Five Super Tuesday States With Serious Drug Problems

This year, the burning issues of opioid overdose and marijuana legalization have forced presidential candidates to repeatedly comment on drug policy.

 
By Kristen Gwynne

This week is Super Tuesday, the biggest event of the 2016 presidential primary elections, with 13 states and one territory voting on which candidates to send to the Democratic and Republican National Conventions.

Large-scale losers will stand little chance of progressing, given the breadth of demographics and cultures that these states represent. This year, the burning issues of opioid overdose and marijuana legalization have forced presidential candidates to repeatedly comment, however foolishly, on drug policy—something they typically prefer to avoid.

But “drug problems” are far more varied than the soundbites suggest. For example, drugs that happen to be legal can be associated with just as many harms—or more—as those that don’t (we should always remember that most drug use is not problematic). The laws around drugs can be just as damaging—or more—as the substances themselves. And media portrayals of drug issues have a habit of reflecting societal prejudices.

The drug problems suffered by these five Super Tuesday states reflect the diversity of what’s happening across the country.

Alaska
In Alaska, police and officials grappling with alcohol-related crime must also contend with black market bootleggers supplying booze to towns that have banned the sale of it (a fairly well-known consequence of alcohol prohibition).

“Alaska’s criminal justice professionals recognize that alcohol is the primary abused substance in Alaska,” says the Alaska State Troopers’ Alaska Bureau of Investigation2014 Annual Drug Report. “It often contributes to many violent, suicidal and accidental deaths, especially in rural areas.”

Alcohol was linked to 59% of domestic violence cases reported to Alaska state troopers from 2001 through 2005—a rate 17% higher the national average.

Problematic alcohol use and crimes associated with it has prompted more than 100 Alaskan communities to vote to prohibit alcohol, and these local bans created a gap in the market that bootleggers have strived to fill.

“The economics of the illegal sales of alcohol is staggering,” the 2014 Annual Drug Report says: A 750-milliliter bottle of liquor bought at $10 could sell black market for $50 and, in rural areas, “easily” reach prices as high as $150 to $300.

Arkansas
Arkansas has some of the most draconian weed laws in the country, according to the Marijuana Policy Project. A first possession offense is punishable by up to a year in jail and a hefty $2,500 fine; subsequent possession arrests can land folks felony convictions that put them in prison for up to six years. If you’re caught with half an ounce with intent to deliver, you’re looking at the same sentence, as well as a felony.

Mandatory minimum sentences for delivery are also steep. Just four ounces requires a mandatory three-year sentence, but judges can sentence offenders to up to 10 years behind bars.

Such sentences are far more damaging to individuals, families and communities than marijuana use itself.

There is hope of improvement, at least for Arkansans who use marijuana for medical purposes. Earlier this month, the state’s Attorney Generalgranted approval for a constitutional amendment legalizing medical marijuana to appear on the November ballot. The state came within a whisker of passing a similar initiative in 2012, but fell short with around 49% of voters in favor.

Oklahoma
Oklahoma has one of the highest smoking rates in the US: Between 21 and 25% of adults are current smokers. (A 2013Gallup poll gave the state the fourth highest smoking rate in the country; 2010 Centers for Disease Control data ranked it third, while more recent CDC figures place it lower down the list. Either way, we’re talking lots of smokers.)

The sad corollary to this is that the CDC has also ranked Oklahoma’s “smoking attributable mortality rate” as the third highest in the US. An average of more than 6,200 adults aged 35 and older died as a result of tobacco use per year from 2000-2004.

And not everyone inhaling smoke in the state has chosen to do so. While smoking indoors has become a thing of the past for much of the country, Oklahoma still allows smokers to light up in bars. You can even smoke while eating, provided the restaurant has a designated smoking area.

Tennessee
Tennessee is one of three states that allow for criminal charges to be filed against a woman who used drugs during pregnancy, and the only state to use its legislature to allow for the punishment. The“fetal assault” law enacted in 2014 allows that drug-use during pregnancy linked to harm to the fetus is punishable by up to 15 years in prison—an alarming policy that has many experts up in arms.

Thirty advocateswrote to the Tennesee General Assembly in January, asking them to end a law they say could discourage pregnant people from seeking crucial prenatal care. They wrote the law has “a harmful impact on women and families in Tennessee” and should be “allowed to sunset with no extensions, expansions or replacements,” asking that the money used to prosecute these women should go toward treatment instead.

The law is set to sunset in July. It’s to be hoped that its expiration will send the message that protecting women’s health is more important than creating punishments for failing to be the perfect incubator.

Vermont
Vermont is one of several US states attracting attention for its “opioid epidemic.” In January 2014, Governor Peter Shumlin uniquely devoted hisState of the State address to what he called “a full-blown heroin crisis.” This month, Governor Shumlin discussed his plan to address opioid addiction and overdose by reforming penalties for drug use and expanding access to treatment.

Media depictions of opioid use in (rural, beautiful, overwhelmingly white) Vermont often frame the state as a surprising or unlikely setting for a heroin problem. In 2014, for example, Politico ran a headline asking “How Did Idyllic Vermont Become America’s Heroin Capital?” and The New York Times ran a story titled “Heroin Scourge Overtakes a ‘Quaint’ Vermont Town.”

In this way, Vermont’s heroin problem has become emblematic of the media’s and elected officials’ alarm at perceiving that opioid use has hit predominantly white areas—as opposed to the kinds of populations and places where such problems might be “expected.”

Studies Show Marijuana Can Ease Debilitating Symptoms of MS

By Prakash Janakiraman



Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune and neuroinflammatory disorder that affects the neurological system and impairs body functions. The pathogenesis of MS is characterized by development of auto-antibodies against myelin peptides/sheath of nerve cells that results in nerve inflammation and impaired neurotransmission control between the muscles and the central nervous system. 

In MS patients, impaired motor control leads to uncontrolled spastic movements and pain symptoms.

Spasticity is characterized by overactive muscle activity with movement disorder, pain, generalized weakness, hypertonia, and contracture – as well as associated neurological problems. The complete pathogenesis of spasticity in MS patients is not understood. However, it is believed that it occurs as a result of selective neuronal loss and alterations in the balance.

Based on the available findings, it has been confirmed that MS is an immune-mediated disorder, and the treatment should target, modulate, and normalize the abnormal immune system.

Modern medical approaches involve administration of exogenous steroids, which do not achieve therapeutic success, although these drugs are immunosuppressive in nature. Use of biologics – such as interferons – may provide symptomatic relief; albeit, with serious side effects. In most of cases, the MS treatment side effects outweigh the possible benefits.

Recent interest in medical cannabis has trended towards the use of cannabinoids to treat the symptoms of MS including spasticity and pain. Particularly, medical cannabis takes the edge over conventional therapy as it provides a desirable therapeutic outcome with fewer and more tolerable side effects.

