Here's How Long Weed Stays In Your Urine

Green Rush Daily


Photographed by Tayler Smith,

One of the most common questions people have about cannabis is, "How long does weed stay in your system?" This is a pressing question because there are a lot of employers who require some sort of drug testing. And a failed test could seriously damage your prospects of getting or keeping a job.

The most common way that employers test for cannabis use is by analyzing urine. These tests are fairly cheap and are extremely sensitive to traces of cannabis.

So how long does marijuana stay in your system? How long can weed be detected in your urine? Read on to find out.

THC vs. THC-COOH: The Science Behind Urine Tests
The first thing you need to know is what exactly a urine test is looking for. Surprisingly, they don’t actually detect straight tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). What these tests are really trying to pick up is a chemical called THC-COOH.

When you consume cannabis, THC enters your bloodstream and gets you high. After your body processes the THC it creates a new derivative chemical. And that’s what THC-COOH is.

Urine tests have been designed to detect the presence of THC-COOH since the only way that chemical would be in your body is if you’d already used cannabis.

The problem for pot smokers is that THC-COOH stays in your system much longer than THC. That means that you can test positive for cannabis even if you haven’t smoked for days.

Time Test: How Long Does Weed Stay In My Urine?
OK, now that we’ve got a little science beneath our belts, let’s get back to the big question. How long does weed stay in your urine?

There are a few key factors that determine the answer to that question. How frequently you use marijuana, the size of your dose, and the way your body metabolizes THC all impact how long it’ll stay in your urine.

Since there are so many variables, it can be hard to pinpoint a precise amount of time that THC-COOH will stay in your urine. But researchers have come up with some general timelines that will help you gauge how long your urine will turn up positive for cannabis.

Here’s What the Research Shows
One key study found that weed can stay in a person’s urine for a surprisingly long period of time. That study found that urine will test positive for THC an average of 27 days after use. Heavy users can test positive for as long as 77 days after a smoke sesh.

One-time use will usually stay in your system for 5-8 days.

If you use cannabis 2-4 times per week and then stop, you’ll test positive for 11-18 days.

If you smoke 5-6 times per week, it’ll stay in your urine for 33-48 days.

And if you’re a serious smoker who gets high every day, weed will stay in your urine for 49-63 days.

The Problem With Urine Drug Tests
The obvious problem for anybody who uses cannabis is that you can test positive for a long time after your high has worn off. Think about it: Even if you smoke once and then stop, you can get a positive urine test a full week after you actually puffed.

Critics of drug testing have long pointed out the problem with using urine tests as a way of determining who uses drugs. These critics have pointed out that an employee who lives in a state where pot is legal can follow all the rules and still get in trouble at work when their urine test comes back positive long after they’ve actually sobered up.

Other Types Of Marijuana Tests
Although urine tests are the most common cannabis tests, there are a few others you should be aware of. Some tests look for THC in your saliva — cops use this one a lot. The good news for smokers is that THC doesn’t stay in saliva for very long. Usually, you’ll start turning up positive an hour after smoking and it’ll all be out of your saliva in 12 hours or less.

Hair follicle tests aren’t all that common because they can sometimes come back with false positives. But hair follicle tests can also be the hardest to pass. That’s because traces of cannabis can stay in your hair for anywhere from seven to 90 days.

The last, and least common, test is a blood test. Employers and law enforcement don’t use this one very often since it only detects very recent use. THC-COOH doesn’t bond well to blood cells, so it doesn’t stay in your actual blood for very long.

The Final Hit
If you have to get tested for marijuana, it’s most likely that you’ll be facing a urine test. The problem for pot smokers is that these tests come back positive long after the high has worn off and they’re fully sober.

Since it’s usually pretty hard to cheat a urine test, your best bet is to understand how long THC-COOH will be in your system by using the timelines in this article. The more you can adjust your usage for an upcoming test, the better.

In the end, though, it probably makes the most sense for heavy users to try and avoid jobs that require drug testing. And in the meantime, it’s important for the cannabis community to advocate for the elimination of marijuana drug tests since they don’t actually indicate if a person is impaired while on the job.

Even the most responsible cannabis user will still test positive for days or weeks after smoking. And when that happens they could be disciplined or cut off from a job, even if their cannabis use is legal in their state and it doesn’t affect their work performance in any way.

Pot pioneer Colorado just now taking look at PTSD treatment

Kristen Wyatt,

DENVER (AP) — The first state to legalize marijuana is just now taking steps to consider the drug medicine for people suffering from post-traumatic stress.

Colorado has authorized medical marijuana for nearly two decades, and the state approved recreational pot use in 2012. But doctors here still cannot recommend marijuana's use to treat post-traumatic stress, forcing sufferers to pay higher taxes for recreational pot.

Many Colorado PTSD patients interested in pot say they lie to doctors about having chronic pain, allowing them to qualify for medical pot cards.

"Medical obviously comes at a lesser price, and needing it medicinally, we need a lot more than a regular person would," said Ashley Weber, 32, a Longmont native who uses marijuana to treat chronic pain and PTSD from a car accident that left her in wheelchair.

A bill headed to nycthe state Senate would make PTSD the 10th ailment eligible for medical pot in Colorado. Passage would make Colorado the 20th state to allow doctors to recommend pot for PTSD.
Colorado's Medical Board has rejected post-traumatic stress as an ailment eligible for pot art least four times. Citing a lack of medical research showing pot's effectiveness treating PTSD, the state's major medical societies also oppose pot for PTSD.

"There are well-known, proven treatments for PTSD," said Dr. Adam Burstein, testifying against the bill on behalf of the Colorado Medical Society and the Colorado Psychiatric Association.

But other physicians testified that marijuana treatments for PTSD are already common and that the change wouldn't require pot treatment, just allow doctors to consider it.

"There is an institutional bias against marijuana in the medical profession," said Dr. Irene Aguilar, who is also a state senator from Denver and sponsor of the bill, which awaits a Senate vote in the next few weeks before heading to the House.

Allowing PTSD pot treatments, Aguilar said, would "allow physicians to put marijuana in their toolbox if they so choose."

Colorado has about 100,000 people registered for medical marijuana, a number that has stayed steady since the passage of recreational pot in 2012.

Medical pot users can possess twice as much pot as recreational users and their taxes are significantly lower. Also, some shops provide specialty strains to medical patients that are unavailable to the general public.

Colorado's Health Department has also set aside some $3.3 million since 2015 for studying marijuana to treat post-traumatic stress, including an observational study of 76 military veterans. The studies have not yet been completed.

