Welcome to Senior Cannabis Digest. This week we look at a new law in Washington D.C. that makes it easier for tourists to purchase medical cannabis, a new approach to selling medical cannabis in Florida, a lawsuit over false advertising of cannabis products and more. Enjoy.
Travel Tips
For many mature consumers, visiting the Smithsonian or the Lincoln Memorial may no longer be the high point of a trip to Washington D.C. That’s because Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) has signed a bill that allows non-residents to self-certify as medical marijuana patients while they’re visiting the nation’s capital. Plus, they can do this without any doctor’s recommendation—a move that some say could boost tourism.
According to Kyle Jaeger, reporting on the story for Marijuana Moment, residents of the District are already able to self-certify under a law that was enacted to circumvent a congressional spending bill rider that blocks D.C. from using its local tax dollars to implement a system of regulated, adult-use cannabis sales. Jaeger noted that medical marijuana registrations surged after the reform took effect.
The law signed by Mayor Bowser—referred to as “temporary emergency legislation”— makes it legal for non-residents to obtain a 30-day registration from the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA) to purchase marijuana from licensed dispensaries.
Jaeger also reported that the bill makes it possible for patients who are registered in medical cannabis programs in other states to qualify for a full registration under the D.C. medical marijuana program, as if they were District of Columbia residents. The law also increased the amount of cannabis that a patient can possess, from four to eight ounces.
Said Dr. Chanda Macias, founder of the D.C. medical cannabis dispensary the National Holistic Healing Center, “Now, the nearly 20 million domestic tourists who visit Washington, D.C. each year will have access to medical cannabis during their stay in D.C. This will lead to increased patient access to plant-based medicine and will introduce new patients to the flourishing local medical marijuana landscape. These most recent actions are proof that Washington, D.C. is leading the way as it relates to expanding patient access to all.”
We suspect, for many, a trip to Washington is soon to become more memorable.
To learn more about the bill we encourage you to read the article by Kyle Jaeger that appeared in the October 20, 2022 issue of Marijuana Moment.net. As always, his reporting is informative and engaging.
The Shape of Things To Come
Thanks to what’s been described as a groundbreaking business deal, some customers of Circle K convenience stores in Florida may soon get a glimpse of the future of cannabis sales and marketing.
According to Keegan Williams, who covered the story for the cannabis website Hi There, a new agreement between Green Thumb Industries Inc. (GTI), one of the largest cannabis producers in the U.S., and Circle K, a global chain of convenience stores, will license 10 of Circle K’s 600 locations in Florida to sell medical cannabis.
Because Florida is a medical cannabis only state, shoppers won’t be able to just stop in to grab a couple gallons of gas, some beef jerky and a packet of Dogwalkers, GTI’s line of cannabis pre-rolls. Cannabis purchases will be restricted to residents of Florida who have a medical cannabis card. There are about 700,000 such residents at present. Also, a Green Thumb outpost within a Circle K operation will carry the name “RISE Express” and have an entrance separate from the gas station’s entrance.
In the article, Williams points out that according to reporting in Yahoo Finance!, the cannabis products available at participating Circle K locations will come from GTI’s new 28-acre cultivation facility in Ocala, which will be operational by the end of 2022.
Williams also reported that in an article in Bloomberg, GTI CEO Ben Kovler said “This is a futuristic deal,” believing the agreement with Circle K would “continue to normalize” cannabis by integrating its sale with other consumer product staples. He also believes this agreement marks a “huge step forward,” making it easier to purchase cannabis and more efficient for patients to buy cannabis products “as part of their everyday routine.”
Kovler also believes that after the initial rollout takes place in Florida, “there’s appetite” from Circle K stores to expand the relationship to other states.
Unfortunately, there may be a speed bump in this otherwise sunny scenario. According to Chris Casacchia reporting for MJBizDaily, Florida’s medical cannabis regulator says the agency has yet to approve the deal.
Said Casacchia, “The lack of state approval could derail—or perhaps slow—what appeared to be a seismic shift in the marketplace amid the growing trend of mainstream businesses entering the cannabis sector.”
Stay tuned. As our friend Jim Anderson likes to say, “More news as more news develops.”
To learn more about the deal, we suggest reading the article by Keegan Williams in the October 20, 2022 issue of Hi There.com.
To learn about the state’s response, you can read Chris Casacchia’s article in the October 26, 2022 issue of MJBizDaily.com.
mjbizdaily.com/florida-regulators-havent-okd-circle-k-green-thumb-medical-cannabis-deal/?
Stat of the Week
If you are a mature consumer who uses CBD as part of an ongoing wellness routine, a new report suggests you are not alone—far from it.
