Welcome to Senior Cannabis Digest. This week we look at Bill Clinton’s recent comments on CBD, the growing number of women who are cannabis consumers, a new study on cannabis and pain management and more. Enjoy.
Cannabis Quote of the Week
“Go figure. There is some evidence that you can get CBD with a low-THC count that will combat pain. Some of these products have been tested more or less to FDA standards and some [haven’t been tested] not at all.”—Bill Clinton.
The comment attributed to former President Clinton is said to have taken place during an interview conducted by CNN medical expert Dr. Sanjay Gupta as part of an event called Impact Forum that was held in Orlando, Florida.
If we seem cautious in our attribution it’s because the statement first appeared in an article in the publication Cannabis & Tech Today. However, according to Kyle Jaeger, writing for Marijuana Moment, the story was taken down after the website allegedly faced pressure from Clinton’s public relations team. My, how Clintonesque.
Jaeger reports a Cannabis & Tech Today editor told Marijuana Moment that while the quote was accurate the event was originally supposed to be closed to the press so the writer of the story—Sara Brittany Somerset—asked them to spike the story and it respected the writer’s request.
Jaeger also notes that Clinton reportedly said at the event that he’s heard from people about how low-THC cannabis products can help in pain management, and while he doesn’t typically “answer any of those type calls,” he believes he receives “more messages about CBD than any man alive.”
To his credit, at the same event Dr.Gupta was more forthcoming, reportedly saying that “CBD works.” Gupta went on to tell Somerset for her article, “I’ve done six documentaries on the subject and I wasn’t a believer before, but I am now. I’ve worked on this for so long that I know not only can it work, sometimes it’s the only thing that works for some of these conditions.”
Jaeger also reported that Clinton’s team did not reply to repeated requests for comment from Marijuana Moment, as did Dr. Gupta’s folks.
While we have no concrete evidence we are starting to suspect the former President finally got around to inhaling.
To learn more, we suggest you read Kyle Jaeger’s story in the March 1, 2022 issue of Marijuana Moment. As always, Mr. Jaeger does an excellent job of unpacking a complicated story.
Women and Cannabis
A growing number of women of all ages are purchasing and consuming a wide variety of cannabis products.
That’s a key finding of what’s being described as a Flash Report from Akerna, a leading enterprise software company that serves the global cannabis industry. Their report on the shopping habits of female consumers shows that as a demographic group, their market share grew from 35 percent in 2019 to 38.3 percent.
Given that cannabis consumers in the U.S. now number in the millions, an increase in market share of 3.3 percent is significant.
Mature consumers were well represented in the report, with women 50 to 60 years of age making up 13.6 percent of female consumers and those over 60 accounting for 10.6 percent.
When it comes to product preferences, women purchase more flower (45.2 percent of sales) than other types of cannabis products, followed by cartridges/pens (34.4 percent), concentrates (9.5 percent) and edibles (8.8 percent).
The researchers behind the study contend that the data showed direct correlations between age and product sales. For example, the youngest age groups of women are most likely to buy concentrates, with product share gradually declining as age goes up. The study also found the more mature groups spend more on infused edibles.
James Ahrendt, Business Intelligence Architect at Akerna, noted, “Concentrates are perceived as an advanced cannabis consumption method, which could be why they appeal the most to younger populations which have grown up with the legalization of cannabis. On the other hand, edibles provide a discreet form of cannabis consumption with easy dosing, which is likely why they appeal to more mature populations.”
To learn more, you can visit the Akerna Flash Report. A link to the press release from the company follows.
CBD Celebrity Spotlight
Another sports star has endorsed the benefits of using CBD as part of a training regimen and IndyCar racing fans are likely to be impressed.
According to Adam Stern, reporting for the Sports Business Journal, cbdMD has announced that it has signed IndyCar driver Jimmie Johnson to be a new endorser of the company’s products. It’s said Johnson—a seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion— will promote the company’s brand and products to racing fans this year, particularly around the Indy 500 in May.
Nate Ryan, who covered the story for NBC Sports, writes that Johnson has used all of cbdMD’s products, including topical oils to soft gels and gummies, and told Ryan that he’s been “very impressed” with their impact on his muscle recovery from workouts and improved sleep quality.
To comply with the sport’s zero-tolerance policy for even trace amounts of THC, Johnson says he uses a QR code on cbdMD packaging to ensure each batch has no THC.
