Welcome to Senior Cannabis Digest. This week we look at CBD and baseball, tips on planning a 420 vacation, new cannabis legislation in Texas and more. Enjoy.
CBD Spotlight
In the words of the late, great Chicago Cubs broadcaster Harry Caray, “Holy Cow.” The Chicago Cubs have announced they’re about to become the first Major League Baseball (MLB) team to officially partner with a CBD company.
That’s the word from Kyle Jaeger, reporting for Marijuana Moment. Jaeger says the Cubs have negotiated a deal with the CBD sparkling beverage brand MYND DRINKS. The terms of the agreement call for the company’s products to be marketed in signage at Wrigley Field and promoted through “several in-game features.”
Jaeger points out that Major League Baseball said last year that individual teams could begin partnering with cannabis companies, but in order to do so, a prospective business’s products must be certified by NSF International, a consumer safety and product-testing organization that sports leagues use. An individual club must also receive authorization from the MLB commissioner’s office.
Said Alex Seyferth, vice president of corporate partnerships at the Chicago Cubs, “When MLB opened the CBD category for its clubs, it allowed us to explore new partnership opportunities and offerings. We’re proud to be the first club to partner with a CBD company, but what was more important to us was making sure that the brand was the right fit. MYND DRINKS is a Chicago-based company that promotes overall wellness and helps ease the stressors of everyday life, just like a Friday 1:20 game at Wrigley Field.”
MYND DRINKS CEO Simon Allen said that the company is “so thrilled and honored to announce our partnership with the legendary Chicago Cubs, and that they share our vision of health and wellness in major league sport.”
According to Jaeger, as part of the partnership launch the Cubs are also releasing a guided meditation on YouTube narrated by Cubs radio play-by-play announcer Pat Hughes and a “Sounds of Wrigley Field” playlist on Spotify.
You may want to read that last paragraph again.
Yes, we’re talking about those Chicago Cubs. Cannabis has officially come to the friendly confines of Wrigley Field. What a time to be alive.
To learn more, you can read Kyle Jaeger’s stellar reporting in the April 7, 2023 issue of Marijuana Moment.net.
www.marijuanamoment.net/chicago-cubs-become-first-mlb-team-to-officially-partner-with-cbd-company/
Tips on Trips
The annual celebration of all things cannabis, 420, is fast approaching and if you’re a mature consumer who likes to blend travel and cannabis, the folks at The Cannigma have put together a list of what they describe as the best cannabis vacation destinations.
As one might suspect, the publication’s definition of “best” is not very rigid, but Jessica McKeil, who penned the article, does suggest, at the very least, a 420 trip should create a safe space to enjoy your “medicine” and offer information on local dispensaries, tours, and activities. Some of the amenities offered by the destinations on McKeil’s list go well beyond that.
Said McKeil, “Many destinations are taking this type of tourism to entirely new levels. From California to Jamaica, you’ll find all-inclusive cannabis resorts offering open weed bars, infused meals, and free vaporizers along with every booking.”
McKeil stresses that before booking anywhere, it’s important to double-check the state and municipal regulations on cannabis consumption. Here are a few of the destinations and planning tools she describes.
• Bud and Breakfast.com is a website that helps users identify cannabis-friendly inns, rooms, bed and breakfasts and more. Featured locations on the website range from a tree house 35 feet off the ground over a 420 friendly legal medical marijuana grow site in Oregon to a cannabis friendly hotel and spa in the heart of Midtown, Phoenix. The website includes a blog with travel tips and a booking service. Simply type in your desired destination, the number of guests in your party and the length of your stay.
• A company called My 420 Tours offers more than a dozen cannabis-themed experiences in the Denver, Colorado area, ranging from luxury all-inclusive weekends for two to budget-friendly two-hour walking tours led by an expert cannabis guide and accompanied by a designated professional driver. The company has curated all-inclusive 420 vacations that include a stay in a select 420-friendly hotel with the freedom to vape in the comfort of your hotel room or in the outdoor smoking area. Guests are said to be treated to VIP insider access to the cultivation and business sides of cannabis, as well as 420-friendly airport transportation.
www.my420tours.com/about-my-420-tours/
• GanjaVacations describes itself as a one-stop shop for “everything related to cannabis vacations in Jamaica.” This includes useful, up-to-date information about cannabis-friendly hotels, herb houses (dispensaries), health and wellness facilities, farm tours, Rastafarian experiences and more. Some of the destinations listed on the site offer what are called “420 Vacation Deals” where your cannabis is included in the price of the package. Accommodations range from rustic to luxurious, at a wide variety of price points.
www.ganjavacations.net/about-our-resorts/
To learn more about planning a cannabis-themed vacation, we suggest reading Jessica McKeil’s article on where to find the best 420 vacations in 2023. The article first appeared in the March 1, 2022 issue of The Cannigma, but they felt the information was still valid, so they reposted it in the current issue. Who are we to argue? Just click on the link that follows.
cannigma.com/picks/best-420-vacations/?
