Fall 2019
How
CBD
is Made
Cannabis
Women in Cannabis
and HEAD INJURIES
Deciphering the THC/CBD Ratios
Reducing the Stigma
Cannabis
...and more!
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CANNABUFFMAG.COM • FALL 2019 1
Publisher’s Letter I am very excited to bring readers a second issue of CannaBuff Magazine. We had an overwhelming positive response to our first issue and a great turnout at our launch party. That being said the first issue was far from perfect. We’ve listened to feedback from our readers, partners, and advertisers and are working hard to improve the magazine’s scope, accuracy, and distribution. We’ve published some corrections to the first issue in our corrigendum section. In this issue we have our cannabis community and business profile columns that you can expect to see in future issues. We’re also excited to share information about hemp farming and CBD extraction in this issue.
In this Issue 1
Decriminalization Cover
2
Publisher’s Letter
3
Cannabis Tourism
4
Cannabis Community
5
Women in Cannabis
6
Business Profile
7
PSL Photos
8
Opinion Piece
9
THC/CBD Ratios
10 CannaBuff Deep Dive 11 Cornell Hemp Photos 12
Landmark Referral
13 Decriminalization 14 Crossword 15 Scientific Update 16 Happy Shack Oils 2 CANNABUFFMAG.COM • FALL 2019
While we grow we want to hear your feedback in order to improve our content to better serve and suit our readership. We plan on expanding our media offerings in the future. Stay tuned for more news about our offerings in print and online.
THE TEAM Printer: Jamestown Post Journal Photos By: Kim Buchner KMBuchnerPhotography Magazine Design: Samantha Jean Design Ad Design: Deanna Clohessy, Whitney Gordon Publisher: Geoff Brown Editors: Brendan Murphy, Hazel Ball Writers: Geoff Brown, Jack Porcari, Courtney Friedline, Melissa Moore, and Meredith DeLuca
ADVISORY BOARD: Terrance Bellnier, RPh, MPA Michael Infranco, PhD Maria Janda, PharmD Michael Monzillo, MS Jake Schecter, RN Website: CannaBuffMag.com Twitter: @CannaBuffNY Facebook: @CannaBuffNY Instagram: @CannaBuffMag Phone: (716)-218-0624
Special Thanks to: Happy Shack Oils, Buffalo Botanicals, One Hemp Holistics, Buffalo Hemp Supply, Sativa Remedy, Landmark Health Systems, CannaHaven, and Welcome 716. Disclaimer: The information and documents herein (the content) are intended for personal, noncommercial, general informational purposes, do not constitute medical advice, and are not a substitute for the advice of a medical provider or other licensed professional. CannaBuff makes no warranty, express or implied, concerning the accuracy, completeness, reliability, timeliness, correctness, suitability, merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose of the content, and in no event shall CannaBuff or its employees be liable for damages resulting from reading or use of the content. References to specific commercial products, or services by tradename, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, do not constitute or imply an endorsement or recommendation by CannaBuff.
CANNABUFF IS PROUD TO BE PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER
I NY
Cannabis Tourism By Welcome 716
As the Cannabis industry grows in this country and abroad, so does the number of pot-curious travelers roaming our region. While it is not fully-legal in New York State (yet!), our progressive region is still a welcoming place for those visitors who might like to look on the greenside of things. Legal forms of Cannabis are here to stay, so here at Welcome 716 we have compiled a list of the best things in our region that offer a glimpse at this budding industry. Here are our suggestions for cannabis-friendly activities in the Buffalo Niagara region and one Canadian suggestion:
Terrapin Station
Terrapin Station is a classic head shop that has been keeping Buffalo cool for over 3 decades. Recently, Terrapin Station was deemed one of the United States’ Most Legendary Head Shops by High Times Magazine, which is quite a high honor. From Grateful Dead t-shirts, to meditation bowls, to Bamboo plants, rolling papers and so much more, Terrapin Station goes way beyond your average headshop. Terrapin Station exemplifies a chill vibe and a thriving community of kind, eclectic people sharing a social connection, and that’s really what cannabis culture is all about.