Let’s look into the results of clinical trial evidence and the therapeutic potential of cannabis in MS patients, as well as the pharmacology of cannabinoids.

Evidence from preclinical studies
The role of endocannabinoids in the regulation of spasticity has been demonstrated in several experimental studies using MS models. As cannabinoid receptors regulate the tonic control of spasticity, targeting the cannabinoid receptors, medical cannabis can provide positive treatment outcomes. Experimental use of endocannabinoid agonists in MS models has shown that cannabis can be therapeutically used for tonic control of spasticity.

In preclinical MS models, cannabinoids treatment drastically reduced spasticity and tremor by influencing CB1 and CB2 receptors. In MS-induced (experimentally) animals, elevated levels of circulatory endocannabinoid were observed in the brains and spinal cords. Administration of cannabis constituents has ameliorated the symptoms of MS by inhibiting endocannabinoid membrane transport or enzymatic hydrolysis. Although, the complete role of endocannabinoids in the pathogenesis of MS is not understood, it is clear that endocannabinoids play a key role in MS pathogenesis and serves as a potential drug target.

In addition to anti-spasticity benefits, THC also possesses immunosuppressive properties that can be useful to treat MS, which is an autoimmune disorder. Experimental studies have demonstrated the THC injections attenuated or delayed clinical signs of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (MS model), and this benefit was not observed in non-treated animals. Histopathological examination of the animals’ brain showed remarkable reduction of inflammation and inflammatory cells (macrophages) presence. However, no reduction of inflammatory reactions was observed in untreated animals.

Now it all makes sense.

Cannabinoids can treat MS symptoms by treating/preventing spasticity and pain, as well as by protecting the nerves from inflammation in MS patients.

Human clinical trial results
Based on the results of experimental studies,  medical cannabis has been tested in humans and modest improvements of MS symptoms were reported. Although, most of the studies involved small numbers of trial subjects, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol has been shown to provide objective and/or subjective relief of MS symptoms such as tremor, spasticity, pain, and nocturia. These results were in accordance/concordant with the results of experimental animal studies.

Recently, Sativex – a cannabis-based medication – has been tested and proved to be useful for treatment of spasticity and neuropathic pain in MS patients. Similar results were reported in other studies. In a randomized, placebo-controlled study that enrolled 667 stable MS patients, cannabinoids treatment showed objective improvement in mobility and pain (as reported by trial subjects/self-reporting benefits).

In a small double-blind, cross-over, placebo-controlled study, delta-9-THC treatment significantly improved spasticity in multiple sclerosis patients. These findings were similar to the results of a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study that employed cannabis-based medicinal extract (CBME) that contains THC and CBD.

An independent study to demonstrate the anti-spasticity property of CBME has shown that CBME reduced lower spasm frequency and improved mobility in conventional treatment-resistant MS patients who suffered persistent spasticity. The side effects of CBME treatment were reported to be tolerable.

Another study that involved 160 MS patients have shown that CBME (Sativex) treatment significantly reduced the spasticity visual analog scale (VAS) score as evidenced by improvements in spasticity, pain, bladder problem, tremor, and spasms. These treatment benefits were not observed in the placebo group. No remarkable side effects on mood, cognition, or intoxication was observed, and most of the reported symptoms were mild.

What we have is a number of small-scale clinical trials that proved the anti-spasticity benefits of cannabis in MS patients. We need large-scale, randomized clinical trials to showcase scientifically-plausible therapeutic benefits of medical cannabis and to nail the lies of big pharma companies that continue to oppress the potential therapeutic benefits of medical cannabis. I strongly believe that such trials are not far-away.

Receptor pharmacology of Cannabis
Research evidence have shown that CB1 receptors are predominantly expressed in nerve cells present in the brain and peripheral tissues. Recent studies have shown that endocannabinoid system and cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptors are involved in regulation of synaptic neurotransmission, which confirms the notion that cannabinoids can control spasticity in humans.

Unlike CB1, limited evidences are available to show that normal nerve tissues can express CB2 receptors; however, CB2 receptors are widely expressed in leucocytes.

Studies have confirmed that apparent CB2 agonist may possess anti-spastic activity, which need not to be owing to direct activity of CB2 receptors. However, the anti-spastic activity can possibly occur as a result of in-vivo generation of certain cannabinoid metabolites that possess affinity for CB1 receptors, which actually mediate the therapeutic/anti-spastic effects. 

Receptor pharmacological studies on the cannabinoid system and cannabis have shown that tetrahydrocannabinol and CB1 receptors are the predominant mediators of therapeutic benefits (anti-spasticity) as well as the adverse events.

To treat MS symptoms, targeting not only CB1 receptors but CB2 is also useful to attenuate neuroinflammatory reactions. CB2 receptors are widely expressed in MS plaques by microglia, lymphocytes, and astrocytes that contribute to MS symptoms.

The pathogenesis of MS involves activation of myelin-specific CD4+ peripheral T cells which enters the spinal cord and differentiates into T-helper cells that elicit delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions. In this process, immune cells, as well as adjacent tissue cells, respond to the inflammatory signals that lead to progressive destruction of myelin sheath (demyelination) and motor nerve cells. This cascade of inflammatory events contributes to nerve damage, spasticity, and pain in MS patients.

Research studies have shown that CB2 is predominantly expressed in MS plaques by astrocytes, microglia and migratory lymphocytes (inflammation causatives). In experimental animal studies, selective CB2 agonist administration improved motor function by modulating lymphocyte-mediated microglial inflammation in the spinal cord. In this context, it is clear that CB2-targeting agonists, such as cannabinoids, can serve as potential therapeutic agents.

The available evidence clearly demonstrate that CB2 receptor activation by cannabis constituents can improve autoimmune-mediated demyelination by modulating or inhibiting activation of CD4+ T cells, dendritic cells, B lymphocytes, and brain-associated macrophages (microglial and astrocyte) that involve in induction of delayed type hypersensitivity reactions. The activation of CB2 receptors by cannabis constituents can likely be useful to modulate inflammatory response/reactions including neuroinflammatory processes in MS in addition to anti-spastic benefits.

Taken together, the activation of CB2 receptors by cannabis constituents such as Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta9-THC) can provide neuroprotection in MS patients by reducing inflammatory CD4+ lymphocyte infiltration, suppressing leucocyte adhesion molecules in the brain endothelium, inhibiting microglial response to inflammation with improved neural plasticity and fewer side effects.

Chewing takes the edge over smoking
To avoid possible respiratory side effects, non-smoking form of marijuana, something like chewing gum, can be preferred to reduce spasticity and related pain in MS patients. Chewing gum formulation has fewer side effects, and it is also more socially-acceptable than conventional marijuana consumption routes such as smoking.

As reported by AXIM Biotechnology, a marijuana gum manufacturer, chewing gum formulation is uniquely designed to release marijuana components into the oral mucosal blood circulation that bypasses liver metabolic processes (first-pass metabolism). By this way, prolonged/sustained dose release can be ensured without peaking too much.