Can You Overdose On Marijuana?

Chuck Ludley

Is it possible to overdose on marijuana?

Can you overdose on marijuana? In the U.S., cannabis is a Schedule I banned substances. Drugs in this category are defined as the most dangerous. Along with weed, this category includes things like heroin. The government’s argument is that cannabis is dangerous, and that’s why it needs to be illegal. But is this really true? One good indicator of a drug’s danger would be how likely it is to produce a lethal overdose. So what’s the deal with cannabis? Can you overdose on marijuana? As it turns out, the answer is a pretty clear no.

A Marijuana Overdose Official Report

The question: can you overdose on marijuana is a commonly asked one. In fact, this topic was the subject of a fascinating court hearing back in the late 1980s.

As part of an investigation into whether or not marijuana should be reclassified, a formal summary of scientific evidence was provided to the court. Here’s what that report had to say:

“The most obvious concern when dealing with drug safety is the possibility of lethal effects. Can the drug cause death? Nearly all medicines have toxic, potentially lethal effects. But marijuana is not such a substance. There is no record in the extensive medical literature describing a proven, documented cannabis-induced fatality.”

To provide a little context, the report goes on to make some shocking comparisons. “By contrast aspirin, a commonly used, over-the-counter medicine, causes hundreds of deaths each year,” the document said.

“In strict medical terms, marijuana is far safer than many foods we commonly consume. For example, eating ten raw potatoes can result in a toxic response. By comparison, it is physically impossible to eat enough marijuana to induce death.”

The Science: Can you overdose on marijuana?

 

 

In case that official report left any room for doubt, let’s dig into the actual science a little bit. Researchers have come up with a method for testing what the “lethal dosage” of a substance is.
Lethal dosage is the point at which something will become so dangerous it could kill a person. And to figure out a substance’s lethal dosage, scientists use what they call the LD-50 formula.

Basically, in an LD-50 test, scientists give a substance to small lab animals. They keep increasing the dosage until 50% of the test animals die. When that happens, that dosage becomes the LD-50, the point at which we assume it becomes very dangerous.

Good news for people wondering: can you overdose on marijuana. Scientists have tested its LD-50. Small test animals like mice and rats eventually reached incredibly high dosages at which they started to die. But in tests with larger animals, scientists never reached that point. They couldn’t find a lethal dosage for cannabis.

The most that researchers have been able to come up with are rough estimates. Theoretically, can you overdose on marijuana? Yes, but only if they consumed an impossibly huge amount of it. Here’s how that same court document explained it:
“It is estimated that marijuana’s LD-50 is around 1:20,000 or 1:40,000. In layman terms, this means that to induce death a marijuana smoker would have to consume 20,000 to 40,000 times as much marijuana as is contained in one marijuana cigarette.”

“A smoker would theoretically have to consume nearly 1,500 pounds of marijuana within about fifteen minutes to induce a lethal response.” Translation: You couldn’t die from cannabis even if you tried.

Adverse side effects of Marijuana

With all that said, there still can be some nasty side effects from using cannabis. That’s especially true if you’re a rookie user, or if you consume an enormous amount of it. In those cases, you may experience:

• couch lock, where you’re so high you basically can’t even move
• dry and red eyes
• cotton mouth
• anxiety
• paranoia
• dizziness
• headaches
• shortness of breath
• Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome
• increased heart rate
• pupil dilation
• general disorientation, confusion, and sometimes hallucinations
• shaking and trembling
• feeling hung over

These are all short-term effects. And they pretty much all go away on their own. If you ever experience any of these side effects, it’s best to drink a lot of water, relax, and take it easy. Whatever discomfort you’re feeling will eventually fade away.

In very extreme cases, people may seek medical help. When that happens, pretty much the only things doctors can do is give you anti-anxiety meds or meds that help lower blood pressure and heart rate.

Ingesting Vs. Inhaling Cannabis

People tend to experience adverse side effects more when they eat cannabis rather than smoking it. The difference has to do with how our bodies metabolize cannabis.

When you smoke weed, the THC and other cannabinoids enter your bloodstream directly through your lungs. But it takes a different route when you eat it. In that case, cannabinoids like THC are processed by your liver. This creates a slightly more delayed, and often more intense high.

The other reason people tend to experience more adverse effects when they eat pot has to do with how people consume it. A lot of times, people eat an edible and expect to get high right away.

When they don’t feel it as quickly as they thought they would, they eat more. And by the time it finally kicks in, they’ve eaten too much. The final result is a high that’s just too intense.

So if you’re trying edibles, go slow and be patient. Give it time before you go crazy shoving those weed brownies into your face.

The Final Hit

There are a few important things we should take away from all this. First, cannabis is quite safe.
When you get high, the main thing you have to worry about is doing something stupid. But as long as you’re responsible and you keep yourself safe, you don’t have anything to worry about from the weed itself.

The other important thing has to do with cannabis law. The government’s claim that there’s something deadly about cannabis is bogus.

As researchers and legal reports have all demonstrated, there are many other substances—especially legal prescription drugs—that are far more deadly. In fact, some researchers think that cannabis might help decrease the rates of death associated with dangerous prescription drugs like opioids.

If the government wants to keep marijuana illegal, it needs a better reason than that it’s dangerous. The data just doesn’t back it up. From what we can tell, there is no chance you can overdose on marijuana.

In fact, keeping cannabis illegal is what introduces any element of danger. That’s because if you don’t live in a place where you can get it legally, you have to rely on the black market. And that makes you vulnerable to getting bad weed, contaminated weed, or herb that’s laced with something that could be dangerous.

OK, now you know everything you need to know about overdosing on cannabis. And that’s enough reading. Time to get lit, especially now that you know you can’t overdose on marijuana.

Here’s What Experts Know About How Marijuana Affects Your Body

A comprehensive 440-page report seeks to dispel fact from fiction

By Christa Sgobba

Currently, 28 states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana, and eight of those states plus D.C. allow pot for recreational use, too. The legal landscape is changing, but lots of questions still remain regarding marijuana on the health front.

Now, a new report seeks to clarify the health effects of pot. Published by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, this comprehensive, rigorous report reviews the evidence of scientific research published on marijuana since 1999—and makes some important conclusions.

First, the researchers reviewed the evidence on marijuana’s therapeutic effects for health conditions. The takeaway? There’s conclusive evidence to show cannabis or cannabinoids is effective for treatment of chronic pain, helping chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, and improving spasticity symptoms with multiple sclerosis.