Excuria Salon & Spa CBD Massage
Excuria Salon & Spa offers an array of massages and treatments including the relaxing Rainbow Maker CBD Massage. This warming massage nourishes skin and brings luminosity with mineral highlights. Packed with Hi-Bio fast absorbing, full spectrum hemp oil with cannabinoids, this massage is a unique experience that will leave you feeling relaxed and refreshed. The stereotypes surrounding CBD and cannabis are slowly melting away thanks to places like Excuria Salon & Spa that show the benefits of these natural remedies go way beyond simply “getting high.”
Sativa Remedy
This new CBD shop in Tonawanda is a reliable place to purchase CBD in our region. They definitely do their research and with all of the options out there it can be rather confusing to navigate the CBD products available. What we love about Sativa Remedy is that they have strict guidelines for the products they sell. Like anything else you put into your body, you have to be able to trust the potency and safety of the CBD. At Sativa Remedy, they support the United States’ hemp industry and our domestic economy by only sourcing hemp products from farmers and manufacturers in the U.S. with clean, sustainable, and organic growing practices. They also have an online store so be sure to check that out as well.
Cannahouse
This private cannabis club of Buffalo Niagara is a place where all people from all walks of life can come together and embrace their common denominator - a love for that special green plant. Their invite only policy ensures a safe space where privacy is embraced. You can request an invite on their website. You’ll also find cool events on their website like Cooking with Cannabis and much more. At the moment, the legal-cannabis business is kind of the Wild West with a patchwork of unclear regulations that vary from state to state, and even city to city, but a market is emerging and big business is coming. This industry is here for the long-haul, so whether you’re curious to explore, a seasoned enthusiast, or someone looking for a new experience, we have your starting point. While our region has become a boomtown for craft beverages and unique food experiences, it’s just a matter of time before more businesses incorporate this commonly used plant into their business platforms. The times are changing and Welcome 716 is happy to see another budding industry making its way into our region. Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em! Just be smart, safe and conscious while doing so.
MUNCHIES?
DAZED? BORED? WE’VE
GOT YOU COVERED
The Niagara Herbalist (Ontario, Canada)
While we love supporting domestic economies, if you want to smoke the good stuff legally you have to take a short drive to our neighbors to the North at The Niagara Herbalist. It’s a quick car ride from Buffalo and Niagara Falls to experience a real-life dispensary, but be smart. Obviously, we do NOT condone bringing any weed or illegal items back to the States. And you shouldn’t be high while crossing the border either. But if you do your research, are smart and abide by the laws of each country, it can be fun to experience what it’s like to patron a legal dispensary.
