Articles

05/07/2017

The number of teenagers sent to emergency rooms more than quadrupled after marijuana was legalized in Colorado — mostly for mental health symptoms, researchers reported Thursday.
They found 639 teenagers who went to one hospital system in Colorado in 2015 had either cannabis in their urine or told a doctor they'd been using cannabis. That's up from 146 in 2005, before the use of marijuana was legalized in Colorado.

05/07/2017

The driver, 18-year-old Darion Wheeler died from head and chest trauma. Coroner Stratmoen released toxicology results and determined Wheeler had “Cannabis by-product levels that were higher than 10 times the limit that is considered impaired driving by studies from the National institutes of Health and the Highway Traffic Safety Administration.”

05/03/2017

My property value will decrease if a pot dispensary locates next door or in close proximately.  I already have camera and locked gate on my commercial property but believe I will need at least two full-time security guards.  This product is cash only sales.  I am concerned about the new cliental wandering through our neighborhoods.  As a small business owner, the increase security and insurance costs are going to greatly impact our profit and discourage us from expanding.  

04/26/2017

Cannabis use appears to increase rather than decrease the risk of developing nonmedical prescription opioid use and opioid use disorder.

04/20/2017

Similarly, it can be anticipated that if introduced, the indications for the  use of medical cannabinoids would expand well outside of the initial indications. Hence, the medical profession cannot justify the use of medical cannabinoids that would be associated with an iatrogenic risk of serious adverse psychological events.  The use of medical cannabinoids for any purpose, including research under closely observed conditions, is incompatible with mental health promotion.

04/14/2017

Ask any Florida legislator if their phone has been ringing off the hook from constituents who can't get enough vodka or rum, and they would have to say "no." Then why are they pushing hard liquor into our grocery stores without public input or backing?
 
It appears the driving force behind this change are corporate executives at big box stores who will profit greatly. They don't care about Florida families and are too cheap to spend money building a separate entrance. The current separate entrance policy allows for ID verification at the door along with cameras monitoring every corner, provides an avenue to prevent underage drinking, and protects our friends in recovery from making an impulse purchase. Does anyone want our children growing up with liquor as part of the food shopping experience?
 
Binge drinking or excessive alcohol use is responsible for 88,000 deaths in our nation, and Florida is ranked third in the nation for fatal DUI crashes. Only 16 other states allow this type of distribution. Thirty-four states do not allow hard liquor to be mixed with grocery items.
 
Other than creating a one-stop shopping experience that includes alcohol, I can't think of any reason for passing this bill. Our state doesn't need it and the public, the few who are aware of this proposed change, don't want it.
 
Teresa Miller, Tampa

04/02/2017

Medical Marijuana is a very political, emotional and complex topic.  Now that amendment 2 has passed implementing it as a medication seems to be even more contentious.  I am sure we can all agree the goal, as with any medication, is to provide guidelines to make it as safe and beneficial as possible while at the same time preventing abuse or misuse.  Attempting to regulate prescription medications has proven to be very difficult and the lack of strict guidelines led to over prescribing, wide-spread misuse, addiction and overdose problems that devastated families and communities throughout our nation. 

03/27/2017

03/18/2017

Findings suggest that marijuana use is associated with a 54% increase in the odds PDV (physical dating violence) victimization, and a 45% increase in the odds of perpetration. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that dating violence is a correlate of marijuana use, and that association is strongest among adolescents (vs. emerging adults) and girls (vs. boys).

03/16/2017

"I think it's really important to remember that marijuana of any kind is illegal under federal law," Board Chairwoman Dianne Jacob said. "There have been comments made by the new administration in Washington that signs may point to action being taken in the near future to support federal law."

03/12/2017

Adolescent marijuana use has significantly increased in our state post-legalization, as has been documented in numerous studies. Ask any teenager and they will tell you that marijuana use is rampant in our local high schools, which is obviously not surprising given its widespread availability and the perception of its safety. While we can debate the effects on adults, marijuana use clearly has a detrimental impact on a teenager.

Read more here: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article13776...