Said Johnson, “In the past, I’ve been very nervous of taking the ingestibles, because there’s a chance of the THC level being too high and causing a problem. They’ve (cbdMD) gone to great lengths to ensure the security that I would need as an athlete, especially for a sport that still screens for THC.”
Johnson added, “I feel like a lot of people are comfortable with CBD on the topical side. When you get to the ingestibles is where the concern takes place. Hopefully, over time people will understand it and be more comfortable with it.”
Ryan notes that Johnson joins golfer Bubba Watson and MMA fighter Daniel Cormier who already promote the benefits of cbdMD products. As a strategic brand ambassador Johnson will be part of the company’s effort to take its brand mainstream by having athletes tell their stories. Martin Sumichrast, cbdMD’s co-CEO, has indicated he believes the deal with Johnson will “bring a new level of acceptance in the marketplace for our brand.”
To learn much more we suggest you read Adam Stern’s reporting in the February 25, 2022 issue of Sports Business Journal and Nate Ryan’s article in the motorsports section of the February 25, 2022 edition of NBC Sports.com.
www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/en/Daily/Issues/2022/02/25/Marketing-and-Sponsorship/Jimmie-CBD
motorsports.nbcsports.com/2022/02/25/jimmie-johnson-cbd-brand-ambassador-cbdmd-indycar-nascar/
Cannabis and Pain Management
There is hopeful news for mature consumers who struggle with chronic pain. A new study suggests cannabis has the potential to be a useful tool when it comes to managing pain and improving what the researchers term “health related quality of life.” However that benefit may come with certain challenges.
The research team, led by A.M. Peterson of the Department of Pharmacy Practice of the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, PA, conducted a series of surveys of medical marijuana users across the state of Pennsylvania who used medical marijuana to help with pain management.
Participants in the survey were queried about their level of pain and asked to complete a quality of life survey that explored their experience when it came to mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression.
Overall, the researchers found what they described as a positive relationship between medical marijuana use and health related quality of life in patients who used medical marijuana for pain.
More specifically, the researchers said the measurement tools validated the reported pain improvement and also showed an improvement in the management of anxiety.
However, to be fair, they also found some respondents experienced what researchers defined as a decline in some aspects of self-care which may have tempered the overall improvement in health related quality of life. As a result, they believe further research into which aspects of self-care are impacted by medical marijuana use in this population is warranted.
To learn more, you can read a detailed description of the study in the December 2021 edition of the journal Medical Cannabis and Cannabinoids.
www.karger.com/Article/FullText/517857
New Product News & Notes
A biotech cannabinoid company named after the Greek goddess of healing and remedies has announced it’s expanding its skincare line with CBD and CBG formulations designed to help combat skin issues such as acne, wrinkles, and even more severe conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.
Many in the skincare industry believe CBD can help to moisturize skin and help to maintain its natural balance.
According to Vuk Zdinjak, reporting for Benzinga, Panacea has introduced a skin clearing gel for acne and a soothing CBD+CBG oil for more severe conditions. Together, these products are expected to allow the company to take advantage of the growing CBD skincare market which is expected to be valued at $3.4 billion globally by 2026, according to a report from Allied Market Research. For comparison, the market was valued at just $633.6 million in 2018.
Panacea’s skincare line, which is dermatologist-approved, includes ingredients such as targeted peptides, vitamins, green tea, aloe, Beta Hydroxy Acid, tea tree oils, and CBD and CBG to help help consumers address skin ailments and to protect the skin from harmful pollutants and free radical damage.
Since its founding in 2017, Panacea Life Sciences has committed itself to cultivating everyday wellness for its consumers by upholding the highest standards for all their products —from oil drops and softgels to gummies and topicals—by using only the highest quality cannabinoids.
According to Nick Cavarra, Panacea’s Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Panacea’s customers have wanted the company to create a premier line of CBD and CBG skincare products. He believes that the company’s R&D team, working with Dr. Paul Dean of PL Skin Solutions, has accomplished this by focusing on the formulation, stability, and efficacy of Panacea’s new products.
If you care to learn more you can read Vuk Zdinjak’s article. It appeared in the March 2, 2022 issue of Benzinga. Be aware that Benzinga seems to have instituted a paywall for some of its articles and you may have to register to read Zdinjak’s article.
As an alternative, you can read the press release announcing the two new products. It appeared in the March 2, 2022 issue of Digital Journal.
To learn more about the company, simply click on this link.
Senior Cannabis Digest is compiled and edited by Joe Kohut and John Kohut. You can reach them at joe.kohut@gmail.com or at 347-528-8753.
