Welcome to Senior Cannabis Digest. This week we look at why people use medical cannabis, the need to educate physicians on the benefits of cannabis, tips on starting a cannabis business and much more. Enjoy.
Spotlight on Medical Cannabis
Pain, anxiety and sleep. These are the top three reasons individuals use medical cannabis. So says Sherri Mack, RN, BSN, and Elisabeth Mack, RN, BSN, MBA, in an article they penned for The Cannigma.
In 2015 the Macks founded Holistic Caring® & The Green Nurse®, a national platform designed to deliver education, clinical guidance, and cannabinoid care. Through the Holistic Caring® Network, they provide free access to education, community, and support for patients and professionals.
Here are three key takeaways from their article.
• Pain is the leading reason patients turn to medical cannabis. Cannabinoid-based treatments, particularly those utilizing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), have demonstrated effectiveness in managing the eight primary types of pain: chronic, acute, central, peripheral, inflammatory, nociceptive, pathological, and mental-emotional. By interacting with the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS), cannabinoids can help to regulate pain perception and reduce inflammation, offering a multifaceted approach to pain relief (CannaKeys, 2024).
• Anxiety is the second most common reason people use medical cannabis. CBD-dominant flower strains, low-THC options, and full-spectrum CBD products with trace amounts of THC are gaining popularity for their potential to safely support mental health. Additionally, CBG-dominant products are emerging as valuable tools for reducing anxiety and promoting emotional well-being. These compounds are said to be able to influence cortisol, serotonin, and the body’s stress response, offering promising benefits for managing stress and enhancing overall mental balance.
• Sleep is the third most common reason individuals turn to medical cannabis for relief. Cannabis has been used for millennia as a natural sleep aid, but only in recent decades has modern science begun to uncover the physiological mechanisms underlying its sedative effects. CBD, through its anxiolytic and homeostatic effects, can help to ease the nervous system into rest by reducing cortisol levels, promoting calm and the relaxation response (Shannon et al., 2019).
These excerpts only scratch the surface of what is a rich and detailed review of how cannabis can assist with managing pain, anxiety and getting a good night’s sleep. We can’t say enough good things about this article, which should be required reading for those interested in the potential benefits of using medical cannabis.
You can learn much more by reading the article by Sherri and Elisabeth Mack that appeared in the August 2, 2025 issue of The Cannigma.com.
https://cannigma.com/research/top-medical-cannabis-reasons-pain-anxiety-sleep/?
Spotlight on Public Policy
The great American poet Chuck Berry once said, “I got my public life and my private life and they is different.” It appears President Trump may be applying a similar public and private distinction when it comes to cannabis and rescheduling.
Kyle Jaeger, reporting for Marijuana Moment writes that Scotts Miracle Gro CEO James Hagedorn told Fox Business in an interview that President Donald Trump has told him directly “multiple times” since taking office that he intends to see through the marijuana rescheduling process.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) currently classifies cannabis as a schedule 1 drug which severely restricts research and investment opportunities, limits access to banking services and inhibits the ability to deduct business expenses on federal taxes. The previous administration had started to move cannabis to schedule 3 status but failed to complete the process during its term.
Jaeger notes that when asked his opinion of the new head of the DEA — Terrance Cole — and his decision to not make rescheduling cannabis a priority, Hagedorn said, “Well, I think he’s a career law enforcement guy. I’m not surprised by it. I think there’s one person who could change it, and he’s told me and others that he will—and that’s the president of the United States, Donald Trump, who I’m a major fan of.”
Hagedorn added, “I think what [Cole] needs to hear is a call from the president or the chief of staff saying, ‘This is a promise he made during the campaign, and promises made are promises kept.’….I think that’s what needs to happen. I don’t expect a law enforcement guy to lead with, ‘Let’s make pot legal,’ even though it’s legal in almost every state in the nation.”
According to Jaeger, when asked by the Fox host, Hagedorn affirmed that he has had multiple conversations on the issue with the President since the inauguration.
When asked how lack of movement on the rescheduling issue has impacted his business, Hagedorn said, “It’s a tale of two cities, really. The business is clearly smaller because [federal law] says Schedule I. The tax rate is 80 percent on the federal side, and so nobody can make money. Everybody who has invested like us has been destroyed. And so there’s no real capital available.”
He added, “Everybody’s suffering because what we sell are mostly cultivation supplies, and those cultivation supplies are like capital—hard goods. And people aren’t investing right now, and that’s bad for the industry.”
As always, Kyle Jaeger’s reporting is on point and insightful. To learn more, we urge you to read his article in the August 1, 2025 issue of Marijuana Moment.net.
Cannabis Corner
If your primary care physician was to confess that he or she feels underprepared to discuss medical cannabis with patients, a new study suggests your doctor is not alone.
According to TG Branfalt, writing for Ganjapreneur, a study published in the journal Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids revealed that nearly all of the emergency and family medicine physicians surveyed agreed that there is a need for more medical cannabis education for physicians.
