marijuana
Pennsylvania Senator Wants State to Regulate and Sell Legal Marijuana
Inaction by the federal government has been prompting states to alter their marijuana laws for over 15 years. Until November, state government officials and activists have mostly been discussing medical marijuana and decriminalization laws. With residents voting to legalize recreational marijuana in Colorado and Washington, the discussion has widened its scope.
Pennsylvania State State Senator Daylin Leach is seeking to have the state government regulate marijuana in the same way as alcohol. This would increase tax revenues and place a system of control that officials currently do not have in regards to regulating marijuana. As the idea of respecting state rights, individual freedoms, reducing incarcerations rates for non violent acts, and saving tax payer dollars grows in popularity, these proposals no longer seem so far fetched.
His plan to drastically update marijuana laws has certainly gained momentum. The voter initiated plans in Colorado and Washington seems to have prompted state lawmakers across the country to propose similar measures. Rhode Island lawmakers are also discussing a similar bill. Although a recent bill has stalled among lawmakers in Hawaii earlier this week, the momentum appears to be gaining. In West Virginia, a recent Marijuana Policy Project poll show that 53% of West Virginia residents support legalizing medical marijuana. An even greater number (63%) decided feel that marijuana was a safer choice than oxycontin for debilitating pain.
Senator Leach feels legalization is only a matter of time because the majority of younger Americans “have very little interest in continuing prohibition.” He also said the legislation was important because “There are other intoxicants that are far worse that we do not treat the same way. We do not accuse people of criminal offenses for consuming.” Senator Leach is hoping to save Pennsylvania over $500 million per year with a combination of law enforcement savings and tax revenue.
Farmer Accidentally Grows Marijuana
If someone plants tulips instead of roses they may be disappointed at the results. However, one would not likely be subjected to police scrutiny and possible criminal prosecution. A man in Germany made a more serious mistake with his planting. An elderly farmer planted marijuana seeds instead of sunflowers. He was very surprised to see the plants grow to 10 feet tall so quickly but did not seem to know they were marijuana plants. Locals noticed the plants and notified authorities. Police came and made the man plough the field. Officials believed that the cannabis was weak and would not have led to “addiction”. Authorities are still trying to determine whether or not to press charges. Under German law it is illegal to “knowingly” grow marijuana. It would seem the 74 year old farmer easily fits the description of unknowingly growing the cannabis plants.
For more on this story click here
Olympics Highlight Outdated Marijuana Regulations
The Olympic Games provides the entire world with an opportunity to put aside our differences and enjoy the performances of the most skilled athletes across the globe. The interest in the London games seems to be at a peak as NBC has enjoyed massive ratings. However, as we have seen at every Olympic competition, there are some controversies that simply just do not make any sense.
Although the greatest Olympian of all time, Michael Phelps, has graciously been one of America’s heroes for the past several Olympics, critics were quick to try and cause his demise when a pictured surfaced of him smoking marijuana. The athlete who dedicated his entire young life to his country and his craft was all of the sudden a villain for trying to unwind and enjoy some rare downtime. What would the story have been if he consumed a beer, which likely would be more detrimental to his training and diet? Phelps was suspended for 3 months from USA swimming even without ever failing a drug test. We are thrilled to see Phelps regain his previous form and take home three gold medals inflating his
Fortunately for Michael Phelps he was not banned from the games for his marijuana use. The same cannot be said for two devastated American athletes who have been banned from the London games for testing positive for marijuana. Female American wrestler Stephany Lee found out several weeks ago that she would not be permitted to compete. Also now forced to watch from home is judoka competitor Nicholas Delpopolo. He too tested positive for marijuana which will now compromise his life’s work.
