Cannabis in the News

San Ysidro, Calif. — Mexican traffickers are sending a flood of cheap heroin and methamphetamine across the U.S. border, the latest drug seizure statistics show, in a new sign that America’s marijuana decriminalization trend is upending the North American narcotics trade.

The amount of cannabis seized by U.S. federal, state and local officers along the boundary with Mexico has fallen 37 percent since 2011, a period during which American marijuana consumers have increasingly turned to the more potent, higher-grade domestic varieties cultivated under legal and quasi-legal protections in more than two dozen U.S. states.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

USA — The conservative wave of 2014 featured an unlikely, progressive undercurrent: In two states, plus the nation’s capital, Americans voted convincingly to pull the plug on marijuana prohibition. Even more striking were the results in California, where voters overwhelmingly passed one of the broadest sentencing reforms in the nation, de-felonizing possession of hard drugs. One week later, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and the NYPD announced an end to arrests for marijuana possession. It’s all part of the most significant story in American drug policy since the passage of the 21st Amendment legalized alcohol in 1933: The people of this country are leading a dramatic de-escalation in the War on Drugs.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Santa Rosa, Calif. — A tribe in Mendocino County plans to be the first tribe in the state to grow and distribute a large amount of medical marijuana.

The Santa Rosa Press Democrat reported the announcement late last week by the 250-member Pinoleville Pomo Nation. The deal authorizes a Colorado-based investor, United Cannabis, and Kansas-based FoxBarry Farms to grow and distribute products from thousands of marijuana plants at the tribe’s rancheria north of Ukiah.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Columbus — A new group today announced plans to place a ballot initiative before Ohioans in 2016 that would fully legalize marijuana. Cleveland-based Ohioans to End Prohibition proposes to allow anyone over the age of 21 to legally grow, purchase, possess and use marijuana while also granting merit-based licenses to commercial growers.

Another group, ResponsibleOhio, hopes to place a constitutional amendment on the November ballot that would permit 10 businesses to grow and sell marijuana wholesale for personal and medicinal use by those over age 21.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

North Carolina Medical Cannabis Bill

Why has North Carolina been unsuccessful in passing medical cannabis legislation?

I have been talking with Republican leadership and legislatures. Which are in the majority, in North Carolina, from the state executive to both houses of legislature. The issues republicans’ have with the current draft bill, HB84 from 2014. Is that there are no control measures to prevent creep and leak. What do I mean by that? Creep and leak are terms I use to identify “leaking” of legal products into the black market and “creep” is a term I use to identify illegal products “creeping” into the hands of unqualified buyers. The most liberal of states at least have controls to prevent legal cannabis from falling into the hand of black market dealers. And there are no measures to protect children.

North Carolina needs a comprehensive law that establishes sensible regulation for the industry. Fair access for patients, legal protection for doctors. And a system that keep as much of the medical cannabis out of the black market and children’s hands. The truth is that you will never be able to keep 100% of the legally produced cannabis medication out of the wrong hands. But, it is the responsibility of legislators to enact laws that have controls and protections for it’s citizenry. Just as it is important that we the people put our legislator to task.

How can that be done? It seems like such a monumental task. Well, 20+ states have been doing it, some successfully and other states not so successfully. It would be in the best interest of the citizens and the bill its self. That a new bill is written taking the best from the most successful medical cannabis states. Modifying language to best represent the state of North Carolina and it’s citizens.

Let us discuss some of the blaring issues that will prevent the bill from passing.

A patient may grow outside, in a 250 square foot area. That is how the language reads. What do you see that’s wrong with this? The first issue, what prevents some one from walking in your back yard and stealing the plants? Nothing… there is no call for a regulatory system. This part of the legislation has 0% chance of garnering favor with republicans.  Solution? Only allow for a regulated production and sales through licensed growers, producers and medical cannabis centers. Require state licensed growers to track and serialize each and every living plant, seed or clone. Plus, require producers to to utilize BioTrackTHC software.