We’ll guide you to the best of the Buffalo Niagara region
Welcome716.com CANNABUFFMAG.COM • FALL 2019 3
CANNABIS COMMUNITY The purpose of this column is to share stories from patients, advocates, and professionals in the cannabis space. We hope to bolster the discussion about cannabis and help break the stigma associated with cannabis use in our community by highlighting people with incredible stories,
Nikki Lawley: Cannabis Patient and Advocate for the plant Nikki Lawley was working as a pediatric nurse when one day, as a result of an accident at work, she suffered a severe head injury. She was diagnosed with a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and was subsequently run through the mill of medical specialists, tests, and treatments. These conventional treatments and tests only aggravated her symptoms. After dealing with intense headaches, sensitivity to light, issues with fine motor skills and cognitive tasks, she eventually turned to cannabis out of desperation. Because Nikki’s journey started before the New York State Medical Marijuana Program was in place, she was forced to purchase cannabis through other means. After New York approved medical marijuana, Nikki registered as a patient, hoping that medical dispensaries would provide her with a safer and more affordable alternative to the unregulated products of the black market. She soon became frustrated with the limited scope of treatment options and the high price tag on products available through New York’s program. She was forced to medicate out of the country, in Canada, where she has an address and access to Canadian Medical cannabis. She experimented with countless products, strains, and dosage forms, before arriving at the conclusion that smoked or vaporized cannabis, its most natural form, provided her the most effective relief. Nikki said it took her some time to find the correct strain with the specific terpene profile [1] that worked for her. Nikki is a strong believer in the entourage effect, the idea that all of the phytocannabinoids present in the cannabis flower work together to provide a synergistic benefit, and the effect produced from these compounds together is greater than the effect produced from any isolated compound(s) alone. After she saw the difference that cannabis made in her life, she realized the suffering she could save other patients. Nikki became outspoken on the benefits of cannabis for head injuries and also a member of online support groups for individuals that have suffered head injuries such as Brain Tumors, TBIs, concussions, and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) [2]. She also supports and shares her story with organizations that conduct studies with cannabinoids for the treatment of symptoms associated with CTE and other head injuries. Nikki is passionate and infinitely interested in the benefits of cannabis. She is determined to help patients find access to medical cannabis products that provide them relief that they otherwise would not have access to. Nikki hopes her story can inspire others to never give up, to live in the moment. “Cannabis is my medicine and my hope is that others don’t have to suffer to the point I did. Cannabis should be offered as a treatment for TBI / Concussion symptoms.”
[1] Terpenes are chemicals found in plants that are responsible for the different aromas that we associate with citrus, berries, spearmint, etc. Terpenes in cannabis can moderate the effect and uptake of cannabinoids and have therapeutic properties of their own. [2] CTE is a neurodegenerative disease that is caused by repeated head injuries that can occur in sports like football, boxing, and other combat/high impact sports. CTE was discovered in 2005 when Pittsburgh researchers examined brain tissue from deceased NFL players.
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Women in Cannabis: A look inside NY’s only Female Owned and Operated Medical Marijuana Company ETAIN, LLC IS NEW YORK’S ONLY WOMEN OWNED AND LED MEDICAL MARIJUANA BUSINESS. Etain, LLC is New York’s only women-owned and led medical marijuana business. It was founded by Chief Executive Officer Amy Peckham because of her mother’s struggle with ALS. The company’s mission is: “to improve the quality of life for patients in New York State by providing access to the highest quality pharmaceuticalgrade medical marijuana treatments available. Further, we are committed to research, discovery, and advocacy in pursuit of healthy solutions for diseases, conditions, and the management of debilitating symptoms for patients everywhere.” Etain was established in 2015, shortly after the enactment of the New York State Compassionate Care Act in 2014 and holds one of the first five medical marijuana licenses in New York State. The company operates four dispensaries, one each in Syracuse, Kingston, Yonkers and New York City. Products include vapor pen inhalers, tinctures, capsules, oral powders and sprays. It also has a unique lozenge made with organic honey. In 2018 Etain began marketing high grade medical marijuana products in California.
It only makes sense that women are emerging as leaders in the medical cannabis industry. With a cultural push towards alternative medical practices, cannabis is the latest alternative medicine to gain momentum. Yet, despite the impressive number of women in leadership in the cannabis industry, funding for women is still difficult to come by. With likely changes to Federal laws on the horizon and the expected legalization of recreational marijuana in New York State, it is hoped that Etain will survive and continue to bring much-needed female leadership within this growing industry. [1]Kovacevich, Nick, Cannabis A Wide-Open Space for Female Pioneers, Forbes, December 2018. Author credits: Cannabroads. Find them online @cannabroads (Facebook) @cannabroadsofficial (Instagram)
BEING A LEADER IN THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY DOESN’T COME WITHOUT STRUGGLES. In March of 2019, Etain was forced to delay plans to build a new manufacturing facility in Glen Falls. The facility was expected to create ten new jobs immediately and to expand to approximately thirty employees. A grant request through the New York State Job Development Authority was denied due to conflicting legislation between New York State’s medical marijuana laws and Federal laws that consider marijuana cultivation, processing and sales to be illegal. Earlier this year, Hillary Peckham, Etain’s Chief Operating Officer, resigned from her position as President of the New York Medical Cannabis Industry Association (NYMCIA), of which she was the only female member. This move was reportedly made, in part, due to the increasing pledge amounts required by the group. Etain’s initial pledge to the group was $50,000, but the required amount is anticipated to reach as high as $2.5 million. The group’s idea was to use the funding for incubators for women and minority owned cannabis businesses. With their own funding challenges, Etain was not willing to commit to the escalating financial requirements of the group. CANNABIS IS A WIDE-OPEN SPACE FOR FEMALE PIONEERS [1]. According to Mike Kovacevich, American women hold nearly 27% of leadership roles in legal cannabis. Women have long been the healers and caretakers of the world. They make the majority of health care decisions in households.
