Archive for the ‘Medijuana’ Category
Cannabis News Roundup: January 25, 2013
(ASA) // The US Court of Appeals in Washington, DC this week ruled against de-classifying cannabis as a dangerous drug, saying “adequate and well-controlled studies” on cannabis as medicine do not exist. An appeal is expected.
(Seattle Post) // “Very satisfying” is the way Washington state Governor Jay Inslee described a conversation Tuesday with US Attorney General Eric Holder concerning that state’s need to implement voter approval of recreational cannabis. There was no discussion of how the federal government might react in the future.
(HuffPost) // Here in California, the question remains: can a city pass an outright ban on cannabis dispensaries? Riverside and Upland think so. So did Los Angeles, for a while. But how can that be legal when state law permits them? Those are some of the questions to be considered next month by the California Supreme Court. [Holly Kernan and I touched on this topic in our on-air discussion of cannabis news on “Crosscurrents” last week.]
(SFGate) // President Obama’s second term started this week, generating reviews of his first term. Confusion on medical marijuana is one of five “broken promises” listed in this summary from his first four years.
I think this needs a clarification, though. The President said the Justice Dept. wouldn’t go after “medical marijuana users,” but he didn’t say it wouldn’t go after dispensaries. I know, I know: they’re two sides of the same coin. Where do users safely acquire cannabis if the dispensaries are shut down? It is a puzzlement.
And it’s a question that Matt Davies of Stockton had answered the hard way; he faces seven years in prison after his dispensaries were raided. Thisstory, by the Chronicle’s conservative columnist, points out that the Justice Dept. has always said that “significant traffickers of illegal drugs, including marijuana” are a priority, even though their activities may be legal under state rules.
(MJBusinessDaily) // That said, the Medical Marijuana Business Daily seespositive news for the industry in 2013, not the least being the list of states considering some sort of cannabis regulation.
MARIJUANA AND THE HUMAN BRAIN by Jon Gettman High Times, March 1995
INTRODUCTION
The next century will view the 1988 discovery of the THC receptor site in the brain as the pivotal event which led to the legalization of marijuana.
Before this discovery, no one knew for sure just how the psychoactive chemical in marijuana worked on the brain. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, researchers made tremendous strides in understanding how the brain works, by using receptor sites as switches which respond to various chemicals by regulating brain and body functions.
The dominant fear about marijuana in the 20th century has been that its effects were somehow similar to the dangerously addictive effects of opiates such as morphine and heroin. Despite widespread decriminalization of marijuana in the United States in the 1970s, this concern has remained the basis for federal law and policies regarding the use and study of marijuana.
The legal manifestation of this fear is the continued classification of marijuana as a Schedule I drug, a category shared by heroin and other drugs that are banned from medical use because of their dangerous, addictive qualities. While only 11 states have formally decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana, 45 states distinguish between marijuana and other Schedule I drugs for law-enforcement and sentencing purposes.
Until the 1980s, technological limitations obstructed scientific understanding of the neuropharmacology of THC, of how the active ingredient in marijuana actually affects brain functions. Observations and conclusions about this subject, though based on some biological studies, were largely influenced by observations of behavior. This has allowed cultural prejudice to sustain the faith that marijuana is somehow related to heroin, and that research will eventually prove this hypothesis. Actually, the discovery of the THC receptor site and the subsequent research and observations it has inspired conclusively refute the hypothesis that marijuana is dope.
Many important brain functions which affect human behavior involve the neurotransmitter dopamine. Serious drugs of abuse, such as heroin and cocaine, interfere with the brain’s use of dopamine in manners that can seriously alter an individual’s behavior. A drug’s ability to affect the neural systems related to dopamine production has now become the defining characteristic of drugs with serious abuse potential.
According to the congressional Office of Technology Assessment, research over the last 10 years has proved that marijuana has no effect on dopamine-related brain systems – unless you are an inbred Lewis rat (see below), in which case abstention is recommended.
The discovery of a previously unknown system of cannabinoid neural transmitters is profound. While century-old questions, such as why marijuana is nontoxic, are finally being answered, new, fascinating questions are emerging – as in the case of all great discoveries. In the words of Israeli researcher Raphael Mechoulam, the man who first isolated the structure of THC, “Why do we have cannabinoid receptors?”
Mechoulam’s theory will resonate well with marijuana smokers in the United States. He observes that “Cannabis is used by man not for its actions on memory of movement or movement coordination, but for its actions on memory and emotions, “and asks, “Is it possible that the main task of cannabinoid receptors . . . (is) to modify our emotions, to serve as the links which transmit or transform or translate objective or subjective events into perceptions and emotions?” At a 1990 conference on cannabinoid research in Crete, Mechoulam concluded his remarks by saying, “Let us hope, however, that through better understanding of cannabis chemistry in the brain, we may also approach the chemistry of emotions.”
