Welcome to Senior Cannabis Digest. This week we look at consuming cannabis to get through a “dry” January, using CBD to treat skin ulcers, the creation of a “cannabis super center” in the middle of the Mojave Desert and more. Enjoy.
Cannabis Trends
When it comes to sobriety and refraining from alcohol during January, some folks appear to be “grading on the curve.” An estimated one in five individuals who have committed to a “dry January”—a month without drinking alcohol—are turning to cannabis as a way to take the “edge” off of everyday life.
So says Kyle Jaeger, reporting for Marijuana Moment on a recent poll by Civic Science. The company describes itself as an “opinion analytics platform.”
He noted that the survey revealed that 33 percent of those who observe the month-long alcohol break say they’re not replacing alcohol with anything. However 21 percent of respondents said that they’ve opted for using cannabis and CBD products instead of alcohol.
According to the poll, 34 percent of folks 21 to 24 said they would be using cannabis instead of alcohol during their month-long “fast.” About a fifth (22 percent) of those 35-54 said they would be doing the same, while nine percent of those 55 and older said they would be using cannabis while remaining alcohol free.
Jaeger offered the opinion that the results of the survey reflect a broader substitution trend that he believes has been identified in multiple polls and studies over recent years.
Said Jaeger, “As more states move to legalize marijuana, more people are choosing to use cannabis over alcohol, as well as [over] certain prescription drugs like opioids.”
He also pointed to a federally funded study that was recently published that found that people living in states that have legalized marijuana for adult use are less likely to experience alcohol use disorder compared to those in prohibitionist states.
To learn more, we suggest reading the article by Kyle Jaeger that appeared in the January 13, 2023 issue of Marijuana Moment. As always, his reporting is clear, concise and on point.
Travel News and Notes
Mature consumers and others who enjoy traveling to cannabis-friendly destinations may want to take note. A hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada called The Artisan Hotel Boutique is being renovated to become what’s described as the city’s first cannabis-friendly property. Viva Las Vegas, indeed.
The revamped hotel, which after the rebranding will be called The Lexi, is scheduled to reopen in the spring of 2023.
According to TG Branfalt, who covered the story for Ganjapreneur, the hotel—said to be located just minutes from the Las Vegas strip—is owned by Elevations Hotels and Resorts.
The company’s CEO Alex Rizek said, “The Lexi will allow the brand to showcase its commitment to creating a new type of hotel concept that is defined not only by our acceptance and normalization of cannabis in the hospitality space, but also by our dedication to reclaim storied properties and transform them for the modern-day travelers.”
Added Rizek, in classic “Vegas speak,” “We want to make it a classy experience and keep that vibe going. We want to keep the mischievous attitude. We want to be sure to keep the sexiness of the hotel, but we want to classy it up from where it was. (sic)”
Branfalt writes that The Lexi will eventually offer guests a chance to take part in a membership initiative called Elevations Nation. More than just a rewards program, the initiative offers access to ongoing socials, parties and classes—many of which are cannabis friendly.
We hope before too long guests at The Lexi will be able to catch mirth-maker extraordinaire Bobby Bittman in the lounge.
To learn more, we urge you to read TG Branfalt’s article in the January 18, 2023 issue of Ganjapreneur.com.
www.ganjapreneur.com/las-vegas-hotel-getting-cannabis-friendly-makeover/?
CBD Spotlight
A new study by researchers at University Hospital of Modena, Italy suggests CBD can be an effective treatment for wounds, particularly for treating the painful skin condition called scleroderma.
Scleroderma—also known as systemic sclerosis—is a rare autoimmune connective tissue and rheumatic disease characterized by the tightening of the skin and the narrowing of blood vessels. The narrowing of blood vessels can also cause skin ulcers on the fingertips which are known as digital ulcers.
The study, “Topical cannabidiol in the treatment of digital ulcers in patients with scleroderma: Comparative analysis and literature review,” was published online in the peer-reviewed journal Advances in Skin & Wound Care.
According to A.J. Herrington, who reported on the study for the online publication High There, the researchers compared the effectiveness of a topical cannabidiol (CBD) preparation with commonly used treatments for scleroderma in patients with digital ulcers. Typical treatments include medication, physical therapy and surgery.
A total of 45 subjects were recruited for the study, with 25 using a topical CBD preparation for two months after surgery. The remaining 20 participants received conventional therapy for the condition after surgery.
Herrington reported that the authors of the study noted that 18 of the 25 (72 percent) patients treated with CBD experienced complete healing by the end of the two month period. At the same time, complete healing was seen in only 6 of the 20 (30 percent) patients who used conventional treatments following surgery. The authors of the study also noted that patients in the CBD group reported no adverse effects during the course of the study.
