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Link | Media | Tags | |
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Autopsy confirms Sutherland Springs church gunman died by suicide 08/15/2019 |
Toxicologist Peter Stout, CEO and president of the Houston Forensic Science Center, said the toxicology report showed low levels of anti-anxiety drugs and marijuana in Kelley's system. |
guns, mass killings, violence | |
Association Between Electronic Cigarette Use and Marijuana Use Among Adolescents and Young Adults 08/12/2019 |
Conclusions and Relevance This meta-analysis found a significant increase in the odds of past or current and subsequent marijuana use in adolescents and young adults who used e-cigarettes. These findings highlight the importance of addressing the rapid increases in e-cigarette use among youths as a means to help limit marijuana use in this population. |
meta-analysis | |
2019 8 Marijuana Legalization Update 08/08/2019 |
powerpoint, legalization | ||
Surgeon general: Marijuana during pregnancy and adolescence is dangerous 08/07/2019 |
“No amount of marijuana use during pregnancy or adolescence is safe,” said Surgeon General Jerome Adams at a press conference. |
Pregnancy | |
If you smoke pot, your anesthesiologist needs to know 08/01/2019 |
Their observations and initial research show that marijuana use may affect patients’ responses to anesthesia on the operating table — and, depending on the patient’s history of using the drug, either help or hinder their symptoms afterward in the recovery room. |
anesthesia, respiratory, Doctors | |
Medical and non-medical cannabis use and risk of prescription opioid use disorder: Findings from propensity score matching. 08/01/2019 |
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: |
opioid | |
Associations between driving under the influence or riding with an impaired driver and future substance use among adolescents. 08/01/2019 |
Conclusions: RWID and DUI are significantly associated with greater alcohol and marijuanause over time. This study highlights that teens may be at higher risk for problem substance use in the future even if they ride with someone who is impaired. Prevention and intervention efforts for adolescents need to address both driving under the influence and riding with an impaired driver to prevent downstream consequences. |
drugged driving | |
Moving beyond perceived riskiness: Marijuana-related beliefs and marijuana use in adolescents. 08/01/2019 |
Conclusions: Marijuana use varied in association with beliefs about its beneficial and harmful health properties. Clinical interventions that target specific marijuana-related health beliefs including unfounded claims of benefit may provide robust talking points for centering provider guidance and public health messaging. |
youth, perception | |
FDA Warning Letter Curaleaf 07/29/2019 |
FDA has determined that your “CBD Lotion,” “CBD Pain-Relief Patch,” “CBD Tincture,” and “CBD Disposable Vape Pen” products are unapproved new drugs sold in violation of sections 505(a) and 301(d) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the FD&C Act), 21 U.S.C. 355(a) and 331(d). Furthermore, these products are misbranded drugs under section 502(f)(1) of the FD&C Act, 21 U.S.C. 352(f)(1). FDA has also determined that your “Bido CBD for Pets” products are unapproved new animal drugs that are unsafe under section 512(a) of the FD&C Act, 21 U.S.C. 360b(a), and adulterated under section 501(a)(5) of the FD&C Act, 21 U.S.C. 351(a)(5) |
FDA, Curaleaf | |
FDA warns company marketing unapproved cannabidiol products with unsubstantiated claims to treat cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, op 07/29/2019 |
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it has issued a warning letter to Curaleaf Inc., of Wakefield, Massachusetts, for illegally selling unapproved products containing cannabidiol (CBD) online with unsubstantiated claims that the products treat cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, opioid withdrawal, pain and pet anxiety, among other conditions or diseases. |
FDA, Curaleaf | |
Legalized Cannabis in Colorado Emergency Departments: A Cautionary Review of Negative Health and Safety Effects 07/24/2019 |
ED and urgent care (UC) visits with cannabis-associated International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes or positive urine drug screens for teenagers and young adults have increased since legalization, and the majority require behavioral health evaluation. A subsequent retrospective review by Wang et al. from 2005–2015 identified 4202 such visits for patients 13 to <21 years old to a tertiary-care children’s hospital system. Behavioral health evaluation was obtained for 2813 (67%) and a psychiatric diagnosis was made for the majority (71%) of the visits. |
Colorado, ncbi, suicide | |
Texas leaders: Hemp law did not decriminalize marijuana 07/19/2019 |
Texas, hemp | ||
Should we legalise cannabis? 07/17/2019 |
Cannabis is known to induce DNA damage by several mechanisms including damage to chromosomes at the time of cell division, dramatic reductions in histone formation which form the core of the nucleosomes around which DNA is twined and are crucially involved in signalling to the transcription and epigenetic machinery to regulate gene expression, alteration of DNA methylation and many other processes 2-6. And genotoxic stress of many types is known to trigger DNA checkpoints and interfere with the normal process of meiotic and mitotic cell division; and are also known to trigger ageing and cellular senescence pathways. |
BMJ, genetics, Volkow | |
