Welcome to Senior Cannabis Digest. This week we look at an offer to fund research on cannabis as a cancer treatment, two examples of global cannabis trends, Christopher Walken stepping out of the “cannabis closet” and more. Enjoy.
Research News and Notes
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has announced it would like to receive proposals from researchers who want to study the benefits and risks of treating cancer patients with cannabis.
So says Kyle Jaeger who reported on the announcement for Marijuana Moment. According to Jaeger, NIH’s National Cancer Institute said that the purpose of the solicitation is to “promote research in understanding the mechanisms by which cannabis and cannabinoids affect cancer biology, cancer interception, cancer treatment and resistance, and management of cancer symptoms.”
Jaeger noted that the Institute acknowledged that cancer cell line experiments show that THC and CBD can mediate many anti-tumor effects, “including inducing apoptosis and inhibiting cell proliferation, invasion and angiogenesis.” It added that,“these anti-tumor activities have led to early clinical testing of THC and CBD for glioblastoma and prostate cancers.”
The suggested list of research topics included, but was not limited to:
• Defining the mechanisms of cannabis and cannabinoid action in alleviating symptoms of cancer and cancer treatment (such as pain, nausea and neuropathy);
•Defining the effects of cannabis and cannabinoids on cancer treatment (particularly targeted treatments and immunotherapy) and the development of treatment resistance;
• Developing or validating new and human-relevant model systems to understand cannabis and cannabinoid action in cancer biology, treatment or symptom management.
However, the proposal made it clear that researchers are invited to propose other research objectives within the basic framework.
To learn more, we urge you to read Kyle Jaeger’s article on the announcement and other government sponsored research efforts. It appeared in the May 9, 2022 issue of Marijuana Moment. Jaeger and the other folks at Marijuana Moment do excellent work and if you have an interest in cannabis you should consider visiting their site.
www.marijuanamoment.net/feds-funding-research-on-role-of-cannabis-in-treating-cancer/#:
Stats of the Week: A Global Perspective
With the growing acceptance of cannabis use in the U.S. and the continued debate over legalization, it can be easy to lose sight of the fact that acceptance of cannabis—for both recreational and medical use—is part of a global trend. This week we saw two magic numbers that underscored that fact.
The first magic number is one million. That’s how many cannabis plants Thailand’s Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul plans to give away when personal cultivation and use of the plant is legalized in June of 2022.
That’s the word from TG Branfalt, writing for Ganjapreneur. According to Branfalt, Nation Thailand reported that Charnvirankul said in a Facebook post that citizens will be allowed to cultivate “as many cannabis plants” as they like in their own homes once the reforms take effect.
Charnvirakul added, “This will enable people and the government to generate more than 10 billion baht [per year] in revenue from marijuana and hemp. … Meanwhile, people can showcase their cannabis and hemp-related products and wisdom and sell their products nationwide.”
Branfalt noted that the cannabis grown must be of medical grade and only for medical purposes but no registration is required. Under the nation’s regulations, small sellers of cannabis-related products do not need to register with the Food and Drug Administration. However, large-scale operators must seek government approval.
The second magic number is 4.7 billion Euros, which is roughly $3.4 billion. According to a survey by Germany’s Hemp Association, that’s how much Germany is likely to reap in tax revenue each year if it does legalize cannabis.
According to Lukas Barfield, also writing for Ganjapreneur, Germany’s Health Minister Karl Lauterbach has announced he will begin preparations for setting up an adult-use cannabis market in the country.
Barfield reports that according to a story in Forbes, the minister recently explained to the German newspaper Handelsblatt that he has changed his mind on the topic of legal cannabis and that he believes the risks of continuing prohibition outweigh the risks of legalization.
Barfield notes that Justice Minister Marco Buschmann has signaled he would begin technical preparations for the policy change in partnership with the Ministry of Health and other departments. It’s expected this will lead to a bill that would lay out the framework for legalization sometime toward the end of 2022.
Special thanks to Dave Ruth for sending both of these stories our way.
To learn more about legalization in Thailand, we suggest reading TG Branfalt’s article in the May 9, 2022 issue of Ganjapreneur.
The story was also covered by Heather Chen in the May 11, 2022 issue of CNN.com.
To learn more about Germany’s change in policy, we urge you to read Lukas Barfield’s article in the May 10, 2022 issue of Ganjapreneur.
www.ganjapreneur.com/germanys-health-minister-to-begin-cannabis-legalization-process/?
