Welcome to Senior Cannabis Digest. This week we look at the growing popularity of products with lower THC content, using cannabis to treat a cat with osteoarthritis, the end of testing NBA players for cannabis use and more. Enjoy.
Consumer Corner
A growing number of cannabis consumers are reporting that when it comes to THC, less can be more enjoyable.
That’s a key finding from a new survey from the folks at New Frontier Data that suggests high-potency products, specifically those that are high in THC content, may not be suitable for many people.
The survey found that among edible and beverage consumers who have information about the dose of their product, 19 percent consume less than 5 mg of THC at a time, and 18 percent consume 5 mg at a time. A majority—61 percent—said they consume 10 mg or less at a time.
Dr. Molly McCann, Senior Director of Consumer Insights at New Frontier Data and author of the study acknowledges that this doesn’t necessarily mean that 10 mg or less is the appropriate dose for a majority of cannabis consumers. However, she believes it does provide insight into the preferences of a significant portion of the market.
Said Dr. McCann, “I have many friends and family members who had previously sworn off cannabis after too intense an experience but have recently been introduced to new low-dose products like Cann beverages or Kiva’s Petra mints and are surprised to be enjoying cannabis for the first time.”
Her hypothesis is that many people who tried cannabis in the past and had a bad experience took a dose much higher than their minimum effective dose, and that most people should probably be taking products with less THC, or what the industry calls “low dose”.
She also believes that low-dose products have “incredible long-term potential,” not only for future consumers but as a way of bringing some former consumers back around to cannabis.
Said McCann, “By offering low-dose products that minimize the risk of negative side effects and the intensity of the high, companies can cater to this market segment and potentially convert some into regular consumers.”
She also believes this “conversion” will require clear labeling of products by manufacturers and education campaigns aimed at both consumers and dispensary staff.
To learn more, we urge you to read “Rethinking Cannabis Potency: Are Low Dose Products the Appropriate Choice for Most Consumers?” It appeared in the April 4, 2023 issue of Cannabis Insights, a publication of New Frontier Data.
newfrontierdata.com/cannabis-insights/rethinking-cannabis-potency/?
Cannabis and Pets
There may be good news for those who care for a cat—no one really owns a cat—that has chronic pain. A case study prepared by clinicians and teachers at a veterinary hospital at the Universidad de la República in Montevideo, Uruguay claims that an analgesic treatment that used both CBD and THC helped to significantly improve the condition of a cat with chronic orthopedic pain.
According to the study, it has been estimated that up to 90 percent of cats have degenerative joint disease and about 50 percent of these cats have clinical signs of impairment due to osteoarthritic pain. This can affect the cat’s mobility, gait, ability to jump and climb stairs.
In most cases the treatment of chronic pain in cats has relied on types of classic analgesic drugs, such as opioids and anti-inflammatories, both of which can present a variety of limitations and reasons for caution.
In an effort to find an alternative medicinal analgesic approach with fewer side effects and lower cost, the authors of the study turned to cannabis.
The cat in the study was a 10-year-old mixed breed male spayed cat that was referred to the teaching hospital in Montevideo for evaluation due to behavioral changes and deterioration in activity level related to chronic orthopedic pain.
An analgesic treatment using a full spectrum cannabis oil (1.8 percent CBD and 0.8 percent THC) was initiated with a dosage of 0.5mg of CBD. However after 2 days of treatment, sedation was observed by the medical staff and the dose was decreased to 0.25 mg. Full spectrum cannabis oil contains both CBD and THC.
The veterinary staff reported that the full spectrum Cannabis sativa oil containing CBD and THC exhibited an analgesic effect on the cat with chronic pain. The cat’s owner stated the patient’s quality of life improved after the treatment.
While using cannabis-based preparations to treat chronic pain in humans is becoming more commonplace, this is believed to be the first reported case where medical staff used full spectrum cannabis sativa oil to treat a cat with osteoarthritic pain.
Granted, it is just one cat and one study, however it does offer hope that, at a minimum, the study will spur interest in further research on how a cat in pain may benefit from cannabis-based treatment.
To be clear, we are not encouraging cat owners to take it upon themselves to treat their feline friend with cannabis. It’s always wise to talk to a vet first, particularly if your pet is on other medications.
To learn more, we suggest reading the article detailing the study that appeared in the March 31, 2023 issue of the journal Veterinary Medicine and Science. Just click on the link that follows.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/vms3.1057
Cannabis and the NBA
There’s news of a permanent suspension many players in the National Basketball Association (NBA) are likely to support. According to sources, the NBA has decided to make its suspension of testing for cannabis a formal part of its new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the National Basketball Players Association, thereby eliminating it completely.
Details of the agreement won’t be available until the players vote to ratify it.
The CBA covers the next seven seasons and given the way the league’s cannabis policies have evolved over the past few years it’s highly unlikely it will resume testing after the agreement has run its course.
