Articles

07/26/2015

Over the next few hours, the man showed erratic speech and hostile behaviors, the report said. About 2.5 hours after he ate the whole cookie, he jumped off a balcony on the fourth floor of his building, and died from trauma from the fall, the report said.

07/24/2015

"She said she didn't know where her son was, and then saw him standing in the living room and made the decision to walk to the manager's office for help instead of going in and getting him out," Nelson said.  By the time she returned, Sosa-Martinez could see her son through the flames, it wasn't too late.

07/17/2015

07/16/2015

Safety concerns coupled with a lack of evidence of efficacy in controlled studies result in a risk/benefit ratio that does not support use of marijuana for treatment of seizures at this time. Healthcare professionals, patients, and caregivers are reminded that use of marijuana for epilepsy may not be advisable due to this lack of information on safety and efficacy. 

07/15/2015

And just who is Obama releasing?  Not “low-level, drug-possession offenders” or marijuana users. No, he is releasing crack dealers, cocaine dealers, and methamphetamine dealers. Most of the 46 were crack cocaine distributors, some convicted of dealing more than 10 pounds of crack.

07/14/2015

07/13/2015

American Epilepsy Society- Letter to Gov. Otter, Idaho

07/13/2015

Typical "medical" pot user and drug dealer.

07/11/2015

Heroin use is part of a larger substance abuse problem.

Nearly all people who used heroin also used at least 1 other drug. Most used at least 3 other drugs.
Heroin is a highly addictive opioid drug with a high risk of overdose and death for users.
People who are addicted to…

Alcohol are 2 times more likely to become addicted to heroin.
Marijuana are 3 times more likely to become addicted to heroin.
Cocaine are 15 times more likely to become addicted to heroin..
Prescription opioid painkillers are 40 times more likely to become addicted to heroin.
SOURCE: National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 2011-2013.

07/11/2015

PLEASE note:  23 states in the US have legalized marijuana- using the entire plant as medicine not isolating specific cannabinoids as done in research labs.
However, Dr. McCormick was quick to warn of the dangers of individuals self-medicating, but stated he hopes the research would lead to a "safe synthetic equivalent being available in the future."

07/11/2015

“Our courts and prisons are actually filled with people who committed serious crimes while under a drug’s influence or while they were in possession of very large amounts of a drug with the intent to sell it in circumstances associated with violence and/or firearms,” he said. “If anything, we need to conduct more research on how marijuana use contributes to criminal behavior.”

07/10/2015

The principal psychoactive constituent of cannabis is Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). THC administered intravenously is characterized by the appearance of psychopharmocological effects within 5 minutes, which continue for at least 90 minutes, providing an excellent experimental window.[12] In within-subjects tests with nonclinical volunteers, D'Souza, in particular, has shown that intravenous administration of THC causes schizophrenia-like symptoms, perceptual disturbances, anxiety, and impaired working memory (eg, Morrison et al[13] and D'Souza et al[14,15]). Similar but more pronounced results were found in patients with schizophrenia.[15]

07/08/2015

In response to inaccurate statistics from pro-marijuana groups and proposed legislation in South Carolina; the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) conducted the following research:
On April 16, 2015, the South Carolina Department of Corrections reported that of the more than 23,000 inmates presently incarcerated, only ten (10) of those inmates had been convicted of possession of marijuana.  All ten (10) inmates were incarcerated for multiple violent offenses, traffic violations, probation violations or negotiated plea bargains.  None of the ten (10) would have been incarcerated at the South Carolina Department of Corrections without other more serious violations accompanying the possession of marijuana offenses.  
     Between April 16, 2015 and July 6, 2015, SLED made random inquiries of seven county detention centers throughout the four regions of the state.  The total inmate population for the seven detention centers was 3,017.  Of those 3,017 inmates, only six (6) (.001%) were incarcerated for possession of marijuana. 

07/07/2015

These findings have profound implications for crafting policy to avert future tragedies. In the wake of mass shootings, politicians from both sides of the aisle often call for including better mental health records in background checks. Though a worthwhile sentiment, the evidence suggests that these efforts would be better spent focusing on alcohol abuse instead.

