Welcome to Senior Cannabis Digest. In this edition we take a look at using CBD while in quarantine, what people think of legalization, a humorous take on 4/20 posted by a police department and more. Enjoy.
CBD and the Side Effects of Being in Quarantine
While there is still no evidence CBD can be a remedy for the Coronavirus, it may relieve some of the side effects of being in quarantine. So says Maria Loreto writing for The Fresh Toast.
According to Loreto, being in quarantine can lead to more time sitting in front of computer screens and sleep schedules that are out of sync. Both can result in aches and pains.
She says studies show CBD topicals and oils can be effective treatments for chronic pain and headaches. For instance, Loreto reports that CBD topical oils and creams can be used to treat localized pain, such as achy joints or muscle strains that can result from sitting for hours in front of a computer or pulling a muscle while working out at home.
She noted there is also some anecdotal evidence that applying CBD oils to the sides of your head can help to mitigate headaches.
Loreto also suggests that ingesting CBD oil may be a way to address chronic pain that might flare up in different parts of the body, particularly when the CBD treatment is accompanied with yoga or stretching exercises.
For more tips on using CBD when in quarantine, visit Maria Loreto’s article in the April 22, 2020 issue of The Fresh Toast.
benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/20/04/15859156/cbd-can-treat-your-quarantine-body-pains-heres-how?
Statistic of the Week
According to a new poll, the majority of those interviewed think marijuana legalization is a successful policy.
So says Kyle Jaeger writing for Marijuana Moment. Jaeger reports the polling firm YouGov asked more than 27,000 adults in states where cannabis has been legalized for recreational purposes whether they “think the legislation has been a success or a failure.”
The poll found fifty-five percent of respondents said that regulated marijuana markets are either complete successes or more of a success than failure. Thirteen percent said they were more of a failure than success, and just six percent said they were total failures.
You can learn more by reading Kyle Jaeger’s detailed reporting in the April 22, 2020 issue of Marijuana Moment.
Quote of the Week
If you need more evidence that cannabis, in its many forms, is becoming mainstream you may want to consider a FaceBook post from the Bath Township Police Department, in Bath Township, Michigan.
In order to encourage those celebrating 4/20 to maintain social distancing protocols, the Department released the following:
“Weed not be doing our job if we didn’t remind you all social distancing is still important. It’s a joint effort between all of us, from Herb to Mary Jane. Doobie cautious and avoid potlucks. If you are out blazing some fall leaves or chatting with some neighbors, be sure to stay on your side of the grass. Hash out issues with your family peacefully, even if they’re acting like a little roach. Today is 4/20 which means we are closer to being able to hang out with our buds again which will be pretty dope. So reefer to the guidelines until then and stay safe. And we are aware of the difficulties faced by everyone as they cannot get together to celebrate Carmen Electra’s birthday. “
Clearly, when it comes to cannabis, things aren’t what they used to be.
For more information on this pun-filled post, you can read Bradley Massman’s reporting in the Big Rapids Pioneer which covers the news in Big Rapids, Michigan.
bigrapidsnews.com/local-news/article/Michigan-police-department-uses-weed-humor-to-15212898.ph
CBD and An Active Lifestyle
Many mature individuals who are still on the fence when it comes to whether they should use CBD to address muscle soreness or stress are often surprised to find the number of amateur and professional athletes who have come to embrace the benefits of CBD. That group now includes Olympic gold medalist, swimmer Dara Torres.
According to Sylvia Muñoz Campo, writing for Benzinga Cannabis, Torres, now 52, started to use CBD to address sleep issues at the recommendation of her trainer. She found such success that she went on to incorporate other CBD products as part of her wellness routine and is now the Chief Lifestyle & Wellness Officer for a cannabis company called Canibrands.
Torres claims the CBD products she uses make it easier for her to manage everyday aches and pains while maintaining her focus and energy. She believes these issues can be common for men and women over 40 years of age—especially those who have maintained an active lifestyle.
You can learn more by reading Sylvia Muñoz Campo’s profile of Dara Torres that appeared in the April 24, 2020 issue of Benzinga Cannabis.
Product Trends
If nothing else, the legalization of various forms of cannabis has sparked an increase in the variety of ways individuals are consuming it
For example, Joan Oleck, writing in Forbes, points out that a growing number of cannabis consumers are ingesting edibles. Oleck contends part of the reason is fear of being exposed to Covid-19 through sharing a joint or pipe or those who ignore social distancing protocols.
She also says parents who are quarantining with children find it easier to enjoy a cannabis gummy instead of smoking for two reasons: there is no smoke and there is more control over dosage.
According to Oleck, increased ability of manufacturers to control the size of a dose contained in an edible is one factor behind the increasing popularity of infused cannabis products.
She cites a report by New Frontier Data that shows, “Infused cannabis products represent 14 percent of sales and will approach $3 billion in sales in 2020.” According to Oleck, the solid edible product category is led by gummies, which constitute over 90 percent of the top-selling infused products. For 2020, researchers are tracking to a 37-percent increase in sales over 2019.
New Frontier says, “There are several factors which could expand the market share of infused products throughout 2020 and beyond.” The report points out that in 2019 cannabis users became concerned over reports of lung injuries from vaping. Add to that the current worries about the pulmonary threat from coronavirus and the increased amount of time parents are spending at home with their children, and you have a recipe for increased use of edibles, gummies in particular.
You can learn much more by reading Joan Oleck’s entertaining and insightful article in the April 18, 2020 issue of Forbes where she describes in greater detail new technology that’s being developed to enhance the edible experience.
Spotlight On Education
According to a new study, many individuals who consider themselves to be experienced consumers of cannabis are still lacking when it comes to understanding what constitutes an effective dose of THC and CBD.
The study, a joint effort conducted by the University of Buffalo and the University of Michigan, surveyed about 500 attendees of a cannabis-related event in Michigan. Those who participated in the survey were asked to fill out a 24-item questionnaire.
According to TG Branfalt, writing for the publication Ganjapreneur, the survey asked participants what amounts they considered to be effective doses for CBD and THC and included a box for “I don’t know.”
The majority of respondents—(53 percent)—selected the “I don’t know” option for THC dosages and 68 percent indicated the same for CBD dosages. The majority of respondents—(58 percent)—said they thought that a low-THC cannabis strain was one with 20 percent THC or higher. Actually such a concentration of THC is considered to be a high-THC strain. Another 22 percent said a low-THC strain was 40 percent THC or higher, when in fact, noted Branfalt, such a percentage of THC would exceed anything available commercially.
Branfalt also reported that a similar lack of information among consumers also applied to CBD products. For instance, the survey found the overwhelming majority of those surveyed—86 percent –said they thought that a low-CBD strain was one that contained10 percent of CBD or more– when actually that would be considered a high-CBD strain.
Said Daniel Kruger, PhD, lead author of the study and a research investigator with the Population Studies Center at the University of Michigan, “Even the people who are most enthusiastic have very poor knowledge of cannabinoid content. They greatly overestimated how much THC and how much CBD was in various strains, and what the effective dosages were. … We really have to educate people. This has very real consequences, because these compounds have differential effects.”
More information can be found in TG Branfalt’s thorough article in the April 16, 2020 issue of Ganjapreneur.
www.ganjapreneur.com/study-suggests-cannabis-consumer-product-knowledge-is-very-poor/
Senior Cannabis Digest is compiled and edited by Joe Kohut and John Kohut. You can reach them at joe.kohut@gmail.com or at 347-528-8753.