On the other hand, there’s no evidence, or insufficient evidence, to show that pot can help treat cancers, irritable bowel syndrome, epilepsy, symptoms of ALS, or motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease.

When looking at incidence of cancer, the researchers concluded there’s moderate evidence showing no link between marijuana use and lung cancer or head and neck cancers. And there’s insufficient evidence to support a link either for or against pot and incidence of esophageal, prostate, and bladder cancers. (Find out if you should get the PSA test to screen for prostate cancer.)

As for other health outcomes, the researchers determined that there’s substantial evidence that pot use worsens respiratory symptoms and causes more frequent episodes of bronchitis. But there’s no evidence that marijuana increases your risk of heart attack—and no or insufficient evidence that it increases your chances of dying prematurely.

Still, evidence supports the fact that pot use can hurt you in other ways. There’s substantial evidence showing that marijuana increases your risk of car accidents, and moderate evidence that it can lead to cognitive impairments in learning, memory, and attention. (Here’s what you need to know if you’re traveling to smoke legal marijuana.)

While the comprehensive review of the available evidence does give us a better understanding of what marijuana really does to your body, there’s a lot we still need to learn. More research—comprised of high-quality, controlled trials and observational studies—still needs to be done, the researchers say. 

United States Air Force Will No Longer Reject Recruits Over Past Marijuana Use

Ab Hanna


The United States Air Force has had a reputation for being the hardest branch to get into. In fact, potential recruits were even asked about their history of marijuana use. However, the United States Air Force is moving with the shift in public opinion on marijuana. Two-thirds of cops believe cannabis laws should be relaxed. Even the President of the United States said that weed should be treated like cigarettes and alcohol. Since most states have some form of legal marijuana, the Unites States Air Force will be making some significant changes to its recruitment policy. Now, recruiters will no longer be asking questions about prior marijuana use.

Can The United States Air Force Smoke Weed?

 

 

Active military is still forbidden from using marijuana. Also, any recruits with substance abuse disorders will still be kicked out of the military. Some recruiters were more lenient than others in the past.

“Standards of pre-accession marijuana use were different for getting into the Air Force Academy the United States Air Force Recruiting service for enlistment or officer training school vs. AFROTC” said Air Force spokesperson Zachary Anderson.

“We didn’t ask the same questions. Some recruiters used if you smoked marijuana less than five times, sometimes it was less than 15 times,” added Lt. Gen. Gina Grosso, deputy chief of staff for the United States Air Force.

The simplest way to get around this rule was just to say no when they ask you if you ever tried marijuana. However, some recruits may not know they could be disqualifying themselves from service by admitting their pot history.

Can Medical Marijuana Card Holders Join The United States Air Force?

While the United States Air Force will no longer factor in when a potential recruit used cannabis, continuous medical purposes is a different story. Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Mark Ediger, surgeon general of the United States Air Force told Green Rush Daily “any condition that would require a prescription for medical marijuana would probably be a disqualifying condition, to begin with.”

The military has been trying to keep up with the times while having the largest possible pool to pick recruits from. In 2011, the Obama administration, House, and Senate passed the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Repeal Act. The act officially removed any restrictions on LGBTQ military personnel.

The latest move by the United States Air Force gives prospective airmen with asthma and ADHD a shot at joining. It will be on a case-by-case basis, but it will help expand their ranks.

Now, potential recruits that would have been rejected for marijuana use in the past will also be free from several former restrictions. They want a “broad scope of individuals” who “are eligible to serve,” said Chief Master Sergeant of the United States Air Force James Cody.

“As medical capabilities have improved and laws have changed, the Air Force is evolving so we are able to access more worldwide deployable Airmen to conduct the business of our nation,” the United States Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David told Green Rush Daily.

Final Hit

 

 

So, if you’re planning to join the United States Air Force someday, you don’t have to worry about smoking weed before joining. Just make sure your last toke is before joining. Lt. General Grosso reminds airmen that once you’re in, any marijuana use discovered will automatically have you removed from the United States Air Force.

New CCSA Report Reveals Canadian Youth Perceptions on Marijuana

SOURCE Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse

The Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA) today released Canadian Youth Perceptions on Cannabis, a new study that offers a detailed look at the youth perspective on marijuana.

Against the backdrop of changes to the legal framework for marijuana, Canadian rates for marijuana use by young people remain among the highest in the world. To contribute to a better understanding of the issue, CCSA held focus groups with Canadians between the ages of 14 and 19.

Building on our 2013 report on the same subject, we developed Canadian Youth Perceptions on Cannabis to gain a more intimate understanding of the kinds of conversations that are taking place about marijuana every day in schools, at home and in the community. Youth views on marijuana, where they get their information and how they understand that information were all key questions that drove the research and laid the foundation for the key findings of this report.

The primary purpose for gathering these insights is to inform education, health promotion and prevention initiatives. Combining CCSA's previous research on youth perceptions and the current study, we are providing a clearer picture of what Canadian young people think about marijuana, what common misconceptions they hold, where there are gaps in the evidence and how best to move forward with prevention and education efforts, especially in light of anticipated changes to marijuana legislation.

Among the key findings from Canadian Youth Perceptions on Cannabis is that young people think marijuana is neither addictive nor harmful, and that it affects individuals differently. Some youth "self-prescribe" marijuana for stress and mental health management, such as for anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder or depression, as well as for relaxation purposes. And, while they have a preference for messaging about marijuana that is based on the evidence, the Internet, media, enforcement practices and government's intention to legalize it are important influences on the views of young people about marijuana.

Other key findings of the study include:

• Participants identified peers, family, the availability of marijuana and the belief that marijuana is acceptable as influencing their decision to use it.
• Some participants were also influenced by their beliefs in the medical, physical and mental health benefits of marijuana.
• Participants thought that the effects of marijuana are based on the person and his or her attitudes, rather than the drug itself, a rationale that provides youth an opportunity to selectively decide when it is safe or harmful to use marijuana.
• Most youth felt that long-term, frequent marijuana users were subject to negative health effects, whereas recreational users were not.
• Many young people believe marijuana is less impairing than alcohol when it comes to driving, but recognize that using it before driving can slow reaction time and affect other skills needed to safely operate a vehicle.
• Although many youth want facts about marijuana, the study found that they have difficulty navigating through conflicting messages, resulting in confusion, false beliefs and the likelihood that youth will rely on friends, drug dealers or personal experiences to form their opinions.

