Welcome to Senior Cannabis Digest. This week we look at why you may have stopped receiving text messages from your favorite dispensary, a retail pharmacy chain that is starting to recommend CBD, what clinicians think about cannabis and more. Enjoy.
Cannabis and Telecom
If your local dispensary has suddenly stopped sending you texts to let you know your favorite strain of sativa is available, don’t worry. It’s not that the budtenders don’t love you any more.
It’s more likely, according to Rachel Kurtz-McAlaine, Deputy Director of Public Policy for the National Cannabis Industry Association (NCIA), your favorite pot shop was using an SMS platform, such as AT&T, Twilio, Avochato or T-Mobile, that has decided to terminate services for cannabis companies.
(By the way, SMS stands for Short Message System, the technical term for what the rest of us call a text.)
Kurtz-McAlaine, writing in the Association’s newsletter, shared the following statement from the folks at Twilo, “SMS or MMS messages related to cannabis are not allowed in the United States, as federal laws prohibit its sale, even though some states have legalized it. Similarly, messages related to CBD products are not permissible in the United States, as certain states prohibit its sale. Twilio policy is reflective of US carrier rules in this area, and there are no exceptions to this policy.
Twilio defines a cannabis-related message as any message which relates to the marketing or sale of a cannabis product, regardless of whether or not those messages explicitly contain cannabis terms, images, or links to cannabis websites.”
Kurtz-McAlaine added that this decision to deny service to cannabis companies came soon after the implementation of new telecommunications regulations intended to address the problem of spam—a problem that’s not specific to the cannabis industry. However, she contends telecommunications companies have used it as a reason to “exclude legally regulated cannabis companies, or at least significantly interfere with their operations.”
To learn more we suggest you read the article, “Text Messaging (SMS) Crackdown Impacting the Cannabis Industry.” It appears in the May 11, 2021 edition of The Cannabis Industry.org. To find it, just click on the following link.
thecannabisindustry.org/text-messaging-sms-crackdown-impacting-the-cannabis-industry
CBD Spotlight
There may be helpful news for mature consumers who use CBD products as part of their wellness routine.
Rite Aid has announced its pharmacists will now help customers select alternative medicines and treatments for their conditions, including CBD products. Specifically, pharmacists will help customers find treatments that can complement or supplement traditional medicines.
This is significant news, given that Rite Aid is often listed as the third or fourth largest retail pharmacy chain in the U.S.
Writing for The Hill, Alexandra Kelly reported that when consulted, pharmacists can refer to “tip sheets” in order to identify which products can be useful for treating different conditions. According to Kelly, some of the more popular options include melatonin, lavender and aromatherapy treatments, along with elderberry and zinc for immunity support. Recently, the company has added CBD products to that list.
We assume the CBD products offered by Rite Aid will be derived from hemp, which by law can contain only .03 percent THC, the cannabinoid linked to the intoxication experienced when using marijuana. CBD derived from marijuana contains a higher level of THC.
Kelly also reported that Rite Aid CEO Heyward Donigan, speaking at a virtual event called The Future of Everything Festival, acknowledged the company is keeping a close eye on the growing popularity of medical marijuana and the evolution of the marijuana business in general.
To learn more we suggest you read Alexandra Kelley’s detailed article in the May 17, 2021 issue of The Hill.
Stats of the Week
There are several magic numbers this week. The first is 68.9 percent. According to a recent survey published in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, that’s the percentage of clinicians who said they believed cannabis had “medicinal uses.” However, at the same time only 26.6 percent said they recommend it to their patients.
The survey findings were based on data collected from 1506 family practice doctors, internists, nurse practitioners, and oncologists.
According to Thomas Edward, reporting for High Times, the survey revealed the clinicians queried thought cannabis could be useful in treating pain, nausea and spasticity (an abnormal muscle tightness due to prolonged muscle contraction), as well as appetite activation and controlling seizures.
The survey also indicated the practitioners could use more education and training on the legality of prescribing or recommending cannabis to their patients, given that “nearly two-thirds (60.0 percent) of clinicians surveyed incorrectly reported the legal status of cannabis in their state.”
You can learn more about the survey findings by reading Thomas Edwards’s article in the May 21, 2021 issue of High Times.
hightimes.com/news/clinicians-believe-cannabis-therapeutic/?
CBD Legislation
Once the 2018 Farm Bill made it legal to grow hemp, CBD containing .03 percent THC and less quickly became a featured ingredient in everything from lattes to latkes, muffins to mojitos and everything in between. Then, just as quickly it was gone.
The reason for the sudden disappearance was that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did not have a regulatory process in place that would allow CBD to be used as an ingredient in consumable products such as foods, drinks and dietary supplements.
In order to stem the tide of CBD’s sudden popularity as a food ingredient the FDA made it clear it was poised to sanction manufacturers who made and marketed such products and in a few cases, it did. Many local municipalities followed suit by forcing retailers, such as that corner store where you get your morning coffee, to remove any food products containing CBD and destroy them.
Now, according to Tom Angell, writing for Marijuana Moment, legislation has been introduced that would once again make it legal for you to get a CBD muffin to go along with your half caff mocha latte.
Angell reports that The Hemp Access and Consumer Safety Act has been filed by Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR), Rand Paul (R-KY) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR). The act would exempt “hemp, hemp-derived cannabidiol (note: that’s CBD), or a substance containing any other ingredient derived from hemp” from FDA restrictions and lack of regulations that have blocked the emergence of legal consumable hemp products.
Sen. Rand Paul, yes that Rand Paul, said,“hemp-derived CBD products and businesses have earned their recognition in the marketplace, but the FDA, unfortunately, hasn’t treated them like any other food additive or dietary supplement.” He added that the new bill “provides a huge relief to hemp farmers, processors, and merchants.”
Sen. Merkley added, “Hemp-derived CBD products are already widely available, and we all need FDA to issue clear regulations for them just like they do for other foods, drinks, and dietary supplements.”
According to Angell, a bipartisan group of House members introduced similar legislation earlier this year that would allow CBD to be marketed as a dietary supplement.
Tom Angell does an excellent job of unpacking a complicated issue, including the reasons behind the roadblocks. You can learn more by reading his article in the May 19, 2021 issue of Marijuana Moment.
www.marijuanamoment.net/senate-bill-would-allow-cbd-infused-foods-drinks-and-dietary-supplements/
Cannabis Quote of the Week
“I think cannabis is inherently a tool for wellness and well-being, whether it’s a high-dose dab or CBD massage. Cannabis is a tool we should understand how to use in order to improve quality of life, which includes reducing stress and reaching flow state. The original principle of cannabis in ancient China was all about properties of yin and yang, and that goes right into homeostasis, balance and the endocannabinoid system. All of the cannabis principles point to balance and quality of life, so now it’s all about educating mainstream travelers about using cannabis to do that.“—Brian Applegarth.
Applegarth is the founder of the Cannabis Travel Association International. Its goal is to “lead and advocate for safe and responsible cannabis tourism in a regulatory environment.”
Applegarth’s comments are taken from a conversation with Thomas Mitchel, the cannabis editor for the Denver-based online publication Westword.com. The publication does an excellent job of covering a wide range of cannabis issues.
www.westword.com/marijuana/where-does-marijuana-tourism-lands-after-covid-19-11963567?
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.
