Cannitrol – Cannabis Control Agent

Marijuana news from around the world

Harvard

Higher education: Colleges add cannabis to the curriculum

As a green gold rush in legal marijuana and its non-drug cousin hemp spreads across North America, a growing number of colleges are adding cannabis to the curriculum to prepare graduates for careers cultivating, researching, analyzing and marketing the herb.

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Medical Marijuana Industry News October 12, 2012

melissa etheridge

Melissa Etheridge Becomes Newest Celeb to Endorse Marijuana Legalization…

Melissa Etheridge, has provided inspiration to many people through her music and her successful fight against breast cancer.  The singer of popular songs such as “Come to My Window” has now come out in support of Colorado’s Amendment 64.  She appears on an advertisement and says she supports the legalization initiative “because a few years ago I was going through cancer chemotherapy and I was suffering.”  She also goes on to say “Prescription drugs were not helping. The only thing that allowed me to function and regain my strength was marijuana and I’m grateful for the relief it provided me. You know before I needed to use marijuana I just accepted the laws that treated marijuana users as criminals. But it’s funny how a serious illness can give you a new outlook on life.  I now see that it’s wrong to arrest adults for using marijuana and it’s even more wrong to allow gangs and cartels to profit from selling marijuana. Instead we should allow adults to possess limited amounts of marijuana and we should regulate marijuana sales in order to generate tax revenues for public schools construction and other community needs. To me, regulating marijuana is simply the right thing to do. Please vote yes on Amendment 64.”  Residents will have the opportunity to vote on passing the marijuana legalization law.  If they do so, marijuana will be treated in a similar way to alcohol with those 21 and over being to purchase it in a controlled, regulated, and taxed manor.

 

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Study Shows Missouri Could Make $149 Million off of Marijuana Legalization…

Last night America watched the two vice presidential candidates argue over taxes and the economy.  We did not hear any fresh ideas, but thankfully, a study in Missouri will provide us with information as to how we can jumpstart the economy.  Three states will have their residents vote on whether or not to legalize, regulate, and tax recreational marijuana.  In the above story we already mentioned Colorado, but Oregon and Washington State will also be putting similar measures to the people.  Missouri may join these states in the future as a study released by the groups National Cannabis Coalition and Show-Me Cannabis with the help of Harvard University economist Dr. Jeffrey Miron.  According to the groups Missouri would generate over $149 million if the state legalized marijuana.  This statistic includes $90 million saved by reducing funds associated with incarcerations, arrests, and prosecutions of marijuana offenders.  The additional $59 million would come through taxes placed on marijuana sales.  Dr. Miron said “The main thing I hope people think about is, ‘Why should the government be intervening with individuals using marijuana?”

 

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City Of Oakland Stands Up For Patients and Local Collectives….

Federal agents have been targeting the world’s largest medical marijuana dispensary, Harborside Health Center, for some time now.  Harborside is known to serve many patients and has gained even more attention as they were the focus of a Discovery Channel show, Weed Wars.  The Feds are attempting to seize the property that Harborside Health occupies, however, in what may be an unprecedented move, the City of Oakland is not sitting idle.  They have filed a lawsuit contending the federal government’s right to do so.  City Attorney Barbara Parker said “This lawsuit is about protecting the rights of legitimate medical patients. “I am deeply dismayed that the federal government would seek to deny these rights and deprive thousands of seriously ill Californians of access to safe, affordable and effective medicine.”   Harborside’s famous Executive Director, Steve DeAngelo said  “It is heartening to see the city stand up and support us.”  Oakland is notoriously struggling financially and many analysts are wondering how big the impact would be if Harborside was closed.  The dispensary paid $3.5 million in taxes with over $1 million going directly to the city of Oakland.

 

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Veterans May Catch a Break in Oregon

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As the 2012 presidential election nears, we will hear two men in suits talking quite a bit about our soldiers.  They will congratulate and praise them, but they will also ignore their basic needs.  Returning home after enduring the daily struggles of a foreign military conflict is not an envious position.  Our government has a responsibility to help who protect our country.  Integrating back into civilian life has proven difficult for many soldiers and with cuts to veteran hospitals and benefits the future does not appear to hold an easier path.

Of course there is an affordable and accessible plan by many to help our soldiers.  Instead of addicting prescription pills that ultimately prove less effective, medical marijuana has been crucial to many returning soldiers.  If we are unwilling to tax, regulate, and stimulate the economy with our antiquated marijuana laws, then of course we would be willing to make an exception for those who ensure our own comfortable lives.  That assumption could not be further from the truth as many states, and The White House have ignored the pleas of veteran organizations.

Recently we did learn there was hope for those soldiers living in Oregon.  Oregonlive.com published an article that describes the efforts of veteran groups and activists seeking to add PTSD to list of conditions that qualify for medical marijuana use.  The article describes the situations of several struggling veterans including Jared Townsend.  Mr. Townsend is an Iraq war veteran and recently said that cannabis use can “balance life out a little bit better.”  He also went on to say “If I get racing thoughts and real worked up, it can break a panic attack pretty quick.”  While there is considerable momentum for attempting to change the law, precedent is not encouraging.  In the 14 years of Oregon’s medical marijuana program only new condition (agitation associated with Alzheimer’s disease) has been added to the list of permissible uses.   In order to get the law changed, a petition will have to be submitted.  Then the Oregon Health Authority will select who sits on a panel to review the submission.  Veteran and marijuana advocates claim that past panels have included many anti marijuana members.

Research is still not conclusive on just how effective cannabis is toward treating complications associated with PTSD.  Dr. John J. Halpern, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School said there is an “overabundance of case reports” that suggest that marijuana helps PTSD sufferers.  However he cited political reasons for a lack of research.  Cannabis is the only schedule 1 substance that requires additional review by National Institute on Drug Abuse in order to conduct research.  Many are incensed that the least destructive substance in the schedule 1 category requires so much additional red tape navigation.  Many analysts have noted that a lack of research seems to be a convenient answer as that line can be used over and over by the same lawmakers who simultaneously block the research.  Although research is needed to determine the future of PTSD treatment, we at marijuana.net trusts the tens of thousands of soldiers who have no reason to coordinate a large scale conspiracy.  Our heroes need relief and we cannot arm them to fight foreign wars but simply take away any tools that would help with reintegration.

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