How Marijuana Legislation Will Affect Drug Testing In The Workplace

Guest post written by Zeynep Ilgaz

Cofounder of Confirm BioSciences and president of  TestCountry. Confirm offers new, service-oriented drug-testing technology.

Can you fire an employee for testing positive for marijuana?

That question becomes more difficult to answer with every passing election. So far, 23 U.S. states have legalized medical marijuana, with Colorado and Washington voting to legalize recreational marijuana as well.
Many employers — especially those operating in states with these new laws — have questioned how these changes will affect their workplace drug testing policies and whether it’s still possible to promote and maintain a drug-free workplace.
Sorting through the changing laws can be confusing at times, but it’s really not as complicated as it seems. All you need is a fundamental awareness of the important facts and stats that should inform your company’s drug policy.

Key Facts to Know
The legalization of pot has definitely complicated things for employers. Laws and regulations vary from state to state, but here are several basics that are important to know:

• According to SAPAA, there were 13.1 million employed drug abusers in the U.S. in 2007, with food and construction industries leading the way. What’s more, drug and alcohol problems cost the U.S. an estimated $276 billion every year.

• Drug abusers are more likely to become sick or injured, are less productive, can be more distracting to co-workers, have increased absenteeism, and can be a danger to themselves or others. Maintaining a drug-free workplace is important for the safety, health, and productivity of all employees.

• Nearly half of the states and D.C. have approved medical marijuana use, so employers cannot discriminate against employees who test positive for marijuana when it’s prescribed by a physician. However, employers in many states are still allowed to reprimand employees who are impaired on the job due to drug use.

• Marijuana use is still illegal under federal laws. Therefore, any workplace that receives federal funding or is subject to federal regulations requiring the testing of safety-sensitive workers — like the Department of Transportation, for example — must consider marijuana a prohibited substance according to the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988.

• Increased marijuana use, especially in states where it’s legalized, can lead to more dangers on the road. Research done by Columbia University revealed that marijuana alone increased the likelihood of being involved in a fatal crash by 80 percent, so employees involved in road travel should be regularly monitored and tested.

Adjust to the New Standard
Given all the new legislation, employers must find ways to be compliant with state and federal laws while maintaining a safe workplace. But before you start crafting or altering your workplace drug testing policy, you should:

 1.      Talk with an attorney. A qualified attorney will be able to crosscheck your company’s drug testing policy against state and federal laws to ensure it’s compliant on all levels. He or she will also be able to answer any questions regarding the intricacies of your state’s marijuana laws.

 2.      Review your company’s drug testing policy. Carefully look through your drug testing policy, especially the section that addresses marijuana use. Make changes to clarify what you expect from your employees in terms of impairment, safety, marijuana use, and termination. Once again, your attorney should review any changes before the policy is distributed.

 3.      Communicate expectations with employees. Speak directly to your employees about the company’s standards and expectations on drug use and testing, and address any changes that were made to the written policy. Emphasize the importance of maintaining a drug-free workplace for everyone’s safety, health, and productivity.

 4.      Train HR and managers on changes. Your HR personnel and managers should be trained and educated on new policies, how to handle failed drug tests, and what to do about any employees who use medically prescribed marijuana. Remind them about the importance of confidentiality of all health records and testing results.

 5.      Continue or increase drug testing. With drug use and abuse on the rise, employers who strive to preserve a drug-free environment may simply want to increase workplace drug testing. Even if you don’t increase the frequency of testing, don’t let your testing policy go slack because of changing laws. 

Employers in every state should anticipate marijuana use and legalization becoming become more and more prevalent. Although complying with these new standards can feel overwhelming, it’s important to keep a level head. For now, stay informed about these new laws and update or adjust your workplace drug testing policy accordingly to keep your workplace safe, productive, and drug-free.

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Local mother remains on mission for legalized marijuana

By Natalie Bruzda

Julie Michaels is the epitome of a mom on a mission.
What began as a cautious exploration into medical marijuana for the sake of her daughter’s health has turned into something much bigger.
It turned into the passage of Senate Bill 1182 – the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Act.
“I’m very excited, and I’m pleased,” she said. “It’s a big step for Pennsylvania. I did think it would make it to this point, but I didn’t think it would make it this fast, this year.

Michaels, of Connellsville, celebrated from the gallery above the Senate floor, along with several other moms Wednesday, after the state Senate passed the bill by a vote of 43-7.
“This gives patients one more arrow in their quiver to fight their diseases,” said Sen. Mike Folmer, the primary sponsor of the bill.
Julie’s 4-year-old daughter Sydney Michaels, who suffers from Dravet Syndrome, a rare and catastrophic form of intractable epilepsy that begins in infancy, has been the driving force in her fight for the legalization of the bill.

Michaels has worked in concert with a group of other moms – moms whose children also suffer from epilepsy — for the past year, rallying to get the bill passed.
During an address before his fellow senators, Sen. Daylin Leach, co-sponsor of the bill, referred to the moms as the most effective lobbying firm he has ever seen.
Michaels referred to Wednesday’s vote as an “early birthday present,” seeing as Sydney will turn 5 years old on Monday.

Under the bill, state residents will need an access card from the Health Department after proving they have a practitioner-patient relationship and written confirmation of a qualifying medical condition. A handful of drug delivery methods that do not involve smoking it would be permitted under the bill, including extracted oil, edible products, ointments and tinctures.
The effort to get the bill passed has been described as an uphill battle.

The bill that was passed Wednesday is an amended version of the original bill, and no longer includes vaporization of cannabis as a method of treatment delivery.
Dozens of conditions that would have been approved for use under the original bill were also eliminated under the amended version of the bill.
“You can’t have a perfect bill on a situation like this,” Leach said.

