Welcome to Senior Cannabis Digest. This week we look at drug testing of federal employees, new legislation designed to change how research on cannabis is conducted, changes in how we consume cannabis, an addition to Jay-Z’s growing empire and more. Enjoy.
Cannabis and Federal Employees
Mature consumers who are employed by the federal government, take note. While medical and recreational cannabis use is legal in a growing number of states, federal employees are still subject to drug testing for controlled substances including marijuana.
So says Kyle Jaeger in an article for Marijuana Moment. Quoting from a memo sent out by Ron Flegel, director of the Division of Workplace Programs at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Jaeger points out that while several states have made changes to their drug laws there have been no changes to the drug testing panel under the federal Drug-Free Workplace Program (DFWP).”
Flegel’s memo makes it clear that the program will continue to test for Schedule I and Schedule II controlled substances, which includes marijuana.
While the memo did not underscore any particular punishment for employees who test positive, one suspects the federal government is not engaged in workplace testing so they reward those who use marijuana and other forms of cannabis.
Simply put, until the testing policy changes a federal employee may be taking his or her career in their hands when they use cannabis.
To learn more, we urge you to read Kyle Jaeger’s article in the December 11, 2020 issue of Marijuana Moment.
Legislative Matters
Recently, a great deal of news coverage has focused on the passage of a landmark bill by the House of Representatives that would end federal marijuana penalties and erase some past convictions.
However, hot on the heels of that vote the House also passed another bill that could change the way research on marijuana is conducted.
According to Natalie Fertig and Mona Zhang, reporting for Politico, the bill passed on a voice vote with what they described as strong bipartisan support. At present, marijuana research now is limited to using cannabis grown by the University of Mississippi. “Ole Miss” it seems is the only entity that can legally grow marijuana for research according to federal law.
The bill—in its present form—would amend the Controlled Substances Act to remove limitations on researching marijuana and create a new research structure for the drug. The bill also directs HHS and DOJ to create a program that would license additional producers and manufacturers of research marijuana. Researchers with federal licenses could use that marijuana for FDA-approved research.
The important news is that the bill would make it possible to conduct research using cannabis that is much closer to what consumers are currently purchasing, both legally and on the Black Market.
The legislation also would speed up the wait times for research marijuana cultivation applications and reduce some of the cumbersome regulations that researchers face when trying to get approval to study marijuana.
The Senate won’t bring the bill up until next session, but it is a step in what many consider the right direction. However, Kyle Jaeger, reporting for Marijuana Moment cautions that while the bill awaits a Senate vote the National Institute Drug Abuse has indicated it still wants to solidify the University of Mississippi’s monopoly on cannabis research while the DEA appears to be stalling on opening up the licensing process that would certify additional growers. Clearly, the conflict between the status quo and those who would change the way research is done won’t be resolved any time soon.
You can learn more by reading the complete article by Natalie Fertig and Mona Zhang. It appears in the December 9, 2020 issue of Politico. Kyle Jaeger’s reporting appears in the December 14, 2020 issue of Marijuana Moment.
www.politico.com/news/2020/12/09/marijuana-research-house-443969
Ch-ch-ch-changes
Another indication of the growing acceptance of recreational and medical marijuana can be found in Maine.
That’s the word from Penelope Overton, reporting for the Portland Press Herald. She writes that cannabis is now Maine’s most valuable agricultural commodity, surpassing the state’s signature agricultural products such as potatoes, milk and blueberries.
Sales figures are the evidence for this assertion and it appears the residents of Maine are buying cannabis, even in the face of the pandemic. According to Overton, from January through October of 2020 medical marijuana sales totaled $221.8 million, more than double what had been sold by this time last year. That figure is based on state sales tax figures.
Said Overton, “That puts the industry on pace to hit $266 million in sales this year despite a global pandemic that has put many Mainers out of work and depressed consumer spending nationwide.”
To learn more, we suggest you read Penelope Overton’s article in the December 8, 2020 edition of the Portland Press Herald.
www.pressherald.com/2020/12/08/marijuana-maines-most-valuable-crop/
Stat of the Week
Once again, this week’s significant number comes from the folks at New Frontier Data. It indicates that the way individuals prefer to consume cannabis may be changing.
The significant stat is 25 percent. According to a new survey that’s the percentage of respondents who said that edibles were their preferred method of consuming cannabis.
What makes this significant, according to the researchers, is that throughout modern history, joints had been the uncontested, dominant mode of cannabis consumption. But as noted in New Frontier Data’s 2020-2021 Cannabis Consumer Survey, 2020 marked the first time among total cannabis users that edibles (25 percent) were preferred over classic, flower-only joints (19 percent).
You can learn more by reading 2020 Vision: Reviewing Major Trends for Legal Cannabis. It appears in the December 14, 2020 issue of Cannabyte, a publication of New Frontier Data.
newfrontierdata.com/cannabis-insights/2020-vision-reviewing-major-trends-for-legal-cannabis/?
Quote of the Week
“Cannabis has been around for thousands of years, yet it is still an industry whose legacy of skilled craftmanship is often overlooked. I created Monogram to give cannabis the respect it deserves by showcasing the tremendous hard work, time and care that go into crafting a superior smoke. . . . We’re just getting started.”—Shawn Carter, known professionally as Jay-Z.
The quote comes from Will Yakowicz‘s profile of the hip-hop artist turned billionaire that appeared in Forbes. According to Yakowicz, in addition to his music catalogue Jay-Z also owns Armand de Brignac champagne and part of D’Ussé cognac, his music streaming platform Tidal, Roc Nation and stakes in companies such as Uber and Robinhood.
In the quote Jay -Z is commenting on his high-end cannabis brand, Monogram. Its first products are built around a four-strain line of craft, indoor-grown cannabis flower and joints. Yakowicz reports that the company’s flagship product is the “OG Handroll,” a 1.5-gram joint rolled by what it describes as “highly trained artisans.” The company says the folks who roll the joints use a technique that took over a year to develop. Made with small-batch cannabis flower and designed to burn like a premium cigar, the joints retail for $50.
You can learn more by reading Will Yakowicz’s profile of Jay-Z. It appears in the December 10, 2020 issue of Forbes.
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.
