Welcome to Senior Cannabis Digest. This week we look at the fate of a bill to legalize recreational cannabis in Pennsylvania, the rise of fast-acting edibles, a company that offers a cannabis-based care plan for seniors and more. Enjoy.
Recreational Cannabis in Pennsylvania
It now looks like hell hasn’t frozen over after all. That’s because the recent attempt to craft a bill legalizing adult-use cannabis in Pennsylvania won’t see the light of day in the Keystone State.
According to an article by Ford Turner in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, a Republican-led Senate Committee has rejected a bill to legalize recreational marijuana in Pennsylvania. It did this less than a week after the bill passed the Democratic-led House. Moreover, Turner also reported that the Senate Republican leader subsequently cast doubt on whether the issue could move forward anytime soon.
In his article, Turner reported that the Senate Law & Justice Committee voted 7-3 to defeat the bill that would have had the state Liquor Control Board run stores that would sell marijuana. The bill had passed the House on a 102-101 vote, with all Democrats in favor and all Republicans opposed.
In addition, Republican Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman of Indiana County told the Post-Gazette that any hope of a bipartisan marijuana deal appeared bleak.
Said Pittman, in an interview with the paper, “Right now I don’t see a consensus among our caucus that we should move forward on the issue. Obviously, members have a very wide range of opinions on the issue. But I don’t see it as being ready for prime time, and I believe that what the House did last week further underscored that the issue is not ready for prime time.”
According to Turner, Mr. Pittman criticized the bill that came out of the House — using a state-run system as opposed to a more private one — as “unserious” and a “ruse.”
Turner also reported that Law & Justice Committee Chairman Dan Laughlin said that the bill that was put to a vote Tuesday “certainly was not my favorite version of an adult-use bill.” Laughlin, who has put forth his own plan for legalization, believes one of the problems with the House-passed bill was that it set up the state as the main wholesale buyer of marijuana, which would then be sold in state-run stores. Mr. Laughlin said that would limit consumer choice and drive customers to other nearby states that have established sales systems.
For the record, Marijuana Moment has reported a recent poll found that Pennsylvania voters say they favor a model where cannabis is sold by licensed private businesses, rather than through a system of state-run stores.
To learn more, we urge you to read Ford Turner’s excellent reporting on the issue. It appeared in the May 13, 2025 issue of the post-gazette.com.
Cannabis Trends
Fast-acting marijuana gummies are becoming a powerful force in the cannabis sector, capturing consumer interest and commanding premium prices.
That’s the word from Margaret Jackson, reporting for MJBizDaily. According to Jackson, fast-acting products now account for about $74 million, or 3 percent, of the $2.6 billion gummy market.
You read that right—there’s a $2.6 billion gummy market.
Jackson notes that much of the popularity of fast-acting gummies stems from the fact that with a faster onset time, consumers don’t have to guess when they’ll feel the effects and—and this is significant—are less likely to consume too much.
In her article, Jackson makes the point that while fast-acting edibles make up a smaller portion of the total cannabis market, fast-acting gummies significantly outperform traditional edibles, generating four to five times more sales per SKU.
A stock-keeping unit (SKU) allows vendors to track inventory. It consists of alphanumeric digits and a scannable barcode printed on a product label.
Fast-acting products now generate about 50 percent of sales for the brands that have them in their portfolio, according to a study by BDSA, a Colorado-based market intelligence firm.
However, not everyone in the industry is impressed. Bryant Ison, vice president of marketing for Las Vegas-based Planet 13 Holdings told Jackson he’s surprised the study found consumers are willing to pay a premium for fast-acting gummies.
He believes that inexperienced cannabis users who don’t use cannabis in other forms are the primary buyers.
Said Ison, “If you’re experienced, you’re using multiple categories (of cannabis). If you’re not, you’re just not willing to wait for an hour or two hours for the gummy to kick in. He added, “You want to have your experience.”
Harold Han, co-founder and chief scientific officer of Vertosa, a company that specialises in developing cannabinoid delivery mechanisms designed to deliver “unique experiences,” told Jackson that a rapid onset gummy could be especially important for medical marijuana patients suffering from conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Said Han, “Gummies infused with our emulsion delivered THC into the blood of six people within 10 minutes. PTSD patients need that quick onset.”
Jackson does an excellent job of unpacking a complicated story about a type of product that’s winning a significant share of its market. You can learn much more by reading her article in the May 8, 2025 issue of MJBizDaily.com.
https://mjbizdaily.com/are-fast-acting-cannabis-gummies-future-of-marijuana-edibles/?
Cannabis News and Notes
There may be hopeful news for those who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis. A new study indicates cannabis, because of its analgesic properties in particular, may offer those with the condition a promising nonopioid alternative for managing pain.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a long-term autoimmune disorder that primarily affects joints. It typically results in warm, swollen, and painful joints and can significantly diminish the quality of life of those with the condition.
The study was conducted by researchers and medical staff affiliated with the Department of Internal Medicine at St. Barnabas Hospital, SBH Health System, Bronx, New York, the Department of Internal Medicine, Parkview Hospital, Fort Wayne, Indiana and the Department of Internal Medicine, John H. Stroger, Jr., Hospital of Cook County, Chicago, Illinois. Using the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database they evaluated outcomes in hospitalized RA patients who used cannabis.
After adjusting for age, gender, race, and comorbidities, the researchers found cannabis use among such patients was associated with less evidence of depression, chronic pain, and anxiety. Cannabis use was also linked to lower mortality rates (0.98 percent vs 2.71 percent) and hospital charges ($57,773 vs $63,681).