The second is that the condition and disease list. It looks similar to California. As we have seen in California, their medical cannabis law basically allows doctors to prescribe for anything. Thus creating a pseudo legalization through the medical system. Which I believe puts doctors in precarious situations and discredits the medical system in general. Thus, under the California system a qualified doctor can prescribe cannabis to any patient they think needs medical cannabis. Solution? A defined list of ailments that the state recognizes as conditions treatable with cannabis. This is how it works with pharmaceuticals. But, there needs to be a petition system. A system that allows doctors and patients to ask the state to consider their condition be added to the list. This is how Michigan, Colorado and Washington State dwelt with this issue and has had much success.

There is noting regarding edibles. How will they be packaged? How to prevent accidental ingestion by minors? Whats the solution? Using currently available pharmaceutical packaging for small edible candies. Require markings that identify the item as a medical cannabis product. Require patients to keep cannabis medications locked and unavailable to unqualified people and minors.

We have some work to do in North Carolina. But, it is not a bridge to far.

Sincerely,

veteransforcannabis

WEED 2 – Cannabis Madness – Dr. Sanjay Gupta Reports

Cannabis and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Throughout its prohibition, cannabis has been considered a self-medicated “coping” drug, especially in individuals with anxiety disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. Government funded studies examining the link between cannabis and PTSD frequently use the term “marijuana abuse disorder,” a co-occurring problem in need of rehabilitation.

There is overwhelming evidence that PTSD and cannabis go hand-in-hand. But while most studies point out the prevalence of marijuana abuse among PTSD patients, a minority of emerging research is looking at the question in reverse: could cannabis be effectively treating PTSD?

Living with PTSD

PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, is an anxiety condition caused by disturbing episodes, such as military combat or sexual assault. Three classes of symptoms characterize PTSD: re-experiencing, avoidance, and hyper arousal (e.g., flashbacks, social isolation, insomnia). The persistence of PTSD over time is attributed to changes in brain chemistry that occur at the time of the trauma, when adrenaline and stress hormones are hyper-responsive.

Since age nine, Ben Nichols has experienced debilitating PTSD symptoms, and with it came a tangle of other issues like insomnia and ADD. Ben takes Adderall to help with concentration difficulties caused by PTSD, but turns to cannabis to treat the anxiety.

“It helps with daily tasks like school, work, and relationships,” Ben said. “My mind races and cannabis helps me slow down and think through the trauma rather than hide from it. I can tell it’s helping me because my sleeping patterns are normal and I don’t have anxiety attacks.”

Ben is fortunate to live in a state with legal medical cannabis, but not all PTSD sufferers have access to its unprecedented relief. Combat veterans have an especially high propensity for PTSD, and statistics show that about 1 in 5 military personnel deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan experience it. Given cannabis’ federally prohibited status, veterans are instead steered toward antidepressants and antipsychotics, medications that have had very little success in treating severe PTSD symptoms.

“The drugs that they were giving them … they couldn’t get up in the mornings,” said Army first sergeant Gregory Westbrook. “Most of the guys weren’t the type of soldiers who had issues before Iraq or even in Iraq, but they bring them back and put them on these drugs, and they’re falling asleep in the chair. There was no way they could function, especially in a civilian job. So maybe marijuana is an alternative.”

How Cannabis Can Help Treat PTSD

Currently there are no specialized, effective medications available for PTSD patients, but with new discoveries in our body’s therapeutic hotspot — the endocannabinoid system — research is beginning to pave new avenues of understanding and treating PTSD.

One investigator of PTSD and cannabis is the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). Martin Lee is a MAPS affiliate and director of Project CBD, and has studied PTSD and cannabinoids in depth.

“Researchers found that people with PTSD had lower levels of anandamide, an endogenous cannabinoid compound, compared to those who did not show signs of PTSD,” Lee wrote, “Innate to all mammals, anandamide (our inner cannabis, so to speak) triggers the same receptors that are activated by THC and other components of the marijuana plant.”

In other words, one pillar of PTSD is an endocannabinoid deficiency: the body stops producing enough endocannabinoids to fill receptor sites, and this is where the cannabinoids found in marijuana play a therapeutic role. By replenishing these missing endocannabinoids with those found in cannabis, researchers think marijuana pharmaceuticals might bring PTSD patients relief from their memories.

