Welcome to Senior Cannabis Digest. This week we look at the legalization of recreational cannabis and workplace safety, a surprising surge in the sale of pre-rolled joints, the suggestion that CBD may be a treatment for COVID-related anxiety and more. Enjoy.
Legalization and Workplace Safety
The notion that legalizing cannabis will somehow unleash a torrent of workplace injuries and a mob of stoned slackers in search of workman’s comp benefits does not appear to be grounded in reality. In fact, according to a new study, just the opposite seems to be the case.
A research paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research actually suggests a connection between marijuana legalization and a decline in workers’ compensation claims.
According to an article on the website 420 Intel, the study, conducted by a team of researchers from William Paterson University, Temple University, University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash and the RAND Corporation, examined “the effect of state recreational marijuana laws (RMLs) on workers’ compensation (WC) benefit receipt among adults 40-62 years.”
Researchers found that workers’ compensation receipt “declines in response to [recreational marijuana laws’] adoption both in terms of the propensity to receive benefits and benefit amount. Simply put, in states where recreational cannabis is legal there were fewer claims for benefits in the target group and the amount of the benefit awarded was less than in the period prior to legalization.
Further, the researchers contend that “the primary driver of these reductions is an improvement in work capacity, likely due to access to an additional form of pain management therapy” which they imply is a consequence of access to legal cannabis.
The idea that access to legal cannabis does not interfere with workplace performance is also consistent with the findings of a Canadian study that found workers in Canada who used cannabis were not more likely to experience a workplace injury.
The study, which came via researchers at the University of Toronto, revealed “no evidence that cannabis users experienced higher rates of work-related injuries.”
To learn more, you can read the article “Accessibility and Legality of Cannabis and the Workforce.” It appeared in the February 24, 2021 edition of 420 Intel.
Stats of the Week
The number that caught our attention this week was 50 percent, or more specifically 47.1 percent. That’s how much the sales of pre-rolled marijuana cigarettes increased in what are considered key markets in 2020. According to research firm Headset, this outpaced the total marijuana market, which grew by 39.4 percent over the same time period and is a surprisingly strong showing by a product that many thought would suffer because of the pandemic.
According to Bart Schaneman, reporting for Marijuana Business Daily, there are several reasons thought to be behind the strong showing by pre-rolls:
— They are a good way for consumers to experiment with different flower strains.
— Pre-rolls are no longer always sold in 1-gram packages. Half-gram or smaller “mini” pre-rolls are becoming more common. Because of their size they have been less likely to be shared amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
— They tend to be easy for new consumers to use.
— A growing number of companies are filling pre-rolls with high-quality cannabis flower, not just “shake” or trimmings as has been common in the past.
Affordable Variety
Narmin Jarrous, chief development officer of Exclusive Brands, a vertically integrated cannabis company based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, said purchasing a pre-roll is less of a commitment, “It’s like buying a slice of cake versus buying a whole cake.”
She also pointed out that, “People are struggling financially and they still need access to their medicine, so sometimes the most convenient and acceptable way to do it is a $10 pre-roll.”
To learn more, visit Bart Schaneman‘s insightful article in the February 24, 2021 issue of Marijuana Business Daily.
mjbizdaily.com/sales-of-cannabis-pre-rolls-up-nearly-50-in-2020-despite-pandemic/?
CBD and COVID Treatment
As you may already know, we tend to be skeptical whenever we see an article that proclaims cannabis to be a “wonder drug,” particularly when it comes to treating coronavirus.
However, an article that appeared in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research suggests CBD may show some promise when it comes to treating COVID-related anxiety disorders.
The authors contend that since CBD has already shown some promise as a treatment for anxiety and sleep disorders and symptoms of anxiety and post-traumatic stress are likely to be experienced as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in those most closely affected by the disease, and in those with pre-existing anxiety conditions, treating those conditions with CBD may show some benefit.
Further, the authors stated, “CBD could be more preferable (as a treatment) compared with some of the medicines currently available with respect to its safety and side effect profile, although prescribers need to be aware of potential drug interactions with concomitant medication because of the effect of CBD on liver enzymes.”
Granted, the article is speculative in nature based on what we know about the side effects of experiencing COVID-19, such as the consequences of quarantine and the effectiveness of CBD on similar conditions, however, the authors contend that additional research is warranted.
To learn more we urge you to read the article “Could Cannabidiol Be a Treatment for Coronavirus Disease-19-Related Anxiety Disorders?” It appeared in Cannabis and Cannabinoid ResearchVol. 6, No. 1. You can access it by clicking on the link that follows.
www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/can.2020.0102
Cannabis Quote of the Week
“Cannabis has been known to mankind for hundreds of years but only recent developments assured a more scientific, evidence-based approach to its use, and research continues to show various medical benefits. Most of the available medical literature on this subject was concentrated on the psychoactive component of the cannabis plant Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), there have been fewer scientific studies on the medical use of the cannabidiol (CBD) — a non-psychoactive component of the cannabis plant. Chronic pain management faces significant challenges. The most important one is the ongoing opioid epidemic. Doctors are struggling to find personalized treatments outside the opioid space. Cannabis-based medicines may provide pain management providers with more effective, innovative, and safer alternatives to treat pain.”—Dr. Boleslav Kosharskyy, a doctor at PainFreeNYC.
Dr. Kosharskyy’s comments are taken from an article on cannabis and pain management by Kate-Madonna Hindes. Her article appears in the February 26, 2021 issue of The Fresh Toast.
Cannabis and Barriers to Employment
There is good news for mature individuals who have consumed cannabis in the past and are thinking of seeking a new job with the federal government. According to a memo distributed by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), admitting to past marijuana use should not automatically disqualify people from being employed in the federal government.
That’s the word from Kyle Jaeger writing for Marijuana Moment. According to Jaeger, this is a significant development that recognizes the reality that more states continue to legalize cannabis for medical and recreational purposes, and people who have used marijuana shouldn’t be discriminated against, even if it remains illegal under federal law.
The memo, however, does not mean individuals can continue to use cannabis if hired by the federal government, just that cannabis use in the past, by itself, cannot be a barrier to employment.
According to the OPM, while the extent to which and how recently an applicant has used cannabis can still be factors in making employment decisions, simply admitting to prior cannabis consumption doesn’t necessarily mean a person lacks the “suitability or fitness for a position,” as long as they commit to not use marijuana while employed.
To learn more, please read Kyle Jaeger’s in-depth article in the February 26, 2021 edition of Marijuana Moment.
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.