American Epilepsy Society (AES): Written Comments to Norman E. “Ned” Sharpless, MD, Acting Commissioner of Food and Drugs, U.S. 07/16/2019 |
The AES believes that these compounds need to be under the full regulatory control of the FDA and that distribution should be limited to the well-developed legend drug process. While drug regulation is desired, in the interim, the following equally important steps should be taken to assure continuous and safe access to CBD products for patients who are currently benefiting from them. |
american epiliepsy society, FDA, SAGE Journals | |
Self-reported Medical and Nonmedical Cannabis Use Among Pregnant Women in the United States 07/09/2019 |
Cannabis effects on fetal growth (eg, low birth weight and length) may be more pronounced in women who consume marijuana frequently, especially in the first and second trimesters.4 This study highlights the importance of screening and interventions for cannabis use among all pregnant women. |
Pregnancy, Volkow, PubMed | |
America’s Invisible Pot Addicts 07/08/2019 |
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Sabet | |
The grass isn't always greener 06/25/2019 |
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Car insurance premiums could rise as a result of legalized marijuana, experts say 06/24/2019 |
In the four states that were among the first to legalize pot – Colorado, Nevada, Oregon and Washington – crashes were up by as much as 6% compared with neighboring states without legalized recreational weed, according to analysis of collision loss data from January 2012 through October 2017 by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and an October 2018 report done by the Highway Loss Data Institute. |
insurance, driving | |
Marijuana Use by U.S. Teens Has Jumped 10-fold Since 1990s 06/23/2019 |
The study looked at 1991-2017 U.S. federal health data on more than 200,000 high school students. It found that the number who said they'd used pot at least once over the past month rose 10-fold -- from 0.6% in 1991 to 6.3% by 2017. |
high school, Teens | |
New AAA Foundation research shows an estimated 14.8 million Americans report driving within one hour after using marijuana in th 06/23/2019 |
An alarming finding shows that an estimated 14.8 million drivers report getting behind the wheel within one hour after using marijuana in the past 30 days. The impairing effects of marijuana are usually experienced within the first one to four hours after using the drug.1 And marijuana users who drive high are up to twice as likely to be involved in a crash.2 |
AAA, driving, driving drugged | |
Educating Physicians About Marijuana 06/16/2019 |
In 2016 surveys, just 9% of medical schools had documented content on medical marijuana in the Association of American Medical Colleges Curriculum Inventory, and 85% of 258 surveyed residents and fellows reported having no education about medical marijuana in medical school or residency. Presented at a 2017 meeting, a single-site study of 51 resident physicians found that 76% did not know which category marijuana belonged to under the Controlled Substances Act (marijuana is currently categorized as a Schedule I drug, signifying a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical uses), and 38% believed that medical marijuana was a prescription drug approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. Other studies indicate that practicing physicians often have limited knowledge about marijuana’s health effects and want more training.” |
JAMA, Doctors | |
Vaping is ruining student athletes: ’It’s heartbreaking,’ Massachusetts parents, school officials say 06/16/2019 |
Then he started asking them, “do youJUUL?" and their answers changed.
“I wasn’t even asking the right questions, and I think a lot of clinicians still don’t ask the right questions,” Winickoff said. “Once I found out that kids were using, many of them thought that what they were using was not a big deal, that maybe they could stop any time they wanted. Some of them thought that vaping was just water vapor plus some flavor.” |
Vaping, paraphernalia, high school | |
Beer vs. Pot: Why Catholics Should Oppose Legalization of Marijuana 06/12/2019 |
Alcohol is rapidly expelled from the system and is addictive only in large doses — at least to those … whose genetic make-up has been influenced by the millennia of winemaking.” Furthermore, “the effects of cannabis remain for days, and it is both more addictive and more radical, leading not just to temporary alterations of the mind but to permanent or semi-permanent transformations of personality, and in particular to a widely observed loss of moral sense.” It also has many physical effects, such as greater carcinogenic harm than smoking cigarettes. Unlike consuming a foodstuff in moderation, the consumption of cannabis immediately affects the functioning of the brain, an effect compounded over time, especially for adolescents. In fact, marijuana usage can permanently alter the brain, leading to a great risk of psychosis, psychological problems, and lower I.Q. scores. Further, one of the most frightening discoveries shows that consuming marijuana alters DNA, creating harmful mutations that will be passed down to children and future generations. |
alcohol | |
The risk of contaminants and false labeling in the exploding CBD industry 05/31/2019 |