03/05/2017

Everyone should be concerned:  Voters, not medical practitioners or scientists, have been able to determine medical practice.
Beneath it all, however, we must pause to seriously consider the known, detrimental effects of repeated marijuana use on the developing adolescent brain.  We must act accordingly and responsibly in ways that promote the public health and safety, help delay initiation of use, and reduce, not increase, the accessibility of marijuana to this particularly vulnerable population.

03/03/2017

The Washington Poison Center (WAPC) saw a slight increase in calls regarding opioid exposures in 2016 (n=1,696) compared to 2015 (n=1,672). Of the calls received, over 70% (n=1,199) of the exposures occurred in individuals 20 years of age or older.

03/02/2017

But the complex details on how to get that done is now being hashed out in Tallahassee and as we uncovered, some key lawmakers in Florida's weed wars are already seeing the green from it.

03/01/2017

This study of 3,233 veterans in a cross-sectional, multi-site study by the VA found that cannabis use disorder (CUD) was significantly associated with both current suicidal ideation and lifetime suicide attempts compared to veterans with no lifetime history of CUD.

02/19/2017

"THC is an addictive drug," said Sen. William Ligon (R-Brunswick) during floor debate.  Its detractors in the Senate say it’s also a danger – not only to its users but also to the state of Georgia.
Ligon warned that higher THC levels in cannabis oil could lead "toward the liberalization of marijuana laws and making it available for recreational use."

02/14/2017

02/13/2017

Widely viewed as one of the most restrictive medical marijuana laws in the country, New York’s Compassionate Care Act’s list of qualifying conditions is relatively short, no flower or edibles are permitted, and only five registered organizations (ROs) are licensed to manufacture and sell products.
Governor Andrew Cuomo’s administration had initially projected $4 million in medical cannabis tax revenues in 2016. Instead, the state will see about $1 million.

02/12/2017

Since medical marijuana as legalized by popular vote and/or legislation is not a prescription drug as many people seem to believe it cannot be sold in drug stores.  This is not an evidence-based medicine and should not be referred to as a medicine. It is not supported by any medical association to include the organizations that proponents claim marijuana cures or helps.
 
Since only 5% of people in other states that have legalized marijuana for medical purposes actually use it as a medicine, I assume many of the same clientele that embraced the accessibly of pills will be in pursuit of marijuana.  I am concerned about the safety of my neighborhood or any neighborhood in the vicinity of a dispensary pot shop.
 
With all the recent medical breakthroughs does anyone really believe there isn’t a safer and evidenced based alternative that we should be offering our loved ones? They deserve better.  

02/08/2017

Researchers at UC Davis are warning some medical marijuana users after identifying potentially lethal bacteria and mold on cannabis samples from 20 Northern California dispensaries.

02/02/2017

Cannabis potency has risen significantly over the past several decades, with available evidence pointing to an increased risk of Cannabis use disorder, psychosis, acute cognitive impairment, and structural brain changes with use of high-potency Cannabis. Clinicians should consider asking patients who use marijuana about potency to better assess risk of psychiatric adverse effects.

02/01/2017

01/29/2017

Here are just a few of the health effects you may want to know:

• Marijuana use directly affects the brain—specifically the parts of the brain responsible for memory, learning, and attention.
• The compounds in marijuana can affect the circulatory system and may increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
• Smoking marijuana can lead to a greater risk of bronchitis, cough, and phlegm production.
• Marijuana users are significantly more likely than nonusers to develop chronic mental disorders, including schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a type of mental illness where people might see or hear things that aren't really there (hallucinations).
• Eating foods or drinking beverages that contain marijuana have some different risks than smoking marijuana, including a greater risk of poisoning.
• About 1 in 10 marijuana users will become addicted. For people who begin using before the age of 18, that number rises to 1 in 6.
• Some research shows that using marijuana while you are pregnant[288 KB] can cause health problems in newborns—including low birth weight and developmental problems.
• Marijuana use can slow your reaction time and ability to make decisions when driving[271 KB].

01/20/2017

The evidence reviewed by the committee suggests that cannabis use is likely to increase the risk of developing schizophrenia, other psychoses, and social anxiety disorders, and to a lesser extent depression.   Heavy cannabis users are more likely to report thoughts of suicide than non-users, and in individuals with bipolar disorder, near-daily cannabis users show increased symptoms of the disorder than non-users.