STORE COMING SOON TO WESTERN NEW YORK Find us online for all of your smoking and CBD needs CANNAHAVENSMOKESHOP.COM
@cannahavensmokeshop Currently offering in-home parties to educate and entertain! Contact us today! CANNABUFFMAG.COM • FALL 2019 5
BUSINESS PROFILE Take a look at local businesses in the cannabis industry.
Hemp Extraction: A Look Inside Plant Science Labs We recently took a trip to Plant Science Laboratories to learn about hemp processing. Plant Science Laboratories is a local dietary supplement manufacturer for the Food and Nutrition industry, and they specialize in the dehydration and milling of nutritional raw materials. They are the largest manufacturer of cranberry supplements in the United States and the largest hemp processing facility in New York. The facility sources hemp from local farmers and utilizes a carbon dioxide extraction process to isolate the oils from the plant. CO2 extraction is much more desirable than alternative extraction methods. Other methods involve harsh solvents such as butane, and often time’s trace amounts of these chemicals can be found in the products utilizing these methods. CO2 extraction is safe, clean, controllable, and can be specifically adjusted to select for certain cannabinoids. The process starts by heating and pressurizing CO2, creating what’s known as a “supercritical fluid.” The supercritical CO2 is then run through raw hemp material, dissolving the chemicals inside of the plant. After the extraction is complete, the CO2 is removed by readjusting the pressure and temperature to atmospheric conditions so it returns to a gaseous state and dissipates into the air. The result is a high-quality extract that is free from toxic solvents. The extracted material is collected in containers and moved to a separate room for decarboxylation. Decarboxylation involves heating the cannabinoids so that an extra chemical link is broken and compounds like THC and CBD are activated. Without this step, CBD remains in its inactive form, cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), and is not readily absorbed by the body. After decarboxylation, the extract is moved to the in-house laboratory, where it is dissolved in medium-chain triglyceride oil and tested to ensure the THC content is below the legal limit (0.3%). It is also labeled with its concentration of CBD and other select cannabinoids/compounds. Plant Science Labs has been in business for more than 25 years and is one of the only producers of its type in the city of Buffalo. The facility is located in the KensingtonGrider Area and employs 18 local residents.
6 CANNABUFFMAG.COM • FALL 2019
Raffinate is the term used for the spent hemp after it has been extracted
Part of Plant Science Lab’s C02 extraction set up.
The extract is stored in containers before it is heated for decarboxylation.
