Thursday, August 27, 2015

Study: Most Anti-MJ Claims Are Bogus

Every opponent of legalization has a favorite argument. Cannabis is a gateway drug. Marijuana is as addictive as cigarettes. Toking makes you less intelligent.


Marijuana Pipe and JointsThese claims are pervasive, and they’ve guided American drug policy for decades. But a new study finds that almost every “scientific” argument against marijuana is bunk.


The International Centre for Science in Drug Policy, a pro-reform research group, released the study in August. They examined several of the most common claims and declared most of them provably false.


Marijuana as a gateway drug


Take, for example, the belief that marijuana is a “gateway” and leads to the use of harder drugs. This point of view, while in retreat, is still popular around the world.


Researchers reviewed the scientific literature and concluded this claim isn’t true. Repeated studies have demonstrated that tokers are more likely than others to try hard drugs, but also that cannabis doesn’t cause the leap; more likely, it’s a factor of personality, environment, and genes.


Indeed, the researchers behind the new report say lawmakers and healthcare providers often confuse correlation with causality. The fact that marijuana users are more likely to try other drugs doesn’t necessarily mean one fact causes the other, only that they have connections at the statistical level.


Marijuana as a cause of schizophrenia


This problem also arises in the argument that cannabis causes schizophrenia, or at least brain adaptations that are similar to schizophrenia. No study has ever proved that marijuana use actually causes psychotic disorders.


“While scientific evidence supports an association between cannabis use and schizophrenia, a causal relationship has not been established,” researchers wrote in the report, titled “State of Evidence: Cannabis Use and Regulation.”


The scientists did determine that there is at least a kernel of truth to some anti-cannabis claims. The contention that the drug is “300 to 400 percent” more potent today than it was 30 years ago, for example, contains some fact: Marijuana really is measurably stronger, though nowhere near as much as the claim suggests.


Interference with cognitive function


Likewise, assertions that cannabis interferes with cognitive function are partially true, the report found. But there is little data to suggest this effect should be especially troubling.


“While the evidence suggests that cannabis use (particularly among youth) likely impacts cognitive function, the evidence to date remains inconsistent regarding the severity, persistence, and reversability of these cognitive effects,” the researchers wrote.


Marijuana use and drug policy


They shot down several other claims regarding marijuana use and drug policy, including:


– Cannabis is as addictive as heroin: In reality, 23 percent of heroin users become addicted to that drug while just 9 percent of marijuana smokers develop a dependence.


– Using marijuana can cause fatal damage to the coronary system: In fact, there is no reliable evidence that cannabis weakens the heart, clogs the arteries, or otherwise damages the circulatory system.


– Toking lowers IQ by as many as 8 points: There is simply no data to support this widespread belief. Some studies have found a mild, temporary dip in IQ among some users when high, but the proof is weak at best, and any such effect quickly wears off.


Marijuana Bud– Marijuana reform will only make the drug easier to get, leading to a greater number of addicts and underage users: Actually, the best studies suggest even full legalization has no effect on how many teens use cannabis.


– Regulation doesn’t cut down on crime: This simply isn’t accurate. Science has conclusively shown that the vast majority of “drug crime” stems not from use of any drug but rather from the criminal enterprise that thrives under prohibition. And current evidence suggests that’s exactly what’s happening, as certain crime rates are in fact dropping in places where cannabis is legal.


– Under legalization, stoned driving will be a major problem: Any state trooper can tell you cannabis isn’t a serious problem on the streets. It’s alcohol you have to worry about. Indeed, studies show driving high is only twice as dangerous as driving sober, while drunk driving is 13 times as risky.


– The legal marijuana industry is rapidly evolving into the next “Big Tobacco”: There really isn’t any evidence to support this claim, though there isn’t much to refute it, either. In any event, states that adopt legalization have the regulatory power to prevent this from happening.



Study: Most Anti-MJ Claims Are Bogus

Court: MJ Doesn"t Smell So Bad, After All

If there’s one marijuana-related fact pretty much everybody seems to agree about, it’s this: The stuff smells something fierce. Love it or hate it, that thick, funky scent of soil and sweet grass is distinct; even children can place it in a matter of seconds.


