Welcome to Senior Cannabis Digest. This week we look at a historic decision by HHS, an online cannabis training program, treating neuropathy with cannabis and more. Enjoy.
Cannabis News and Notes
Marijuana Moment reports that The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is officially recommending that the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III under the federal law known as the Controlled Substances Act.
It has also been reported that Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra confirmed the recommendation in a tweet posted at precisely 4:20 PM.
While falling short of legalization at the federal level, the folks at Marijuana Moment contend this would be considered a historic development and means the top health agency no longer considers cannabis to be a drug with high abuse potential and no medical value.
HHS is making this recommendation after completing a scientific review into cannabis under a directive from President Joe Biden.
It should be noted that the recommendation is not binding and the DEA has the final say, but the scientific analysis may well influence the agency to make the change.
More news as more news develops.
To learn more, click on the link that will take you to the August 30, 2023 issue of Marijuana Moment.net.
Cannabis Quote of the Week
“The debate over whether to allow legal use of pot is over. Most of the country has legalized it in one form or another. Its continued classification by the federal government as a Schedule 1 contraband drug, alongside heroin and LSD, is widely recognized as a legal anachronism preserved by Washington’s political paralysis and nothing more.
That’s not to say legalized pot doesn’t bring with it its own potential societal costs. It’s easy to think of a lot of legal and societal trends that would have been healthier for both individuals and society than this one.
But that isn’t the point. If American culture has determined that adults should be allowed to decide for themselves whether to engage in unproductive or even risky behavior — and the legality of alcohol and cigarettes has definitively settled that question — then it makes no sense to continue onerous restrictions on a substance that hasn’t been shown to be as dangerous as either of those.
As the Post-Dispatch’s Austin Huguelet reports, top St. Louis officials are exploring the further normalization of pot by eventually allowing the establishment of pot lounges like those that famously operate in Amsterdam. Only a few American locations — Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Colorado — have begun to allow such establishments. Meaning St. Louis would be at the forefront of what could be the next big thing in urban entertainment districts.
There are some hurdles, beginning with state rules that don’t allow marijuana to be consumed at the dispensaries where it is purchased. That’s not necessarily an insurmountable problem. The Republicans who control Missouri state government still claim to be fans of free enterprise, so perhaps new rules could be put in place. If not, there are potential work-arounds, like siting the lounges within pickup range of the dispensaries. Entrepreneurs are good at coming up with creative solutions to problems like these.
Board of Aldermen President Megan Green and others exploring the plan are also looking at clean-air concerns — though existing cigar lounges would seem to provide a promising template for how enclosed and controlled indoor space for smoking can theoretically reduce its prevalence elsewhere.
St. Louis officials should tread carefully here. American cities’ experience with this idea is too new to assess whether the benefits are worth the costs. Amsterdam, it must be noted, is starting to restrict international “sin tourism” — which includes (though is not limited to) its pot-friendly coffee houses — because it’s increasingly viewed as not worth the societal problems it brings.
Weighed against those legitimate concerns is the most obvious advantage to the idea: St. Louis could squeeze more tax revenue from a form of recreation that, like it or not, is here to stay. City regulation could keep the businesses out of residential neighborhoods and ensure they’re operating responsibly.
And these particular businesses could become tourism draws, especially while they remain rare in most of America. Bluntly put, St. Louis’ need for fresh economic activity right now precludes being too choosy about what form it takes.”—The Editorial Board of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
In the excerpt above, the Editorial Board of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch takes up the cause of passing legislation that would make it possible to open and operate cannabis lounges in St. Louis.
While the quote is longer than those that we usually feature—it does go on a bit— we wanted to include as much of it as we could because we thought it serves as an example of a balanced and nuanced take on the pros and cons of legalizing cannabis—a position that comes out on the side of commerce, community benefit and treating consumers as adults capable of making choices that are in their best interest.
