Marijuana News
Liver Cancer and Cannabis: Study Finds Cannabinoids Have Anti-Tumoral Effect on HCC
A new report published on PubMed.gov demonstrates that cannabinoids from the marijuana plant could provide a new choice of treatment for those suffering from one of today’s deadlier forms of liver cancer.
HCC – also known as Hepatocellular Carcinoma – is one of the most common forms of liver cancer affecting men over the age of 50. Long considered to be one of the more lethal cancer-related illnesses, HCC accounts for roughly 75% of all liver cancers.
HCC, unlike metastatic liver cancer, starts and remains in the liver, and is caused by scarring within this vital organ. While there may be many root sources of this deadly scarring within the liver (a.k.a. cirrhosis of the liver), the primary players are; alcohol abuse, autoimmune diseases of the liver, and the hepatitis B or C virus.
Currently only a few viable treatment options are offered by Western medicine, but according to an October 23rd report published by The United States National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health, cannabinoids may soon provide a treatment option for this insidious disease.
According to the study’s abstract, “The present study aimed to investigate the effects of cannabinoids as novel therapeutic targets in HCC.” By utilizing synthetic cannabinoids on the damaged cell lines, the scientists discovered that even man-made cannabinoids inhibited the growth of Hepatocellular Carcinoma, leading to a healthier liver and cell cycle arrest.
Leaving the report to conclude: “These results suggested that cannabinoid receptor agonists, including WIN, may be considered as novel therapeutics for the treatment of HCC.”
The below video is Michael Cutlers’ story on beating liver cancer with cannabis oil.
The ‘Gridiron Cannabis Coalition’ Takes Center Stage at the Southwest Cannabis Conference
Today at the SouthWest Cannabis Conference (SWCC) – taking place in the Phoenix area– Kyle Turley and a group of like-minded Ex-NFL players are getting ready to ignite the long-overdue debate of medical marijuana use in the NFL.
Billed as one of the more comprehensive events of its kind, the SWCC will offer specifically crafted educational breakout sessions and marijuana related networking events, bringing together both industry experts and newbies alike.
The Executive Director of the SouthWest Cannabis Conference, Rory Mendoza, had a well-defined vision and lofty goals for his groundbreaking event. Today’s South West Cannabis Conference and Expo combines a one-day career fair and two-day conference and expo; promising to deliver the most comprehensive and informative event ever held in the desert Southwest.
Hoping to utilize the SWCC to help evolve the NFL’s draconian pot policy, Turley, a former All-Pro Offensive Tackle witnessed firsthand the grim need for medical marijuana in the National Football League after a prolonged addiction to pharmaceutical medications. Providing a life-changing epiphany: medical marijuana is safe and pharmaceuticals are addictive. Prompting Kyle to become a founding partner at the ‘Gridiron Cannabis Coalition.’
This trailblazing conference’s chronic two day event schedule will feature a sweet alliance of approximately 60 marijuana experts, all of whom will share first-hand knowledge on a wide range of relevant topics like:
- Becoming a Cannabis Industry Sector Leader
- Power Women of the Cannabis Industry
- Industry Overview and Regulatory Forecast.
Anticipated to be packed; the Southwest Cannabis Conference will have over 300 floor exhibits from local, regional and national cannabis industry vendors. Featuring one of the region’s best B2B (business-to-business) networking opportunities for those in the marijuana industry. Be sure to come by the Weedmaps booth on October 27-28, where we’ll be giving out limited edition Weedmaps swag.
While most of the industry’s biggest canna-brands and dopest new products will be prominently displayed, cash-strapped consumers can save 50% off the normal price of admission by visiting southwesteventgroup.com and entering the code: “Weedmaps”.
Support for Legalization Continues to Grow Into The Future
Public policy, in a democracy, depends on the will of a majority of the citizens. Only when a clear majority favor a change in policy can that change occur, and even then, when working with elected legislators, these is always a significant lag between a change in the public attitudes, and a change in public policy. Most elected officials, with an eye towards being re-elected, find it safer to vote for the status quo, until it is unavoidably obvious they are on the losing side.
Fortunately, in half the states citizens have the option of going around their elected state legislatures and changing public policy by a voter initiative – a direct vote of the people. Which explains how the marijuana legalization movement has been so successful over the last few years. As public attitudes have increasingly shifted against prohibition, and in support of legalization, we have had the ability to ask the citizens in several states to approve legalization, despite the trepidation of their state elected officials.
And that has allowed us to enact legalization in a few states several years earlier than would have been the case if we would have had to move the proposal through the state legislature. For that, we are truly benefiting from the successes of the Progressive movement of an earlier era, from where the concept of a voter initiative.