Man Smelling MarijuanaBut that doesn’t mean everyone feels the same about the reek of cannabis. A state appellate court in Oregon ruled in August that the notorious stench is not “physically offensive” in itself, no matter how some people may feel.


A three-judge panel of the Oregon Court of Appeals declared that the aroma of cannabis isn’t akin to rotting garbage, spoiled eggs, or other universally noxious odors.


Neighbor complained about “physically offensive” stench of marijuana


The case started when a neighbor filed a complaint against Jared William Lang, accusing him of smoking so much marijuana he created a “physically offensive” aroma as defined by Oregon’s disorderly conduct statute.


Police arrived at Lang’s home and told him the smell amounted to disorderly conduct, then used that interpretation as an excuse to conduct a search. They arrested him after they found paraphernalia of graffiti.


Marijuana is legal in Oregon now, but at the time it was allowed only for medical use. Lang never faced charges involving cannabis, but he was charged with misdemeanor criminal mischief for the graffiti items.


Judges threw out Lang’s conviction


Marijuana LeavesThe appellate judges tossed out Lang’s conviction, declaring that they couldn’t label marijuana odor “physicially offensive,” if only because no one seems to agree on whether it’s a good smell or a bad one.


“We are not prepared to declare that the odor of marijuana smoke is equivalent to the odor of garbage,” the judges wrote in their opinion. “Indeed, some people undoubtedly find the scent pleasing. An odor that is very intense and persistent could reasonably be regarded as offensive even if it ordinarily might be considered quite pleasant – perfume, for example, or pungent spices.”


The search of Lang’s home occurred three years ago, after his neighbor complained of a “physically offensive smell.” Since that might constitute disorderly conduct, the officers felt they had probable cause to conduct a search. The court ultimately disagreed.


The problem, the judges said, is that gauging the noxiousness of marijuana smoke is too “subjective,” and depends on the “intensity, duration, or frequency” of each smoker’s use. It also depends on whether the person smelling the aroma is a user, among other factors. One man’s eau de garbage, in other words, is another man’s perfume.


Most importantly, the court’s opinion means Oregonians no longer need to worry that the mere smell of cannabis could get them in trouble. It also closes a small but threatening loophole that could have re-criminzalized some aspects of marijuana use despite statewide legalization.


But the ruling will have no effect elsewhere. Marijuana is now legal in four states and the District of Columbia, but in most places even the smell of it is grounds for a criminal search warrant.



Court: MJ Doesn"t Smell So Bad, After All

Washington MMJ Hero Dies

A Washington man whose arrest on marijuana charges led to a landmark jury verdict earlier this year has died.


larry harvey lawLee Harvey was 71. He died of cancer-related causes in a hospital in Colville, Wash.


Harvey was arrested three years ago, along with his wife, son, daughter-in-law, and friend, after police found roughly 70 cannabis plants growing at Harvey’s home. Harvey used the medical marijuana to treat symptoms related to his cancer, as well as chronic pain caused by gout.


Federal prosecutors threatened Harvey and his family with prison terms of up to 10 years each, even though they were growing under Washington’s legal medical cannabis program. Prosecutors insisted the Harvey family had too many plants, making them guilty of federal felonies.


The court system eventually disagreed. After a grueling trial, postponed at least once after Harvey was rushed to the hospital mid-hearing, prosecutors saw the political writing on the wall and dropped the charges against him. But they insisted on pursuing convictions for the other four.


Landmark court ruling


The family friend reached a separate plea deal, but Harvey’s relatives all went to trial. Their prosecution ended in a round of not-guilty verdicts, the first of their kind in American legal history.


Until that point, it was unheard of for a federal jury to reject charges against a medical marijuana patient. The first such verdict at the state level happened just weeks before the Harveys were acquitted.


Medical cannabis advocates have hailed Harvey and his family as heroes of the reform movement. They faced immense pressure to plead guilty in exchange for lesser punishments, but they refused.


Harvey suffered through trial


mmj leafThe trial was an ordeal for Harvey, who was already dying of pancreatic cancer when it began. The judge forebade him and his lawyers from explaining that he was an MMJ patient entitled to grow under Washington State law.


At one point, Harvey collapsed during a hearing and was hospitalized. His lawyers were not even allowed to tell the jury he was dying of cancer, let alone that the had a legal right to grow medicinal marijuana.


