Welcome to Senior Cannabis Digest. This week we take a look at CBD hash, treating cancer pain with cannabis, the need for patient and doctor education when it comes to the risks and benefits of medical cannabis and more. Enjoy.
CBD Spotlight
The term hashish, or hash, usually refers to a very potent form of cannabis concentrate that’s made by collecting the THC-rich resin from the cannabis plant, and then pressing into bricks. It’s used by various cultures, particularly in India and the Middle East, and some say it’s been around for more than a thousand years.
However, what many mature consumers of CBD may be surprised to learn is that according to an article by Erin Hiatt that originally appeared in Leafreport, it is also possible to produce a CBD version of hash that can be consumed in a variety of ways and is said to offer the same benefits perceived by those who use CBD in more common forms, such as capsules, oils, topicals, gummies and edibles.
Pursuant to the guidelines set forth in the 2018 Farm Bill that legalized hemp in the U.S., CBD hash is legal anywhere that hemp is legal.
Hiatt suggests that to ensure you’re buying a legal product, make sure the hash is made from hemp that contains less than 0.3 percent THC. If you live in a legal cannabis state, CBD hash that contains THC can also be purchased in your home state or from a reputable on-line retailer.
Hiatt reports CBD hash can be consumed in a variety of ways, including smoking it in a joint or adding it to CBD flowers, then taking small puffs. It can also be used in a vaporizer or you can create a topical by adding it to a carrier oil such as coconut oil or beeswax.
You can also cook with it. However, Hiatt points out you won’t experience the effects of the CBD hash until your body has metabolized the food you have prepared. In addition, as with making edibles that contain THC, it is necessary to first go through the process of decarboxylating the hash in order to unlock its therapeutic benefits.
To learn more, including how to make your own CBD hash from hemp, we suggest you read Erin Hiatt’s article in Leafreport. It also appeared in the September 5, 2021 issue of Benzinga.
www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/21/09/22809814/what-you-need-to-know-about-cbd-hash?
Treating Chronic Pain with Cannabis
There’s good news for those who live with musculoskeletal pain. A new study suggests using medical cannabis may provide some relief.
Musculoskeletal pain is a condition affecting bones, muscles, ligaments, and joints. It can result from a number of underlying diseases or health problems such as osteoarthritis, inflammatory rheumatic diseases, and fibromyalgia.
The research, conducted at Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada, and other Canadian institutions, involved a review of 49 studies that examined the effectiveness of treating musculoskeletal pain with medical cannabis. The research team found the majority of patients who used medical cannabis reported they believed it helped them to reduce chronic musculoskeletal pain and other chronic non-cancer pain, with only minor adverse effects. In addition, some patients also reported it improved their psychological well-being.
The study appeared in the September, 2021 issue of the Journal of Cannabis Research. To learn more about the study, including the details of the methodology researchers employed, click on the link that follows.
jcannabisresearch.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s42238-021-00096-8
Cannabis Quote of the Week
“In my opinion, there need to be laws requiring cannabis information materials (to be made) readily available to physicians and patients by state governments. Because the state governments are overseeing dispensaries at this time, the responsibility is on them right now. This information could be provided with all cannabis products that are sold at dispensaries similar to the information provided with prescription drugs at a pharmacy. Until there is federal oversight, this would be similar to the process that has been followed for decades for FDA-approved medications….As physicians, we should at the very least advocate for laws requiring information to be made available to healthcare providers who recommend, and patients who use, medical marijuana. This is no different than what is required of FDA-approved drugs and the prescribing and important safety information included with product packaging.”—Dr. Allen Bowling. Dr. Bowling is a neurologist, multiple sclerosis (MS) specialist, and integrative medicine pioneer based in Denver, Colorado. He is currently director of the NeuroHealth Institute in Englewood, Colorado.
He believes those who want to experience the benefits of medical cannabis need to approach it as they would any other medicine when it comes to demanding safe, quality products and weighing the risks it can present to some patients—particularly, in its interaction with other medicines—against its perceived rewards. He also sees the need for increased education on cannabis for both consumers and medical professionals.
Dr. Bowling’s comments about how best to ensure both healthcare providers and patients are aware of the benefits and risks of cannabis-based therapy are taken from an interview he did with the website Cannabinoid Clinical. A link to the full interview follows below.
Medical Cannabis and Cancer Pain
There may be hopeful news coming from England for patients who are looking for ways to help manage the pain associated with cancer.
According to Javier Hasse, reporting for Benzinga, the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) has endorsed the London-based CBD Science Group‘s Real World Evidence (RWE) study into the role cannabinoids can play in treating cancer-related pain.
Professor Sam Ahmedzai, co-chair of NCRI Living With and Beyond Cancer Research Group, told Benzinga, “”It’s well documented how current pain treatment options are largely ineffective or cause even more harmful side effects, underlining the need for new research in order to find better therapies. I am delighted to actively participate in CBD Science Group’s goal of finding an effective and safer medicinal cannabis solution to relieve the suffering of patients living with cancer-related pain.”
Said Graeme McFarlane,chief commercial officer of CBD Science Group, “We are pleased to have secured this endorsement from the NCRI which offers hope to millions of people with long-term cancer pain around the world. We strongly believe in the opportunity that our RWE study presents, and look forward to working closely and deepening our relationship with the NCRI.”
The National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) is a UK-wide partnership between cancer research funders, which promotes collaboration in cancer research. Its member organizations work together to maximize the value and benefit of cancer research for the benefit of patients and the public.
To learn more, we suggest you read Javier Hasse’s article in the September 8, 2021 issue of Benzinga.
Stats of the Week
This week’s magic number is $10.2 million. That’s how much money Maine’s 53 adult-use cannabis shops brought in from marijuana purchases in August, 2021.
That take broke the previous record for monthly sales and represents the first time sales figures in Maine exceeded $10 million for a given month.
According to Kyle Jaeger, writing for Marijuana Moment, that translates into about $1 million in tax revenue for the state, which has a population of just 1.3 million and is not often thought of as a hotbed of recreational cannabis use. Also, that does not include medical cannabis sales, which are tracked separately.
To learn more, along with recent sales figures from other states where cannabis is legal, we urge you to read Kyle Jaeger’s article in the September 8, 2021 issue of Marijuana Moment.
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.