To learn more, we urge you to read the entire editorial. It appears in the August 28, 2023 issue of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Cannabis Corner
A new study suggests researchers are paying more interest to the potential medicinal benefits of what have been described as the more “obscure” cannabinoids—particularly when it comes to treating dermatological diseases such as psoriasis, eczema and acne.
So says Ben Adlin, reporting for Marijuana Moment. Adlin notes that a new study, conducted by Polish researchers Emilia Kwiecień and Dorota Kowalczuk, reported that minor cannabinoids “exhibit diverse pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antimicrobial, and anti-itch properties.”
He noted that their work identified research that reported such cannabinoids were effective in “mitigating symptoms associated with dermatological diseases such as psoriasis, eczema, acne and pruritus.”
Adlin also makes the point that according to the researchers, certain minor cannabinoids, such as CBDV (cannabidivarin), CBDP (cannabidiforol), CBC (cannabichromene), THCV (tetrahydrocannabivarin), CBGA (cannabigerolic acid), CBG (cannabigerol) and CBN (cannabinol), as well as more recently discovered cannabinoids CBM (cannabimovone) and CBE (cannabielsoin), seemed to be especially suited for treating specific diseases.
For example, Kwiecień and Kowalczuk wrote, “CBDV, with its anti-inflammatory properties, can be used to alleviate skin symptoms such as itching and swelling in the treatment of atopic dermatitis.” They added that due to the cannabinoid’s anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, it can “have a healing effect on acne lesions.”
We have long been of the opinion that the next “big thing” in the cannabis sector would be using specific strains and products to address specific medical needs. This work seems to be a significant step in that direction, although, as the authors acknowledged, more research is needed on minor cannabinoids “to confirm their effectiveness and safety.”
The study appeared in the most recent issue of the peer-reviewed journal Molecules.
To learn more, we urge you to read the article by Ben Adlin that appeared in the August 25, 2023 issue of Marijuana Moment.net.
To read an abstract of the article and a more detailed description of the authors’ work, simply click on the link that follows.
www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/28/16/6149#
Celebrity Cannabis Spotlight
Mature consumers who are basketball fans—particularly those who don’t value practice all that much—may be pleased to know that an NBA legend is bringing a cannabis brand to Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia 76er icon Allen Iverson has teamed up with retired NBA great Al Harrington’s cannabis brand Viola to create a strain of cannabis called ‘Iverson ’01. According to Maureen Mehan, writing for Benzinga, the name references Iverson’s MVP season in 2001 when he led the Philadelphia Sixers to the NBA finals.
In her article, Mehan notes that Iverson originally joined forces with Harrington’s Viola Brands in 2021 to launch a line of cannabis products and merchandise under the Iverson Collection name, including ‘Iverson ‘96,’ another indica-dominant strain that took its name from the year the 11-time NBA All-Star was drafted into the NBA by the Sixers.
Iverson 01 has been described as an indica dominant hybrid strain with dense buds covered in a thick layer of resin. This is said to make it an excellent choice for making concentrates and extracts.
Already available in other states, Viola will introduce Iverson 01 in Pennsylvania at RISE medical dispensaries. Consumers will eventually be able to purchase the product at other dispensaries throughout the state.
Nick Vadala, who covered the story for the e-edition of the Philadelphia Inquirer, reports that the product is already available in the region at RISE locations in New Jersey, where it sells for $60 an eighth of an ounce.
Mehan makes the point that Harrington founded Viola in 2011 and named it in honor of his grandmother, who suffered from glaucoma. Harrington has said on various occasions that the company’s goal is to “ensure Black and brown people are afforded the opportunity to be a part of a fast-growing industry that has historically left them disenfranchised.”
To learn more, we suggest reading Maureen Mehan’s article in the August 25, 2023 issue of Benzinga.com.
To read Nick Vadala’s story on the product launch, simply click on the link below.
eeditionnj.inquirer.com/infinity/article_popover_share.aspx?
Careers in Cannabis
There is good news for mature consumers who want to pursue a second career in the cannabis sector but fear they lack the necessary training.
