Rally message: Poor people need pot too

CAMDEN – It costs a lot of money to use marijuana legally in New Jersey.
Before a patient can take his first dose, he has to shell out $200 to register in the state's medical marijuana program, pay at least three visits to a registered doctor, and cough up another $535 per ounce — about double the black market price — for cannabis sold in one of the state's three dispensaries.

The program is biased against low-income patients and makes them vulnerable to arrest if they obtain cheaper, illegal cannabis, advocates say. So, on Saturday, a coalition of marijuana patients and their advocates will march on Camden in the "Poor People's Parade for Pot."
More than 150 people have signed up to go on the group's Facebook page.

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Supporters will start their sidewalk demonstration at 2 p.m. at Camden City Hall, before stopping at the police administration building, the federal courthouse, and Johnson Park for a public smoke-in at 4:20 p.m. The event is part of a series of such rallies held to protest New Jersey's marijuana laws and educate residents.
Organizers said they did not seek a permit for the rally because they plan to march only on sidewalks and public property. A spokesman for the Camden County Police was unable to comment Wednesday on how the department planned to respond to demonstrators.

 

Buy PhotoA coalition of marijuana patients and their advocates will march on Camden in the ‘Poor People’s Parade for Pot.’ (Photo: JOHN ZIOMEK/COURIER-POST)

Pot demonstrations are a regular occurrence in Trenton, where protesters often smoke in public without an arrest, organizers said.
About 3,700 patients are registered in New Jersey's marijuana program, which is open to patients with 10 debilitating conditions, including multiple sclerosis, seizure disorders and terminal illness. If a patient has cancer, HIV or AIDS, marijuana may be prescribed to treat severe pain, severe nausea, or wasting syndrome.
For thousands of patients, New Jersey's medical marijuana program is simply too cost-prohibitive to consider, explained the parade's organizer and activist Vanessa Maria of Pennsauken.

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"The costs can really add up," said Maria, founder of the East Coast Cannabis Coalition. "A lot of people simply don't have the funds to pay for simple necessities."
Ricardo Rivera of Camden County plans to march with his 8-year-old daughter, who has a severe form of epilepsy. Since starting a daily regimen of cannabis-infused oil, Tatyana "Tuffy" Rivera now suffers just one seizure every few weeks, instead of hundreds per day.

"The program was designed for the middle and upper class," Rivera said. "But disease doesn't care where you come from. It hits all classes of society, poor or rich. Everyone should have the right to be properly medicated."
Ed "NJ Weedman" Forchion will cruise through Camden over the next few days in his Weedmobile, handing out fliers to advertise the rally. The 50-year-old Winslow Township resident carries a California medical marijuana card, which cost him $40. Diagnosed with bone tumors 15 years ago, Forchion uses marijuana to treat chronic pain, but he wants cannabis legalized for everyone.

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Gov. Jon Corzine signed the Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana Act on Jan. 18, 2010, as he left office. That same year, nearly 22,000 people were arrested for marijuana possession in the state. One of them was Forchion.
Marijuana is classified as a Schedule I drug under federal law. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration considers marijuana among the most dangerous drugs, with a high potential for abuse and addiction, and with no accepted medical use.
"When you're arrested for the stupid marijuana laws, they're based on total lies," Forchion said. "They're the most ridiculous, obscene laws there are in the country."

U.S. House Expected to Vote Today on Amendment to Allow VA Docs to Discuss Medical Marijuana

36 States Allow Use of Some Form of Marijuana for Medical Reasons, but VA Doctors Prohibited from Recommending Medical Marijuana to Patients

WASHINGTON, DC — As early as this afternoon, the U.S. House could vote on an amendment that would allow doctors that work for the Veterans Administration to discuss medical marijuana and recommend its use in states where it is legal.

The bipartisan amendment is being offered by Reps. Blumenauer (D-OR), Heck (R-NV), Farr (D-CA), Rohrabacher (R-CA), Reed (R-NY), Titus (D-NV), Gabbard (D-HI), Lee (D-CA) and Gallego (D-AZ).

“Veterans in medical marijuana states should be treated the same as any other resident, and should be able to discuss marijuana with their doctor and use it if it’s medically necessary,” said Michael Collins, policy manager for the Drug Policy Alliance. “They have served this country valiantly, so the least we can do is allow them to have full and open discussions with their doctors.”

A similar amendment narrowly failed on the House floor last year, 195 to 222. The House subsequently went on to vote five times in favor of letting states set their own marijuana policies. One of the amendments, prohibiting the Justice Department from spending any money in Fiscal Year 2015 undermining state medical marijuana laws, made it into the final spending bill signed into law by President Obama. Advocates of the veterans amendment believe it has a very good chance of passing this year.

Studies have shown that medical marijuana can help treat post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury, illnesses typically suffered by veterans. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), however, specifically prohibits its medical providers from completing forms brought by their patients seeking recommendations or opinions regarding participation in a state medical marijuana program. This not only hurts veterans — it treats them differently than non-veterans who see doctors outside of the VA.

A legislative version of the Blumenauer/Heck amendment, the Veterans Equal Access Act, was introduced earlier this year by Rep. Blumenauer. Its language was also included in groundbreaking Senate medical marijuana legislation introduced in March.

The Compassionate Access, Research Expansion and Respect States (CARERS) Act is the first-ever bill in the U.S. Senate to legalize marijuana for medical use and the most comprehensive medical marijuana bill ever introduced in Congress. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Rand Paul (R-KY), and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced it.

“The politics around marijuana have shifted in recent years,” said Bill Piper, director of national affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance. “Voters want reform and policymakers on both sides of the aisle are increasingly delivering it.”

Congress Should End Medical Marijuana Gag Order on V.A. Doctors

Steph Sherer
As soon as this afternoon, the U.S. House of Representatives will be voting on the FY2016 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill, which sets the budget for the Veterans Administration (V.A.). Representatives Blumenauer (D-OR), Heck (R-NV), Gibbard (D-HI), Reed (R-NY), Lee (D-CA), Rohrabacher (R-CA), and Titus (D-NV) will be re-introducing the Veterans Equal Access Amendment (VEAA), which would lift the gag.

Under V.H.A. Directive 2011-004, V.A. physicians are explicitly forbidden from being able to fill out recommendation forms or even offer their medical opinion about whether a veteran patient might benefit from participating in a state medical marijuana program. This means that veterans who are dependent on the V.A. for their health care are denied equal access to state medical marijuana programs. This means that veterans must go out of pocket and establish a patient-doctor relationship with a new physician, something that can cost hundreds of dollars or more. This is especially disturbing because veterans who are the most financially challenged are the ones who are most likely to rely on the V.A. for their health care needs.

The VEAA would forbid the V.A. from using any funds to punish physicians who write state-legal medical marijuana recommendations. In doing so, the VEAA would allow veterans to have safe and legal access to medical marijuana in states that allow its therapeutic use under the recommendation of a physician.

Veterans who served their country with honor deserve equal access to state medical marijuana programs. Click here to demand your Representatives vote YES on the Veterans Equal Access Amendment!

The following is a letter from recently retired V.A. physician Dr. E. Deborah Gilman urging Congress to lift the gag order on V.A. doctors and pass the Veterans Equal Access Amendment.

Letter from Dr. E. Deborah Gilman, recently retired V.A. physician:

U.S. Navy veteran T.J. Thompson recently joined three senators at a press conference to discuss his inability to access proper medical treatment via the Veterans Health Administration.

He wasn’t there to talk about a lack of benefits or long waiting lists. He has coverage and he can get an appointment with a doctor. The problem is, his doctor is not allowed to help him.

T.J. explained his situation while standing alongside Sens. Kirstin Gillibrand, Cory Booker, and Rand Paul as they introduced the CARERS Act, the first comprehensive medical marijuana bill in U.S. Senate history.

T.J. suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and would prefer to treat his condition with marijuana rather than prescription anti-depressants. But even if he lives in a state where medical marijuana is legal if a physician recommends it, and even if his doctor at the VA believes medical marijuana would be the most effective treatment, his doctor can’t tell him that.

The problem stems from a Veterans Health Administration directive prohibits VA providers “from completing forms seeking recommendations or opinions regarding a Veteran’s participation in State medical marijuana programs.”

That directive and the policy it espoused are now six years old. They came at a time when medical marijuana was more politically controversial and many were not yet familiar with its efficacy. But views on marijuana have shifted rapidly.

Today, national opinion polls routinely find support for medical marijuana above 80 percent—an unheard of figure in today’s polarized political climate—and respected physicians like CNN’s chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, are joining the call for laws that allow seriously ill people to access medical marijuana.

It’s true that we could use more studies on marijuana, and we would have them if government agencies weren’t actively obstructing them, but the fact of the matter is we have enough information to know that medical marijuana can be a safe and effective treatment for a variety of medical conditions. The clinical and anecdotal evidence for marijuana as a treatment for nausea, appetite loss, muscle spasticity, and severe and chronic pain is overwhelming.