"If it's not USDA Organic certified, and it's not full panel lab tested, you have no way of knowing what you're getting," said Cranford, who's been producing CBD long before it was en vogue. "Overseas they use hemp to do cover crops. They use it to purposely suck out the pesticides and heavy metals on soil there so they can plant food crops next," Cranford said. "These crops are being imported into the US and people are making CBD out of it. The really scary part is when you have these contaminants in your plant material, and you make this oil, you're concentrating it." After thousands of tests, 70 percent of products were found "highly contaminated" with heavy metals like lead and arsenic, herbicides like glyphosate (the active ingredient in RoundUp) and a host of other contaminants including pesticides, BPA and toxic mold. Virginia Commonwealth University, the Journal of the American Medical Association, and other medical journals have published studies that reflect similar outcomes to the hundreds of tests done by Ellipse Analytics, citing contamination, false labeling and false claims. |
contaminated | |
Unapproved CBD products may not be as safe as they seem 05/26/2019 |
Many producers of products containing CBD are making unfounded medical claims regarding their products’ ability to cure or alleviate many diseases and conditions. |
CBD, Doctors, Finn | |
Provocations: Legalized marijuana snake oil (DAVID NEESE COLUMN) 05/20/2019 |
Contrary to what you've been told over and over, it is not a preposterous assertion that marijuana is a gateway drug to cocaine, heroin, meth and such. Not everybody who smokes marijuana graduates to harder narcotics, true. But most of those who do go on to the harder stuff start off with weed. |
opinion, snake oil, Neese | |
FL DOH MM, https://s27415.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/_documents/Know_The_Facts/Smoking.pdf 05/18/2019 |
Florida | ||
Paulding County teen undergoes CPR after vaping at school 05/05/2019 |
A Paulding County student collapsed and nearly died after taking a hit off a vape pen. The dramatic scene unfolded in front of a class when the South Paulding High School student collapsed and stopped breathing. |
Vaping, Georgia, adolescent | |
Schizopot 05/05/2019 |
resource | ||
Largest brain study of 62,454 scans identifies drivers of brain aging 05/01/2019 |
The study found that a number of brain disorders and behaviors predicted accelerated aging, especially schizophrenia, which showed an average of 4 years of premature aging, cannabis abuse (2.8 years of accelerated aging), bipolar disorder (1.6 years accelerated aging), ADHD (1.4 years accelerated aging) and alcohol abuse (0.6 years accelerated aging). Interestingly, the researchers did not observe accelerated aging in depression and aging, which they hypothesize may be due to different types of brain patterns for these disorders. |
study, Brain, aging, science daily | |
Adolescent Marijuana Use increases in Florida 04/30/2019 |
Adolescent Marijuana Use increases in Florida |
adolescence, Florida | |
People are pooping more than ever on the streets of San Francisco 04/23/2019 |
In 2011, just over 5,500 reports were logged by the San Francisco Department of Public Works; in 2018, the number increased to more than 28,000. |
San Francisco, california, feces | |
A mysterious condition can make marijuana users violently ill, and it reveals a hidden downside to the drug's growing popularity 04/20/2019 |
She quit marijuana completely for three months and was symptom-free. Then she tried CBD, hoping there was some form of cannabis she could enjoy. One day she took 200 milligrams of CBD in capsules. That night, she ended up in the ER. cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, or CHS. |
Hyperemesis Syndrome, business insider | |
Harris-lgbtq 03/24/2019 |
Fried | ||
Daily Marijuana Use And Highly Potent Weed Linked To Psychosis 03/19/2019 |
The study authors consider high-potency cannabis to be products with more than 10 percent tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, the compound responsible for the drug's psychoactive effects. The fact that consuming high-THC cannabis products has a greater risk is concerning, Lisdahl says, because these products are more common in the market now. Now a new study published Tuesday in the The Lancet Psychiatry shows that consuming pot on a daily basis and especially using high-potency cannabis increases the odds of having a psychotic episode later. |
study, Potency, Lancet, Psychosis | |
cannabis use to variation in the incidence of psychotic disorder across Europe 03/19/2019 |
In conclusion, our findings confirm previous evidence of the harmful effect on mental health of daily use of cannabis, especially of high-potency types. Importantly, they indicate for the first time how cannabis use affects the incidence of psychotic disorder. Therefore, it is of public health importance to acknowledge alongside the potential medicinal properties of some cannabis constituents the potential adverse effects that are associated with daily cannabis use, especially of high-potency varieties. |
Research, study, Lancet, Potency, Psychosis, cannabis-induced psychosis | |
High Potency Marijuana "Strongly Linked" to Psychosis 03/13/2019 |
It is the latest in a long line of evidence that marijuana is not an innocent relaxation drug. “Smoking high-potency cannabis, used daily, has been linked to diagnosis of conditions like schizophrenia, paranoia and other psychosis disorders, new findings say. About 50 percent of new cases of psychosis disorders diagnosed in Amsterdam were linked to use of high-potency cannabis, according to a study published Tuesday in The Lancet. |
mental health | |
Cannabis legislation and substance use disorder treatment 03/10/2019 |
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voting, Legislation | |
