Welcome to Senior Cannabis Digest. This week we look at research into treating PTSD in veterans with cannabis, a new brand of cannabis-infused ice cream, Scotts Miracle-Gro’s cannabis play and more. Enjoy.
Cannabis and Veterans
In a groundbreaking step, two research projects will analyze the effects of medical marijuana on military veterans. Both projects are funded by $20 million in tax revenue from Michigan’s adult-use cannabis program.
According to Ben Radlin, reporting for Marijuana Moment, most of the money, nearly $13 million, will examine “the efficacy of marijuana in treating the medical conditions of United States armed service veterans and preventing veteran suicide,” according to grant recipients at the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS).
Radlin writes that the grant will fund the next step of a study researchers say is the first clinical trial of inhaled botanical marijuana for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and only the second to compare the safety and efficacy of cannabis against a placebo.
In addition, another $7 million in marijuana revenue-funded grant money will go to Wayne State University’s Bureau of Community Action and Economic Opportunity. The Bureau has partnered with researchers to study how cannabis might treat a variety of mental health disorders, including PTSD, anxiety, sleep disorders, depression and suicidality.
Both new grants come from Michigan’s $20 million Veteran Marijuana Research Grant Program, which was established by the state’s legalization law approved by voters in 2018.
According to MAPS, PTSD, depression and substance use disorders are all common among veterans. The disorders are also significant contributors to suicide.
Radlin writes that the tax revenue will fund Phase 2 of the organization’s clinical trial comparing the safety and efficacy of inhaled cannabis against a placebo. The research will also “not exclude” military veterans with major depressive disorder and substance use disorder, MAPS said.
A total of 320 veterans across four sites, two of which are in Michigan, will spend five weeks “self-administering inhaled, self-titrated doses of high-quality botanical cannabis on an outpatient basis for treatment of PTSD.”
Berra Yazar-Klosinki, chief scientific officer for MAPS Public Benefit Corporation, said that because of difficulties getting high-quality cannabis from the few government-approved growers in the U.S., the team is planning to bring in the cannabis for Phase 2 trials from a regulated grower overseas. The team is “selecting appropriately qualified growers from abroad that have already validated their production and measurements…at the level of good manufacturing practices.”
To learn more, we suggest you read Ben Radlin’s excellent reporting on this research. It appears in the August 10, 2021 issue of Marijuana Moment.
The Shape of Things to Come
In another sign that many things are changing when it comes to cannabis, what’s been described as the largest exhibit of the art of Vincent van Gogh—currently in New York City—is sponsoring two cannabis friendly nights for visitors. Such a step would have been unthinkable until recently and would still be illegal in many parts of the country.
According to Oli Coleman, reporting for the New York Post, venue organizers are allowing visitors to smoke or “munch their edibles” while viewing the trippy, giant visualizations inspired by the Dutch artist’s dream-like works.
Coleman said the special evenings are sponsored by “New York City cannabis lifestyle purveyor” Happy Munky. They billed it as “high-end art meets high-end cannabis hospitality.”
The exhibit, reported Coleman, was created by artist Massimiliano Siccardi and “Hamilton’s” David Korins and according to its site, “with the help of 60,600 frames of video, 90,000,000 pixels, and 500,000+ cubic feet of projections, this captivating digital art exhibit merges state-of-the-art technology, theatrical storytelling, and world-class animation.”
We guess van Gogh’s work is not just about sunflowers any more.
To learn more you can read Obi Coleman’s article in the Page Six section of the August 10, 2021 issue of the New York Post.
pagesix.com/2021/08/10/trippy-immersive-van-gogh-exhibit-to-host-weed-night/?
New Product Spotlight
A new line of sweet treats is being made with a little something extra—and it’s not sprinkles. A Massachusetts-based ice cream brand, Emack & Bolio’s, has partnered with MariMed, a leading multi-state cannabis operator focused on health and wellness, to produce a new brand of cannabis-infused ice cream.
According to Javier Hasse, reporting for Benzinga, the cannabis-infused vegan and dairy ice cream will contain the same whole-plant cannabinoid and terpene formulations found in MariMed’s brands, such as Betty’s Eddies and K Fusion.
MariMed CEO Bob Fireman told Hasse, “We anticipate launching the line-up in Massachusetts later this year, followed by other legal cannabis states. It’s a natural pairing that I know consumers are going to love.”
