Welcome to Senior Cannabis Digest. This week we look at the impact medical cannabis has on driving performance, treating cats with CBD, the “entourage effect” and the cannabis experience and more. Enjoy.
Medical Cannabis and Safe Driving
Recently, a team of Australian researchers examined the impact using medical marijuana has on a patient’s driving performance. The results of the study suggest the impact is negligible when the medical cannabis is used as prescribed.
For the study, researchers recruited a group of 40 adults, including 22 males (55 percent) and 18 females (45 percent), aged between 23 and 80 years. All participants had been prescribed medical cannabis containing THC for various conditions, including, but not limited to, sleep disorders, chronic pain, inflammatory, gastrointestinal, movement and respiratory conditions.
The driving performance of the participants was evaluated using the Forum8 driving simulator at three points in time—a baseline starting point prior to using medical cannabis and at 2.5 hours after self-administration of medical cannabis and then again at five hours after using cannabis.
Each drive in the simulator consisted of a 20-min highway scenario where participants were instructed to maintain a steady lateral position in the left lane and a constant speed of 100 km/h. The driving scenario, developed by Forum8 and customized for Australian traffic scenarios, has previously been shown to be sensitive to drug- and alcohol-related driving impairment.
Ultimately, the researchers concluded that despite the fact patients had detectable concentrations of THC in their oral fluid for a duration of up to 6 hours after the test, there was an absence of observable driving impairment within the driving simulation scenario.
The study was published on February 8, 2024 in the Journal of Psychopharmacology. To read an abstract of the study, simply click on the link below.
journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/02698811241229524
Cultivating Cannabis and the Law
Here’s a tip for mature consumers who want to grow their own cannabis. You have to know how to count.
For example, take the case of the mayor of the bustling metropolis of Winnebago, Minnesota. It seems the mayor and his son were recently caught testing the boundary between possession for personal use and a commercial enterprise.
According to Graham Abbott, reporting for Ganjapreneur, Mayor Scott Robertson (age 67) and his son Jacob Robertson (age 46) were each charged with the unlawful cultivation of cannabis after police found about 240 cannabis plants in multiple commercial-grade greenhouses on properties linked to the father-son duo.
Abbott notes that adult-use cannabis is legal in Minnesota and residents aged 21+ are allowed to grow their own cannabis plants at home — but there is a limit of eight plants, with a maximum of four flowering plants per household.
It would appear the math-challenged Robertsons exceeded their limit.
Given that Minnesota isn’t expected to begin regulated cannabis sales until sometime next year, one suspects the Robertson’s were hoping to address the needs of a market that is at the moment underserved—or perhaps they were planning to throw a one whizbang of a party.
Abbott reports that Mayor Robertson was in the second year of a two-year term as Winnebago’s mayor after winning a write-in vote in 2021.
To learn more, we suggest reading the article by Graham Abbott in the February 12, 2024 issue of Ganjapreneur.com.
www.ganjapreneur.com/minnesota-mayor-charged-with-illegal-cannabis-cultivation/?
Cats and CBD
There is hopeful news for mature consumers with a feline friend that suffers from separation anxiety. A new study suggests a treatment plan that includes CBD may help.
Recently, Nobuo Masataka—a professor at the Primate Research Institute at Kyoto University in Japan—conducted a study to evaluate the effects of CBD on separation anxiety in ten healthy cats ranging in age from 3 to 5 years. The cats were all males and had been neutered prior to study.
During the study, the feline participants received both a 2-week-administration of CBD and a 2-week-administration of matching placebo. These administrations were separated from one another with a 30-day-interval.
Masataka reported that after the CBD was administered the cats appeared to be more secure when their caregivers returned after a period of separation, while those that received the placebo demonstrated signs of distress when their caregiver returned.
According to Masataka, the cats that were thought to be more secure were content to maintain a proximity of about one meter with their caregiver after the caregivers return without needing physical contact or avoiding the caregiver all together. The latter two behaviors were considered to be signs of distress and separation anxiety.
In his article on the study, Masataka noted that the results with the cats appeared to be similar to anxiety-reducing effects of CBD that have been reported in humans, such as a study that investigated effects of CBD on people with social anxiety disorder (SAD) who were public speaking.
In that case researchers found that those people who were treated with CBD had reduced anxiety and improved comfort when they were speaking.
As we have said before, when it comes to cannabis and pets, it’s not particularly wise for pet owners to take it upon themselves to administer CBD products designed for humans to their cat or dog. Instead, they should consult with a veterinarian that is open to the idea of treating pets with CBD products designed for that purpose.
