Cannabis offers various medical benefits. Marijuana products help to treat different types of medical conditions such as chronic pain, nausea, epilepsy, stress disorders, etc. Marijuana has been used as herbal remedy for years now. Today, this medicine is available in many forms. Read to explore more details before you search for the best dispensary for cannabis Oakville.
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Cannabinoids is a key component in marijuana. Two major components include CBD and THC. THC makes users feel high. CBD, on the other hand, does not have mind-altering effects. Today, there are many forms of medical marijuana available. There are a variety of ways one can use it. Users can inhale a vaporized spray, take a pill, smoke the leaves, bake edible into the foods. Medical marijuana works in one’s body in a certain way. The chemicals presiding in marijuana affect one’s body when they connect with certain parts of cells, known as receptors. Medical cannabis helps to treat a few medical conditions which could be epilepsy, stress disorder, chronic pain, nausea, etc. It works as a painkiller according to a research. It also helps people to stop vomiting during chemotherapy. Medicinal benefits of cannabis products are simply amazing. They can make people experience a great level of comfort, happiness and sometimes, euphoria. These effects reduce the pain that users experience from various types of ailments. Thus, medical cannabis Oakville products are very popular. To shop for the best cannabis product that works for the effects which you prefer, all you need to do is to go online and choose a trusted and licensed dispensary.
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NEWS PROVIDED BY Tyson 2.0 | Jun 30, 2022, 09:00 ET
Round Led by JW Asset Management to Advance House of Brands Strategy
Tyson 2.0 is Licensed in over 20 States and has Sold Over 4,000 lbs of Cannabis Flower
ORANGE COUNTY, Calif., June 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Tyson 2.0 (“The Company”), iconic boxer, entrepreneur and cannabis advocate Mike Tyson’s cannabis brand, has taken the nation by storm by becoming a consumer favorite in over 20 US states and Canada since its launch late last year. In that time, Tyson 2.0 has sold over 4,000 pounds of cannabis flower across North America. Today, the Company announced the close of its oversubscribed $9 Million Series A round led by JW Asset Management. Additional investors in the round include K2, Ambria Capital, Tress Capital, and Patrick Carroll.
Tyson 2.0 Co-founder, President and Chairman, Chad Bronstein said, “Mike Tyson and our team believed early on that building high-quality cannabis brands and products backed by A-list celebrities would be a winning combination. Our model has shown early validation with robust sales and expansion of the brand to more than 20 states including several of the world’s leading operators. The next step in our journey will require us to put more capital to work, and I couldn’t think of a better set of partners than the group of investors we have assembled, highlighted by Jason Wild and the team at JW Asset Management.”
The raised funds will be used to acquire more celebrity intellectual property, scale marketing efforts, accelerate distribution, and further invest in the development of Tyson 2.0’s house of brands strategy.
“I’ve had the pleasure of working with and knowing Chad and Adam for many years. I am impressed with how quickly they have scaled the business becoming one of the leading national cannabis brands on the market today. With the ability to develop additional products from celebrities like Mike Tyson, Ric Flair, and more to come, I am confident the strong momentum can continue,” said Jason Wild, President and Chief Investment Officer, JW Asset Management.
Tyson 2.0 is also pleased to announce the appointment of Nicole Cosby as its Chief Legal and Licensing Officer. Cosby also served as Chief Data and Compliance Officer of Fyllo Group and prior to this, held the position of Senior Vice President of Standards at Publicis Group. Cosby is an attorney by trade and has a background in digital advertising/data policy and brand strategy/licensing.
Bronstein concluded, “This is just the beginning, Tyson 2.0 is being sought out by some of the hottest pop culture icons who are cannabis advocates and users, and want the opportunity to share their love of the plant with their fans.”
For more information on Tyson 2.0, visit Tyson20.com. Tyson 2.0-branded merchandise is available for purchase at shoptyson20.com.
About JW Asset Management JW Asset Management is a New York based fund manager with combined assets under management of approximately $1 billion. Jason Wild, the firm’s founder and Chief Investment Officer, is a registered pharmacist and Executive Chairman of TerrAscend Corp (CSE:TER,OTCQX:TRSSF). JW Asset Management has a history of finding attractive investment opportunities across the healthcare and cannabis industries and actively invests in both public and private markets.
About Tyson 2.0 Tyson 2.0 is a premier cannabis company formed with legendary boxer, entrepreneur and icon Mike Tyson. The company’s mission is to produce innovative, high-quality cannabis products known for purity, precision, and wide accessibility. Providing consumers an outstanding selection of products, Tyson 2.0 is an extraordinary balance of premium and affordable, full-spectrum cannabis flower, concentrates and consumables available at retailers nationwide. Learn more at Tyson20.com.
NEWS PROVIDED BY Trulieve Cannabis Corp. | Jul 01, 2022, 07:43 ET
New dispensary expands patient access to medical cannabis; grand opening specials available
TALLAHASSEE, Fla., July 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Trulieve Cannabis Corp. (CSE: TRUL) (OTCQX: TCNNF) (“Trulieve” or “the Company”), a leading and top-performing cannabis company in the United States, today announced the opening of a new medical dispensary in Coral Springs, Florida. Located at 10400 W. Atlantic Blvd., the doors will open at 9am on Friday, July 1, 2022. The dispensary will be open seven days a week, hours are Monday through Saturday from 9am – 9pm and on Sunday from 10am – 8pm.