Cannabis and Opioids
There’s hopeful news for residents of Texas who suffer from chronic pain and don’t want to use opioids to treat their condition.
According to Keegan Williams, reporting for High Times, the state’s House of Representatives has given initial approval to a bill that would allow doctors to recommend medical cannabis to patients as an alternative to opioids for chronic pain treatment.
The bill from Rep. Stephanie Klick (R) was passed by the chamber by a vote of 121-23. However, it’s important to remember that this initial passage is just the first step. The bill needs one more round of approval in the House before it can move to the Senate. If enacted, the bill would take effect on Sept. 1, 2023.
Williams notes that the bill would specifically expand eligibility for low-THC cannabis products, granting legal access to patients with “a condition that causes chronic pain, for which a physician would otherwise prescribe an opioid.”
The legislation, House Bill 1805, would also replace the THC cap established under Texas’s existing medical cannabis law. Texas’s medical cannabis law is currently CBD-only, with a cap of 1 percent THC for cannabis oil. Should the bill be enacted, the THC limit would shift to the volumetric dose of 10 mg.
The bill, says Williams, further stipulates that Department of State Health Services (DSHS) regulators could approve additional debilitating medical conditions to qualify new patients for the cannabis program through rule making.
Said Jax James, Executive Director of Texas NORML, “Passage of this legislation will provide qualified patients with a state-sanctioned option to access a therapy that has proven to offer significant benefits. Medical cannabis is an objectively safer alternative to the array of pharmaceutical drugs that it could potentially replace. I urge my fellow Texans to voice their support for this important legislation and to reach out to their Senators to encourage their backing as it moves through the legislative process.”
Texas NORML is suggesting that supporters in the state should reach out to lawmakers, voice their support of the reform and encourage lawmakers to approve it.
To learn more about the bill and other cannabis-related trends in Texas, we urge you to read the article by Keegan Williams in the April 12, 2023 issue of High Times.com.
hightimes.com/news/texas-bill-approved-in-house-would-expand-medical-mj-eligibility-replace-thc-cap/
Stats of the Week
This week’s magic number is 40 percent. According to a recent survey by AYR Wellness, that’s the percentage of employed cannabis consumers who said they are planning to take the day off from work to celebrate 420 this year.
So says TG Branfalt who reported on the survey findings for the publication Ganjapreneur. Branfalt also noted that 23 percent of those polled indicated that their cannabis consumption habits would increase on 4/20 while 71 percent of respondents said their consumption habits would stay the same.
Even if you don’t believe that over a third of cannabis consumers who are employed plan to observe 420 by taking the day off from work, the survey did offer some interesting findings about cannabis consumption in general that are worth considering.
For example, the survey found that most respondents surveyed– 73 percent – typically consumed cannabis between 5:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. Also, 78 percent of respondents said they typically consumed cannabis by themselves. Eighty-eight percent of consumers who shared their stash with others said they contributed to the “pot,” by sharing gummies (32 percent) or flower (40 percent).
Said David Goubert, president and CEO of AYR Wellness, “The data proves that 4/20 is an important holiday for cannabis consumers of all types, so much so that nearly 40 percent are planning to take off work to celebrate. The survey also revealed notable trends in consumption formats and habits among various demographics, which is helpful for us when engaging with our customers in meaningful ways. At AYR, we aim to foster deep connection and loyalty among our customers and patients each time they enter one of our stores, browse online or use one of our products and we look forward to providing a memorable experience this 420 holiday.”
The company says the survey was conducted in February and March 2023, and included 900 Americans aged 21-74, who have purchased and consumed cannabis within the past six months.
We’ve long been of the opinion that what the 420 holiday really needs is a signature sing-along song or two, kind of like 420 carols. We suggest you can get the ball rolling harmonizing on the following ditty by this kid from Minnesota.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fm-po_FUmvM
To learn more, we suggest reading TG Branfalt’s article in the April 12, 2023 issue of Ganjapreneur.com.
www.ganjapreneur.com/survey-40-of-employed-cannabis-consumers-plan-to-take-day-off-for-4-20/?
To learn more about the company that sponsored the survey, AYR Wellness, click on the link that follows.
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.
