Welcome to Senior Cannabis Digest. This week we look at veterans using cannabis, a luxury gift brand that’s selling edibles, cannabis and heart health and more. Enjoy.
News for Veterans
There is growing evidence military veterans are turning to cannabis to help them manage pain and other conditions related to their service. That is a key finding of a study published in the journal Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health.
According to Ben Adlin, reporting for Marijuana Moment, the study shows that 40 percent of military veterans suffering from chronic pain report using marijuana to treat their symptoms.
Adlin points out that most of the participants who reported that they use cannabis say they use it to deal with pain, mobility and sleep issues. In addition, what are described as a “substantial numbers of veterans” also say it helps with PTSD, anxiety and stress.
Nearly all participants (98 percent), according to Adlin, said healthcare providers should discuss the use of natural products with their patients.
Wrote the authors of the study, “Of the 21 (40 percent) reporting using cannabis products for all indications, most reported using products that had a mix of cannabidiol (CBD, without the psychoactive component) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, the psychoactive component in cannabis). Indications for cannabis among those reporting use were pain or mobility (81 percent), sleep (62 percent), PTSD or anxiety (43 percent), stress (43 percent), and depression (29 percent).”
The researchers, who are affiliated with the University of California, San Francisco, and Yale University, acknowledged that while the sample size was relatively small—a total of 52 veterans—the percentage of respondents reporting cannabis use “may represent under-reporting related to the prohibition on cannabis prescribing in the VA as a federal health care system.”
Commenting on the study’s findings, Allison Jaslow, CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) said, “Currently, veterans who live in states where cannabis has been legalized completely are unable to even be prescribed cannabis for medicinal purposes by their doctor at the VA.”
Jaslow added that IAVA is “looking forward” to the reintroduction of a bipartisan bill—the Marijuana Safe Harbor Act—that would temporarily allow veterans to legally possess and use cannabis under federal law, as recommended by doctors in accordance with state law. VA physicians would also be allowed for the first time to issue such recommendations.
In his article, Adlin also cites research published in 2023 that found that more than 90 percent of U.S. military veterans who use medical marijuana reported that it improved their quality of life, with many using cannabis as an alternative to over-the-counter and prescription medications.
To learn much more, we urge you to read Ben Adlin’s article in the March 20, 2025 issue of Marijuana Moment.net.
Cannabis Corner
The parent company of a business known for shipping gifts of fruit, chocolate and other edible delicacies is about to start selling and shipping that other kind of edible. The kind made from hemp.
According to Kyle Jaeger, reporting for Marijuana Moment, the company called Edible Brands, best known for its line of ornate fruit arrangements, has announced it is about to start selling hemp-based edibles, such as gummies, drinks and supplements.
The products will be sold for delivery from a new website, Edibles.com.
Said Thomas Winstanley, the executive vice president of Edibles.com, “Edible Brands’ wellness-driven approach aligns with the evolving future of this category. With our robust infrastructure and nationwide footprint, we are uniquely positioned to accelerate industry growth.”
Added Winstanley, “Joining an organization that prioritizes consumers, advocacy, and innovation allows us to strengthen and shape this emerging market.”
Jaeger notes in his article that the emerging market that Winstanley mentions—which grew dramatically after hemp was federally legalized under the 2018 Farm Bill—is facing a number of challenges, as more states and Congress try to reign in businesses selling intoxicating cannabinoid products, particularly those that are hemp based.
For instance, Jaeger points out that Edibles.com isn’t currently servicing California, where the governor recently signed an emergency order banning hemp-derived products containing any traces of THC. Without referencing that policy specifically, the company simply said it was “unable to offer our products to California residents at this time, but stay tuned as we expand.”
In his article, Jaeger also reports the company is launching a limited “brick and mortar” franchising program that will start at a flagship store in Atlanta, Georgia.
One can only wonder what, if anything, the folks at Harry and David, a company also known for shipping luxury fruit gifts, might have planned.
To learn more, we urge you to read Kyle Jaeger’s article in the March 20, 2025 issue of Marijuana Moment.net.
DOGE and Cannabis Research
Elon Musk’s effort to root out waste and corruption in government has finally gotten around to the cannabis sector.
Graham Abbott, writing for Ganjapreneur, reports that the Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has canceled a federal research grant, worth nearly $700,000, designed to study cannabis use by LGBTQ+ women.
According to a story originally filed by NewsNation, the grant was awarded to Ohio State University (OSU) professor Dr. Christina Dyar to investigate the link between LGBTQ+ women and cannabis use disorder. According to its medical definition, cannabis use disorder is a substance use disorder where an individual continues to use cannabis despite negative impacts on their life and health.
Abbott noted the study aimed to investigate risk factors for cannabis use disorder between heterosexual women and lesbian, bisexual, and/or queer women — a community that is said to be typically underrepresented in medical research.
The research project, according to Abbott, received its first round of funding totaling $715,244 in 2023. The grant was then renewed in April 2024 with another $699,139. Dyar has published two journal articles under the grants so far.
An Ohio State spokesperson confirmed the study’s cancellation but offered no further comment.
Given that Musk is said to have smoked cannabis while being interviewed by Joe Rogan (Musk denied the joint he was seen smoking contained cannabis) and has an estranged transgender daughter, one can only wonder if it was the cannabis aspect of the research project that DOGE found wasteful.
