Welcome to Senior Cannabis Digest. This week we look at a new warning on Halloween treats and safety with a surprising twist, gardening tips for those who grow their own plants, a new approach to testing for cannabis use and more. Enjoy.
Halloween, Cannabis and Safety
The familiar theme linking cannabis and Halloween candy has reappeared, only this time it comes with a significant twist.
Several Attorneys General in states where adult-use cannabis is legal have issued messages warning parents of the existence of cannabis treats that have been tricked out to resemble well-known snacks. The concern is that as Halloween draws near, those products may put children and others at risk.
The specific products have packaging that resembles snack brands such as Oreos, Sour Patch candies, Fruity Pebbles cereal and others. While such products are popping up in states where cannabis is legal, these are knock offs that are unregulated and often have extremely high levels of THC.
According to Kyle Jaeger, reporting for Marijuana Moment, the messaging from the attorneys general appears to be more a warning aimed at consumers and the makers of these dangerous products and doesn’t seem to imply that people are willfully distributing cannabis to minors.
For example, Jaeger writes that in New York, Attorney General Letitia James (D) cautioned consumers about illicit products packaged to resemble common brands, saying “these unregulated and deceptive cannabis products will only confuse and harm New Yorkers, which is why they have no place in our state.”
In Connecticut, Attorney General William Tong (D) expressed the concern that the illicit marijuana products in question could contain concentrations of THC that exceed what will be legally allowed and regulated when retailers open in the state.
Said Tong, “Accidental cannabis overdoses by children are increasing nationwide, and these products will only make this worse. While Connecticut recently legalized adult-use cannabis, many of these products fall far outside the range of what will ever be safe or authorized for sale.”
In Illinois, Attorney General Kwame Raoul (D) also issued a warning about knockoff cannabis products. Said Raoul, “I urge all residents to be on the lookout for and avoid look-alike products, which are unregulated, unsafe and illegal. In particular, I urge parents and guardians to be aware of the dangers these products pose to children and young adults.”
Given the price of cannabis edibles it remains extremely unlikely that someone would hand them out to children as part of a dangerous and expensive Halloween prank.
However, the warnings raise an important issue—the storage of edibles by consumers and the ability of children, and in some cases pets, to get access to them. Mature consumers who use cannabis edibles need to always be vigilant, not just at Halloween, that their edibles do not fall into the wrong hands.
To learn more, we urge you to read Kyle Jaeger’s excellent reporting in the October 26, 2021 issue of Marijuana Moment.
Edible Trends
Speaking of edibles, while their popularity in North America remains high, the U.S. market is currently outpacing our neighbors to the north.
However, what is similar in both the U.S. and Canada is that the majority of all cannabis edible sales are products that have the highest amount of THC permitted—10 mg of THC per package in Canada and 100 mg of THC per package in the U.S.
That’s the word from Matthew O’Brien, writing in the newsletter Four PM. He cites a recent study by Headset, a research company that specializes in the cannabis industry. The study found that in Canada, edibles held a 5 percent market share while in the U.S. edibles have captured a 10.2 percent market share.
The study also revealed that gummies are the most popular type of edible, with over 71 percent of the market share in the U.S. and a market share of over 65 percent in Canada.
O’Brien also points out that the cannabis brands that are thought by consumers to produce the best gummies have been duly rewarded as the top 5 edibles brands by sales over the last 90 days in the U.S. The edible maker WYLD led the way with $52.9 million in sales over the last 90 days, followed by Kiva which posted $45.6 million in sales over the same period.
According to O’Brien, forecasters say total sales of edibles will increase by $500 million USD to $2.33 billion USD in 2021. That would be a 28 percent increase in annual sales. Forecasters also predict cannabis edible sales in the U.S. will reach $2.98 billion USD by 2023 as more states continue to legalize cannabis.
To learn more, we suggest reading Mathew O’Brien’s article in the October 25, 2021 issue of Four PM.
www.fourpm.co/p/who-wants-edibles-?
You can also access the Headset study by clicking on the link that follows:Headset.
A Breathalyzer Test For Cannabis
Researchers claim to be on the verge of developing the equivalent of a breathalyzer test for detecting marijuana in a person’s system. So says Joseph Cariz, writing for The American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Cariz cites an article published in the journal Science Translational Medicine that describes the development of a rapid test for the oral presence of THC called EPOCH. This method of analysis is said to be similar to a breathalyzer test for alcohol and allows analysis to be completed within 5 minutes in the field.
Unlike standard drug tests, the new testing method is said to be able to distinguish between more immediate use —within 12 hours—and less recent use.
Even as the push for the legalization of cannabis grows at the state level, concerns linger about the use of cannabis, safe driving and the ability to accurately test for impairment in the field.
Using blood or urine tests to detect the presence of THC, the active ingredient in cannabis, can take days to process. The issue is further complicated by the fact that unlike alcohol, THC can linger in the bloodstream for days, which does not necessarily indicate impairment.
