Welcome to Senior Cannabis Digest. This week we look at coffees that contain CBD, the growth in popularity of pre-rolled products, veterans and cannabis reform and much more. Enjoy.
Holiday Gifts
If you are still looking for a unique gift for a mature consumer on your holiday list, Jessica Reilly, reporting for The Cannigma, has put together a brief guide to cannabis- infused coffees—some call them “functional coffees”— that she thinks are the best in the business.
Reilly makes the point that the best infused coffee brands infuse the cannabinoids—most are CBD based—directly into the beans, so your morning coffee is easily brewed and ready to go. For those who like the do-it-yourself approach, she acknowledges that some brands sell CBD oils along with a package of coffee beans so you can infuse to your preference, but she believes it won’t be as tasty as the work of the pros who do it for a living.
When it comes to finding THC-infused coffee, your search will depend on local (state) laws and regulations. Reilly reports that most states where recreational cannabis is legal have cannabis manufacturers that have partnered with coffee roasters to create small-batch artisan-infused coffees.
Here are some of her favorites:
• First up is Buddha Beans. You can pick your favorite coffee beans sourced from Columbia, Mexico, Burundi, or Ethiopia, along with the CBD potency of your choice (50, 150, or 300 mg per 12 oz. bag), your favorite roast (dark or medium), and whether you’d prefer pre-ground or whole beans. Each bag of artisan coffee is roasted in small batches and sent out, so you know you’re getting a fresh product. The cannabinoid content works out to about 15 mg per cup.
buddhabeanscoffee.com/collections/cbd-coffee/products/colombia-cbd-coffee
• Next on her list is Strava Craft Coffee. The folks at Strava let you pick your potency, from a line of CBD coffees that range from 4 mg per cup to 20 mg per cup. Consumers can pick from light, medium, and dark roast coffees, all roasted from Colombian beans. If you prefer decaf, that’s also on their menu. You can purchase a 12 oz. bag of pre-ground beans, or whole beans to grind fresh each morning—and if you have a Keurig, there are cups for that as well.
www.stravacraftcoffee.com/collections/all-products/products/maximum-strength-dark-roast
• If you are pressed for time, either at home or at the campsite, there’s Mary Joe Hemp Infused Instant Coffee. Each bag has 10 servings of an instant coffee that features Latin American and African sourced beans. Each cup contains 15mg of CBD. They also make a CBD-infused Hot Chocolate Mix.
maryjoebrand.com/products/hemp-infused-instant-coffee
To learn more about these and other CBD-infused coffees, we suggest reading Jessica Reilly’s article in the November 30, 2022 issue of The Cannigma.
cannigma.com/picks/best-cannabis-infused-coffees/?
Cannabis Quote of the Week
“While most of the country enjoys the legal (and extralegal) benefits brought to life by cannabis reform, millions of veterans are forced to live under a separate set of rules.
It’s time for that to change. Though the banking and equity provisions reportedly being considered by lawmakers in the year-end cannabis bill are important and life-changing for many, their inclusion alone is not enough.
Since the inception of our organization, we have heard from countless veterans who gain critical relief from cannabis and use it to improve their quality of life. They served their country and suffered for it, and they deserve the same rights and protections as their fellow citizens. Veterans who rely on cannabis as a treatment option have waited long enough.
Every comprehensive cannabis bill that moves in Congress without veterans’ provisions fails our service members, cannot be supported by Veterans Cannabis Project, and should be rejected by all who advocate on behalf of those who served.”—Nick Etten, founder and chairman of the Veterans Cannabis Project.
Mr. Etten’s comments are taken from an op-ed he wrote for Marijuana Moment. He is a long-time advocate for veterans who have found that cannabis helps them deal with a wide range of issues, from PTSD to anxiety, depression and chronic pain.
In his op-ed, Mr. Etten writes that it is common to hear from veterans who have turned to medical cannabis as a solution to these problems and how they use it as a form of therapy. “to wean themselves off the deadly opiates upon which they have come to rely after having been prescribed them by the Veterans Health Administration.”
Unfortunately, he notes, doctors at the VA are prohibited from recommending medical marijuana as a treatment option or even discussing its benefits. In addition, medical marijuana groups are routinely blocked from health and wellness grant programs offered by the VA, including those focused on suicide prevention. He also argues that despite claims to the contrary, “veterans run the risk of losing their benefits, being denied loans, and being de-banked if they use cannabis or work in the industry.”
