Vol. 1 No. 2 May 7, 2019

It appears a growing number of golfers may be packing a little something extra in their golf bag—a container of CBD oil. According to a recent article by Brittany Romanon in Golf Digest, acceptance of CBD is growing among members of the golfing community. For example, Romanon points to the fact that Colorado-based Functional Remedies signed PGA Tour Champions player Scott McCarron as an endorser in 2018. McCarron says hemp oil helps him stay focused and helps his body to recover from the stress of playing on the pro tour and perform at the highest level.

In a recent CNN interview, two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson said he uses CBD oil to relieve the pain of golf-related injuries and believes it can help him sustain his career at the highest level.

Andy Levinson, Executive Director of the PGA Tour’s Anti-Doping Program, acknowledges CBD has become a popular topic among PGA Tour players and his department has seen an increase of inquiries regarding its legality. The PGA, however, has warned players there is no guarantee a supplement contains what is listed on the label, therefore there is a risk that a supplement may contain a prohibited substance.

You can find out more by reading “The Real Truth About CBD Oil and How It Can Affect Your Golf Game” in the February 1, 2019 online issue of Golf Digest.

Medical News and Notes

There’s hopeful and helpful news for seniors who have been diagnosed with cancer and want to explore using cannabis as part of a treatment plan. David Bienenstock has created a “Patient’s Guide to Using Cannabis for Cancer.”

The guide, which may also be helpful for caregivers, appeared in the February 9, 2019 online issue of Leafly. The article includes background material on medical cannabis and offers important tips, such as how to talk to your doctor about using cannabis as part of a treatment program, how to obtain medical cannabis, how to determine correct dosing and the various methods available for taking cannabis products.

To learn more, visit the article “How to Use Medical Marijuana for Cancer” on Leafly.com.

Cannabis and Healthy Aging

A recent university poll on healthy aging found four out of five individuals aged 50-to-80 surveyed said they support the use of medical marijuana— but only with a doctor’s recommendation. In addition, three in five respondents to the National Poll on Healthy Aging conducted by the University of Michigan said health insurance should cover medical marijuana when recommended by a doctor. And nearly two thirds of those queried felt the government should fund research to study the health effects of marijuana.

Only one out of five respondents reported that their primary health care provider has asked whether they use marijuana. When asked if their health care providers are knowledgeable about medical marijuana, a large majority (75 percent!) said they did not know. More information is available by visiting the University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging.

Retirement Planning Tips

While a growing number of investors have shown interest in marijuana-related stocks of late, at least one expert thinks such stocks may not be a good fit for retirement portfolios. While investment analyst Sean Williams acknowledges that some marijuana stocks show promise, he contends there are still “some flaws in the industry that need to be dealt with before retirees consider pot stocks for their portfolios.”

Writing in The Motley Fool, he argued that the majority of marijuana stocks have yet to demonstrate two characteristics that are of interest to most retirees: profitability and the ability to pay a dividend. Details of his analysis are available in the August 23, 2018, issue of The Motley Fool.

CBD Oil and Arthritis

Those looking for a new way to address arthritis pain may be pleased to hear that there are indications using CBD oil may offer some relief. That’s the opinion of Daniel Clauw, MD, a professor at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and an expert in chronic pain. In fact, in an interview in an article on the website of The Arthritis Foundation he confirmed he recommends it to some of his patients.

Clauw also offered several tips for those who wish to use CBD to ease the pain of osteoarthritis, such as use low doses, which seem to work best for pain relief and use only at night at first; slowly increasing the dose if needed.

In addition to the interview with Dr. Clauw, the article suggested if you want to try CBD, it is important to discuss it with your doctor first, talk to a practitioner who is familiar with CBD oil and contact the manufacturer to see proof of a third-party analysis for purity and potency.

More information can be found in the article on Arthritis.org by Linda Roth, “CBD Oil: Should You Try It for Arthritis Symptoms?”

Senior Cannabis Digest is compiled and edited by Joe Kohut and John Kohut. Contact us at seniorcannabisdigest.com or leave a comment in the comment section.