Welcome to Senior Cannabis Digest. This week we look at a request by senators to deschedule cannabis, a recall of CBD products, research on treating PTSD with cannabis and more. Enjoy.
Cannabis Quote of the Week
“The case for removing marijuana from Schedule I is overwhelming. The DEA should do so by removing cannabis from the [Controlled Substances Act] altogether, rather than simply placing it in a lower schedule.
“Although HHS recommended rescheduling, its analysis could support a decision to deschedule — particularly its emphasis on the fact that marijuana has less adverse outcomes (including less potential of an overdose) and less potential of abuse than substances that are descheduled (alcohol) or scheduled below Schedule III (such as benzodiazepines).” — Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.), John Fetterman (Pa.), Chuck Schumer (N.Y.), Cory Booker (N.J.), Jeff Merkley (Ore.), Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), Ron Wyden (Ore.), John Hickenlooper (Colo.), Peter Welch (Vt.), Chris Van Hollen (Md.) and Alex Padilla (Calif.).
This statement is taken from a letter the 11 Senators listed above sent to Attorney General Merrick Garland and DEA Administrator Anne Milgram in which they asked the Biden administration to completely deschedule marijuana.
In the letter, the Senators took the position that the White House’s recommendations, as articulated in a letter sent by HHS to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), to reschedule the drug do not go far enough to address the harm that has occurred from the current system.
According to Joseph Choi, who covered the story for The Hill, the lawmakers cited recently disclosed documents in which the HHS acknowledged marijuana likely does not meet the criteria to be considered Schedule I. They also pointed out that nearly half of the states in the U.S. have legalized recreational marijuana use since the last time the drug’s scheduling was considered in 2016 and that marijuana’s placement in the [Controlled Substances Act] is “increasingly out of step with state law and public opinion.”
In their letter, the Senators also made the point that even if it was descheduled, marijuana could still be subject to public health regulations, similar to the regulations that govern the sale and use of alcohol and tobacco.
You can learn much more by reading Joseph Choi’s article in the January 30, 2024 issue of The Hill.com.
thehill.com/homenews/senate/4437224-democratic-senators-call-dea-deschedule-marijuana/
Consumer Warning
Mature consumers and others who use CBD products to manage various aspects of aging and enhance their wellness should take note. An Ohio-based company that produces a wide array of CBD products has issued a voluntary recall.
According to Mathew Impelli, reporting for Newsweek, the Ohio Department of Agriculture announced that a company called Rocket Systems Inc. has issued a voluntary recall of dozens of different products including CBD gummies, ACV [apple cider vinegar] gummies, CBD tincture and other cosmetic products.
Erring on the side of caution, the company recalled the products because they were produced and shipped without the benefit of inspection from the Ohio Department of Agriculture.
Said a spokesperson for the Department in a release, “The issue was discovered during a routine inspection conducted by the Ohio Department of Agriculture and has acknowledged that there have been no reports of illness involving products addressed in this recall.”
The recall included over 100 brands that produced the different wellness products, including over 20 that produced CBD products, such as gummies or tinctures that carried the following brand names: BayPark, Blissful Aura, BlueVibe, CalmCanna, Gentle Grove, Gentle Wave, Green Leaf, Greenlife, GreenVibe, HighPeaks, Khonsu, Liberty, Lucent Valley, Medallion Greens, Peace Farms, Pure Ease, Soothe Zen, Super CBD, Trident, TrueNorth, VigorVita, W CBD and Wellness Peak.
Customers with questions or who want to begin the return process were asked to call Rocket System Inc’s team at 513-873-3720.
If you want to learn more you can read Michael Impelli’s article in the January 19, 2024 issue of Newsweek.com.
www.newsweek.com/cbd-products-recalled-100-brands-warning-1862395
News and Notes for Veterans
There is a new clinical trial designed to explore the effectiveness of cannabis when it comes to helping veterans manage mental health issues.
According to the publication Cannabis Wire, Wayne State University researchers are conducting a Phase 1 clinical trial called Wayne State Warriors Marijuana Clinical Research Program: Cannabinoid Adjunct to Prolonged Exposure & Recovery.
The trial aims to establish whether cannabis combined with an empirically-based behavioral treatment for PTSD called Prolonged Exposure (PE) Therapy, can improve therapeutic outcomes for U.S. military veterans with PTSD.
The research team is recruiting 350 veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) who “report minimal current cannabis use but are interested in or considering therapeutic cannabis to manage mental health symptoms” ranging from anxiety and depression to suicidal ideation.
