Welcome to Senior Cannabis Digest. This week we look at transdermal technology as a cannabis delivery system, weigh what’s at stake in this year’s state elections when it comes to cannabis, shine a light on two new products and, for mature consumers who grow their own, we have some tips on drying and curing cannabis. Enjoy.
Spotlight on Technology
If your familiarity with transdermal medicine begins with contraception and ends with controlling the urge to smoke cigarettes, you may be surprised to learn that a growing number of consumers are turning to transdermal technology to experience the benefits of cannabis.
That’s the word from Natalie Fertig writing for LA Weekly. For starters, Fertig points out that while many consumers are familiar with hemp-infused lotions and salves that contain CBD and are applied to the skin, topicals and transdermal applications are not the same thing.
Topicals are applied to the skin and their benefits only have an impact on the epidermis, or the top few layers of the body’s skin. Transdermals, as the name implies, are designed to go deeper into the dermis layer, or the layer beneath the epidermis, and they can come in different forms.
For instance, more familiar transdermal patches, such as Nicoderm CQ, can be used to deliver a specific dose of a drug regularly over a period of time, such as a day or more. Transdermal salve, on the other hand, can be applied to a specific area of the skin in order to achieve a more concentrated effect without the need to stretch it over a long period of time.
Fertig also makes the point that since the dermis contains the body’s microcirculation system when a transdermal, whether a patch or a salve, contains cannabis, the cannabis actually enters the bloodstream, which can transport its effects through the entire body.
As an example of the growing popularity of the approach, she describes products made by a California company called Mary’s Medicinals. The company sells transdermal cannabis in the form of both a patch and a salve.
The patch is described as a way to provide a set amount of CBD and THC over 8-12 hours. The salve, or “compound,” meanwhile, is advertised as potentially providing relief for “nerve pain, arthritis and joint pain, menstrual cramps, psoriasis and more.” It, however, only lasts three hours.
Fertig acknowledges that while topical cannabis can have some impact on inflammation and pain, it won’t get you high and won’t go into your muscles. Cannabis transdermals, however, do have the potential to give the user a high if the transdermal contains enough THC. This also depends, of course, on a person’s tolerance and how much was applied.
You can learn more by reading Natalie Fertig’s detailed article in the October 1, 2020 issue of LA Weekly.com.
www.laweekly.com/why-you-might-want-to-try-some-transdermal-cannabis-after-your-next-workout/?
Stats of the Week
There are two stats of the week in this issue, each highlighting a different aspect of cannabis use in the U.S. and revealing the disconnect that still exists between consumers, state governments and law enforcement when it comes to marijuana.
The first is $9.3 billion. According to Paul Ausick, writing for 24/7 Wall St., that’s how much is at stake when voters go to the polls in five states next month to decide whether or not to legalize possession and consumption of marijuana for medical or recreational use. The amount is an estimate of how much revenue would be generated in those five states combined in the first year of legal sales.
The five states in question are Arizona, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey–which will decide on measures approving legal possession and use of marijuana for either medical or recreational purposes—and South Dakota where voters will decide on two measures, one approving recreational use and one approving medical use only.
The second number we are focused on is 545,601. That’s how many marijuana arrests were made in 2019 according to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting program. That’s down from 663,367 the prior year and 659,700 in 2017 and represents 35 percent of all drug arrests.
So says Kyle Jaeger writing for Marijuana Moment. He points out that it also marks the first time in four years that the number of arrests has declined nationally.
Jaeger noted that not all local police participate in the federal agency’s program, so these figures are not what he described as “holistic.”
And while some advocates may see the decline as a positive sign, Jaeger wrote that this data shows that American law enforcement still carried out more arrests for marijuana alone than for murder, rape, robbery, burglary, fraud and embezzlement combined.
Make of that what you will, this week’s stats indicate that while states continue to pursue a noteworthy bump in revenue by legalizing medical and recreational marijuana, a significant number of individuals are still arrested each year for possession of cannabis. Only time will tell if the decline in the number of arrests recorded in 2019 will mark the beginning of a trend.
You can learn more by reading Paul Ausick’s reporting in the October 5, 2020 issue of 24/7 WallSt.com and Kyle Jaeger’s article in the October 1, 2020 issue of Marijuana Moment.
