Welcome to Senior Cannabis Digest. This week we look at a new cannabis delivery service, why some medical cannabis consumers avoid dispensaries, the impact of tariffs on cannabis products and much more. Enjoy.
Cannabis News and Notes
Consumers do not live by ornate fruit baskets alone. That’s why the parent company behind Edible Arrangement’s gift delivery service is expanding its cannabis delivery service.
So says Kyle Jaeger, reporting for Marijuana Moment. According to Jaeger, Edible Brands, which introduced its line of hemp-based cannabis products in Texas in May of this year, has announced it is expanding its delivery service to thirty other states.
Cannabis products can now be purchased for delivery from the company’s site — Edibles.com — across 30 states, with same-day delivery being offered in Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte, Miami and Nashville.
Said Somia Farid Silber, chief executive officer of Edible Brands, in a press release. “Delivering meaningful consumer experiences has always been core to our business and Edibles.com is an extension of that mission.”
She added, “We’re not just simplifying access—we’re shaping how consumers engage with this category as it becomes mainstream. The success of Edibles.com proves the demand for trusted leadership, and with our national operational expertise, we’re proud to be setting that standard.”
Jaeger notes that the company launched its hemp delivery service with products from Wana. However, since that time it has partnered with two other cannabis businesses, Wyld and Kiva Confections.
Said Thomas Winstanley, executive vice president and general manager of Edibles.com, “This expansion reflects our commitment to making hemp-THC products safe, reliable and easy to access as consumer demand continues to grow. By curating category leaders across diverse use cases, we’re simplifying the choices for consumers and giving them confidence in what they’re buying—delivered how and where they want it.”
Winstanley told Jaeger that consumers can visit the company’s website and shop by “category, brand or outcome, such as Sleep, Relax, Uplift and Energy.” The company will then select the fastest fulfillment route—whether national shipping or same-day delivery—to ensure what he described as a “seamless shopping experience for both first-time buyers and returning customers.”
Because of an exception in the 2018 Farm Bill, hemp-based cannabis products are regulated differently than products created directly from cannabis plants that contain more than .03 percent THC, which is the line that legally distinguishes hemp from marijuana.
This expansion of service takes place against a backdrop of several debates at both the state and federal level about whether or not there should be increased regulation of hemp-based products.
Until that issue is resolved, it looks like Edible Brands will continue to deliver both edibles and edibles, some of which are more adventurous than others.
As always, Kyle Jaeger’s reporting is informative and on point. To learn more, we urge you to read his article in the September 18, 2025 issue Marijuana Moment.net.
Spotlight on Medical Cannabis
A new study suggests that about ten percent of medical cannabis patients are willing to sacrifice safety for savings when it comes to purchasing cannabis on the black market.
That’s the word from TG Branfalt, writing for Ganjapreneur. Branfalt reports that the study, which was published in the Journal for Cannabis Research, revealed that the cost of medical cannabis through state-approved dispensaries is a “main motive” for patients seeking products outside of the legal dispensary system.
According to Jerry Cochran, PhD, senior author on the study as well as a professor of epidemiology and director of the Program for Addiction Research, Clinical Care, Knowledge, and Advocacy at the University of Utah, many patients are making a “trade-off” from tested, regulated, state-approved medical cannabis products for unregulated products that could be risky.
Said Cochran, “It’s like, ‘OK, I have a chronic illness which makes it hard for me to work, and so I have limited resources. I can more easily afford the stuff from my friend on the street, but that stuff on the street might make me sicker in the long run.’ It creates this catch-22 where it becomes a health disparity.”
In his article, Branfalt makes the point that patients who obtained cannabis products outside of the program said they had a lower level of trust in the state program (67.4 percent, compared to 45.5 percent who said they had trust in the program). The researchers found that those with a higher level of trust in the state-run program were less likely to obtain cannabis outside of the system.
Added Cochran,“If you can get rid of all the bias and just give people good, accurate information about medical cannabis, people will use the medical cannabis program.”
Once again, TG Branfalt’s reporting is first rate. To learn more about the study, visit his article in the September 22, 202 5 issue of Ganjapreneur.com.
Cannabis and Tariffs
It appears the cannabis sector is not immune to the financial effects of the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration after all.
Specifically, the 50 percent tariff levied on imports from India is threatening the cannabis industry’s fastest-growing sector—pre-rolls. According to data analytics firm Headset, India is the world’s largest supplier of pre-rolled cones, a key part of a product category that recorded $2.3 billion in sales last year.
So says Margaret Jackson, reporting for MJBizDaily. According to Jackson, for retailers that sell pre-rolls for as little as $1, even a small increase in production costs could squeeze what are already tight profit margins.
Said Harrison Bard, co-founder of Custom Cones USA, “With a 50 percent tariff, it becomes prohibitively expensive to source from India. Some companies are already saying they can’t do it.”