In addition, they found that patients who used cannabis tended to be younger (mean age 51.8 vs 67.8 years), were less likely to be female (60.65 percent vs 73.71 percent), and more likely to be African American (24.02 percent vs 12.86 percent) and Native American (2.25 percent vs 0.86 percent).
At the close of the study, the researchers concluded that RA patients who used cannabis had lower mortality rates, depression, chronic pain, and anxiety. However they also found some evidence of opioid, nicotine, and alcohol use among the members of the patient pool. The research team believed further research is needed on the long-term effects of cannabis in RA management.
The findings of the research team appeared in Volume 38, 2025 – Issue 3, of Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings, the peer-reviewed journal of Baylor Scott & White Health. To read an abstract of the study, “Inpatient outcomes of rheumatoid arthritis in hospitalized patients using cannabis: data from the National Inpatient Sample,” click on the following link.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08998280.2025.2473863
Services for Seniors
A company that specializes in hemp-based products has developed a service designed to address the cannabis-related needs of seniors. The key is an individualized care plan.
The Massachusetts-based company—EO—produces and sells products that contain federally legal, hemp-derived Delta-9 cannabis that contains no more than 0.3 percent THC by weight. Since the products are hemp-based, consumers can order, pay for and have products shipped to their home as would any other online purchase.
The company has also developed an inhaler that can be used for THC and CBD products, that offers a way to consume a precise dose of a cannabis-based product in a quick and discreet manner.
However, what may make the company and its products particularly interesting for mature consumers is the way the products are marketed.
For example, the company’s senior care service is built around a three-step process that begins with an online intake interview during which the person seeking care identifies the problem or condition they wish to address, such as pain, anxiety, problems sleeping, or something else.
Based on the information provided during intake, in under 24 hours the customer receives an e-mail with a personalized, clinician-approved care plan that includes product, dose and time of use recommendations based on a person’s use goals, their medical record and their daily schedule.
Once enrolled, seniors also have online access to a team of professionals who are described as being “deeply experienced in caring for seniors with complex health issues.” Clients can message or email members of the care team any time to ask questions and provide feedback that is used to refine and maintain an optimal care regimen.
The care team includes a wide variety of specialists, such as a pioneering palliative care clinician, an internationally- recognized cannabis clinician and educator and a leading clinical geriatric pharmacist and educator, among others.
Clients enrolled in the program can order recommended products online for easy home delivery, all without the need to visit a dispensary.
Products include a blend of CBD and time-tested, well-tolerated supplements designed to amplify or extend effects. There are also products containing a type of hemp-based, Delta 9 THC that can provide significant symptom relief and is typically provided in smaller, 1-10mg doses.
Both the CBD and THC products are shipped with an inhaler for consuming the products. The company also sells tinctures, capsules and several topical products, such as a gel and lotion.
A subscription for the senior care plan, which includes ongoing plan optimization based on customer feedback and unlimited phone calls and in-app messaging with the care team, costs $14 a month, plus the cost of the products ordered. The charge for a monthly supply of a product will run from approximately $25 to $ 40 per month.
EO offers a similar, supportive care plan with recommended products for those who are battling cancer. Plus, consumers can also order the hemp-based products online without becoming a member of a care plan.
To learn more about EO and its senior care plan, just click on the following link.
https://www.eo.care/web/for-older-adults
A European Perspective
Advocates who promote the development of medical cannabis in the U.S. may have something to learn from a system that supports the sale of medical cannabis in Germany.
For starters, according to the German Cannabis Business Association, approximately 2,500 German pharmacies now offer cannabis products, out of a total of 17,000 pharmacies nationwide. That’s roughly one in seven.
So says Johnny Green in an article for the International Cannabis Business Conference. Green’s article provides a snapshot of the status and potential of the medical cannabis sector in Germany.
Citing a recent presentation by leading international cannabis economist Beau Whitney at the International Cannabis Business Conference as the source of much of his information, Green writes that since legal medical cannabis sales first launched in German pharmacies in 2017, Germany has become the largest legal medical cannabis market in Europe and cannabis pharmacies have become the foundation of Germany’s emerging cannabis industry.
One suspects convenience has spurred at least part of the growth of the legal medical cannabis sector, given that patients in Germany, says Green, can order cannabis online with a private prescription and have it delivered to their home.
Green makes it clear, however, that the legal medical sector still faces a number of challenges. For example, even though they are popular with consumers, edibles are not currently permitted in Germany. Presently, only cannabis flower and extracts are available in the legal German market. Green contends many consumers and patients prefer edibles and other consumables—when they can get them—because they are smokeless cannabis delivery methods. This highlights a disconnect between the delivery system for medical cannabis and the market it is supposed to serve.
In his article, Green also takes the position that when statements are made about “increases in cannabis consumption” following the enactment of cannabis policy reform, that increase is due to older individuals who have either never consumed cannabis before it was legalized or are coming back to consuming cannabis after a long hiatus. He reports their cannabis products of choice are often edibles, drinks, and/or topicals. However, he does not offer any particular evidence for this assertion.
To learn more about the medical cannabis sector in Germany, we suggest reading the article by Johnny Green. It was posted on May 4, 2025 on the International Cannabis Business Conference website. Simply click on the link that follows.
https://internationalcbc.com/more-than-1-out-of-every-7-german-pharmacies-offers-medical-cannabis/
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.