Grand opening festivities throughout the day at the new dispensary will include numerous partner giveaways, music, food trucks, deals and specials, and all registered patients will receive a 25% discount. Trulieve also offers statewide home delivery, convenient online ordering and in-store pickup. As always, all first-time guests are eligible for a 50% new customer discount at any Florida-based location.
Located at 10400 W. Atlantic Blvd., Coral Springs, FL.
“Trulieve is proud to continue being at the forefront of expanding access to medical marijuana for Florida’s patient population,” said Trulieve’s Chief Executive Officer Kim Rivers, “Trulieve is committed to investing in the Coral Springs community, as well as offering patients access to high quality products and providing exceptional customer experiences.”
As the state’s leading medical cannabis provider, Trulieve’s retail employees are trained to provide personalized patient care and support individuals at every stage of their cannabis journeys. Trulieve dispensaries throughout Florida offer on-site consultations to help patients obtain appropriate medical products and dosages that ensure optimal cannabis experiences.
Trulieve patients across Florida can choose from the largest selection of THC and CBD products available in a variety of consumption methods, including smokable flower, concentrates, edibles, capsules, syringes, tinctures, topical creams, vaporizers, and more.
Designed to meet every patient’s needs, our portfolio of in-house brands includes Alchemy, Co2lors, Cultivar Collection, Modern Flower, Momenta, Muse, Roll One and Sweet Talk. Patients also have access to beloved brands such as Bellamy Brothers, Bhang, Binske, Blue River, Black Tuna, DeLisioso, Love’s Oven, Miami Mango, O.pen and Sunshine Cannabis, all available exclusively at Trulieve in Florida.
For more information, or to learn how to become a registered patient, please visit Trulieve.com.
About Trulieve Trulieve is an industry leading, vertically integrated cannabis company and multi-state operator in the U.S. operating in 11 states, with leading market positions in Arizona, Florida, and Pennsylvania. Trulieve is poised for accelerated growth and expansion, building scale in retail and distribution in new and existing markets through its hub strategy. By providing innovative, high-quality products across its brand portfolio, Trulieve delivers optimal customer experiences and increases access to cannabis, helping patients and customers to live without limits. Trulieve is listed on the CSE under the symbol TRUL and trades on the OTCQX market under the symbol TCNNF. For more information, please visit Trulieve.com.
Research on electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) quit intentions and attempts is limited despite the potential health benefits of quitting, especially for long-term users. The current study aimed to investigate perceptions of harm and addictiveness and tobacco use characteristics associated with quit variables among users of a popular e-cigarette brand, JUUL.
Methods
We surveyed 301 US adult JUUL users on their tobacco use characteristics, perceptions of JUUL harm and addictiveness, and quit variables at 3 time points, from July 2019 to April 2020. We used logistic regression models to assess demographic characteristics, smoking characteristics, and perceptions of JUUL harm and addictiveness as correlates of e-cigarette quit intentions, attempts, importance, and confidence.
Results
Twenty-three percent of the sample had intentions to quit using JUUL within the year, and 22.6% reported making a lifetime quit attempt. The average rating of quit importance was 4.1 and quit confidence was 5.8 on a Likert scale of 1 to 10. More than 90% of the sample indicated that JUUL was at least moderately addictive, whereas less than one-quarter indicated that JUUL was as harmful or more harmful than smoking. Higher levels of perceived JUUL addictiveness were associated with more quit intentions, attempts, and importance. Higher levels of perceived JUUL harm compared with smoking were associated with more quit importance.
Conclusion
Our findings suggest that a small proportion of adult JUUL users are interested in quitting. Self-reported perceptions of JUUL’s addiction potential may be related to more quit attempts. Findings highlight the need for evidence-based information on e-cigarette addictiveness and effective strategies for cessation.
Summary
What is already known on this topic?
Interest in e-cigarette use cessation is growing among regular users, but data on adult e-cigarette users are limited. Qualitative research among young e-cigarette users shows that perceived harm and addictiveness are linked to quit intentions.
What is added by this report?
The current study provides the first quantitative assessment of e-cigarette quit intentions and attempts, and factors associated with quit variables, including perceived e-cigarette harm and addictiveness, among adult users.
What are the implications for public health practice?
Although levels of quit intentions and attempts are low among adult e-cigarette users, those with self-reported symptoms of dependence and perceptions that e-cigarettes are more addictive than smoking may benefit from e-cigarette cessation treatments.
Introduction
An estimated 8.1 million adults currently use electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) in the US (1). Unlike cigarettes, which use combustion to generate tobacco smoke, e-cigarettes aerosolize a nicotine-containing e-liquid for inhalation (2), resulting in lower intake of carcinogens and toxins for long-term e-cigarette users compared with smokers (3,4). Although replacing cigarettes with e-cigarettes likely reduces health risks in the short term for current smokers, e-liquids can contain high levels of nicotine and toxic compounds that may contribute to addiction and respiratory damage (5,6).