According to MariMed chief products officer and senior vice president of sales Ryan Crandall, “Ice cream and cannabis just makes sense.” Said Crandall, ”It’s a natural pairing, but ice cream also happens to be a $60B industry and growing. We know consumers are going to love the outrageous flavors and formulas we will introduce together with the team at Emack & Bolio’s.”
You can learn more by reading Javier Hasse’s article in the August 9, 2021 edition of Benzinga.
Stats of the Week
While it’s not a statistic, there is a significant number we would like to mention this week—$150 million. That’s how much Scotts Miracle-Gro Co. is investing in a new subsidiary—called The Hawthorne Collective—that will allow the Ohio-based lawn and garden giant to invest in emerging areas of the marijuana industry.
Said Scotts Miracle-Gro CEO Jim Hagedorn, “The addition of The Hawthorne Collective into our portfolio allows us to explore and pursue new opportunities in an industry that is poised for significant growth in the years ahead.”
Hagedorn indicated the Collective would ultimately allow Scotts to have a stake in plant-touching businesses “as the legal environment changes over time” – what Lamars says is an apparent reference to the potential federal legalization of marijuana in the United States.
Given the current Federal prohibition on cannabis even the $150 million from The Hawthorne Collective can’t be used to invest in plant-touching companies in the U.S. However, the $150 million could be leveraged to secure ties with those businesses. For example, the money can be used as collateral to secure further capital.
To learn more about what Scotts is doing and to gain some insight into the complicated world of corporations and cannabis plays, we urge you to read Matt Lamers excellent reporting in the August 10, 2021 issue of MJBiz Daily.
mjbizdaily.com/scotts-miracle-gro-invests-150-million-in-cannabis-investment-firm-riv-capital/?
Cannabis Quote of the Week
“When I got to the league, [there] was opioid abuse. You really could go in the training room and get what you wanted. I can get Vicodin, I can get Oxy[contin]. It was too available. I used Percocet and stuff like that. And I did not like the way that made me feel. I had my preferred choice of medicine. Cannabis.”—Hall of Fame Football Player Calvin Johnson.
Johnson, better known to some as Megatron, revealed his painkiller of choice in a Sports Illustrated interview in 2019. His comments are taken from that interview.
More recently Johnson promoted the wellness attributes of plant-based medicines, such as cannabis, in his Hall of Fame induction speech. Said Johnson, “It’s time (for the NFL) to recognize the potential of phytomedicines, plant medicines, to aid and improve the quality of life for so many. These plants, primitive in nature, provide an alternative to their destructive counterparts—opioids.”
According to ABC News, Johnson and former Lions teammate Rob Sims have founded Michigan-based Primitiv, a cannabis research company, and created a collaboration with Harvard University to research how cannabis can help people with CTE and chronic pain.
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a degenerative brain disease found in athletes, military veterans, and others with a history of repetitive brain trauma.
The link to Mr. Johnson’s Hall of Fame speech follows. His comments about pain management begin at the 10 minute mark.
www.nfl.com/videos/calvin-johnson-s-full-hall-of-fame-speech
Here’s the link to his Sports Illustrated interview.
www.si.com/nfl/2019/09/20/calvin-johnson-lions-big-interview?
Cannabis and Diabetic Nerve Pain
A global clinical research organization dedicated to safe, ethical studies that ensure subjects benefit from the development of new and novel treatments and therapies, is launching a clinical study of Pennsylvania’s medical cannabis patients suffering from diabetic nerve pain.
According to Javier Hasse, the company, Affinity Bio Partners, has begun recruiting individuals with diabetic nerve pain who wish to participate in the study.
Said Christina DiArcangelo, CEO of Affinity Bio Partners,“I am thrilled to be working on this clinical study with Dr. Bryan Doner and the Serena Group. The future of medical cannabis and cannabinoids as medical treatments are dependent upon properly performed clinical studies.”
Hasse reports that those who suffer from diabetic nerve pain and are enrolled in Pennsylvania’s medical cannabis program can inquire about participating in the study by calling 724-859-6200 or emailing research.pgh@serenagroups.com.
Diabetic nerve pain is a condition that enables an individual to participate in Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program.
Javier Hasse’s article on the study appears in the August 4, 2021 edition of Benzinga.
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.
