Welcome to Senior Cannabis Digest. This week we look at using specific strains of cannabis to treat depression, taking CBD as a sleep aid, a cannabis quote from Carlos Santana and more. Enjoy.
Cannabis and Depression
Mature consumers and others may soon benefit from the increased interest by medical professionals in using specific strains of cannabis to address specific medical or psychological conditions, such as depression.
For example, matching the unique characteristics of specific strains of cannabis when treating depression is the focus of an article Matan Weil wrote for The Cannigma. The medical aspects of his work were reviewed by Codi Peterson, PharmD.
According to Weil there are, broadly speaking, three types of marijuana strains, each containing a specific ratio of THC to CBD. For the purpose of his article he designates them as Type I, which is high in THC and low in CBD, Type II, which has a balanced ratio of roughly 1:1 THC-CBD and Type III, which is high in CBD and low in THC.
Weil reports that since CBD may counteract some of THC’s side effects, Types II and III are often preferred by medical practitioners and patients alike. It’s believed that by consuming Type II cannabis, users may experience less anxiety compared to Type I, but maintain the therapeutic benefits of THC. Specifically when it comes to depression, he contends Type III could be of particular benefit as there is evidence for CBD’s potential as an antidepressant.
Weil also believes it is important to consider the terpenes contained in various strains. These are aromatic compounds found in cannabis and other plants, that help to create the characteristic scent and taste of each strain and may also contribute to the therapeutic effects of THC and CBD through what is known as the “entourage effect.”
In his article, Weil identified a number of strains that are known for containing high concentrations of CBD, along with terpenes such as limonene, pinene, linalool and BCP —all of which may be useful when the strain of cannabis is used to treat depression.
Here are three:
Ringo’s Gift
This strain is often very high in CBD, low in THC, and can contain modest amounts of CBG, along with the terpenes limonene, BCP and pinene.
ACDC
This strain, which was used to develop Ringo’s Gift, usually has about 11 percent CBD and 1.5 percent THC. It’s also high in the terpene myrcene which is thought to be beneficial when treating anxiety, as well as the terpenes pinene, BCP and limonene.
Harlequin
An award-winning Type II strain, Harlequin has an average of 6. 4 percent CBD and 9 percent THC. It is also high in the terpenes myrcene, BCP and pinene.
To learn more and for a complete list of the strains Weil describes, you can read his article, which was written for Cannigma. It also appeared in the December 24, 2020 issue of Benzinga.
www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/20/12/18840793/best-marijuana-strains-for-depression?
Cannabis Quote of the Week
“I think it (cannabis) is starting to find its way into the ‘straight culture’ through topicals and ingestibles and older people with arthritis and other ailments are learning of the medicinal qualities that cannabis offers.”— Grammy-winning recording artist and cannabis entrepreneur Carlos Santana.
In 2020 Mr. Santana entered into a partnership with Left Coast Ventures to create high-quality cannabis and CBD brands. According to Nina Zdinjak, reporting for Benzinga, the first line of cannabis products yielded from this partnership debuted in October. Santana named the line Mirayo, which means “My Ray” in Spanish. Mirayo currently offers both pre-rolled joints and loose flower from different strains. The partnership intends to introduce a CBD product in the near future.
Santana’s comment on cannabis and older consumers comes from an interview Zdinjak conducted with him for Benzinga. To learn more, we encourage you to read the interview which appeared in the December 31, 2020 issue of Benzinga.
Cannabis Trends
While not a cure, many consumers turned to cannabis as a way to cope with the social and emotional aspects of the pandemic.
That’s the word from Bruce Barcott, reporting for Leafly. In his article Barcott uses a number of statistics to bolster his assertion. For instance, state tax and revenue data acquired and analyzed by Leafly reveal that nationwide sales of medical and adult-use marijuana increased by 67 percent over 2019. Specifically, Americans purchased $17.9 billion in cannabis products over the past calendar year, $7.2 billion more than the $10.7 billion in sales the previous year.
He also points to a survey conducted in October of 2020 by multi-state dispensary operator Verilife. The company’s survey of more than 2,000 Americans found that 72 percent of respondents named the Covid-19 pandemic as the leading cause of stress and burnout in their lives this year. In addition, nearly 40 percent said they have used cannabis to cope with that burnout and about 37 percent said they have used CBD.
To learn more about how consumers turned to cannabis to cope with the pandemic, please read Bruce Barcott’s article in the December 22, 2020 issue of Leafly.
www.leafly.com/news/industry/marijuana-sales-data-americans-bought-more-weed-to-survive-2020?
CBD Spotlight
If, like many, you have trouble sleeping but don’t want to take an over-the-counter sleep aid, you may want to consider using a CBD product.
That’s the word from Shelby McDaniel writing for an online publication called The Hemp Bitch. McDaniel’s blog was created to provide noncommercial consumer education on CBD, often from a woman’s perspective.
When describing the sleep benefits attributed to CBD she cites two articles in particular. According to the first, published by Medical News Today, “Early studies indicate that high dosages of CBD may support sleep.” In a study of 103 participants over a three month time period, researchers found that more than half the recipients who received CBD reported improved sleep. While this was a small clinical trial, she says it has opened up the doors for more in-depth research to study how CBD impacts sleep patterns.
The second article cited by McDaniel is a larger study published by the US National Library of Medicine. In this study over 400 participants with sleeping problems were monitored between June 2016 and May 2018. Researchers reported that “The current results are consistent with survey-based studies showing increasing reported usage of cannabis for treating insomnia in healthy people and patients with other primary health conditions, and a patient preference for high CBD products.”
McDaniel points out that it’s important to consult with your doctor before adding CBD to your daily routine, particularly if you are already on any prescribed medications. She also stresses that since finding the most effective dose for your condition can be a trial and error process, it’s a good idea to start out with smaller doses if you decide to try CBD and increase that dose gradually until you find the one that’s right for you.
To learn more we urge you to read Shelby McDaniel’s informative and entertaining article. It appeared in the December 22, 2020 issue of The Hemp Bitch.
www.thehempbitch.com/post/cbd-and-sleep-here-s-what-we-know
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.