Olympic organizers need to start to re-think their cannabis policy. Exactly why is it that a benign substance, and of the most commonly used around the world can result in a premature exit from Olympic competition? Performance enhancers such as steroids or human growth hormone can present an unfair competitive advantage and also have been linked to serious health complications. Of course most people agree with testing for performance enhancers, but marijuana clearly does not fit that bill. Marijuana use is becoming more accepted around the world and if the Olympic Games wants to showcase the best athletes they may have to start abiding by their true mission, which is to respect the cultures from around the world. Marijuana is now part of the world culture and criminalizing it for no other reason than enforcing the status quo is not at all part of the spirit we all tune in for.
Confusion in New Jersey Continues To Leave Residents Scratching Their Heads
We at marijuana.net have spoken at length about all of the exciting news regarding national marijuana reform. We have also discussed the bureaucratic delays that have frustrated patients and activists, especially as no plausible explanation is provided for all the red tape. Again we find ourselves talking about New Jersey. Yesterday we posted an article …continue reading
Marijuana Becomes Most Popular “Drug” Used Around the World
With no proven physically addictive properties, marijuana seems no more a “drug” than other pain relievers, though it does offer psychedelic effects. However, many still classify marijuana as a drug even as alcohol escapes this dubious distinction. Alcohol can result in a physical addiction, which is why many face difficult times when trying to quit drinking. Whatever the case is, it is now generally accepted that marijuana is far less harmful than consuming alcohol and new reports show the entire world agrees.
Several days ago Time Magazine published an article online entitled “Marijuana Now the Most Popular Drug in the World”. The article cites a U.N. report that shows as many as 224 million adults worldwide smoke marijuana. These staggering numbers do not even include those under the age of 18 who use cannabis. We have learned lately that teen use in the United States is climbing and it would not be a stretch to assume this is the case worldwide. Including teens would drastically inflate the U.N. statistics. Though the numbers are not rising as much in the North America, marijuana use is climbing steadily in Africa and Asia.
As we have been reporting, the international movement for marijuana reform is outpacing the United States. In a recent article, we reported on Uruguay making a historic move to legalize marijuana and how Colombia decriminalized marijuana days later. The momentum around the world is clearly picking up as we now know from the U.N. data that the two largest continents are also seeing an increase in marijuana acceptance. Israel is several steps ahead of America in their medical marijuana industry and has recently developed strains that have high levels of CBD (one of the 50 plus cannabinoids in marijuana) as opposed to the psychoactive cannabinoid THC. These medically friendly strains will not produce the well known psychedelic “high” most commonly associated with marijuana use.
Though the Time article omits any mention of alcohol, it does not seem to include alcohol in the “drug” category. With growing social and medical acceptance marijuana may be able to shed the “drug” classification in years to come especially as it has demonstrated far less addictive qualities and does not induce vomiting. There may yet still be some setbacks for patients and marijuana advocates but the worldwide trend seems to indicate that marijuana is here to stay.
Got Hemp Milk?
Milk has enjoyed quite an important role in our modern American culture. Although rare today, many Americans have fond memories of their local milk man delivering fresh milk, the kind where the rich cream floats on top. Unfortunately we live in a world where support for local farmers has given way to mass produced homogenized and pasteurized milk.
Fortunately for those seeking something more natural, we have found a type of milk that truly can deliver the proper nutrition we so closely associate milk with. Hemp milk may raise a few eyebrows but health experts are impressed with what it has to offer. One popular company that produces Hemp Milk is “Living Harvest” and can easily be found on most major online retailers such as Amazon, Ebay, and Buy.com. Reviews online are positive and for those with dairy allergies or lactose concerns, hemp milk provides an alternative for those who do not like soy milk.
We already know of many ways in which the cannabis plant can improve our quality of life. Many patients can attest to this. Additionally we know that hemp has so many industrial uses but now we are fortunate enough to get nutrition from this wonderful plant. While most people are likely unaware of hemp milk, that could soon change. With it’s richness in Omega-3, Omega-6. magnesium, phytosterols, ascorbic acid, beta-carotene, calcium, fiber, iron, potassium, phosphorus, riboflavin, niacin and thiamin, the public may soon catch on to this new health choice. Vegetarians are also known to like hemp milk, as it can replace protein servings found in meat. Hemp seeds are not known to contain THC, making hemp milk accessible to everyone.