In addition to cannabis medical benefits, chewing (mastication) has its own medical benefits including neurostimulation and neuroprotective effects. Available research evidences have shown that mastication can aid neurogenesis, promote oral and heart health, and reduce stress and age-related cognitive decline.

Majority of Canadians agree pot should be legal: poll

DANIEL LEBLANC

A man smokes a joint at the Fill the Hill marijuana rally on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Sunday, April 20, 2014.
(Justin Tang/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

A strong majority of Canadians agree with the Liberal government’s plan to legalize marijuana, and half of them feel users should be able to grow their own pot at home, a new Globe and Mail/Nanos Research poll has found.

The poll also found that Canadians would prefer that cannabis be sold in dedicated dispensaries or pharmacies than through a liquor store, which is the preferred choice of Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne.

Justin Trudeau first promised in 2013 to legalize marijuana, a drug that has been prohibited in Canada since 1923.

Now Prime Minister, he has called on Bill Blair, the former Toronto police chief, to come up with the best model to legally distribute the drug for recreational purposes to adults, while finding ways to keep it out of the hands of children.

The poll of 1,000 Canadians found that legalizing marijuana is supported or somewhat supported by 68 per cent of the population.

British Columbia leads the way with 75-per-cent overall support for legalization, while the plan has only 55-per-cent support in the Prairies.

On the other hand, 30 per cent of the population is opposed or somewhat opposed to the legalization of marijuana.

Pollster Nik Nanos said the government has convinced the population of the wisdom of its promise, but that public consultations are still needed to determine how to proceed.

“Canadians are on board, but that being said, once you get into the details, people have some concerns and questions,” Mr. Nanos said. “The challenge for the Liberals will be the implementation of the legalization of marijuana and how that is going to work.”

A major concern shared by 51 per cent of Canadians is that legalization will actually lead to increased drug use by people under 21 (compared with 45 per cent who do not agree).

However, 57 per cent of Canadians do not agree that marijuana is a “gateway drug” that leads to more harmful substances, compared with 40 per cent who agree with the statement.

Deciding who gets to legally grow and sell marijuana will be a multibillion-dollar decision for the government.

The country’s biggest pharmacies are looking at the market, while provincial liquor boards are presenting themselves as the natural destination for legal pot, arguing they already have experience in selling a controlled substance to adult customers.

At the same time, a growing number of illegal pot dispensaries are operating across the country, officially to serve the medical marijuana community.

The poll, which allowed more than one answer on this question, found that respondents favoured dedicated marijuana dispensaries (44 per cent) and pharmacies (43 per cent) over regulated liquor stores (36 per cent).

Convenience stores and grocery stores were far behind at 3 per cent, while 14 per cent of respondents said it should not be sold anywhere.

Canadians are split on homegrown marijuana: 49 per cent of them agree or somewhat agree with a do-it-yourself system, while 48 per cent disagree.

The government will eventually have to decide, but it will be expected to impose limits on how many plants can be grown at home and whether the fruits of this labour can be shared.

Mr. Blair, who is the parliamentary secretary to the minister of justice, refused to speculate last week on who will be able to grow and sell marijuana.

He also refused to lay out a timeline for the work of a new federal-provincial task force, which will lead broad consultations on the matter, and the ensuing changes to the Criminal Code.

The Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse said last week that once marijuana is legalized, it should be distributed through a tightly regulated system – in which making a profit is not the objective.

“A public-health framework means preventing a revenue-driven approach, even within government-regulated sales,” CCSA policy adviser Rebecca Jesseman said at a public hearing held by the Senate Liberal caucus.

The Nanos Research random survey, conducted last week by telephone and online, offers a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

  

Illegal cannabis oil 'stops terminally ill dad's brain tumour growing'

• By Jilly Beattie

Kieran McCrory, 38, was given just nine months to live but now doctors have told him his tumour has stopped growing and no other treatment is needed at this stage

Before: Kieran McCrory was given just nine months to live

A terminally-ill dad claims illegal cannabis oil has stopped his brain tumour growing.

Kieran McCrory was given just nine months to live after being diagnosed two years ago.

But after taking cannabis oil for a year, the dad-of-one has been told by doctors that his tumour has stopped growing and no other treatment is needed at this stage.

Kieran is hoping to shrink the tumour with continued use of cannabis oil in the hope that he can be treated with chemotherapy if necessary, Belfast Live reported.

Kieran, from Omagh, said: "I can be optimistic about spending a good length of time on this planet with my wife and child.

"It is good to see a bit of light. Basically, the tumour has stopped in its tracks. So it's not spread and it's not got any bigger."

After: Kieran's tumour has stopped growing and he needs no further treatment at the moment

In a moving interview with BBC Radio Ulster, Kieran added: "I just want to live. I'm not hurting anyone. I am not out there selling drugs and I don't run a drugs factory.

"You can't afford to put up restrictions when you're fighting for your life. I will be taking this oil for the rest of my life. I want to get to the age of 80."

Mr McCrory, 38, was diagnosed with a brain tumour two years ago.

In a bid to save his life, he underwent brain surgery and radiation treatment but was given a short prognosis and last year he started using cannabis oil and has witnessed a huge change in his welbeing.

It remains illegal in the UK to use cannabis for medicinal purposes but two studies are currently underway for Cancer Research UK.

A spokesman for the charity said: "We know that cannabinoids, the active chemicals found in cannabis, can have a range of different effects on cancer cells grown in the lab and animal tumours.

"But at the moment there isn't good evidence from clinical trials to prove that they can safely and effectively treat cancer in patients.

"Cancer Research UK is supporting clinical trials for treating cancer with cannabinoid-based drugs in order to gather solid data on whether they benefit people with cancer."

Campaign: Kieran hopes to get cannabis oil legalised

Cannabis was classed outlawed as a class B drug in the UK, but a derivative is used in a spray for Multiple Sclerosis patients.

It is legal to use cannabis oil in 23 out of America's 50 states and legislation is pending in other states.

And now Kieran is lending his voice to the campaign for medical cannabis to be legalised in the UK.

Supporters from End Our Pain have claimed the move would help more than an estimated one million people who regularly use cannabis for medical reasons.

The Minister for Preventing Abuse and Exploitation, Karen Bradley, said: "There is clear scientific and medical evidence that cannabis is a harmful drug which can damage people's mental and physical health, and harms individuals and communities."

Kieran added: "What would anybody else do if you were in my shoes? I just want to live."