It would be cruel to deny access to any medication for any patient when his or her doctor decides the benefits outweigh the risks and recommends it, but that’s particularly true for veterans and medical marijuana. Our men and women in uniform make incredible sacrifices for our country, and the least we could do make every possible treatment option available to them when they come home.

Veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with debilitating injuries are often prescribed highly addictive opioid painkillers with severe side effects, particularly for long-term use. Marijuana possess significantly less risk of dependence, along with fewer and less severe side effects. What’s more, studies have shown marijuana can be an effective supplemental therapy by reducing patients’ reliance on opioids, or even acting as a “reverse gateway” by replacing narcotic painkillers altogether. Other research shows states where medical marijuana is legal have a 25 percent lower rate of fatal overdoses from opioids.

It is not just the wounds we can see that medical marijuana might help treat. No one knows better than our vets that PTSD is a notoriously difficult condition to treat, with the most common current regimen involving some combination of anti-depressants, anti-psychotics and counseling. The success rate with this cocktail is not particularly encouraging. Many vets instead opt to self-medicate with alcohol and other drugs. And the suicide rate for veterans is alarming—22 per day according to a recent VA analysis. Meanwhile, research has shown a 10 percent reduction in suicide rates in states with medical marijuana laws following passage of those laws.

Even those who don’t support the idea of medical marijuana have reason to support changing the VA’s medical marijuana policy.

In order to provide effective treatment, it’s vital that the doctor-patient relationship be one of open, honest communication. A policy that discourages veterans from asking their doctor about medical marijuana use, and prohibits doctors from even expressing their opinion on it, limits doctors’ ability to ensure veterans using or considering it are fully informed of potential dependence and drug interaction issues.

This week, the U.S. House of Representatives will debate a bill funding the Department of Veterans Affairs, and it will have an opportunity to rescind the VA’s gag order. Congress should seize it and end this outdated and discriminatory policy. It’s time to let veterans like T.J. get the treatment they deserve.
Dr. E. Deborah Gilman, MD

Fisher: The question of legalizing marijuana

By Ed Fisher,
A front-page article in the Detroit Free Press (May 20, 2015) asked “Could pot solve our budget problems?” Bill Laitner addressed our budgetary shortfall as roads crumble, schools are underfunded and towns across Michigan need more financial aid. Add to that polls showing that Proposition 1 will fail and any plan Z will negatively affect our schools and the lowest 60 percent of Michiganians.

Laitner looks at both sides of a case for legalizing, regulating, and taxing recreational cannabis. “Let’s face it — this is one of the last places, aside from printing money” (for government spending), said Matt Marsden, spokesman for a Pontiac-based group of Republicans that hopes to circulate petitions in June to legalize marijuana. Two other groups, one Republican and one Democrat/Independent are trying to do the same. It’s all about the money, money, money not now coming to the state.

Opponents of such legalization believe the cost to society would be higher than the taxes generated. Former U.S. Secretary of Education William Bennett compares marijuana to alcohol, which he says the cost to society is billions of dollars a year in law enforcement, treatment for alcoholism, unemployment and healthcare. We need look no further than CMU to see what happens when lax oversight of young people, prone to peer-pressure, and easy access to alcohol over-indulge almost every weekend.

Another opponent has been State Attorney General William Schuette. He opposed legalizing medical marijuana in 2008, and supported efforts by Oak Park, Utica and other communities keeping such proposals off their local ballots.

Paul Welday, a former chair of the Oakland County Republican Party and associated with one of the other groups looking toward legalization said, “Let’s face it — a lot of people don’t trust their state legislators….there’s great skepticism about state government.” He would like to see the tax revenue go to towns.

According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, the annual costs to this nation for tobacco are $139 billion in healthcare and $295 billion overall; Alcohol, $25 billion in healthcare, $224 billion overall; and Illicit drugs, $11 billion in healthcare, $193 billion overall, more than $700 billion annually in costs related to crime, lost work productivity and health care. As a nation, we haven’t done well to stop the flow of narcotics that destroy so many lives here and in the countries over-run by drug lords supplying them.

Therefore, we should think carefully about legalizing any substance that can be abused. Taxes on tobacco have reduced consumption: Smoking has been reduced from 42 percent in 1965 to less than 12 percent now; however, most of that reduction is due to better information. In 2012 the percent of adults 18 years of age and over who were current regular drinkers (at least 12 drinks in the past year): 51.3 percent; the percent of adults 18 years of age and over who were current infrequent drinkers (one to 11 drinks in the past year): 12.9 percent. Taxes have had no effect in reducing the rate.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse said, “In 2012, an estimated 23.9 million Americans aged 12 or older—or 9.2 percent of the population—had used an illicit drug or abused a psychotherapeutic medication (such as a pain reliever, stimulant, or tranquilizer) in the past month. This is up from 8.3 percent in 2002. The increase mostly reflects a recent rise in the use of marijuana, the most commonly used illicit drug.” See: www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/nationwide-trends.

We live in a world of temptation. While Republicans loath increasing taxes, their cuts got us here, so we must understand the true effects of taxing recreational drugs. In the words of the Morning Sun columnist Louise Plachta: ”Starosc nie radosc; mlodosc nie wiecznosc.” Too soon old, too late smart. To which one may add “Jedzmy Polskie jabłka!” or how’s the weed?

12 medical marijuana bills discussed at state house

AUGUSTA (WGME) -- There were 12 medical marijuana bills discussed at the state house Monday. The bill drawing a lot of attention involves liquid or smokeless medical marijuana in hospitals.

The bill's co-sponsor, Representative Diane Russell of Portland, says it is a big deal to her constituents. “Moms approached me and talked to me about the challenges they're having, how horrifying it is and what kind of a Sophie’s Choice is it to watch your child going through a seizure knowing that something will change that seizure and end it,” Russell said.

The outside group, Legalize Maine, agrees with Russell. “When these children get hospitalized they need to have access to these lifesaving medications and that medication use needs to be listed on their chart for their safety and to make sure the hospital can provide the best care possible,” Paul McCarrier, president, Legalize Maine, said.

But the plan faces opposition. Hospitals worry their federal license to distribute certain medications could be at risk because marijuana is still considered illegal under federal law.

As marijuana becomes more “mainstream,” some say it's time for tighter oversight of growers and suppliers. “I think DHHS should have the right to inspect. However, we have to remember these are growing plants and if they come in willy-nilly the can contaminate the growing space,” Senator Tom Saviello said.

There are mixed opinions on how the state should do the inspections and keep that information private. “I do think some version of inspections needs to happen to make sure folks are operating within the bounds of the law but I do not believe the DHHS committee has done a good job in rolling out an inspection system,” Russell said.

McCarrier added: “Caregivers aren't opposed to having any kind of inspections as long as they are treated like small businesses. Caregivers need to be able to serve patients and patients need to be able to have their choice of provider.”

Senator Saviello is concerned that marijuana could one day be completely legal and he wants an inspection system in place before then.

10 diseases where medical marijuana could have impact

By CNN
Dr. Sue Sisley noticed an unexpected trend among her patients. The psychiatrist works with veterans who struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder, also known as PTSD. Many don't like how they feel on all the meds they take to manage their anxiety, sleeplessness, depression and the flashbacks.
"There's just a few medications on the market that work, and even these can be inadequate," Sisley said. "They end up getting stuck on eight, 10, 12 different medications, and after taking so many, suddenly they're like zombies."

Some of these patients though were starting to feel better. They also seemed much more present. She wanted to know what was making a difference. They told her they found an alternative to all those medicines.
They were self-medicating with marijuana.
"I was really stunned and more and more patients were coming out of the shadows and disclosing to me that they were having some useful experiences with the marijuana plant," Sisley said.

She appreciated the progress they said they were making, but like any good scientist she didn't want to rely on anecdotal evidence. She wanted documented proof, clinical trials of large patient populations that run in the gold standard of a peer-reviewed journal that marijuana was the right approach to treating PTSD, or any other ailment for that matter. People use it to treat a variety of medical issues, such as multiple sclerosis, arthritis, epilepsy, glaucoma, HIV, chronic pain, Alzheimer's, cancer and others.

With medical marijuana legal in nearly half of the states, more doctors are wondering what impact this drug really has on people. They ask for dosage information. They want to know about its long-term impact on patients.
Sisley looked for answers to these questions in medical research, but she didn't see much. When she decided to do the studies herself and applied for federal approval, she was met with miles of red tape and resistance -- like many other researchers before her.

That's because marijuana is one of the tightest-controlled substances under federal law. The U.S. government considers it a Schedule I drug, meaning the Drug Enforcement Administrationconsiders it to have no medical value. It's right up there with heroin and LSD. To do research on marijuana, scientists need approval from several federal departments. And that approval is rare.
Most marijuana studies focus on the harm caused by the plant. The studies on its medicinal qualities are small, early stage or observational at best.