“Scientists have determined that normal CB-1 receptor signaling deactivates traumatic memories and endows it with the gift of forgetting,” Lee said, “But skewed CB-1 signaling, due to endocannabinoid deficits (low serum levels of anandamide), results in impaired fear extinction, aversive memory consolidation, and chronic anxiety, the hallmarks of PTSD.”

Accessing Medical Marijuana for PTSD

PTSD patients are advised to first consult a medical professional before treating symptoms with cannabis. Consumers unaccustomed to marijuana may find that THC aggravates anxiety symptoms. Cannabidiol, better known as CBD, is a marijuana cannabinoid that counteracts some of THC’s effects, including paranoia and anxiety. Further research examining the relationship between THC and CBD could lead to more tolerable variants of cannabis pharmaceuticals for high anxiety individuals.

The damage caused by PTSD cannot be fully unraveled by any medication, but for some, cannabis provides respite when nothing else can. Despite a strong need for development of more effective medication without adverse side effects, the promising pharmaceutical possibilities in cannabis are continually dismissed by government-backed research organizations. However, forward momentum builds as education about cannabis’ healing properties spreads.

Culture High: The Riveting Truth Behind Marijuana Prohibition

If watching the trailer for The Culture High doesn’t put you on the edge of your seat, there’s not much that will. It features some of the foremost names in the marijuana legalization movement and is sure to land with a major impact when it hits theaters. Check out the trailer and be sure to check out the full film later this month:

About the film:

Journeying across the North American landscape, The Culture High is the riveting story that tears into the very fiber of modern day marijuana prohibition to reveal the truth behind the arguments and motives governing both those who support and oppose the existing pot laws. With budgets to fight the war reaching billions and arrests for simple possession sky rocking to nearly a million annually, the debate over marijuana’s legality has reached epic proportions. Utilizing the quirky yet profound nature of its predecessor, The Union: The Business Behind Getting High, The Culture High raises the stakes with some of todays biggest names, unprecedented access to footage previously unobtainable, and incredibly moving testimonials from both sides of the spectrum. Top celebrities, former undercover agents, university professors and a slew of unforgettable characters from all points of view come together for an amusing yet insightful portrait of cannabis prohibition and the grasp it has on society as a whole. The Culture High will strip search the oddity of human nature and dare to ask the question: What exactly is going on here?

The film will premier is on Oct 11 and the public theatrical release is on Oct 17th.

November 2014 High Times, page 102 Narc Shadow

In the November 2014 of High Times. There is an article called Narc  Shadows.  I found several things in the article in regard to the individuals being interviewed, military background. I have spent 25 years in military service.  Specifically, the last 15 years in units across the United States Army Special  Operations Command. I believe that gives me the credentials to scrutinize this article and the interviewee [Darth Raider].

So I felt it was my obligation to send The Editor of High Times an email expressing my concerns in regard to the military service claimed by the interviewee. I immediately received an email response back from the editor of High Times, Chris’s Simunek. I was really surprised that he replied back to me so quickly. But, I had so many questions. That I thought a phone call would be more appropriate. South he called me and we had about an hour long conversation.

I believe Chris wrote an outstanding article.  I believe Chris wrote the article with the information provided.  Chris told me he did not have a military background. Which put Chris at a disadvantage of being able to identify a BS storyline. Not his fault. But, I don’t believe the interviewee divulged the entire truth of his military service. Over the years I have seen fraud after fraud claiming to have served in the military. Or, they served but, work in a career field that is less sexy and exciting. And they embellish their actual service.  This is just as wrong and dubious lying about or embellishing their service.

I believe this interviewee to be an absolute fraud.

I am by no means questioning the interviewees service. I am questioning what he actually did. A few things I identified that need further explanation.

There is a difference between being  Ranger qualified and serving in Ranger Regiment. Becoming a ranger qualified is around 52 to 54 day process. It is a school. But being in Ranger Regiment requires an additional selection process. Which is much more rigorous  then the school itself. And if you mash with your team members you may wind up being in Regiment for several grueling demanding years.