Marijuana mum smokes bong as it 'makes me a better parent' while reading cannabis storybook to toddler daughter

• By Jon Livesey , Rachel Bishop

Moms of Marijuana also host dinner parties dubbed “Come Dine with Cannabis” with pot-laced chicken and mashed potato with a weed side-salad

A mum reads a storybook about cannabis to her young daughter after taking a hit from a bong and claiming smoking weed improves her parenting skills.
January Jones, a cannabis activist is seen in this video with her little girl - who looks about two-year-old - sitting on her lap, reading a book.
But it's no ordinary children's tale - called "It's Just a Plant", it's designed to teach youngsters all about the supposed benefits of cannabis.
January says she's open about her use of cannabis and uses the the book, by Ricardo Cortés, to educate her daughter about the drug.

YouTube / Barcroft TV

Controversial: January Jones reads the cannabis storybook to her daughter

And she claims it makes her a better parent.
She says: “With my early onset arthritis I wouldn’t even be able to pick up my daughter (without taking cannabis).”

YouTube / Barcroft TV

Education: The little girl is seen reading the storybook, designed to teach youngsters about cannabis

January is seen taking a huge hit from a bong outside her home in California, before adding: "Smoking cannabis helps me be a better mother.
"It makes me a more creative mum, a more relaxed mother."

Barcroft TV

Arthritis: January Jones uses cannabis to control her medical issues

The shocking and provocative video focuses on a group of mothers in Beverley Hills who call themselves the Moms of Marijuana.
In the footage, they discuss their use of cannabis for medical reasons.

YouTube / Barcroft TV

Story time: The book, It's Just a Plant, was written and illustrated by Ricardo Cortés

Mum-of-two Cheryl Shuman, executive director of Moms of Marijuana, is seen hosting a weed-laced dinner party for her friends.
The event is dubbed “Come Dine with Cannabis”.

Barcroft TV

Group founder: Cheryl Shuman began taking the drug after being diagnosed with cancer

Among the items on the menu are cannabis-infused chicken piccata, mashed potato with cannabutter and a weed-infused salad.
Read more: 'Stoner gene' determines how cannabis users are affected

Cheryl, who she began taking the drug when she was diagnosed with cancer, hosts the parties at her Downtown Beverley Hills home.

YouTube / Barcroft TV

Come Dine With Cannabis: Cheryl hosts weed-laced dinner parties for her pals

Referring to her cannabis use, she says: “It does make me a better mom. I’m calmer, I’m more rational, I’m not angry.”
She adds: “I would like to see it as normal as walking into a Starbucks.”
The women in the video say they suffer from medical conditions, such as arthritis, which allow them to buy and use cannabis legally.

In the upmarket area of Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, the drug is allowed for medical reasons.

Study: Long-Term Cannabis Use Mitigates Pain, Reduces Opioid Use

By Paul Armentano
 
JERUSALEM, ISRAEL — The daily, long-term use of cannabis is associated with improved analgesia and reduced opioid use in patients with treatment-resistant chronic pain conditions, according to clinical trial data reported online ahead of print in The Clinical Journal of Pain.

Investigators with Hebrew University in Israel evaluated the use of cannabis on pain in a cohort of 176 patients, each of whom had been previously unresponsive to all conventional pain medications. Subjects inhaled THC-dominant cannabis daily (up to 20 grams per month) for a period of at least six months.

A majority of participants (66 percent) experienced improvement in their pain symptom scores after cannabis therapy, and most reported “robust” improvements in their quality of life. Subjects’ overall consumption of opioid drugs declined 44 percent by the end of the trial, and a significant percentage of participants discontinued opioid therapy altogether over the course of the study.

Authors concluded, “In summary, this long-term prospective cohort suggests that cannabis treatment in a mixed group of patients with treatment-resistant chronic pain may result in improved pain, sleep and quality of life outcomes, as well as reduced opioid use.”

The Israeli results are similar to those reported in a 2015 Canadian trial which concluded that chronic pain patients who use herbal cannabis daily for one-year experienced reduced discomfort and increased quality of life compared to controls, and did not possess an increased risk of serious side effects.

Separate data published in 2014 in The Journal of the American Medical Association determined that states with medical marijuana laws experience far fewer opiate-related deaths than do states that prohibit the plant. Investigators from the RAND Corporation reported similar findings in 2015, concluding, “States permitting medical marijuana dispensaries experience a relative decrease in both opioid addictions and opioid overdose deaths compared to states that do not.”

Clinical data published in 2011 in the journal Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics previously reported that the administration of vaporized cannabis “safely augments the analgesic effect of opioids.”

A scientific review published earlier this year assessing the clinical use of cannabinoids for pain in over 1,300 subjects concluded, “Overall, the recent literature supports the idea that currently available cannabinoids are modestly effective analgesics that provide a safe, reasonable therapeutic option for managing chronic non-cancer-related pain and possibly cancer-related pain.”

Marijuana May Boost Brain Performance

Marijuana can reverse cognitive decline…as long as it’s not laced with toxic pesticides.

 

 

There are a host of benefits to be reaped from medicinal cannabis. However, like any manufactured drug, cannabis has its pros and cons, which should be weighed against each other relative to the context of a person’s situation. Among these is the fact that marijuana can reverse cognitive decline… as long as it’s not laced with toxic pesticides.

 

One of the most surprising and recent revelations about cannabinoids are their capability to perform as antioxidants in the brain. German experts have found that the brain’s cannabinoid system has the capability of restoring impaired brain cells, while developing new ones. Cannabinoids may curb the effects of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s disease and possibly more.

The news was published in the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B. The researchers discovered that natural marijuana, that is marijuana devoid of pesticides, can curb brain inflammation behind an onslaught of cognitive disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease and other similar diseases.

“I’ve been trying to find a drug that will reduce brain inflammation and restore cognitive function in rats for over 25 years; cannabinoids are the first and only class of drugs that have ever been effective,” notes Gary Wenk, a professor of neuroscience, immunology and medical genetics at Ohio State University (OSU), who contributed to the study. “I think that the perception about this drug is changing and in the future people will be less fearful.”

Not all states have permitted marijuana for recreational use. Just as users who purchase marijuana illegally can’t be sure whether their stash has been laced with drugs, users who purchase marijuana legally can’t be sure whether their stash has been laced with pesticides.

The general agreement among those who run the legal marijuana industry, is that there hasn’t been enough research that determines which chemicals are best to grow, smoke or eat marijuana with. “We have an industry that’s been illegal for so many years that there’s no research,” observed Frank Conrad, director of the marijuana testing laboratory Colorado Green Lab. “There’s no guidelines. There’s nothing.”

Lack of federal regulation enables growers to disregard pesticide laws. Moreover, even though the state limitation of marijuana has decreased, the federal government continues to analyze cannabis as an illicit drug, meaning, they have no interest in funding research about chemical use for marijuana crops. “There is no federal agency that will recognize this as a legitimate crop,” said pesticide expert Whitney Cranshaw of Colorado State University. “Regulators just bury their heads, and as a result, pest-management information regarding this crop devolves to Internet chats and hearsay.”

Since marijuana is a low priority at the federal level, it can take years for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to respond to state requests about which pesticides are approved for marijuana crops. As a result, it’s easy for marijuana growers to disregard rules that limit or ban certain pesticides.