Cannabis use during pregnancy: Are we at the verge of defining a "fetal cannabis spectrum disorder"? 03/10/2019 |
Significant effects of prenatal cannabis exposure have been found on children's sleep, cognitive functions (memory and scholastic skills), as well as on executive (frontal lobe) functions (reasoning, attention, impulsivity, and motivation), and affective (depression) and anxiety symptoms throughout the stages of development. Following the presentation of two case vignettes, we integrate the published information on outcomes of maternal use of cannabis during pregnancy on the developing fetus and the "soft" neurological deficits and neuro-behavioral disturbances manifested by them from early childhood and evolving to peaks in adolescence. Taken together, these data serve to define what we call a heretofore unspecified "fetal cannabis spectrum disorder". |
Pregnancy, PubMed | |
Untold Truth about pot and violent mental illness 02/23/2019 |
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Berenson | |
Is smoking pot while pregnant safe for the baby? 02/14/2019 |
Researchers say psychoactive compounds in marijuana easily cross the placenta, exposing the fetus to perhaps 10 percent of the THC — tetrahydrocannabinol — that the mother receives, and higher concentrations if the mom uses pot repeatedly. |
NPR, Pregnancy | |
What does science say about smoked marijuana? 02/09/2019 |
smoking, Environment | ||
Association between cannabis use and psychosis-related outcomes using sibling pair analysis in a cohort of young adults. 02/07/2019 |
CONCLUSIONS: |
Truth, hallucinations, cannabis-induced psychosis, Psychosis | |
Does Medical Cannabis Reduce Use of Prescription Opioids? 02/06/2019 |
Is the solution to the opioid epidemic as simple as the legalization of medical cannabis? Commenting on the Bachhuber et al. analysis (1), Finney et al. (4) cautioned that an ecological fallacy may be present—individuals using medical marijuana could have elevated overdose mortality rates even though there is a state-level reduction. They contended that a prospective study of individual pain patients was necessary to assess relationships between cannabis use, use of opioid medications, and other substance use (4). |
olfson, opioid | |
Smoking Cannabis and Acquired Impairments in Cognition: Starting Early Seems Like a Really Bad Idea 02/05/2019 |
The authors discovered several interesting things. First, all elements of both alcohol and cannabis use increase annually across the various levels of frequency of use, with the exception of daily alcohol use. Second, the effects of cannabis are considerably greater than those of alcohol. Third, there appear to be both concurrent and lagged effects of cannabis use on several cognitive domains. Thus, use of cannabis has persistent effects that are also exacerbated by continued use. |
psychiatry, cognition | |
Are there mortality risks for patients with epilepsy who use cannabis treatments as monotherapy? 02/05/2019 |
Two cases of sudden death are reported in patients whose self-determined seizure management primarily relied on artisanal cannabis therapies. Risks of morbidity, mortality and SUDEP in SDTC users need to be further studied. Providers should be aware of the absence of morbidity and mortality data for SDTC in patients with epilepsy may only be due to a failure of reporting. |
epilepsy, science direct, Death | |
What to know about marijuana withdrawal 01/28/2019 |
Experts define addiction as continued marijuana use despite negative consequences in a person's life, such as issues relating to their family, job, or relationships. |
withdrawal, addiction, medicine news today | |
Marijuana, Mental Illness, and Violence 01/28/2019 |
I was surprised, to say the least. I tended to be a libertarian on drugs. Years before, I’d covered the pharmaceutical industry for The New York Times. I was aware of the claims about marijuana as medicine, and I’d watched the slow spread of legalized cannabis without much interest. |
book, Berenson | |
Is Marijuana as Safe as We Think? 01/28/2019 |
Given today's concerns about maintaining a healthy body eating organic foods, low carb diets, ... reading all the labels to verify safety and good health, it is ironic the same standards are not demanded by those that consume marijuana. Dog food is safer than marijuana! For example, smoking pot is widely supposed to diminish the nausea associated with chemotherapy. But, the panel pointed out, “there are no good-quality randomized trials investigating this option.” We have evidence for marijuana as a treatment for pain, but “very little is known about the efficacy, dose, routes of administration, or side effects of commonly used and commercially available cannabis products in the United States.” The caveats continue. Is it good for epilepsy? “Insufficient evidence.” Tourette’s syndrome? Limited evidence. A.L.S., Huntington’s, and Parkinson’s? Insufficient evidence. Irritable-bowel syndrome? Insufficient evidence. Dementia and glaucoma? Probably not. Anxiety? Maybe. Depression? Probably not. “dose-response relationship”... non-existent! |
New Yorker | |
Why Marijuana Will Not Fix the Opioid Epidemic, Why Marijuana Will Not Fix the Opioid Epidemic 01/20/2019 |
In 2017 Colorado had a record number of opioid overdose deaths from any opioid, including heroin and Colorado has had a medical marijuana program since 2001.6