Harvey played a critical role in recent developments in Congress. His case helped prod lawmakers to pass laws that now protect patients and providers in states where MMJ is legal. The charges against Harvey were dropped largely because of those laws, which undercut prosecutors’ ability to try him.


The decision to continue the trial against the other family members drew heated outrage. The verdict was widely viewed as an act of “jury nullification,” an exercise in which jurors acquit a defendant in order to send a message to the government about its policies. Nullification is technically prohibited, but juries have wide power to use it anyway.


Kari Boiter, herself a Washington medical marijuana patient, traveled with Harvey to Washington, D.C., as the legislation was being debated. Boiter remembered Harvey as a fighter.


“I think people are really sad that he’s gone, because they all drew a lot of hope and courage from the way he stood up for his beliefs,” she said. “At the same time, they’re honoring the sacrifices that he made.”



Washington MMJ Hero Dies

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Study Says Vaping Is Safer Than Smoking

Opponents of e-cigarettes complain the popular nicotine-delivery devices will lead more people to smoke tobacco. Rather than saving lives, the argument goes, vape pens could cost them.


Vape PenBut a new study out of the United Kingdom calls that claim into doubt. Vaping nicotine, the study concluded, is actually better for your health than smoking real cigarettes. And e-cigarettes don’t appear to be luring new users into addiction.


The study was published by Public Health England, a division of the UK Department of Health. Based on its most recent “best estimate,” PHE found that vaping nicotine is roughly 95 percent less harmful than real cigarette smoke.


“While vaping may not be 100 percent safe, most of the chemicals causing smoking-related disease are absent, and the chemicals which are present pose limited danger,” researchers wrote.


A lack of science on the matter


E-cigarettes broke on the scene so suddenly that it took a while for science to catch up. Little comprehensive research had been done into the safety of the devices or their potential for addiction.


In the absence of reliable evidence, anti-tobacco advocates have campaigned against e-nicotine, arguing vape pens would lure new addicts and lead to many of the same health problems as traditional tobacco smoke. The new study suggests that claim is “based on misinterpreted research findings.”


“E-cigarettes are not completely risk-free, but when compared to smoking, evidence shows they carry just a fraction of the harm,” said Prof. Kevin Fenton, director of health and well-being at Public Health England. “The problem is people increasingly think they are at least as harmful and this may be keeping millions of smokers from quitting. Local stop smoking services should look to support e-cigarette users in their journey to quitting completely.”


It has long been well-established fact that smoking tobacco causes serious and potentially fatal health problems, including several forms of cancer. Cigarette smoke contains nicotine, but also a host of other chemicals, many of them highly toxic.


Nicotine without added toxins


Cigarette ButtE-cigarettes, on the other hand, deliver a dose of liquid nicotine without the additional toxins. Nicotine is one of the most addictive substances on the planet, but it is not the typical cause of death in cigarette smokers.


A traditional cigarette delivers its payload by way of inhaled smoke. A vape pen, on the other hand, heats a nicotine-infused liquid to produce a hot water vapor that is then inhaled. The same principle works in vaping marijuana.


Not only do e-cigarettes deliver a much purer form of nicotine, they also cause much less lung irritation than smoke of any kind. For that reason, they are already quite popular among smokers who exercise.


Some public health experts say e-cigarettes could make it easier for smokers to quit real cigarettes. And these smokers would suffer fewer health problems while quitting, reducing the pressure for instant success.


Still, many people in the anti-addiction industry insist on an all-or-nothing approach to quitting. To them, only a grueling, “cold turkey” approach counts. This part of the industry is losing its clout, slowly, but will continue to push back against efforts to make e-cigarettes more widely available for smokers.


The new study found that e-cigarettes really only appeal to people who already smoke. That means that, contrary to anti-vaping claims, they don’t lead to more addiction.


“It just shows that people who are attracted to e-cigarettes are the same people who are attracted to smoking,” said Peter Hajek, one of the authors of the new study. “People who drink white wine are more likely to try red wine than people who do not drink alcohol.”



Study Says Vaping Is Safer Than Smoking

Saturday, August 15, 2015

No More "Candy" on Marijuana Labels in Colorado?

EdiblesThe state’s Marijuana Enforcement Division, which was created after cannabis was legalized statewide in 2012, issued a draft version of proposed new rules governing the retail marijuana industry. The draft rules were published in August.