In Denver, for example, a chemical called Eagle 20 EW was found to be in marijuana circulating the market. Although the chemical, technically a fungicide, is approved for grapes and hops, it’s banned for use on tobacco plants, because it can become hazardous when heated. Oregon faced a similar hurdle in June, after an investigation by The Oregonian unearthed residues surpassing legal limits for edible marijuana products.

Other pesticides, which are linked to cancer, nerve damage and neural degeneration, were found as well. Since these pesticides are not state-regulated, their use is legal.

A strong case can be made for the medicinal benefits of cannabis. There is plenty of marijuana in circulation harboring pesticides unfit for human consumption today. Therefore, in reaping the benefits of medicinal cannabis, it’s important for users to remember that not all cannabis plants are created equal.

Tea Party stages debate on marijuana legalization

By Jon Johnson

SAFFORD – The “Hippy Dippy Weatherman” he’s not.

The face of the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol initiative is not what one might expect, and it just might be the greatest foil for those who would prefer the plant to remain illegal for nonmedical use in Arizona.

Medical marijuana dispensary owner J.P. Holyoak debated Pinal County Attorney Lando Voyles over legalizing marijuana for recreational use at an event at Victory Theater, sponsored by the Graham County Tea Party and Graham County Republican Women Club, on Feb. 19. 

Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Chairman J.P. Holyoak, left, a self-described “unapologetic conservative Republican,” is the unlikely face of the Marijuana Policy Project’s initiative to legalize marijuana use by all adults. Jon Johnson Photo/Eastern Arizona Courier

Holyoak called himself an “unapologetic conservative Republican” who also happens to be the chairman of the Marijuana Policy Project-sponsored initiative to regulate marijuana like alcohol. Holyoak was previously against marijuana but, after seeing how the plant improved the quality of life for his ill daughter, Reese, he thrust himself into its advocacy.

“I was somebody that, once upon a time, was naïve enough to believe what the government told me, and I listened to that and I was anti-marijuana,” he said. “But I’m also someone who believes in individual rights and individual responsibilities, and I abhor nanny-state government . . . It’s (prohibition has) proven to be an utter and complete total failure.”

While Voyles had little to say in response to Holyoak’s points about reasons why cannabis should be legalized — including an economic benefit to Arizona with the creation of 21,000 jobs and an estimated $100 million in tax revenue for education rather than money spent on purchasing marijuana going to foreign drug cartels — Holyoak seemingly had an answer based on official statistics to counter every argument Voyles had against legalization.

In one instance, Voyles claimed that studies showed an increase of teen use in states where medical marijuana or recreational marijuana was legal, and Holyoak debunked that by referencing an article from Forbes Magazine that listed fewer teens using marijuana than 15 years ago and displaying Arizona’s own youth survey that showed teen use decreased after medical marijuana was legalized.

At one point in the evening, Holyoak told the crowd about his daughter, Reese, who has the rare disease Aicardi syndrome that caused her to have multiple seizures every day. As a parent desperate to find anything that could help his daughter, Holyoak turned to marijuana after the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act was passed.

“The difference between marijuana and no marijuana for her is literally the difference between life and death,” Holyoak said. “She went from 25 to 35 seizures a day and being nonresponsive — she still has an occasional seizure, about every five or six months she has one — but today she’s walking independently, almost running, being herself, getting into stuff, playing, laughing, smiling, and generally enjoying her very high quality of life. I find it offensive that the U.S. government says that marijuana is a Schedule 1 drug with no medicinal value. We know that’s not true. It’s inappropriate, and I find it even more offensive to try to defend the position of keeping it a Schedule 1 drug.” 

Pinal County Attorney Lando Voyles provides the con perspective during a Tea Party debate on legalizing recreational marijuana Friday. Jon Johnson Photo/Eastern Arizona Courier

After recounting his daughter’s experience, Voyles chose that moment to tow the federal government’s line that marijuana has no medicinal value, a statement that garnered groans from the audience.

“I appreciate his anecdotal response to the medicinal purposes of marijuana, but right now, there have been numerous doctors both in the FDA — I say doctors, Ph.Ds, these are people who have done studies on this — both the DEA and FDA, who have done multiple researches to determine if there is any medical use at all for marijuana, and to date they haven’t found any . . . Right now, there’s no medicinal purposes for it.”

Throughout the debate, the only point Voyles made that Holyoak couldn’t refute was that it is illegal on the federal level and that, as a prosecutor, he is duty-bound to follow the law of the land.

Even though it remains illegal at the federal level, medical marijuana is legal in 23 states, including Arizona and the District of Columbia, and recreational marijuana is legal in four states and the District of Columbia. And it was the federal government that initially followed the states’ lead outlawing it in 1937 after several states had already done so.

In his summary, Holyoak urged the audience to do their own research and learn more about marijuana before heading to the polls this November. He added that after nearly 80 years of prohibition, marijuana is still easily available to anyone who wants to get it.

“The choice that we have is, are we going to tax and regulate marijuana with the proceeds of that benefiting public education and health care, or are we going to keep marijuana illegal for the enrichment of criminal drug dealers and cartels?” Holyoak asked. “Do we need nanny-state government telling us what to do anymore? How about a little less government in our lives?

Voyles ended his summary by looking at the law enforcement perspective and said he believed that ending prohibition of marijuana would lead to an increase of problems.

“If you’re going to try to decrease the number of DUI homicides, DUI deaths, it’s not good to flood the community with what causes it,” Voyles said. “It’s a different, different drug (than alcohol). It needs to be regulated differently.”

Marijuana Policy Project’s campaign to regulate marijuana like alcohol would:

• Allow adults 21 and over to possess up to an ounce of marijuana for personal use with no penalties. People in possession of more than one ounce up to 2.5 ounces would be guilty of a petty offense penalized by a $300 fine. Those with more than two ounces would face Arizona’s standard Class-6 felony charges for unlawful possession of marijuana. The limit on concentrated forms of cannabis, such as hash, oil, cannabutter or tinctures, would be five grams.

• Allow residents to grow up to six plants for personal use and keep the fruits of their labor at their residences — even if it is more than 2.5 ounces — with no penalty. There would be a maximum of 12 plants allowed per household.

• Establish the Department of Marijuana Licenses and Control to oversee a tightly controlled system of licensed marijuana retail stores, cultivation, manufacturing and testing facilities, and will include a law enforcement unit responsible for enforcing regulations and investigating violations. The department is to be funded by a 15-percent tax on marijuana on top of state and local taxes.

The likely tens of millions of dollars left over would be split, with 40 percent going to the Department of Education for school construction, maintenance and operating costs; 40 percent to the Department of Education to fund all-day kindergarten programs; and 20 percent to the Department of Health Services for public education.

• Allow a limited number of licensed marijuana retail stores capped at 10 percent the number of liquor store licenses. Currently, that would allow about 180 marijuana stores statewide.