Adults’ perceptions that e-cigarettes are harmful and addictive have increased over the past decade along with increased messaging about harms (7–9). For example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website states that e-cigarettes contain toxic and carcinogenic chemicals, cause long-lasting changes in the brain, and are not a method for smoking cessation approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) (eg, cdc.gov/ecigarettes; drugabuse.gov/tobacconicotine-vaping). Data from several national surveys collected in the past decade revealed that the percentage of US adults who believe e-cigarettes are less harmful than cigarettes decreased, while the percentage who believe that e-cigarettes are addictive doubled (7–10).
Motivation for e-cigarette use cessation is rising in parallel with attention to the potential harms of e-cigarettes and the growing numbers of long-term e-cigarette users. Online and national surveys of adult e-cigarette users found that approximately 30% to 60% expressed some interest in quitting and 10% to 64% had made a previous e-cigarette quit attempt (11–13). However, research is limited on the factors associated with e-cigarette quit intentions and attempts, including the influence of harm or addiction perceptions.
Given the changing landscape of e-cigarette harm messaging and regulations, and the media attention given to e-cigarettes, the primary objective of the current study was to investigate e-cigarette quit intentions and attempts by identifying associated factors and focusing on adult JUUL users. Of all e-cigarette brands, JUUL has received the most negative attention because of its popularity among adolescents and young adults and its relatively high levels of nicotine (14). Therefore, we hypothesized that perceptions of JUUL’s addictive potential and harm relative to cigarettes would be associated with quit intentions and attempts.
Methods
In this cross-sectional survey, we used Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) to recruit adults aged 18 or older who indicated having used JUUL in the past 30 days. MTurk is an online labor market where individuals with a registered account, called workers, can complete online jobs, such as computer tasks and surveys, for compensation. Workers can choose from a list of jobs available to them based on their demographic characteristics and geographic location. Substance users and young adults tend to be overrepresented among MTurk workers compared with the general population, making MTurk an ideal platform for research on e-cigarette use behavior (15). To quantify workers’ performance, MTurk assigns each worker a job approval rating based on their number of successfully completed jobs. To improve the reliability and validity of the current survey, we implemented a requirement that only US workers with job approval ratings of at least 98% were eligible to participate. We conducted the cross-sectional survey at 3 time points, July 2019, January 2020, and April 2020, with different samples at each point. All participants provided informed consent electronically before completing study procedures and were compensated $2 for participation. This payment is consistent with MTurk standards (16). All procedures were approved by the Penn State College of Medicine Institutional Review Board.
Measures
The 30-minute survey was developed by the study team to assess JUUL use behavior. The survey assessed demographic information with the items, “How old are you?” and “Are you male or female?”; JUUL use characteristics, including “How long have you been using an electronic cigarette?” and “How long have you been using a JUUL electronic cigarette?” with options to respond in the number of days, months, or years; “How many days in the last 30 have you used your JUUL electronic cigarette?”; “In the past 30 days, what nicotine concentration JUUL pods did you purchase/use?” with response options “5%,” “3%,” or “both”; “Where did you purchase your JUUL electronic cigarette?” with response options “gas station,” “vape shop,” “tobacco store,” “online,” or “I did not purchase”; and “When was the last time you smoked a cigarette?” with options to respond in the number or days, months, or years. Former smokers were asked, “Did you quit smoking before or after you started using JUUL?” with response options “I quit cigarette smoking before I started using JUUL or any other electronic cigarette,” “I quit cigarette smoking after I started using an e-cig other than JUUL,” and “I quit cigarette smoking after I started using JUUL.” We measured e-cigarette dependence with the Penn State Electronic Cigarette Dependence Index (PSECDI); total scores for this index range from 0 to 20, with higher scores indicating greater dependence. Levels of dependence were categorized according to the PSECDI as not dependent (0–3), low dependence (4–8), medium dependence (9–12), and high dependence (≥13) (17). The PSECDI has normative data from more than 3,600 e-cigarette users and shows construct validity in that scores are related to the nicotine concentration of liquids used and show convergent validity with the E-cigarette dependence scale among exclusive e-cigarette users (r = 0.71) (18). We used the following PSECDI item as an independent correlate in our analyses: “How many times per day do you use your JUUL electronic cigarette? (assume that one time consists of around 15 puffs or lasts around 10 minutes).”
Items assessing the quit variables included 1) “Are you planning to continue using your JUUL electronic cigarette for at least the next year, or quit within that time frame?” with response options “I’ll quit using JUUL within a year,” “I plan to continue using the JUUL,” or “Don’t know”; 2) “How important is it for you to quit electronic cigarette use now?” on a 10-point Likert scale ranging from “not at all” to “very”; 3) “How confident are you that you could quit electronic cigarette use now?” on a 10-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (“not at all”) to 10 (“very”); and 4) “Have you ever tried to quit using your JUUL electronic cigarette?” with response options no or yes. Those who made a quit attempt were asked the duration of their quit attempt and if they used any of the following methods during the attempt: “nicotine replacement therapy,” “cold turkey,” “used another tobacco product,” or “FDA-approved medication like Zyban or Chantix.” Participants responded to 2 questions about their perceptions of JUUL use: 1) “Overall, how addictive do you believe using a JUUL is?” with response options “not at all addictive,” “moderately addictive,” and “very addictive” and 2) “Compared to smoking, would you say that JUUL use is . . . ” with response options “much less harmful,” “less harmful,” “just as harmful,” or “much more harmful.”