"Mainstream physicians won't come near the stuff, even if they hear that it works, because without the research, without it approved in legitimate practice guidelines, they are going to worry about their license and their professionalism," Sisley said. "That's why it is key to have randomized control trials for this to work."
A bipartisan bill -- from Rand Paul, R-Kentucky, Cory Booker, D-New Jersey, and Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York -- called the Compassionate Access, Research Expansion, and Respect States Act of 2015 was introduced in the Senate in March that would ease some of those restrictions and make it easier to study the drug. But the legislation is in committee at the moment.

If it does ever pass, and scientists can begin studying the drug in earnest, there are several areas they may target in addition to PTSD.
Here are 10 of them, based on the ailments people commonly use medical marijuana to treat. Again, because there is such limited research on this topic, these areas are based on results that CNN would typically not report on because the work is in a far too early stage to see if it really works. But that is the point some doctors and medical researchers are making.

AIDS/HIV
In a human study of 10 HIV-positive marijuana smokers, scientists found people who smoked marijuana ate better, slept better and experienced a better mood. Another small study of 50 people found patients that smoked cannabis saw less neuropathic pain.
Alzheimer's
Medical marijuana and some of the plant's chemicals have been used to help Alzheimer'spatients gain weight, and research found that it lessens some of the agitated behavior thatpatients can exhibit. In one cell study, researchers found it slowed the progress of protein deposits in the brain. Scientists think these proteins may be part of what causes Alzheimer's, although no one knows what causes the disease.
Arthritis
A study of 58 patients using the derivatives of marijuana found they had less arthritis pain and slept better. Another review of studies concluded marijuana may help fight pain-causing inflammation.
Asthma
Studies are contradictory, but some early work suggests it reduced exercise-induced asthma. Other cell studies showed smoking marijuana could dilate human airways, but some patients experienced a tight feeling in their chests and throats. A study in mice found similar results.
Cancer
Animal studies have shown some marijuana extracts may kill certain cancer cells. Other cell studies show it may stop cancer growth, and with mice, THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, improved the impact of radiation on cancer cells. Marijuana can also prevent the nausea that often accompanies chemotherapy treatment used to treat cancer.
Chronic pain
Some animal and small human studies show that cannabinoids can have a "substantial analgesic effect." People widely used them for pain relief in the 1800s. Some medicines based on cannabis such as Sativex are being tested on multiple sclerosis patients and used to treat cancer pain. The drug has been approved in Canada and in some European countries. In another trial involving 56 human patients, scientists saw a 30% reduction in pain in those who smoked marijuana.
Crohn's disease
In a small pilot study of 13 patients watched over three months, researchers found inhaled cannabis did improve life for people suffering from ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. It helped ease people's pain, limited the frequency of diarrhea and helped with weight gain.
Epilepsy
Medical marijuana extract in early trials at the NYU Langone Medical Center showed a 50% reduction in the frequency of certain seizures in children and adults in a study of 213 patients recently.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is one of the leading causes of blindness. Scientists have looked at THC's impact on this disease on the optic nerve and found it can lower eye pressure, but it may also lower blood pressure, which could harm the optic nerve due to a reduced blood supply. THC can also help preserve the nerves, a small study found.
Using marijuana or some of the chemicals in the plant may help prevent muscle spasms, pain, tremors and stiffness, according to early-stage, mostly observational studies involving animals, lab tests and a small number of human patients. The downside -- it may impair memory, according to a small study involving 20 patients.

Bill would allow Wilton girl, others, to use medical marijuana

Dana Haddox-Wright and her daughter Ella Wright in their house last week. Ella would be able to use medical mairjuana to prevent seizures if a bill in the Connecticut legislature is passed. — Christopher Burns photo.

By Christopher Burns

Just about every four months, Wiltonian Ella Wright has a life-threatening seizure. Sometimes she seizes for such a long period of time her body begins to suffer from total organ failure.

The seizures spread like wildfire in her brain, her mother, Dana Haddox-Wright, said. The longer they are allowed to continue, the worse they become, and while most children have a “five-minute window” for medical intervention, Haddox-Wright knows her daughter more quickly succumbs than others.

It might not prevent seizures in such an acute situation, but there is a medicine in the United States that may reduce these seizures in children by up to 50%. But Haddox-Wright and many other supporters have had to fight an uphill battle to make it legal.

Low-THC marijuana, a non-addictive drug with very low concentrations of psycho-active substances, has reportedly helped children battling seizure disorder across the country, but is still illegal for use by children in Connecticut.

Connecticut House Bill 5892, “An Act Concerning the Palliative Use of Marijuana for Children,” seeks to change that. It would allow children like Ella access to medical marijuana.

Haddox-Wright gave testimony in support of the bill, which was sponsored by state Rep. Kevin Ryan (D-139).

“There’s a lot of misinformation about marijuana out there,” Haddox-Wright said during an interview last week. “And the word marijuana itself carries a negative connotation. But there is not a single documented case of someone dying from marijuana overdose.

“If someone stole a lot of medical marijuana plants [used to treat childhood seizures], it would take a lot to get high. The specific type of cannabis we’re looking for, for Ella, there is as much as 0.3% of THC, which is a very small amount. It would be a waste to use it to try and get high.”

Ella Wright

Medical marijuana currently for sale in Connecticut has THC levels from 6% to 27%, according to information from D&B Wellness, a dispensary in Bethel.

The kind of marijuana Haddox-Wright and the Connecticut Association of Prevention Practitioners (CAPP) support for children is a pure CBD oil.

“CBDs are a non-psychoactive cannabinoid found in marijuana, and some case studies have shown CBDs may be an effective treatment for seizure disorders,” John Daviau of the CAPP said in written testimony.

Ella is a 5-year-old girl with a big smile who quickly warms to strangers. Her seizures are the result of a rare genetic disorder known as Dravet syndrome. As much as she loves to go outside, Ella can play for only 15 minutes at a time before she risks falling into a seizure.

Marijuana, especially the low-THC variety, is not a narcotic like the benzodiazaprines Ella already takes, and it carries very little chance for addiction.

In addition, there is growing research into its effectiveness in treating seizures, including a recent report from the American Academy of Neurology (AAN).

For 137 people who completed a 12-week study by AAN on the effectiveness of medical marijuana, patients experienced 54% fewer seizures while taking the drug and only 12 people stopped taking the drug due to negative side effects.

Opposition

But not everyone is in favor of delivering marijuana as medicine to children.

“I am absolutely not in favor” of Connecticut House Bill 5892, Wilton’s state senator, Toni Boucher (R-26), said.

“The brain is still developing when a child is young,” Boucher said in a recent press release. “Studies show these substances can alter adolescent development and can permanently damage the health and cognitive function of a child’s brain.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Connecticut chapter agrees with Boucher.

A representative of the organization, Dr. Sheryl Ryan of the Yale School of Medicine, said in a recent op-ed piece in The Connecticut Mirror that “given the negative effects of marijuana on brain development, and cognitive performance and mental health disorders, we should not be recommending and supporting such laws.”

Boucher said by phone Monday that when her nephew was suffering from leukemia — a cancer that would qualify a patient under the proposed bill — he was being “bombarded with chemo,” but “all of his issues” were taken care of without the use of marijuana.

“Children can lose memory and have a total change in their brain development,” Boucher said. “There is very conclusive medical science around this.”

The AAP also sees medical marijuana for children as helping expand the use of recreational marijuana among children.

It calls medical marijuana a precedent “that is expected to have repercussions in terms of overall increased access and greater recreational use by our youth.”

Nevertheless, it has recommended taking marijuana off the federal Schedule 1 list of narcotics so it may be studied more easily.

Last resort

Ella’s mother sees things differently.

“She’s been on five different combinations of different medications” during her life, Haddox-Wright said, including narcotics.

“We’ve been told with her diet and with the different medications she’s on, she shouldn’t have seizures at all. But if we’re outside playing for 15 or 20 minutes, we could end up in the hospital with a seizure that’s not stopping.

“It’s not the first form of treatment. It’s the last resort,” she said.

Marijuana is not the only drug to cause developmental problems in children, though the others are completely legal. These include the “benzos” Ella already takes, which are considered the most addictive prescription drugs currently in use.

“It can take months to wean off one medication because of the addictive side effects benzodiazaprines carry,” Ella’s mother said.

In January, HB 5892 was referred to the Joint Committee on Public Health.

Pot and universal bill of rights

BY MICHAEL JOYCE
Recently at a debate in Boise over making life-changing medication available to Idaho children suffering from terrible seizures, two points stood out that were made by Idaho lawmakers. One lawmaker commented that all drugs according to their actual hazard potential using federal guidelines. The Oregon Board of Pharmacy, under the Ore.he wished they could help suffering Idaho children, but their hands were tied as the federal classification of marijuana would trump their effort. Another lawmaker commented that a new federal administration could come into power and enforce the federal law on the books.