While we are amazed to keep finding new ways for the cannabis plant to improve our lives, perhaps we should not be. The discoveries keep pouring in, and speaking of pouring, we hope you enjoy a glass of hemp milk soon. You may just want to look out for that milk mustache!
Marijuana Prohibition Causing Zombie Apocalypse?
Zombies have a special place in our hearts, even as they are without that key blood pumping organ. George A. Romero took our fear of the undead to new heights in the 1968 classic “Night of the Living Dead”. Since then countless zombie movies and now video games have tried to quench our blood thirst. However, sci-fi fans and others who refuse to lay on a silver platter and become zombie lunch have prepped for the “Zombie Apocalypse”, a real life scenario where the strong survive and the weak are turned, dragging their bones around seeking flesh. In a world with a heightened fear of pollution, radiation, and chemistry sets gone wrong, it seems more and more people are fearing a world where our infrastructure breaks down, and we are left to our own will to survive.
Preppers for the Zombie Apocalypse may not seem so ridiculous all of a sudden. Cannibalism was all the rave this week, as a man in Florida attacked a homeless man by eating away at his face. When told by a policeman to stop, Rudy Eugene was unresponsive and reports say he only growled back at the officer. He continued to tear away at the man’s face and unfortunately was shot. The victim was 65-year-old Ronald Poppo, who remains hospitalized with most of his face torn away.
Many are reporting that Rudy Eugene had used “bath salts” that are actually geared at achieving an LSD like high. The problem highlights the constant struggle to regulate and eliminate the synthetic drug market. Products such as K2 and Spice, which mimic THC’s effects have been outlawed on both state and federal levels. However, scientists fear that the battle is a losing one because the makers of these products will always find a way to create slightly different chemical compounds that circumvent the law. Government officials will now likely have the new LSD synthetics on their radar, but ultimately it may prove to be too late. Synthetic marijuana products have been linked to strokes, seizures, and other health complications especially in teens. Our first high profile case of synthetic LSD may have ushered in the undead revolution.
Although the case is isolated so far, it sheds light on the larger and more frustrating picture. Regulation is needed and the black market for quasi legal drugs has clearly taken a huge step. It started with our country’s failure to regulate marijuana and the idea that synthetics without any safety information available could be created. Zombie movies and popular video games such as Resident Evil (also a movie series), Left For Dead, House of the Dead, Dead Rising, Call of Duty Black Ops/World at War, may captivate our imagination, but our heads is where this phenomenon should stay.
For the Female Patients out there
There are very few acronyms that effect our lives as much as the one that torments women monthly, PMS. Premenstrual Syndrome is something that will effect most women at some point throughout their lives. On a far lesser scale, men can also be impacted by PMS, especially if they are concerned with providing relief for their loved ones. So how is it that this syndrome which can cause such discomfort and pain to so many people is still left to pharmaceutical treatments with such mixed results that many women often don’t know where to turn? The problem is for over a century doctors have turned a blind eye to the herbal remedy which has helped so many women. For hundreds, if not thousands of years women have used the cannabis plant to help alleviate the symptoms of PMS. It varies in symptoms and intensity from patient to patient, but often includes headaches (even migraines), cramping, bloating, pelvic pain, breast pain, sleep difficulty, irritability, anxiety, depression, and inability to concentrate. Most men have difficulty understanding it, and just opt to keep their distance. Perhaps giving herbal-infused chocolates as a gift would be a more helpful approach.