The survey also inquired about education and employment, e-liquid and pod purchases and refilling behaviors, physical and health effects of JUUL use, motivations for JUUL use, and use of other tobacco products. Information from respondents on the use of flavored JUUL pods in the context of flavor regulations is available elsewhere (19).
Data cleaning
To exclude respondents who were not authentic JUUL users, we required all participants to submit a nonstock photograph of their JUUL device. We excluded from analysis respondents who submitted a stock or non-JUUL photo and illogical or random responses (n = 98). In addition, we removed from analysis 22 duplicate responses across the 3 time points. In total, we excluded 120 respondents from analysis, which resulted in a final sample of 301 unique respondents.
Data analysis
We used SPSS version 26 (IBM Corp) to calculate means and frequencies and to conduct 1-way analyses of variance and χ2 tests for all demographic, perception, and quit variables by smoking status. To prepare the data for regression analysis, we normalized positively skewed variables by applying a square root transformation to the number of months of e-cigarette and JUUL use and a natural log transformation to the number of JUUL use times per day. For smoking status, current smokers were those that indicated using a cigarette less than 1 month ago. Former smokers indicated last using a cigarette 1 month ago or longer. Never smokers reported never using a cigarette. We categorized scores on self-reported quit importance and confidence into low (1–3), medium (4–7), and high (8–10) to simplify analysis. We conducted binomial and multinomial logistic regression models to examine 1) demographic and smoking characteristics as correlates of harm and addiction perceptions and 2) demographic and smoking characteristics and harm and addiction perceptions as correlates of quit variables (ie, intentions, attempts, importance, and confidence). The correlates assessed were sex, age, survey collection time point, place of device purchase, smoking status (ie, current, former, never), PSECDI level, number of use times per day, days of use in the past 30, months of e-cigarette use, months of JUUL use, perceived harm, and perceived addictiveness. We treated all correlates as fixed effects in the models. We first fit each model by using all correlates and then selected models based on the Akaike information criterion (AIC). The AIC considers the risk of overfitting and underfitting to converge on a final model with good fit for the data and simplicity. We calculated total fit metrics (AIC and residual deviance) for each model. We calculated analysis of deviance tables to display the significance of each correlate in the final models with χ2 tests. We calculated odds ratios and significance values of each model parameter estimate to assist with interpretation; however, some subgroup sample sizes were too small to produce reliable parameter estimates, and therefore should be interpreted with caution. We conducted regression analyses by using R statistical software version 3.4.2 (R Foundation for Statistical Computing).
Results
The final sample included 301 current JUUL users; 36.2% (n = 109) were women, and the mean age was 31.9 (SD, 8.5) (Table 1). The sample included 55 (18.3%) current smokers, 165 (54.8%) former smokers, and 81 (26.9%) never smokers. Former smokers last smoked a cigarette 24.6 (SD, 30.7) months ago on average; 35% (58 of 165) of former smokers reported that they quit using cigarettes after starting to use a JUUL. Half of the sample (51%, n = 154) reported using their JUUL daily with an average of 11.8 (SD, 37.9) times per day. Self-reported JUUL use ranged from 1 to 500 times per day among the total sample. Four participants reported using their JUUL 100 or more times per day.
Demographic Characteristics, JUUL Use, JUUL Perceptions, and Quit Variables Across Smoking Status for a Sample of US Adult JUUL Users, 2019–2020a
Total sample quit variables and harm perceptions
Less than one-quarter (n = 68; 22.6%) indicated an intention to quit using JUUL within the year. The sample rated a mean of 4.1 (SD, 2.8) of 10 for the importance of quitting and a mean of 5.8 (SD, 2.7) of 10 for confidence in their ability to quit. Of the 68 (22.6%) who made a lifetime JUUL quit attempt, the average attempt lasted 2.4 months (SD, 3.4) and almost half (n = 31; 45.6%) reported an attempt that lasted less than a month. Of those who reported a quit attempt, most (n = 46; 67.6%) reported quitting JUUL “cold turkey” with the remainder reporting use of nicotine replacement therapy (n = 11; 16.2%), another tobacco product (n = 7; 10.3%), or an FDA-approved medication (n = 4; 5.9%).
Two-thirds of the sample indicated that JUUL was moderately addictive (n = 202; 67.1%) and one-quarter indicated that JUUL was very addictive (n = 75; 24.9%); 76.1% (n = 229) of the sample believed that JUUL was less or much less harmful than smoking, and only 10 (3.3%) participants believed that JUUL was much more harmful than smoking (Table 1).
Of the 75 JUUL users who believed use was very addictive, 45 (60.0%) indicated they would continue using JUUL (Figure 1). Among JUUL users who believed use was very addictive, the median PSECDI score was 12.0 (range, 2–18), and among users who believed use was not at all addictive, the median PSECDI score was 5 (range, 0–11) (Figure 2). Among JUUL users who believed use was much more harmful than smoking, the median score was 11 (range, 2–18), and among users who believed use was much less harmful than smoking, the median score was 8 (range, 0–18).