Currently the Fed has the power, on the books, to make the innocent Idaho families of innocent Idaho children, using life-changing medication extracted from marijuana, face federal penalties for illegally obtaining and transporting a schedule '1' narcotic across state lines then possessing it. At that point the Fed could again deny innocent Idaho children their life-changing medication and the children could also face the experience of having their parents incarcerated.

The universal Bill of Rights guarantees all individuals their inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness without any coercion from the majority. Without the guarantee of individual rights a democracy is no more than mob rule. When the guarantee of individual rights is applied to law it commands justice by the facts, not the superstitions, profit and politics of a majority.

Case in point: In 1977 the Oregon Legislature passed a bill establishing the Oregon Blue Ribbon Committee on Controlled Substances. It was made up of doctors, pharmacologists, lawyers and law enforcement officials. Their job was to classify all drugs according to their actual hazard potential using federal guidelines. The Oregon Board of Pharmacy, under the Oregon Board of Health, was to publish the committee's findings of the facts into law within 30 days of the committee's conclusion.

In 1978 The Oregon Blue Ribbon Committee on Controlled Substances finished its patriotic study of the facts and came back with its findings. The fact they found, regarding the classification of marijuana, is that pot is a schedule '5' drug. The Oregon Legislature chose to not agree with the facts and chose to violate the 'due process of law' and 'civil rights' of every Oregon citizen. They played the role of dictator and withdrew the committee's funding, effectively disbanding it, and let the unconstitutional federal classification of pot, as a schedule '1' narcotic, go unchallenged.

The point is, folks: Countless Idaho citizens have and are currently suffering unduly under an old politically inspired blatant civil rights violation. It is past time to use a hammer of freedom, called the Bill of Rights, to make the representatives of those who get their power from the factor of 'might over right' prove in court that pot is a schedule '1' narcotic. They cannot prove it and they know they cannot prove it.

The citizens of Idaho desperately need their federal influence-rejecting representatives to take the lead in protecting their individual rights by sponsoring a Bill of Rights-founded civil rights lawsuit against the unconstitutional federal classification of pot as a schedule '1' narcotic; a lawsuit that will restore to innocent Idaho children their inalienable individual right to access life changing medication extracted from a schedule '5' drug; a lawsuit that will also will protect innocent Idaho citizens from being illegally branded as felons, imprisoned, their property confiscated and their lives disrupted. It is not a pot issue.
It is an American issue.

Legalization of marijuana deserves serious debate

Robert Houghtaling

The issue of legalizing marijuana will soon be heard, once again, at the RI State House. This controversial concern has initiated a number of conversations involving leaders in the medical, legal, political, legislative, financial and education worlds. Now that we have OK’d medical marijuana use, as well as decriminalized it, legalization has become the salient bone of contention.

All too often, when discussing marijuana legalization, it boils down to a for or against dynamic. Advocates, on both sides, cite a myriad of facts that back their claims. Those for legalization point to financial benefits, reducing the prison population and the elimination of the Black Market. Those against assert that we are minimizing marijuana’s potency while detailing how legalizing another powerful drug poses a number of health, safety and legal concerns. Back and forth we go.

Despite significant differences of opinion, major modifications have come about due to the debates concerning marijuana. Where once folks faced long prison sentences regarding possession, we now acknowledge that this draconian measure was harmful and shortsighted. In addition, under some circumstances, marijuana can also be used as a viable medical solution. Our views have evolved out of years of contentious debates. Both sides on this issue can be lauded for getting us to develop broader perspectives.

As someone who has worked in the Addiction and Prevention fields for close to 35 years, I have been witness to America’s convoluted dance with drugs. We send and receive many mixed messages. On the one hand, we are conflicted about drugs in the sporting world. We also imbibe alcohol at all kinds of social gatherings, as well as watch prescription drug commercials on our televisions ad nauseam. On the other hand, we look down on those addicted to drugs, fail to provide adequate treatment/prevention resources and allow our medical community to over prescribe powerful medications like Adderall, Oxycodone and Klonopin.

Instead of jingoism and fear mongering we should be taking a long hard look at the role(s) drugs play in our culture. In fact, this should have been done years ago. The War on Drugs has had its day.
The present model for legalization, while well intended in bringing up many social justice, financial and legal concerns, troubles me on a number of levels. To begin with, regulating folks ‘growing their own’ sounds amorphous at best. Monitoring cultivation, as well as ensuring against theft, access to youth, and appropriate storage, seems both cumbersome and impossible. As a big fan of personal choice, in most instances, I find the regulation promise to be one that cannot be guaranteed.

An additional concern is the fact that marijuana has already been deemed appropriate as a medicine. While drugs like caffeine and alcohol can be found in Anacin and some cough syrups respectively, few of us would wish seeing these used for recreation. Legalization of a drug considered medication offers a slippery slope. Drawing the distinction between medical and recreational use appears cloudy when considering the present legislation.

I am also troubled by those advocating that there will be financial benefits in legalizing a substance most admit as being powerful. The old ‘they are going to do it anyway’ argument is certainly not an overwhelming endorsement. Despite being well intended, and maybe even pragmatic, there is something cold about making money off of a venture that presents so many risks.
Finally, what about the difficulties posed by those who use marijuana and drive, operate machinery or are asked to teach our children? What laws will be in play? How do we monitor for safety?

These things need to be ironed out. James Madison once wrote, “If men were angels, no government would be necessary.” The rights of individuals must be balanced with those of ‘the all’.
Far too many minorities (especially blacks) have been negatively impacted by our nation’s drug policies. This is an egregious wrong that needs correction. Folks like Regulate Rhode Island, some in our law enforcement and medical communities, as well as others, recognize the necessity for change.

However, while significant changes need to be made regarding race and social justice, minimizing how legalization (in its present form) will offer up a host of other problems is a concern. The legalization debate has exposed a number of America’s most embarrassing foibles. Prison reform, police training, fair(er) educational policies, access to treatment services, and jobs need to be prioritized. We also must look at how class influences our viewpoints. Marijuana will not provide the answers.
There is much work to be done.
Bob Houghtaling is the Director of the East Greenwich Drug Program and a convener of What’s The Rush–RI. He also hosts a Podcast that speaks to many social concerns.

Pot Shop Pregnancy Warning Sign Bill Dies Over Fairness Issues

By Michael Roberts

Thinkstock

Update: Earlier this month, we told you about a proposal in the Colorado General Assembly to require dispensaries to post warnings to women about the dangers of marijuana use during pregnancy.
Afterward, many readers weighed in with objections to the proposal.
Some pointed to the lack of consensus among medical pros about the dangers of cannabis use for pregnant women.
Others questioned the fairness of the proposal, pointing out that bars and liquor stores face no such requirement even though the harm alcohol can do to unborn children is extremely well-documented at this point.
Turns out the latter argument won the day, leading to the measure's defeat in the Senate.

A photo of State Representative Jack Tate

The legislation, known as House Bill 15-1298, was sponsored by Representative Jack Tate. Here's how he described its genesis in a Facebook post:

I originally introduced HB-1036 in January to require medical marijuana dispensaries to warn pregnant women about the dangers of marijuana to a fetus. Women have been reporting the use of medical marijuana to treat nausea without knowing that marijuana is harmful to a developing child. The marijuana industry has been rabidly promoting the idea that the drug is less harmful than alcohol. As a result, there is asymmetrical information out there for those cases in which it is quite damaging and dangerous.
I scuttled the original Bill, due to the Democrats' concerns over the use of the medical term 'fetus', and came back with HB-1298.

The bill passed its first committee test, then won preliminary approval in the Colorado House. However, it ran aground in the state senate. According to the Associated Press , it was on the short end of a 5-4 committee vote owing to a number of Republicans who saw it as unfair to ask dispensaries to post such a warning when establishments that sell and serve liquor aren't required to do so.
Read the bill and learn more about the issue in our previous coverage below.
Original post, 4:20 p.m. April 7: A bill that would require dispensaries to post signs warning women not to smoke marijuana when they're pregnant won preliminary approval from the Colorado House yesterday.

The measure, House Bill 15-1298, appears below in its entirety.
We've also included a Colorado Public Health and Environment report from earlier this year devoted almost entirely to negative impacts from pot use.
Surprisingly, the CDPHE report's section on marijuana concedes that research is lacking when it comes to pinning down the effects of cannabis consumption during pregnancy — and this same tone is struck by a 2013 American Academy of Pediatrics report shared here as well.
In addition, some legislators have questioned whether the legislation contradicts the concept of treating marijuana like alcohol, since liquor stores aren't required to post warning signs about pregnancy dangers even though the risks of alcohol use during this stage are very well known.
But as the Associated Press points out, the measure has bipartisan support and appears to be gaining momentum.
HB 15-1298 is sponsored by Representative Jack Tate from Centennial. Its summary reads:

The bill requires the department of revenue to promulgate rules regarding a requirement that a licensed medical marijuana center and a licensed retail marijuana store display in a conspicuous location a sign that warns pregnant women about the potential risks caused by marijuana. The rules shall include the specific language developed in consultation with the department of public health and environment regarding the warning that must be included on the sign.
The bill prohibits a medical marijuana center and a retail marijuana store from knowingly directing marijuana advertising to pregnant women.