As doctors’ understanding of the female biology has increased, they have prescribed numerous pills to help ease women’s suffering. For those who endure mood swings, irritability, depression or anxiety they have offered Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI) as antidepressants. These may include Celexa, Lexapro, Prozac, Paxil or many others. Unfortunately they do not always work and carry a long list of side effects that can be much worse than the PMS itself. Also, these drugs take time to come to full strength in the body, so they must be taken over periods of time. So, patients must take a potentially dangerous drug for long term, even though it is only to treat symptoms that effect them for just a few days per month. For pain relief, doctors offer Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) like Advil and Midol. These are better because women need only take them as symptoms occur. But these also have a potential to cause harm, from intestinal bleeding or renal damage. They may also interact with other drugs for other dangerous effects. For those with trouble sleeping, physicians recommend Ambien, but that leaves users very groggy, and has instigated many scary sleep-walking stories. Once again, modern science offers a glimmer of hope, but casts a long shadow uncertainty.
Luckily, for all the women there exists a natural-occurring remedy that can treat any or all of their symptoms with minimal side effects, none of which can be called dangerous. Before marijuana prohibition went into effect, cannabis was a standard item in doctor’s tool bags, and often prescribed to females. One doctor answered to the highest (pun not intended) woman in the world. In the 19th century Sir Russell Reynolds was the Royal Physician for Queen Victoria of England. As many women before her, she suffered from painful menstrual cramps. So he dug into his black bag and offered tincture of the Indian Hemp plant for her relief. He even included it in the first issue of The Lancet (a foremost medical journal) writing, “When pure and administered carefully, [cannabis] is one of the most valuable medicines we possess.” As many states have passed compassionate use laws, doctors are willing to again utilize this plant for treatment.
Dr. Breen, of Medical Cannabis of Southern California, sees many women everyday who come to him for help with their PMS suffering. Many have tried pharmaceuticals for years without satisfactory treatment. He prescribes cannabis because it is safe and effective. He counsels his patients that while it may not be the right fit for every woman, it is worth trying out. It can treat the headaches and pains, bloating and cramping. It helps mellow out those mood swings, and can assist with sleeplessness. It also can aid flagging libido (exactly opposite to the effects of SSRIs). And finally, it is safe and has short term effects. When it works for a patient, she can self-medicate as she sees fit. For those who do not receive any benefit from it, or if they don’t agree with the “high” feelings associated with smoking, they can discontinue its use without any fears.
So, for all the female patients out there who are dealing with such discomfort, there is something out there that can help with the pain. Next time you are sifting through ineffective pills at the pharmacy, remember the remedy that has been used for far longer and with greater success.
Marijuana and MS, a true story
This past week has been an exciting one for medical news on the marijuana front. The Canadian Medical Association Journal published the results of a small study on the effects of marijuana for people who suffer from Multiple Sclerosis. Overall, the study shows that there is some benefit for patients. However, there are several drawbacks to the study. Its small sample size, 30 patients, as well as the inability to fully “blind” the patients. A blind study relies on patients not knowing if they are getting actual treatment or a placebo. Because of the “high” gained from cannabis use, most patients correctly guessed when they were given the real thing. Drawbacks aside, this is a very important study because it moves forward the idea that cannabis has legitimate medical use. For the most part, evidence in favor of marijuana use has been strictly anecdotal. While those stories can help sway public opinion, it does little to change the minds of the medical and political community. They want incontrovertible evidence, methodically gathered and rigorously tested. This is understandable, but it does nobody any good when these studies have difficulty obtaining funding and patients because Federal laws prohibiting its (schedule 1 substances have no medical value, and that is cannabis’ official classification) use and study are hard to overcome. Despite this, the anecdotes abound, especially in our networked era. As the stories spread, people who suffer will hear them and try marijuana for themselves. Hopefully it helps them and then they become one more reason to change a law and undertake another study.
