research focus
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cannabis patient care
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vol. 3 no. 4 cannapatientcare.com
Good Chemistry
In addition, Good Chemistry, the CCOE, and Patriots Helping Vets
launched a veterans cannabis access research project in Massachu-
setts for qualifying veterans. Veterans can purchase products from
Worcester, MA or Lynn, MA for special study pricing and share their
feedback on the products! As part of the research study, veterans
will be asked to report on access to cannabis issues, the products,
and its impact on their health and wellness. This research study is
approved by the UMass Dartmouth IRB. The bundle includes:
1. Day and night pre-roll pack: 1 sativa pre-roll and 1 indica
pre-roll purchased at a steeply reduced study rate (select
strains with focus on Amnesia Haze and Ingrid)
2. Mini joint packs: 4 each 1/2-gram pre-rolls purchased at a
steeply reduced study rate (select strains with options for
sativa and indica)
Once veterans purchase the bundle, we ask them to report its
impact either using a paper form and returning it to Good Chem-
istry in an anonymous box (anon box) or using the Tetragram
app. The surveys can help gauge the representativeness of in-
dividual views and experiences. The surveys focused on asking
veterans' responses on symptoms, consumption method, prod-
uct type, specific consumption method (that is, joint, pipe, tinc-
ture, vaporizer, vape pen, and bong), and the overall review
about their experience with the products. The result of this new-
ly started survey will be discussed at the end of the study as
critical evidence for cannabis decision-making moving forward.
Vape Survey
Vaping (using an electronic vaporizer) is a reasonably new
behavior that has spread among the world's cannabis smok-
ers. The appeal of vaping lies in lowered harm and cost while
keeping a sufficiently similar or superior experience to the
established cannabis smoking.
The CCOE, UMass Dartmouth, and Green Lion Partners
launched a new online veterans vape survey on November 11,
2022. Veterans will be required to register through the CCOE
iCount sign up to be part of the study. The survey would take 5
minutes, and the first five veterans to sign up for the survey will
receive a free vape device to evaluate.
This newly conducted vape survey will further inform the
development of new vaping devices and the standardization
of quality and safety testing protocols designed for today's
complex cannabis vape devices.
The Cannabis Vape Survey collects data from veterans' can-
nabis consumers in MA and will provide valuable insights sur-
rounding vaping devices currently available. In the upcom-
ing months, we will conclude the study and provide insights
about veterans' "real-world" vaping experience.
How to Get Involved
The landscape of medical cannabis is rapidly expanding as more
and more people push for its legalization. As the acceptance
and usage of cannabis continue to grow in the United States, the
demand for a further complete understanding of cannabis and
its effects on human health and well-being is required.
We invite individuals and companies to participate in this
continuing cannabis for veterans' research study with the CCOE
and partners. We are accepting donations and new research
study partners for the iCount for Veterans project. Be sure to
ask us if anything is unclear or you want more information.
Thank you for taking the time to read this report.
• Veterans can sign up at: https://www.cannacenterofexcel-
lence.org/veterans
• Companies can sign up at: www.cannacenterofexcellence.
org/signup
References
(1) The U.S. Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-
kits/2021/acs-5-year.html (Accessed November 28, 2022)
(2) MedlinePlus. https://medlineplus.gov/veteransandmilitaryhealth.
html(Accessed November 28, 2022)
(3) The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. https://www.research.va.gov/currents/0120-
Health-ranks-as-top-concern-for-Veterans.cfm (Accessed November 28, 2022).
(4) D.S. Vogt, et al., Am. J. Prev. Med., 58(3), 352–360
(2020). doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2019.10.016.
(5) The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. 2020. VA Research on
Pain Management. https://www.research.va.gov/pubs/docs/
va_factsheets/Pain.pdf (Accessed November 28, 2022).
(6) The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2020.
Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/
volumes/69/wr/mm6947a6.htm. (Accessed November 28, 2022).
(7) The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. 2022. National Veteran Suicide Prevention
Annual Report. https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/docs/data-sheets/2022/2022-
National-Veteran-Suicide-Prevention-Annual-Report-FINAL-508.pdf
(8) The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. 2020. National Center
for Veterans Analysis and Statistics. https://www.va.gov/vetdata/
veteran_population.asp (Accessed November 29, 2022).
(9) Statista. 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/586712/iraq-afghanistan-
veterans-with-current-medication-prescription/ (accessed November 30, 2022).
(10) Military Times. https://www.militarytimes.com/pay-
benefits/2018/12/04/one-in-four-troops-have-an-opioid-
prescription-in-a-given-year/ (accessed November 30, 2022).
(11) T. South, Military Times. https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-
military/2021/03/19/fda-regulated-study-shows-promise-for-using-
marijuana-to-treat-veterans-with-ptsd/ (accessed Dec 1, 2022)
(12) Disabled American Veterans (DAV). 2020. https://www.dav.org/
veterans/resources/medical-cannabis/ (accessed Dec 1, 2022)
about the authors
DR. MARION MCNABB, JULIAN SALIM, DJ RITTER, and VANESSA
JONES are with the Cannabis Center of Excellence (CCOE). TOM
RAND is with Patriots Helping Vets. DR. STEVEN WHITE is a pro-
fessor at UMass Dartmouth. Direct correspondence to: marion@
cannacenterofexcellence.org.