There is currently a large and growing body of evidence showing that cannabis use increases, rather than decreases non-medical prescription opioid use and opioid use disorder, based on followup of more than 33,000 people.19 Concurrent use of cannabis and opioids by patients with chronic pain appears to indicate a higher risk of opioid misuse.20 Closer monitoring for opioid-related aberrant behaviors is indicated in this group of patients and it suggests that cannabis use is a predictor of aberrant drug behaviors in patients receiving chronic opioid therapy. |
opioid, Finn, ncbi | |
Medical Marijuana for Minors May Be Considered Child Abuse 01/20/2019 |
abuse | ||
Governor's Grade by Norml 01/16/2019 |
Not good news! |
norml, governor | |
How Marijuana Exposure Affects Developing Babies’ Brains, Infographic: How Exposure to Cannabis in Utero Affects Development 01/16/2019 |
Large-scale, longitudinal studies of humans whose mothers smoked marijuana once or more per week and experimental work on rodents exposed to cannabinoids in utero have yielded remarkably consistent intellectual and behavioral correlates of fetal exposure to this drug. Some exposed individuals exhibit deficits in memory, cognition, and measures of sociability. These aberrations appear during infancy and persist through adulthood and are tied to changes in the expression of multiple gene families, as well as more global measures of brain responsiveness and plasticity. Researchers currently consider these perturbations to be mediated by changes to the endocannabinoid system caused by the active compounds in cannabis. |
Pregnancy | |
Polysubstance Use Facts 01/14/2019 |
Whether intentional or not, mixing drugs is never safe because the effects from combining drugs may be stronger and more unpredictable than one drug alone, and even deadly. |
polysubstance abuse, CCD | |
What Advocates of Legalizing Pot Don’t Want You to Know 01/04/2019 |
Berenson | ||
2017 Annual Report- Florida Medical Examiner 11/01/2018 |
The seven most frequently occurring drugs found in decedents were ethyl alcohol (5,258), benzodiazepines (5,064, including 1,889 alprazolam occurrences), cocaine (3,129), cannabinoids (2,367), fentanyl (2,088), morphine (1,992), and fentanyl analogs (1,685). Since heroin is rapidly metabolized to morphine, this may lead to a substantial over-reporting of morphine-related deaths as well as significant under-reporting of heroin-related deaths. |
fatal, Florida, Death | |
Medical Marijuana for Minors May Be Considered Child Abuse 10/01/2018 |
In summary, when approaching how to define the threshold to report a family to a child welfare system, we must first take into account our state laws. Our medical opinion, however, must be directed by many other factors, including an understanding of the circumstances and the motivation of the parent. Child welfare systems rely on medical providers to make clear statements regarding our medical opinion about whether a child has been abused or neglected. This is a powerful role. We might also use this case to advocate for a change in state laws or policies regarding the well-intentioned use of marijuana in dire circumstances such as the ones that this mother faced. |
child abuse, Medical | |
Nearly 40 N.J. towns have now banned legal weed. Here's the full list 09/30/2018 |
As state lawmakers continue hashing out a marijuana legalization bill, the list of towns in New Jersey saying no to legal weed just keeps growing. |
New Jersey, Ban | |
State agencies issue advisory about marijuana, hemp products 09/28/2018 |
The advisory mentions the following risks: |
TN, Public Health, Advisory | |
Edibles-Can you tell the Difference 09/28/2018 |
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Tennessee Department of Health issues advisory on Cannabis 09/27/2018 |
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TN, Dept. of Health | |
Surgical considerations of marijuana use in elective procedures. 09/25/2018 |
RESULTS: CONCLUSIONS: |
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Children of mothers using cannabis may start using it at an earlier age, finds study 09/24/2018 |
When mothers use marijuana during the first 12 years of their child's life, their cannabis-using children are more likely to start at an earlier age than children of non-using mothers, according to a new study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. This study is the first to establish a relationship between maternal cannabis use during a child's lifetime and earlier initiation in a nationally-representative, longitudinal cohort and examine the role of race, gender, and other social environmental factors. |
Children, parents, study | |
Emergency Rooms Seeing Rise In Syndrome Related To Marijuana Use 09/22/2018 |
“Painful cramping, vomiting occurring. It can happen every few weeks, every few months, last a few days and be incredibly uncomfortable,” said Dr. Michael Lynch of the Pittsburgh Poison Control Center at UPMC. |
emergency room, Hyperemesis Syndrome, Pennsylvania | |
Number of new heroin users drops dramatically, but meth, marijuana use up, survey says 09/16/2018 |
There was more alarming news. Use of illegal drugs, including cocaine, marijuana, and opioids by pregnant women increased significantly between 2015 and 2017. About 7 percent of pregnant women reported using marijuana. Three percent said they used it daily. McCance-Katz says marijuana use is linked to fetal growth problems, preterm births, stillbirths, hyperactivity and impaired cognition in newborns. |
Pregnancy, heroin, McCance-Katz | |
Doctor: Marijuana, e-cigarettes harmful to teen brains 09/16/2018 |
Marijuana concentrates such as shatter, butter or glass have THC concentrations as high as 90 percent. The same high levels are found in edible cannabis products sold in Colorado, packaged to look like popular candy bars and particularly appealing to children. |
