Welcome to Senior Cannabis Digest. This week we look at a drop in prescription drug use in states that have legalized adult use cannabis, Seth Rogan’s opinions on cannabis, New Jersey’s AG giving police permission to light up when they’re off duty and more. Enjoy.
Cannabis News and Notes
Researchers claim that legalizing marijuana for adult use can be linked to decreased use of prescription drugs for the treatment of conditions such as anxiety, sleep, pain and seizures.
That’s the word from Kyle Jaeger, reporting on the study for Marijuana Moment. According to Jaeger, the study, published in the journal Health Economics, focused on the potential impact of recreational legalization in 10 states plus Washington, D.C.
Jaeger noted that researchers used data from Medicaid reporting on prescription drugs from 2011 to 2019 to determine whether there’s a statistically significant relationship between giving adults legal access to regulated marijuana and the use of pharmaceuticals for conditions such as pain, depression, anxiety, sleep, psychosis, and seizures.
The study revealed that on average, recreational cannabis legalization seems to be associated with reductions in prescription drug utilization for depression (-11 percent), anxiety (-12 percent), pain (-8 percent), seizures (-10 percent), psychosis (-11 percent) and sleep (-11 percent).
As Jaeger points out, the study did not identify “measurable changes” in prescribing for nausea, spasticity or glaucoma post-legalization for adult use.
The researchers contend the results “suggest substitution away from prescription drugs and potential cost savings for state Medicaid programs.”
So, let’s take a look at what the study is and isn’t and what it shows and what it doesn’t. The study looked at trends over time. It is not research on what happens when patients are treated for a specific condition, such as anxiety, with cannabis instead of a specific prescription drug.
It does suggest that when individuals have the opportunity to self medicate with legal cannabis, some choose to do that instead of relying on prescription drugs. It also suggests that doctors may prescribe drugs they are familiar with instead of something they are less familiar with, such as cannabis.
While, as the late Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan liked to point out, correlation is not causality, the study does indicate there are certainly grounds for further research on how cannabis may one day become a valuable treatment option for many.
To learn more, as always, we suggest you read the excellent reporting by Kyle Jaeger. His article appears in the April 19, 2021 issue of Marijuana Moment.
The Winds of Change
Two stories caught our attention this week, both on the website Ganjapreneur, that indicate just how mainstream the idea of cannabis use is becoming.
In the first, TG Branfalt reported that in recognition of 4/20, Yoko Miyashita, the CEO of the cannabis company Leafly, rang the opening bell on the Nasdaq stock exchange. Miyashita was accompanied by Leafly employees and friends.
Said Miyashita, “We couldn’t be more excited to ring the bell at Nasdaq. Being invited on 4/20 really underlines how special of a day this is to Leafly.” Clearly, this was more than just a case of stunt casting by the exchange. Rather, it does seem to indicate it takes the cannabis sector very seriously.
As Branfalt points out, Leafly’s website started in 2021 as a place where consumers could research cannabis strains and their various effects. The site eventually added stores, product menus, and eventually product pickup and delivery options. It now has over 125 million annual visitors and sells advertising to stores and brands.
In another revealing article, Branfalt reported that New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin recently issued a memo that stated it is acceptable for police officers to use cannabis while off duty. Adult-use cannabis sales are set to begin in New Jersey on April 21, 2022. Platkin’s decision was originally reported in the New Jersey Monitor.
No, this is not a belated April Fool’s prank. However, as Platkin makes clear in his memo, on-duty use would still be cause for disciplinary action, including termination.
Wrote Platkin, “To be clear, there should be zero tolerance for cannabis use, possession, or intoxication while performing the duties of a law enforcement officer. And there should be zero tolerance for unregulated marijuana consumption by officers at any time, on or off duty, while employed in this state. The safety of our communities and our officers demands no less.”
As might be expected, this announcement by the Attorney General has triggered a fair amount of push back by legislators in the state so his position is far from a done deal.
However, when taken together—Miyashita visiting the NASDAQ and police officers lighting up in New Jersey—the stories seem to offer yet more evidence that when it comes to cannabis, things are changing, with or without legalization at the federal level.
To learn more, we strongly urge you to read TG Branfalt’s reporting for Ganjapreneur. He does excellent work. The story about the Leafly CEO appeared in the website’s April 20, 2022 edition. The article about New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin’s memo appeared in the site’s April 18, 2022 edition. Links to both stories follow below.
www.ganjapreneur.com/leafly-rings-nasdaq-opening-bell/?
www.ganjapreneur.com/new-jersey-attorney-general-police-can-use-cannabis-off-duty/?
A Teachable Moment
It appears that a Florida bride and her caterer didn’t get the memo. You know, the one that clearly states there is nothing funny about dosing someone with a cannabis edible without their consent. It is not, nor will it ever be, a harmless prank—particularly when the folks who get dosed are unfamiliar with cannabis.