You can learn much more by reading the article by Graham Abbott that appeared in the March 24, 2025 issue of Ganjapreneur.com.
https://www.ganjapreneur.com/doge-cancels-federal-grant-to-research-cannabis-use-by-lgbtq-women/?
Cannabis News and Notes
In a proposal that reads like a mashup of the satirical website The Onion and the “Just Say No” stance of the Reagan administration, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is recruiting students to create short videos warning their peers about the dangers of marijuana use in an effort to promote an “Anti-420 Day” campaign.
The campaign, which is being run by the anti-cannabis nonprofit organization Johnny’s Ambassadors, was described in a message that was posted on the DEA’s JustThinkTwice.com site.
According to Kyle Jaeger, reporting for Marijuana Moment, the post says that Johnny’s Ambassadors is hiring teens and young adults (high school and college students) to create original videos about the ways THC use can harm young people in an effort to create an Anti-420 Day.
The DEA’s plan is to “flood” Instagram with short-form videos that would feature students talking about “why young people should not use THC.”
Students who participate would be eligible for a $25 Amazon gift card for a personal video, $35 for a group video and $50 for a “professionally produced educational video or skit with adult sponsor supervision.”
The announcement from Johnny’s Ambassadors goes on to say that videos that are submitted should either be an educational prevention video on why young people shouldn’t use THC products or a personal story of how THC use has impacted the life of the person producing the video or his or her friends or family members.
The post promoting the project makes it clear that videos should not include any swearing or content that “depicts, imitates, or promotes the possession or consumption of any THC product.”
At least the announcement does not suggest shots of young people wearing apparel that says “Hugs, Not Drugs.”
While not stated explicitly, promoting a project such as this does support speculation that the DEA is ready to bid a not-so-fond adieu to any proposal that would move cannabis from a Schedule 1 to a Schedule 3 classification.
Stay tuned.
As always, Kyle Jaeger’s reporting is clear, concise and revealing. You can learn more by reading his article in the March 25, 2025 issue of Marijuana Moment.net.
Cannabis, Heart Health and Headlines
A new study suggests that individuals under the age of 50 who consume marijuana are six times more likely to experience a heart attack than those who don’t consume marijuana.
But does it really offer evidence to substantiate that claim?
According to Greta Cross, reporting for USA Today, the research, which was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC), involved surveying over 4.6 million people under the age of 50. Of that group, 4.5 million said they do not use marijuana and 93,000 said they do.
The researchers stated that all participants were free of health conditions commonly associated with cardiovascular risks, such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, diabetes, and a history of myocardial infarctions. The study also excluded people who use tobacco to eliminate another potential risk factor.
What is not clear is whether this herculean research project—4.6 million participants—investigated the impact cannabis has on heart health or was it investigating the impact smoking cannabis has on heart health. Did all of the at-risk segment of the participants smoke the marijuana they consumed or was the cannabis consumed in different ways, such as edibles, beverages or topicals?
Another aspect of the research that is a bit murky is how often the at-risk population consumed cannabis (Daily? Monthly?) and whether or not all the cannabis the subjects consumed had the same ratio of major cannabinoids (THC to CBD).
Such information would be helpful if one were trying to get a complete picture of how consuming cannabis relates to heart health, but it would probably be less likely to generate headlines (Smoking Pot Leads to Death) or serve as click bait.
So the question remains, is the risk posed by the way cannabis is consumed (smoking/behavior) or is there something specific about the effect the chemistry of cannabis has on the heart that puts individuals at risk for a heart attack? Or are we just going to put the health history of 4.6 million folks in a paper bag, shake it up and see what correlations we can find?
Lead investigator, Ahmed Mahmoud, a clinical instructor at Boston University, told Cross “Until we have more solid data, I advise users to try to somehow put some regulation in the using (sic) of cannabis. We are not sure if it’s totally, 100% safe for your heart by any amount or any duration of exposure.”
While this statement does not qualify as “walking back” his findings, it is a more cautious approach and, as one might expect, a call for more research.
It is also the kind of temperate statement that is more likely to be found, after the dust settles, in the fourth or fifth paragraph of an article than in the headline.
Imagine that.
In her article Cross also cites a study conducted by Stanton Glantz, a retired professor from the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, that was published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Glantz told USA TODAY he believes smoking marijuana has the same effects on the cardiovascular system as smoking tobacco.
We are glad Glantz feels free to share his beliefs, but we hope those beliefs are grounded in research that takes into account methods of consumption.
Articles published in the Journal of the American Heart Association that warn about the dangers posed by consuming cannabis are often quick to equate the risks of smoking tobacco with the risks presented by using cannabis and the authors often have a resume that is long on experience when it comes to researching tobacco and short on researching cannabis.
We are in favor of research designed to identify risks that may be associated with consuming cannabis. However, we are cautious when we come across research that appears to be more interested in generating headlines than actually advancing what is known about cannabis.
One might say it would be wise to take the work of Mahmoud and Glantz on cannabis with a grain of salt, but we know that really does present a threat to your heart health.
To learn more, you can read the article by Greta Cross in the March 21, 2025 issue of USA Today.com.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2025/03/21/cannabis-users-heart-attack-risk/82574623007
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.