Potee, youth, cigarettes | |
Effect of cannabis use in people with chronic non-cancer pain prescribed opioids: findings from a 4-year prospective cohort stud 09/13/2018 |
In conclusion, cannabis use is common in people with chronic non-cancer pain who have been prescribed opioids, and interest in medicinal use of cannabis is increasing. We found no evidence that cannabis use improved patient outcomes; those who used cannabis had greater pain and lower self-efficacy in managing pain. Furthermore, we found no evidence that cannabis use reduced pain interference or exerted an opioidsparing effect. |
Lancet, study, pain | |
Marijuana use is associated with an increased risk of prescription opioid misuse and use disorders 09/13/2018 |
New research suggests that marijuana users may be more likely than nonusers to misuse prescription opioids and develop prescription opioid use disorder. The study was conducted by researchers at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health, and Columbia University. |
opioid | |
Warning Letters and Test Results for Cannabidiol-Related Products 09/13/2018 |
Over the past several years, FDA has issued several warning letters to firms that market unapproved new drugs that allegedly contain cannabidiol (CBD). As part of these actions, FDA has tested the chemical content of cannabinoid compounds in some of the products, and many were found to not contain the levels of CBD they claimed to contain. It is important to note that these products are not approved by FDA for the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of any disease. Consumers should beware purchasing and using any such products. |
FDA, warning | |
The Legalization of Marijuana in Colorado: The Impact Volume 5 – 2018, UPDATE 09/12/2018 |
Executive Summary
RMHIDTA has published annual reports every year since 2013 tracking the impact of
legalizing recreational marijuana in Colorado. The purpose is to provide data and
information so that policy makers and citizens can make informed decisions on the
issue of marijuana legalization. This year (2018) RMHIDTA elected to provide an
update to the 2017 Volume 5 report rather than another detailed report.
Section I: Traffic Fatalities & Impaired Driving
x Since recreational marijuana was legalized, marijuana related traffic deaths
increased 151 percent while all Colorado traffic deaths increased 35 percent
x Since recreational marijuana was legalized, traffic deaths involving drivers who
tested positive for marijuana more than doubled from 55 in 2013 to 138 people
killed in 2017.
o This equates to one person killed every 2 1⁄2 days compared to one person
killed every 6 1⁄2 days.
x The percentage of all Colorado traffic deaths that were marijuana related
increased from 11.43 percent in 2013 to 21.3 percent in 2017.
Section II: Marijuana Use
x Colorado past month marijuana use shows a 45 percent increase in comparing
the three-year average prior to recreational marijuana being legalized to the three
years after legalization.
x Colorado past month marijuana use for ages 12 and older is ranked 3rd in the
nation and is 85 percent higher than the national average.
Section III: Public Health
x The yearly rate of emergency department visits related to marijuana increased 52
percent after the legalization of recreational marijuana. (2012 compared to 2016)
x The yearly rate of marijuana-related hospitalizations increased 148 percent after
the legalization of recreational marijuana. (2012 compared to 2016)
x Marijuana only exposures more than tripled in the five-year average (2013-2017)
since Colorado legalized recreational marijuana compared to the five-year
average (2008-2012) prior to legalization.
Section IV: Black Market
x RMHIDTA Colorado Task Forces (10) conducted 144 investigations of black
market marijuana in Colorado resulting in:
o 239 felony arrests
o 7.3 tons of marijuana seized
o 43,949 marijuana plants seized
o 24 different states the marijuana was destined
x The number of highway seizures of Colorado marijuana increased 39 percent
from an average of 242 seizures (2009-2012) to an average of 336 seizures (2013-
2017) during the time recreational marijuana has been legal.
x Seizures of Colorado marijuana in the U.S. mail system has increased 1,042
percent from an average of 52 parcels (2009-2012) to an average of 594 parcels
(2013-2017) during the time recreational marijuana has been legal.
Section V: Societal Impact
x Marijuana tax revenue represent approximately nine tenths of one percent of
Colorado’s FY 2017 budget.
x Violent crime increased 18.6 percent and property crime increased 8.3 percent in
Colorado since 2013.
x 65 percent of local jurisdictions in Colorado have banned medical and
recreational marijuana businesses.
Section IV: Marijuana Industry
x According to the Marijuana Policy Group, Market Size and Demand for
Marijuana in Colorado 2017 Market Update:
o “From 2014 through 2017, average annual adult use flower prices fell 62.0
percent, from $14.05 to $5.34 per gram weighted average.”
o “Adult use concentrate prices fell 47.9 percent, from $41.43 to $21.57 per
gram.”
o “The average THC content of all tested flower in 2017 was 19.6 percent
statewide compared to 17.4 percent in 2016, 16.6 percent in 2015 and 16.4
percent in 2014.”
o “The average potency of concentrated extract products increased steadily
from 56.6 percent THC content by weight in 2014 to 68.6 percent at the
end of 2017.”
x As of June 2017, there were 491 retail marijuana stores in the state of Colorado
compared to 392 Starbucks and 208 McDonald’s.
