Welcome to Senior Cannabis Digest. This week we look at a proposal to collect information on those who use medical marijuana, dubious CBD endorsements, a law that lets residents of Washington D.C self-certify as medical cannabis patients and more. Enjoy.
Spotlight on Medical Marijuana
If the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) has its way, before too long those who use medical marijuana may feel like the character in that song by The Police—there will be someone watching them.
According to Kyle Jaeger, reporting for Marijuana Moment, NIDA plans to provide $1.5 million in funding to support researchers who can develop a medical marijuana registry to track everything from how patients are obtaining and consuming cannabis to their health outcomes.
Jaeger reports the registry will collect “information regarding medicinal cannabis products used, reasons for use, and outcomes of use.” That includes, but is not limited to what kinds of products participants are using—including those with low/no tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) as well as cannabidiol (CBD)-only products—how they are using them and for what purpose.
It will also collect information on whether or not individuals have a Medical card and if they are seeking treatment for the conditions/symptoms for which their card was issued. It will also want to know about any changes in targeted symptoms and if these changes are being self-reported or are they assessed by the physician, or both.
NIDA says it is particularly interested in learning more about the relationship between medical marijuana use and prescription drug trends, given that several studies have indicated that there’s a substitution effect while others have downplayed the role of cannabis reform in reducing prescription drug use.
It remains to be seen how the proposals and the finished product account for those who use cannabis to self- medicate.
To learn more about what kind of information NIDA wants to collect and how it intends to use it, we urge you to read Kyle Jaeger’s detailed and informative reporting in the June 16, 2022 issue of Marijuana Moment. As always, his work is first rate.
CBD Celebrity Spotlight
We confess it’s not often that we presume Clint Eastwood and Big Bang Theory actor and Jeopardy host Mayim Bialik have much in common, but it turns out they do.
Both have been the target of phony ad campaigns claiming they have endorsed a line of CBD products. Fortunately for Eastwood and Bialik, both have received some legal relief from the false advertising.
According to MJBizDaily, a recently issued court order allows Bialik’s lawyers to send subpoenas to Google, Meta and other websites seeking the removal of mentions of CBD companies purporting to have an endorsement from the current “Jeopardy!” host.
The MJBizDaily article notes that earlier this year, Bialik took to social media to tell her fans that online posts promoting “Mayim Bialik CBD Gummies” were false. Said Bialik, “I am not selling CBD Gummies of any kind and do not plan to do so at any point in the future.”
In Eastwood’s case, he has just settled a second lawsuit against internet marketing companies that used fake news articles and manipulated search results to make it appear as if Eastwood was endorsing CBD products. He does not.
Maureen Mehan, writing for Benzinga, reports that a court has awarded Eastwood and Garrapata, the company that owns the rights to Eastwood’s likeness, $2 million for using Eastwood’s fame to drive online traffic via a “hidden metatag game” to a website selling CBD products.
This is the second such lawsuit Eastwood has won. In 2021 he was awarded more than $6 million after his attorneys identified three U.S.-based CBD companies making false endorsement claims.
While advertising isn’t always grounded in reality, the idea of Dirty Harry endorsing CBD gummies does seem a bit far fetched. Feel free to make a “fist full of dollars” joke if you must, but only in the privacy of your own home.
Both cases raise real issues about how mature consumers and others who are curious about CBD may be influenced by advertising that is less than legit. Celebrity endorsements of cannabis products are not always a bad thing, particularly when the person endorsing the product, such as Martha Stewart, is involved in its development.
However, all of this reinforces the notion that mature consumers have to do their homework and make their decision to purchase a cannabis product—or not—on something more than an entertainer’s likeability score.
If you want to learn more about Ms. Bialik’s legal action, you can read the article in the July 1, 2022 issue of MJBizDaily.com. Simply click on the link that follows.
mjbizdaily.com/big-bang-theory-actor-wins-court-assistance-to-fight-cbd-scam/?
To learn more about Mr. Eastwood’s case, we suggest reading Maureen Mehan’s article in the July 3, 2022 issue of Benzinga.com.
Cannabis Quote of the Week
“That doesn’t legalize marijuana — we just didn’t do that, did we?”—State Senator Jim Abeler, a Republican from Anoka, Minnesota.
Sen. Abeler’s comment is taken from an article by Shauneen Miranda, reporting for National Public Radio. It seems that in a bit of confusion more appropriate for a stoner movie, such as Up in Smoke or Dude, Where’s My Car, several Minnesota State Legislators were shocked to find out they had accidentally passed a law legalizing cannabis edibles containing delta-9 THC, the cannabinoid that does in fact get a person stoned.