They would prohibit cannabis stores from selling marijuana-infused sweets under the label “candy.” The treats would still be legal, but regulators want to make it harder for kids to take them by mistake.


Critics of the industry complain that the current labeling requirements make it too easy for kids to eat the food believing it’s real candy. Regulators initially proposed rules that would have required the stamp of a large marijuana leaf on each package, but critics said, and officials agrees, that this might actually encourage more children to eat cannabis candy.


Clear warning of THC content


The new, state-mandated label would include a stop-sign-like octagon with “THC” spelled out in large type. This stamp would be required on each edible item rather than each label. THC is the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, the chemical that gets users high.


Several incidents have raised concerns about edibles in the years since 2012, when both Colorado and Washington State legalized. Oregon, Alaska, and Washington, D.C., joined them in 2014. Two Colorado deaths have been linked to marijuana-laced food, though the connection is tenuous in one of these cases.


The first involved an African exchange student who jumped to his death from the balcony of a Denver hotel. Toxicology tests found he had consumed a large overdose of cannabis sweets. THC is never deadly by itself, but most observers concluded the student jumped during a severe panic attack caused by the edible marijuana.


The other incident involved a man who murdered his wife, allegedly while high on cannabis candy. But this death was never conclusively tied to the THC. Marijuana isn’t known to cause violent outbursts, even when taken in excess.


Increase in instances of accidental edible consumption by children


Marijuana LeavesRegardless, doctors across the state have reported a noticeable uptick in hospital admissions resulting when children mistakenly eat edibles left lying around by parents. Though there have been no reports of serious, long-term illness from these overdoses, kids who eat cannabis can become very sick for a short period of time, with symptoms including nausea, vomiting, and severe anxiety.


Retailers in Colorado are currently required to divide each edible into single-serving portions containing no more than 10 milligrams of THC. That includes food items, such as chocolate bars, gummy bears, and lollipops; and beverages, such as soda and tea.


Marijuana stores may sell treats with large amounts of THC, with some offering candy bars containing as much as 1,000 milligrams of THC. But each of these items must be divided into 10-milligram servings.


The draft regulations come amid an ongoing push to tighten the rules on edibles. A law enacted last year will soon require that each 10-milligram serving be stamped with a distinct design indicating the package contains marijuana. That requirement will take effect in January.


Coloradans will have a chance to speak on the proposal at a public hearing later this year. The industry, for its part, has been supportive of efforts to keep kids away from edibles.



No More "Candy" on Marijuana Labels in Colorado?

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Marijuana Grower Charged with Starting Wildfire

A California man started a dangerous wildfire to protect his illegal cannabis farm, police said.


Juan Ramos SilvaJuan Ramos Silva, a 49-year-old resident of Lower Lake in Northern California, was arrested in early August and accused of intentionally starting part of the so-called Jerusalem fire, which had burned more than 5,000 acres by Aug. 10.


The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said Silva lit a backfire to keep his marijuana plants from burning in the Jerusalem fire. He faces charges of unlawfully causing a forest fire and setting a backfire.


The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said the blaze was set on the evening of Aug. 9 in a sparsely populated rural area outside Middletown. Deputies found a large marijuana farm on Silva’s property near the origin of the backfire, said sheriff’s Lt. Steve Brooks.


Witnesses told deputies Silva lit the fire, Brooks said, and Silva admitted to the backfire, telling deputies he was trying to block the Jerusalem fire from reaching his plants.


A controlled burn


The blaze was started to “protect his plants, not his residence,” Brooks said. Silva, who told deputies he once worked as a firefighter in Mexico, “attempted to conduct a controlled burn on the back of his property to protect it from burning.”


Silva joins a growing list of Californians arrested on arson charges during a hot, bone-dry summer. Four others were busted as of early August.


“Especially now with the dry conditions from the drought, we will absolutely not tolerate arson of any type and will track down those suspected of causing harm to our communities,” said CalFire Chief Ken Pimlott.


Critics of the cannabis industry have accused growers of starting fires and sapping water during the worst dry spell in the state’s history. The vast majority of all fires are started by people, said Amy Head, spokeswoman for CalFire.