At the same time, the majority of emergency medicine physicians surveyed said medical cannabis is valuable for chronic pain and nausea and vomiting management, while family medicine physicians who were queried were more skeptical of its benefits. Medical cannabis use with pregnant and pediatric patients was viewed unfavorably.
In his article, Branfalt also noted that the researchers recommended, “implementing clear clinical practice guidelines, further education on these drugs in clinical curriculums, and enhancing continuing education offerings would improve prescriber confidence.”
The study was conducted by a group of researchers and medical professionals affiliated with the New York Institute of Technology, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Old Westbury, NY.
To learn more, including the opinions shared by oncologists and dermatologists in particular, we encourage you to read TG Branfalt’s article in the July 30, 2025 issue of Ganapreneur.com.
To read an abstract of the study, click on the following link.
https://karger.com/mca/article/8/1/58/926990/Physicians-Knowledge-Attitudes-and-Perceptions
Business Tips
There’s helpful news for mature consumers and others who are thinking of pursuing a second career in the cannabis industry. The staff at MJBizDaily has prepared an article that identifies five essential steps to starting your own cannabis business. Here are the top three that have to be addressed before you plant your first seed.
Start by mastering cannabis regulations.
Before you begin to develop a business plan, the folks at MJBiz Daily say you must have a working knowledge of both federal vs. state laws governing cannabis. The fact that cannabis remains federally illegal in the United States, can create significant hurdles for banking, taxation and interstate commerce. You need to be fully aware of these challenges.
Next, they recommend doing a “deep dive” into state and local regulations. You will need to have a crystal clear understanding of licensing requirements, zoning restrictions for your chosen location, cultivation limits, packaging and labeling rules, testing mandates and advertising guidelines.
And don’t forget to consult an attorney who specializes in cannabis law. The insight and experience provided by such an attorney can help you interpret complex regulations, navigate the licensing process and ensure ongoing compliance.
Next, define your cannabis business model.
There are many different ways to get involved in the cannabis sector. Those options include:
Cultivation: This can involve anything from small-scale indoor cannabis growing operations to large-scale outdoor marijuana farms.
Processing/manufacturing: This is the side of the industry that creates products such as edibles, concentrates, tinctures or topicals from raw cannabis.
Dispensary/retail: This type of operation sells medical or recreational cannabis products directly to consumers.
Distribution: Distribution businesses transport cannabis products between licensed entities.
Ancillary businesses: These businesses aren’t engaged in the “leaf touching” aspect of the industry. Instead they offer goods and services that support other businesses that do directly “touch the plant.”
Such businesses can provide packaging, security services, marketing and consulting, testing laboratories or lighting and hydroponic supplies.
Your interests, capital and local market demand will dictate which type of business is a good fit for you.
Create your business plan.
Having a detailed business plan is crucial in the highly regulated cannabis sector. It can serve as your roadmap and will be essential for attracting investors. According to the article prepared by the MJBizDaily staff, a business plan for a cannabis business should contain, at a minimum:
• An executive summary that provides an overview of your business concept.
• A description of what your business will be, its mission and its values.
• Market analysis that includes in-depth research on your target audience, competitors and market trends.
• An overview of your company’s organization and management, including your organizational design, legal structure and key personnel.
• A detailed description of the products and services your company will offer.
• A marketing and sales strategy that demonstrates how you’ll reach customers, taking into account cannabis advertising restrictions.
• An operational plan that lays out in detail how you intend to do what it is you have to do to run your business, from cultivation to to security protocols and quality control.
The staff at MJBizDaily have prepared a comprehensive review of what you will need to address before you can open the doors to your new cannabis business. To learn the rest of their tips, including how to raise funding and navigate the licensing process, we strongly urge you to read the article that appeared in the July 30, 2025 issue of MJBizDaily.com.
https://mjbizdaily.com/5-essential-steps-to-starting-your-own-cannabis-business/?
Insurance News and Notes
A Pennsylvania lawmaker has introduced a bill that would require employers to cover the costs of medical cannabis for qualifying patients receiving workers’ compensation.
That’s the word from Kyle Jaeger, reporting for Marijuana Moment. According to Jaeger, the legislation, sponsored by Rep. David Delloso (D), would make it so Pennsylvania employers must “provide for reimbursement to a qualifying patient who obtains medical marijuana for certified medical use under” the state’s cannabis law if they are injured on the job.
Said Delloso in a memo shared in July, “Injured workers in chronic pain need a workable option for pain management other than opioids. We have seen the damage these drugs can do throughout the ongoing opioid crisis. Prescribing medical cannabis to treat chronic pain protects injured workers from the hazards associated with these dangerous and harmful medications.”
Added Delloso in the memo, “Permitting medical cannabis to be used in the treatment of chronic pain management for injured workers not only helps workers but provides relief to their families. Families can take comfort in knowing their loved one’s pain is controlled without fear of addiction and the rapidly rising medical bills associated with opioids.”
Jaeger noted that six other Democratic members of the House signed on as original cosponsors of the measure. The legislation has been referred to the House Labor & Industry Committee.
More news as more news develops.
To learn more, we suggest reading Kyle Jaeger’s first-rate reporting in the August 4, 2025 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.