Under the current suspension of testing, the league can still “reach out” to players who show signs of problematic dependency on cannabis and encourage them to seek treatment. It hasn’t been doing that for those who are perceived to be “using marijuana casually.”
According to Kyle Jaeger, who covered the story for Marijuana Moment, Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium has reported the CBA also has a provision that will let active players promote and invest in cannabis companies. Jaeger noted that letting players promote and invest in marijuana companies would set the NBA apart from other professional sports leagues on the cannabis issue.
A number of former players, such as Al Harrington, Chris Webber and Carmelo Anthony, have become involved in the cannabis sector, as investors or as owners of cannabis companies, after retiring.
However, at least one active player has found a way to get involved in the sector as more than a consumer. In his article Jaeger points out that in 2021 NBA star Kevin Durant entered into a multi-year partnership with the online marijuana marketplace Weedmaps, the purpose of which was to destigmatize cannabis and showcase its potential value for “athlete wellness and recovery.”
Paul Haagen, co-director of the Center for Sports Law and Policy at Duke University, told MJBiz Daily that he believes the cannabis provisions rumored to be in the CBA were more a reflection of the public’s changing attitudes on cannabis than the result of any specific advocacy on the part of the Players Association.
We’ll have to see if shooting percentages go up or down after the agreement is in place.
Thanks to the one and only M Ceallaigh MacBhloscaidh for sending the story our way.
To learn more, we urge you to read Kyle Jaeger’s reporting on the story in the April 1, 2023 and April 3, 2023 issues of Marijuana Moment.net.
Kate Robinson also covered the story for MJBizDaily.com. Her reporting appears in the April 3, 2023 issue of the publication.
mjbizdaily.com/nba-to-allow-players-to-promote-invest-in-and-consume-cannabis/
Cannabis Quote of the Week
“The argument for the legalization of cannabis is not whether it is good or bad, but rather what best balances the costs and benefits. I think it is better to have a regulated product with known ingredients bought from a legitimate business and taxes to offset any harm caused versus street drugs that just fund drug dealers and cartels. Just like alcohol, prohibition doesn’t stop the use, it just funds violence and destroys faith in government. Ending prohibition is consistent with support of limited government, free markets, and individual liberty.”—Richard Nelson.
Mr. Nelson is the Republican candidate for Governor in the state of Louisiana. He is currently serving in the Louisiana House of Representatives representing Louisiana’s 89th district. His comment is taken from a series of tweets he made as part of his campaign for Governor.
Should he prevail in his campaign, Mr. Nelson will join a small but growing number of Republican office holders, such as Nancy Ruth Mace, the U.S. representative for South Carolina’s 1st congressional district and Brian Mast, the U.S. representative for Florida’s 21st congressional district, who are adopting a more clear-eyed, bipartisan approach to cannabis issues.
Increasingly, cannabis is becoming a policy sector where members of both parties can come together to find practical solutions.
While we don’t expect Mr. Nelson and the others to be hosting a 420 event anytime soon, they do represent what appears to be a slow but steady sea change by a growing segment of the Grand Old Party.
To see his original tweets, simply click on the link that follows.
twitter.com/NelsonforLA/status/1643363846504034304
Spotlight on Medical Marijuana
The governor of Kentucky, Andy Beshear (D), has signed a bill that legalizes medical cannabis in the Bluegrass State. If you are keeping score at home, this makes Kentucky the 38th state to legalize medical marijuana.
According to Kyle Jaeger, who covered the story for Marijuana Moment, here are a few of the key provisions of the bill.
• Patients with recommendations from doctors or advanced nurse practitioners can qualify to use cannabis if they have cancer, severe pain, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, muscle spasms or spasticity, chronic nausea or cyclical vomiting, post-traumatic stress disorder or any other medical condition or disease which the Kentucky Center for Cannabis deems appropriate.
• Smoking marijuana will be prohibited, but patients can still access raw cannabis for vaporization.
• Home cultivation will not be allowed.
• Patients can possess a 30-day supply of cannabis in their residence and a 10-day supply on their person.
• Patient registration will only last up to 60 days, and the initial visit must be in person.
• There will be a 35 percent THC cap on flower marijuana products and 70 percent cap for concentrates. Edibles cannot exceed 10 milligrams per serving.
We’ve never understood why some states will prohibit smoking cannabis but OK the purchase of flower products for use in a vaporizer. We guess it is often the result of the horse trading/sausage making that goes on when crafting a bill that can pass.
Also, since registration only lasts for 60 days, it looks like those participating in the program will have to reregister several times a year. We will see how long this inconvenience lasts.
Perhaps it’s best to focus on the fact that by becoming number 38, Kentucky has joined an ever-growing community. Little by little.
To learn more about the bill and the process behind its passing, we suggest you read Kyle Jaeger’s article in the March 31, 2023 issue of Marijuana Moment.net.
www.marijuanamoment.net/kentucky-governor-signs-medical-marijuana-legalization-bill-into-law/
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.
