Welcome to Senior Cannabis Digest. This week we look at the science behind rolling a satisfactory joint, reciprocity for medical marijuana patients in New Hampshire, the first cannabis Super PAC and more. Enjoy.
Consumer Corner
There may be helpful news for mature consumers and others who still prefer to ingest cannabis by smoking a joint. It turns out, as jazz greats Sy Oliver and Trummy Young once said, “Tain’t What You Do (It’s the Way That You Do It).”
In this case, the “it” in question is how finely the cannabis should be ground before it is rolled into a joint.
According to Kyle Jaeger, writing for Marijuana Moment, scientists at a Delic Labs, a Vancouver-based marijuana and psilocybin research facility, conducted an experiment to determine how the size of the ground-up cannabis flower used to make a joint affects a consumer’s experience.
Jaeger reported that the researchers took marijuana broken up into one-, three- and five-millimeter-diameter grounds, packed three grams into commercially available pre-rolled papers and “smoked” them using a “smoke cycle simulator” device that inhaled several times at a consistent rate. The smoke was then analyzed for the cannabinoid concentration at different stages of consumption.
For comparison, 1mm is about the size of the tip of a pencil or a baby’s tooth.
The research team found that the joints that were 1mm in diameter produced the most potent ‘hit,’ because the smoke from the joint contained the highest levels of cannabinoids, such as THC and CBD. However, the 1mm joints also smoked the fastest. The joints 5mm in diameter, on the other hand, produced what they described as “the longest-lasting experience.”
Again, it should be noted that all of the joints contained the same weight of cannabis—three grams—with some containing material that was more finely ground than others. Think of coffee beans ground to varied degrees of coarseness.
In his article, Jaeger makes the point that the experiment’s findings challenge the conventional consumer wisdom around selecting joints based on THC concentration alone, showing that the size or coarseness of the ground cannabis is a crucial factor.
The research team also found that the CBD-dominant strains they analyzed delivered significantly more of their main cannabinoid for each puff compared to THC-rich varieties.
Said Markus Roggen, president of Delic Labs, in an interview with Scientific American,“The amount of cannabinoid that gets to your mouth is higher for CBD than for THC. I cannot explain it, but I am very intrigued.”
You can learn much more by reading Kyle Jaeger’s excellent article in the July 11, 2023 issue of Marijuana Moment.net.
The Shape of Things to Come
Taking a step that has long been sought by medical cannabis advocates, New Hampshire is now granting medical cannabis patients who are registered to use medical cannabis in other U.S. states or Canada access to its medical cannabis program.
According to TG Branfalt, reporting for Ganjapreneur, under the law, visiting patients can now use their valid medical cannabis identification issued by another state or Canada to purchase medical cannabis from New Hampshire dispensaries three times a year.
However, just to make things a bit more complicated, if the visiting out-of-state patient has a medical condition on the state’s medical cannabis qualifying conditions list, those patients may purchase cannabis at New Hampshire dispensaries at the same frequency as in-state qualifying patients.
In short, medical marijuana patients are ok and some are more ok than others. Got it?
Branfalt notes that under state law, there is a 2-ounce possession limit per patient, and all patients are limited to purchasing 2 ounces of cannabis in any 10-day period.
Said Tricia Tilley, Director, Division of Public Health Services in an interview with the publication In Depth New Hampshire, “People from other states with severe medical conditions who use therapeutic cannabis to alleviate their symptoms are welcome to travel to New Hampshire with the certainty that they will be able to safely access therapeutic cannabis while they visit our state.”
Branfalt points out that there are seven medical cannabis dispensaries located throughout the Granite State.
Reciprocity such as this is a tricky issue. Some states will recognize an out-of-state medical marijuana card but the patient must have a qualifying medical condition recognized by those states. Others say they will only recognize the medical marijuana cards of states that they border. In states that have legalized recreational or “adult use” cannabis, the question is moot.
If you’re a mature consumer who uses medical cannabis and you are planning a trip out of state, it’s always wise to call ahead to check your status and the laws governing possession and purchase of medical cannabis at your destination.
To learn more, we suggest reading the article by TG Branfalt in the July 11, 2023 issue of Ganjapreneur.com.
www.ganjapreneur.com/new-hampshire-allowing-reciprocity-for-medical-cannabis-patients/?
Political News and Notes
In another sign that the cannabis sector is coming of age politically, a coalition of marijuana businesses and advocacy groups has launched a Super PAC called “Legalize America.” The primary objective of this super PAC is to elevate the prominence of cannabis as a national issue in the upcoming 2024 election and beyond.
In addition, Legalize America plans to collaborate with industry partners by encouraging customers to make “round-up” donations at the point of sale when purchasing products from dispensaries.
According to Joseph Billions, writing in the blog Cannabis.net, the U.S. Cannabis Council—a trade organization—recently announced that this Super PAC is able to take donations of any size, unlike traditional political action committees. However, it is not allowed to work directly with political candidates.
Matt Harrell, Chair of Legalize America and representative of Curaleaf, told Billions that Legalize America is dedicated to putting an end to cannabis prohibition. Billions reports that the Super PAC will employ a variety of tactics, including scorecards, endorsements, and targeted independent expenditure campaigns, “to advance cannabis reform and foster a thriving and equitable cannabis industry.”