According to a statement in the trial announcement, “The information gained from this study could lead to the development of new treatments for persons who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and maintain better mental health.”
Said co-principal investigator Leslie Lundahl, Ph.D., “Post-traumatic stress disorder is a debilitating condition that often affects U.S. Armed Forces veterans and can lead to increased risk for suicide. One of the most effective treatments for PTSD is Prolonged Exposure therapy, but many military veterans discontinue PE and more than a third who complete PE do not experience symptom improvement. There is an urgent need to develop treatments for PTSD, particularly focused on improving quality of life and mental health symptoms. Cannabinoids like THC and CBD could potentially help to make PE more effective. Our work may also have benefits for the broader veteran and clinical communities through its impact on education, health care policy and improved health care utilization.”
Added Dr. Lundahl, “Importantly, public opinion on therapeutic cannabis use has largely outpaced scientific evidence, and this work will help provide data and guidance for clinicians to discuss potential risks and benefits of cannabis use with their patients.”
Dr. Lundahl is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences of the University’s School of Medicine’s Substance Abuse Research Division.
Participants have to commit to 21 visits that include surveys and physical and behavioral tests as well as scans. The study, which is part of the University’s Warrior CARE, a School of Medicine research program created to understand how cannabis affects mental health in veterans, is expected to be completed in September 2027.
To learn more about the project, visit www.warriorcare.net.
Cannabis Beverages and the Law
While the devil may be in the details, opportunity and innovation are often found in the loopholes of the law—cannabis law in particular.
For example, according to Graham Abbott, reporting for Ganjapreneur, Connecticut liquor stores and some convenience stores are exploiting a legal loophole that allows them to sell THC-infused seltzers. They are circumventing state cannabis laws by adjusting serving sizes to meet THC content limits for non-licensed sales.
Abbott notes that under Connecticut law cannabis consumables—including flower products, concentrates, and infused edibles and beverages—are only available for purchase via state-licensed dispensaries. But lately, some THC-infused seltzer products are also being sold in other outlets, such as convenience stores and state-licensed liquor stores.
The “loophole,” as explained by a Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection spokesperson is that “a package containing less than 1 milligram of THC per serving and less than 5 milligrams per package is not considered cannabis, and may be produced and sold without a license.”
As a result, some manufacturers are taking a less is more approach to get around the law by creating products that contain fewer than five milligrams of THC overall and labeling them as being more than five servings, regardless of the product’s volume (typically 7.5 or 12 ounces)
Cannabis beverages at the Stop and Go…who knew?
As one might expect, lawmakers are planning to address the loophole by reducing the THC limit for retail products sold in the state without a cannabis license to .5 milligrams per container. That means the beverages will still be available, but it’s likely consumers seeking a serious buzz will probably have to walk out with more than just a can or two.
To learn more, we suggest reading Graham Abbott’s article in the January 29, 2024 issue of Ganjapreneur.com.
www.ganjapreneur.com/connecticut-loophole-allows-thc-beverage-sales-in-liquor-stores/?
Travel Tips
There may soon be reassuring news for mature consumers who use CBD to ease stress while traveling—particularly if they are headed to Miami. Miami International Airport recently posted the specifications for a “Cannabidiol Retail Shop” that would sell CBD products in the airport.
That’s the word from Douglas Hanks in an article he wrote for the Miami Herald. Hanks reports that the solicitation for proposals posted by the airport states, “Travelers that are stressed, anxious, and are focused on their wellness are the target market for this shop.”
Said Mayor Daniella Levine Cava at a recent press event, “We have been righting the wrongs of the past and stepping up to make this airport the world-class success story it should be.” Presumably she sees a shop selling CBD products as a step up in class.
The Mayor’s office oversees the airport under the county’s Aviation Department.
Hanks points out that Florida law allows retailers to sell hemp-based CBD products with a permit issued to food sellers. A 2019 state law says CBD products may contain no more than 0.3 percent THC, or one-third of one percent.
Hanks also acknowledged that while there is a CBD shop operated by Sunmed—America’s largest brick-and-mortar CBD chain—located in the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta, stores selling CBD products in this nation’s airports are still few and far between.
Perhaps Miami’s proposal will help to change that.
Those who care to learn more can read the article by Douglas Hanks in the January 31, 2024 issue of the Miami Herald.com.
www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article284815786.html#storylink=cpy
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.