Worst drought in California history


Rocky Fire California“If you live in California, you need to be prepared,” she said. “The drought is really playing a role on how this fire season turns out.”


The Jerusalem fire is one of many to scorch California. One recent blaze roared across an active freeway outside Los Angeles and sent stranded motorists running for their lives.


Head explained that the Jeusalem fire, like others, has used a combination of dry conditions, abundant brush, and remote geography to destroy a huge swath of land. The fire covered 5,000 acres in less than a day.


Firefighters were still battling the much larger Rocky blaze nearby when the Jerusalem fire broke out. Officials were investigating both fires.


Recent wildfires, including the Rock and Jerusalem fires, have forced evacuations and burned dozens of homes. Authorities are combating the arid, fire-friendly conditions by enforcing unprecedented limits on residential and commercial water use.



Marijuana Grower Charged with Starting Wildfire

Sunday, August 9, 2015

Why the Canadian Elections Matter

A major election is coming in a matter of months, and the results could decide the fate of legal marijuana in North America. But this campaign season has nothing to do with Donald Trump, at least not yet.


Marijuana Canadian FlagCanadians will go to the polls this October and make a stark choice between the conservatism of the past and the progressive tide sweeping the rest of the continent. If they tilt to the left, cannabis could soon be legal north of the border; if they lean right, drug-policy reform could stall.


That should matter to Americans. The faster Canada reforms, the faster reform is likely to happen here, too. And a Canadian holdout could slow change in U.S. states with tentative voters.


Marijuana is just one issue at play in this year’s election, and a relatively small one at that. But the race is expected to be close, and even a minor issue could make the difference.


Technically, Canadians don’t elect their national leaders. Instead, they vote for members of Parliament. The party with the most seats gets to appoint the heads of government departments, including the prime minister. These appointments typically go to party leaders.


Conservatives in power since 2006


The Conservative Party currently controls the government and has since 2006. Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper is still relatively popular, but his party is trailing the neophyte New Democrats in the polls. This left-leaning party has never held a majority in Parliament before.


It’s not clear they can pull that off this year, either. But if they can manage to out-poll the Conservatives, even without a majority, they could form a coalition government with the Liberal Party.


Until Harper’s rise in 2006, the Liberals dominated Canadian national politics for decades. But their elitist image and muddled politics have hurt them with voters. They could still have a powerful voice, but they’re unlikely to run the government alone again.


Longest Canadian election campaign in history


Marijuana Pipe and JointsAt 11 weeks, this will be the longest federal campaign season in Canadian history. Elections there are limited by law, unlike the United States, where presidential contests can exceed 18 months.


The “long” season should give Canadians plenty of time to talk about cannabis. The nation’s medical marijuana program is widely popular, and support for recreational legalization is growing, but it’s unclear which way voters are likely to go in October.


Current odds suggest the New Democrats and the Conservatives could tie in terms of seats in Parliament, but no party stands to win an outright majority. In that case, either the New Democrats or the Conservatives could form a weak minority government, or the two left-wing parties could team up and form a coalition government.


That may be the most likely outcome. It would mean a sharp change on a long list of political issues, including pending international trade pacts and the Keystone Pipeline project. It could also offer the best hope for legalization, since both the Liberals and the New Democrats support the idea. The Conservatives oppose all reform, including medical marijuana.



Why the Canadian Elections Matter

Head of DEA: MJ Is Safer Than Heroin

It might not seem like much, but as far as the DEA goes, it’s a landmark.


DEA Chief Chuck RosenbergThe agency’s new chief, appointed this summer to replace his scandal-plagued predecessor, said in early August that marijuana is safer than heroin. Obvious as that fact is to the rest of the world, in the anti-drug community it’s a major admission.


Chuck Rosenberg was appointed to replace Michelle Leonhart. She resigned from the DEA after trying to cover up a scandal involving narcotics agents, Colombian drug traffickers, and prostitutes. Leonhart was a staunch, long-time opponent of any degree of reform in marijuana law.


Leonhart prioritized cannabis highly


Indeed, Leonhart made cannabis the agency’s top priority, ahead of much more dangerous drugs such as heroin and cocaine. Her departure was seen as a chance for the Obama administration to enforce its evolving views on legal marijuana.