Mean PSECDI dependence score by level of A) perceived addictiveness of JUUL and B) perceived harm (compared with smoking) of JUUL among a sample of US adult JUUL users (N = 301), 2019–2020. Boxes indicate the 25th percentile, median, and 75th …
Regression models of JUUL perceptions and quit variables
In the final logistic regression models, factors associated with higher perceived JUUL addictiveness included higher PSECDI score, being female (vs male), and being a current or former smoker (vs never smoker) (Table 2). Older age was associated with a higher likelihood of endorsing JUUL as moderately (vs not at all) addictive but a lower likelihood of endorsing JUUL as very (vs not at all) addictive. Factors associated with higher perceived JUUL harm compared with smoking included fewer lifetime months of e-cigarette use, being a current or former smoker (vs never smoker), and being female (vs male) (Table 3). Factors associated with intentions to quit JUUL use in the next year included higher perceived addictiveness and fewer times per day of JUUL use (Table 4). Factors associated with a lifetime quit attempt included higher perceived addictiveness, higher PSECDI score, being a never smoker (vs current or former smoker), and fewer days of JUUL use in the past 30 days (Table 5). Factors associated with higher quit importance included higher perceived addictiveness and harm, higher PSECDI score, being in the second or third collection time point (vs first time point), fewer days of JUUL use in the past 30 days, and fewer lifetime months of e-cigarette use (Table 6). Place of JUUL purchase was a relevant correlate of perceived quit importance, but the direction was difficult to interpret because of sample sizes for the purchase categories. Lower dependence level was the only significant correlate of higher quit confidence.
Results of Logistic Regression Models of Quit Importance and Quit Confidence Among US Adult JUUL Users (N = 301), 2019–2020a
Discussion
The current study surveyed adult JUUL users on their quit intentions, attempts, importance, and confidence and their perceptions of JUUL harm and addictiveness in 3 unique groups at 3 time points. A minority of our participants reported an intention to quit JUUL in the upcoming year or that they had ever attempted to quit JUUL use. Most of our sample perceived e-cigarettes to be less harmful than smoking but at least moderately addictive. Public health warnings about e-cigarette addictiveness have targeted JUUL because of its ability to deliver nicotine levels more similar to a combustible cigarette and at higher levels than most other e-cigarettes on the market (20). The actual addiction potential of e-cigarettes, however, remains under debate because levels of self-reported dependence on e-cigarettes are consistently lower among e-cigarettes users compared with cigarette smokers (17,21,22). In our sample, perceived addictiveness increased with level of dependence, suggesting that participants’ perceptions of JUUL addictiveness may be directly informed by awareness of their own addiction to e-cigarettes.
Higher perceived addictiveness was associated with more quit intentions, attempts, and importance, while higher perceived harm compared with smoking was associated only with more quit importance. Previous qualitative studies of adolescents and young adults found harm and addiction perceptions were primary reasons for future intentions to quit e-cigarette use and previous quit attempts (23,24). The link between addiction perceptions and quit intentions suggests that messaging about the addictiveness of e-cigarettes could increase public interest in quitting among adults, even for smokers using them as cigarette alternatives. This highlights the need for more evidence-based information about the addictiveness of e-cigarettes, including which e-cigarette product features or user characteristics increase risk for e-cigarette addiction.
Reported quit importance was highest in the third and final survey time point, which occurred in April 2020, after the e-cigarette or vaping use-associated lung injury (EVALI) outbreak that began in July 2019 and resolution of its cause (ie, black market tetrahydrocannabinol [THC] products contaminated with vitamin E acetate) in February 2020 (25). We did not measure exposure to EVALI information; however, we suspect that the increased media attention to the potential harms of e-cigarettes in late 2019 may have contributed to the increased quit importance in the survey data collected in January 2020. Although we did not find a significant increase in harm perceptions in our later cohorts, our assessment of relative harm compared with smoking may have missed JUUL users’ perceptions of general harm. Alternatively, the COVID-19 pandemic led to major shutdowns and a surge of health information in the US in March 2020, just before our final survey in April 2020. The increase in quit importance we observed may have been related to the attention to respiratory health and tobacco use during the pandemic and not e-cigarette messaging.
Higher e-cigarette dependence as measured on PSECDI was associated with more quit attempts, higher quit importance, and lower quit confidence, but not quit intentions. This finding, combined with the positive association between dependence and perceived addictiveness, suggests that JUUL users with higher levels of dependence are aware of their own difficulties with quitting and might be open to e-cigarette cessation interventions, even if they are not planning to quit on their own. Simply inquiring about interest in e-cigarette cessation or administering brief self-report dependence measures in clinical and community settings could be an easy and effective way to identify e-cigarette users who might be willing to make a quit attempt. However, our data show that quitting confidence is not high among JUUL users in general and is even lower among those with high levels of dependence. This points to the need for interventions that can boost quitting confidence and success.