Rangers are not part of special forces. The Ranger Regiment is part of the United States Army Special Operations Command. But they are not part of special forces.

Combat awards can only be given out during a conflict that has been illegally recognized by Congress. Thereby giving the secretary of defense the authorization to issue combat awards. So, if the interviewee was awarded a Bronze Star. It would not nor could not be awarded for what he claims it was awarded for.

Not to mention the myriad of issues involving title 10 of the US code, which is the law that regulates active duty soldiers. Title 32 of the US code Is the law that regulates National Guard soldiers. And then there is that pesky law regarding Posse Comitatus.

I believe the interviewee was in the business of  destroying marijuana.   And I believe he truly feels remorseful for being in the business of eradicating marijuana.

Having been there and done that. I don’t believe any of the stories he told the High Times writer.

Veterans with Parkinson’s disease

The diagnosis can be shocking, unbelievable and crushing. I was diagnosed while still on active duty at the age of 37.  That was 7 years ago. I have the gambit of cardinal symptoms to the non-motor symptoms. I have also had DBS surgery. But, I have only been able to fine true relief through cannabis.  I started using cannabis about two years ago. And its been an amazing addition to my medications and therpy

Medical Marijuana and Parkinson’s Disease

Marijuana may be an excellent alternative to, or addition to, the medication regime of someone suffering from Parkinson’s Disease. Unfortunately, many of the conventional medications prescribed for a Parkinson’s patient also come with significant, negative side effects that are not present in medical marijuana. Medical marijuana offers a combination of anti-anxiety, anti-oxidant and pain relief all in one medication.

Medical Marijuana and Parkinson‘s Disease: Clinical Evidence

Among the many studies and academic papers relating to the benefits of medical marijuana for Parkinson’s Disease sufferers, Sevcik J, Masek K, of the Institute of Pharmacology,Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague had this to say “Cannabinoids might alleviate some parkinsonian symptoms by their remarkable receptor-mediated modulatory action in the basal ganglia output nuclei. Moreover, it was recently observed that some cannabinoids are potent antioxidants that can protect neurons from death even without cannabinoid receptor activation. It seems that cannabinoids could delay or even stop progressive degeneration of brain dopaminergic systems, a process for which there is presently no prevention. In combination with currently used drugs, cannabinoids might represent, qualitatively, a new approach to the treatment of PD, making it more effective.”

A recent study, looked at the potential benefits of medical marijuana for those suffering from Huntington’s Disease, a disease that produces symptoms similar to those found in a patient with Parkinson’s Disease. In this animal study, a mutant strain of hamsters that exhibited the symptoms of dystonia, a sub-group of disorders that share similar characteristics to Huntington’s Disease, were given a synthetic cannabinoid that activates the same cellular receptors as THC. The hamsters showed symptoms of dystonia that included rapid jerky movements or slow, repetitive movements, similar to Huntington’s Disease sufferers. The hamsters showed a marked reduction of symptoms when under the influence of the synthetic cannabinoid, indicating that medical marijuana may be beneficial to those with Huntington’s Disease. Because the symptoms of the two diseases are similar, Parkinson’s sufferers may also benefit from the use of medical marijuana.
Finally, numerous studies have also supported the long held belief that medical marijuana can reduce anxiety and stress levels in some patients. Although some patients actually report an increase in anxiety when under the influence of marijuana, many report a marked decrease. The reason for the disparity in results may be the result of individual body chemistry.

Denver-area veterans given free marijuana at unusual event

DENVER – An event targeted at veterans handed out free marijuana to hundreds of people on Saturday, including edibles and medicinal versions of the plant, all in an effort organizers say was designed to help vets in need.

The Denver Cannibis Giveaway, gave out pot to the veterans and to the general public, who can now legally possess it in Colorado, as a different approach to treating veterans who have post-traumatic stress disorder, reports CBS Denver.

“That’s our mission, is to offer veterans a safe alternative to the dangerous prescription drugs that they’re prescribed to deal with PTSD, TBI, chronic pain, and all sorts of other ailments,” said Roger Martin, Operation Grow4Vets Executive Director.