State Representative Jack Tate is the sponsor of HB 15-1298..

The CDPHE's fears about marijuana use by pregnant women are outlined in "Monitoring Health Concerns Related to Marijuana in Colorado," issued earlier this year. Here's a key passage:

Marijuana use in pregnant and breastfeeding mothers is a public health concern due to the potential harmful effects of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on the developing fetus — with specific focus on the potential risk for birth defects, abnormal growth and physical development, and perhaps most critically, sub-normal brain development. Adverse effects of alcohol and tobacco consumption during pregnancy are well-documented. While research on fetal health outcomes related to marijuana exposure is limited, there is no known “safe” amount of marijuana use for women during pregnancy. Additionally, biological evidence demonstrates that THC is present in the breast milk of women who use marijuana during the months they are breastfeeding, and there is evidence that infants who drink breast milk containing THC absorb and metabolize THC.

The report's findings include "moderate evidence that maternal use of marijuana during pregnancy is associated with negative effects on exposed offspring, including decreased academic ability, cognitive function and attention," as well as "moderate evidence that maternal use of marijuana during pregnancy is associated with decreased growth in exposed offspring."
But the authors concede that this information is largely based on data from older studies designed to identify negative effects of marijuana, implying a possible bias — and the information isn't considered strong enough to be definitive. Another excerpt:

Health care providers’ current collection of information on marijuana use by amount, frequency, and method of use is limited. Adequate assessment of the link between marijuana use during pregnancy and adverse health outcomes, for both pregnant women and their exposed offspring, must begin with consistent, standardized data collection about marijuana use from pregnant women at all their pregnancy-related medical appointments and be followed by collection of accurate birth outcome data. The committee recommended public health monitoring to help clarify the possible contribution of marijuana use to major birth defects.

"Prenatal Substance Abuse: Short- and Long-term Effects on the Exposed Fetus," a 2013 technical report from the American Academy of Pediatrics, features similar hedges. A passage from its summary section reads:

Although there have been studies revealing subtle abnormalities in infant neurobehavior related to prenatal marijuana exposure, there have been no significant effects documented for fetal growth, congenital anomalies, or withdrawal. Long-term studies reveal effects of prenatal exposure on behavior, cognition, and achievement but not on language or growth.

Does that mean warning signs in dispensaries are premature? Or is it better to be safe than sorry? Decide for yourself by reading the bill and the reports from the CDPHE and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Marijuana Users Susceptible To ‘False Memories': Study Reveals Cannabis Smokers’ Memory Issues Could Dwell Even After Quitting

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The Journal of Molecular Psychiatry published an article that reveals smokers of marijuana are prone to “false memories,” according to a study completed by the Neuropsychopharmacology group located at the Biomedical Research Institute within the Hospital de Sant Pau and from Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.
According to the article, chronic cannabis users not only have issues retaining information that they should readily know, but their mind may recall memories that never actually occurred due to less activity in the hippocampus, which controls the storage and retrieval of memories. Although proponents of marijuana disagree with the scientific findings, researchers are concerned with the proof that the research study has found.

A study conducted last year contrasts the recent findings, stating that low levels of marijuana may actually improve memory, according to the Daily Mail. However, the extremely low levels were tested on Alzheimer’s patients, which resulted in a slowdown of the disease. In some cases, the result was a complete halt of symptoms.

However, the newest study tests the impact of chronic cannabis use. During the study, the subject base consisted of chronic marijuana users and individuals who do not partake in marijuana. Each was given a set of words to remember and then asked to recall the words later. Cannabis users were deemed more likely to find relations between the words as a method to recall them, although all words were unrelated.
The authors of the study are concerned that the memory issues may be long term for chronic users.

“The present results indicate that long-term heavy cannabis users are at an increased risk of experiencing memory errors even when abstinent and drug-free.”

There is also a fear that individuals who quit using cannabis may have legal issues in the future
due to the memory issues.

“This lingering diminished ability to tell true from false may have medical and legal implications.”

According to Science Daily, the subjects of the study also underwent MRI testing to determine what areas of the brain were affected by marijuana use, leading to the false memories in the marijuana users. The images validated the word memory testing, showing that the hippocampus was directly affected by the use of marijuana. Due to the serious impact on the brain, the effects of chronic marijuana use may be increased as an individual ages and his or her memory begins to deteriorate naturally.

12 people who could shape the future of marijuana policy

John Hudak,
Marijuana policy has emerged as a key issue in American politics, particularly over the past few years. The issue is being debated at local, state, and federal levels, and has captured the attention of media organizations and research institutions nationwide and around the world.
Navigating the policy terrain and understanding what is happening in this fast-paced, dynamic, and changing arena is often tough. Knowing who is influential can be even more difficult. Because of the expansive nature of the policy conversation there are hundreds of key players making a difference—on both sides of this issue—and that list is seemingly ever growing.

 
via The Brookings Institution
In this post, I list 12 people who each bring something interesting to the table and may play an important role in the future of this policy area. They may not be the most important, though surely some of the people on this list could be considered so. Nor is this list ranked in order of importance or impact. Instead, it offers a brief overview of how these 12 individuals may help shape the future of cannabis policy.
1. Hillary Clinton, 2016 Presidential Candidate
The presumptive Democratic nominee will help (re-)shape her party’s position on pot policy. Given the popularity of marijuana among Democrats, and the likelihood that the issue will appear on 2016 ballots in key swing states, her position and rhetoric on the issue will be an important part of the conversation.
 
REUTERS/Lucas JacksonFormer U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks during a Gates Foundation event in New York, March 9, 2015.
It is a topic Secretary Clinton likely cannot ignore, and one she may be well-positioned to embrace, given changing public opinion.
In an interview with CNN last year, Clinton signaled support for medical marijuana, research on the topic, and the rights of states to legalize recreational marijuana. She said, “…I think we need to be very clear about the benefits of marijuana use for medicinal purposes.

I don't think we've done enough research yet, although I think for people who are in extreme medical conditions and have anecdotal evidence that it works, there should be availability under appropriate circumstances…. On recreational, you know, states are the laboratories of democracy. We have at least two states that are experimenting with that right now. I want to wait and see what the evidence is.”
This is a far cry from the uncomfortable exchanges her husband had on the issue when he first ran for president in 1992. In many ways, this position suggests Secretary Clinton would be willing to maintain the current status quo (under the Cole Memo). Media, Democratic primary voters, and marijuana policy activists will surely hold her feet to the fire, pushing her to articulate her vision on the issue.
2. Rand Paul, U.S. Senator & 2016 Presidential Candidate
 
Reuters/John Sommers IISen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) announcing his presidential campaign.
Dr. Paul co-authored the CARERS Act, one of the boldest pro-medical marijuana bills in congressional history. Among GOP contenders, he is the strongest proponent of reform. In the Republican Party he has played a leadership role on marijuana policy, engaging the issue from a variety of perspectives—economic, civil rights, criminal justice. For Paul, marijuana is also a states rights issue.

He recently noted, “I think there should be a certain amount of discretion for both states and territories and the District…” He further argued on recreational legalization, “I’m not for having the federal government get involved. I really haven’t taken a stand on … the actual legalization. I haven’t really taken a stand on that, but I’m against the federal government telling them they can’t.”
Many of the declared and prospective 2016 Republican presidential candidates have taken hardline, war on drugs positions on the issue of marijuana. Marijuana policy gives Paul an opportunity to distinguish himself from many of his fellow Republicans.

At the same time, he will play an important role in showing his party what marijuana policy can do for them (in the eyes of the electorate) and will likely serve as a model for Republicans (and Democrats) down the ballot on effective ways to talk about marijuana.
However, Dr. Paul’s role in marijuana policy goes beyond his rhetoric. The CARERS Act shows that he is willing to put policy substance behind his words. The legislation shows that marijuana is a topic that high-level, American politicians no longer have to fear, and that it is one that can bridge the partisan divide in an era of bitter, seemingly unbreakable polarization.
3. Vivek Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General
 
Associated PressVivek Murthy
America’s new top doc made waves earlier this year arguing that cannabis has shown to have medical value for some conditions and that he supports expanded research on its medical value and use.
Specifically, he noted in a CBS interview that, “for certain medical conditions and symptoms that marijuana can be helpful.”
Such a position may not seem odd—the U.S. Surgeon General calling for expanded medical research on a product being utilized for medical purposes. However, those words on medical marijuana were the most progressive, on-the-record comments of a sitting Surgeon General in American history.