“You can’t let the fact that a bill is not perfect mean that you don’t do anything. This does an enormous amount of good for so many people. There are some conditions that should be on that.”
Leach said there is a protocol in the bill to add conditions in the future.
“This will only grow over time,” he said. “At the end of the day, we’re going to help as many people as we can, as quickly as we can, and we’ll fight to help more.”

Although Michaels referred to Wednesday as a big step for Pennsylvania, it’s not the end of the road.
The state House of Representatives must pass the bill before their current session ends in two weeks, otherwise, the process begins again come January.
This possibility, however, isn’t deterring Julie Michaels. She planned to visit the offices of state House members Wednesday afternoon in the attempt to change some minds.

She and her fellow moms believe that they have 160 House members committed to voting yes.
“We continue what we’ve been doing,” Folmer said. “There’s no big contract lobbyists helping us in this. These are all real people, and they’re going to continue what they’ve been doing. They’ll continue to educate, educate, educate — and that’s what we need to do. This is about education.”

Sydney, who has joined Julie on many trips to Harrisburg over the past year, was not able to make the trip on Wednesday.
In her absence, Julie carried with her a portrait of Sydney.
“It wouldn’t have been possible without the kids,” Michaels said.

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Springs Woman Claims Marijuana Cured Her Son’s Cancer

DENVER (CBS4) – More than 200 children under the age of 10 now have medical marijuana cards in Colorado, according to information received in a CBS4 records request. One woman in Colorado Springs now goes so far to say marijuana has cured her 4-year-old son’s cancer.
Sierra Riddle refused to use much of the chemotherapy that was ordered and now says her son Landon, 4, is cancer free. Even with the progress, the boy is still taking marijuana.
Parents have made amazing claims of success through cannabis in treating illnesses. CBS4 Investigator Rick Sallinger has been following Landon’s progress. He was diagnosed with leukemia. On Sallinger’s third visit he found a surprising change in how Landon was taking his marijuana.

Landon began with what’s called CBD oil from marijuana containing a very low level THC, the psychoactive ingredient. Now he is doing what’s called “vaping,” in which the heat activates the THC.
“He is 100 times better, and it’s hard to imagine because when we saw you guys he was 100 times better than he was a few months before,” Riddle said.
Riddle said Landon was near death. She claims the chemotherapy was making him sick, so she switched to marijuana oil and moved from Utah to Colorado. Child Protective Services gave her an ultimatum — use the bottles of chemo medication or risk losing her child.

Landon Riddle in 2012 (credit: CBS)

“I took all of them in and I sat them down and (said), ‘Here are all these pills that you said he cannot live without,’ “ Riddle said.
Landon continued to do monthly intravenous chemo treatments in a doctor’s office, but that’s not what Riddle feels has made him the healthy-looking young boy he is today.

Sallinger asked Riddle if she believes marijuana cured Landon’s cancer and she replied that she does. Sallinger then asked her why was Landon was taking marijuana. Riddle said if she stops the marijuana treatments she fears Landon may suffer a relapse.
Dr. Larry Wolk, Executive Director and Chief Medical Officer for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, fears what could happen if Landon continues to use marijuana.

“I’m concerned because we don’t yet know what the potential harmful effects of vaping or eating those kind of products are,” Wolk said.

He said they know marijuana can harm brain development in children.
Figures from the state registry show 357 children under the age of 18 now have marijuana registry cards, and 110 of them are from 5 to 10 years old, with 104 between 1 and 5.
At the Riddle home the risks seem to be far outweighed by the perceived benefits. On Sallinger’s last visit with Riddle she prepared a treat for Landon.
“I’m making Landon a cannabis smoothie,” she said.

Sierra Riddle making Landon a marijuana smoothie (credit: CBS)

The smoothie has bananas, chocolate, oranges, coconut water — and marijuana.
For a growing number of young children in Colorado marijuana is the new health food.
Landon is scheduled to go back to the doctor in a few days. His mother is hoping he will get a clean bill of health and no longer be prescribed chemo. Her claim of marijuana curing his cancer would be confirmed — at least in her mind.

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We Spoke to the Alaskan Woman Who Quit Her News Anchor Job on Live TV to Run a Weed Dispensary

By Patrick McGuire

Last night, after hosting a segment on the effort to legalize weed in Alaska, local KTVA news anchor Charlo Greene quit her job in true “fuck you, fuck you, you’re cool” fashion. Charlo went off script and told her Alaskan audience, on live TV, that she owned Alaska’s only cannabis club and that she would be leaving the news world behind— in order to put all her energy towards supporting the marijuana legalization movement in Alaska. Effective immediately, Charlo has begun a new life advocating for the movement by continuing to run the only weed dispensary in the home state of Sarah Palin. Before signing off, she also added: “Fuck it, I quit.”

Unsurprisingly, the mix of weed, unexpected swearing on live local news, and the thrill of someone quitting their job scorched earth style, resulted in Charlo’s final news broadcast going viral. So, we caught up with her earlier today to talk about her decision to bail on the glamourous life of local news reporting, her cannabis club, and the legalization movement in Alaska.
VICE: So when did you start the cannabis club?
Charlo Greene: We purchased a business license on 4/20/2014!
 
How's the business been going?
It’s been going great! Well enough for me to feel comfortable in walking away from a career that I’ve spent all my adulthood building.
Why did you decide to quit in such an extravagant fashion?
[Laughs] To draw attention to the issue. You, as a journalist, know that all of us are replaceable. The people aren’t really going to miss you, or me, or any random reporter for the most part. So why not just use the position I was put in to make sure that my next chapter is just wide open for me?

