Cannabis Company creates gummy aimed at helping people diet, workout

WAREHAM - When it comes to marijuana, people tend to think of "the munchies" and not exercise.

However, married couple and cannabis entrepreneurs Angela Brown and Brian Cusick said they are creating a gummy to give users an energy burst.

The pair co-founded the company "Coast Cannabis" and operate it in Wareham.

"When I was consuming it, I had a burst of energy," said Brown. "I was going to the gym. I actually had a lot of success with getting on a workout plan. Losing a lot of weight and using this as my pre-workout energy."

The edible contains the cannabinoid "THC-V" which works much differently than the active ingredient "THC" in most marijuana products.

"THC-V is non-psychoactive," Brown pointed out. "So, it's not going to give you that high, that body high."

The gummy could provide results for those on a diet, according to Brown and Cusick.

"We are getting a lot of consumer feedback to validate that," said Cusick. "We are currently the only manufacturer with a gummy product with THC-V in the state."

But are these claims legitimate? Doctors say they do have merit.

"People know THC to have the munchie effect, it's an appetite stimulant," said Dr. Benjamin Caplan, a champion of medical marijuana research. "It's the opposite effect for THC-V. It's an appetite suppressant."

In fact, Caplan is experimenting with THC-V as a treatment for diabetes.

"To have a patient who has, for example, gotten off his daily insulin simply using THC-V. It's pretty dramatic," said Caplan. 

Still, Caplan cautions more research is needed. "It's not hocus pocus. It's a real thing but it needs to have rigorous, long-term, and extensive studies."

Caplan also believes this type of treatment could be useful for a society dealing with obesity, poor metabolism, and diabetes. And said it is especially exciting since it is a natural medicine that could help our bodies function more efficiently.