Said Hakho Lee, Ph.D., director of the Biomedical Engineering Program at Harvard University and senior author of the new study, as reported per the AAAS, “With marijuana becoming more accessible, it is important for public safety to have an objective way to tell whether a person is under its influence.”
THE EPOCH system uses an optical sensor to detect THC in saliva samples, where the compound’s presence correlates more closely with immediate cannabis use than it does when detected in blood or urine.
The initial testing of this new method accurately picked up THC in saliva samples from all users of the plant within about 3 minutes. Another benefit of this approach is that the sensor also makes it possible to measure the amount of THC in a person’s system instead of only giving positive or negative results. The whole system can yield results within five minutes and can be docked with commercially available smartphones.
The researchers said they eventually plan to expand their test to detect drugs, such as oxycodone and other synthetic opioids.
We contend that mature consumers of cannabis share the same concerns held by other members of their community when it comes to public safety and the ability to maintain safe driving standards even in the face of legalization. It appears this method of testing is a step toward being able to distinguish between cannabis use and impairment.
To learn more, we suggest you read the article by Joseph Cariz that appeared on the Association’s website on October 21, 2021.
www.aaas.org/news/rapid-marijuana-saliva-test-detects-immediate-use-within-minutes
News About Growing Your Own Cannabis
New York State appears to be ready to let individuals registered in its medical marijuana program legally grow their own cannabis plants.
Nicolas Jose Rodriguez, writing for Benzinga, reports that according to the State’s Marijuana Regulation & Taxation Act (MRTA), which was passed in 2021, home cultivation of medical cannabis is now allowed for patients 21 years and older who are in the state’s Medical Cannabis Program.
In addition, designated caregivers caring for patients under 21 years of age (or who are incapable of cultivating for themselves), may grow plants on behalf of the patient.
According to Rodriquez, after a 60-day public comment period starting from when the rules are published, the board will review comments, make any necessary revisions and officially file the regulations to take effect.
The Act makes it clear that landlords still retain the option of prohibiting tenants from growing cannabis on their properties.
Tremaine Wright, who chairs the state’s Cannabis Control Board, told the publication Marijuana Moment, “The home cultivation of medical cannabis will provide certified patients with a cost-effective means of obtaining cannabis through personal cultivation.”
For those who live in New York, or in other states where home cultivation is legal, Francis Cassidy, writing for RxLeaf, has a few tips.
• Think of planting companion plants along with your cannabis plants. Cassidy writes that companion plants can help to fend off unwelcome pests while they attract beneficial insects. Companions can also help infuse soil with required nutrients. He suggests nasturtiums, alfalfa, sweet peas, yarrow, dandelion, and beans are among the best companion plants for cannabis and can help to improve your soil.
• After harvesting, fall gardening can be an excellent time to replenish the soil in your garden. By putting a little time and effort into replenishing or cleaning soil after harvest, you can minimize the potential problems for the upcoming year, which can lead to saving money and improving yields.
• Cassidy suggests that the simplest way to recycle and rejuvenate existing soil is to add some potting soil to the mix.
For those who wish to follow a more holistic route to soil management, he offers several other options. For starters, you can consider adding compost to the existing soil in a 30:70 ratio. This may help inject some life and nutrients into the depleted soil.
Also, he says that adding vermiculite or perlite will help increase the surface area for friendly bacteria to thrive upon and proliferate.
In addition, Cassidy advises that adding crushed rock dust, dolomite, Epsom salts, and molasses to your existing soil can help introduce a useful range of minerals.
To learn more about the new rules allowing for home growing of cannabis in New York State, we suggest you read Nicolas Jose Rodriguez‘s article in the October 21, 2021 edition of Benzinga.
For more tips on the home cultivation of cannabis plants we suggest you read the article by Francis Cassidy in the October 1, 2021 edition of the publication RxLeaf. Cassidy has penned numerous articles about home cultivation for the publication.
www.rxleaf.com/fall-gardening-tips-replenish-soil-cannabis-grow/?
Using Cannabis To Manage Pain
A new study suggests using cannabis may help adults manage pain and reduce anxiety. Writing in an article for the journal Cannabis, a group of researchers led by Dr. Yan Wang of the Department of Epidemiology of the University of Florida, described a three month study to examine the effects of medical cannabis on pain, anxiety/depression, sleep, and quality of life.
Data were collected from 46 adults with a mean age of 55, 52 percent of whom were male, who had recently started a medical cannabis treatment for chronic pain.
After a few weeks, participants reported significant reductions in momentary pain intensity and anxiety and a significant increase in daily sleep duration and sleep quality. At 3 months, self-reported survey data showed significantly lower levels of worst pain, pain interference and depression, as well as increased sleep duration, sleep quality and quality of life.
The researchers stated , “In our sample of primarily middle-aged and older adults with chronic pain, medical cannabis was associated with reduced pain intensity/inference, lower anxiety/depression, and improved sleep and quality of life.”
To learn more, we suggest you read the article that appeared in Vol. 4 No. 2 (2021) of the journal Cannabis. It was published on September 22, 2021.
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.