What was the aftermath like in the studio?
Thank goodness it was on a Sunday night when most of the people were in the downstairs studio. I was doing my live hit in the upstairs one, so I didn’t see anything happening in the actual newsroom itself, but there were a couple of higher ups that were on my floor that were kinda freaking out—a little panicked. The phones were ringing off the hook, and I was escorted out. That was it.
 
And there’s been no fallout since?
The station took down my bio and all that stuff, but no one has been in touch with me.
That’s good. Did you see their tweet saying that you had been terminated?
[Laughs] Yeah. [Laughs some more] I saw that. That was stupid.
It’s pretty rich, I think.

[Laughs] Yeah, and then the fact that there’s so much support… if you just go and look at the tweet they made, you’ll see the response is, “No, you guys got it wrong. She just quit. We heard it. We saw it.”
It’s really cool to see how many people are rallying behind this. I kinda did something that all of us, at least at some point or another, always wished we could do. Like, “Fuck it, I’m done. This is dumb. I’m going to do something else. I’m going to be my own boss. I’m going to make a difference because I have the opportunity to do so.”

So why don’t we talk about that opportunity. How did you get into cannabis in the first place?
I’m Alaskan. Alaskans smoke weed. It just is what it is. But I first tried it when I was in high school, and I didn’t like it at all, so I quit completely and I just drank like, a ton, which is also a really big issue here in Alaska. It got to the point when I was in college that I’d been drinking so much I ended up not even going to class, I failed out of an entire semester and I took a really heavy course load. Out of seven classes, I failed all of them, except for gym, and that’s only because he felt sorry for me

I knew that alcohol, as a vice, wasn’t going to allow me to become the person I was meant to be. So I needed something else to do that maybe wasn’t so harmful, and I picked up smoking weed. I went from failing an entire semester, to the next semester, and every semester after that, being on the Dean’s List. I graduated cum laude... And that’s because I was smoking weed! I sat my ass at home and did what I needed to do, and I never woke up with a hangover because of it, or got behind the wheel and ran over a family or anything because of it.

Do you have medicinal reasons for smoking or is it all recreational?
I think recreational is a funny term, because who’s to say that you sitting down and smoking a joint, and it having a relaxing effect on you, is any different from you popping a Zoloft? You wouldn’t call popping a Zoloft recreational—well, you probably would…

I know what you’re getting at, though.
So mine’s medical. I think pretty much everyone that smokes weed is doing it medically.
For people who aren’t up on the situation in Alaska, what is the latest on the effort to legalize there?
Polling is showing that support is slipping, that’s why I stepped away from my career. Otherwise I would have just been behind the scenes [in the media] the entire time, just making sure the fear mongering, and the non-facts they put out there that journalists never want to do the work to actually fact check themselves—I would have just stayed there to make sure it’s a fair fight. But polling has been showing that the fear-mognering is working, so I had to step away to make sure that Alaskans know what’s really at stake. And the opportunity that is ahead of us.

Are you optimistic?
Oh yeah. If you were to look at our Facebook messages, and our comments, and the emails that we’re getting, it’s people that have never cared to vote. Like, “You have balls, and I am registering to vote, let’s go and do this. I’m behind you.” We already know that we’re shifting things back to the right side of where it should be, and getting the support behind legalizing marijuana in Alaska on November 4th.
 
Great! Do you have a favourite strain?
A favourite strain… I’m gonna go with Jack. Jack Herer. It’s a classic.
 
It sure is. So I presume your cannabis club is all private membership right now?
It is. For now, until we vote to legalize it. The medical side is always going to be running. We’re planning on branching out and getting into retail of course. But we need to ensure our medical marijuana patients aren’t screwed over when this vote is passed. This initiative makes no differentiation between medical and recreational marijuana.
Voters in Alaska decided to legalize medical marijuana back in 1998, and 16 years later the state hasn’t set up any framework for them to be able to get it—to allow any dispensaries. They were screwed over then. This effort, this ballot measure, cannot screw them a second time. I’m not going to let that happen.
 
Right on. Do you have any advice for anyone who wants to quit their job in a spectacular fashion?
Do it big. If you’re going to quit your job, do it big. Why not? Your job probably sucks, so go ahead and get whatever you can out of it. If your job gives you access to information that might help wherever you’re going to go next, then get that! If you’re just a cog in this massive machine, and you know you’re replaceable, and you’re treated that way. Then replace them. Be brave. Be ballsy. And make sure you’re going to be OK afterwards.

A Crucial Election Season for Legalizing Marijuana and Ending the Drug War

It may be an off-year election, but it's a big one for drug policy reform. In seven weeks, voters across the country will have a chance to accelerate the unprecedented momentum to legalize marijuana and end the wider drug war. In fact, there are more drug policy reform questions on the ballot this November than ever in American history. Voter initiatives -- primarily reforming or repealing marijuana laws -- appear on the ballots in seven states, at least 17 municipalities and one U.S. territory. To help you keep score at home, here's an overview, starting with the highest-profile measures.

Oregon: Passage of Measure 91 will make the Beaver State the third to legalize marijuana for adults outright. Like the historic laws adopted in Colorado and neighboring Washington two short years ago, this initiative would legalize possession of small amounts of marijuana for adults 21 and older and create a statewide system to regulate production and sales. And similar to Colorado's law, Measure 91 would allow adults to cultivate small amounts of marijuana under controlled circumstances. In this entirely vote-by-mail election, the initiative has already been endorsed by the Pacific Northwest's largest daily paper and would likely boost efforts across its southern border to end marijuana prohibition in California two years from now.

Alaska: The other statewide marijuana legalization initiative, Measure 2, is closely modeled on Colorado's Amendment 64 and tracks many of the elements in Oregon's prospective law. Alaska was something of a marijuana reform pioneer as possession and cultivation of small amounts for personal use in a private residence has been protected under the Alaska Constitution since the 1970s. Alongside Oregon in 1998, Alaska was among the first states to legalize medical marijuana. With a deep-rooted respect for personal freedom, Alaska would become the first red state to legalize marijuana for adult use, no doubt raising eyebrows across the political spectrum.