Those comments may come with real action, as Dr. Murthy suggested. “We have to use that data to drive policymaking, and I’m very interested to see where that data takes us,” he noted in the same CBS interview. This commentary reflects not simple Dr. Murthy’s view on the topic, but changing views in the medical community that at a minimum entertain the possibility of marijuana’s medical value. Like other high-profile physicians, including CNN’s and Emory University’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta will play a critical leadership role in the medical community in encouraging broader research on the topic and making changes to public policy that facilitates that research.
4. Loretta Lynch, U.S. Attorney General designee
 
APLoretta Lynch
Ms. Lynch, currently awaiting a Senate confirmation vote, signaled her opposition to legal marijuana during her confirmation hearings. Those hearings showed marijuana to be a key issue in contemporary American politics. Senators asked Ms. Lynch about the Justice Department’s current policy on marijuana under the Cole Memo.

When asked if she supported marijuana legalization, Ms. Lynch offered a clear position: “I do not.”
She further outlined her vision for marijuana policy if she were to take the helm at DOJ: “I can tell you that not only do I not support legalization of marijuana, it is not the position of the Department of Justice currently to support legalization, nor would it be the position if I were confirmed as attorney general.”

Such language leaves open the possibility that Lynch could still maintain a Cole Memo-status quo, arguing that the Department’s position is not pro-legalization, but simply a choice not to enforce the law under certain circumstances. Yet, one thing is quite clear. Loretta Lynch holds a less reform-oriented position on marijuana than does President Obama or Attorney General Eric Holder. As the nation’s top law enforcement official her influence on the issue will be substantial, and a new Justice Department status quo could be a real possibility.
5. Milton Romani, Secretary-General of Uruguay’s National Drug Council
 
Screen grabMilton Romani
Uruguay’s pot czar under the new government is charged with cultivating a legal and regulatory system. After legalizing recreational marijuana in 2013, Uruguay has faced a series of challenges from regulatory delays to leadership changes (including the election of a new president, Tavaré Vásquez). Much of this policy turmoil led many to question whether Uruguay was ready for legalization.
Despite those difficulties, Uruguay moved forward. With Romani newly at the helm of theJunta Nacional de Drogas, he will lead the first effort in Latin America to administer a legal recreational marijuana system.

Early in his tenure, Romani has dealt with some of the challenges that still exist within the administrative apparatus in Uruguay, including instituting a delay in the sale of cannabis from pharmacies. In addition, recent polling from the Latin American Public Opinion Project suggests legalization is proceeding in the shadow of a very skeptical public. About 60 percent of Uruguayans disagree with the legislation legalizing marijuana.
Other nations are watching closely to see if Uruguay can manage legalization.

Worry abounds in other nations and NGOs like the UN about legalizing marijuana in a region of the world synonymous with the illegal drug trade. In addition, many Latin American countries are looking at the Uruguay experiment with intrigue. Uruguay has some of the most stable governing institutions in Latin America, and while success in Uruguay may not translate to success elsewhere, failure may well discourage other nations from legalizing. In this sense, Romani’s efforts will not only influence policy in Uruguay, but may well have implications for marijuana policy across Latin America and in other areas of the world.
6. Cynthia Franklin, Director of Alaska’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Board
 
Screen grabCynthia Franklin
Franklin will lead and oversee the construction of Alaska’s marijuana regulatory system.
Alaska legalized recreational marijuana in 2014 and the state, among the most conservative and Republican of legalizing states thus far, has a long history of more progressive marijuana policy.
The state faces some specific challenges, however. The sheer amount of federal land—on which marijuana remains illegal—is unmatched by any other state.

The state also faces very unique local control policies in rural areas. Transportation limitations, natural barriers to commercial exchange and activity, and other issues that make Alaska one of a kind will also make legalization unique, as well.
The state legislature approved the creation of a separate Marijuana Control Board—in which Franklin will play a critical role—instead of keeping marijuana regulatory authority under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board—which Franklin directs.

Under the new law, Franklin will help design and implement marijuana regulations and will influence the success of legal marijuana in the Frontier State through a new institution devoted solely to administering marijuana policy.
While Colorado’s and Washington’s experiments may strike some observers as old hat, as each new legalizing state comes online, marijuana policy watchers learn more about the issue. Franklin’s efforts and Alaska’s experience with legal marijuana will help inform future policy making and other states’ interests in proceeding with legalization.
7. Rob Patridge, Chair of the Oregon Liquor Control Commission

Youtube / The OregonianRob Patridge
Patridge is Oregon’s top marijuana regulator and will help develop the legal and regulatory system for the Beaver State. He has pushed his agency to engage the public heavily during the process. Patridge’s Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) has organized statewide listening tours, offers transparent online communication systems, and posts official meetings and hearings online in an effort to keep the public informed. In many ways, Patridge and the OLCC have set the standard for public inclusion in post-legalization deliberations around the implementation of recreational marijuana.

Patridge is proceeding with implementation in the face of a few unique challenges. The recent resignation of Governor Kitzhaber and unrelated removal of OLCC’s top marijuana policy advisor have brought added uncertainty to an already difficult policy area. Oregon is also the first legalizing state to share a border with another state with legal marijuana (Washington), and while interstate marijuana commerce remains illegal federally, interstate market pressures—influenced in large part by regulatory choices in each state—can have serious consequences for the legal market.

In addition, Patridge will oversee the implementation of recreational marijuana as the state continues with reforms to its existing medical marijuana program—a process that has created concerns in the marijuana patient advocacy community.
Like his colleague in Alaska, Patridge’s efforts in these early days of American legalization will likely have a substantial influence on what future marijuana policy looks like in other states.
8. Kevin Sabet, President & CEO of Project SAM
 
Reuters / Rick WilkingKevin Sabet
Sabet is one of the nation’s highest-profile anti-legalization advocates. On this culture war issue, Sabet serves as one of the most effective spokespeople in opposition. Sabet’s background includes working in three different White Houses as a drug policy advisor—the latest stint working in President Obama’s Office of National Drug Control Policy. He offers one of the more robust and articulate alternatives to the growing movement to legalize marijuana across the U.S.

His current posts—at the University of Florida College of Medicine and at SAM (Smart Approaches to Marijuana)—offers him a national perch to influence the conversation around marijuana policy. He founded SAM, a group he leads along with former U.S. Congressman Patrick Kennedy, an organization that opposes recreational marijuana and is skeptical of smoked medical marijuana.

However, despite the often black-and-white nature of describing the marijuana debate, Sabet shares some of the same concerns as marijuana legalization advocates on items like criminal justice issues and user vilification.
As future legalization initiatives arise, his actions will play a critical role in the coordination of opposition, messaging around the issue and ultimately outcomes.
9. Dan Riffle, Director of Federal Programs at Marijuana Policy Project 
Youtube / Smart Approaches to MarijuanaDan Riffle
Riffle is one the nation’s leading pro-legalization lobbyists.
His recent successes include helping pass the Rohrabacher-Farr amendment restricting DOJ enforcement activity around medical marijuana.
As states, voters, and advocates look to Congress to address the patchwork of laws that now compose marijuana policy in the US and deal with myriad problems like banking and medical research, Riffle and other lobbyists like him will be at the forefront of those efforts.

Once seen as an outsider arguing in favor of a taboo, outside-the-mainstream policy, Riffle is now viewed as a serious lobbyist in the halls of Congress, dealing with an issue that is emerging from the shadows and not simply a topic reserved for hushed, off-the-record discussions. As legislators like Rand Paul, Cory Booker, Jared Polis, Earl Blumenauer and others become vocal spokespeople for marijuana policy reform, Riffle and other marijuana lobbyists are the force behind those ideas and proposals.

As Congress gets the sea legs to deal with marijuana policy questions and states continue a variety of policy changes, Riffle and his colleagues like Drug Policy Alliance’s Bill Piper and Marijuana Policy Project’s Director of State Policies, Karen O’Keefe—to name a few—will influence this area of law and public policy.
10. Ricardo Baca, Editor of The Cannabist
 
Screen grab/The ViewRicardo Baca
Baca’s outlet—an extension of the Denver Post—is one of the most informed resources fornews and opinion around marijuana policy, politics, and products. Baca serves in a unique role, the head of America’s first mainstream media organization devoted to covering the marijuana beat. While there are long-standing specialty outlets such as High Times, at The Cannabist Baca has transformed the manner in which mainstream media deals with this new policy issue.

The Cannabist provides a perspective on the issue, for sure, but also maintains high-quality journalistic standards. Other national and local media outlets look to The Cannabist for coverage of marijuana policy in Colorado and elsewhere. Baca has ensured that the outlet not only serves as a clearinghouse for information, but plays a thought leadership role in the pro-marijuana movement. His outlet will have an effect on marijuana policy in the same way media influences conversations on all types of public policy; Baca will also help transform media treatment and coverage of marijuana policy and politics over time.
11. Jacob Sullum, Senior Editor at ReasonYoutube / The Alyona ShowJacob Sullum
Sullum is an award winning and nationally syndicated journalist. From his perch at Reason, he writes on a wide variety of topics that include marijuana policy and politics.
His critically acclaimed book Saying Yes: In Defense of Drug Use is Sullum’s most comprehensive look at the topic and reflects his talents in long-form to complement compelling work in short-form journalism.