He makes the argument that the current batch of cannabis-related legislation should include provisions aimed at the needs of veterans, specifically measures requiring the Department of Veterans Affairs to research the impact of cannabis of veterans’ health issues and allowing VHA doctors to recommend cannabis as a treatment option while counseling vets on how to participate in medical programs.
Etten contends such incremental measures are non-controversial and would be a step in the right direction.
To learn more, we suggest reading Mr. Etten’s op-ed. It appears in the December 12, 2022 issue of Marijuana Moment.net.
www.marijuanamoment.net/as-congress-considers-cannabis-reform-veterans-are-being-left-behind-op-ed/
Consumer Trends
A growing number of manufacturers and retailers are finding that when it comes to pre-rolled cannabis products, variety is helping to drive the market.
That’s the word from Omar Sacirbey, reporting for MJBizDaily. Sacirbey notes that according to Headset, a leading cannabis data & market intelligence firm, pre-rolls went from $406 million in sales and a 7.9 percent market share in 2018 to $1.5 billion in sales and a 12.7 percent market share so far in 2022.
Cooper Ashley, analytics manager at the Seattle-based data firm, notes “In terms of relative sales growth, comparing Q1 of 2020 to Q3 of this year, the pre-roll category has the highest growth.”
According to Sacirbey, this growth has been driven by the introduction of a greater variety of pre-rolls. For example, he notes that it wasn’t that long ago that pre-rolls were almost exclusively sold as 1-gram singles, while today, consumers can find half-gram pre-rolls, 1.5-gram pre-rolls and other sizes sold in two-packs, five-packs, 10-packs and other quantities.
Sacirbey writes that giving consumers different options in pre-roll sizes and packages makes it possible to pair a pre-roll with the occasion.
He also reports that the growing popularity of pre-rolls also has been fueled, in part, by infused versions. The researchers at Headset refer to these products as “connoisseur” pre-rolls, which are infused with or dipped in concentrates such as wax, rosin and other marijuana concentrates.
Headset’s Cooper Ashley says, “The trend line (for these products) is just straight up. They have grown so fast in comparison to other segments within that category. We’re looking at easily a five-times increase since January 2020.”
For instance, Lance Mathis, store manager at Inyo Fine Cannabis Dispensary in Las Vegas, told Sacirbey that Catacombs, a brand of pre-rolls that are infused with rosin and other concentrates is so popular that, “I can’t keep them on the shelf, no matter how much I order.” A single 1.5-gram, infused Catacomb pre-roll retails for $30.
Mathis added that,“They fly so fast because they’re very consistent. They taste good. It’s just a very high-quality product, and it is priced to sell.”
Mathis also believes the falling prices of infused pre-rolls are also driving interest. He pointed to Stingers by AMA, another pre-roll brand that Inyo carries, that once retailed for $40 but now sells for $15-$30, depending on size.
Sacirbey also reports that pre-rolls have become so popular that a growing number of retailers have turned to making their own, “in the back room,” from shake or trim that they purchase directly from growers.
To learn more about how the market share of pre-rolled products is growing, we suggest reading Omar Sacirbey’s entertaining and informative article. It appears in the December 12, 2022 issue of MJBizDaily.com.
mjbizdaily.com/variety-of-sizes-and-infused-joints-are-driving-growth-in-the-pre-roll-sector/?
Cannabis and Convenience
Oh what a time to be alive. Mature consumers and others who reside in New York State will soon be able to have cannabis flower and edible products delivered right to their door.
That’s the word from Carl Campanile, reporting for the New York Post. According to Campanile, state regulators recently unveiled new rules that will allow licensed retailers to make home deliveries of cannabis and THC-infused edible products — “even before their shops open for business.”
It has been reported that the OCM authorized the delivery service because the roll out of authorized retail shops has been lagging behind the expected timeline and a number of illegal cannabis stores—some say they number in the thousands—have stepped in to fill the void in the market.
Campanile also reports that the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) says deliveries can be made by bicycles, scooters or other modes of transport including cars — much in the same way that restaurants make deliveries. Customers can place online/phone orders only and will be required to show an ID that demonstrates they’re age 21 or over upon delivery.
While it’s expected that legal deliveries will begin before the new year, there are still some kinks that need to be addressed, such as the method of payment. The delivery people won’t be allowed to accept cash when they deliver the product and credit cards are out as a method of payment. There is some talk that debit cards may be used. Hopefully the powers that be will have it all worked out by the time you read this.
You can learn more by reading Carl Campanile’s article in the December 9, 2022 issue of The New York Post.com.
nypost.com/2022/12/09/new-york-gets-ready-for-home-delivery-of-marijuana-and-edibles/
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.