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Colorado, Black Market, social costs, Fatalities | |
Marijuana Use During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding: Implications for Neonatal and Childhood Outcomes 09/08/2018 |
The importance of the published findings and the emerging research regarding the potential negative effects of marijuana on brain development are a cause for concern despite the limited research and are the basis for the following recommendations:
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Pregnancy, Breastfeeding | |
Is CBD Oil Harmful or Healing? What No One is Telling You 09/04/2018 |
CBD oil may potentially interact in a negative way with anti-epilepsy drugs. As of now, only in vitro (test tube) observations exist with no living organism testing proving safety. Drugs that may interact include:
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hash oil, cbd oil, Pregnancy | |
DFAF: The Truth About Marijuana 08/20/2018 |
pathway, heroin, opioid, video | ||
Marijuana and Pregnancy 08/01/2018 |
DFAF, Pregnancy, Infographics | ||
Canadian firm strikes a deal to enter Florida marijuana market with Ruskin grower 07/31/2018 |
A Canadian love-fest for Florida pot companies continues to blossom with a $93 million deal that includes a Ruskin-based grower yet to begin selling marijuana products. |
follow the money, #FakeMedicine | |
Opioid Use During Pregnancy 07/16/2018 |
opioid, Pregnancy, DFAF | ||
Ex-Drug Czars Bill Bennett, John Walters: Mr. Trump, please don’t legalize marijuana at the federal level 07/12/2018 |
First and foremost, marijuana is already associated with more abuse and dependency (now called substance abuse disorder) than all other illegal drugs combined. Roughly four out of seven problem usersof illegal drugs are using marijuana. This is a dangerous blind spot exploited by many legalization advocates (although some of them are now warning about the growing risk of heavy marijuana use under legalization).... |
Bennett | |
Results from the 2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health 07/03/2018 |
SAMSHA | ||
More Coloradans died last year from drug overdoses than any year in the state’s history. That shows how the opioid epidemic is c 07/03/2018 |
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opioid | |
Marijuana and the Brain 07/02/2018 |
Brain, Drug Free America | ||
Cannabis use and driving-related performance in young recreational users: a within-subject randomized clinical trial 07/01/2018 |
We found that among young recreational cannabis users, a regular dose of cannabis had no effect on simple and learned tasks, but its use led to significant impairments on complex and novel driving-related tasks, as well as perceived driving ability and safety, for up to 5 hours after use. The present finding that the first 5 hours after cannabis use affected driving-related performance substantiates the recommendations of Canada’s Lower-Risk Cannabis Use Guidelines, which recommend waiting 6 hours after cannabis use before driving.30 |
Canada, Research, study, driving, youth | |
Medical Marijuana and Epilepsy 06/13/2018 |
CONTENT HIGHLIGHTS
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Charlotte's Web, Epidiolex, epilepsy | |
Secondhand marijuana smoke and kids 06/05/2018 |
During the same time period that cigarette smoking around children came down more than 7%, marijuana smoking around children went up nearly 5%. With more and more states legalizing marijuana for recreational use, that number is likely to continue going up. |
second hand smoke | |
DRUG PARAPHERNALIA 05/28/2018 |
Click on link for updated list of drug paraphernalia |
paraphernalia | |
OP-ED: LEGALIZING MARIJUANA PUTS NEW JERSEY ADOLESCENTS AT RISK 05/25/2018 |
When we talk about legalizing marijuana, we must acknowledge that we are talking about legalizing a mind-altering substance that affects the brain by impairing cognition, judgment, and reflexes. We need to discuss the science and data behind the consequences of marijuana consumption on our youth and their developing brains, as this is an issue that is far-too-often overlooked. |
OpEd, legalization, Consequences | |
Drug Made From Cannabis Plant Gets Backing From FDA Staff 05/22/2018 |
The treatment, which GW Pharma hopes to market under the name Epidiolex, is produced in the U.K. from a plant that has been bred to have a high cannabidiol, or CBD, content, Chief Executive Officer Justin Gover said in an interview earlier this month. The chemical is purified and made into a strawberry-flavored oral solution, he said. |
gw pharm, Epidiolex, seizure, FDA | |
The Promise of Vaping and the Rise of Juul 05/22/2018 |
“Juul is already a massive public-health disaster—and without dramatic action it’s going to get much, much, much worse.” Winickoff believes that the vape industry is co-opting the national wellness trend—“when, in fact, vaping can cause something called bronchiolitis obliterans, or popcorn lung,” he said. Popcorn lung has been linked to diacetyl, an organic compound that some companies use in their e-liquid, and that has been detected as a by-product of e-cigarette vapor. But diacetyl has also been detected in cigarette smoke, at a level hundreds of times greater, and no feasible amount of smoking has been found to cause popcorn lung. (Juul does not use diacetyl in its liquid, and, in tests, the company has found no measurable amounts of diacetyl in the vapor emitted by its devices.)