Florida: Amendment 2 is the only statewide medical marijuana initiative on the ballot this year, and it's one to watch. Victory would make Florida, with its huge population and bell weather status in American politics, the very first southern state to adopt a medical marijuana law. With 23 other medical marijuana states and super-majority support nationally, passage of Amendment 2 would effectively settle any lingering questions on public acceptance of marijuana as medicine. It's going to be a challenge, though, since Florida law requires 60% to pass a voter initiative. While polls indicate enormous support, casino mogul Sheldon Adelson contributed a few million dollars to stop it as Amendment 2 is associated with Charlie Crist's comeback gubernatorial campaign. Adelson's intervention has created the first well-funded opposition to a statewide marijuana reform campaign ever.

California: On the heels of reforming its harshest-in-the-nation Three Strikes law in 2012, Californians are now poised to refine six low-level, nonviolent offenses, including simple drug possession, from felonies to misdemeanors. Proposition 47 would then dedicate the savings -- likely more than $1 billion a year -- to schools, victim services, and mental health treatment. With retroactive sentencing and expungement provisions, the impact of Prop 47 in California on wasteful corrections spending and individual lives would be profound and surely resonate across the country.

District of Columbia: Earlier this year, the D.C. Council adopted the nation's most far-reaching marijuana decriminalization law. In November, voters in the nation's capital will decide whether to go even further. Initiative 71 makes it legal for adults over the age of 21 to possess and cultivate small amounts of marijuana. While District law prevents the ballot initiative from addressing the sale of marijuana, the D.C. Council is considering a bill that would tax and regulate marijuana within the District. D.C. has the highest per capita marijuana arrest rates in the U.S. with enormous racial disparities as police target African Americans for 91 percent of these arrests. Initiative 71 will be the first marijuana reform campaign fought primarily on the issue of the drug war's ongoing toxic impact on black communities.

Other races: Voters in municipal elections from the Northeast to Micronesia will weigh in November 4 on a range of marijuana focused issues.
· Guam: Voters could make this U.S. territory the first to adopt medical marijuana. Thebinding referendum would allow for dispensaries regulated by the Department of Public Health and Social Services.
· Maine: By a wide margin in 2013, Portlanders chose to eliminate criminal penalties for adult possession of up to an ounce of marijuana. In seven weeks, voters in York, South Portland, and Lewiston will tackle the same question.
· Michigan: In the last two years, residents of seven cities have voted to remove local penalties for adult possession of small amounts of marijuana in a private residence. As of now, a whopping 11 other cities (with apparently more to come) will have the chance to follow suit this year.
· New Mexico: Last month, the City of Santa Fe became the first in the state to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana. On the ballot in November, voters in Bernalillo (Albuquerque) and Santa Fe Counties will decide if their county should affirm decriminalization efforts.
Public opinion has shifted dramatically over the last decade in favor of reforming marijuana laws and dismantling the egregious excesses of the drug war. And elected officials have begun to take notice. The U.S. House has voted five times in recent months to let states set their own marijuana policies while Senators Rand Paul and Cory Booker have introduced similar bi-partisan legislation in the U.S. Senate in addition to a cluster of other long-overdue criminal justice reforms. When the dust settles on November 5, the momentum for change in this country will only have accelerated.

Stephen Gutwillig is the Deputy Executive Director for Programs of the Drug Policy Alliance, the nation's leading organization working to promote alternatives to the failed war on drugs.

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Medical marijuana

Marijuana (also known as cannabis) is a hemp plant. The flowers and leaves of the plant contain a chemical known as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which causes the effects felt with marijuana use. It is the THC that is sought after for various medical applications.

What are the effects of marijuana?

Marijuana produces many effects within the body. Some of the most notable are:

• psychological and cognitive effects such as euphoria (commonly referred to as a "high"), dysphoria (a "low"), anxiety, personality changes, hallucinations, misperceptions, sedation, and memory impairment
• pain relief
• suppression of nausea and increased appetite
• decrease in blood pressure (because of widened blood vessels; it is this effect that causes red eyes)
• smoke-related lung damage (with long-term use)

What's the status of medical marijuana in Canada?

In Canada, possession of medical marijuana is controlled under the Marihuana Medical Access Regulations, which came into effect in the summer of 2001. The regulations allow people with severe diseases to use marijuana to relieve their symptoms when the usual treatments for these conditions have failed.
However, marijuana continues to be an illegal drug in Canada.

Who can qualify to use marijuana for medical purposes? How do I apply?

Health Canada outlines the following two categories of individuals who may qualify to use marijuana medically.
Category 1: This category applies to those who suffer from specific symptoms of a serious illness where usual therapies have failed. These symptoms include:

• severe pain or muscle spasms from multiple sclerosis, a spinal cord injury, or disease
• severe pain, inability to eat, severe nausea, weight loss, and malnutrition from cancer or HIV/AIDS infection
• severe pain from severe forms of arthritis
• epilepsy seizures

Category 2: This category applies to those who have serious medical conditions and are experiencing symptoms that are not outlined in category 1 where usual treatments have failed.
You must apply to Health Canada's Marihuana Medical Access Division (MMAD). A medical specialist must complete and sign a medical declaration (an application form) indicating your symptoms and the dosage of marijuana being prescribed. If you are authorized to use medical marijuana, you will be issued an identification card that must be presented to police on request.

Is marijuana addictive?