New Product Showcase
A beverage with THC and a sleep oil are two new products on the horizon that are likely to be of interest to mature consumers. The oil even brings to market a cannabinoid that is being touted as the next CBD.
First the beverage. According to Tiffany Kary, writing for Bloomberg, Canopy Growth Corp., the Canadian cannabis company, is moving to bring cannabis beverages to the U.S. in 2021.
According to a statement issued by the company, the drinks will contain THC, the psychoactive compound found in marijuana, in dosage amounts designed to keep people buzzed and social in a similar way to beer, cocktails or wine.
Said David Klein, Canopy’s chief executive officer, “Just as hard seltzer disrupted beer by providing a lighter, low-calorie alternative, we believe cannabis beverages will be an attractive option for what have traditionally been alcohol-driven occasions and mood states.”
Kary wrote that Canopy’s plan is for Acreage Holdings Inc. to begin selling the drinks in California and Illinois next summer (2021) and move into other states in following months. The drinks will first be available in dispensaries with the aim of getting them in liquor stores or other retail locations once that becomes legally permissible.
In another venture, Balanced Health Botanicals, a family of hemp-derived CBD brands, is set to introduce an oil specifically formulated to better promote sleep, relief, and relaxation.
According to Javier Hasse, writing for Benzinga, the product, CBN + CBD 1:3 Sleep Oil, contains both cannabinol (CBN) and CBD. While CBN is less well-known than CBD, some believe that in addition to being a sleep aid it may also be used to relieve pain, stimulate the appetite, reduce inflammation and have antibacterial properties. Clearly, more research is needed to substantiate these claims.
Tiffany Kary’s article, “Canopy to Bring Cannabis Beverages to the U.S. Next Year,” appears in the October 2, 2020 issue of Bloomberg for MSN.com. Javier Hasse’s reporting can be found in the October 2, 2020 issue of Benzinga.
Growing Your Own
Mature consumers who grow their own marijuana in states where that is permitted need to understand that growing the plant is just the first step. Once it is harvested it needs to be dried and cured.
According to Will Hyde, writing for Leafly, these steps will help to retain terpenes and cannabinoids, preserving and accentuating the flavors of the cannabis, while diminishing chlorophyll, which can produce a harsh smoking experience.
In his article Hyde explains that drying happens before or after trimming and occurs when the initial amount of moisture comes out of buds. This can happen after you cut down the plant in dry trimming, or after you trim the buds in wet trimming, when buds are in a drying room or on a drying rack.
Curing happens after this initial removal of moisture and after buds have been trimmed. It involves storing finished buds in containers to stop the loss of moisture and to preserve flavors and aromas.
When drying, keep the harvested marijuana in a dark room with temperatures between 60-70°F and humidity between 55-65 percent. Drying usually takes 3-7 days, but could take longer. Check the drying branches after they’ve been hanging for 3 days. Hyde suggests that a good test is to bend a branch with buds—if the stem snaps, that means buds are dry and ready for trimming.
When the initial amount of moisture is out of the buds it’s time to cure them. When curing, you’ll be storing finished buds in containers—typically airtight glass jars—to stop the loss of moisture, and to preserve flavors and aromas.
During curing, moisture continues to draw from the center of the bud toward the outside. This usually takes two weeks to a month, and humidity inside curing containers needs to be between 55-65 percent.
The curing process affects the flavor and quality of the smoke. Many terpenes, which give cannabis its unique smell and flavor, are quite volatile and can degrade and evaporate at temperatures as low as 50°F. A slow cure at low temperatures will preserve terpenes better than a quick, hot dry one.
After two to four weeks in containers, your cannabis should be cured enough to provide a quality experience. Some people prefer to cure for four to eight weeks, and it is said that some strains can benefit from six months or more of curing.
For more information, including how to monitor the status of your marijuana buds while curing them, we urge you to read Will Hyde’s informative and detailed article, “How to dry and cure cannabis.” It appears in Leafly’s Guide to Growing Marijuana.
www.leafly.com/learn/growing/harvesting-marijuana/drying-curing-cannabis
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.