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Vaping, Juul, trends, paraphernalia | |
“Persistent cannabis users show neuropsychological decline from childhood to midlife”, based on results from the Dunedin study 05/16/2018 |
The Netherland’s attempt to divide markets into soft vs. hard drugs by allowing coffee shops to sell cannabis did not result in lower consumption of hard drugs. Overall it has been a social disaster. |
Netherlands, madras, World Federation Against Drugs | |
Medical Cannabis Adverse Effects & Drug Interactions 05/16/2018 |
DOH, powerpoint | ||
Cost of Legalizing Marijuana- Illinois 05/16/2018 |
This report finds that legalization in Illinois, however, would cost at least $670 million, outweighing the projected tax revenue. |
Illnois | |
Florida’s medical marijuana program is attracting troubled doctors: ‘It’s like the Wild Wild West’ 05/16/2018 |
"Marijuana doctors were 2.8 times as likely as other doctors to have been disciplined by the Board of Medicine, and 2.4 times as likely to have been charged with a crime. Altogether, 108 of them were responsible for $69.4 million in malpractice judgments and settlements, some for maiming or killing patients. Some of the doctors have been fined, suspended or stripped of their licenses in other states. They’ve misdiagnosed conditions, falsified records and written prescriptions for people they never saw. They’ve been jailed for domestic violence. A few have sexually abused patients, including those as young as 14 and 16." |
PotDocs, Florida, Malpractice | |
Recreational Cannabis Legalization and Opioid-Related Deaths in Colorado, 2000-2015 05/13/2018 |
Note: If you look at the blue bar you will see that opioid deaths have more than quadrupled since medical marijuana was legalized in Colorado (in 2000). And deaths rose from 377 in 2012 (year mj legalized) to 504 in 2016. No evidence that legal marijuana is helping in Colorado- if anything it could be contributing to making the opioid epidemic worse! But the conclusion is not supported by data. This study and others that conclude marijuana helps fight the opioid crisis do not consider the many other strategies that have been implemented to fight opioid abuse, including the PDMP, treatment and Narcan. Nor is there any proof people are substituting marijuana for opioids. And this particular CO research (below) flies in the face of the actual data/ facts! Opioid deaths in Colorado have increased based on the data from Colorado Public Health and Environment Dept. Study's conclusion does not seem to match data.
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opioid, Colorado | |
Majority of Dispensary Workers Told Undercover Callers Pregnant Women Could Use Pot 05/09/2018 |
Researchers had two women conduct "mystery caller" phone conversations with employees at 400 dispensaries across the state, telling them that they were eight weeks pregnant and suffering from morning sickness. During the majority of those calls, the employees recommended the women use cannabis products. |
Pregnancy, Colorado | |
Florida's young medical marijuana industry takes off 04/28/2018 |
Florida has lowered the original cost of the fee for doctors to be licensed to prescribe medical marijuana to $250 from $1,000 and reduced the training time to two hours from eight. It has increased the number of physicians able to recommend medical marijuana by 48 percent since the beginning of the year. |
Florida, money, profit | |
SAMHSA Head Stands Firm on Marijuana's Dangers Also says younger generation of providers is key to opioid fight 04/26/2018 |
I'm here to tell you this is not a safe drug," McCance-Katz said during a town hall event at "NatCon18," the National Council for Behavioral Health's annual conference. |
McCance-Katz, SAMSHA, opioid | |
Study shows prenatal cannabis use associated with low birth weights 04/23/2018 |
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Pregnancy, study | |
Fatal Car Crashes Happen More Often Than Usual on 4/20, Study Finds 04/20/2018 |
![]() (TIME) April 20, also known as “420,” is a day popular with many marijuanasmokers who see it as a “national holiday” of sorts and celebrate by getting high. The term “420” originated in the 1970s with a group of California high schoolers who would regularly meet after school at 4:20 p.m. to smoke weed. |
4/20, Fatalities, paraphernalia, getsmart | |
Colorado governor won't rule out banning marijuana again. Here's why 04/20/2018 |
"Trust me, if the data was coming back and we saw spikes in violent crime, we saw spikes in overall crime, there would be a lot of people looking for that bottle and figuring out how we get the genie back in," he said. "It doesn't seem likely to me, but I'm not ruling it out." |
Colorado, governor | |
Medical Marijuana Users are More Likely to Use Prescription Drugs Medically and Nonmedically 04/17/2018 |
Conclusions: Our findings disconfirm the hypothesis that a population-level negative correlation between medical marijuana use and prescription drug harms occurs because medical marijuana users are less likely to use prescription drugs, either medically or nonmedically. Medical marijuana users should be a target population in efforts to combat nonmedical prescription drug use. |
opioid, study, Research | |
Mood Fluctuation and Psychobiological Instability: The Same Core Functions Are Disrupted by Novel Psychoactive Substances and Es 04/14/2018 |
Many novel psychoactive substances (NPS) have entered the recreational drug scene in recent years, yet the problems they cause are similar to those found with established drugs. This article will debate the psychobiological effects of these newer and more traditional substances. It will show how they disrupt the same core psychobiological functions, so damaging well-being in similar ways. |
Research, Psychoactive |