01/15/2017

01/15/2017

http://www.cqstatetrack.com/texis/redir?id=586a677b847&rtype=text&origin...
HB 158 - AS INTRODUCED    2017 SESSION   17-0115   01/09     HOUSE BILL 158
 AN ACT adding opioid addiction to qualifying medical conditions under therapeutic use of cannabis.
 SPONSORS: Rep. Schleien, Hills. 37; Rep. E. Edwards, Hills. 11; Rep. Fisher, Belk. 9; Rep. Zaricki, Hills. 6; Rep. Josephson, Graf. 11
 COMMITTEE: Health, Human Services and Elderly Affairs
ANALYSIS
 This bill adds opioid addiction to the qualifying medical conditions under therapeutic use of cannabis.
 Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
17-0115  01/09   STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE  
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Seventeen   AN ACT adding opioid addiction to qualifying medical conditions under therapeutic use of cannabis.   Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
 1  Use of Cannabis for Therapeutic Purposes; Definitions.  Amend RSA 126-X:1, IX(a)(1) to read as follows:
(1)  Cancer, glaucoma, positive status for human immunodeficiency virus, acquired immune deficiency syndrome, hepatitis C currently receiving antiviral treatment, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, Crohn's disease, multiple sclerosis, chronic pancreatitis, spinal cord injury or disease, traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, lupus, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, ulcerative colitis, opioid addiction, or one or more injuries that significantly interferes with daily activities as documented by the patient's provider; an
2  Effective Date.  This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

01/06/2017

Detailed Information
. Patients freely share their “medicine” with family and friends, and parents are self-diagnosing, and subsequently dosing their children with high-concentration marijuana products for conditions that may simply not exist (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, anxiety, etc.); or allow their medical cards to expire and continue to grow their own.
The use of marijuana for medical conditions, including pain, needs robust studies, and subsequent products need more regulation and consistency for public consumption. Colorado is an example of the societal effect across a wide spectrum of arenas that comes with rampant cannabis use, particularly in youth use and impaired driving fatalities. The problems Colorado is seeing completely transcend “responsible use” or “marijuana as medicine.” 

01/05/2017

Ref: Rules on pot remain hazy
If doctors, dispensaries and patients are confused now just wait until a patient begins to ask their doctor typical questions about ‘medical’ marijuana. Such as:  How often should I take it, for how long, what strength, interactions with other drugs, expected side-effects, driving under the influence, research and validation that it will help specific symptoms, follow-up appointment … and the list goes on.  Most if not all these questions will be impossible to answer from a medical perspective.  Amendment 2 circumvented the science and medical fields.  Many voters seemed to be confused and misled - This was not legalizing a prescription drug but allowing Big Marijuana into our state.  Sounds more like “Pot Luck” than a medication.
In essence, Florida has legalized drug dealers and addicts to recommend marijuana to the 20 million patients who apparently are in dire need of it.  With all the medical breakthroughs does anyone really believe there isn’t something better we could give our loved ones?  That would be the first question I would ask before considering ‘medical’ marijuana.  
As for Monica Russell of Surterra who is “anxiously awaiting” for the implementation of Amendment 2, maybe she needs to take her “own medicine” as I hear it helps with anxiety.
 
Teresa Miller
Community Substance Abuse Volunteer
StopRxDrugAbuse & No2Pot Founder
#ProtectOurFamilies

01/01/2017

12/31/2016

Excessive alcohol use accounts for 1 of 10 deaths among working-age adults in the United States.

12/29/2016

The answer was cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, or CHS. It’s caused by heavy, long-term use of various forms of marijuana. For unclear reasons, the nausea and vomiting are relieved by hot showers or baths.
“They’ll often present to the emergency department three, four, five different times before we can sort this out,” said Dr. Kennon Heard, an emergency room physician in Aurora, Colorado.

12/26/2016

CHS has only been recognized for about the past decade, and nobody knows exactly how many people suffer from it. But as more states move towards the legalization of marijuana, emergency room physicians like Dr. Heard are eager to make sure both doctors and patients have CHS on their radar.

12/26/2016

12/22/2016

The Medical Examiner’s toxicology report stated that both Lavin and Higgins had THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, in their system. THC is the chemical compound found in marijuana.    