But others objected to the distribution of marijuana publicly to veterans in this fashion.

“These people are getting marijuana with varying degrees of potency and THC. That could cause things like paranoia,” said Bob Doyle of the Colorado Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) Coalition. “Obviously things that we wouldn’t want somebody with PTSD to be experiencing.”

Still, the vets who attended the event say marijuana is useful to them as medical treatment because they make more sense than harsher alternatives.”I’m allergic to morphine opiates, I can’t take them,” said Mark Pitt, a Vietnam veteran. “So I don’t have much choice other than do that.”

Prescription Painkiller Deaths Up Again, FDA Cool With It

Via High Times:

By Mike Stobbe, AP

While marijuana remains federally illegal, overdose deaths from powerful painkillers are still rising in the US.

In 2011, there were more than 41,000 drug overdose deaths nationwide, up from more than 38,000 the previous year. More than half of those deaths are from prescription or over-the-counter medicines.

But for many years, prescription opioid painkillers have driven the nation’s soaring overdose death rate. Those numbers aren’t climbing quite as fast lately, says the new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC released the report Tuesday:

The Bad News

Opioid pain relievers are a powerful class of prescription drugs, and in 2011 contributed to nearly 17,000 deaths — more than three times as many as either heroin or cocaine. Death rates from some opioid painkillers, like OxyContin and Vicodin, have continued to rise steadily.

The Good News
There’s been a slowdown in the overall rise in the opioid painkiller death rate. From 1999 through 2006, the rates were increasing by 18 percent each year. From 2007 through 2011, it’s been 3 percent, the study found.

What Happened

The slowdown appears mainly to be due to a decrease since 2007 in the annual number of deaths tied to methadone. Methadone is fingered in nearly a third of prescription painkiller deaths, CDC researchers said. Known mainly for treating heroin addiction, methadone is also prescribed for pain. The Food and Drug Administration in 2006 warned doctors to be more careful in prescribing the drug. And in 2008, methadone manufacturers agreed to limit distribution of the largest doses of the drug to only hospitals and to addiction treatment programs.

More Restrictions

Additional government measures are coming to try to tamp down the death rates from other opioid painkillers. Starting next month, Vicodin and other medicines containing the opioid hydrocodone will become Schedule II drugs. That means prescriptions will be limited to a 30-day supply, and renewals will require a new written prescription. Also next month, a federal rule will take effect to allow patients to return unused, powerful drugs – like opioid painkillers – to pharmacies for disposal.

The Prediction
The restriction’s impact on the death rate won’t be known for a while, said Dr. Len Paulozzi, a CDC epidemiologist who tracks overdose deaths. Perhaps doctors will shift their prescriptions to less-restricted drugs, like the opioid painkiller tramadol, Paulozzi said. Meanwhile, reports from around the country have signaled a recent increase in heroin-related deaths. But the gap is wide and prescription painkillers are expected to remain the leading category of overdose deaths, Paulozzi said.

The Boundless Benefits of Cannabidiol (CBD)

Via-420 Times:

For decades, delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) was the cannabinoid that received all the consideration and interest due to the psychoactive effects it offers its consumers when smoked, vaporized or processed via decarboxylation and then ingested.

And although THC has a plethora of medicinal attributes, the component of the marijuana plant that has taken the proverbial spotlight as of late is Cannabidiol (CBD), which is believed to hold more medicinal benefits than any single pharmaceutical drug available on today’s market.

The wave of support for legalizing the manufacturing, possession and use of CBD concentrated into an oil for ingestion has led to a rapidly growing list of states that have successfully passed (or trying to pass) restrictive legislation allowing the use of Cannabidiol as a treatment for those suffering with certain disorders involving seizures.

So how did those walking around in the dark ages suddenly see the limitless, advantageous light that is Cannabidiol?

Was it via a signal in the night’s sky similar to that of the Bat-signal that read CBD?

Well, as it turns out, it did involve a television broadcast, but the caped-crusader and his worm-loving sidekick were nowhere to be found.