It can be. It's important to know that inappropriate use of marijuana can lead to physical dependence and addiction. Physical dependence means that when a person stops using the substance, they develop withdrawal symptoms. Medical trials have shown dependence after taking high doses of marijuana. Withdrawal symptoms are usually mild and include disturbed sleep, decreased appetite, restlessness, irritability, and sweating.

Physical dependence is not the same as addiction. Addiction is a psychological need for the drug that leads to cravings, inability to control drug use, and an uncontrollable need to use the drug despite the harm it may cause. Whether or not someone becomes addicted to marijuana will depend on a variety of factors, such as genetics.

Where can I find more information?

For more information on the regulations or to obtain application forms, visit Health Canada's Marihuana Medical Access Division at www.hc-sc.gc.ca. You can also write to the Marihuana Medical Access Division, Drug Strategy and Controlled Substances Programme, Health Canada, Address Locator 3503B, Ottawa ON K1A 1B9.

With support growing, medical marijuana bill gets focus in the Pa. Senate next week

By Christina Kauffman

Lancaster City Council's Tuesday night vote to support legalization of medical marijuana represents a growing wave of acceptance of a once-taboo subject, and proponents are hoping the vote was just a primer for the coming weeks.

Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi, R-Chester, said Wednesday he plans to caucus a medical marijuana legalization bill next week after legislators return for fall session.

Senate Bill 1182, sponsored by Sen. Mike Folmer, R-Lebanon County, passed 11-0 from the Senate's Law and Justice Committee in June.
Pileggi said the legislation has "broad support" in the Senate, and next week's discussion will decide whether to move forward on a full vote in that chamber.

Folmer on Wednesday said he believes he has the votes of 45 of the state's 50 senators, but the bill could be a tougher sell with the House of Representatives and Gov. Tom Corbett, who must also approve it before it would become law.
The final document is expected to be broader in scope than Corbett previously said he would support, Pileggi said.

In the House, Republican spokesman Steve Miskin said there  are still "a number of members who believe that it's the FDA that should be deciding what is and what isn't medicine."
Pharmaceutical companies are among the bill's biggest opposition, Folmer said, but the cannabis-derived treatments come without the life-threatening side-effects of many prescribed medications.

Citizen activists whose children suffer from intractable epilepsy, a group of mothers Folmer calls "The Mama Bears," have led a growing educational movement that has gradually recruited new supporters from the ranks of both chambers, he said.
"We've been on a mission from the beginning to not view anyone who's opposing as an enemy, but to educate, educate, educate," he said.

The bill doesn't propose getting children high or making them smoke, he said. It would allow in-state physicians to prescribe medicinal cannabis for numerous conditions, including the seizure disorders for which a low-THC cannabis oil has shown effective.

Mom starts recruiting
Among the 'Mama Bears' is Lolly Myers, a Swatara Township mother whose journey with 6-year-old daughter Anna Myers parallels the stories of numerous other Pennsylvania parents of children who suffer from intractable epilepsy.
First, there was pharmaceutical roulette.
Lolly Myers said she had reached a point at which she would try just about anything to stop the constant assault against her daughter's brain, she said.

In the three years since Anna's diagnosis, she has been prescribed 10 different anticonvulsants. Most worsened the seizures.
Then came the "voo-doo."
The mother tried frankincense on the child's neck. Holy basil drops in mouth. Supplements. Fish oil. Vitamin E. Going dye-free. Carb-free. Taking turmeric pills.

But the Swatara Township mother blew off the friends who suggested medical marijuana.
Part of her refusal, she said, was reluctance to get her hopes up just to have them crushed. Eventually, she started researching it.
What the research yielded was -- for her and a growing number of the state's voters and politicians -- something that transformed a skeptic into an advocate.

About six months ago, she and others founded an advocacy group called "Campaign for Compassion," a group that has grown to include more than 1,000 members. They're holding another rally in Harrisburg on Monday.
"We feel like God brought us together for a purpose," Myers said. "We are light-years ahead of where we were even just a year ago. A year ago, nobody knew about this medicine. Now everybody gets asked the question, 'How do you feel about medical marijuana?' The political tide has changed."

Myers said every day, at least one child from the group enters a prolonged seizure.
"I think in that moment, 'This is it. We're going to lose one,'" she said. "These are Make-A-Wish kids. Every one of them is at the risk for sudden death, and it's not fair to make them wait another minute."

Myers said she believes medical marijuana has reached the critical level of support needed for the bill to become law, and the Lancaster City Council's vote is evidence of that.

"Every one of them is at the risk for sudden death, and it's not fair to make them wait another minute." Lolly Myers

Lancaster takes a stand
While Philadelphia is expected to vote to decriminalize marijuana, Lancaster might've been the first and only municipality in the state to pass a resolution in favor of medical marijuana.
Amy Sturges, director of governmental affairs for the Pennsylvania Municipal League, said she's unaware of any other municipalities that have taken or are considering a position on medical marijuana.
But she said medical marijuana is outside the league's usual policy interests, which include open record laws and state policies pertaining to municipalities.

"The Municipal League would not bring (medical marijuana) up to them," she said. "Taking action on this sort of thing is outside the realm of this organization. This is outside the purview of the local government, and the council must've felt strongly about it."
The Municipal League is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization representing Pennsylvania cities, townships, towns, boroughs, and home rule municipalities.

The resolution to support Folmer's Senate bill doesn't legally change anything within the city limits, but Lancaster City Council member James Reichenbach said the vote was intended to give the city a voice as state legislators mull the proposal.
 "I look at our country as a compassionate country and to me that was a no-brainer," he said. "This wasn't a grandstanding issue. It was an attempt to give elected officials above us more information so they have our position when they make the decision. This constituent base has spoken."