• Still allow businesses to fire employees who fail a urine test and landlords to forbid marijuana cultivation on their property.

• Forbid public consumption of marijuana, punishable by a petty offense $300 fine.

• Make it a petty offense with a $300 fine and up to 24 hours of community service for underage people who use fake identifications to purchase marijuana.

Eric Holder Says It’s Time To Talk Marijuana Decriminalization

By Rmuse 

Holder says, “You know, we treat marijuana in the same way that we treat heroin now, and that clearly is not appropriate”

It is not unusual for Americans working in the criminal justice system to disagree with specific laws and regulation that they still have to enforce as part of their public service. This is most certainly true when it comes to the issue of marijuana criminalization that many law enforcement officials believe should be decriminalized even though they have to enforce the absurd laws. The former top law enforcement official in the nation, former Attorney General Eric Holder is one such official who said it is time to change the nation’s laws regarding the weed.

Holder’s main statement was to come out in support of, at least, reclassifying marijuana from a Schedule 1 substance to a much less restrictive category. Schedule 1 drugs are considered extremely dangerous and have no medical use whatsoever and include heroin among other natural substances that are like weed, not considered dangerous; except by an archaic classification system. There are several fairly comprehensive articles on why marijuana was ever considered a “dangerous drug” in the first place despite wild opposition and protests from medical professionals and scientists in America and around the world.

Holder said, “I certainly think it ought to be rescheduled. You know, we treat marijuana in the same way that we treat heroin now, and that clearly is not appropriate.” That is a minor departure from what Holder said in 2014 when as the nation’s top lawman he was mandated to toe the legal line. He said regarding marijuana as drug as dangerous as heroin; “I think rescheduling the drug is something we need to ask ourselves, and use science as the basis for making that determination.” It is probably true that less than two years ago Holder knew that science had determined thirty years ago at least that marijuana was not dangerous and in fact had many scientifically-documented medically beneficial uses.

This is particularly true now that the United States government promotes medicinal marijuana as an effective treatment for myriad maladies, including cancer, on its official National Institutes of Health Cancer website, it is fairly apparent that science has spoken and it is high time Republicans start listening and acting accordingly.

This is particularly true since the ingredients in marijuana have been known to kill cancer cells and offer relief for a multitude of horrific diseases for about three decades. Yes, Republicans will say they are not scientists, but even they are hard-pressed to dispute the empirical results documented by the medical field.

Now, there is an oft-parroted claim that Holder repeated saying it is up to Congress to reclassify marijuana. However, as has been seldom reported, both the Executive branch and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)  have the ability to “unilaterally reschedule any and all controlled substances without any input or approval of Congress.” Actually, that point was implied by Holder’s successor, Loretta Lynch, during her confirmation hearing last year. Ms. Lynch  said.

“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 the legalization nor would it be the position should I become confirmed as attorney general.”

It really is a moot point whether Lynch supports legalization or not. The Attorney General’s job has nothing to do with supporting decriminalization or reclassification of marijuana; something Holder held fast to throughout his Justice Department tenure. However, as a private citizen, the former Attorney General now says it is time for federal lawmakers to at least consider decriminalizing marijuana altogether. He told PBS’ Frontline that,

“I think that certainly that (decriminalization) ought to be a part of the conversation. You know, where do we want to be as a nation? Now, there’s certain drugs I just can’t see. It’s hard for me to imagine ever decriminalizing crack cocaine, drugs like that. But the whole question of should marijuana be decriminalized, I mean, that’s a conversation I think that we should engage in.”

Look, even if big pharma succeeds in keeping a common weed illegal, there is no reason to keep it under Schedule I; particularly while seriously highly addictive, dangerous, and potent drugs such as cocaine, opium, morphine, and codeine are listed under the much less-restricted Schedule II classification. And speaking of the nasty pharmaceutical industry, the synthetic version of THC, known as dronabinol, is listed as a Schedule III substance regardless that THC is the ingredient in cannabis that is classified alongside heroin.

According to the chairman of the advocacy group Marijuana Majority, Tom Angell, it would have been nice if Holder had worked harder toward reforming marijuana laws when he was attorney general, but Angell misses the point that it was not within Holder’s job description or purview as Attorney General. Still, Angell remarked that,

“It’s nice to have Holder’s support for this sensible policy change, but it would have been a lot better if he’d exercised the power to get marijuana rescheduling done while he was still in office. We know that Holder and President Obama are good friends, so I hope the former attorney general encourages his former boss and his successor Loretta Lynch to follow through during these final months of the administration and get the job done.”

Angell needs to get a clue. As Attorney General, Loretta Lynch, like her predecessor Eric Holder, has no authority or input into declassifying, or decriminalizing marijuana; she is the nation’s top law enforcement official. However, President Obama, as the head of the Executive Branch does have authority to “get the job done” on either decriminalizing or reclassifying marijuana. And based on some favorable moves over the past year or so, there is every possibility that the President may, in fact, “get the job done” and put an end to the absurdity of having a beneficial medicine that grows wild classified with heroin. Eric Holder is right, it is time to decriminalize marijuana; if the pharmaceutical and prison industry will allow it.

Cannabis and Cancer

By Jeremy Kossen

This is part one of a two-part series. Part two will examine the evidence that cannabis can cure cancer.

Cancer has touched the lives of nearly every American, either directly or through a loved one. Although the US Food & Drug Administration hasn’t approved marijuana as a cancer treatment, America’s shifting legal landscape has encouraged many patients to consult their physicians about the effects it can have on cancer and cancer-related symptoms.

The medical benefits of cannabis are no secret. In October 2003, the government patented medical marijuana under US Patent # 6630507, which mentions the antioxidant properties of cannabinoids. The patent also identifies the active chemicals in cannabis that cause drug-like effects on the body, and cites their benefits for patients going through chemo, radiation, or other sources of oxidative stress.

What is Cancer?

Cancer is not one disease, but the name given to a collection of related diseases characterized by an abnormal growth of cells. There are more than 100 different types of cancer that are caused by both external factors (such as smoking, viruses, or carcinogens) and genetic factors (such as genetic mutation inherited from one's parents). Trillions of cells compose the human body, meaning cancer could start anywhere.

Like humans, cells grow old or become damaged and eventually die. Other cells grow and divide to form new ones to replace these old and damaged cells, but when cancer develops, abnormal cells including the old and damaged ones survive even though they should die. Some of the body’s cells will start to divide interminably and spread into surrounding tissues, creating new cancerous cells that aren’t needed. And since these new cells won’t stop growing and dividing, they are likely to hide in the immune system and form abnormal growths like masses of tissue known as tumors.

Cancerous tumors can spread into and invade nearby tissues because they’re malignant. Although they can be removed, these tumors are likely to grow back. As tumors grow, cancer cells can break off and travel through the blood or the lymph system to any other part of the body to form new tumors — often far away from the original one. This process is known as metastasis.

