes and tinctures will find new takes on old products, Brightfield says. Anti-aging creams. Dog treats. Bottles of multi-vitamin.

The state of Kansas tracks neither the value of CBD sales in the state nor the number of vendors. One hemp advocate guesses the compound is now available at hundreds of locations statewide.

Kelly Rippel, co-founder of Kansans for Hemp, has mixed feelings about that.

“There’s got to be an understanding from all institutions that it can’t be stigmatized anymore,” he said. “But it has to be done in a way that is going to protect public health.”

In reality, neither the state nor federal government check the contents of the tinctures, vapes and more flooding Kansas stores.

As far as the federal Food and Drug Administration is concerned, selling CBD in food and drinks remains illegal. It’s not even approved for dog food.

The sole FDA-approved use is Epidiolex, a CBD drug that proved itself in clinical trials as a treatment for rare types of epilepsy.

As for the booming wellness market, the FDA wants answers to questions about the effects of taking CBD long-term, and about product safety and reports of contamination by pesticides or heavy metals.

“We are looking into this,” the agency said in a recent consumer update.

It has tested a small number of the vast array of CBD products and found contents don’t always match labels. The agency issued warnings, too, to companies caught claiming their products can save people from cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes and more.

Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania and other institutions bought more than 80 CBD products online and found fewer than a third were accurately labeled.

CBD levels were off, and some products that claimed not to contain THC actually did.

Legal quandary and quagmire

Vince Sanders, CEO of national CBD retailer American Shaman, would love to talk about what his products do. But the risk for drawing ire from federal regulators held him back in a recent interview.

“Honestly, up until relatively recently, I said a lot of stuff I probably shouldn’t have in retrospect,” he said.

American Shaman recently pulled down thousands of testimonials from its website, Sanders said, to avoid any potential legal liability.

The Kansas City-based CBD heavyweight with franchises in about 25 states, and dozens of shops across Kansas, including Hays, kept only nebulous phrases on its home page.

“Positive effects.” “Pain management.” “Beneficial qualities.” CBD “helps in recovery from conditions,” the site says, but doesn’t specify any.

CBD lollipops for sale in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Nomin Ujiyediin/Kansas News Service)

Yet, Sanders said in the interview: “There’s overwhelming evidence of what CBD does. … I can’t say it. I wish I could.”

Instead, he suggests, go to PubMed.gov, type in your condition, the keyword CBD, and hit enter. Or just drop by an American Shaman store for a sample. “They work very quickly,” he said. “If you find some relief during the 15 minutes or so you’re there, then you have a good idea.”

Indeed, the National Library of Medicine’s online research database, PubMed, offers a dazzling array of CBD articles, but far too few clinical trials to back the wide-ranging claims about the substance’s abilities.

Much of the work involves animals and petri dishes, or small-scale trials. CBD shows some promise for helping with pain, anxiety, and even schizophrenia, says Bauer, of the Mayo Clinic. But benefits in studies often came only with exceptionally high doses of CBD — and sometimes side effects.

The fact that “natural” substances can cause problems gets lost at times amid excitement for herbal remedies. St. John’s Wort shrub can help some people with depression, for example, but also messes with birth control.

Bauer, who founded and directs research at Mayo’s program for integrating alternative medicines such as acupuncture into health care there, recommends against CBD for young children, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and patients taking many medications. CBD can screw up dosage levels of certain prescriptions. Talk to your doctor if you plan to take it.

THC vs CBD

State laws bar Kansans from getting marijuana legally. So is CBD just a poor substitute?

Studies show CBD and THC work differently and have different potential medical benefits, says Mallory Loflin, a psychiatry professor at the University of California-San Diego who specializes in cannabis research. CBD also has a diffuse, lighter effect.

“You need a much bigger dose,” she said. “We don’t start seeing differentiation from placebo in clinical trials for things like anxiety until you get up in the 300- to 600-milligram range.”

That could mean an entire bottle of CBD oil a day, depending on the bottle, but studies with such high doses also give some patients diarrhea. Anecdotally, CBD vendors and consumers often say smaller doses work, but clinical data is lacking.

A vigorous placebo effect complicates research of both cannabis extracts. The risk? That trials can fail, even when the extracts work.

“You’re hearing that cannabinoids are so helpful for so many different conditions — people already believe they’re going to work,” Loflin said. “If everyone’s cured, I can’t compare groups because both groups were cured.”

CBD lotions marketed for pain relief. (Photo by Nomin Ujiyediin/Kansas News Service)

Loflin is also leading a new Veterans Affairs Administration study in San Diego on the effects of CBD for treating post-traumatic stress disorder.

She worries that in today’s absence of settled science, patients don’t know what to get. Some studies point to taking low doses of THC for certain chronic pain, for example, while others suggest going the CBD route — possibly with a little THC, but not with higher doses — for anxiety and other mental health issues.

She studied veterans self-treating with cannabis products in California, where both THC and CBD are legal.  Most picked what was likely the wrong treatment for their conditions.  Some weren’t even sure what they used.

“Which frankly terrified me,” she said. “Because the effects of CBD vs THC are about as alike as chalk and cheese.”

Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health and education for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter @Celia_LJ or email her at [email protected]. The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio focused on the health and well-being of Kansans, their communities and civic life.

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