To read the article on legalization that appeared in the May 9, 2022 issue of Forbes, click on the link that follows.
Senior Celebrity Spotlight
In an admission that’s about as shocking as acknowledging there is “gambling in Casablanca,” actor Christopher Walken recently revealed in a New York Times interview that he has been and continues to be a consumer of cannabis.
According to Franca Quarneti, reporting for El Planteo, the 78-year-old actor told journalist David Marchese that he really enjoys reading the Sunday Times newspaper. Said Walken, “My friend Geoffrey Holder used to say that there is nothing better than Sunday mornings: ‘The Times with a cup of coffee, in front of Fireplace’. That is beautiful”.
Marchese later asked Walken if he had ever been a heavy marijuana smoker. His reply was “Of course.” Marchese went on to ask if he still smoked cannabis. Walken’s response was “Of course.”
When asked what he enjoys doing when he is high, Walken revealed: “When I told that story (about the Sunday Times), I didn’t mention that a couple of puffs of the joint also added to the equation.”
To learn more about Christopher Walken coming out of the “cannabis closet,” you can read Franca Quarneti‘s article for El Planteo. It was reprinted in the May 6, 2022 issue of Benzinga.com.
To read the New York Times profile of the actor, click on the link that follows.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/02/07/magazine/christopher-walken-interview.html
Cannabis Corner
Increasingly, consumers are finding that edible cannabis products are being produced in a wide variety of shapes and styles. For example, two old friends recently decided to create a cannabis brand whose products reflect the unique flavors and history of Mesoamerica.
According to Cara Wietstock, writing for Ganjapreneur, this past April Nelson Cury and Santiago Cervantes—who met in boarding school—launched the brand Mesobis.
The first products they are bringing to market are a trio of gomitas—all-natural gummy candies infused with THC and flavors that reflect their Latin American heritage. Wiestock reports the gummies are made in the shape of Mexico’s Pyramid of the Sun and come in three different flavors, each made with a different type of cannabis: Mango con Chile (sativa), Tamarindo con Chamoy (hybrid), and Acai (indica). The flavors are inspired by either Cervantes’s original home of Mexico or Cury’s home in Brazil. The team hopes to add more product categories to their line as the brand grows.
Cervantes and Cury told Wietstock that it took months to finalize the gomitas flavors, consistency, and packaging to ensure the flavors were right, the candies didn’t melt and the outer chili coating stuck to the candy.
Mesobis plans to follow their gummies with a line of t-shirts, hoodies, and hats featuring prints from Mexican artists. In time, they plan to launch a high-fashion streetwear line designed by Culiacán designer Esteban Tamayo.
Said Cervantes, “We believe in the power of creativity and empowering creatives to make pieces of art or experiences that can have some meaningful impact in people’s lives. That’s also our goal with the gummies—for people to learn about cannabis, learn about themselves, and learn about their culture. We just feel art and what we’re trying to do go hand in hand.”
To learn more, we suggest you read Cara Wietstock’s insightful profile of the two entrepreneurs and their product line. Her article appears in the April 4, 2022 issue of Ganjapreneur.
www.ganjapreneur.com/mesobis-expressing-latin-american-culture-in-cannabis/?
To visit the company’s website, click on the link that follows.
CBD and Dogs
Dog “parents” may be glad to learn that a new study suggests CBD can be both safe and effective when used to treat osteoarthritis and other medical conditions in their canine companions.
The study, which appeared in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, reviewed 19 different studies. Based on that review researchers concluded that “it is possible to infer safety in the administration of cannabis-based products for the treatment of dogs, especially products rich in cannabidiol (CBD), free or with low concentrations of tetrahydrocannabinol.”
They also contend that CBD products potentially promote improved quality of life and reduce pain perception in animals affected by canine osteoarthritis.
However the authors cautioned that “considering the individual characteristics of each cannabis-based product (composition, concentration, nature of adjuvants, dosage form, route of administration), is strongly encouraged.”
Unfortunately, the researchers did not include any dosage guidelines in the article.
Those who care to learn more can read the abstract of the article Safety and Efficacy of the Therapeutic Use of Cannabis-Based Products in the Treatment of Dogs: An Integrative Review. It was published online on May 5, 2022. Simply click on the link that follows.
www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/can.2021.0172
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.