Empirically supported treatments of e-cigarette cessation are lacking. A pilot trial showed promise for nicotine replacement therapy, tapering use, and self-guided methods for e-cigarette cessation among young adults (26). A randomized clinical trial among more than 2,000 young adult e-cigarette users found better cessation rates in a text-messaging program (24.1%) than in an assessment-only control condition after 7 months (18.6%) (27). The cessation program, This is Quitting, used a combination of social support and cognitive and behavioral coping skills training conducted entirely through text messages (27). Among our sample, those who attempted to quit primarily did it “cold turkey” and almost half of those who attempted reported that cessation lasted less than a month. Most previous research has focused on links between e-cigarette use and smoking cessation, rather than e-cigarette cessation (28). More research is needed to develop effective evidence-based cessation interventions, to increase awareness of e-cigarette cessation options among the public, and to identify those most in need of cessation programs.
The primary limitations of the current study are the small sample size and use of convenience sampling through MTurk. MTurk participants are not representative of the general US population, which limits our ability to make any population-based inferences from our results (29). However, MTurk is an ideal platform to recruit e-cigarette users because workers tend to be young and overrepresent substance users (30). The anonymity of MTurk facilitates honest and unbiased responses when stigmatized behaviors are being assessed, which cannot always be achieved in face-to-face laboratory studies. We also used numerous data validity and reliability checks. As with any survey study, we were not able to biochemically verify that participants were nicotine users. Purposely masking the true eligibility criteria for the study helped to identify respondents who were not current e-cigarette users. Participants had little incentive to lie about their use, given the many work opportunities on MTurk.
In conclusion, we found that e-cigarette quit intentions and attempts were low among our sample of US adult JUUL users and were associated with higher perceptions of JUUL addictiveness. Increased awareness of the potential addictiveness of e-cigarettes may drive quit intentions and attempts; however, more empirical data on e-cigarette addictiveness is needed to accurately inform the public. Public health priorities should include continuing to educate the public on the known risks of e-cigarettes, their potential role in assisting smoking cessation (31), developing methods for identifying and engaging those at risk for e-cigarette dependence, and developing effective and accessible methods for e-cigarette cessation.
Acknowledgments
A.L.H. is supported by a National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) career development award (K23-DA045081). S.I.A. is supported by a NIDA Diversity supplement (U01-DA04551701-S2). J.F., J.M.Y., N.M.K., C.R.B., and C.L. are supported by NIDA grants (U01-DA045517 and R01 DA048428). J.F. has received grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH); has previously received a grant, personal fees, and nonfinancial support (eg, study drug) from Pfizer Inc, unrelated to this article; in the past (>3 years ago), has done paid consulting for pharmaceutical companies involved in manufacturing smoking-cessation medications (eg, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson); and has acted as a deposed and compensated expert witness on behalf of plaintiffs suing cigarette manufacturers. The authors have no other conflicts of interest to disclose. This project was facilitated by the Penn State Center for Research on Tobacco and Health. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of NIH. No copyrighted material, surveys, instruments, or tools were used in this article.
Footnotes
The opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors’ affiliated institutions.
Suggested citation for this article: Hobkirk AL, Hoglen B, Sheng T, Kristich A, Yingst JM, Houser KR, et al. Intentions and Attempts to Quit JUUL E-Cigarette Use: The Role of Perceived Harm and Addiction. Prev Chronic Dis 2022;19:210255. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd19.210255.
1Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania
2Department of Public Health Sciences, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania
3Center for Research on Tobacco and Health, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania
4Department of Statistics, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania
Corresponding author.
Corresponding Author: Andréa L. Hobkirk, PhD, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, 500 University Dr, Mail Code CH69, Hershey, PA 17033. Telephone: 717-531-0003 ext. 286415. Email: ude.usp.htlaehetatsnnep@krikboha.
Preventing Chronic Disease is a publication of the U.S. Government. This publication is in the public domain and is therefore without copyright. All text from this work may be reprinted freely. Use of these materials should be properly cited.
Articles from Preventing Chronic Disease are provided here courtesy of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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NEWS PROVIDED BY Grand View Research, Inc. Jun 15, 2022, 10:00 ET
SAN FRANCISCO, June 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — The U.S. cannabis market size is expected to reach USD 40.0 billion by 2030 and is expected to expand at a CAGR of 14.9% over the forecast period, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The increased legalization of cannabis for medical and recreational purposes is driving the market growth. Cannabis legalization has influenced the growth.
Key Industry Insights & Findings from the report:
The U.S. market for cannabis is anticipated to be valued at USD 40.0 billion by 2030, owing to growth at an exponential rate. Despite its discrepancy in legality across states, businesses are working hard to keep up with rising demand and frequent legislative changes affecting each state in the country.
The medical end-use segment dominated the market with a 77.5% revenue share in 2021 owing to the increasing research activity and growing scientific literature supporting its benefits in the treatment of various chronic diseases.
Based on source, the marijuana segment dominated the market with an 85.5 % share of the revenue in 2021, owing to the recognition of cannabis for medical purposes and increasing legalization of its use.
Based on derivatives, the CBD segment dominated the market with a revenue share of 66.3% in 2021 due to its rise in acceptance as a potent pain reliever and its use to treat several other conditions.