Next Steps
Canadian Youth Perceptions on Cannabis illustrates the complexity around the issue of youth marijuana use and confirms the importance of providing evidence-informed messaging to young people about the science around the effects of the substance.

By integrating findings from this report into future education and prevention efforts, those who work in health promotion and with youth can better address the misconceptions of young people while also promoting a dialogue that can lead to a greater understanding of why youth start using the drug.

The study reveals that clear messaging about the legality of marijuana, the role of police, the health risks and risks related to marijuana-impaired driving, and the definition of marijuana impairment might help to increase awareness of its overall harms. A desire for low-risk cannabis use guidelines — a harm reduction approach — was also suggested by youth.

Quotes
"Over the years, CCSA has produced research reports and policy briefs, and mobilized knowledge about marijuana aimed at increasing awareness of the evidence on this topic and informing policy and practice. To that end, we hope that the findings from our second Canadian Youth Perceptions on Cannabis report will help support the federal and provincial governments' work in establishing a framework for legalization, with a particular focus on keeping the substance out of the hands of youth and establishing public education efforts that reflect what we know from the evidence."

Rita Notarandrea, CEO, Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse
"It is essential that we have a balanced, evidence-informed picture of youths' perceptions of cannabis in order to move forward in providing a comprehensive body of evidence to parents and others who support youth and, of course, youth themselves. This report addresses that need."

Joanne Brown, Executive Director, Parent Action on Drugs
"This study connects us to the latest evidence which, in turn, helps us inform our own communication with youth and youth-centred organizations and schools in communities across Canada. This is particularly important at a time when we are preparing for legalized marijuana, with an expressed purpose in keeping the substance out of the hands of youth. We need more of this on the ground research for the future."

Mario Harel, President, Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police
"Legalization and regulation is an important, positive step towards a public health approach to cannabis and we know there is a higher proportion of cannabis users among youth aged 15–25 in Canada than in other developed countries. This report by CCSA sheds light on youth perceptions and provides some of the much-needed information for the public health community to craft evidence-informed health promotion messages and educational materials."

Ian Culbert, Executive Director, Canadian Public Health Association
CCSA was created by Parliament to provide national leadership to address substance use in Canada. A trusted council, we provide national guidance to decision makers by harnessing the power of research, curating knowledge and bringing together diverse perspectives.

CCSA activities and products are made possible through a financial contribution from Health Canada. The views of CCSA do not necessarily represent the views of the Government of Canada.

The Most Rigorous Marijuana Report Ever Finds Lots Of Good News

Christopher Osburn

Shutterstock

The facts don’t lie and the pro-marijuana people were right (sort of). A recent report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine found that there is no link between weed and lung cancer. Their cannabis research also unearthed 100 other conclusions, many of which will make pot smokers really happy.

It’s been proven that nicotine in cigarettes has been linked to many different cancers. Everyone knows this. It says so on the package. Cigarette smokers know what they are getting into when they take a puff. But, what about marijuana smokers? For decades, there’s been discussions about the health benefits and negative aspects of cannabis. Is marijuana bad for you or not? Thanks to this research, the debates can end. Science reveals all.

The research shows that smoking marijuana will not increase your chance of getting cancer. “The evidence suggests that smoking cannabis does not increase the risk for certain cancers (i.e., lung, head, and neck) in adults,” the report reads. They found “no statistical association” between the use of cannabis and lung cancer as well as head and neck cancers. There is minimal evidence that smoking weed is linked to one subtype of testicular cancer though. It can’t all be good news, people.

But, the research also showed that the use of cannabis is extremely helpful to treat many different ailments that plague many people on a daily basis. This includes: treatments for chronic pain, easing of chemotherapy-induced nausea and helping to limit symptoms of multiple sclerosis patients.

Comedy Central

But, this isn’t really news for cannabis proponents. They have been singing the praises of the stuff for decades. It definitely helps when science backs them up, though. People are much more likely to believe scientists than your patchouli-scented friend who spent his 20s following Phish.

But, even though it seems impossible, there is still more good news. The research showed moderate evidence that cannabis is effective in helping people with sleep disorders and fibromyalgia. It’s good to know that science finally proved that “weed naps” are a real thing. Plus, if Half Baked taught us anything, smoking weed will make you feel like you are floating through the air above New York City (definitely don’t attempt to fly over New York City while smoking weed though).

That’s definitely a positive, even if it isn’t backed by science.

Also, even though cannabis use isn’t linked to lung cancer, that doesn’t mean users are free of respiratory diseases. The researchers did find substantial evidence that shows that after prolonged use, smokers will likely have “Worse respiratory symptoms and more frequent chronic bronchitis episodes.” Obviously, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. It’s not a magical substance that is free of negatives.

But, this is a step in the right direction for those lobbying for legalization. Smoke ’em if you got ’em.

Senate bill would remove possesion by ingestion charge for marijuana

Chris Huber 

South Dakota lawmakers introduced a bill last week that would no longer make it illegal for someone to have marijuana in their system.

Senate Bill 129 has 17 sponsors from both Republicans and Democrats. State Rep. David Lust, R-Rapid City, is the prime sponsor in the House and state Sen. Justin Cronin, R-Gettysburg, is the prime sponsor in the Senate.

Lust said the bill is not done and amendments will be added, but the intent of the bill is to repeal the state's possession-by-ingestion law for marijuana. Physical possession of the drug would remain illegal as would ingestion of other illegal drugs. He sees the measure as a law enforcement bill that could save the state money and would put South Dakota's policies in line with those of the rest of the nation.

"When I hear possession, I think the of the potential for distribution, and obviously if the drug is already ingested that can't happen," Lust said Thursday. "There is no chance this drug would end up in the hands of a child once it has been ingested." He noted the punishment, which can include a felony charge, seemed "unduly harsh" for the crime.

Lust said there is a feeling in Pierre that the possession-by-ingestion law is leading to higher incarceration rates and parole violations. He said legislators asked for data on these types of crimes in past sessions but never received them.

South Dakota is the only state in that nation that says the existence of drugs in the body can be a felony crime. The law was passed in 2001 and upheld by the state Supreme Court in 2004. Utah has a similar provision under its consumption law, but that charge can be only a misdemeanor.

This means someone could be charged with felony possession of an illegal drug if that drug shows up in a urinalysis or blood test. With Colorado legalizing the drug for recreational use, it can also create a legal problem for vacationers who use legally in that state.

That could come into play because tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the main psychoactive compound in marijuana, is extremely fat-soluble and can be present in blood for weeks after the drug had been ingested.