Benign tumors, on the other hand, don’t spread to or invade nearby tissue and won’t grow back after being removed. Unfortunately, benign tumors in the brain can be life-threatening.

What are the Symptoms of Cancer?

Cancer (and its treatments) leave its host feeling weak and dizzy. Symptoms may differ depending on where in the body the cancer is located, but may include:

• Blood in pee or stools
• Bruising
• Changes in genitalia
• Coughs lasting more than a month or accompanied by blood
• Depression
• Difficulty breathing
• Difficult bowel movements
• Discomfort after eating
• Fever
• Fatigue
• Heartburn
• Lumps or swelling
• Persistent indigestion
• Night sweats
• Spots and growths on the skin or changes in size, shape, and color of an already-existing mole like yellowing, darkening, or redness
• Sores that won’t heal
• Weight loss
• Weight gain
• Unexplained bleeding
• Unexplained joint pain

What are Current Cancer Treatments?

Cancer treatment can be costly and time-consuming, often requiring repeat visits to administer treatments in cycles. Doctors will likely begin by performing a biopsy to determine which treatment will be most effective.
Surgery: Surgeries can be performed to remove or debulk tumors and ease the pains and pressure they're causing. Tumors can sometimes be removed using minimally invasive surgery. Surgeons will often remove some healthy tissue and lymph nodes as well.

Radiation: High doses of radiation can kill cancer cells after weeks of treatment or slow their growth, as well as shrink tumors. Sadly, it can take months for the cancerous cells to die and radiation can leave patients feeling exhausted by killing or damaging healthy cells.

Chemotherapy: Chemo, which is the use of drugs to directly kill cancer cells, became one of the most common ways to treat cancer in the 1940s. It is often administered in cycles. Today, more than 100 drugs are used to treat cancer, while more are being investigated and developed.

Immunotherapy: Immunotherapy is the administration of living organisms to stimulate the immune response, which often leaves the patient with flu-like symptoms.

Hormones: Administered orally, via injection, or during surgery, hormone therapy can be used to stop or slow the growth of cancer cells and reduce or prevent cancer symptoms from arising. It can be used with other treatments to lessen the chance of the cancer returning. Along with nausea, diarrhea, and fatigue, hormone therapy may weaken bones and cause menstrual changes in women.

Heat: Local hyperthermia can destroy small areas of cells (like a tumor), while regional hyperthermia, or whole-body hyperthermia, can be used in conjunction with other treatments to help them work better. Hyperthermia may be created externally, using a machine’s high energy waves aimed at the tumor, or internally, when a thin needle is put right into the tumor to release heat energy.

How Can Cannabis Help Cancer?

Cannabis contains at least 85 different types of cannabinoids, the active chemicals that create drug-like effects throughout the body. The impact of these cannabinoids in treating cancer symptoms as well as the side effects of cancer therapies is so favorable, cannabinoids are synthesized for legal, prescription use.

Dronabinol and Nabilone/Cesamet, two synthetic pill forms of THC, are FDA-approved and currently being used to treat nausea and vomiting associated with chemo.

Cannabinoids that are known to benefit people living with cancer include CBC, CBD, CBDa, CBG, THC, and THCa. Cannabidiol (CBD) is known to relieve pain, lower inflammation, and decrease anxiety without the “high” of THC, the primary psychoactive ingredient in cannabis. In Canada, a cannabis extract containing THC and CBD called Nabiximols/Sativex is approved for pain relief in patients with advanced cancer and multiple sclerosis.



According to the U.S. government’s National Cancer Institute, other effects of cannabinoids include anti-inflammatory activity, blocking cell growth, preventing the growth of blood vessels that supply tumors, fighting viruses, and relieving muscle spasms.
NCI also acknowledges that inhaled cannabis is attributed to improved mood and sense of well-being. Studies suggest cannabis can be used for symptom management in cancer patients by preventing vomiting, stimulating appetite, providing pain relief, and improving sleep as well as inhibiting the growth of certain types of tumors.
Other studies leading scientists down promising avenues of cancer treatment include:

• A 1979 study showed THC damaged and killed liver cancer cells and, when the study was repeated in mouse models, showed it had anti-tumor effects that could aid in the fight against lung and breast cancer.
• A 1996 study discovered the protective effects of cannabinoids on the development of certain types of tumors. Cannabinoids were observed causing cell death, blocking cell growth, and preventing the development of the blood vessels tumors needed to grow — suggesting cannabinoids may be able to kill cancer cells while protecting normal cells.
• A series of studies on brain tumors conducted in 2003 proved CBD may make chemo more effective and increase the deaths of cancer cells without harming normal cells.
• A 2004 study on mice which showed cannabinoids protect against inflammation of the colon, thus reducing the risk of colon cancer and possibly aiding in its treatment.
• In 2011, the American Association for Cancer Research revealed CBD kills cells associated with breast cancer while having little to no effect on normal breast cells. When studied in mice, CBD reduced the growth, number, and spread of tumors.
• A study published in February 2015 found rates of bladder cancer are 45% lower in cannabis users, compared to those who do not use it.

Cannabinoid receptors have been discovered in the brain, spinal cord, and nerve endings throughout the body, suggesting cannabis may play a larger role in immunity as well.
Several studies are in progress on the effects of cannabis on cancer in adults, including:

• Treating solid tumors with oral CBD
• Treating recurrent glioblastoma multiform with a THC/CBD oral spray
• Treating graft-versus-host disease with CBD in patients who’ve undergone stem cell transplants

Stay tuned for part two of our Cannabis and Cancer series, where we look at whether cannabis can cure cancer.

Liberals must be clearer on how they plan to legalize pot: Editorial

The Liberal government needs to do a better job of explaining where Canada is headed on legalizing marijuana use and its rationale for going there.

JONATHAN HAYWARD / THE CANADIAN PRESS 

Marijuana is weighed at a medical marijuana dispensary, in Vancouver last year. The Liberals are sending mixed messages about marijuana legalization.

Don’t blame Canadians for being confused. Ottawa’s position on marijuana use is clouded by a haze of feel-good promises, puzzling law, mixed messages and jumbled options.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau campaigned on a promise to legalize the recreational use of marijuana. But former Toronto police chief Bill Blair, the MP Trudeau put in charge of this file, has said anyone caught smoking weed for fun should still face criminal charges. “The current laws remain in force and should be obeyed,” Blair told senators this past week.

He’s right, of course, according to a strict reading of the statutes. But it seems unduly harsh to continue laying criminal charges under these circumstances, especially since thousands of Canadians are free to puff away without any sanction at all — they’re officially certified to use marijuana for medical reasons. There’s a broad public view that society’s old restrictions are no longer valid. Scores of pot dispensaries openly operate in clear violation of the rules, especially in Vancouver.

No wonder police departments report that front-line officers are confused about how aggressively to make arrests.