Herrington points out that the researchers determined that study participants in the CBD group saw better healing and greater pain relief than those in the control group.
The authors of the study concluded, “The present study is the first to report the effectiveness of local CBD treatment in the management of SSc-DUs [systemic sclerosis digital ulcers].” In addition, they also concluded that the topical administration of CBD is a safe, effective, noninvasive tool that is associated with improved wound-related pain, DU (digital ulcer) healing, and QoL [quality of life] of patients with SSc.
To learn more, we urge you to read A.J. Herrington’s excellent reporting in the January 11, 2023 issue of High There.com.
highthere.com/news/study-topical-cbd-more-effective-at-treating-skin-ulcers
Cannabis and Commerce
If you only know Barstow, California as the midway point between Los Angeles and Las Vegas or as a name that’s crammed between Kingman and San Bernadino in the song “Route 66,” that may be about to change.
Enterprising real estate developers have received local approval to turn an abandoned outlet mall into a one-of-a -kind commercial development—a 29-acre “cannabis super center” in the middle of the Mojave Desert.
Two development firms have spearheaded the project: the North Hollywood-based Merchants Barstow LLC and the Wilmington, Delaware-based Barstow Outlet LLC.
According to Lester Black, reporting for the publication SF Gate, the Barstow City Council voted 3-1 to approve the proposal on January, 17, 2023. An initial vote passed on December 21, 2022.
It has also been reported by Victorville’s Daily Press newspaper that one unnamed cannabis real estate firm has already been marketing the “cannabis super center”as “the most unique green zone property in the entire country.
However, not all Barstow residents are in favor of the project. For example, according to Black, Joe Vail, a minister at the Mojave Desert Christian Church, said at the first city council hearing, “I’m afraid if you put up something like this you’ll be saying Barstow belongs to Satan. I’m not in favor of this at all.”
The developers have already started to retrofit the mall’s 24 different buildings—which have been vacant for nearly two decades—so they can function as sites for legal cannabis businesses. Initial plans call for licensing 20 different marijuana grow sites or “farms,” six cannabis distributors, five cannabis manufacturers and two retail dispensaries. Black notes that some businesses would perform multiple functions.
The developer behind the project is also said to have plans to host temporary cannabis events and have a cannabis consumption lounge on the property, both of which will require additional licenses.
Black also noted that the city stands to make a considerable amount of tax revenue from the mall. Each manufacturing and cultivation business agreed to pay the city a $5 per square foot annual impact fee, which could run into the millions of dollars, while the development’s retail and delivery businesses have agreed to pay 3 percent of their overall revenue to the city.
Over twenty of the cannabis businesses who want to operate at the mall have already paid the city more than $420,000 in nonrefundable application fees. The application fee is $18,644.85 per use and the annual renewal fee when approved—which is also non-refundable—is scheduled to be $14,107.85 per use. Plus, each business, when approved, will be subject to a quarterly compliance inspection fee of $550.00 per quarter.
We guess that’s one way to turn the desert green.
Lester Black, a veteran on the cannabis beat, has done an exceptional job of unpacking a complicated story. If you want to learn more we suggest reading his article that appeared in the December 22, 2022 issue of SFGate.com and follow that by reading his article in the January 18, 2023 issue of the same publication. Links to both stories follow below.
www.sfgate.com/cannabis/article/california-cannabis-mall-plan-17681424.php (December 22, 2022)
www.sfgate.com/cannabis/article/barstow-approves-cannabis-super-center-17724587.php (January 18, 2023)
The Shape of Things to Come
Another state has decided to make it legal to consume cannabis in public, as long as it’s in a consumption lounge.
According to The National Law Review, New Jersey is now one of six states that allow consumption lounges. New York permits consumption lounges, but there aren’t any currently in operation.
New Jersey’s Cannabis Commission’s Regulatory rules will allow cannabis retail dispensaries to operate indoor or enclosed outdoor consumption lounges for patrons twenty-one years of age and older. The rules state that a lounge must be attached to a retail-licensed dispensary. That means a business cannot open a standalone cannabis lounge without having a cannabis retail license.
In addition, both the township in which the dispensary and proposed lounge is to be located and the Commission must approve the application for the cannabis lounge.
Just to make things even more complicated, it will be legal for patrons to consume THC products other than those sold at the location—as long as they are New Jersey products. It will be interesting to see how that provision is enforced.
You can learn more by reading the article that appeared in the January 19, 2023 issue of The National Law Review.
www.natlawreview.com/article/cannabis-lounges-coming-to-new-jersey
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.