CANNABUFFMAG.COM • FALL 2019 7
OPINION PIECE
Reducing the Stigma By Jack Porcari You invite some of your friends over to dinner on a Friday night. They show up with a bottle of wine, you have a couple laughs, and share the bottle over some Penne alla vodka. Does this scenario sound out of the ordinary or characterdefining? Society accepts and often glorifies the use of alcohol and tobacco. In Buffalo, we have a vibrant craft beer scene. Alcohol friendly events are common especially in the warmer months. Events include beer exchange, brew fest, and sip & paint. While alcohol use is considered quite normal in our society, decades of misinformation has contributed to substantial stigma associated with cannabis. With such a complicated history of prohibition, cross-cultural trade, and propaganda, cannabis consumers throughout the last 80 years have been wrongly depicted as emotionless, “lazy stoner” caricatures. Successful consumers such as Anthony Bourdain, Morgan Freeman, Willie Nelson and Steve Jobs are a testament to the fact that we as hard-working individuals determine our destiny: not a plant. One thing is for certain — cannabis is not as dangerous and life-wrecking as the 37% of Americans who oppose legalization make it out to be. The stigmatized view of marijuana arose mainly out of the 1930s Reefer Madness era, and was later reestablished with Richard Nixon’s war on drugs in 1971. These laws, combined with media influence and emerging stereotypes, unfairly shaped societal perceptions of what is acceptable. D.A.R.E, which is still active throughout 75% of school districts today, teaches students that, “The research is still inconclusive regarding whether or not marijuana is a gateway drug.” Despite this, the US National Institute on Drug Abuse claims that, “The majority of people who use marijuana do not go on to use other ‘harder’ substances.” The recreational use of alcohol kills 88,000 people every year, yet there is still to be one reported cannabis overdose. The CDC indicates that 20.5 percent of teenagers started drinking before age 13. With this data in mind, it is confusing as to why cannabis, a substance with a myriad of medical benefits, is looked down upon while alcohol use remains acceptable. Myths such as the gateway theory have been fed to the American people for too long, and it is time that cannabis use by adults, be treated fair and not prejudice. How are we, as fellow Buffalonians, to legalize cannabis while still shaming those that choose to consume? Let’s face it: what is legalization for Western New Yorkers without acceptance? The herb has great potential to ease symptoms of chronic disease and change lives. I look forward to the day when the cannabis stigma is extinguished and responsible adults can consume cannabis without being labeled.
8 CANNABUFFMAG.COM • FALL 2019
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Deciphering THC/CBD Ratios By Melissa Moore There are over 400 compounds in the cannabis sativa plant. The two most prominent compounds are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). When purchasing medical cannabis products, you will notice that they have an assigned THC to CBD ratio. A variety of ratios are available including but not limited to 1:1, 20:1, and 1:20. These numbers tell you how much THC is in the product relative to the amount of CBD. It is ultimately up to the dispensary what ratios they want to offer. In NY, all dispensaries are required to offer at least one brand with equal amounts of THC and CBD and one brand with low THC and high CBD content.
shows that it may take high amounts of CBD above 50 mg to trigger this effect and a small amount may create an entourage effect that enhances the THC effect. Medical marijuana can also exhibit a ‘biphasic effect’, sometimes called an inverted-U dose-response curve. This means that while a certain dose may produce a desired effect, the same may not be true for a lower or higher dose. Start at a low dose and increase slowly only if no side effects occur. Keep dose amounts conservative to avoid tolerance and biphasic effects. Due to restrictions on cannabis research, there is little guidance on treatment. Unfortunately this means we must rely on some degree of trial and error to find what product and what dose works best.