The Latest Gallup Poll
But none of that matters unless a proposed change in policy enjoys the support of a majority of the public. And as the latest Gallup Poll results underscored, the support for legalizing marijuana continues to increase, and there is every reason to believe that trend will only increase in the coming years. And the political implications of that are obvious.
More specifically, this latest Gallup Poll found that 58 percent of the public nationwide now support the full legalization of marijuana, matching the highest level of support Gallup has ever found over 46 years of polling on the question.
Gallup first polled the American public about their support for legalizing marijuana in 1969, the year before NORML was founded, and found the support level at only 12 percent. That number rose to 28 percent by 1977, before beginning a decline, falling to 23 percent by 1985. Support then again began to rise gradually over the next 25 years, until finally reaching 50 percent in 2011. Gallup found support peaking at 58 percent in 2013, before showing a decline to 51 percent in 2014 (those numbers are within the 4 percent margin of error for their telephone survey of just over 1,000 respondents), and then rebounding to 58 percent again in 2015.
These latest 2015 findings were overwhelmingly favorable in all age groups, with a majority level of support in all age categories, except seniors (my own group), and even there we are showing big gains.
Younger Americans, Democrats and independents are the most likely to favor legalizing cannabis, while Republicans and Americans over the age of 65 are least likely to do so. Among those poll respondents age 18 to 34, 71 percent endorse legalization. Among respondents age 35 to 49 years of age, 64 percent support legalizing marijuana. Among those age 65 and up, support fell to 35 percent, but this too reflected a sharp increase in support.
We Are Outliving Our Opponents
At NORML we have often joked that our strategy, if all else failed (and there were certainly decades when we were making very little measurable progress), was to out-live our opponents. We were only partially kidding, as we were aware that younger Americans were far more supportive of legalization than were older Americans, and eventually we would win.
The most significant implications of this latest Gallup data is the likelihood that this trend will continue for many years in the future, as more seniors are replaced by younger Americans, making it possible for us in the next few years to adopt legalization in many more states that offer a voter initiative; and importantly, in many other states that do not, by way of the state legislature. Even elected officials can only ignore the will of the public for so long, before either supporting that change, or being replaced by those who do. It is only a matter of time.
The poll’s authors suggested the future looks positive for those who favor legalization. “Given the patterns of support by age, that percentage should continue to grow in the future. … These trends suggest that state and local governments may come under increasing pressure to ease restrictions on marijuana use, if not go even further like the states of Colorado, Oregon, Washington and Alaska in making recreational marijuana use completely legal.”
Or as NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano has pointed out, continuing to support marijuana prohibition is now a “fringe position” in America. “These results ought to embolden campaigning politicians, as well as elected officials, to take a more pronounced stance in favor of legalizing and regulating cannabis in a manner that is consistent with the desires of the majority of their constituents.”
The Next Administration
This is an important point to keep in mind when thinking about who might be elected the next US president, and whether that individual will continue “the Obama policy” of allowing the states to determine their own marijuana policy, without interference from the federal government. With support for full legalization reaching nearly 60 percent nationwide, it will be difficult, and likely politically impossible, for the next president to change that policy, regardless of her/his personal views.
We have, after a long and sometimes frustrating public debate covering several decades, finally won the hearts and minds of a majority of the American public, and with that, the power to move marijuana legalization forward full speed, until it is the law of the land. We are now the majority.
It’s a wonderful time to be a marijuana smoker.
Canada’s New Prime Minister Wants Marijuana Legalization “Right Away”
Promising to get started on marijuana legalization in Canada “Right Away,” Justin Trudeau, Canada’s soon-to-be Prime Minister, has thrown down the political gauntlet on the heated topic that’s been sweeping across North America since 2012 – Cannabis reform.
Highlighting the rather unpleasant results of Canada’s failed marijuana policy – vigorously enforced by the recently unseated Harper – the leader of Canada’s Liberal Party and next prime minister said, “The Liberal Party is committed to legalizing and regulating marijuana.” Emphasizing, “We are going to get started on that right away.” Leaving a euphoric room full supporters applauding the future Prime Minister’s bold approach.
While Not a big 420 fan, the rarely-stoned son of Canada’s distinguished Ex-PM Pierre Trudeau, came clean with The HuffPost back in 2013, admitting that he had fired-up after being elected Montréal’s MP in 2008.
“We had a few good friends over for a dinner party, our kids were at their grandmother’s for the night, and one of our friends lit a joint and passed it around. I had a puff.”
This audacious admission and his new approach provides a striking contrast to the recently ousted Stephen Harper’s campaign of cruelty and propaganda. During Harper’s reign as Prime Minister he was responsible for rolling back and creating new restrictions on Canada’s medical marijuana program.