According to Miranda, the new Minnesota law makes it legal for people 21 and over to purchase and consume food and beverages that contain a small amount of THC—no more than 5 milligrams of THC per serving and no more than 50 milligrams per package.
However, here’s the rumpus—it seems some legislators might not have fully understood the bill before passing it.
State Senator Abeler later told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune he did not realize this law would allow THC-infused edibles of any kind and thought it would only apply to delta-8 THC products.
As Miranda notes in her article, delta-8 THC is found naturally in cannabis plants but in trace amounts. and does not produce the same kind or degree of intoxication or “high” as delta-9 THC.
Because it is made from hemp and is not subject to the same federal restrictions as other forms of cannabis, folks have started to produce and sell a wide variety of products that contain delta-8 THC, such as tinctures, gummies and vape cartridges that produce effects that many consumers find to be less than impressive.
No word yet if lawmakers intend to amend the amendment. Maybe if they do they can give it an appropriate title, something like “Dude, Where’s My Legislation?”
Thanks to Nick Ignacio for sending the story our way.
To learn more, we suggest reading Shauneen Miranda‘s article in the July 2, 2022 edition of NPR.org.
www.npr.org/2022/07/02/1109576113/minnesota-thc-edibles-accident-delta-8?
Cannabis Corner
Demonstrating there is more than one way to roll a joint, the mayor of Washington, D.C. has signed what’s described as “emergency legislation” that will allow people to self-certify as medical cannabis patients. The law will give individuals access to medical marijuana dispensaries, without a doctor’s recommendation.
According to Kyle Jaeger, reporting for Marijuana Moment, this comes a week after the measure, proposed by Councilmembers Kenyan McDuffie (D) and Mary Cheh (D), was unanimously approved by the District Council.
The step essentially circumvents a congressional provision that prohibits D.C. from using its local dollars to implement a system of adult-use/recreational marijuana sales.
Said D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, “We have made it a priority over the years to build a more patient-centric medical marijuana program and this legislation builds on those efforts. We know that by bringing more medical marijuana patients into the legal marketplace in a timely manner and doing more to level the playing field for licensed medical marijuana providers, we can protect residents, support local businesses, and provide clarity to the community.”
The legislation contends that by giving more individuals access to legal cannabis products, that it will help to eliminate sources of cannabis that operate outside of the law, where there is “no requirement or enforcement of customer registration, including verification that purchasers are of legal age” and “no assurance that the marijuana has been tested or adequately labeled, raising concerns that products could be contaminated or otherwise unsafe for consumers, and that the potency of the marijuana purchased could differ from what was advertised.”
Think of it as the Oprah Winfrey approach to recreational legalization, “Look underneath your seat. You get a medical marijuana card, and you get a medical marijuana card and so do you and so do all of you.”
To learn more, we urge you to read the article by the always informative Kyle Jaeger in the July 6, 2022 issue of Marijuana Moment.com.
The Shape of Things to Come
Don’t be surprised if before too long your local TV or radio station is running ads for cannabis products. The House Appropriations Committee has approved a bill that contains language that would prevent the FCC from penalizing broadcasters who air cannabis advertisements in states where cannabis is legal.
TG Branfalt, writing for Ganjapreneur, reports that according to the bill, the FCC would be barred from using funds to deny broadcasters a license renewal or station sale application, or require an early license renewal application to be filed, based on a station’s acceptance of cannabis ads in localities where it is legal.
As it currently stands, Branfalt notes, the FCC prohibits local TV and radio stations from running ads for cannabis products and businesses, while cable, satellite, internet, print, billboard companies, and social media providers legally can—although many refrain from doing so.
Cannabis ads have the potential to make a significant addition to a station’s bottom line. Branfalt points out that cannabis advertising is projected to total $18.5 billion in the U.S. in 2022. In addition, various state broadcast associations have formed the Safe Advertising Coalition to promote federal protection for broadcasters who air cannabis ads.
Given that the bill is yet to be passed by the full House and Senate, it may be a while before this particular piece of political sausage sees the light of day. Still, it does offer additional evidence of the growing normalization of cannabis use in the U.S.
To learn more, we urge you to read TG Branfalt’s clear and concise reporting in the June 30, 2022 issue of Ganjapreneur.com.
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.
