The number of older consumers who use marijuana for medical and other reasons continues to move higher. In fact, according to a recent study, those often characterized as “baby boomers” are consuming cannabis products at ten times the rate of previous senior generations.
That’s a key finding from the National Survey of Drug Use and Health. According to a report by Ashley Turner in the June 7 issue of CNBC , the federal research showed that while less than one percent of Americans 65 and older admitted to using cannabis in 2007, the figure grew to nearly four percent in that age group in 2017. The same research report showed nearly 10 percent of adults aged 60 to 64 reported they had used marijuana in 2017. That was up from just under 2 percent 10 years earlier.
Dr. Hillary Lum, assistant professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and co-author of a study published last month in the journal Drugs and Aging that examined pot use among Americans over age 60, told Zach Harris of MerryJane.com that as more states legalize medical and recreational cannabis, the number of older Americans using the drug is expected to rise.
More information is available in Harris’ June 10, 2019 article for Merry Jane, a cannabis-focused digital media platform launched by rapper Snoop Dogg and entrepreneur Ted Chung in 2015.
Cannabis and the Opioid Crisis
A new study suggests the availability of legal cannabis in a state may not be a silver bullet capable of ending the opioid crisis by itself after all.
As many know, a 2014 study found the annual opioid overdose rate was lower in states that had legalized medical marijuana than in states that hadn’t. Subsequent studies suggested a similar correlation between greater access to medical cannabis and a state’s opioid overdose rate.
Now, a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in the United States suggests that the trend of fewer fatalities actually started to reverse in 2012 and medical marijuana may not be the wide-scale panacea for opioid fatalities it was once thought to be. The study suggests other factors in the states where medical marijuana was available, such as ease of access to health care, may also have contributed to the original decrease in fatalities.
Ed Cara, reporting on the findings in Gizmodo, notes that the authors of the study do admit that cannabinoids have demonstrated therapeutic benefits and their work does not contradict earlier research that suggested taking cannabis or CBD can supplement existing addiction treatment or reduce the amount of opioids needed to manage pain at the individual level.
Ed Cara’s article appeared in the June 11, issue of Gizmodo.
Fun and Games: Senior Division
Mature consumers who use cannabis and enjoy a round of golf will soon be able to do both at the same time when the first cannabis-themed golf course opens on July 1, 2019 opens in Ontario, Canada.
Rolling Greens is located in the community of Smiths Falls on the site of an existing 18-hole course formerly known as Lombard Glenn. The course was designed David L. Moore and features challenging water hazards on nine different holes and several contoured tree-lined fairways.
When asked about the motivation for creating a cannabis-themed course, Rolling Greens spokesperson Gordon Weiske said the change reflects the fact the Smiths Falls region has become the epicenter of Canada’s new cannabis culture. For instance, he indicated the area is home to Canopy Growth—by some measures the largest cannabis company in the world—and that Smiths Falls’ mayor, Shawn Pankow, has embraced the growth of cannabis-related business and sees it as “a huge economic boom to our community.”
After its official opening on July 1, the Rolling Greens course will have a BYOB—bring your own bud—policy. That means it will not provide cannabis products to players. However, it will not discourage them from enjoying cannabis while playing. Far from it.
Weiske also said there are other features are planned to turn the course into an multi-purpose entertainment venue, such as a disc golf course and a chip and putt section, as well as outdoor concerts and performances by local theater groups on the course itself. Local businesses, such as Canopy, will be encouraged to “adopt a hole” and suggest designs for the hole that promote the company and reflect the cannabis theme of the course and the region.
To learn more or get directions to the course, visit the Rolling Greens website at www.rollinggreens.ca.
Cannabis and Religion
Seniors who are hesitant to use or invest in medical marijuana on what they describe as religious grounds may want to rethink their position.
According to Forbes, the Church of England will soon change its investment fund’s rules to allow for investments in medical cannabis, which is now legal in the U.K. under certain circumstances. While the church is led by Queen Elizabeth II it’s not clear that this decision reflects Her Majesty’s personal thoughts on cannabis.
Forbes contributor Javier Hasse reports the fund in question is called the Church Commissioners for England fund. It currently manages about $10.5 billion in assets, although the Financial Times says that figure is closer to $16 billion. Hasse writes that a spokesperson for the fund told ABC News they will “hold medicinal cannabis to the same standards” as other traditional pharmaceuticals, only investing in “properly licensed” companies with products “regulated for medicinal use.” This does not mean that cannabis companies with small stakes in recreational plays (less than 10 percent of total revenue) will not be considered for investment.
It’s estimated the market for legal cannabis was worth almost $11 billion globally in 2018. Some say that figure may reach as much as $50 billion by 2029.
Javier Hasse’s coverage of this story appears in the June 13, 2019 issue of Forbes.
Another Retail Chain Embraces CBDs
Convenience continues to be king when it comes to making CBD products accessible to seniors and others who use such products to treat their aches and pains. Yahoo Finance reports CV Sciences, the parent company behind the top-selling brand of hemp-derived CBD oil, has announced its CBD oil will be sold in 945 Kroger-owned supermarkets spanning 17 U.S. states.
The company previously announced a separate deal with CVS Health in May to sell its CBD-infused balm in a limited amount of stores.
Said CV Sciences CEO Joe Dowling, “Kroger, CVS Pharmacy, and other leading national retailers are keenly aware of the increased consumer demand for hemp-based CBD products and they are partnering with CV Sciences because of our unwavering commitment to safety and quality.”
Dowling has stressed his company’s commitment to quality and safety, contrasting it with what he describes as “ hundreds that have been able to kind of pop up out of nowhere and there are a lot of bad actors and a lot of get rich quick schemes.”
Zack Guzman’s detailed reporting on this story is available in the June 12, 2019 issue of Yahoo Finance.
Senior Cannabis Digest is compiled and edited by Joe Kohut and John Kohut. You can reach them at seniorcannabisdigest@gmail.com or by calling 347-528-8753.