Welcome to Senior Cannabis Digest. This week we look at the benefits attributed to drinking raw cannabis juice, a new way to market cannabis grown in California, the challenges designers face when creating packaging for cannabis products and more. Enjoy.
Consumer Corner
Over the last few years a growing number of mature consumers have experimented with different ways to “take their medicine.” Some who grew tired of smoking different forms of medical marijuana turned to vaping while others thought edibles or capsules were the answer. Now it seems some are jazzed about juicing.
So says Becky Garrison, writing for The Fresh Toast. She makes the point that cold-press juices allow consumers to ingest the nutrients present in raw fruits, vegetables, and herbs that can get lost when the products are heated or cooked.
She contends that consuming raw cannabis leaves and buds as a dietary aid increases the anti-oxidant and neuroprotective properties of this plant. Plus, since the THC in cannabis only becomes psychoactive when heated, consuming raw cannabis makes it possible to take advantage of the benefits attributed by many to the other non-psychoactive cannabinoids in the plant, such as THCA, CBDA, and CBGA.
Garrison writes that there is anecdotal evidence that raw cannabis may be beneficial in treating inflammation and autoimmune disease. She also cites a report in Project CBD that claims unheated CBDA and unheated THCA (THC-acid) both have medicinal attributes. However, she acknowledges that more rigorous scientific research of these potential benefits of raw cannabis juice is needed.
Garrison admits juicing is not for everyone and encourages consumers to speak with a medical doctor before starting a cannabis juicing routine, particularly if they have any pre-existing medical conditions, including kidney or gallbladder problems, or take blood-thinning drugs or medications that can be blocked by pomegranate or grapefruit juice.
Her recipe for raw cannabis juice starts with 2 large buds and 15 to 20 large leaves that are picked while the plant is in the full flowering stage. After soaking the leaves for approximately five minutes, they can be juiced in a cold-press juicer or blender, along with fruits or vegetables to help cut the harsh taste of raw cannabis, and dilute the mixture so it goes down more smoothly.
She suggests dividing the cannabis juice into three servings and drinking one serving with each meal. Freshly juiced cannabis can be stored in a tightly sealed container and put in the refrigerator where it should last for up to three days.
Garrison concedes that raw cannabis juice may not be everyone’s cup of tea and while some people can report a dramatic change after just one serving of raw cannabis juice, others may take four to eight weeks to see full results.
Becky Garrison’s entertaining and helpful article, which first appeared in The Fresh Toast, also appeared in the October 8, 2020 issue of Green Entrepreneur.
www.greenentrepreneur.com/article/357122?
Spotlight on Technology
Researchers at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology report they have developed a system that allows cannabis molecules to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and reach the brain directly.
According to an article that appeared in the Jerusalem Post, the technology—created by a company called Nextage Therapeutics—could help to minimize side effects caused by treatments spreading in other organs. It may also make it possible to lower necessary doses by increasing the bioavailability of the medicine delivered directly to the brain and could potentially help with the development of treatments for a variety of diseases including Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, chronic pain and brain cancer.
To learn more, you can read the article “New technology passes cannabis to brain through blood-brain barrier,” which appeared in the October 19, 2020 issue of The Jerusalem Post.
Cannabis Trends
Taking a tip from California’s wine industry, outdoor cannabis growers in that state can now brand and market their products by highlighting where and how they’re produced.
Senate Bill 67, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sept. 30, established that any cannabis product claiming an “appellation of origin” from a California region must have been grown in the soil and with the sun from that region— that means without artificial light or shelter, such as a greenhouse or hoop house.
According to Bart Schaneman, reporting for Marijuana Business Daily, many of the proponents of the appellation-of-origin program are craft growers with 10,000 square feet of growing area or less. Schaneman contends these smaller growers are banking on the notion that consumers will be willing to pay a premium price for craft-grown marijuana produced in these regions.
Some producers, such as David Fink, owner and operator of Down OM Farms in Nevada County, sees the appellations law as a way to distinguish his Northern California region from the more well-known cannabis-producing counties such as Humboldt and Mendocino.
He makes the point that Nevada County in California is drier and warmer than the coastal areas, so he can grow longer-season sativa strains such as Durban Poison and Sour Diesel, which he calls his bread and butter strain.
Said Fink, “The market teaches us that throughout the years sativas are more highly sought-after, and that’s what we do well here.”
Oliver Bates, president of the cannabis trade group Big Sur Farmers Association, sees appellations both as a marketing tool and a way to tell the story of a region that has been cultivating sungrown cannabis for generations. Said Bates, “There’s an origin story about where it came from and how it’s evolved,” he said. “The appellations give us a platform to tell that story.”
According to Schaneman, Bates would also like to convey to consumers that taste of place particular to the Big Sur area, where cannabis can take on a flavor of sage – or pine if it was grown in a redwood forest.
Bates told Schaneman that if and when federal legalization occurs, the new appellation program will help growers in the region “present it on the world stage as a truly fine craft product.”
To learn more we urge you to read Bart Schaneman’s informative and entertaining article in the October 15, 2020 issue of Marijuana Business Daily.
mjbizdaily.com/california-outdoor-marijuana-cultivators-to-designate-products-by-growing-region/?
Stat of the Week
The number that stood out for us this past week was $800,000. According to Sam Sutton, reporting for Politico, that’s how much Scotts Miracle Gro donated to two campaign committees in New Jersey. The committees were formed to back the Nov. 3 ballot question that would amend the state constitution to allow cannabis to be bought and sold for recreational use.
Sutton says the contributions from the Marysville, Ohio-based company represent more than 60 percent of the $1.3 million raised across the three campaign committees formed around the ballot question. That’s according to a new report from the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission.
Scotts Miracle-Gro, it seems, is not just for your tomatoes and zucchini anymore. The company owns what Sutton describes as a lucrative cannabis-oriented subsidiary called Hawthorne that specializes in hydroponic and indoor production — including products for “home hobbyists,” according to its website.
For more information you can visit Sam Sutton’s article in the October 14, 2020 issue of Politico.com.
Quote of the Week
“It’s tricky to develop attractive cannabis packaging that will keep children from opening it while still enabling seniors seeking relief to access what’s inside.”
The quote comes from Margaret Jackson. Writing for Marijuana Business Daily, she was describing the challenge faced by designers who are charged with creating packaging for cannabis products.
According to Jackson cannabis companies and design firms spend significant amounts of time and money to develop packaging that responds to both the child safety regulations demanded at the state level and the ability of seniors, many of whom suffer from arthritis and other debilitating conditions, to open a “childproof” container of any kind, whether it contains cannabis or other types of medication.
Margaret Jackson’s article appears in the October 18, 2020 issue of Marijuana Business Daily.
mjbizdaily.com/marijuana-packaging/?
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.