This creates a situation in which a person could legally use the drug in Colorado and then travel back to South Dakota. Even if the users no longer feel any of the effects of the drug, the simple presence of THC in their bodies would put them in violation of the law when they cross the state line.

Lust said this bill isn't some ploy to allow for expanded marijuana use. "It's not a slippery slope, not a first step. If we are only state that has this law, we need to look into why," Lust said.

Rep. Kristen Conzet, R-Rapid City, is another sponsor of the bill. She spoke out strongly against a bill last session that would have allowed patients suffering from intractable epilepsy to use some forms of medical marijuana rich in cannabidiol, or CBD. That bill died in the House after it passed the Senate.

A bill similar to last year's CBD oil bill was introduced this week also. The bill would add cannabidiol to the list of Schedule IV controlled substances and exclude it from the definition of marijuana.

Melissa Mentele, a marijuana advocate with New Approach South Dakota, said the ingestion bill is a "good start in smart cannabis reform for our state."

"It is refreshing to see our state making choices to move forward into lessening the penalties of cannabis use," Mentele said. "With cannabis being legal in over half of the U.S., it is very sad to see children and adult patients still suffering in our state. While this is not where we need to be, it is a step forward."

Pennington County Sheriff Kevin Thom said he opposed the ingestion bill and asked of the measure: "What problem is it solving?"

He envisioned a situation in which two people smoke marijuana in a car together. Under this bill, Thom said, only the person who had the raw marijuana on him or her could be charged for the crime even though both of them were smoking it. Thom said both people in that case should be charged.

Both the ingestion and CBD oil bills are expected to be heard by the Senate Judiciary Committee next week. 

California looks to build $7 billion legal pot economy

MICHAEL R. BLOOD and DON THOMPSON

 

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The future of California's legal marijuana industry is being shaped in a warren of cubicles tucked inside a retired basketball arena, where a garden of paper cannabis leaves sprouts on file cabinets and a burlap sack advertising "USA Home Grown" dangles from a wall.

Here, in the outskirts of Sacramento, a handful of government workers face a daunting task: By next year, craft regulations and rules that will govern the state's emerging legal pot market, from where and how plants can be grown to setting guidelines to track the buds from fields to stores.

Getting it wrong could mean the robust cannabis black market stays that way — outside the law — undercutting the attempt to create the nation's largest legal marijuana economy. The new industry has a projected value of $7 billion, and state and local governments could eventually collect $1 billion a year in taxes.

California is "building the airplane while it's being flown," lamented state Sen. Mike McGuire, a Democrat whose sprawling Northern California district includes some of the world's most prized pot fields.

He questions if the state can meet January deadlines to create a coherent system that accounts for the loosely regulated medical marijuana industry, now two decades old and developing its own rules, while transforming the enormous illegal market into a legal, licensed one.

"It's going to take us 10 years to dig out of the mess we are in," predicted McGuire, referring to the unruly market, legal and not.

It's likely that tens of thousands of people and businesses will need licensing. The job of overseeing the industry touches on issues from protecting water quality for fish in streams near pot grows, to safely collecting hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes from businesses that often operate in cash.

Inside the former arena, Lori Ajax, the state's top pot regulator, acknowledged the challenges but said the state can, indeed must, be ready on Jan. 1 when California is required to issue licenses.

"We're small but mighty," she said of her staff of 11 full-time workers spearheading the project.

The new law calls for nearly 20 different types of licenses, including permits for farmers; delivery services that will take pot to a buyer's front door; testing labs; distributors; and dispensary operators at the retail level.

Part of the job heading toward the start of next year falls to other agencies, including the Food and Agriculture Department, which will issue licenses for cultivators.

In November, California joined a growing number of states in legalizing recreational marijuana use for adults. In general, the state will treat cannabis like alcohol, allowing people 21 and older to legally possess up to an ounce of pot and grow six marijuana plants at home.

The law kicks in Jan. 1, 2018, but many communities already turn an indifferent eye toward pot smoking and local cultivators.

Earlier this month, Gov. Jerry Brown proposed spending more than $50 million to establish programs to collect taxes and issue licenses while hiring dozens of workers to regulate the industry, a figure some say is too low. His office stresses that one regulatory framework is needed, not separate ones for recreational and medical cannabis, even though there are laws for each that could duplicate costs and confuse businesses.

One of the new law's requirements calls for the state to develop a computerized system to track cannabis, sometimes called "seed-to-sale" monitoring. It's envisioned that scanners will be used to keep tabs on pot as it moves from the leafy raw product to street-level sales.

McGuire, however, projects it could take much of this year for the state to evaluate and hire a company to do the work, making it questionable if a functioning system could be in place when legal sales launch in January.

Attorney Aaron Herzberg, a partner at CalCann Holdings, which leases property to cannabis operations, called the governor's funding only a starting point. He doesn't believe there's enough time to get a regulatory system in place by January.

"You are always going to have a black market," he said. To make the new economy work, "you have to reduce the black market to tolerable levels."

With the rules in development, there are concerns that cottage-industry growers could be driven out by corporate-type businesses, much the way large-scale agribusiness doomed family farms in the Midwest.

 

Medical marijuana user 'shocked' by recall over hydrogen cyanide risk

John Percy has turned to an illegal dispensary after OrganiGram recall, driving up his monthly bill

By Elizabeth Chiu,

A medical marijuana patient in Lower Sackville, N.S., said he's worried after the marijuana he consumed for nearly a year was recalled by Health Canada because it was grown with two pesticides that, if heated, can emit hydrogen cyanide.

John Percy, 67, smokes, vapes and bakes his cannabis to control pain in his hip caused by osteoarthritis. The former Green Party leader had been ordering his medical marijuana from OrganiGram in Moncton, N.B., the only licensed producer in Atlantic Canada.

He said his pain was an "eight out of 10."

"I was shocked," said Percy, when he first learned of the voluntary recall in late December. The letter said the marijuana he consumed "tested positive for bifenazate and/or myclobutanil, both unapproved pesticides and not registered for use on marijuana."

"I assumed like most patients that the product would be organic," he said.

Percy assumed the product was organic. (CBC)

According to Health Canada hydrogen cyanide interferes with how oxygen is used in the body and may cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting. Larger concentrations may cause gasping, irregular heartbeats, seizures, fainting, and even death.

'I got angry'

He said he was willing to take a wait-and-see approach. But less than two weeks later, there was another, higher-level recall notice from OrganiGram saying all products manufactured since February had been recalled.