A BRIEF HISTORY OF THC RESEARCH
Full reports>>>>>Marijuana and the human brain
Americans Decry War on Drugs, Support Legalizing Marijuana
Less than one-in-ten respondents would legalize other drugs, such as heroin, crack or “crystal meth”.
Two-thirds of adults in the United States believe the “War on Drugs” has been futile, and a majority continue to call for the legalization of marijuana in the country, a new Angus Reid Public Opinion poll has found.
In the online survey of a representative sample of 1,017 American adults, 68 per cent of respondents believe that America has a serious drug abuse problem and it affects the whole country.
One-in-five Americans (20%) think the country’s drug abuse problem is confined to specific areas and people, and five per cent say America does not have a serious drug abuse problem.
Only 10 per cent of respondents believe that the “War on Drugs”—a term that has been used to describe the efforts of the U.S. government to reduce the illegal drug trade—has been a success, while 66 per cent deem it a failure. Majorities of Democrats (63%), Republicans (63%) and Independents (69%) agree with the notion that the “War on Drugs” has not been fruitful.
Across the country, 52 per cent of Americans support the legalization of marijuana, while 44 per cent oppose it. Majorities of men (60%), Independents (57%) and Democrats (54%) would like to see marijuana legalized. Women (45%), respondents over the age of 55 (48%) and Republicans (43%) are not as supportive of legalization.
In four nationwide surveys conducted by Angus Reid Public Opinion on the topic of marijuana legalization since 2009, support has always surpassed the 50 per cent mark in the United States, and opposition has not reached 45 per cent.
As has been the case in previous surveys, the enthusiasm for legalizing other drugs in the United States remains low. Only 10 per cent of respondents would consent to making ecstasy readily available, and less than one-in-ten would legalize powder cocaine (9%), heroin (8%), crack cocaine (8%) and methamphetamine or “crystal meth” (7%).
The DEA’s marijuana mistake
The DEA and the National Institute for Drug Abuse block serious research on medical uses of marijuana, creating a ridiculous circle of denials.
A pro-marijuana group lost its legal battle this week when a federal appellate court ruled that marijuana would remain a Schedule I drug, defined as having no accepted medical value and a high potential for abuse. (Alan Berner / Seattle Times / MCT / January 24, 2013)
For a muscular agency that combats vicious drug criminals, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration acts like a terrified and obstinate toddler when it comes to basic science. For years, the DEA and the National Institute forDrug Abuse have made it all but impossible to develop a robust body of research on the medical uses of marijuana.
A pro-marijuana group lost its legal battle this week when a federal appellate court ruled that marijuana would remain a Schedule I drug, defined as having no accepted medical value and a high potential for abuse. The court deferred to the judgment of federal authorities, quoting the DEA’s statement that “the effectiveness of a drug must be established in well-controlled, well-designed, well-conducted and well-documented scientific studies…. To date, such studies have not been performed. Read the full story>> Latimes
Mango
Mango is a pure Indica strain with more than thirty years of history to it. It was cross bred in 1991 with other Indica strains. The plant in itself will not grow very tall but the flowering stage is quite long for an Indica plant. Mango will produce a very significant yield but requires a bit more maintenance than other strains. In essence the plant can be very delicate in terms of drastic climate changes and spike in humidity. The biggest problem that Mango growers have with the strain is that it bushes out quite rapidly. You will need to trim it and educate it early on if you don’t want to have gargantuan bushes in your outdoor setup.
Most patients agree that this plant helps with; Chronic Pain, Muscle Disorders, Migraines, Insomnia, Lack of Appetite and more with slight side effects of Red Eyed and Dry Mouth. Marijuana Doctors 411 recommends drinking liquids when ingesting this strain.
Patients can expect to feel a deep body sensation that will last for a couple of hours. Mango buds are quite hefty and at times can grow to be 18 inches long, but due to the sturdiness of the strain, you won’t have to worry too much about the weight. This plant is definitely for intermediate to professional growers and is not recommended for novice gardeners.
If you would like to find out more information about Cloning techniques, Growing tips, how to cure your marijuana and more, please feel free to check out our Weedpedia section. If you cannot find the information you are looking for you can get in touch with Marijuana Doctors 411’s staff and we’ll be more than happy to assist you however we can.
Weed Use May Help Brain Functionality
The Fountain of Youth: a tale surrounding the dream of everlasting life. Though it is just a myth today, many people today might just be able to see the end of death by way of age. After all, aging is just a condition we all inherit from the moment of conception, one which may someday soon might be controlled and reversed.