In New York, products are labeled as THC:CBD, but other states label the product with CBD presented first; CBD:THC. Ask your dispensary’s representative if you are unsure which number the ratio is referring to. When deciphering what the ratio means you can think of your product as a pie. A product with a 20:1 ratio can be thought of as a pie with 20 slices; 19 slices of THC and one slice of CBD. A product with a 1:1 ratio can be thought of as a pie with 10 slices of THC and 10 CBD. It is important to note, that the ratio doesn’t provide information about strength or dose of a product because the ratio lists parts of THC and CBD relative to one another. Higher THC ratios such as 100:1, 50:1, and 20:1 tend to work best for treating severe pain, particularly pain that comes from the spinal cord. Higher THC ratios are often selected to treat nausea and stimulate appetite. High THC ratios can also help with sleep, but this effect is highly dose dependent and the optimum dose of THC can vary considerably between individuals. Approximately 2-15 mg of THC is an average medical dose, but is not unheard of for a medical doses to exceed 15mg. A 1:1, or balanced ratio, is often used as a daytime formula because it is less likely to cause impairment for those who are sensitive to THC. CBD adds anti-inflammatory effects with patients reporting good relief from muscle spasms and arthritis. Patients suffering migraines also tend to favor this ratio. Higher CBD ratios such as a 1:15, 1:20, and 0:1 work well for individuals sensitive to side effects from THC. CBD can elicit many of the same effects as THC at a lesser efficacy but can also stimulate unique effects. Patients favor CBD when dealing with anxiety, inflammation, autoimmune diseases, neurological disorders, and depression. THC and CBD produce a synergistic effect, meaning the effect from both compounds is greater than the sum of its parts. Experts do not fully understand how cannabinoids influence each other, but it’s believed that CBD dampens the effects of THC. Some research
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CANNABUFF ‘DEEP DIVE’ Cannabis Industry Insights from our journalists.
Business Difficulties Despite New Regulations Cannabis Businesses Face Many Hurdles Legislative changes in the cannabis industry are hard to keep up with. Since December of last year, the Agricultural improvement act i.e. farm bill and numerous decriminalization measures have been passed. We’ve also seen a comprehensive Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act, as well as an expansion to the state’s Medical Marijuana Program—both fell short in Albany. In this section of CannaBuff, “Deep Dive,” we take a look at the challenges businesses are facing in the cannabis industry. Hemp Farming While regulations have eased nationwide, companies growing, processing, and selling hemp face uphill battles. Growing the plant according to regulations can be very difficult. At Cornell University’s Hemp Field Day on August 13th in Geneva, NY, speakers touched on many of the challenges farmers face, particularly the law that restricts farmers from growing plants with THC content above 0.3%. The restriction on THC content makes profiting from hemp very hard because the major market for hemp in New York is CBD and growing hemp rich in CBD, but staying below the legal limit of THC is not easy. Farmers are paid per percentage point of CBD in their crop, so they are incentivized to grow cannabis varietals with high CBD percentage flowers. However, hemp is a notoriously poor source of CBD with percentages as low as 0.03%. Varietals with up to 20% CBD exist, but contain higher THC percentages, making them illegal to grow in NY. Farmers are given a three-week window to test and harvest their crop. State regulators pay all hemp farms in NY a visit before the farmers harvest and sample plants according to protocol. Flowers ten centimeters below the top of the plant are selected and tested for THC content. If the plants test “hot”, they are seized and destroyed. Furthermore, farmers have substantial costs involved in startup. Farmers must pay for all the standard expenses necessary for crop raising: seeds, fertilizer, testing, chemicals, equipment and fuel as well as substantial labor costs associated with separating hemp flower from the plant. If their crop test above the limit, then all of these investments are thrown away. Payment Processing One major barrier in consumer facing businesses is payment processing. Cannabis companies doing business in brick and mortar stores or online often have trouble finding a reliable payment processor. Brenda Snyder, who co-owns a local CBD shop in East Amherst, says her payment processor dropped her business 2 months after she opened her store after they decided they no longer wanted to service stores selling primarily CBD products. The inability to offer credit/ debit payments cost her hundreds if not thousands of dollars and forced her to quickly find an ATM merchant that was willing to provide her customers access to cash at a reasonable fee. “We could not find one merchant who would service us because we were considered too high risk, we have had customers storm out because we do not accept credit cards,” she said.