"That's when I got angry and I started to consider what the effects on me have been," said Percy, who also sits on the board of Maritimers Unite for Medical Marijuana.

He said he plans to talk to his doctor about whether the recalled medical marijuana he'd been consuming, about three grams a day, has adversely affected his health.

'Patient safety at risk'

Percy said he's upset that Health Canada did not issue a mandatory recall. Health Canada said no cases of adverse reactions have been reported.

"Putting patient safety at risk is unacceptable, and for a government department that is supposed to take care of people's safety, I think they've fallen down on the job," said Percy.

He said he's written to the health minister and to members of Parliament. He believes Health Canada should test marijuana for more than 13 compounds to ensure it's safe for consumption.

Percy said he and other licensed medical marijuana patients have discussed starting a class-action lawsuit.

Without a licensed producer, he's going to an illegal dispensary — and paying 30 per cent more for his medication. There's no compassionate pricing at the illegal spot, so his monthly marijuana budget has shot up to about $850 from $600. "It hurts, it hurts," he said.

He said getting a prescription filled for another one of the 30-plus licensed producers in Canada would take months, but didn't want to wait in pain.

Cannabis, the hottest new pet supplement

By Michelle Sathe

Jordan Roberts holds a homemade biscuit with CBD oil in it that they feed to her parents' dog, Toby. Katharine Lotze/Signal

It all started with her parent’s dog, Toby.

The 140 pound Akita and Great Dane mix had been adopted as a puppy and quickly developed stomach issues ranging from diarrhea to vomiting.

After many tests, the conclusion was that Toby suffered from a weak stomach and it was recommend that the dog be given Pepcid every day.

“We were at our wit’s end,” said Jordan Roberts of Saugus. “You don’t want to see a dog suffer like that. It was becoming a quality of life issue.”

Monica Roberts, left, pets Lilly, a Great Pyrenees rescue dog, as she and her husband Jim, right, discuss why they give Canna-Pet to their two large dogs at their Valencia home. Katharine Lotze/Signal

Roberts thought there had to be a better way. She decided to switch Toby’s diet and after doing some research with her veterinarian, Roberts came across a new product called Canna-Pet.


Launched in 2013, Canna-Pet was the first company to offer capsules, oil, biscuits, and treats that include cannabidiol and other cannabinoids, or CBDs, derived from enriched oil extracts of cannabis.
Canna-Pet products are available for cats, dogs, and horses. The company also offers a human product called Assisi Botanicals. Prices start at $30 and range up to $80.

“My vet was like, nothing else is working, let’s give it a shot,” Roberts recalled.

While she cooks with hemp seed to help with her own symptoms of Chrohn’s disease, Roberts was still a little hesitant.

“I’ve heard THC can be dangerous for pets,” she said.

Monica Roberts, left, and daughter Jordan Roberts, right, try to get dogs Toby, a Great Dane and Akita mix, left, and Lilly, a Great Pyrenees, right, to pose for the camera. Both Toby and Lilly take Canna-Pet supplements daily to help with pain and digestion issues. Both are also rescue dogs. Katharine Lotze/Signal

While headlines have called CBDs “pot for pets,” it’s actually quite different than medical marijuana use for humans, as Canna-Pet spokesperson Samantha Wormser illustrated.


“Our products are made from industrial hemp, which has such low levels of THC. and the process is strictly controlled. It doesn’t have psychoactive or side effects. Pets are not getting high off of this,” she said.

Instead, according to “Cannabis and CBD Science for Dogs” by Caroline Coile, Ph.D, CBDs work because they “fit into the body’s cannabinoid receptor sites, which regulate other neurotransmitters, as well as a host of body systems, especially the immune systems.”

Roberts started Toby on a quarter percent of the suggested dosage, slowly working up to the recommended amount.

Three years later, Toby very rarely has bouts of diarrhea or vomiting.

“It’s really done amazing things for him and I haven’t witnessed any side effects,” Roberts said.

She was so impressed that she added Canna-Pet to the diet of her own dogs: Cole and Wyatt, two pit mixes who also suffer from weak stomachs, and Sadie, a German Shepherd whose hips “were starting to go.”

Jordan Roberts pets Lilly, a Great Pyrenees rescue dog, at her parents’ home. Lilly and Toby both take Canna-Pet CBD oils to help them with pain and digestion issues. Katharine Lotze/Signal

So far, everyone has benefitted, even a hospice foster with advanced cancer dog named Foxy, whom Roberts gave the product to help with pain and anxiety.


“I’m extremely comfortable using it. I just don’t see any risk after the number of dogs I’ve used it on. I feel it’s safe,” Roberts said.

Consumers like Roberts are increasingly searching for naturally derived products to help with their pet’s health issues.

According to Bloomberg.com, recent data from cannabis industry analytics firm MJ Freeway indicate that CBD pet products are the newest trend in a half billion dollar pet supplements market and will continue to boom with anticipated sales growth of more than $150 million over the near four years.
Wormser is not surprised about the increasing success of the CBD market.

“Prescription drugs can have negative effects long term. This is a more holistic approach, an organic option. We’re concerned about what we’re putting into our own bodies and now, people are caring more about what they’re putting into their pets,” Wormser said.

Evelyn Vega, veterinarian and owner of Happy Pets in Valencia, has had several customers ask about CBDs over the last year. She has recommended it for senior pets with arthritis or those with anxiety.

“Pets can benefits from the medicinal effects of cannabis,” she said. “I believe it has a place in veterinary medicine, if used properly.”

Your business is legal, but you can't use banks. Welcome to the cannabis all-cash nightmare

Robin Abcarian

After decades as a corporate operations executive, Julia Gosnell decided it was time to become her own boss.
“It’s now or never,” she told me in the family room of her comfortable East Bay home as her Pomeranian, ChiChi, sat  in her lap.

“This is my last good decade of working,” said Gosnell, 54.

She and a good friend had often joked about getting into the cannabis business. She’d been a medical cannabis patient for years, smoking pot for the anxiety she felt over the health of her youngest daughter, who has autism and epilepsy. “I had a choice: take Valium every day or imbibe. I decided cannabis was the healthier route.”

Last March, she and her partner, Kary Radestock, a sales rep, launched Hippo Premium Packaging. They develop containers, logos, bags, labels, boxes and custom-printed jars. They have 10 employees and are about to hire three more.


“So, a farm in Humboldt County calls and says, ‘We are harvesting a crop in 30 days. We don’t have containers, or a logo. Help!’ We helped them figure out how to brand themselves,” Gosnell said. “It’s all very upscale.”