As we get older, our bodies have a harder time rebuilding themselves while at the same time normal bodily functions help facilitate the breakdown of cells. Naturally, our breakdown processes start to outpace the rebuilding processes the longer we live, so we begin falling apart.
What if there was a way to hinder those breakdown processes? Well today, there is evidence that marijuana could play a vital role in preserving cognitive function for future generations.
Cooking Marijuana & Hash: Part 1
Ingestion of Medical Marijuana and Hash
Ingesting marijuana and hash, aka eating it, brings very different affects compared to smoking. Veteran smokers are often floored by a standard strength edible. Why is this? What about tolerance? Why do high tolerance smokers get so high from standard edibles?
The simple answer is that smoking Cannabis creates delta-9-THC, and eating it makes 11-hydroxy-THC, which is 10x more psychoactive than delta-9-THC.
When you smoke marijuana or hash the delta-9-THC goes into your blood, and then straight to your brain, where THC binds to receptors in your brain. This is why we feel high immediately after smoking.
Edibles are different. When you eat an edible it goes into your stomach, where it gets digested and enters your GI tract. The delta-9-THC in the edible enters your blood stream after about 30 minutes. Once the delta-9-THC enters your blood stream from your GI tract it goes to your liver. Your liver does something amazing. It converts delta-9-THC into 11-hydroxy-THC, which is TEN TIMES MORE PSYCHOACTIVE. This 11-hydroxy-THC then goes to our brains and binds to our cannabinoid receptors. Then seasoned smokers feel like we are almost tripping on Cannabis edibles.
The affects of edibles take longer to come on due to how it enters our blood and moves to our brains. These affects also last longer, and can be more powerful due to 11-hydroxy-THC. The contents of your stomach, body size, metabolism, and other biochemical factors will make the affects of edibles slightly different for everyone.
It’s True: Medical Cannabis Provides Dramatic Relief for Sufferers of Chronic Ailments
In 2009, Zach Klein, a graduate of Tel Aviv University’s Department of Film and Television Studies, directed the documentary Prescribed Grass.Through the process, he developed an interest in the scientific research behind medical marijuana, and now, as a specialist in policy-making surrounding medical cannabis and an MA student at TAU’s Porter School of Environmental Studies, he is conducting his own research into the benefits of medical cannabis. Using marijuana from a farm called Tikkun Olam — a reference to the Jewish concept of healing the world — Klein and his fellow researchers tested the impact of the treatment on 19 residents of the Hadarim nursing home in Israel. The results, Klein says, have been outstanding. Not only did participants experience dramatic physical results, including healthy weight gain and the reduction of pain and tremors, but Hadarim staff saw an immediate improvement in the participants’ moods and communication skills. The use of chronic medications was also significantly reduced, he reports.
Full story at Scienceblog<<<<<<
The United States of Amerijuana Recent bills introduced in Texas, Hawaii, Oklahoma, others prove the entire nation is legalization-oriented by Rick Thompson
The United States of Amerijuana
2013 has already seen a flood of cannabis-friendly legislation introduced in the legislatures of numerous states. At least seventeen states have introduced pro-marijuana bills or have stated their intent to do so. Legalization, medical marijuana, decriminalization-even industrial hemp- have all been introduced despite the Obama administration’s lack of a clear response to 2012’s full legalization votes in Washington and Colorado.
Hawaii Speaker of the House Joseph Souki introduced HB 150 on January 17. The Bill allows for individual cultivation and licensing of dispensaries, commercial grows, cannabis manufacturing facilities and testing companies. The Marijuana Policy Project is devoting resources toward passage of this Bill; spokesperson Mason Tvert said HB 150 “will generate significant revenue for Hawaii.”A poll, released earlier this January, showed support for a tax and regulate legalization system at 57%. The poll also revealed incredible support for the current medical marijuana law, passed in 2000 (81% support); for dispensaries (78% support); and for decriminalization (58%). The Drug Policy Action Group sponsored the poll, which was revealed in a press conference with the ACLU of Hawaii. An economic impact study conducted by an economist at the University of Hawaii revealed more than $20 million in potential new revenues and cost savings annually; the report noted that since 2004, marijuana possession arrests are up almost 50% and distribution arrests have nearly doubled.
Marijuana Legalization Would Promote Drug Use, DEA Contends
Posted: 01/23/2013 1:25 pm EST
WASHINGTON — Recent state efforts to legalize marijuana pose a challenge for the Drug Enforcement Administration because they would increase marijuana’s availability and promote drug use, the DEA said in a filing released Wednesday.
“Recently, efforts to legalize marijuana have increased. Keeping marijuana illegal reduces its availability and lessens willingness to use it,” the DEA said in a financial statement for fiscal year 2012 made public on Wednesday. “Legalizing marijuana would increase accessibility and encourage promotion and acceptance of drug use.”