Claire Hodges is one patient who has MS and opted to try marijuana, despite the legal and medical uncertainties. Claire had no symptoms until her late 20’s. At this point, stress from her job mounted and her symptoms started to manifest slowly and steadily. This was in the early 1980’s and detection techniques were not as advanced as they are now. So, Claire was unaware of her disease because of several misdiagnoses. Having traveled through Bangladesh, doctors initially thought she suffered from a rare form of malaria. But it took them over another year to isolate the disease. It was not until after she started showing classic brain tumor symptoms (and had a brain scan) that neurologists were able to diagnose her with Multiple Sclerosis.
There is no cure for MS, only treatments. Some of those are more effective than others, all with varying side effects. Claire’s doctors first steered her to steroid therapy ACTH, Acthar (Adrenocorticotropic Hormone) which stimulates the adrenal cortex gland to secrete cortisol, corticosterone and aldosterone. She was suffering heavily at this point, unable to walk, and still believes that the effects of ACTH were far worse than the disease. It caused acute acne breakouts, weight gain, and irrationality and paranoia (steroid psychosis). She discontinued the ACTH regimen, and after having two children the disease progressed and her symptoms continued to grow worse. As the disease effected her more heavily she began suffering even more. She experienced muscle spasticity and pain, incontinence and other bladder issues followed, as well as vision degradation, poor balance, fatigue and more. As she succumbed to more troubles, doctors could only treat the symptoms by offering more prescriptions. She tried Valium and Temazepam for sleeping and muscle pains. Also, as her body became susceptible to infection she was on numerous courses of antibiotics treatment. She found the narcotics to be less than effective and their side effects only served to increase her gloom and depression.
Finally, after exhausting orthodox treatments, Claire looked in to other ways of medicating. Other friends with MS recommended she try cannabis to help with her discomfort. Initially she was uncomfortable with trying it out, so she asked her doctors. None of them were able to give her any promises to its effectiveness, but did calm her fears and said moderate use would most likely not be dangerous. That had to be better than all the dangerous pharmaceuticals she had tried before. Using her network of friends, Claire was forced to illegally obtain marijuana and tried it out. “The physical effects were almost immediate and extremely liberating. I felt as though a heavy weight had been lifted from me. The tension and discomfort in my spine and bladder melted away. I was comfortable with my body for the first time in years, and I slept soundly that night. The next day I was happy, knowing that there was something that would help me with my MS.” Since then, Claire has been medicating with cannabis regularly, and has been able to rely much less on pharmaceuticals. She grew her own medicine for some time, but stopped because of the fear of being caught with it. So she must continue to purchase her medication illegally unless she moves to a state with a compassionate use laws and proper dispensary system.
Claire’s testimony, and others like her, help to open the minds of otherwise skeptical people. If it can help her, than it can help other people. These stories are what we need to change the minds of politicians. They need to be convinced that there is strength in compassion, not found in zero tolerance laws. Claire is a strong human being. In spite of her affliction, she has not given up on life; she fights to stay active and productive for herself and her family. Her cause is the cause against superstition and old prejudices, the cause for progress.
Marijuana and Sports News
Sports are looking up.
In the past month the marijuana community has heard some great news from the world of sports. And this news comes from around the world. The National Basketball Association (USA) has decided to soften its approach to marijuana testing. The Australian Coalition of Major Professional and Participation Sports (COMPPS) has also decided to take a new look at what constitutes “performance enhancing drugs” as opposed to simply “banned substances” and all of this is causing the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to also review its rules. Furthermore, UFC fighter Nick Diaz’s recent drug suspension and legal rebuttals are forcing the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) and the UFC to also address their stance on marijuana. Also, Martin Mayhew, GM of the Detroit Lions, has also spoken of his views on marijuana usage by NFL players and draftees. As these incidents move forward, the sports world is poised to make decisions that can and will have ripple effects outside of sports into the social and political fabric of the world. Although nothing has been set in stone yet, the best part is that all these associations are taking the time to look at marijuana in a methodical and scientifically informed manner to reach a proper decision. It appears that old prejudices and scare stories may be set aside with old arbitrary rulings.