His work on marijuana examines state-level initiatives and issues as well as policy at the national level.
His perspective frequently focuses on individual rights and choice, but he also focuses on how politics and politicians influence and engage the topic. He is one of the leading thinkers on the topic and while broadly supportive of legalization efforts, offers keen, critical analysis and a sharp tongue for both sides of the debate.
His work is frequently featured in national level outlets, is cited in other media and research forums, and he often appears on national media outlets discussing the topic. His perspective and writing will influence the future of the debate and discussion on marijuana.
12. Sheldon Adelson, Chairman & CEO of Las Vegas Sands 
ReutersSheldon Adelson
Adelson, known more for casinos and presidential campaigns, was the biggest donor in opposition of Florida’s 2014 medical marijuana initiative, by some estimates donating 85% of such funds.
Adelson sent more than $5 million from Southern Nevada to the Sunshine State to defeat a constitutional amendment that would have legalized medical marijuana.

The ballot initiative fell just short of the 60% support needed for passage. It is unclear whether this outsized role in Florida’s medical marijuana campaign was a fluke or a signal that Adelson will become a funding power in opposition to marijuana reform laws.
In 2016, two tests will likely offer insight into what Adelson plans. His homestate—Nevada—will vote on the legalization of recreational marijuana.

In addition, efforts are underway forFlorida to vote on medical marijuana again. While the demographics of a presidential election year and rapidly changing public opinion on marijuana—especially medical marijuana—may mean Adelson’s goal of maintaining prohibition may be at risk, the spending efforts of the 12th richest American may have a substantial effect on future marijuana ballot initiatives and the organization of groups opposed to legalization.
John Hudak is a fellow in Governance Studies and Managing Editor of the FixGov blog. His research examines questions of presidential power in the contexts of administration, personnel, and public policy. Additionally, he focuses on campaigns and elections, bureaucratic process and legislative-executive interaction. He is the author of the new book, Presidential Pork. 

Getting your medical marijuana card may become as easy as going online

Photo via HelloMD

For patients who need a medical marijuana card, they have to book an appointment with a clinic and see a doctor to get that green card. New startup HelloMD wants to take that process and move it entirely online.
Launching four weeks ago and currently available only in California, HelloMD has plans to expand to 23 states where medical marijuana is legal, including Washington.
How does it work? Patients book an appointment online. They then have a video consultation with a doctor which takes up to 20 minutes. If the client has a condition that falls under those considered treatable by medical marijuana, the doctor writes the recommendation. Cards are then mailed the same day. It is all done via live video consultation via Telehealth. The whole process costs $95.

Photo via HelloMD

“One of the interesting facts about our service, is that we are serving patients outside of the typical ‘stoner’ demographic,” CEO and founder Mark Hadfield told us via email. “Many of our patients are elderly, or infirm, and interested in the alternative types of cannabis products, edibles, tinctures and the like…We believe we are servicing a new demographic of marijuana patient, and the Telehealth access capability has been instrumental in their reason to choose HelloMD.”

Of course, MMJ laws differ state by state. While California recognizes a video conference with a doctor as legit, Hadfield says that he is “hopeful that by demonstrating that HelloMD is servicing a legitimate need (access to doctors for cannabis patients), [that] other state medical boards will also revise their laws to put their Telehealth and Cannabis laws in a non-conflicting state.” Until then, HelloMD will operate under a “hybrid” system, an online consultation plus an in-person doctor visit in other states that do not recognize a video conference alone as sufficient.

So far, Hadfield says that HelloMD has “processed several hundred patients.” No date is set for a Washington launch, but Hadfield said it would be “later this year.” Of course, medical marijuana laws are set to change in Washington, so, as with everything legal cannabis, expect the unexpected. But this could be a useful service for those in need who find it difficult to leave their home.

Happy 4/20 — here's what happens to your body and brain when you smoke marijuana

Jennifer Welsh and Dina Spector

 
Flickr
It's April 20. For those not in the know, 4/20 is the unofficial holiday that pot smokers and marijuana-legalization activists around the world celebrate by lighting up.
The plant, best-known for its "feel-good" effects and touted for its uses for diseases, can damage our bodies and minds.
The high you get from marijuana mostly comes from a chemical called tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, which is found in varying amounts in different strains of cannabis.

Another important compound is cannabidiol, or CBD, thought to cause many of the medical effects of marijuana. There are more than 70 other chemicals in marijuana that could cause effects on the brain and body that haven't been well studied.
Most of THC's effects happen in the brain, where the chemicals in the plant interact with receptors on brain cells called cannabinoid receptors. Our bodies actually make chemicals similar to THC, used in normal brain function and development. THC co-opts these natural pathways to produce most of its effects, which are varied and depend on how much and how often someone uses pot.

Marijuana makes us feel good.

AP/Damian Dovarganes

When THC hits brain cells, it causes them to release dopamine, a feel-good brain chemical. This is a part of the brain's reward system, which makes you feel good when you do things that ensure the survival of yourself and your offspring. These things include eating and having sex.
When over-excited by drugs, the reward system creates feelings of euphoria.
But too much of a good thing can become a problem, as the more often you trigger this feeling, the less you can feel happiness for other "rewarding" experiences. It takes a lot of pot use to get to this point, though.
In a recent study of people who had smoked nearly five joints a day, five days a week, for more than a decade, researchers saw that heavy pot smokers had weaker responses to the stimulant methylphenidate, which is used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, than nonusers. The stimulant gave them a less intense "high."

It can be addictive.

REUTERS/Marcos Brindicci

A man smokes marijuana during a demonstration in support of the legalization of marijuana in Buenos Aires, December 4, 2014.

Because of those feel-good effects, extended, heavy use of marijuana can be addictive or cause dependence. That doesn't mean anyone who tries marijuana will become addicted — most causal pot users most likely aren't — but there are some factors that could increase the likelihood of addiction.

New studies have found that pot can be more addictive when used in combination with nicotine (in the form of blunts) or when used through a vaporizer or other means, which may be more potent than smoking. According to researchers, this could mean that physiological effects of vaporized marijuana extracts could be very different from those of smoked marijuana, since the vaporized marijuana contains mostly THC, the main psychoactive compound.

A study in the journal Addictive Behaviors researchers found that compared to marijuana smokers, users who ingest hash oil using a wax, called "dabbing," or by inhaling marijuana oil using a "vape pen," may more rapidly develop tolerance and may also have a greater risk of withdrawal — two signs of addiction.

It blocks memory formation.

Kesneme via flickr

The active ingredient in marijuana acts in the part of the brain called the hippocampus to alter the way information is processed and how memories are formed. Animal studies have shown that this is particularly true while the brain is still developing.
This is specifically why the legal smoking age is 21 in the states that have legalized it.
This blockage of memory formation can cause cognitive impairment in adulthood if use happens during adolescence, at least in rats. It can also quicken age-related brain cell loss, though some studies have suggested that marijuana may be able to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease.

THC messes with your balance.

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THC messes with brain areas called the cerebellum and basal ganglia, which regulate balance, posture, coordination, and reaction time.
When these brain areas are disturbed, the user has a harder time walking and talking correctly, becoming quite clumsy.

Cannabis use may increase the risk of depression.

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Although there is no conclusive evidence that marijuana makes users depressed (it's just as likely that people who are depressed use pot), one recent study from the Netherlands found that smoking cannabis increases the risk of depression for young people who have a genetic vulnerability to the mental illness.
In the long term, smoking marijuana increased depressive symptoms in subjects with a special serotonin gene responsible for increased risk of depression.

Intense anxiety, fear, distrust, or panic are common side effects.

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Somewhere between 20% and 30% of recreational marijuana users react with intense anxiety after taking the drug, making it one of the most commonly reported side effects.
A recent study suggested that this could be about specific ratios of THC and CBD in a given strain, since these two chemicals contribute different effects. Some of those effects are giddy, excited highs while others are more mellow — and some anxiety-inducing.

But it may decrease anxiety too, provided people don't consume too much.

Sarah G.

Medical marijuana users claim that the drug helps relieve pain and suppress nausea — the two main reasons it's often used to relieve the side effects of chemotherapy.
In 2010, researchers at Harvard Medical School suggested that that these benefits may actually be from reduced anxiety, which would improve the smoker's mood and act as a sedative in low doses. Beware, though, higher doses may increase anxiety and make you paranoid.

Marijuana use has been linked with psychosis.

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Marijuana users who have taken large doses of the drug may experience acute psychosis, which includes hallucinations, delusions, and a loss of the sense of personal identity.
There is also possible link between cannabis use and psychotic episodes, but it's impossible to say if pot smoking puts people are risk of a psychotic episode, or if people at risk of a psychotic episode are more likely to use pot.
Even more complicated? While THC seems to induce acute psychotic effects and cognitive impairment, CBD may have some antipsychotic properties, a new paper suggests. This could even explain or temper the link between cannabis use and schizophrenia and psychosis mentioned above.

