Majority of Doctors Believe in Medical Cannabis
A team of investigators affiliated with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the US Public Health Service compiled responses from over 2,200 practicing doctors, internists, nurse practitioners, and oncologists regarding their attitudes about medical cannabis.
Sixty-nine percent of respondents said that they believed that cannabis possessed medicianl properties. Those who favored its medical use of were most likely to endorse marijuana use for treating pain (73 percent), cancer (72 percent), and nausea (61 percent).
More than one-in-four respondents (27 percent) acknowledged having authorized the use of cannabis for one of their patients.
Results from the study suggest that the highest prevalence conditions where clinicians indicated they believed cannabis could be medically used were scientifically based – pain, nausea, appetite activation, anti-seizure, and spasticity.
Shoppers Rank Reviews Above Price
Ratings and reviews have become the most important factor impacting purchase decisions, ranking above price, brand and recommendations from family and friends – according to a new survey of more than 6,500 consumers conducted by PowerReviews.
When asked which factors impact purchase decisions, 94% of consumers now say customer ratings and reviews top the list of considerations, followed by price of product (91%), free shipping (78%), brand preference (65%) and friend/family recommendations (60%).
In fact, customer ratings and reviews have become so important on the path to purchase that almost four in five consumers say they won’t shop with businesses or websites without user-generated testimonials about their experiences.
Voters Overwhelmingly Support Federal Cannabis Legalization
There’s no denying the positive public pivot regarding cannabis legalization. Eighteen states, Washington, D.C. and several U.S. territories now allow recrational cannabis use for adults, and another 36 offer medical cannabis programs.
“American voters on both sides of the aisle are calling for the legalization of cannabis alongside expungement and increased access for veterans, and they want their state representatives to do the same,” said Steven Hawkins, founding member and president of the United States Cannabis Council (USCC), a coalition of leading organizations, businesses and individuals united in the struggle to end federal cannabis prohibition.
The USCC recently released the results of a poll showing that nearly 70% of registered voters in Arizona, Utah and West Virginia support federal cannabis legalization and want their Senators to vote in favor of federal reform this year.
The survey also found all three states polled an average of over 50% in favor of expunging records for non-violent cannabis offenses and allowing medical cannabis to be prescribed to veterans.
Cali Approves Funding to Aid Cannabis Businesses
The California Legislature in June approved a $100-million plan to bolster the state’s legal marijuana industry, which continues to struggle to compete with the black market nearly five years after voters approved sales for recreational use.
Los Angeles will be the largest beneficiary of the money to be provided as grants to cities and counties to help cannabis businesses transition from a provisional, temporary license to a permanent one renewed on an annual basis — a process that requires a costly, complicated and time-consuming review.
Delta-8 Products Missing the Mark
More than half—53%— of Delta-8 THC products sent for independent testing by Leafreport contained Delta-9 THC over limits allowed under U.S. federal law, while 68% contained less Delta-8 than advertised.
The study included 38 Delta-8 products in all with 12 products being deemed “excellent,” 10 rated “decent,” four considered “poor,” and 12 failing.
Just 12 of the 38 products tested had the advertised amount of Delta-8, the researchers found, adding that “the rest were off by 10.7% to 102.7% from the label.”
Leafreport also noted that Delta-8 pre-rolls and gummies were more likely to have inaccurate levels than tinctures and vape products.
Is Your Business Safe from Ransomware Attackers?
As ransomware cyber incidents escalate, a national survey found only 15 percent of small business executives leading companies with revenues up to $100 million per year are primarily concerned they would have to pay cyber criminals to restore their computer systems in the event of an attack.
Close to 40 percent of the companies had experienced a cyberattack with nearly half, 45 percent, reporting they lost customer data and 27 percent saying they lost a significant amount of money because of the attack.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology, advises that the best way to protect against ransomware attacks is to use antivirus software, keep all computers fully patched with security updates, restricting or prohibiting personally owned devices on organizations’ networks, and using standard user accounts instead of those with administrative privileges whenever possible. In other words, keep the cyberdoor locked to outside visitors.