07/06/2015

Seeing advertisements for medical marijuana was related to middle school adolescents' intentions to use marijuana and their actual marijuana use one year later. Researchers say this is particularly important given that the mean age of adolescents surveyed was 13 and initiation of marijuana use during early adolescence is associated with poor school performance, neuropsychological performance deficits and further use of other illicit drugs, such as heroin and cocaine.

07/02/2015

Currently, there are several factors hindering adoption:
1.    Illegal at federal level. 
2.    No FDA approval. Medical marijuana is not viewed as safe or effective by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA).
3.    Lack of proof of efficacy. 
4.    Evidence-based guidelines.
5. Effect on work performance. 
6. Drug-free workplace programs. 

06/30/2015

The study found that 10th and 12thgrade use in Colorado increased significantly after medical marijuana. 
The study did not look at recreational marijuana
The study did not look at marijuana use over an extended period of time....read more on link

06/29/2015

Trespass grows are large-scale operations, with plant counts numbering anywhere from 1,000-80,000, and they are largely funded and operated by drug trafficking organizations. They are uniformly conducted with flagrant disregard for environmental and social well-being.
The use of these chemicals causes toxic contamination in all aspects of the ecosystem. After these chemicals are dispersed from grow sites and leeched into the soil and water supply, they slowly make their way through the entire food chain. From insects to scavengers to birds, smaller animals to bigger ones, evidence of chemical contaminants from trespass grows is being discovered.

06/25/2015

Studies show that children exposed to marijuana in utero have lower scores on tests of visual problem-solving, visual and motor coordination, and visual analysis, compared with children not exposed to the drug, the report states. Prenatal marijuana exposure also has been associated with decreased attention span and behavioral problems. The nervous system of a human fetus can respond to the chemicals in marijuana within 14 weeks of gestation, and studies have shown that 14-year-olds are more likely to be marijuana users if their mothers used the drug during pregnancy.

06/24/2015

79 different studies: they found only moderate evidence indicating that marijuana reduced nerve pain and pain from cancer. 
If a pharmaceutical company, for example, wanted to get a drug approved for a medical condition and they only submitted anecdotal data, there's absolutely no chance that that drug would be approved.

06/24/2015

Peer-reviewed journal Clinical Pediatrics, found that between 2006 and 2013, the marijuana exposure rate rose 147.5 percent among children age 5 and under. In that same period, the rate rose nearly 610 percent in states that sanctioned medical marijuana before 2000, the year Colorado followed suit.

Employers, law enforcement officials, educators and addiction treatment providers say Colorado has cooked up a poorly regulated THC-food fiasco that crisscrosses the country with the ease of exporting gummy bears in glove compartments, pockets and handbags. For taxpayers, the growing edibles market means an array of social costs — including hospitalizations, traffic accidents, school dropouts and lost work productivity — that state and federal officials haven’t fully investigated, estimated and made public.

06/23/2015

The researchers pooled results from studies that tested marijuana against placebos, usual care or no treatment. That's the most rigorous kind of research but many studies found no conclusive evidence of any benefit. Side effects were common and included dizziness, dry mouth and sleepiness. A less extensive research review in the journal found similar results.

06/23/2015

"We've seen children that have had rather severe reactions while on medical marijuana products," said Amy Brooks-Kayal, M.D., a Colorado pediatrician who is president of the American Epilepsy Society. "We don't know if that's from the medical marijuana product or something else, because it wasn't done in a controlled setting."
Dr. Brooks-Kayal supports the clinical trials underway now across the country, and advises parents not to treat their sick children with cannabis oil until clinicial trials are complete.
"Just because a single child or person or even a few may respond well to a treatment, that doesn't mean that the majority of them will," she said.

06/20/2015

A systematic review of the benefits and adverse events (AEs)
 
A total of 79 trials (6462 participants) were included; 4 were judged at low risk of bias. Most trials showed improvement in symptoms associated with cannabinoids but these associations did not reach statistical significance in all trials. Data about AEs were reported in 62 studies (127 reports).
 