The possibility of abuse owing to cannabis utilization has been reduced due to major, gradual legalization initiatives in many states. While some states have yet to authorize cannabis for recreational use, perspectives toward its usage and sale have shifted over time. As a result, cannabis use has become more popular, moving the overall cannabis business ahead. The safe utilization of marijuana due to legalization is benefitting the growth of the market.
Based on type, the medical segment dominated the market with a revenue share of 77.5% in 2021. Some of the primary factors responsible for this are increased knowledge about the medicinal benefits of cannabis, rising demand for plant-based medicines in pain management, and increasing legalization of cannabis for medical uses. Several states have authorized medicinal marijuana in recent years, although its prescription is based on the physician’s preference and the patient’s desire. The market is likely to develop at a healthy rate over the forecast period as the number of states that have legalized medical marijuana increases.
Based on the source, the marijuana segment dominated the market with a revenue share of 85.5% in 2021 owing to the use of marijuana for recreational as well as medicinal purposes. Also, the growing consumer base and legal purchasing of marijuana products are boosting the segment growth. Moreover, the initiatives undertaken by the government to legalize the consumption and selling of marijuana in different states in the region are impelling the segment growth.
Based on derivative type, the CBD segment dominated the market with a revenue share of 66.3% in 2021. The growing acceptance of CBD products and legalization of CBD in the region are the major factors contributing to the dominance of the segment. Also, CBD has shown its potential in treating various diseases like PTSD and different types of cancer. Moreover, the key players focusing on the development of CBD-infused products is another factor boosting the growth of the segment.
The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak dramatically impacted the cannabis supply chain and has thrown it into turmoil. As a result of the significant ban, the availability of cannabis in dispensaries has dropped due to the global lockdown. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has harmed the export industry. As a result of the disruption, the distribution system has been interrupted by lockdowns in major countries, affecting both import and export commerce from the U.S. to other countries. On the other hand, the number of patients using cannabis as a medication is certain to rise due to the rise in the number of diseases that require cannabis treatment, thereby paving way for the growth of the market in the forthcoming years.
U.S. Cannabis Market Segmentation
Grand View Research has segmented the U.S. cannabis market based on end-use, source, and derivatives:
U.S. Cannabis Market – End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 – 2030)
Check out more related studies published by Grand View Research:
North America Legal Cannabis Market – The North America legal cannabis market size is expected to hit USD 47.5 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 15.3% from 2022 to 2030, as per a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is likely to see a marginal increase in demand due to the changing government policies for product legalization and use. Off-late, the population across North America has been made aware of the benefits entailing the use of cannabis for multiple indications.
North America, Europe & Asia Pacific Legal Cannabis Market – The North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific legal cannabis market size is expected to reach USD 89.9 billion by 2030, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. It is expected to expand at a CAGR of 25.3% from 2022 to 2030. As more individuals become aware of the medical benefits of hemp, marijuana, and its derivatives, and as these products become more generally available, acceptance is expanding.
Cannabis Extract Market – The global cannabis extract market size is expected to be valued at USD 28.5 billion by 2027, according to a new report published by Grand View Research, Inc. It is projected to expand at a CAGR of 16.6% over the forecast period. Growing legalization of cannabis in various countries, preference for cannabis oil and tinctures, and adoption of medical marijuana for treating chronic diseases like arthritis, anxiety, and Alzheimer’s are the major factors propelling the growth.
Grand View Research, U.S.-based market research and consulting company, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services. Registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco, the company comprises over 425 analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports to its vast database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. With the help of an interactive market intelligence platform, Grand View Research Helps Fortune 500 companies and renowned academic institutes understand the global and regional business environment and gauge the opportunities that lie ahead.
NEWS PROVIDED BY Microsmallcap.com Jun 16, 2022, 08:50 ET
FN Media Group Presents Microsmallcap.com Market Commentary
NEW YORK, June 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Thailand made headlines last week when it became the first country in Asia to decriminalize marijuana, making it legal to grow and sell or use for medicinal reasons. Thai Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul expects legal cannabis production to boost the economy, but warned that recreational cannabis use remains illegal. The public health minister also launched a plan to distribute 1 million marijuana seedlings with a THC level below 0.2% to households across Thailand for medicinal purposes. Cannabis decriminalization in Thailand opens up a new market for cannabis companies like Flora Growth Corp. (NASDAQ: FLGC), OrganiGram Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: OGI) (TSX:OGI), Cronos Group (NASDAQ: CRON) (TSX: CRON), Canopy Growth Corp. (TSX: WEED) (NASDAQ: CGC), and Zynerba Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ZYNE).
Flora Growth Corp. (NASDAQ: FLGC) is a leading all-outdoor cultivator, manufacturer and distributor of global cannabis products and brands that operates one of the largest outdoor cannabis cultivation facilities.
On June 16, Flora Growth announced a new share repurchase program. The company’s board of directors has authorized the repurchase of up to $5 million of its outstanding common shares as market conditions and Flora’s liquidity mandate. The repurchase program will help to increase Flora‘s share price, creating value for shareholders by boosting demand for a company’s stock .
“We believe that the potential to repurchase our shares at these levels represents a compelling opportunity to deploy available cash to drive shareholder value,” said Luis Merchan, Flora Growth‘s Chairman and CEO. “The repurchase program affords us the opportunity to increase our ownership in our portfolio of high-quality brands through our shares, which in our view are trading well below NAV.”