And probably lucrative, eventually.

Gosnell and Radestock project they could gross about $3 million a year. Like most cannabis entrepreneurs, even ones who don’t actually touch pot, their clients will pay them in cash. They will probably not be able to find a bank to take it.

Imagine having to be paid in cash, having to pay your employees and suppliers in cash, having to take care of your payroll, sales and income taxes in cash.


“I was told by an accountant, who closed his door to tell me this, that you just keep your cash under the mattress,” Gosnell said. “Stash it somewhere and find a way to get a big deposit into your account. I said that doesn’t sound legal, but I am told everyone operates this way.”
::
This is the outrageous and untenable conflict imposed on legal businesses by the federal government’s continuing obstinacy about cannabis.

The federal government regards marijuana as an illegal drug; it is classified by the Drug Enforcement Administration as a controlled substance with no accepted medical use, on par with heroin. Banks are regulated by the feds; most will not touch cannabis cash. (Neither will most armored car companies.)
As a result, an estimated 70% of cannabis businesses have no bank accounts.

“We are talking about an industry expected to come short of $7 billion beginning in 2018, with expected tax revenues of approximately $1 billion,” California Treasurer John Chiang told me Friday. “This is trouble waiting to happen.”

It’s already begun.

In 2012, an Orange County medical cannabis dispensary owner was kidnapped and sexually tortured by a quartet of thieves trying to find and steal his cash. Rife with gruesome details, that case drew worldwide attention.

But many cannabis growers have been ripped off in less spectacular fashion, or are afraid they will be.

Last month in Sacramento, Chiang heard some of these horror stories during testimony at the first meeting of his Cannabis Banking Working Group.

The goal is to come up with recommendations — including potential federal legislation — to open up banking to this new burgeoning and legal industry. The next meeting is in Los Angeles on Feb. 10.

“Accounts of assault, battery, armed robbery and worse are prevalent in our industry,” Khurshid Khoja, attorney for the California Cannabis Industry Assn., told Chiang’s group last month.

“News headlines in recent years also include multiple accounts of armed robberies at dispensary sites, and gun battles in the streets of densely populated California cities.”

And then there are legal terrors: One of the state’s most well-known cannabis manufacturers told me that a company accountant was stopped by officers in a small Southern California city while transporting about $30,000 to the company’s headquarters. Despite showing police her paperwork, they confiscated the cash because, they said, they suspected money laundering. The company is working with an attorney to get it back.

Have you ever seen $250,000 in cash? Me, either. But apparently money takes up a lot of room.

“We’re close to a crisis when it comes to how to manage the situation in legal fashion,” said Kathleen Van Osten, a consultant who represents a “regulatory-minded” San Jose cannabis manufacturer. “They’re running out of space to store cash.”

Also, dealing with cash is not cheap.

Khoja said one of his clients has 60 employees, and an accounting team of four, plus a controller — “nearly unheard of” for a company that size. The firm pays $325,000 a year in salaries to people who deal only with cash handling, and estimates it loses $1 million a year to the various burdens cash imposes.

Casey O’Neill, a cannabis and vegetable grower from Mendocino County, told Chiang that his company, Happy Day Farms, was on its third bank. He lost his last bank account because he is a spokesman for the California Growers Assn., one of the state’s largest cannabis trade groups. His bank told him, “We saw you on TV, bud. Your account is gone.”

And then he added, understandably, “I want to put this out to the universe. You’re not going to see a lot of cash if you come to my house.”

Ten days ago, Gosnell and Radestock moderated a branding session at a High Times-sponsored marijuana summit in Los Angeles. They were deluged with inquiries from prospective clients. Theirs is the kind of enterprise that will be increasingly sought after as cannabis entrepreneurs jockey for shelf space during California’s post-legalization boom.


“We have thirty grand coming in the next two weeks from clients in four different deposits,” she said. “And we’re about to move forward with a six-figure job. It’s very scary. But it’s not the weed that’s causing the problem.”

It’s the cash. And, of course, the federal government.

Here's The Exact Age When It's OK to Start Smoking Pot

Must be this old to get high.

Thomas Freeman

A new study published in the Cambridge University Press journal determined the age when it is safe to begin smoking pot—17.

Researchers at the University of Montreal, by performing yearly tests on 1,037 teenagers beginning at age 13 until 20, found that participants who began smoking up before they were 17 suffered from depreciations in their verbal skills and cognitive intelligence. Meanwhile, those who waited until they were 17 exhibited no negative side effects.

The university stresses that cannabis itself may not be the issue, but that early adopters were less likely to actively engage with and complete secondary education, which takes a hit on key social development.

"The results of this study suggest that the effects of cannabis use on verbal intelligence are explained not by neurotoxic effects on the brain, but rather by a possible social mechanism, said the study's lead author, Natalie Castellanos-Ryan, an assistant professor at UdeM's School of Psychoeducation.

"Adolescents who use cannabis are less likely to attend school and graduate, which may then have an impact on the opportunities to further develop verbal intelligence."

Given the recent wave of positive attitudes regarding cannabis use, the findings urge that the drug's potential hazards not be overlooked. You don't want to end up an unemployed millennial who gets high on YouTube for money, do you?

Caron Treatment Centers Warns of Potential Dangers of Marijuana Legalization; Urges States Where Marijuana Is Legal to Restrict Use for People Under the Age of 25

Leading addiction not-for-profit treatment center advises policymakers to expand upon marijuana education, prevention, research, and treatment

by Caron Treatment Centers 

 

WERNERSVILLE, Pa., Jan. 30, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Caron Treatment Centers, a leading not-for-profit provider of addiction and behavioral healthcare treatment with 60 years of experience, cautions policymakers about the potential health risks associated with the legalization of recreational marijuana. Furthermore, Caron strongly recommends that in states where it's legal, use is restricted to those aged 25 and older.

Caron recently published a position paper on the topic, titled Marijuana: Proceed with Caution, which highlights issues that need to be taken into account when considering legalization, including: taxation, driving, edibles, and decriminalization. It also addresses the significant impact of marijuana use on brain development in adolescents and young adults. 

While the expanding legalization of marijuana has somewhat "normalized" the drug, clinical experts at Caron have seen firsthand the impact it can have on adolescent and young adult development. Statistics that support these concerns include the following:

• Approximately 1.8 million adolescents used marijuana in the past month in the United States. (SAMHSA)
• Of the adolescent population seeking treatment at Caron, 93.6% of adolescent males and 84.4% of adolescent females are marijuana users.
• 92.1% of Caron patients under the age of 18 listed marijuana as their drug of choice.
• Only 1.7% of marijuana users in treatment at Caron are solely using marijuana. The other 98.3% of patients who list marijuana as a drug of choice are also using another drug.