There was an increased risk of short-term AEs with cannabinoids, including serious AEs. Common AEs included dizziness, dry mouth, nausea, fatigue, somnolence, euphoria, vomiting, disorientation, drowsiness, confusion, loss of balance, and hallucination.
 
Four (5%) trials were judged at low risk of bias, 55 (70%) were judged at high risk of bias, and 20 (25%) at unclear risk of bias (eAppendix 13 in Supplement 2) The major potential source of bias in the trials was incomplete outcome data. More than 50% of trials reported substantial withdrawals and did not adequately account for this in the analysis.
 
Common AEs included asthenia, balance problems, confusion, dizziness, disorientation, diarrhea, euphoria, drowsiness, dry mouth, fatigue, hallucination, nausea, somnolence, and vomiting.
 
There was no clear evidence for a difference in association (either beneficial or harmful) based on type of cannabinoids or mode of administration. Only 2 studies evaluated cannabis.  There was no evidence that the effects of cannabis differed from other cannabinoids.
 
An additional limitation of many included studies was their very small sample sizes.
 
Future studies should assess patient-relevant outcomes (including disease-specific end points, quality of life, and AEs) using standardized outcome measures at similar time points to ensure inclusion in future meta-analyses.
 
Future trials should adhere to the CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) reporting standards197 and ensure that appropriate methods are used for randomization, allocation concealment, patient and outcome assessor blinding, handling of withdrawals, and avoiding selective outcome reporting.

06/19/2015

06/15/2015

Finally, from a public health standpoint, it is crucial that we begin to address regulatory standards for this industry given that it is in the early stages; we have a unique opportunity to shape the industry practices as legislation continues to evolve. This could help decrease potentially numerous problems similar to those that have occurred with both alcohol and tobacco advertising.

06/10/2015

06/09/2015

He said users' attitudes conflicted with established scientific evidence, showing cannabis increased the risk of motor vehicle crashes by up to 300 per cent.

06/05/2015

Nothing has changed in over 5 years except pot has become more potent, more used, more harmful, more accepted AND still not medically approved. 

06/05/2015

06/05/2015

Marijuana use for medical conditions is an issue of growing concern. Some Veterans use marijuana to relieve symptoms of PTSD and several states specifically approve the use of medical marijuana for PTSD. However, controlled studies have not been conducted to evaluate the safety or effectiveness of medical marijuana for PTSD. Thus, there is no evidence at this time that marijuana is an effective treatment for PTSD. In fact, research suggests that marijuana can be harmful to individuals with PTSD.

06/05/2015

Marijuana has a complex composition, containing 60 known cannabinoid compounds. Study of these compounds is ongoing, and it may well be that one or more of these compounds will become a valuable method of glaucoma treatment. At the present, however, despite public fascination with the concept, smoking marijuana as a way to treat glaucoma is not practical, useful and may be a dangerous option.

06/03/2015

In Chapel Hill this week, four students were taken to the hospital after apparently overdosing.

One of the teens told ABC11 they thought they were using liquid marijuana but instead drank liquid ecstasy.

"You go to the drug store and buy Sudafed, you know exactly what's in it. When they get ecstasy or liquid marijuana, they don't know how much THC is really in that particular item. They don't know if it's mixed with something else," said Rebecca Wheeler, who is a substance abuse prevention health educator with the Poe Center for Health Education.

Liquid marijuana, or the chemical THC, can be bought in cartridges or extracted from marijuana plants.

It is often used in a vaporizer and can appear odorless and colorless making it easy for teens to conceal.

05/26/2015

Nationally, the average price of an ounce of weed is $324. But in four states that have legalized or decriminalized pot – Washington, Oregon, Colorado and Alaska -- the price of an ounce of weed has fallen below $300. Oregon is the cheapest, where an ounce of high-quality marijuana goes for only $204, almost half the cost in North Dakota, the most expensive state.  

05/25/2015

The drug Tian manufactured is a synthetic substance significantly stronger than marijuana that is applied to a smokable plant material.
The drug is transported from China in powdered form, in packages labeled fertilizer or industrial solvents.