You take a well-known doctor, place him in a documentary about the medicinal benefits of marijuana featuring a little girl that receives reprieve from her daily regimen of seizures via ingesting hash oil rich in CBD, and the next thing you know the whole country has become lovesick for Cannabidiol.

Now don’t get me wrong here. I think the nation being awakened to the beneficial compounds that the marijuana plant has to offer anyone with an endocannabinoid system is monumental.

But there’s a part of me that wonders if the newly-aroused supporters of all-things-CBD even know what the THC they’re so excited about.

So, let’s ring the bell and let class begin as we attempt to school those new to the miracle that is Cannabidiol, so the next time their neighbor asks them about their newfound obsession with CBD they can answer properly as opposed to giving the it-comes-from-marijuana-and-it’s-great-for-treating-seizures reply.

Teacher, what is Cannabidiol?

Well, Timmy, Cannabidiol is the second most abundant cannabinoid found in the most sensational plant genus known to mankind: cannabis.

Teacher, if I ingest or smoke Cannabidiol, will it get me high?

No, Timmy. Cannabidiol is one of the components of cannabis that won’t offer the consumer the psychoactive effect that is sought after by recreational users of the plant’s flowers and resin.

In fact, Cannabidiol has actually been scientifically proven to neutralize or offset some of the effects of THC such as the I-have-to-eat-something-right-now’s. Or in laymen’s terms, the munchies. Which could prove to be an effective treatment for those suffering with eating disorders or struggling to maintain their weight.

Now that the proverbial cat is out of the bag regarding the medical efficacy of cannabinoids like CBD, more research and studies are being conducted exploring the multitude of benefits they have to offer. Which fortunately results in an ever-growing list of conditions and disorders that can be treated using concentrated forms of Cannabidiol.

Teacher, what’s a proverbial cat?

Stifle it, kid, I’m trying to work here!

Now. Where was I?

As of right now, the evidence showing CBD to be an effective treatment for individuals enduring seizures is mostly anecdotal due to restrictions courtesy of our beloved federal government’s antiquated drug policy. (Which may soon be changing for the better.) But research conducted by companies such as G.W. Pharmaceuticals suggests that CBD could be used for treating symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases, diabetes, nausea, bowel disorders, and numerous other side effects associated with poor health.

Dr. Sean McAllister, a scientist from the Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, made a groundbreaking discovery regarding the powers of CBD. He’s been studying cannabinoid compounds for the last 10 years and is now in search of new therapeutic interventions for various cancers.

Dr. McAllister happily discovered that Cannabidiol is a potent inhibitor of cancer cell proliferation, metastasis, and tumor growth. Results from his experiments with breast cancer showed the number of cancer cells shrink the more CBD was administered.

For all intents and purposes, Dr. McAllister’s discovery regarding the tumor-shrinking capabilities of Cannabidiol could prove to be an effective, non-toxic therapy for those suffering with destructive forms of cancer.

Research involving mice conducted by a group of cardiologists at Hebrew University found that a dosage of CBD immediately following a heart attack can reduce infarct size by approximately 66 percent.

Raphael Mechoulam of the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, and Faculty of Medicine, whose been involved with the study of cannabinoids for almost 50 years, examined mice that were bred to have a version of type-1 diabetes designed to manifest right around 14 weeks.

Said mice were treated with CBD for the first 7 weeks of their life and then again 7 weeks later. Mechoulam concluded that only 30 percent of the mice had developed diabetes compared to the 90-100 percent that were given a placebo.

Mechoulam then repeated the experiment but didn’t introduce Cannabidiol until the 14-week mark when the diabetes first developed.

The study’s mice were then tested at the age of 24 weeks and again only 30 percent of the mice that were treated with CBD were found to have diabetes, which led Mechoulam to conclude that “CBD did not just prevent onset, it blocked the development of diabetes.”

It seems that as more studies reveal the boundless medical benefits that cannabinoids have to offer, the closer we’re coming as a nation to realizing that prohibiting a plant that offers all of mankind a plethora of medicinal attributes was truly a colossal mistake.

I’m looking forward to the day when we look back on these times from a better point of view.

Aren’t you?

Free the plant already!