Audio and visual hallucinations are common.

Along with actual psychosis, cannabis users can also have audio and visual hallucinations from the effects on the brain areas that process what we see and hear.
These audio hallucinations include "looping" sounds, where one particular sound (that is usually one syllable in duration) will repeat over and over again until it is either replaced by a different sound or the effects of THC begin to wear off.

It robs you of sleep.

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There are five stages of sleep, which get progressively deeper as the night goes on. The first four stages are called rapid eye movement, or REM. THC, the main active chemical in marijuana, has been shown to interrupt the later phases of REM sleep, the point during the night that is most crucial to making the body feel re-energized when you wake up.

Inhaling marijuana causes your heart rate to increase.

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A London tourist smoking pot in Amsterdam.

Within a few minutes of inhaling marijuana, your heart rate increases, sometimes by 20 to 50 beats per minute (normal is 70 to 80 beats per minute). In some cases, like when taking other drugs with marijuana, heart rate can double.
This heart rate increase usually subsides relatively quickly, in about 20 minutes. In some cases of acute cannabis intoxication this could have cause fatal cardiovascular complications that ended in death.

It may cause red eyes.

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The traditional red eyes of a marijuana user — Visine, anyone? — come from blood vessels expanding in the eye.

It can lead to dry mouth.

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One uncomfortable effect of smoking weed is dry mouth or thirst.
The common side effect, equivalent to the feeling of having a bunch of cotton balls shoved in your mouth, is not just the result of inhaling hot smoke. It turns out cannabinoids receptors are located where our saliva is produced. When these receptors are activated by cannabis use, they inhibit the production of saliva.

You may get the munchies.

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After marijuana intake, most people feel the need to eat. And eat a lot. The drug increases food enjoyment and interest in food, increasing appetite. This is thought to be caused by the THC interacting with the cannabinoid receptors in a brain area called the hypothalamus.

Interestingly, a link has been drawn between milk products and cannabinoids. Some researchers think that these cannabinoids in milk play an important role in infant survival, because they stimulate the child's appetite and cause them to eat more and suckle, which could be why THC has a similar effect in adults.
According to a recent study in mice published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, marijuana may effectively flip a circuit in the brain that is normally responsible for quelling the appetite, triggering us to eat instead.

It all comes down to a special group of cells in the brain which normally get activated, or switched on, after we've eaten a big meal to tell us we've had enough. In the brain, though, the psychoactive ingredient in weed appears to activate just one component of those appetite-suppressing cells, known as pro-opiomelanocortin neurons, making us hungry instead.

But it keeps you skinny and helps your metabolism.

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A study published in the American Journal Of Medicine on April 15, 2013 suggested that pot smokers are skinnier than the average person and have healthier metabolism and reaction to sugars, even though they do end up eating more calories because of the munchies.
The study analyzed data from more than 4,500 adult Americans — 579 of whom were current marijuana smokers, meaning they had smoked in the last month. About 2,000 had used marijuana in the past, while another 2,000 had never used the drug.
They studied their body's response to eating sugars: their levels of the hormone insulin and their blood sugar levels while they hadn't eaten in nine hours, and also after eating sugar.
Not only are pot users skinnier, but their body has a healthier response to sugar.

It's better for your lungs than tobacco.

Screenshot via YouTube/FairfaxBiology

According to a study published in Journal of the American Medical Association in January, marijuana does not impair lung function and can even increase lung capacity.
Researchers looking for risk factors of heart disease tested the lung function of 5115 young adults over the course of 20 years. Tobacco smokers lost lung function over time, but pot users actually showed an increase in lung capacity.

The increased lung capacity may due to taking deep breaths while inhaling the drug, since any time you are inhaling burning smoke, you are taking in particulates into your lungs.
But here's the good news, it looks like how you take in the drug can also impact how it affects your lungs. A 2004 study in the Journal of Cannabis Therapeutics found that vaporized marijuana contained little other than cannabinoids, and a 2007 study found vaporizer users inhaled fewer toxic compounds and carbon monoxide. 

It may help control epileptic seizures.

Reuters

Marijuana use can prevent epileptic seizures in lab animals, a 2003 study showed. Though there haven't been any actual studies of humans of the drug as a treatment for epilepsy, there are plenty of case studies and anecdotal examples of cannabis treating seizures in the news lately.
That said, these aren't rigorous studies conducted by doctors, so we can't say for sure if there is a link between marijuana and seizures, or what may be helping control the disorders for those who swear by it.
The Epilepsy Foundation supports the development of cannabis-based drugs under the FDA process, and hopefully more research can isolate how these chemicals work in the brain, especially in the brains of patients and children with seizure disorders.

It relieves arthritis discomfort.



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Marijuana alleviates pain, reduces inflammation, and promotes sleep, which may help relieve pain and discomfort for people with rheumatoid arthritis, researchers announced in 2011.


Researchers from rheumatology units at several hospitals gave their patients, sativex, a cannabinoid-based pain-relieving medicine. After a two-week period, people on Sativex had a significant reduction in pain and improved sleep quality compared to placebo users.

Marijuana treats inflammatory bowel diseases.

Reuters

Patients with inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis could benefit from marijuana use, studies suggest.
University of Nottingham researchers found in 2010 that chemicals in marijuana, including THC and cannabidiol, interact with cells in the body that play an important role in gut function and immune responses. The study was published in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.
THC-like compounds made by the body increase the permeability of the intestines, allowing bacteria in. The plant-derived cannabinoids in marijuana block these body-cannabinoids, preventing this permeability and making the intestinal cells bond together tighter.

THC slows the progression of Alzheimer's disease.

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Marijuana may be able to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease, a study led by Kim Janda of the Scripps Research Institute suggests.
The 2006 study, published in the journal Molecular Pharmaceutics, found that THC, the active chemical in marijuana, slows the formation of amyloid plaques by blocking the enzyme in the brain that makes them. These plaques seem to be what kill brain cells and seem to cause the effects of Alzheimer's.
A synthetic mixture of CBD and THC seem to preserve memory in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Another study suggested that in population-based studies, a THC-based prescription drug called dronabinol was able to reduce behavioral disturbances in dementia patients.

A chemical found in marijuana stops cancer from spreading.

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One chemical found in marijuana, called cannabidiol, prevents cancer from spreading, researchers at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco reported in 2007.
Cannabidiol stops cancer by turning off a gene called Id-1, the study, published in the journal Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, found. Cancer cells make more copies of this gene than non-cancerous cells, and it helps them spread through the body.

The researchers studied breast cancer cells in the lab that had high expression levels of Id-1 and treated them with cannabidiol. After treatment the cells had decreased Id-1 expression and were less aggressive spreaders. This hasn't been studied in cancer patients, though, and there's no way to be sure that enough of the CBD would get into your body to actually mimic the study.

It can reduce your need for painkillers.

Center for Disese Control

There seems to be a link between legal marijuana and opioid use — heroin and prescription painkillers like oxycontin. In the 23 U.S. states where medical marijuana is legal, deaths from opioid overdoses decreased by almost 25% between 1999 and 2010, according to a report from 2014.
It could be that instead of getting hooked on painkillers, patients who could use medical marijuana turned to the more "natural" pain reliever. The study showed that patients using medical marijuana also used prescription painkillers, but they were using the drugs less frequently, thereby reducing the likelihood of overdose.

Pot use is linked to physical changes in the brain.

Wikimedia Commons

The orbitofrontal cortex.

In a recent study, scientists used a combination of MRI-based brain scans to get one of the first comprehensive, three-dimensional pictures of the brains of adults who have smoked weed at least four times a week, often multiple times a day, for years.

A critical part of the brain that helps us process emotions and make decisions appeared smaller than in the brains of the nonsmoker. But oddly, the connections passing through that region of the brain were stronger and thicker.

So does smoking weed every day for a decade shrink your brain and make you dumber? Not quite.

The regular smokers did have lower IQ scores overall when compared to the people who didn't smoke, but there's no way to know yet whether or how that might be linked to smaller orbitofrontal cortices or marijuana use in general. 

"We cannot honestly say that that is what’s happening here," Francesca Filbey, the lead study author, told Business Insider. It could be that other factors affect brain size and shape, and those factors could be what leads to pot smoking, instead of the other way around. 

It can make you perform better at sports.

Andy Wong/AP

Researchers say that marijuana has an anti-inflammatory effect and that the chemical compounds that come from weed might mimic the body's natural endorphins, which could help increase our pain threshold like a natural runner's high and make it easier to push through a tough workout.
So there's evidence that pot can help people deal with pain and inflammation while decreasing anxiety and improving mood, but it also has potentially risky motor-control side effects that could lead to an accident, especially in a sport where a wrong turn (like mountain biking or skiing) could be disastrous.