Though not a supporter of full legalization, President Barack Obama has directed his administration to lay off medical cannabis in states where it’s legal. That declaration was followed by new laws, approved by Congress, that protect MMJ patients and providers across the country.


Rosenberg hasn’t staked a solid position on prohibition and reform one way or the other. But his remarks hint that change is coming, even at the top of the nation’s most notorious narc squad.


Rosenberg said he still believes marijuana is “harmful and dangerous” but conceded that “heroin is clearly more dangerous than marijuana.” It was the first time any high-ranking official at the DEA had acknowledged the well-established fact.


The comments were meant to clarify an earlier statement by Rosenberg that cannabis is “probably not” as dangerous as heroin. Officially, the DEA still takes the position that marijuana is as hazardous as LSD, ecstasy, and powerful opiate drugs. That approach could eventually change, if Rosenberg’s comments are any hint.


Cannabis “schedule 1″ drug under CSA


Cannabis is currently categorized as a so-called “schedule 1″ drug under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970. That means the government considers it medically useless, highly dangerous, and highly addictive. Congress, the DEA, and the White House have traditionally refused even to entertain the possibility of rescheduling.


That is no longer true. Lawmakers are already pushing legislation that would reschedule marijuana under the CSA, making it more widely available as a medicine. Rescheduling could also pave the way for full legalization at the federal level.


Early efforts at rescheduling are tentative at best and would merely create a more lenient subcategory for cannabis under schedule 1. Even a move to schedule 2 or 3 would leave marijuana highly restricted. But it would mark a big step forward.


Rosenberg not planning legal reform


cannabisRosenberg said he doesn’t plan any major legal reforms in the short term and would continue enforcing existing federal laws. But he said the DEA’s focus would shift to “the biggest and most important cases there are.” That means bureau chiefs should target “the most important cases in their jurisdictions,” he said.


That, he said, means “heroin, opioids, meth and cocaine, in roughly that order, and marijuana tends to come in at the back of the pack.”


Pro-marijuana groups praised the comments but said they wouldn’t come as a surprise to much of anyone.


“It’s sort of remarkable that a DEA chief simply saying heroin is more dangerous than marijuana could actually make news,” said Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance. “I guess that’s a reflection of how out of touch his predecessor was, that she couldn’t bring herself to simply state the obvious.”



Head of DEA: MJ Is Safer Than Heroin

Melinda Haag, Anti-MJ Prosecutor, Quits

The movement to end marijuana prohibition scored another big win this summer, as a major anti-cannabis prosecutor left her job in California.


U.S. Attorney Melinda HaagMelinda Haag, the U.S. attorney for the region that includes the San Francisco Bay Area, announced in late July that she would leave her job effective Sept. 1. Haag told her staff she plans to spend more time with her family, but otherwise gave no public reason for her departure.


It probably had something to do with her staunch position on medical marijuana. Haag is responsible for a long string of raids and prosecutions designed to end MMJ in a large swath of California. She is widely considered one of the most aggressive federal officials who opposes reform.


Haag defiantly refused president’s order


Haag repeatedly refused to back down from her crusade, even under orders from President Barack Obama and Congress. She essentially went rogue for several months, refusing to end her campaign to shutter the nation’s largest cannabis dispensary, the Harborside Health Center of Oakland.


Her obstinance flew in the face of guidelines issued by the Obama administration that instructed prosecutors to go easy on medical marijuana in places where it’s legal under state law. It also ignored laws passed by Congress that were designed to protect MMJ patients and providers.


With the backing of the Department of Justice, Haag simply argued that the directives didn’t apply to her or to her anti-cannabis prosecutions. Lawmakers and reformers blasted that position, saying Haag was willfully breaking the law.


Reason for Haag’s resignation unknown


MarijuanaNo one in the administration provided a reason for Haag’s resignation, but it comes in the wake of other marijuana-related shakeups by the White House. Michelle Leonhart, the former head of the DEA, left that agency earlier this year in the wake of a scandal involving drug traffickers, prostitutes, and DEA agents.


Among other tactics, Haag made liberal use of civil forfeiture laws, which allow police to seize money and other property from innocent civilians, and then never give it back. She also routinely threatened landlords with prosecution if they agreed to rent office space to legal dispensaries. Haag’s strategies led many to object that she was brazenly violating the Bill of Rights.