Nobuo Masataka’s article describing his research appeared in the February 2024 issue of the journal Heliyon. To read an abstract or a detailed description of the study, simply click on the link below.
www.cell.com/heliyon/pdf/S2405-8440(24)01882-6.pdf
Legal News and Notes
You can’t say the conservative lawmakers in the great state of Idaho don’t have a sense of humor when it comes to cannabis.
According to Graham Abbott, reporting for Ganjapreneur, Rep. Bruce Skaug (R) has proposed a new law that would establish a mandatory $420 fine for low-level cannabis possession cases.
We’re sure that the amount of the proposed fine has nothing to do with the cannabis-themed holiday observed each year on April 20—aka 420. Yep, just a coincidence. Current Idaho law considers the possession of three ounces or less of cannabis a misdemeanor carrying penalties of up to one year imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $1,000.
Abbott also notes that Idaho is one of three U.S. states — the others being Kansas and Nebraska — that have maintained an absolute prohibition on cannabis with no exceptions, not even for medicinal use or low-level possession cases.
To learn more, we urge you to read Graham Abbott’s article in the February 14, 2024 issue of Ganjapreneur.com.
www.ganjapreneur.com/idaho-lawmakers-propose-420-fine-for-cannabis-possession/?
Cannabis Quote of the Week
“In cannabis science, cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids have often been overlooked, with much of the literature focusing predominantly on the major cannabinoids THC and CBD. However, emerging evidence suggests that these constituents, particularly cannabinoids and terpenes, play a substantial role in interacting and collaborating. This interplay gives rise to the diverse effects, benefits, and side effects observed among different cannabis strains, which can vary in the ratios of these components.”—Ahmad K. Al-Khazaleh, Xian Zhou and Deep Jyoti Bhuyan
The comment above is taken from a scientific literature review written by an Australian research team led by Al-Khazaleh, Zhou and Bhuyan. The team’s subsequent article, which appeared in the journal Molecules, explored the “collaborative interactions” of various chemical compounds in marijuana—what’s also known as the “entourage effect.”
In his article for Marijuana Moment, Ben Adlin noted that the team’s findings reinforce the concept that the cannabis experience is not based on THC and CBD alone. Rather, it is the complicated interactions between cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids and other molecules in the plant that produces the experience.
Moreover, Adlin makes the point that the research team contends that researchers must pay closer attention to distinct ratios of cannabinoids, terpenes and flavonoids in specific cannabis strains or products if they hope to “pave the way for developing more personalized and productive medicinal interventions.”
Said the team in their article, “The concept of the entourage effect suggests that the combined action of cannabinoids and terpenes may result in a synergistic or additive therapeutic effect greater than the sum of their individual effects.”
In his article, Adlin also mentioned a separate study released last year that found that cannabis products with a more diverse array of natural cannabinoids produced a stronger psychoactive experience in participants that lasted longer than the high generated by pure THC.
In addition, he cited a 2018 study that found that patients suffering from epilepsy experience better health outcomes—with fewer adverse side effects—when they use plant-based CBD extracts compared to “purified” CBD products.
You can learn much more by reading Ben Adlin’s article in the February 7, 2024 issue of Marijuana Moment.net.
You can also read the article that appeared in the January 15, 2024 issue of the journal Molecules. Simply click on the link that follows.
www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/2/410
CBD and Veterans
A new national study will take an in-depth look at how CBD might help veterans address the challenges they face.
According to an article that appeared on the Globe NewsWire, this comprehensive research project will be a collaborative effort conducted by the North Carolina AMVETS Service Foundation, the University of Northern Colorado and Vantage Hemp Co. , a globally accredited plant-based extractor and finished product manufacturer.
Said AMVETS National Commander William Clark, “This research initiative was developed in the pursuit of supporting and improving the lives of America’s veterans. We are extremely grateful for the support of UNC and Vantage as their contributions will help provide meaningful results and catalyze well-informed decisions.”
According to the Globe NewsWire article, the study will be a placebo-controlled examination of a daily fixed dose of CBD over 28 days. The study’s goal will be to assess the effect of CBD on several parameters that negatively impact the day-to-day activities of veterans. The study will also survey veterans regarding their lived experiences with CBD.
It’s hoped the study will generate valuable data that can inform decisions by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and be used to advocate for further research into CBD.
Vantage has pledged a total of $100,000, consisting of $50,000 in cash and $50,000 in in-kind services, to support the study. UNC will play a vital role in the research process, contributing expertise to ensure the study’s scientific rigor and validity.
Veterans interested in participating in the study are encouraged to click here for more information or contact cbdstudy@ncamvets.us.
You can also learn more by reading the Globe NewsWire release of January 31, 2024.
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.