On May 23, Flora Growthannounced that it has reached an agreement with leading cell biologist, Dr. Annabelle Manalo-Morgan, Ph.D., to acquire her Masaya brand, as well as her patent-pending CBD formulations. Created by Dr. Annabelle and backed by her research, Masaya’s pure and potent CBD oil formulations are 100% THC-free. They have a long list of positive testimonials collected over years of use. Flora intends to distribute the brand and its formulations worldwide.
Masaya will become a Flora-owned brand sold in the United States and will be Flora Life Sciences’ first offering. In addition, the original patent-pending formulation, Masaya Pure, is expected to be used in Flora‘s current clinical trials with the University of Manchester in the UK. The formulation is also being registered with the Colombian regulatory agency, INVIMA, as one of the first steps for distribution beyond the United States.
Flora‘s Chairman and CEO Luis Merchan said: “We are excited to announce the acquisition of Masaya. The brand’s formulation was developed by Dr. Annabelle for her son and has since been used by thousands of consumers. Amplifying Dr. Annabelle and her son’s beautiful story and improving the well-being of people around the world is our aim. This acquisition allows us to deliver on our promise to invest in safe, thorough, cutting-edge scientific research that can bring meaningful change via an efficacious and accessible product offering for people worldwide.”
On May 18, Flora Growth announced a partnership between the company’s cannabis accessories brand, Vessel, and Highsman, a cannabis lifestyle brand grounded in an appreciation for greatness founded by the former NFL running back Ricky Williams.
To kick off the partnership, the former NFL star collaborated with Team Vessel to create a custom Helix one-hitter prop designed by Highsman. The Highsman Helix showcases both brands’ appreciation for elite performance and the cannabis plant. Precision crafted from pure, non-toxic brass, the patent-pending dual helix design provides the perfect combination of filtering and cooling for a truly unique user experience.
For more information about Flora Growth Corp. (NASDAQ: FLGC), click here.
Cannabis Companies Report Quarterly Results
OrganiGram Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: OGI) (TSX: OGI) provided a corporate update on March 25. The company earned the third market share position among Canadian licensed producers for the second consecutive month. In addition, it maintained its No. 1 position in terms of market share in dried flowers. In December 2021, the company acquired Quebec-based Laurentian Holdings Inc. The two business leaders are working together for a successful integration across all departments, including human resources, sales, R&D, operations, marketing and finance. This integration supports the synergies identified during the acquisition. Due to the popularity of its flagship Edison brand, OrganiGram has launched two new premium dried flower strains: Edison Kush Cakes and Edison Frozen Lemons. In the second quarter, the company achieved positive Adjusted EBITDA two quarters ahead of schedule, driven by record net sales of $31.8 million.
Cronos Group (NASDAQ: CRON) (TSX: CRON) posted net revenue of $25 million in the first quarter of 2022, an increase of $12.4 million compared to the first quarter of 2021. The year-over-year increase was primarily due to an increase of net sales in the Rest of the World segment, driven by the growth of the Israeli medical market and the Canadian adult-use market. Adjusted EBITDA of ($18.9) million in Q1 2022 improved by $17.7 million compared to Q1 2021. The year-over-year improvement was primarily due to improved gross profit and lower sales and marketing and R&D expenses. In the first quarter, Cronos Group launched a strategic plan to realign the business around its brands, centralize functions and assess the company’s supply chain. The organizational and cost reduction initiatives undertaken aim to better position Cronos Group to generate profitable and sustainable growth over time.
On May 27, Canopy Growth Corp. (TSX: WEED) (NASDAQ: CGC) reported its financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended March 31, 2022. The company advanced its premier North American brand strategy with Canopy Growth considering the acquisition of Wana Brands, North America’s #1 edible cannabis brand, and Jetty Extracts, a top 10 cannabis brand in California, adding to the strong brand portfolio. As a result of business transition activities, the company generated net revenue of $520 million in fiscal 2022, down 5% from fiscal 2021. Through restructuring actions previously announced on April 26, 2022, management expects to generate COGS savings of $30-50 million and general and administrative expense reductions of $70-100 million, both in a period of 12 to 18 months.
Zynerba Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ZYNE) reported R&D expenses of $5.1 million for the first quarter of 2022, including stock-based compensation of $0.5 million. General and administrative expenses were $3.8 million in the first quarter of 2022, including stock-based compensation expenses of $0.6 million. Net loss for the first quarter of 2022 was $8.5 million, with a basic and diluted loss per share of ($0.21). The company continues to expect top results from RECONNECT, a pivotal confirmatory Phase 3 trial of Zygel in patients with Fragile X syndrome (FXS), in the second half of 2023. Zynerba believes that results from RECONNECT, if positive, will be sufficient to support the submission of a New Drug Application (NDA) for Zygel in patients with FXS.
Flora Growth Corp. recently appointed regulatory veteran Holly Bell as Vice President of Regulatory Affairs. Bell will play a key role in Flora’s national and global expansion strategy and will lead government relations in key international markets.
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here is what you should know.
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