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Cannabis companies, including medical dispensaries, go to great lengths to accept debit payments. Some companies route payments through subsidiary and shell companies. Columbia Care, a registered organization with a dispensary in Rochester, went a different route by creating their own credit card. Real estate Strict zoning restrictions for cannabis retailers limits viable storefront locations. Prime real estate is limited and in high demand, especially for medical and recreational dispensaries. FDA’s reach The FDA has been very conservative in their approach to the regulation of hemp-based products, and cannabis in general. According to the FDA, CBD is not an approved food-additive. Therefore, foods infused with CBD are illegal under federal law, and CBD cannot be sold as a dietary supplement because it’s an active ingredient in a marketed prescription drug, Epidiolex ® (GW Pharma). New York State has a different stance, allowing CBD in dietary supplements and in food-like products, as long as those products are labeled and manufactured in accordance with relevant laws for dietary supplements. However, CBD companies must be wary of the claims made on their product labels, as this is ultimately what determines the FDA’s purview.
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CANNABUFFMAG.COM • FALL 2019 11
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Decriminalization New York State has finally decriminalized possession of marijuana. The law took effect late last month and downgrades the possession of marijuana from a misdemeanor to a fine. “For too long communities of color have been disproportionately impacted by laws governing marijuana and have suffered the lifelong consequences of an unfair marijuana conviction, today is the start of a new chapter in the criminal justice system.” -Governor Andrew Cuomo
SO WHAT CHANGES? Possession Possessing less than 2 ounces of marijuana is now a violation, not a crime. However, you can still be arrested, but it won’t result in time in prison or a criminal record. Fines The fine for possession of less than an ounce of marijuana decreased from $100 to $50 and won’t increase because of criminal history. The fine for possession of 1-2 ounces is $200 regardless of criminal history. Expungement Most past convictions for possession of 25 grams or less of marijuana will be automatically expunged. Public use Marijuana is added to the definition of smoking in the public health law, so smoking marijuana is prohibited everywhere that smoking is prohibited.
Photos from CannaBuff’s Launch Party back in June at Sativa Remedy. Huge thanks to all who came!
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On the pages displaying data from the Releaf app, the number of occurrences for the most common side effects is incorrect starting at “Hungry” and should read as follows: Hungry (159), Dry Mouth (145), Sleep (138), and Thirst (134). Additionally, the top five products for agitation and irritability and top five products overall actually display the top two products, and the top four products respectively. Products with less than three recorded treatment sessions were eliminated for the purposes of this visualization.
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In the crossword for clue 29 across, the answer, lieu is misspelled l-e-i-u.
N
In the article titled ”CBD Retail Shop Opens Inside Dent Tower”, Dr. Mechtler’s name is misspelled and the MEND store is located on the 1st floor, not the 2nd.
Crossword Key: 62
Corrigendum First Issue
CANNABUFFMAG.COM • FALL 2019 13
CannaBuff Crossword: Bill’s Draft Busts by Maria Janda and Kieran Haseler | See answer key on Page 13. 1
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40. Taken in the same round as Eli, Ben, and Rivers (L) 42. Single measure 43. Buffalo’s time zone (abbr.) 44. State in Pacific Daylight Time (abbr.) 45. Football position 46. Electronic chip (abbr.) 47. Suffix meaning similar to 49. 2009 first rounder, recorded zero sacks in his first 22 games (L) 52. Tomato type 54. City in 44 across (abbr.) 55. Football position 56. 2011 third overall pick (F,L) 59. Ova 60. To employ 62. Prefix meaning new 63. A coach once called him a “career backup” (L) 64. Not a stag party, a ____ party DOWN 1. Get a kick out of 2. Smaller violins 3. Flammable colorless gas
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ACROSS 1. First woman 4. Viral phenomenon 8. O riginal had Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones 12. Lice egg 13. Hawaiian island 14. Some spirited horses 15. F irst National Anthem performer under Pegula ownership (F,L) 18. Matador’s cry 19. Coconut or avocado 20. Vacation goal 21. Name for northerner during the American Civil War 23. Arm bone 24. Klum’s ex-husband 25. Article used before a vowel 26. Double 31. O .J.’s chauffeur for a day (F,L) 35. Type of antelope 38. V oice of Shrek’s Puss In Boots (F) 39. F ederal authority of drug trafficking