The latest thunder from down under comes with quite a bang as the COMPPS has said that it believes marijuana should not be grouped with performance enhancers such as Human Growth Hormone and Anabolic steroids. Under current WADA rules a substance is placed on the banned list if it meets the following criteria: “It’s proven to be performance enhancing, it goes against the spirit of the sport, or it’s dangerous to the health of athletes.” Under those rules, anyone who tests positive for marijuana faces a two-year ban. With COMPPS’ declaration it seems that things are going to relax a bit for Australian athletes. Although, if any compete on an international level they are still subject to WADA rules. However, WADA President John Fahey had this to say, “There are those who believe our current criteria needs to be amended and that will be given appropriate consideration through this review process…Specifically to cannabis, I can only say to those, particularly in the football codes who have expressed concern that we’re focusing on an area that really isn’t about cheating in sport, I urge them to put a request up to WADA, which will be given to our list committee, who will examine it…I won’t express a view I’ll simply say it will be thoroughly examined. There are some substances today that are banned in some sports, but not in others. That may well be an option they [the WADA banned-list committee] may wish to come to the board with in due course. But I won’t pre-empt that, I’ll let them decide without any influence from me.” The sports world will have to wait a while for any final determination, as WADA’s new drug codes will not be released until November 2013.
American sports commissions are also moving in a positive direction. When the NBA restructured its labor agreement they altered their drug testing policy. As it now stands, players will only be tested for performance-enhancing drugs during the off-season. Marijuana is no longer on that list. Although illegal during the season, it means that players who use marijuana for pain or anxiety will get to medicate without fear of suspensions once that final buzzer has sounded. Inside the NFL it seems that cannabis is causing quite a stir. The Detroit Lions have made headlines as several of this year’s draft picks have been arrested for marijuana-related charges. The Lions are not the only team whose players have had troubles in the recent past (The New England Patriots and Cincinnati Bengals also made the news for their players). But it seems that the league is thinking less of this controversy as its toxicity has waned to the public eye. The Lions’ GM Martin Mayhew recently spoke out about players’ off-field actions and concerns. Although contracts will still have morality clauses, and players should think before breaking the law, it appears that league penalties may reduce in severity and clubs will have more flexibility in handling these affairs.
From the Ultimate Fighting Championship comes news concerning contender Nick Diaz. After fighting at UFC 143 in February he tested positive for marijuana metabolites, the residual compounds indicative of marijuana use. Nick has tested positive once before and this may lead to sterner reprimands for the second charge. Nick is a California native and holds a medical marijuana card from the state. However, the fight and test were conducted in Nevada, and under NSAC rules he is immediately suspended for 45 days pending a hearing. At this time, the 45 day limit has expired and Nick is suing for violation of his due process rights, concerning his rights to make a living. NSAC executive director Keith Kizer spoke about the suspension and an in-court statement that failing his drug test posed a “threat to public safety.” Kizer took the stance that marijuana is not on the NSAC approved substance list and therefore Nick is in violation. His statement did seem to leave an opening for a debate on whether or not marijuana should continue to be on the banned substance list. Diaz has stated that he medicates in order to control his ADHD which would impair his ability to focus on training, as well as for pain management. And furthermore, he does not medicate in the week prior to his fights to keep his head clear and reflexes sharp. This certainly seems unjust considering that professional ballplayers can get a shot of cortisone and take a few pain killers so they can pitch in an ALCS game, and not to be able to recall the game later.
The case for marijuana has never been stronger. It’s presence abounds in state’s politics, as it jockeys for position in the national spotlight. The horrors of the failed Drug War in Mexico make headlines every week. And now it is taking over the spotlight in global sports. Many have called for national talks concerning its legality. But Marijuana.net believes now is the right time for a worldwide reckoning concerning the future of humanity and the cannabis plant. It offers so much to help mankind, and asks for so little in return; it only needs a plot of land, steady sunshine, and some water. Hey ref, put down the red card.