Hirsh Jain, co-founder of Los Angeles-based cannabis consultancy Ananda Strategy, believes the impact of the tariff will vary by market. Said Jain, “Operators will have to decide state by state whether to pass on the cost increase, accept margin compression or invest in alternative suppliers.”
He added, “Operators with India-heavy sourcing will have to decide whether they will pass through the price to the consumers, accept some amount or margin compression or re-source to other countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia or China.”
He also cautioned that switching to suppliers in countries such as Malaysia or Indonesia may not be the answer, given the fact that the tariff landscape is volatile and countries that looked like a safe haven for a company’s supply needs could eventually become tariff targets.
Jackson makes the point that states with higher pricing may be better positioned to absorb the added costs, while more price-sensitive markets could see significant disruptions.
As always, Margaret Jackson’s analysis is clear and concise. To learn more, we urge you to read her article in the September 22, 2025 issue of MJBizDaily.com.
https://mjbizdaily.com/trumps-india-tariffs-threaten-cannabis-industrys-fastest-growing-segment
Cannabis Quote of the Week
“Without medical cannabis at the center, federal reform loses both its moral compass and its political leverage for many.
Medical cannabis is our strongest counterpoint. It saves lives, lowers healthcare costs and commands overwhelming public support across the political spectrum.
Consider the numbers:
• Chronic Pain: Nearly 30 percent of chronic pain patients use cannabis for relief, often reducing or replacing opioids. More than 68 million Americans live with chronic pain.
• Cancer: Over 40 percent of cancer patients report cannabis use to manage symptoms such as pain, anxiety, sleep and appetite loss.
• Older Adults: One in five older adults now use cannabis. In medical states, many report benefits for arthritis, sleep and quality of life. This is the fastest-growing demographic of cannabis users.
• Veterans: Around 22 percent of veterans use cannabis to manage PTSD, chronic pain and sleep disturbances—yet they still face stigma and federal obstacles.
• Opioids: The Washington Post recently cited research showing that counties with dispensaries see up to a 30 percent reduction in opioid overdose deaths over time.
If we lean into those “great things,” we can shift the conversation, blunt the backlash, and finally achieve the comprehensive federal framework patients deserve.”—The Cannabis Businesses & Professionals United for National Medical Cannabis.
The Cannabis Businesses & Professionals United for National Medical Cannabis is an action group of Americans for Safe Access (ASA) that wants to build a national medical framework integrated into the U.S. healthcare system. The quote is taken from a much longer op-ed it penned for Marijuana Moment.
In its editorial, the group states it believes supporting medical cannabis does not mean opposing adult use. In fact, it argues that putting medical cannabis at the center of any reform movement strengthens the entire marketplace.
They write, “Patients bring credibility with policymakers, their stories generate bipartisan support and their experiences cut through cultural divides in ways that quarterly sales figures cannot.”
We urge you to read the entire op-ed. It appears in the September 16, 2025 issue of Marijuana Moment.net.
https://www.marijuanamoment.net/the-fight-for-cannabis-reform-must-focus-on-medical-patients-not-taxes-and-banking-in-order-to-win-op-ed/
Cannabis Corner
Authors of a study, which was published in The Journal of Cannabis Research, claim to have found a link between legalizing medical marijuana and a reduction in the use of tobacco and amphetamines.
The authors, who are affiliated with the Lebanese American University in Beirut, Lebanon and Technische Universität Berlin, in Berlin, Germany, contend their findings reveal what they describe as a strong negative association between tobacco use, amphetamine use and medical cannabis sales.
The authors synthesized data from twenty different countries to identify the factors influencing medical cannabis sales and to evaluate the impact of regulatory policies on market dynamics.
Their analysis reveals that a one-percentage-point increase in tobacco use is associated with an estimated 8.581 ton decrease in annual medical cannabis sales. At the same time, their analysis showed that a one-percentage-point increase in amphetamine use is associated with a 10.485 tons annual decline in medical cannabis sales.
Cannabis use, on the other hand, appears to be complementary to medical cannabis sales, with a one-percentage-point increase in cannabis prevalence among individuals aged 15–64 associated with an additional 3.971 tons of medical cannabis sales per year.
In closing, the authors argue that regulatory strategies regarding medical cannabis should be tailored to the specific economic conditions and cultural perceptions of cannabis in each national context. In addition, countries that have legalized medical cannabis should allocate resources to regulatory oversight and public health initiatives to mitigate unintended consequences, such as shifts in substance use behaviors.
They also argue that a well-regulated medical cannabis market can generate sustained economic benefits by removing barriers to access and enhancing consumer education that will support the development of a responsible and sustainable market.
The study appears in the September 9, 2025 issue of the Journal of Cannabis Research. To read an abstract of the study, click on the following link.
https://jcannabisresearch.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s42238-025-00324-5
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.