According to Selim Algar, reporting for the New York Post, the devious duo added marijuana as an ingredient in the lasagna and several of the desserts that were served at the bride’s wedding reception on February 19 of this year.
The police reported that neither the bride, Danya Glenny, 42, nor the caterer, Jocelyn Bryant, alerted the guests to the fact that the menu included several dishes that contained what some might call a special spice.
Hilarity did not ensue. Just the opposite. Several wedding guests said they became so overwhelmed by the edibles that they started to vomit and had to be taken to a local hospital. Said attendee Miranda Cady, “I think some people thought they were having heart attacks.”
After investigating the incident, police arrested Glenny and Bryant and charged them with tampering, delivery of marijuana and negligence. On a positive note, news editors can now add the phrase “Florida bride” to their lexicon. Right next to “Florida man.”
To learn more, you can read Selim Algar’s article in the April 20, 2022 issue of the New York Post.
nypost.com/2022/04/20/florida-bride-caterer-arrested-for-lacing-food-with-weed/
Cannabis Quote of the Week
“I hope that weed is federally legal. I hope that people understand that there’s no reason that it shouldn’t be. And, I hope that slowly people understand that the things they’ve been told about it are not true and that most people, if not everyone, can in some way incorporate weed into their lives that would be positive. Be it for sleep or relaxation or CBD for muscle pain and things like that. It has anti-inflammatory effects, I think it’s something that has an enormous amount of potential to help a huge amount of people, and I hope that it has the opportunity to do that.“—Seth Rogan.
Mr. Rogan’s comments are taken from a long interview he did with Gene Marks for The Guardian. An actor, writer, producer and cannabis advocate turned entrepreneur, Rogan—along with his friends Evan Goldberg and Mikey Mohr—started a company in 2019 called Houseplant. In addition to distributing cannabis products through retailers in California, the company also sells custom-made cannabis home goods accessories, from ashtrays to table lighters. Marks noted that some of the items are designed by Rogen himself. Think Martha Stewart, only different.
When asked what he had learned from being a cannabis entrepreneur, Rogan told Clark, “I found that it’s not incredibly different than making films in a lot of ways, and making films is entrepreneurial. I think the reason people like our films (e.g. Neighbors, The Interview and Pineapple Express) is that we are good at infusing who we are into our products. And with our Houseplant products, we really are pursuing the exact same thing. I think when you hold one of our products, you can weirdly tell a lot about us. You can tell what we like, what we don’t like, what we find interesting, and what we don’t find interesting.”
Mr. Rogan has never been shy about his cannabis consumption and has acknowledged it openly in numerous interviews with Howard Stern and Jimmy Kimmel. This much is clear, using cannabis doesn’t seem to get in the way of his productivity.
To learn more, we urge you to read Gene Marks’s interview with Seth Rogan. It appears in the April 10, 2022 issue of The Guardian.
www.theguardian.com/society/2022/apr/10/seth-rogen-mikey-mohr-cannabis-houseplant-interview?
Travel Tips
Another 4/20 has come and gone, without, it seems, endangering the health of the Republic or its citizens. This year, as part of the run up to what many consider a holiday—at least on par with Seinfeld’s Festivus—a number of publications included feature articles on how to best enjoy the festivities.
For example, for those who like to use cannabis in conjunction with traveling and exploring the outdoors, the website Thrillist had an article with a number of tips for those who described themselves as “explorers.”
These tips included:
• The best destinations in the U.S. for stargazing, such as Pennsylvania’s Cherry Springs State Park, which comes with its own astronomy field and even offers private tours.
• Locations that have attractions and experiences curated with cannabis users in mind, such as Santa Fe’s Meow Wolf, which is described as a mind-bending psychedelic immersive art experience,
• Solo camping in one of the 154 U.S. National Forest sites (These are distinct from National Parks), such as San Juan National Forest near Telluride, Colorado. It should be noted that since these forests are federal property, federal cannabis laws apply,
• Another outdoor option is to engage in some Japanese-style forest bathing. Forest-therapy expert Dr. Qing Li says visits should last for at least two hours, though longer is better. In a two-hour visit you should only walk about 1.5 miles, taking the time to pause and absorb your surroundings. “It is simply being in nature, connecting with it through our sense of sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch.” Ideally, cameras and phones should be left at home.
For more tips, visit the Thrillist article with the title “Celebrate 420 in High Style” and scroll down to the section titled The Explorer. You can start by clicking on the link that follows.
www.thrillist.com/eat/nation/celebrate-420-in-high-style
Senior Cannabis Digest is compiled and edited by Joe Kohut and John Kohut. You can reach them at joe.kohut@gmail.com or at 347-529-8753.