That’s why this week’s magic number is $60 billion. According to global research company Market Research Future, the market for CBD products is expected to climb to nearly $60 billion per year by 2030.
A.J. Herrington, who covered the story for the publication Hi There, reports that the company’s analysis of sales data and market forces has led it to project that the total CBD market will increase by about 18 percent annually, growing to $59.3 billion over the next eight years.
Said Market Research Future in a statement, “The primary factor influencing the market is the increased demand for CBD for health and wellness reasons because of its therapeutic characteristics. A significant element anticipated to increase the manufacture of CBD-infused goods is the increased acceptability and utilization of products due to regulatory approvals.”
It went on to say that it believes customers look for nutrient-rich, innovative, and healthy packaged foods in an effort to achieve their exercise objectives and avoid medical problems, such as inflammation and discomfort.
Herrington also notes in her article that the report contends the projected growth in the CBD market would likely be even more dramatic had it not been for the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.
That’s because shutdowns in nations that produce raw materials such as China and India caused a significant disturbance in the worldwide market, while the production of cannabidiol-based goods was severely harmed by supply chain challenges in the United States.
To learn more, we urge you to read A.J.Herrington’s excellent reporting in the October 21, 2022 issue of Hi There.com.
highthere.com/news/cbd-market-hit-60-billion-2030
Cannabis Corner
If a cannabis consumer can’t trust their favorite cannabis brand, who can they trust?
A class action lawsuit has been filed against the California cannabis company DreamFields Brands Inc. / Med for America Inc. The suit claims the company has, in a manner of speaking, had its “thumb on the scale,” inflating the THC levels it reports on the packaging of its Jeeter brand.
The company, which takes its name from a Florida slang term for a joint, is best known for a line of pre-rolls.
According to TG Branfalt, reporting for Ganjapreneur, the lawsuit cites a WeedWeek report that found the THC content for all Jeeter products was “materially less” than what was listed on the product label and “well below” the 10 percent margin of error allowed under California rules.
For example, WeedWeek reported that an analysis of the company’s Baby Jeeter Fire OG Diamond Infused 5-pack of pre-rolls found the product’s THC content was between 23 percent and 27 percent, well below the 46 percent advertised on the product’s label.
Branfalt goes on to report that the lawsuit claims the defendants “know or reasonably should know they are misleading consumers” and that they “have a direct financial incentive to overstate the THC content of their products.”
Or, claims the lawsuit, alternatively, the defendants “are willfully blind (and at a minimum negligent with respect to) to the fact that the THC content declared on their products is substantially and systematically overstated.”
The class action lawsuit, which was filed by Christin Cho and Simon Franzini of Dovel & Luner, LLP, is seeking unspecified damages, restitution, punitive damages, attorney’s fees, and an injunction.
We get it, consumers should get what they pay for. At the same time, the lawsuit seems to be a bit like complaining that you didn’t get enough sprinkles on your sundae. If a product with a THC content of 27 percent isn’t doing the job, maybe it’s time to take a break.
To learn more, we recommend reading TG Branfalt’s article in the October 21, 2022 issue of Ganjapreneur.com. As always, his reporting is clear, concise and on point.
ganjapreneur.com/class-action-lawsuit-alleges-cannabis-brand-inflated-thc-levels-on-some-products/?
Treating Dementia with Medical Cannabis
There may be hopeful news for those with dementia and the individuals who are responsible for their care. An article that describes the work of a team of Swiss researchers suggests that medical cannabis shows some promise in the treatment of behavioral problems associated with dementia.
The objective of the study was to investigate the feasibility and long-term safety of administering a mix of THC and CBD as an additional drug to a group of individuals with dementia who were already being treated with a variety of medications.
More specifically, it was the researchers’ hope that adding cannabis to a subject’s treatment plan would aid in the management of agitation, rigidity and other behaviors that interfered with daily activity.
The research team assessed the status of 19 patients who received an average of 12.4 mg THC/24.8 mg CBD per day for up to 13 months. They found there were no reported problems related to the treatment and limited adverse drug reactions. In addition, it was their opinion that clinical scores showed a marked improvement that was stable over time.
They concluded that long-term THC/CBD (1:2) medication can be administered safely and with overall positive clinical improvement to older adults with severe dementia and associated problems who also are being treated with other medications.
Clearly, while cannabis offers no cure for dementia, the research suggests it may provide some comfort to those with the condition.
To learn more, you can read the article that appeared in the September, 2022 edition of the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience. Simply click on the link that follows.
www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2022.957665/full
Senior Cannabis Digest is compiled and edited by Joe Kohut and John Kohut. You can reach them at joe.kohut@gmail.com and at 347-528-8753.
