Welcome to Senior Cannabis Digest. This week we look at a new cannabis brand inspired by the late Jerry Garcia, efforts in the Pennsylvania State legislature to protect drivers who use medical cannabis, Dr. Andrew Weil’s comments on a study that examined cannabis flower as a treatment for depression and more. Enjoy.
Cannabis and Public Safety
When it comes to matters of public safety and the legal use of cannabis for medical reasons, things can get complicated rather quickly—particularly when it involves operating an automobile.
That’s why, in an effort to provide some clarity to a potentially murky area, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives approved an amendment to a broader piece of legislation concerning motor vehicle policies. The amendment would protect medical marijuana patients from being penalized under the state’s DUI laws for using their legal medicine.
So says Kyle Jaeger writing for Marijuana Moment. According to Jaeger, currently in Pennsylvania, registered medical cannabis patients can be convicted of driving under the influence of a controlled substance if THC metabolites are detected in their blood. That’s despite the fact that marijuana can remain present in the body well after someone is considered impaired.
The amendment would exempt from the state’s DUI statutes “marijuana used lawfully in accordance with” the state’s medical cannabis law.
In a floor speech before the vote on the amendment, Rep. Ed Gainey (D) said, “I think that you can ask any veteran or anybody that’s using medical cannabis right now, if they took the prescription on Monday, [on] Wednesday, they’re not high. And if they got pulled over, they darned shouldn’t be charged for being intoxicated or under the influence of medical marijuana.”
Those who want to learn more should read Kyle Jaeger’s insightful reporting in the October 22, 2020 issue of Marijuana Moment.
Cannabis and Depression
Smoking cannabis flowers may provide some immediate relief from depression. So says Dr. Andrew Weil commenting on a study conducted at the University of New Mexico. The study appeared in the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine.
According to Weil, the study looked at 5,876 outcomes reported anonymously by 1,819 individuals who tracked their use of cannabis for treatment of depression via an app between June 2016 and July 2019.
On average, patients reported an improvement of symptoms of nearly four points on a 1-to-10 scale moments after smoking whole, dried, natural cannabis flower. The study found that 95.8 percent of users experienced relief after smoking cannabis and that the intensity of their symptoms dropped by an average of 3.76 points on a 0 to 10 scale.
Weil also wrote that the investigators reported that up to one in five individuals who used cannabis flower containing high levels of THC experienced negative side effects, such as feeling unmotivated. They further found that participants were three times as likely to experience positive effects, such as happiness, optimism, peacefulness, and relaxation.
In his comments, Weil acknowledged that he recommends an integrative approach to preventing and treating depression. He also stressed that antidepressant medications aren’t the only available treatment option.
To learn more read Andrew Weil’s article “Cannabis For Depression?” It appeared in the August 27, 2020 edition of drweil.com.
www.drweil.com/health-wellness/body-mind-spirit/mental-health/cannabis-for-depression/
Quote of the Week
“I have 3 victory joints rolled up ready to go! And if it doesn’t pass… I’ll still have 3 joints rolled up ready to go!”
The comment came from a cannabis consumer in New Jersey prior to the election. In fact, on Tuesday, voters in the Garden State approved a ballot measure to legalize recreational marijuana. Experts say legal cannabis is expected to bring in $210 million in state taxes.
However, according to Kate Sheehy, writing for the New York Post, the state legislature still has to decide on how to regulate the industry. It’s expected the state’s Cannabis Regulatory Commission, whose members have yet to be appointed, will have a significant role to play in that process. Industry officials don’t expect the adult-use market to launch until the third or fourth quarter of 2021 at the earliest.
Sheehy also reported that once the ballot measure passed there was a 2,800 percent increase in a search for the term “how to roll a joint,” in just four hours, according to Google’s figures.
To learn more you can read Kate Sheehy’s article in the November 3, 2020 edition of the New York Post.
nypost.com/2020/11/03/how-to-roll-a-joint-searches-spike-in-nj-after-marijuana-legalized/
Stat of the Week
Three numbers stood out for us this week. The first is the number five. That’s the number of states that passed laws this week legalizing the recreational use of cannabis.
The results in those states, Arizona, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey and South Dakota, gave us our second stat of the week, which is 15. That’s the number of states in the U.S. where recreational use of marijuana is now legal.
Jeff Smith, reporting for Marijuana Business Daily, provided us with our third stat: $2.5 billion. That’s the amount of money experts say could be generated by 2024 by the sale of medical and recreational cannabis in the five states where voters decided to “legalize it” in yesterday’s voting.
You can learn more by reading Jeff Smith’s article in the November 4, 2020 edition of Marijuana Business Daily.
mjbizdaily.com/voters-in-nj-arizona-3-other-states-legalize-potential-2-5b-plus-marijuana-markets/?
Senior Celebrity Spotlight
A new line of cannabis products demonstrates that a senior celebrity doesn’t have to be alive to be the namesake of a cannabis brand.
Writing for Forbes, Katie Shapiro reports that the late Jerry Garcia is the latest celebrity with his own brand of cannabis products—GHP, which stands for Garcia Hand Picked. Garcia would be 78 if he was alive today and according to Trixie Garcia—Jerry’s daughter and spokesperson for the brand— “He would be so excited. So proud.”
While numerous cannabis companies vied for the opportunity to collaborate with the Garcia Family —his daughters, Trixie Garcia, Annabelle Garcia, Sunshine Kesey and Heather Katz and Tiff Garcia’s estate (Jerry’s brother who passed away in 2017)—the Family eventually chose Holistic Industries as its official cultivation and distribution collaborator. As such, Holistic Industries is charged with bringing a variety of products to market under the GHP brand.
According to Shapiro, every aspect of GHP has been curated by the Garcia family “to create an inspired cannabis experience that’s spontaneous, harmonious and can bring people together in the way only Jerry could.” Holistic and the Garcia family worked together — beginning with a dedicated “Jerry Day” at Holistic’s headquarters — in identifying and selecting old school strains of cannabis that were Shakedown Street favorites as well as new genetics passed down from life on tour. Strains available at launch include Chemdog (Sativa), SFV OG (Indica) and Fire OG (Hybrid), among others.
GHP products will be available in select dispensaries in California starting in mid-November with plans to expand into additional states in 2021. Products at the time of the launch include pre-roll packs made from recycled paper that come with matches and a custom glass tip with Jerry’s handprint and a line of edibles shaped like Garcia’s guitar picks called “Jerry’s Picks.
GHP and Holistic Industries have commissioned a custom Airstream bus (with a mini ‘Wall of Sound’ included)— to tour and promote the products and experience of GHP. As one might expect, the bus has been dubbed “Bertha” after a Grateful Dead fan favorite.
If you care to learn more we urge you to read Katie Shapiro’s detailed and entertaining reporting in the October 26, 2020 issue of Forbes.
Senior Cannabis Digest is compiled and edited by Joe Kohut and John Kohut. They can be reached at joe.kohut@gmail.com and at 347-528-8753.