Apparently not satisfied with alienating that large chunk of Canadian voters, Harper then continued his campaign of political suicide when he erroneously claimed that marijuana was “infinitely worse” than tobacco. An almost criminal assertion.
Firmly entrenched on the wrong side of science, and obviously out of touch with public opinion, Mr. Harper thought the majority of Canadians agreed with his opposition to the legalization of marijuana. Now better informed, he’ll soon be looking for his next high-paying gig back in the private sector. Good riddance to political rubbish.
Neil deGrasse Tyson and Carl Sagan Differ on Drugs and Creativity
Two well-known astrophysicists. Two very different views of the role that drug use can play in artistic creativity.
Neil deGrasse Tyson, who hosted last year’s reboot of Carl Sagan’s legendary “Cosmos” series, says in a new interview that “if you’re in an altered state, you can think something is good that you just created, but it really isn’t.”
That contrasts sharply with Sagan’s view. He wrote, “I am convinced that there are genuine and valid levels of perception available with cannabis (and probably with other drugs) which are, through the defects of our society and our educational system, unavailable to us without such drugs.”
The new Tyson comments come from a video Reddit published this month after the scientist participated in an “Ask Me Anything” session with the site’s users, one of whom asked, “How much of an impact do you think drugs (psychedelics) have had on art over the centuries?”
Before opining on how drug use can make you think your work is better than it actually is, Tyson made clear that he doesn’t have much personal experience in the area, at least when it comes to illegal substances. “I don’t count myself among those who are active recreational drug users.”
On the other hand, Sagan wrote that his own use of cannabis “produced a very rich array of insights” and that those revelations stayed relevant even when he wasn’t high any more:
“The cannabis experience has greatly improved my appreciation for art, a subject which I had never much appreciated before. The understanding of the intent of the artist which I can achieve when high sometimes carries over to when I’m down. This is one of many human frontiers which cannabis has helped me traverse.
…
“A very similar improvement in my appreciation of music has occurred with cannabis. For the first time I have been able to hear the separate parts of a three-part harmony and the richness of the counterpoint. I have since discovered that professional musicians can quite easily keep many separate parts going simultaneously in their heads, but this was the first time for me. Again, the learning experience when high has at least to some extent carried over when I’m down.”
Tyson, for his part, gave an example from his own life of why he doesn’t mix drugs and work:
“For me, the least altered state of awareness I can achieve is the one that I seek, because that one is most likely to be closest to reality.
“I used to write a question and answer column while I was drinking a bottle of wine. And I was thinking, you know like Hemingway, with his bottle of whatever he drank. You know, the alcohol and the writer. This is like almost a trope. And I thought I wrote some awesome stuff. And then a few years later I looked back at what I wrote then and I said, ‘No, that’s not awesome.’ I thought it was awesome at the time. In the state of mind that I wrote it, I thought it was awesome. Later on I was like, ‘No, I write better than that not drinking wine while I’m writing.’”
Sagan once gave a young Neil deGrasse Tyson a tour of Cornell University, where the older cosmologist taught and the younger was considering enrolling, and the two corresponded fairly regularly until Sagan’s death, in 1996. But Tyson’s new interview makes it seem unlikely that the two ever shared a joint.
Whereas Carl Sagan wrote that “the illegality of cannabis is outrageous, an impediment to full utilization of a drug which helps produce the serenity and insight,” Tyson’s views on legalization are not publicly known.
To learn more about Carl Sagan’s views on marijuana, as unearthed by a Marijuana.com review of his papers archived at the Library of Congress, click here.
Gallup Poll: Majority Of American’s Support Legalizing Marijuana
As both Canada and Mexico are beginning to take a serious look at the ethical and fiscal ramifications of legalizing recreational cannabis consumption, a new Gallup poll released on Wednesday shows that support for legalizing marijuana in the US is at an all-time high – and will likely keep growing.
According to the new data released on Wednesday, 40 percent of those 65 and over now support the idea of legalized marijuana in the United States. That’s an amazing number considering that demographics historic ideology. The October Gallup poll also shows 58 percent of America’s baby boomers support legalization; meanwhile young adults – those born between 1981 and 1997 – show the strongest support for marijuana reform at 71 percent.
While the acceptance and backing of legal weed in the United States has fluctuated since 2010, when it averaged approximately 48 percent, support for the peaceful plants legalization has grown significantly since 2013. Hitting its all-time high approval rate of 58 percent in Gallup’s October poll.
Changing demographics:
As voters most fearful of marijuana legalization (read: dogmatic Republicans and those over 65) are currently being replaced by a new generation of Millennial constituents – who understand the benign nature of the mildly psychoactive high – support for legalization in the US will, no doubt, continue to soar.