The council moved forward on the resolution after an "overwhelming number" of residents expressed support, he said.
The council's decision was also backed by a June survey showing support for medical marijuana reached its highest level in the Franklin & Marshall College Poll.
According to the poll, 84 percent of voters strongly favor or somewhat favor allowing adults to use medical marijuana for treatment if a doctor recommends it.

With the growing support and the efforts of amateur lobbyists, Folmer said he expects the bill will become law this fall.
"My only fear is nature of the whole political process in Harrisburg, that this would get caught up in the quagmire and we have to start all over from scratch again next year," he said.

On a federal level, Rep. Scott Perry, R-York County, has introduced a bill to legalize the marijuana-based oil treatment for seizures. That bill is still in committee.


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Scientists Studied What Smoking Pot Every Day Does to Teens, and the Results Are Bad

 

 

By Tom McKay  

The news: A new study published in British health journal the Lancet Psychiatry has found that marijuana use is associated with serious educational attainment problems in teenagers.

The study concluded that teens who smoke marijuana on a daily basis are 60% less likely to complete their high school education than those who never touch the stuff. According to the research, those same teens are also 60% less likely to complete their college education and are more than seven times (!) as likely to attempt suicide.

Before drawing conclusions, though, let's run through the study and its implications.

The study: Data from 3,725 students from Australia and New Zealand was analyzed to investigate "association between the maximum frequency of cannabis use before age 17 years (never, less than monthly, monthly or more, weekly or more, or daily) and seven developmental outcomes assessed up to age 30 years (high school completion, attainment of university degree, cannabis dependence, use of other illicit drugs, suicide attempt, depression and welfare dependence)." The researchers claim they controlled for other factors such as age, sex, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, use of other drugs and mental illness.

The researchers found "clear and consistent associations" between the high quantities of marijuana young people reported ingesting and "all adverse young adult outcomes." So pretty much every one of the seven developmental outcomes was tied in some way to marijuana use before the age of 17, and the problems got worse as teenagers consumed more and more marijuana.

But wait a second: This looks pretty bad, but the study's implications for the liberalization of marijuana laws aren't quite so cut and dry. The Washington Post's Christopher Ingraham runs down a couple of confounding factors, including that drug-using teens are often stereotyped by teachers and have run-ins with the law that those who use alcohol may not, which can have an adverse impact on their educational outcomes. 

They may also be falling in with the wrong crowd, like drug dealers, which means that many of the problems teens are running into might actually have to do with the stigma and legal penalties of regularly using an illegal drug, rather than marijuana itself.

Moreover, "Won't somebody think of the children?" might have some scientific backing in this case, but the results just mean state and local governments need to do a better job of keeping marijuana out of the hands of teenagers, something that hasn't necessarily been accomplished by decades of prohibition. 

Despite abrupt shifts in attitudes towards marijuana, CDC shows marijuana use among high schoolers hasn't grown at all and in fact remains lower than it was in 2001. Another study found no evidence that states with legal medical marijuana, like Colorado, were experiencing higher rates of teen use.

Finally, teen drinking is associated with a countless array of other destructive effects, but few people have suggested bringing back the alcohol prohibition of the early 20th century.

Marijuana has a variety of medical purposes and can be used recreationally by responsible adults, and there's no evidence whatsoever that a well-regulated legal environment for weed would dramatically increase teen use.

Habitual marijuana might not be healthy, but that doesn't mean the government should continue an incredibly harmful war on drugs that uses heavily armed police and the threat of criminal penalties to keep everyone away from marijuana. It's not working, which should be reason enough to consider alternatives.

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Coalition hopes to swing conservative voters toward legalizing marijuana

Proponents of an initiative that would legalize marijuana in Alaska are hoping to reach out to a voting bloc considered unlikely to support the effort: conservatives.

On Wednesday, the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol in Alaska announced the formation of the Coalition of Conservatives in Support of Ballot Measure 2. The group consists of Eddie Burke, conservative talk radio show host and Anchorage Tea Party founding member; Bruce Schulte, Alaska Republican Party district chair and state central committee member; and Dani Bickford, who describes herself as a longtime Republican and Anchorage mother. Bickford recently joined the yes campaign as a field director but said her role in the coalition is as a volunteer. She is married to campaign spokesman Taylor Bickford.

The goal, coalition members say, is to get more conservatives on board with what they see as the positives of legalizing marijuana in Alaska. According to the campaign, the group will use a variety of tactics to reach out to conservative voters, including social media and recruiting volunteers.
In November, Alaskans will decide whether to support Ballot Measure 2, which would legalize recreational marijuana in Alaska. If passed, it would make the drug legal to those 21 years of age and older and tax it at $50 per ounce. It would make Alaska the third state in the country to legalize recreational use.

Generally, Democrats are more likely, both nationally and in Alaska, to support marijuana legalization. A poll from the Republican House Majority in April found that 64 percent of Democrats support legalization, while 57 percent of Republicans polled were against it. However, when it comes to political leaders, those party lines appear to be less consistent.

The establishment of the coalition comes despite opposition from multiple conservative groups, including the Alaska Republican Party, which voted overwhelmingly to pass a resolution in May opposing the ballot measure. The Anchorage Republican Women's Club posted on Facebook following Wednesday's event that the majority of Republican leaders in the state oppose Ballot Measure 2 and called Burke, Schulte and Bickford "self-appointed" representatives.

Numerous Alaska conservative leaders have come out against the measure, including Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Gov. Sean Parnell and U.S. Senate candidate Dan Sullivan.
Even liberal-leaning politicians have taken no stance, including the independent gubernatorial ticket of Bill Walker and Byron Mallott, as well as Sen. Mark Begich. Alaska Democratic Party spokesman Zack Fields said the party discussed taking a position on the measure but ultimately decided not to.