Further complicating matters, a federal court judge a few days ago struck down a ban that would have blocked people using medical marijuana from cultivating cannabis at home. Justice Michael Phelan ruled that this prohibition, introduced by Stephen Harper’s Conservative government, was “arbitrary and overbroad” and a violation of patients’ charter rights.

Phelan gave the Liberal government six months to pass new rules on medical marijuana. In the meantime, about 28,000 people currently medicating themselves with weed, and covered under an injunction linked to the court case, can continue to cultivate the crop at home.

There’s a bewildering array of options for marketing marijuana once it has been legalized. Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne is pressing to have recreational pot sold through the province’s LCBO liquor stores. But other possibilities include private sector outlets specializing in weed, online operators, marijuana “cafes,” and pharmacies. There’s brisk lobbying around these options.

Shoppers Drug Mart, for one, issued a statement this past week arguing that dispensing medical marijuana through pharmacies would be the safest option. After all, drug stores know all about handling and selling drugs.

How and where marijuana is made available to the public carries significant social consequences, but it’s not clear which way Ottawa will turn.

The government has indicated it will treat recreational cannabis and medical pot as separate issues, each with its own distinct rules. As a first step it needs to do a better job of explaining why such a distinction is even necessary once pot smoking has been legalized. People sipping red wine for health reasons don’t need a prescription to do so.

Blair was careful to avoid setting a schedule for legalizing pot. He insisted that “we are going to take the time to do it right.” Fair enough. One can’t expect sweeping change of this nature to happen overnight. But more clarity is necessary as we move forward.

A better understanding of the direction in which the government is headed, along with a sound explanation of its reasoning, would go a long way towards dispelling the baffling murk that has come to surround marijuana legalization.

 

DC’s Legalized Weed Is One-Year Old, And Crime Has Cratered

Steve Birr

Legalization of marijuana in Washington, D.C., is hitting it’s one year anniversary this weekend and while problems persist, crime rates on the drug are way down.

Possession arrests decreased 98 percent in 2015 from the previous year and overall arrests on any marijuana related charge are down 85 percent. With wide majority support the District legalized the possession of up to two ounces of marijuana for personal consumption February 26, 2015, but have since hit roadblocks in the form of the federal government, reports The Washington Post.

District voters passed the ballot measure in favor of legalization with 70 percent support, however, Congress and District Mayor Muriel Bowser quickly countered to stop further liberalization of the law. Bowser pushed a bill immediately following the passage of the ballot banning any additional use of marijuana outside the home.


Congress added to the swift push-back against the ballot initiative by essentially banning the city from taxing or regulating marijuana in a budget measure. For all practical purposes, the measure prevents the local District government from expanding legalization outside personal home consumption, reports Drug Policy Alliance.

“It is past time for the District to move ahead with a fully regulated system for marijuana,” Bill Piper, Senior Director of National Affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance said in a press release. “The Council and Mayor should listen to residents and take a stand for District autonomy. The District could earn revenue and use the proceeds for treatment, education, and rebuilding communities devastated by the failed war on drugs.”

Supporters of expanded legalization cite the current situation in D.C. as another example of federal supremacy violating the rights of state and local governments to establish their own laws. Despite various forms of legalization in other states, federal drug raids on businesses that by state law are legal, continue to occur.

The battle in D.C. over legalization also incorporates a racial element, as marijuana bans tend to disproportionately affect black and other minority communities. Despite comparable usage statistics across races, black people accounted for 91 percent of marijuana possession arrests in 2013, reports The Washington Post.

“The decrease in marijuana arrests is an enormous victory for District residents, who have resoundingly rejected the criminalization of marijuana,” said Bill Piper, Senior Director of National Affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance, in a press release. “Marijuana law enforcement has particularly damaged communities of color in the District, who have borne the brunt of prohibition. We hope that law enforcement continues to responsibly enforce the new law and completely eliminates any racial disparity in arrests.”

The next hurdle for the D.C. Council in expanding the scope of legalization comes in the form of marijuana clubs and bars. The council rejected this effort last year but voted unanimously in February to study how the District could implement pot clubs without violating Congress’s ban on regulating the substance. The Council may attempt to subvert congressional rules and control pot clubs through regulations on building codes and hours of operation.

“The train is moving — it’s something that can’t be stopped,” Democratic Councilman Vincent Orange told The Washington Post. “The people went through a lawful procedure to get this approved so you have to give the people what they want.”

The Top Reasons People Use Medical Marijuana

By: Kyle Jaeger

In states that have already legalized medical marijuana, patients come in all shapes and sizes, and they seek relief for a host of physical and psychological disorders. To gain insight into patients in California, a new report from HelloMD — a digital healthcare platform — compiled a comprehensive profile of their cannabis use, preferences and perspectives.

 
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After surveying more than 1,400 patients in the state, analysts found that 66 percent of respondents use marijuana as their primary treatment method. Surprisingly, the top health issue people reported using marijuana for was anxiety, followed by pain, stress, back pain, insomnia and depression. As the graph below shows, patients in California use marijuana for a wide range of health disorders, including many chronic conditions.
 
HelloMD - hellomd.com

"There is overwhelming evidence that marijuana helps to alleviate a range of conditions that affect millions of Americans," HelloMD CEO and co-founder Mark Hadfield told ATTN:. "If you take into account the relatively benign nature of marijuana — with zero deaths from overdose — and contrast that with this overwhelming benefit, it is really quite an eye-opener."

Benefits of marijuana extend beyond medical treatment.

While an overwhelming 84 percent of respondents feel that marijuana effectively treats their targeted disorder, many also report using the substance for relaxation (76 percent), sleep (65 percent), mood elevation (47 percent), and even alcohol replacement (18 percent).
 
HelloMD - hellomd.com
That last point is worth considering for a moment. Nearly two in 10 medical marijuana patients in California apparently use cannabis as an alternative to alcohol, a substance that is significantly more dangerous and addictive than cannabis. This finding is consistent with previous research that has found that marijuana could reduce alcoholism in some patients.

 
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Men and women use it differently.

While both men and women tend to use marijuana for the same medical reasons, men prefer smoking or vaporizing cannabis in its traditional form whereas women increasingly favor tinctures and topical creams. Women also prefer cannabis delivery services to visiting dispensaries, and they're more likely to recommend medical marijuana to friends and family. ATTN: also recently reported on how marijuana affects men and women differently on physical and psychological levels.

 
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This survey serves as a window into the rapidly growing medical marijuana movement in the U.S. While 23 states and the District of Columbia currently have legal marijuana systems in place, either for medical or recreational purposes, the number is expected to grow over the coming years as additional states vote on their own legalization measures.

"Since cannabis is shown to be benign, beneficial and so broadly applicable, what reason is there for it to remain illegal?" Hadfield told ATTN:. "We would hope that our study would help to inform regulators and legislators as they focus on this issue."