As if California Medical Cannabis patients didn’t suffer enough.  Apparently, other states have not learned from California’s mistakes.  The headline from Ganjapreneur by TG Branfalt is “Medical Cannabis Strained by Adult-Use Sales in New Mexico”
 
New Mexico medical Cannabis patients are expressing frustration. Increased demand from adult-use sales is straining the New Mexico Cannabis supply.  On April 1st, licensed Cannabis dispensaries in New Mexico started adult use sales one year after legislators passed an adult use legalization bill.  The roll-out was expected to be gradual since many producers and retailers were building out their operations or just getting municipal approval.  The expectation didn’t account for consumers.  The state Cannabis Control Division says New Mexico sold over $8 million in adult use Cannabis in just two weeks after legalization.  KOB 4 Eyewitness news reports that, despite the large sales, medical Cannabis demand remains high. 
 
Stephanie K, a long-time medical Cannabis patient says, “They’re telling us we should keep our cards (Referring to medical Cannabis identity cards) even though it’s recreational.  For what reason?  What perks are we getting? We don’t get to get in line in front of anybody, we don’t get to pay less, we don’t get better weed.  No, we get nothing.”
 
Some New Mexico Cannabis retailers have tried to look out for patients.  Ellie Besancon, Executive Director of Green Goods, wants to create separate display cases for recreational products and medical products.  But she feels patients still have a frustration level. They already know what they want and the lines are long.
 
MJBiz Daily reports that Texans may be playing a role in consuming New Mexico Cannabis.  “Our studies show that 40% to 42% of all adult-use cannabis will be derived from out-of-state purchases, particularly Texas,” says Duke Rodriguez, CEO of the state’s largest cannabis company
 
California went through its own growing pains after enacting adult-use Cannabis laws.  In California, consumer prices remain high despite a supply glut.  A significantly large percentage of Cannabis sales are believed to remain in traditional markets.  On the East Coast, New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut will be selling adult use Cannabis soon.  As of April 21st, New Jersey has already started.  Can they learn from the issues western states  are experiencing or will medical Cannabis patients suffer similar access issues?
 
Medical patients typically have a different need and urgency for Cannabis.  "I don't do it to party. I don't do it to go out and dance. I don't get high. I don't laugh. I do it because it makes my pain go away,” said Stefanie. now that adult-use has arrived, the shops are only concerned about “money, the dollars.”
 
Once again, it seems to me that legislators have forgotten about COMPASSION for patients for the money.  What do you think?

​This story was published in Ganjapreneur on March 8, 2022, by TG Branfalt. 
Their headline is “Few Parents know about CBD use in Children”
 
A recent poll by the University of Michigan’s Mott Children’s Hospital sampled 1,992 parents with at least one child between the age 3-18.  Most parents polled (80%) either did not know much about CBD use in children or never heard of it prior to the poll. I might have stopped the poll right there. Apparently, it is of some value to the authors to ask parents about something they don’t know much about. 
 
Seventeen percent of parents reported knowing something about CBD and children. Only three percent said they knew a lot. 
 
Despite not knowing about CBD, 73% of parents optimistically thought CBD might be a good option for children when other medications don’t work.  The factors that are important to parents in deciding whether to give CBD to children are its side effects. 83% thought CBD products should be regulated by the FDA, and about three quarters say CBD for children should require a doctor’s prescription.
 
About one third thought taking CBD is basically the same as using marijuana.  (By marijuana, I assume they mean Cannabis with more than 0.3% THC.)
 
Most (93%) parents have never given or considered giving their child a CBD product.
 
2% have given their child a CBD product, while 4% have considered giving CBD to their child; 1% say their child has used CBD without their permission.
 
Among the small percentage of parents who have given or considered giving CBD to their children, the most common reasons included anxiety (51%), sleep problems (40%), ADHD (33%), muscle pain (20%), autism (19%), and to make their child feel better in general (13%).
 
This poll highlights the limited knowledge that most parents have about CBD and children.
 
Parents might do anything for a sick child, especially when other medications are not working.
 
Would you give a sick child CBD?  Would you give THC?