U.S. Rep. Don Young, a Republican, has publicly stated he believes marijuana legalization to be a states’ rights issue. In May, he signed on to a bill that would protect marijuana users from federal prosecution in states where it is legal, saying that the states should be left to decide whether to legalize marijuana or not, not the federal government.

Deborah Williams, co-chair of the opposition group Big Marijuana. Big Mistake. Vote No on 2, is also the former head of the Alaska Democratic Party. She’s not surprised to see leaders from both sides of the political spectrum opposing the issue. Williams said her stances on public safety, protecting children, education and economics are all reasons she’s a Democrat -- and are the same reasons why she opposes Ballot Measure 2.

“This issue (of marijuana legalization) goes to core shared principles of the Democratic and Republican parties,” Williams said. “And that is why so many prominent Democrats and Republicans oppose this.”
Schulte said he understands why other Republicans might have problems with marijuana legalization, given the stigma associated with its use.

“I get why this sounds weird, but it’s not weird at all,” Schulte said.
He said many Republicans he’s talked to are often working on bad information. Once they read the initiative, he said, it’s clear it provides a solid start to creating a regulatory system.
Asked if whether Republicans, who rarely are in favor of increased regulation, would balk at creating more regulations, he said given the alternatives, it’s Alaska’s best option.

“The alternative is to let it remain a black market industry: untaxed, unregulated, unchecked,” Schulte said. “Or tax it and regulate it and treat it just like alcohol. Given those two choices, I’m all about regulating it.”
Burke, who ran for lieutenant governor in 2010, said it was tough for him to come out in support of the initiative; his conservative, faith-based values did not seem like an easy fit at first. But he said it’s not his job to make decisions for other people, and that’s not what the government should be doing when it comes to marijuana.

Burke said his views of supporting “liberty, responsibility and personal freedom” all fit into his beliefs on supporting marijuana legalization.
“For me that’s what its all about, and I think Alaskans would agree,” he said.
Bickford’s appeal comes from her experience as a lifelong Republican and a mother. She said she believes that if the initiative goes through it will create safer communities and protect children.
“Black market dealers don’t ask teen buyers to show ID,” she noted.

Despite the different points of view, the coalition members say they agree that the initiative gives power back to Alaskans, and ultimately, adults.
“I drink alcohol. I can be trusted. I made it here in once piece,” Bickford said during the press conference.
“I had wine with dinner last night,” Schulte added.
“Oh, you did? That’s excellent,” Bickford replied. “The government let you do that? That’s awesome.”


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Measure 91: Look at the facts of legal marijuana with clarity, not fear (guest opinion)

By Melinda D. Ott, Argus Community Writer
As Election Day nears, we are hearing more and more about the various ballot measures voters will face Nov. 4. Probably the most widely discussed so far is Measure 91, which would legalize the recreational use of marijuana.
I plan to vote against this measure. It is not that I do not understand the arguments for legalization — I do and, in fact, agree with some of them. Yet, I am basing my vote on an emotional reaction stemming from past family experiences. Sometimes, I just have to go with my gut.

Yet, if the measure passes — and I expect it will — I won't be hurt, disappointed or angry. Instead, I will continue to live my life the way I have been living it. In the grand scheme of things, whether or not marijuana is legal has little to no impact on me.

Melinda D. Ott  

When a change in social issues comes to a vote or is legislated, emotions on both sides of the argument rise. Typically, one group is vying for a right that was previously denied to them and the other group is concerned about the ramifications of these new rights.   Concern can breed fear, and fear frequently clouds the view of reality.

In the case of marijuana, I've heard three arguments against it: Legalization would make it easier for kids to obtain it, legalization would increase the incidents of people driving under the influence, and legalization of marijuana would lead to the legalization of harder substances.  These are important issues and they should be considered, but we should look at the facts with a clear mind, not from a place of fear.

Let's say that Measure 91 passes and marijuana becomes legal. The state government will have to look at how it handles people driving under the influence of marijuana. And there may be moves to legalize more substances, but that is something that should come before voters again. The last time something like this happened was 71 years ago when Prohibition was overturned, so I can't see the floodgates opening for this one. As for the availability of marijuana for children — well, that lies in the court of personal and parental responsibility.

My husband and I raise our children to know that cigarettes are an unhealthy choice — sadly, this issue has already come up with our preschooler and kindergartner. When my children become aware of marijuana (which I hope will not be for some time), we plan to treat it as we do cigarettes. It isn't a choice we condone in our family and we don't consider it to be a healthy choice. While others may not agree with us on this, they are not raising our children and the legality of marijuana just isn't part of the argument for us.

I do believe everyone should vote their conscience. But, on issues such as these, if the election does not go the way you voted, the world will not come to an end. You simply need to continue living within your own moral code...and make the choice to not smoke weed.

Marijuana Compound a Novel Treatment for Alzheimer's?

Extremely low levels of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active compound in marijuana, may offer a novel and viable treatment for Alzheimer's disease (AD), preliminary research suggests.
Investigators at the University of South Florida in Tampa found that THC both decreases the production of amyloid beta (Aβ) and inhibits its aggregation in cell cultures. In addition, it does so at extremely safe doses.
These observations have implications for a potentially new therapeutic approach to the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD), as researchers suggest.

"Our group believes that amyloid aggregation is the initiator of AD, so we wanted to see if THC can inhibit amyloid beta aggregation in vitro," study investigator Chuanhai Cao, PhD, a neuroscientist at the Byrd Alzheimer's Institute, College of Pharmacy, University of South Florida, told Medscape Medical News.
"And in our in vitro cell cultures, we discovered that THC inhibits amyloid beta production as well as aggregation at extremely low doses and that it enhances mitochondrial function as well. These observations suggest that THC has anti-Alzheimer's activity."

The study was published online August 27 in the Journal of Alzheimer’ Disease.
 