"Research indicates marijuana may significantly impact adolescent brain development and performance, alter brain functioning, increase the risk of developing mental illness, and impair cognitive thinking," said Doug Tieman, President and CEO of Caron Treatment Centers. "Therefore, we strongly believe adolescents and young adults under the age of 25 should never have legal access to the drug and states should require ID to prevent underage sales." 

Caron's position paper on marijuana also includes comprehensive recommendations and guidelines for policymakers considering or enacting marijuana legalization. These recommendations aim to prevent use, minimize harm, and ensure any tax revenue generated from the sale of recreational marijuana is directed towards prevention, education, additional research, and treatment. 

"We must take advantage of this opportunity to shape the policies and conversations surrounding marijuana and substance abuse to benefit the health of our children and future generations," said Tieman. "Lawmakers need to pause for a deeper understanding because lives are at stake."

As the legalization of marijuana continues to expand, Caron Treatment Centers hopes policymakers will use these recommendations to minimize harm to public health and to create additional funding for education, prevention, research, and recovery. 

About Caron Treatment Centers With nearly 60 years in the field, Caron Treatment Centers operates lifesaving addiction and behavioral healthcare treatment. Caron is headquartered in Wernersville, Pennsylvania with Ocean Drive and Caron Renaissance located in Palm Beach County, Florida. Caron has Recovery Centers in New England, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., which offer community and recovery support. Caron's Recovery Centers in Atlanta and New York City also offer pre- and post-treatment services.

Caron has the most extensive continuum of care including adolescents, young adults, adults and seniors. Caron also offers specialized programming for executives, lawyers and health care professionals. Caron's treatment is customized to meet the needs of individuals and families – with highly trained teams prepared to address co-occurring disorders. Caron offers an innovative approach to ongoing recovery care support for its former patients and their families with online peer groups and other resources during the first year of transition following discharge. 

Survey finds teen drug use stable

SMS Teen Action Council member shares thoughts on survey

By Callie Jones

 

For Sterling Middle School eighth grader Jaden Newson, the results of a recent survey conducted by the drug abuse prevention organization Rise Above Colorado were somewhat surprising.

Newson is a member of Rise Above Colorado's statewide Teen Action Council, which works with the organization to further empower young adults in their fight against drug abuse. She was encouraged by her teacher to join the council after Rise Above Colorado visited SMS when she was in sixth grade. Following an application and interview process she was invited to represent northeastern Colorado on the council.

"It's a great group of teens," Newton said, explaining the council serves as the teen voice in their community around the issues of substance abuse and addiction, creating a "safe space" for themselves and others to talk about what teens can do to rise above drug use.

For Rise Above Colorado's 2016 survey, a follow-up to a 2013 survey, approximately 607 Colorado teenagers were questioned by telephone or online between March 17 and May 1, 2016. Of the 607 total teens interviewed, 81 came from northeastern Colorado.

Results show teen usage of most substances — marijuana, prescription painkillers and stimulants, meth and heroin — remained stable in 2016, despite the legalization of marijuana in Colorado in 2012 and increased pressures facing teens.

Statewide the only significant increase since 2013 was seen in teen use of alcohol; approximately 46 percent of teens surveyed reported using alcohol, compared to 33 percent in 2013. Marijuana use decreased slightly from 16 to 15 percent, and there were slight increases in the use of prescription painkiller, prescription stimulants and meth.

What was particularly surprising about the results for Newson is they show teens are experimenting with drugs at younger ages, with a significant increase in the percentage of 12 year olds using drugs.

Approximately 29 percent of 12-year-old survey respondents reported using alcohol compared to 10 percent in 2013, and 9 percent reported using marijuana, 6 percent reported using stimulants, 3 percent reported using pain relievers and 4 percent reported using meth, compared to zero percent for all of those areas in 2013.

"Never in my mind would I think 12 year olds are doing it. That's so young; they have such a long road ahead of them," Newson said, noting she was surprised they even knew what some of the drugs were.

Along with increase in younger teens using these substances, these pre-teens also reported increased access, including direct offers from others to use drugs.

Notably, teens' mental health is a big factor in usage and attitudes toward drugs. The survey results show teens who are experiencing mental health challenges are more likely to experiment with drugs and alcohol. For example, teens with six or more difficult days per month used alcohol and marijuana at twice the rate of their peers who reported no difficult days and were twice as likely to feel that "experimenting with drugs is simply part of being a teenager and not a big deal."

The survey results also show that more teens overestimated their peers' usage of all substances and teens' perception of parental acceptance of occasional drug use increased, with more teens believing that their "parents would be find with (them) smoking marijuana once in a while."

Ultimately the survey found that overall drug usage rates among Colorado teens held steady despite decreased perceptions of risk and increased accessibility and curiosity. Stable usage is a positive testament to the overall healthy choices Colorado youth are making, despite increased access and curiosity; however, drug prevention education and access to mental health services remain priorities and are needed at much younger ages, states a press release from Rise Above Colorado.

Newson said she feels the results are reflective of what teens are experiencing. She noted there is daily talk in middle school about different drugs and students are aren't drug users, she said there is still that segment of students who think that it's cool to do drugs.

When asked what could be done to better help teens stay off drugs, Newson said she feels students, starting at the upper elementary level, need an opportunity in a smaller classroom setting to talk about what the different drugs are, what they do and what happens to people who use those drugs.

"If we were taught ways to avoid peer pressure and to stand up for ourselves, I think the number of tweens trying drugs would be lower," Newson said. "If my class was taught all the facts about drugs and ways to avoid being pressured into something, we could be better role models for younger students, especially those struggling with confidence and unaware of all of the effects."

She pointed out that as she gets ready to enter high school, there is significant pressure to be liked by the upperclassman, so that they'll befriend her. Thus, being able to know how to withstand the pressure to do the "cool things," which aren't always right, is critical.

"We need to be taught the confidence to say no, to rise above peer pressure," Newson said.
She also believes it's important to have a good support system and to befriend those who are struggling. One of the biggest things Newson has learned while being on the Teen Action Council is to be a friend.

"Before I thought if you did drugs, you're a bad person, you're icky. But I've learned it's okay to make mistakes you just need to learn to be a friend to someone who's struggling, learn to be okay with different kinds of people," she said.