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4. ____ Springs, Idaho 5. Royal title 6. Unit of FM band 7. Gibbons, the outdoorsman 8. Craziness 9. Defines eye color 10. Capital of Azerbaijan 11. ______ of Dogs; Wes Anderson film 16. Word used abundantly in December 17. State of calmness 22. “Every Kiss Begins With _____” 23. General Bills’ fan behavior after a loss 25. ___-J; Breezeblocks band 26. Prince Charles’s first wife Princess ____ (abbr.) 27. Shrubbery covering the ground of a forest 28. Like a fine wine or cheese 29. Harvard Law entrance exam 30. Worse looking 31. The Brady Bunch Maid; _____ B. Davis 32. Prominent Nigerian port
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33. Video game console 34. An area; for house or parking 36. Toddler’s first word for refusal 37. NBC hit show This Is ____ 38. Who you call when you have a flat 41. 2006 26th overall pick; graded as a second or third rounder (L) 46. Picture 47. Part of small intestines 48. Tostitos pairing 50. One of the four elements 51. Common condition involving abdominal pain and upset stomach 53. A “sign”; usually bad or evil 57. “Steal My Sunshine” band 58. Pub fare 61. “Those Zubaz are ____ point!”
SCIENTIFIC UPDATES Catch up on the latest scientific news about canabis as it relates to our region.
Scientific Updates Researchers Debate NY Medical Marijuana Laws in Journal of the American Medical Association. In February of this year, researchers from Stanford and Boston University School of Public Health published an article titled, “Should Physicians Recommend Replacing Opioids with Cannabis?” The article was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and it criticized legislation in New York and Illinois that allowed patients to use medical cannabis as a substitute for opioids for chronic pain and addiction. The authors argued in their report that not enough evidence on the safety, efficacy, or comparative effectiveness of cannabis exists to recommend substituting it for opioids in the treatment of pain or addiction. They stated that medical cannabis is often not held to medical standards, and mentioned a study that found high rates of mislabeled cannabis products. Their primary concern was that these laws could result in patients choosing cannabis over evidence-based treatments for addiction, such as medication-assisted therapy (MAT) which includes drugs like methadone and buprenorphine. In July, a group from the New York State Department of Health commented on the article via a Letter to the Editor. The authors from New York pointed out several oversights from the original article, such as the fact that availability of MAT is extremely limited, and New York’s regulatory framework for medical cannabis is one of the strongest in the United States.
The study followed 92 patients over a 24-month period and found that patients treated with medical marijuana products through NYS’s program improved self-reported pain, quality of life, and reduced their opioid use. More on this study is available online at: https://www. painweek.org/conferences/painweek#poster-abstracts
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“This (New York’s) framework does not permit edibles, mandates that excipients be pharmaceutical grade, and includes strict packaging and labeling information, requires each lot of medical marijuana products produced to be tested by an independent laboratory for cannabinoid concentration and contaminants, and requires licensed pharmacists (not budtenders) to provide oversight within each dispensary.” The researchers from New York also mentioned preliminary evidence suggesting cannabinoids may reduce cravings of different substances, and touched on the federal restrictions that make researching medical marijuana so difficult. . Researchers from Stanford replied and stood their ground: “It is inappropriate, and we continue to assert, irresponsible, in the absence of evidence to recommend medical cannabis as a replacement for opioid agonist treatment of opioid use disorder, a fatal disease in many cases, where there is solid evidence that the latter, but not the former, reduces morbidity and mortality.” Researchers from GPI Clinical Research and University at Buffalo presented a preliminary study of medical marijuana for the treatment of chronic pain at a national medical conference in Las Vegas, NV. The conference, called Pain Week, is an annual conference focused on pain education for healthcare practitioners. The study is titled, “An Assessment of the Long-term Safety, Tolerability, and Durability of Treatment Effect of Cannabinoids in Adult Outpatients with Chronic Pain.” CANNABUFFMAG.COM • FALL 2019 15