New York’s Elmira College is partnering with cannabis education company Green Flower to offer three online cannabis certificate programs covering cannabis cultivation, retail, and extraction/product development.
So says TG Branfalt, reporting for Ganjapreneur. According to Branfalt, each certification costs $800 when paid in full, but students may also choose a payment plan option. Each program takes nine weeks to complete. Financial aid is not available because cannabis remains outlawed federally.
Said Daniel Kalef, chief growth officer at Green Flower—the college’s training partner—the programs are “designed to train people to get jobs in the industry right away.”
Kalef made the point that while the cannabis industry is “the fastest growing job market in the country,” turnover in the industry is “tremendous, because too many people come in not knowing anything really.”
He added that “One thing we’ve seen is that typically, rates and wages are about 20 percent higher in the cannabis industry compared to something similar in another industry, which is really fantastic. When you get to management levels in any of these areas, six figures is not uncommon at all.”
Branfalt noted that with the new relationship with Elmira College, Green Flower has partnerships with at least 19 colleges and universities throughout the U.S., according to the company’s website.
To learn more, we encourage you to read the article by TG Branfalt that appeared in the August 29, 2023 issue of Ganjapreneur.com.
www.ganjapreneur.com/elmira-college-partners-with-green-flower-for-cannabis-certificate-programs/?
Using Cannabis to Treat Neuropathy
There may be hopeful news for those who suffer from the painful condition known as neuropathy. Common causes for the painful condition can include diabetes (especially if blood sugar levels are not well controlled), high amounts of alcohol use, medications such as chemotherapy, and immune disorders.
While the discomfort from the condition is often treated with opioids and other pain medication, a new study suggests cannabis can be an effective treatment alternative.
So says Kyle Jaeger, writing for Marijuana Moment. Jaeger reports that NuggMD, a company that connects patients to doctors for medical cannabis recommendations, surveyed 603 patients who said neuropathy was either their primary or secondary reason for using marijuana.
Jaeger noted that because one of the most common symptoms of neuropathy is pain, patients participating in the study rated their pain levels on a scale of 1–10, both before and after using cannabis as a treatment.
The researchers found that among those surveyed, cannabis use offered what was described as, “clear signs of relief.” More specifically, the study reported that “The average pain level before cannabis use was 7.64, while the average pain level after cannabis use was 3.44.” That amounts to “an average pain relief level of 4.2 out of 10 for participants.”
In his article, Jaeger noted that’s roughly the same, or an even higher, level of relief than what is typically seen from conventional treatments such as prescription opioids, according to prior research. This is likely to be welcome news to those who wish to avoid using opioids because of various complications, including the chance of addiction.
For example, Jaeger cited a 2017 randomized trial found that neuropathy patients rated the pain relieving effects of oxycodone and acetaminophen at 4.4, ibuprofen and acetaminophen at 4.3, codeine and acetaminophen at 3.9 and hydrocodone and acetaminophen at 3.5.
In addition, the study’s authors said, “Our survey results demonstrated that individuals using high-THC cannabis found more significant pain relief for their neuropathy,” adding that “much of the research on cannabis as a treatment for neuropathy uses low-quality cannabis with low THC levels, focus[es] on CBD, or uses isolated compounds and not full-spectrum products.”
The researcher also stated, “According to our survey, the most constant variable was the use of high-potency cannabis with a THC content of 20 percent or more. This finding is important to note because much of the research on the efficacy of cannabis for pain typically involves cannabis products with a potency below 20 percent THC. These research studies often result in claims that THC is ineffective for pain relief.”
Said NuggMD Chief Medical Officer Brian Kessler, “Neuropathy is a chronic condition needing long-term treatment. I hear from many patients who are worried about the risk of severe side effects and dependence when using opioids and drugs like gabapentin over extended periods of time. For many patients, medical marijuana offers a safer alternative that improves their quality of life.”
To learn more, we urge you to read Kyle Jaeger’s reporting in the August 24, 2023 issue of Marijuana Moment.net.
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.