Canada or Mexico; who will be first?
Further demonstrating the slow demise of prohibition, marijuana.com reported on Tuesday that Justin Trudeau and the Liberal Party in Canada won their national election by an impressive margin. One of the primary drivers of this historic victory was Trudeau’s promise to “legalize” marijuana in Canada. And while that was no doubt great news for many Canucks, it seems to have sparked an inadvertent race with Mexico; whose Supreme Court will be hearing arguments on October 28 to determine if Mexico’s current marijuana policies are unconstitutional.
As the Darwinian process of evolution ages out the old political dogma, a sweet new competition has ignited to the north and south of the United States. Racing to the finish line of common sense; Canada and Mexico are now scrambling to be the first country in North America to dump marijuana prohibition on the trash heap of failed policies.
California High Court Ruling: DEA Breaking The Law By Raiding Legal Dispensaries
Better late than never: Signaling a significant victory for patients and dispensaries participating in state sanctioned medical marijuana programs, a federal Judge ruled on Monday the DEA must back-off raiding and shutting down medical marijuana collectives legally operating under California’s Prop 215, first passed in 1996.
Charles Breyer, U.S. District Judge (Photo Courtesy of SFGate Blog)
Starting the week off on a high note, Charles Breyer, a U.S. District Judge from Northern California, admonished the DEA with a ruling critical of the agency for its systematical harassment of the medical marijuana community. Citing last year’s Rohrabacher-Farr amendment, Judge Breyer noted it prevents the use of any government funds from being utilized for such actions.
Representing the first ruling of its kind by a federal judge, this decision safeguards all state marijuana laws. Preventing the DOJ (Department of Justice) from spending any of our tax dollars to bust legal dispensaries or MMJ patients in any of the 23 states that have voter approved medical marijuana programs.
According to Time.com:
” Judge Charles Breyer of the U.S. district court in northern California disagreed with the DEA memo, writing in his decision that the department’s interpretation of the law “defies language and logic” and is “at odds with fundamental notions of the rule of law.” Instead, the court sided with the dispensaries, saying the department could not interfere with medical marijuana providers operating legally under state regulations.”
MAMM vs USDOJ – Charles R. Breyer ruling to lift injunction
Lynette Shaw, owner of Fairfax’s Marin Alliance for Medical Marijuana (Photo Courtesy of MarinIJ)
The recent ruling involves the case of Lynette Shaw, owner of Fairfax’s Marin Alliance for Medical Marijuana. Shaw was originally forced to close her shop four years ago after the Department of Justice decided to make an example of her –– issuing a federal cease and desist order against her dispensary.
While the feds claim they were dazed and confused over the Rohrabacher-Farr amendment, not sure whether it was meant to stop the DOJ from spending taxpayer cash to crush marijuana related businesses and prosecute patients in medical marijuana states – or simply cut off any federal funding that would discourage states from legalizing medical marijuana.
Attempting to justify their position earlier this year, the Justice Department told The LA Times the Rohrabacher-Farr amendment only stops the feds from “Impeding the ability of states to carry out their medical marijuana laws,” leaving individuals within the medical marijuana community open to prosecution.
Thanks to Judge Breyer’s recent moral epiphany – – and clarifying that congressional law “forbids the Department of Justice from enforcing this injunction against MAMM to the extent that MAMM operates in compliance with state California law” – – the Justice Department may find themselves strapped for cash during their next attempt at circumventing state law and ignoring an individuals civil liberties.
(Main Photo Courtesy of the Huffington Post)
Australia Moves to Legalize Cultivation of Medical Marijuana Down Under
On Saturday, the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia publicized its plan to allow medical marijuana to be legally cultivated for medicinal and scientific research purposes.
Currently under Australian law, cannabis is still classified as an illegal narcotic, and while penalties differ from state to state, those who cultivate, consume, carry or distribute it can be fined and sent to prison.
According to ABC Online:
“Health Minister Sussan Ley said the Government wants to give people suffering from debilitating illnesses access to the most effective medical treatments.”
More Australian Marijuana News
By amending the 1967 Narcotics Drugs Act, Australia’s politicians hope to legalize the local cultivation of medical marijuana without violating the country’s international commitment to the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs.
Fired up for medical marijuana
With more than 246,000 people signing a petition on Change.org to decriminalize the plant and its potent cannabinoids for medical purposes, supporters of the Australian plan have long felt the current laws were prejudicial towards patients who relied on the plants flower to alleviate their pain.
While a serious victory for the sick and suffering Down Under, Ley noted, “Cannabis will remain classified as an illegal narcotic in Australia for recreational use.”
In the below video, Australia’s Senator Leyonhjelm makes the case for legalizing both medical and recreational marijuana in Australia.