05/20/2015

Another death in Colorado has been listed as having “marijuana intoxication” as a factor, according to a CBS4 investigation, and several other families are now saying they believed the deaths of their loved ones can be traced to recreational marijuana use.

05/18/2015

There are a lot of greedy selfish people who are willing to do and say anything to get money. What good is it if your pain is gone and so is your ability to think straight? We exist as humans because we think, not we exist because we don’t have pain.

05/17/2015

Five legal standards are:

1. Does marijuana have a known and reproducible drug chemistry?
2. Does marijuana have adequate safety studies?
3. Are there adequate and controlled studies showing marijuana’s efficacy?
4. Are marijuana’s therapeutic benefits accepted by qualified experts?
5. Are scientific data available for scrutiny?

To sustain the view that marijuana should remain in Schedule I, the prosecution team also had to show that marijuana has:

1. A high potential for abuse,
2. No currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, and
3. Unacceptable safety standards for its use under medical supervision.

05/13/2015

The study involved 50 participants diagnosed with dementia and behavioral symptoms. They were divided into two groups: one was given 1.5 milligrams of medical marijuana pills, while the other received placebo. They took the pills three times a day for three weeks. The researchers also assessed their behavioral symptoms by giving them a dementia questionnaire called Neuropsychiatric Inventory prior to the study and after the three-week study period for comparison.
The test scores showed no significant difference between those who took the medical marijuana pills and the placebo group. However, the study confirmed that the pills are safe to take with minor side effects.

05/12/2015

Pedro Moreno, 25, is charged with reckless homicide and aggravated driving under the influence in the crash about 5:35 a.m. Wednesday at the Loomis ramp on northbound Interstate 55. Killed was his brother, Enrique Moreno, 28, who lived with Pedro Moreno

05/09/2015

Pot advocates have long claimed that legalization would reduce crime by suppressing illicit trade and increase government revenue all in one fell swoop.
Neither claim has proven true. Revenues from marijuana taxes in Colorado from the first full fiscal year since legalization are projected to be only 58 percent of what was expected. And there has not been a drop off in violent crime either; the state's homicide rate rose 21 percent the year after voters agreed to legalize pot, and in Denver, gang-related murders are up this year, too. 

• Do you think increased marijuana use among teenagers and adults is good for the future of our country?
• Would you want your son or daughter to become involved in using marijuana?
• Do you want more impaired drivers on our interstates and roadways?
• If you were an employer, would you want to hire an employee who uses marijuana? As an employee, do you want to work with drug users who put you at risk and run up healthcare costs?
• Do you think this higher intoxicant level in marijuana is a positive factor for the health and safety of Americans?

05/08/2015

 Russell admitted he had smoked marijuana at lunch and again as he drove to pick up his children in Brodhead, the criminal complaint indicates.“All I did was smoke a bowl of marijuana. It's not like I am high,” Russell is quoted as saying in the criminal complaint.“The defendant did not seem to understand that smoking marijuana and driving were illegal,” the complaint states

05/05/2015

05/03/2015

.03%  or  93,200 children in the U.S. have severe forms of epilepsy and do not respond to current treatments of the population 320,000,000.  
 
Charlotte's Web results....Dr. Chapman and colleagues at Colorado Children’s Hospital and the University of Colorado reviewed cases of 58 children with severe epilepsy who came into their care while using artisanal CBD. Parents reported seizure reduction of 50% or more in only one-third of patients, but except for two children there was no improvement in their EEGs. Adverse effects occurred in 47% of patients: 21% experienced increased or new seizures; 10% suffered developmental regression with one patient needing intubation; one patient died.  

05/03/2015

Marijuana contains more than 400 chemicals. The primary psychoactive chemical is delta-9- tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and is the component of marijuana principally responsible for the “high” experienced by pot smokers. Along with the high, users exhibit slower reflexes and decreased coordination. Marijuana also impairs judgment. Slower reaction times, impaired judgment, and problems responding to signals and sounds equal dangerous drivers. No wonder those who drive within three hours of smoking marijuana are twice as likely to be involved in a major car crash.

04/30/2015

04/29/2015

04/24/2015

04/22/2015