Billions also notes that Legalize America Secretary Pete Meachum of Cronos Group believes that the 2024 presidential election will be decisive in the fight to end cannabis prohibition.
Accordingly, the Super PAC is laying the groundwork by employing advertising, grassroots engagement, voter outreach, and events to ensure cannabis remains at the forefront throughout the campaign.
While Legalize America describes itself as the first cannabis-focused Super PAC dedicated to reforming cannabis laws, Billions does acknowledge that a California-based mobile cannabis dispensary filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) in 2013 to establish the Legalize Marijuana Super PAC.com. However, no evidence suggests that this effort raised or distributed any funds following its launch.
Legalize America’s membership currently mirrors much of the membership of the U.S. Cannabis Council (USCC), which includes notable partners such as ATACH, Canopy Growth, Columbia Care, Curaleaf, Cresco Labs, Cronos Group, Dutchie, Houseplant, Marijuana Policy Project, PAX, PharmaCann, Scotts Miracle-Gro, and Vicente, among others.
You can learn much more by reading the detailed and insightful reporting by Joseph Billions in the July 10, 2023 issue of Cannabis.net.
Spotlight on Safety
It’s the story that just won’t go away—and for good reason. WFAB, the CBS affiliate in Baton Rouge, Louisiana reports that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) along with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent cease and desist letters to six companies currently marketing edible products containing Delta-8 THC.
The real cause for concern, said officials, is that the packaging of these products ranges from similar to nearly identical to the packaging of snacks marketed to families and children, such as Doritos tortilla chips, Cheetos cheese-flavored snacks, and Nerds candy.
Said Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, “Marketing edible THC products that can be easily mistaken by children for regular foods is reckless and illegal. Companies must ensure that their products are marketed safely and responsibly, especially when it comes to protecting the well-being of children.”
The following companies received letters from the agencies:
- Delta Munchies LLC (Los Angeles, California)
- Exclusive Hemp Farms (Gilroy, California) and Etienne-DuBois, LLC/Oshipt (Henrico, Virginia)
- North Carolina Hemp Exchange, LLC, dba NC Hemp Shoppe (Raleigh, North Carolina)
- Dr. Smoke, LLC, aka Dr. S, LLC (Kansas City, Missouri)
- Nikte’s Wholesale, LLC (Albuquerque, New Mexico)
- The Haunted Vapor Room (Franklin, New Jersey)
The FTC has asked each company to contact agency staff within 15 days to detail the specific actions it has taken to address the Commission’s concerns.
As we have said before, using cannabis should be a matter of conscious choice. There is nothing amusing or cute about putting a child—or an adult—at risk by “accidentally” dosing them with a product that contains THC—and that starts with the packaging and marketing of the product.
We encourage any mature consumer who encounters such a product to notify the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
In addition, mature consumers who use edibles should make sure they are stored securely and away from children or other adults who may mistake them for treats or candy.
To learn more, we encourage you to read the article posted on the WAFB website on July 5, 2023. Simply click on the link that follows.
www.wafb.com/2023/07/05/dea-ftc-issue-warning-about-edibles-made-with-thc-packaged-snacks/
Medical Cannabis and Guns
A new state law in Arkansas that allows medical marijuana users to carry concealed handguns may not be as clear cut as it seems.
According to a story reported by Andrew Mobley for station KATV in Little Rock, Arkansas, beginning on August 1, 2023 medical marijuana cardholders and caregivers in Arkansas will be able to legally acquire a concealed carry license.
Mobley notes that the law itself, Act 757, is pretty straightforward. It states that a person’s status as a qualifying patient or designated caregiver under the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment of 2016 shall not be considered in determining whether an applicant is eligible to be issued a license to carry a concealed handgun.
The bill’s original sponsor, State Representative Aaron Pilkington (R) of District 45, contends that it is in accordance with the 2016 amendment (Amendment 98) that legalized medical marijuana in Arkansas.
Said Plinkington, “Amendment 98 had language that said no patient’s right or privilege should be infringed upon on the basis of having medical marijuana. However, this wasn’t extended to concealed carry holders.”
Plinkington added, “There was an issue and a concern about what the federal law said. But now federal law says that gun rights should not be restricted based on patient status and so no other prescriptions, whether it be opioids or others, prohibits somebody from having a concealed carry license.”
So, here is where the fun begins. As Mobley points out, federal law prohibits users of controlled substances, including medical marijuana, from receiving or possessing firearms or ammunition—regardless of patient status.
The fact that gun stores must be federally licensed and are required to initiate a background check on gun purchasers prior to sale of a firearm complicates matters even more, as will, according to Mobley, even a record of noncriminal drug use, such as an admission of being a medical marijuana cardholder.
Wait, there’s more. The Federal Firearms Transaction Record form that gun buyers must fill out before purchasing a gun asks if they are users of controlled substances such as marijuana—essentially meaning the only way for medical marijuana cardholders to pass the background check would be to lie to the federal government—a federal crime.
That rustling you hear on both sides of the issue would be the lawyers lining up to litigate this. We suspect that will take a while.
To learn more, we encourage you to read Andrew Mobley’s clear and concise reporting. It appeared in the July 4, 2023 issue of the KATV website.
TG Branfalt also covered the story in the July 6, 2023 issue of Ganjapreneur.com. To read his reporting, simply 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.
