 This story is by Sean Teehan from NY Cannabis Insider
On the morning of the 2005 Rochester Marathon, Brian Lane considered not showing up for the race. Juggling his job with the U.S. Postal Service, raising two children, and going through a divorce took the wind out of his sails, and running a long-distance race felt like a chore. But people were expecting him to be there, so he dragged himself out of bed, took four heavy bong rips and made his way to the starting line. Lane ran the 26-mile race with a time of 3:11:23, finishing 16 out of 658 runners and qualifying for his first Boston Marathon. Lane is owner and compliance officer at Rochester based hemp processing company NOWAVE and host of Hempthlethics, a podcast about incorporating Cannabis into exercise. “I think it’s the most under talked about niche,” Lane told NY Cannabis Insider. A subset of users some call “cannathletes” are becoming increasingly visible. In a University of Colorado survey of 600 Cannabis users, 80% reported using Cannabis before, during, and after workouts. “Everyone who is a regular Cannabis user that I have brought onto my show, they’re all active,” says Lane. “There’s nobody sitting on their couches doing nothing.” Lane’s long-term goal is to release a line of products that cater to the cannathletic market. Cannabis companies currently serving the athletic market include Offfield, which makes gummies, soft drinks, and other products that include THC. Another is WannaFit, who makes products that are infused with THCv Josiah Hesse, author of the book Runner’s High, dives deep into how both elite athletes and weekend warriors use Cannabis. “The market for it is endless,” says Hesse. “There’s no demographic that Cannabis doesn’t reach, young people, old people, all races, all political affiliations, all economic backgrounds.” Dr. Ethan Russo agrees. “Some uses of Cannabis in conjunction with exercise already have pretty strong scientific backing. THC and CBD have pain killing and anti-inflammatory effects that can help following a workout. However, the idea that Cannabis can help people during a workout is more nuanced.” He recounts his own experience of skiing under the influence of Cannabis. “Being able to key into the rhythm is a benefit,” says Russo. I really like this idea of combining Cannabis and athletics. I usually consult patients who are using Cannabis for chronic pain or other illness. It’s refreshing to know Cannabis is also used for wellness activities like workouts. Cannabis is not always about the party and we don’t have to wait and get sick before using Cannabis. Using Cannabis for wellness is proactive. I also think the Cannabis industry should promote their own Cannabis athletic events. We could raise awareness for elite athletes like Sha’Carri Richardson, the sprinter who was banned from the Tokyo Olympics. Athletic events are a good way to highlight the positive aspects of Cannabis use.
Cannabis consumers would be able to buy directly from cultivators at farmers markets, just like they do for produce, under approved legislation, AB 2691, by the California state Assembly. The state Committee on Business and Profession recently approved the bill, which now has to clear the Assembly Appropriations Committee and the full Assembly Chamber and then go through the Senate before reaching the governor’s desk.
Cultivators have had financial challenges since passage of Prop 64, the Control, Regulate and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act. Wholesale prices farmers receive for outdoor grown Cannabis averaged $488 per pound according to research from Cannabis Benchmarks. This is a 55% drop from 15 months earlier. Kristen Callahan, owner of Magic Meadows Farms in Middletown in Lake County is quoted by the Sacramento Bee, “This is an important first step that will help our cash flow by being able to sell directly at farmer’s markets.” Several dozen farmers that showed up for the committee vote were pleased. They see the direct sales as a beginning of Cannabis tourism in California. Visitors could sample different varieties of Cannabis, similar to what they do at a winery The bill’s opponents are dispensary owners, who are concerned about competition. Another of the bill’s opponents, Assemblyman Phillip Chen, states, “As I represent Orange County, there will be an over saturation of these retailers in my communities.” The bill sponsor, Assemblyman Jim Wood, D-Santa Rosa, countered that the legislation was about, “giving the little guy a chance.” The farmers insist that allowing consumers to sample their product at farmers markets will only promote Cannabis, benefiting all the Cannabis consuming community. Farmers can show their products currently at farmer’s markets, but the system doesn’t allow them to make a direct sale. Consumers must go to another booth at the market and buy Cannabis products from a licensed retail operator. "I think it's super, super awesome and I like that they're kind of getting rid of that guilt or that dark cloud that they have around the whole weed industry,” Davis resident Crystal Molina said. Since recreational cannabis was legalized in California the morning of January 1, 2018, there have been only three outdoor events in San Francisco with legal cannabis sales. And all three were in Golden Gate Park — Outside Lands 2019, Outside Lands 2021, and the 2022 4/20 Hippie Hill celebration from two weeks ago According to SFiST, Permit applications have been submitted to bring legal cannabis sales to Carnaval SF on May 28-29, and there’s a high likelihood that Carnaval will be the first California street fair with legal, regulated cannabis use. |
AuthorJean Talleyrand, M.D., Archives
September 2023
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