12/21/2016

12/20/2016

Past-Month Marijuana Use Mostly Steady 
From 1996 to 2016, past-month marijuana use was mostly steady among 8th, 10th, and 12th graders.

In 2016, past-month use for each grade was:

12th grade: 22.5%
10th grade: 14.0%
8th grade: 5.4%

68.9 percent of high school seniors do not view regular marijuana smoking as harmful, but 68.5 percent say they disapprove of regular marijuana smoking.

12/18/2016

12/14/2016

After careful consideration of all comments, the DEA is hereby amending 21 CFR 1308.11(d) to include a new subparagraph (58) which creates a new code number in Schedule I as follows:
“(58) Marihuana Extract—7350
“Meaning an extract containing one or more cannabinoids that has been derived from any plant of the genus Cannabis, other than the separated resin (whether crude or purified) obtained from the plant.”
The creation of this new drug code in the DEA regulations for marihuana extracts allows for more appropriate accounting of such materials consistent with treaty provisions. Such marihuana Start Printed Page 90196extracts remain in Schedule I. Entities registered to handle marihuana (under drug code 7360) that also handle marihuana extracts, will need to apply to modify their registrations to add the new drug code 7350 to their existing DEA registrations and procure quotas specifically for drug code 7350 each year.

12/13/2016

Ellen Snelling, chairwoman of the Tampa Alcohol Coalition and member of the Hillsborough County Anti-Drug Alliance, added that marijuana isn’t harmless, telling the panel of her teenage daughter’s decline into drug use after trying pot.

12/13/2016

12/12/2016

For example, 13 percent of the staff members in the study said they had recommended types of marijuana that are high in levels of THC — marijuana's main psychoactive component — to patients who intended to use the marijuana to treat anxiety, the researchers found. However, previous research has shown that THC may make anxiety worse, Haug told Live Science.
And 7 percent of the staff members recommended THC for treating epilepsy, whereas research has shown that another marijuana compound, called CBD, may work to treat epilepsy, Haug said.
#Scam  Legalized Drug Dealers

12/09/2016

In a recent case in Massachusetts, 15-year-old Mathew Borges has been charged with first-degree murder in the decapitation death of a classmate. But you have to read deep into the articles about the case to discover a motive. Police said he told them that he and his victim, Lee Manuel Viloria-Paulino, went away together to “smoke marijuana.” 
Don’t expect our liberal, pro-drug media to draw the obvious connections between marijuana, psychosis and violence.

12/07/2016

In Ontario, for instance, a survey released Wednesday by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) found that past-year cannabis use virtually doubled between 1996 and 2015, rising from about eight per cent to almost 15 per cent of respondents.
Significant increases were found among all age groups, but especially among 18- to 29-year-olds, with the proportion of pot smokers jumping from about 18 per cent in 1996 to 38 per cent in 2015

12/07/2016

“We see specific morphological changes in the brain to important neurotransmitter systems, and individuals who are exposed to THC early in life show greater sensitivity to opiates than others do,” she said. “We know that the brain definitely adapts to marijuana. It is profoundly changing the receptors and receptor signaling that impact gene expression. And the changes it makes last through adulthood and even into the next generation. So we see that there’s something about the ongoing processes in the developing brain that this drug somehow sensitizes—in the cells, the receptors, and in the signaling cascades—that makes kids more vulnerable to addiction and other problems later.”

“There is a lot of optimism for what components of the marijuana plant may offer on a medicinal level but, like all other drugs, the caveat is that you have to know what it does, what population it can be used for, and who could be vulnerable to its effects. We need a lot more research before we can say anything concrete about its future as a treatment.”

12/01/2016

Both of the boys who died in a horrific crash on Olympic View Drive in Edmonds over the summer had THC, the ingredient in marijuana responsible for most of its psychological effects, in their bodies.

11/21/2016

Colorado has experienced a significant jump in patients seeking emergency medical treatment for complications related to suspected marijuana use since 2014, when the state legalized the drug for commercial sales, according to a presentation by Denver health officials. Still, marijuana-related emergency department visits represent less than 1 percent of all ER visits, said the officials, who shared their experiences and lessons learned during a phone call with the Boston Public Health Commission.

11/17/2016

11/15/2016