Medical marijuana has been legal in California since 1996, but the drug remains illegal for any use under federal drug statutes. Haag used that discrepancy to try to turn back the clock and end MMJ across the state.


Haag made many enemies


Obama appointed Haag U.S. attorney in 2010, after she served as head of her office’s white collar division. She rapidly built a reputation as a hard-core enforcer of anti-marijuana laws. She also quickly made a long list of dedicated enemies – foes who are likely at least partly responsible for her demise.


Obama has yet to announce a replacement for Haag, but recent events suggest he probably won’t pick another hardliner as he prepares to leave office. His appointment to replace Leonhart at the DEA has already taken a softer stance on cannabis, acknowledging in recent weeks that it’s safer than heroin.



Melinda Haag, Anti-MJ Prosecutor, Quits

Thursday, August 6, 2015

PTSD Excluded from Colorado"s MMJ List

Post-traumatic stress disorder, a severe mental illness triggered by traumatic experiences, will not make its way onto the list of conditions approved for medical marijuana in Colorado.


Veteran with PTSDThe state’s Board of Health voted 6-2 in July to keep PTSD off the list of conditions that patients may treat with cannabis. That list, which includes cancer, HIV/AIDS, and epilepsy, is currently limited to just eight disorders.


Had the vote gone the other way, it would have marked the first time Colorado has added a disease to the list since it was first created in 2000. This was the third failed attempt to include PTSD.


The board’s decision followed hours of public debate, including testimony from veterans, scientists, and PTSD patients. Board members pointed to a lack of science on the subject of cannabis and PTSD. Recent studies suggest the drug is helpful, but data remains scarce.


Veterans could benefit substantially


Veterans and cannabis advocates said they were disappointed by the vote. The science is strong enough to support a vote to include PTSD, they said.


“We’ve let down our veterans today, and [board members] should be ashamed,” said Sean Azzariti, an Iraq veteran and marijuana activist. “I really believed that this year it would pass, especially since it only failed by one vote last year. It’s truly a sad day in Colorado.”


The ruling won’t stop PTSD patients from getting marijuana legally. The drug is allowed for any use in Colorado, so patients over 21 can buy it from retail stores.


Younger patients with PTSD, on the other hand, will not be able to get their medicine legally. Minors are only allowed to use cannabis within a tightly regulated MMJ program for children.


What’s more, recreational marijuana is typically much more expensive than medicinal product. Retail shops must charge a stiff sales tax, while medical dispensaries can sell for little more than cost.


PTSD sufferers must abide by recreational limits and pay high-tax prices


Marijuana Pipe and JointsThere are also tighter limits on how much cannabis a user may possess. Recreational tokers are limited to one ounce, while MMJ patients may possess substantially more.


Nine states already sanction the use of cannabis to treat PTSD. Including the disease is a controversial decision, in part because it is not well-understood.


Once known as “shell shock,” PTSD has been recognized in military veterans for hundreds of years. But only recently has it developed into a solid psychiatric diagnosis.


PTSD is one of several trauma-oriented disorders, and symptoms include chronic anxiety, nightmares, flashbacks, and intense irritability. Cannabis may be useful in treating some of those symptoms.


The drug is known to curb anxiety in many patients. It can also be an effective relief for sleeplessness, and its memory-inhibiting properties could reduce distressing flashbacks.


“The most common symptoms that vets turn to conventional meds for are sleep problems; nightmares; . . . intrusive memories; . . . chronic anxiety, including social situations and other places; irritability; depressed mood; and pain,” said Dr. Deborah Gilmarn, who formerly worked at the Veterans Administration. “Pain can be related to combat wounds or not. In my opinion, all of them could be benefited to some degree by various properties in marijuana. Marijuana is useful for pain as well as for psychiatric problems.”


Advocates for inclusion said they were surprised by the vote. Colorado’s chief medical examiner, Dr. Larry Walk, had recommended the change.


Walk initially opposed the idea but changed his mind when he realized it was easy for patients to get medical marijuana for chronic pain instead of PTSD. Vets already had practical access to the drug, even if they had to lie to get it.


“We don’t want people to suffer as a result of not being able to access [medical marijuana] honestly,” Walk said when he announced his support.



PTSD Excluded from Colorado"s MMJ List