Amyloid Lowering
For the study, investigators incubated THC together with a variant of Aβ protein precursor cells and assayed the culture for the presence of Aβ levels at the 6-, 24-, and 48-hour time points.
TCH was also tested for synergy with caffeine to see whether the combination of the 2 led to greater reductions in the Aβ levels of these Aβ protein precursor cells in vitro.
"From the results, we have discovered THC to be effective at lowering Aβ levels in [Aβ protein precursor cells] at extremely low concentrations in a dose-dependent manner," the investigators report.

However, the combination of TCH and caffeine did not prove to be synergistic, inasmuch as there was no additive effect on Aβ levels when the 2 compounds were combined in vitro.
Investigators also observed that the same active compound in marijuana directly interacts with Aβ peptide, thereby inhibiting its aggregation. Low doses of THC can enhance mitochondria function as well.

Mitochondria function helps supply energy, transmit signals, and maintain a healthy brain, all of which decrease with age, said Dr. Cao. Previous research by this team has shown that Aβ migrates into the mitochondria with age, impairing its function.
"Thus, if THC can inhibit amyloid beta aggregation and reduce its production, it is going to enhance mitochondria function." Dr. Cao said.
 
Neuroprotective Effect
Concerns about memory impairment are frequently raised in the context of any research associated with potential therapeutic benefits of THC.
However, Dr. Chao emphasized, memory impairment is only observed at "abuse" concentrations of THC, which are more than a thousand times higher than the doses used in their own in vitro experiments.
Newer research also suggests that such ultra-low doses of TCH have a neuroprotective effect and are not harmful, as has been previously suggested.

"This research is no excuse to smoke marijuana to prevent AD," Dr. Cao said.
"But we have provided some evidence of how TCH works in terms of its anti-Alzheimer's potential, and we feel that patients particularly in the earlier stages of Alzheimer's could benefit from this natural compound, provided we use the compound properly."
Both early-onset familial AD as well as late-onset sporadic AD are characterized by extracellular Aβ peptide and by amyloid plaques along with tau-containing neurofibrillary tangles.

The continuous aggregation of Aβ peptides along with hyperphosphorylation of the tau protein inside the cell causing neurofibrillary tangle formation are generally accepted as the major etiologic factors behind the neuronal cell death associated with AD progression.
 
"Large Leap"
Commenting on the findings for Medscape Medical News, Barbara Koppel, MD, chief of neurology and professor of clinical neurology, New York Medical College, in Valhalla, said it was a "large leap" to say that the use of THC clinically might slow progression of AD.
"Nevertheless," she noted, "the series of in vitro experiments conducted by Dr. Cao and colleagues that measured a lowering of levels of production and aggregation of amyloid beta suggests there is a connection between the function of the endocannabinoid system found in the normal brain and the destruction of neurons by toxic amyloid deposition."

Dr. Koppel added that the exact mechanism behind this connection is complicated, and even with the other experiments described by the investigators, the interrelationship between neurodegeneration and the role of cannabinoids is intricate and complex.
"Of course, translation to patients with minor cognitive impairment or AD will require studies of the best route for efficacy and minimization of toxicity in patients who may already suffer from cognitive impairment from their underlying condition," she said.

"But given the fact that the THC 'dose' used in these experiments is much less than what is used recreationally, there is a possible place for cannabinoid therapy in this otherwise progressive neurodegenerative disease."

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Who does marijuana affect more, men or women?

By Hope Gillette

THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the chemical in marijuana responsible for its psychological effects. While every individual experiences THC differently as a general rule, new research suggests gender may also play a role in marijuana sensitivity.
According to researchers conducting the first gender-specific THC study, smoking marijuana is considered riskier for women, and it all has to do with how the chemical interacts with estrogen.

Previous studies have shown women are more prone to marijuana addiction and dependence, and experience more severe withdrawal symptoms. What’s more, women build up a tolerance to THC significantly faster than men; in the study, researchers found female rats given a 30 percent lower THC dose than male rats still immediately start building a tolerance to it.

Professor Rebecca Craft of Washington State University, lead author of the study, indicates the amount of THC her team used in female tests was “the lowest dose anyone has ever used to induce tolerance.”

“What we’re finding with THC is that you get a very clear spike in drug sensitivity right when the females are ovulating,” said Craft to MNT, “right when their estrogen levels have peaked and are coming down.” Because the females develop tolerance to THC more quickly, they have increased vulnerability to negative side effects such as anxiety, paranoia and addiction.”

THC is just one of some 60 chemical cannabinoids found in marijuana, but it is the one primarily responsible for the plant’s psychological effects when used in the body. According to Live Science, cannabinoids in marijuana affected the regions of the brain responsible for thinking, memory, pleasure, coordination and time perception, and THC specifically affects the hippocampus, generating hallucinations and delusions.

Researchers indicate the differences between male and female reactions to THC have been noted before but never studied; it is the main reason why most THC studies include only male test subjects. Taking into account fluctuating female hormones can be a daunting task and may skew test results despite best efforts.  There is a growing need, however, for more THC research to include females, and the National Institutes of Health have issued a request that research teams include equal females in THC studies–or provide adequate reasons as to why they were not included.

As THC in marijuana becomes more potent as cultivation techniques improve, knowing the effects among the population is a necessity.
“Marijuana is very different from 40 years ago. It’s much higher in THC and lower in cannabidiol, so a little bit goes a very long way,” said Craft. “We’re more likely to see negative side effects today like anxiety, confusion, panic attacks, hallucinations or extreme paranoia. And women are at higher risk.”
Despite the fact women show more sensitivity to THC and higher tolerance building, they were not as affected by the appetite stimulating effects as were men. The reason behind this is unknown.


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