New Zealanders May Soon Vote on Cannabis… and Euthanasia?

New Zealand politicians have promised to hold a nation-wide vote on whether to legalize recreational marijuana by 2020. And euthanasia, the right for doctors to assist the terminally ill or those in crippling pain in dying, has amassed political support. As legislation for both topics progresses, Kiwis will have a chance to vote yay or nay, possibly at the same time.

Here’s a look at what New Zealand’s political forces have to say about both issues, and how they’ll decide when to hold this historic referendum.

Legal Marijuana Is Coming To New Zealand

Support for decriminalization or legalization has been on the rise for years. In 2017, a New Zealand Drug Foundation poll found that 65 percent back decriminalization or legalization for personal possession.

Furthermore, an overwhelming majority support marijuana for pain relief, especially for the terminally ill. 55 percent would vote in favor of legalizing personal use marijuana growth, too.

Ross Bell, director of the Drug Foundation, explained to the New Zealand Herald, “A regulated approach will usher in controls on quality, price, and availability of cannabis, along with more education, prevention and treatment. The public gets this. Why don’t our political leaders?”

When weed comes to a vote, Kiwis will almost certainly decriminalize it, and will most likely legalize it recreationally.

Political Forces Are Catching Up To Popular Opinion

Though former Prime Minister Bill English was a fervently anti-marijuana, times have changed in New Zealand. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has not publicly supported recreational weed. However, as part of a larger deal with the Green Party, Ardern’s Labour Party has committed to holding the marijuana referendum.

Now that the Greens and the Labour Party are working together, cannabis has the support of a parliamentary majority. But political leaders have yet to present marijuana legislation. Justice Minister Andrew Little said, “We simply haven’t got anywhere near that, I think it’s about getting the mechanics of the referendum sorted, then I think obviously some discussions around scope and maybe some options there.”

This means working on public education and preventing young people from accessing marijuana. Legislators also want to hear from the public. When you combine all these factors, Mr. Little estimated, “That would dictate a timing that would be no earlier than late 2019.”

Euthanasia Legislation Is Gaining Ground

The End of Life Choice Bill outlines a strict protocol for doctors to assist patients in dying. Specifically, only those with incurable medical conditions and the terminally ill could legally request assistance. The process would require more than one consultation. If the patient decides to proceed, a doctor will administer a lethal dose of medication.

David Seymour leader of ACT New Zealand, the county’s liberal party, proposed the ‘assisted dying’ legislation in 2017. In December, he agreed to a public referendum on the bill. To get to this next stage, however, it will require the support of a parliamentary majority.

One Referendum Could Include Marijuana and Euthanasia

There are still some hurdles to overcome for both pieces of legislation. Progressives need to flesh out a framework for recreational weed, both as a referendum and as a nationwide program. Additionally, the End of Life Choice Bill must move through the approval process.

But a vote on both is on the horizon. It’s only a question of when they’ll hold the vote, and whether it should be on one ballot. Some politicians want to combine the two votes because it would be cheaper. “It would make sense to not have to spend a lot of money on a succession of referenda,” explained Justice Minister Little.

Some want to hold the referendums during the 2020 general election. James Shaw of the Green Party sees it as a matter of convenience for voters. “People are going to be going to the polling booths anyway,” he said.

Other politicians worry that voting on marijuana and euthanasia during the general election would complicate the issues. Chloe Swarbrick, a Green Party spokeswoman, argued, “If we hold it in 2019, it may not be deeply politicised, polarised, or pigeon-holed—and we are hopefully able to have more of an evidentiary discussion.”

New Zealanders Will Vote in 2019 or 2020

A vote on legalizing recreational marijuana and euthanasia is impending, though the decision of when to hold it affect its outcome. For instance, fewer people would vote in a mailed in referendum compared to one held during a general election. But voting on marijuana in the general election could detract from other political issues that lawmakers feel strongly about.

No matter when they hold the vote, it looks like Kiwis will be deciding on some life-changing issues—who has the right to die and who is sent to prison—in the next year or two.

Philadelphia Hospital To Study Medical Marijuana Patients with MS

Philadelphia is quickly becoming a focal point in the nation’s fight for marijuana reform, with most of the attention on the city directed at Philadelphia’s new district attorney, Larry Krasner, who is championing a radical reform agenda aimed at transforming criminal justice. But Philly is also home to the Lambert Center for the Study of Medicinal Cannabis and Hemp, one of the country’s leading medical cannabis research centers.

Last week, the Lambert Center made major medical cannabis news when it announced a new initiative for patients suffering from chronic diseases — and, if the initiative succeeds, it will produce the largest database of medical marijuana health outcomes to date.

Pioneering Medical Cannabis Research Center Launches Trailblazing Patient Initiative

On Thursday, Thomas Jefferson University issued a press release announcing that the university’s Lambert Center for the Study of Medicinal Cannabis and Hemp had partnered with ioVita, a digital health startup, to launch a new initiative called mmj.org.

The mmj.org initiative is the first of its kind: its goals are to further the scientific understanding of medical cannabis by collecting information directly from patients and caregivers. To do so, it’s establishing a voluntary medical cannabis patient registry; once enrolled, patients who use medical cannabis can self-report on their health outcomes.

The Lambert center hopes to enroll at least 100,000 patients in the mmj.org registry. That would make it the largest single database of patient health outcomes in the United States.

The registry will be an indispensable resource not just for patients and caregivers, but also for researchers, since longitudinal studies gather data about individuals or groups over a long period of time — and in the field of medical cannabis research, they are scarce.

“We are launching the mmj.org patient registry to fill significant gaps in the science,” Steven K. Klasko, TJU president and CEO, said in a press release. “The Lambert Center’s leadership in this emerging area of medicine exemplifies Jefferson’s commitment to advance the leading edge of medicine and transform the status quo in US healthcare.”

The Lambert Center, Medical Marijuana, and MS

The Lambert Center’s mmj.org registry will collect health outcome data from anyone who uses cannabis for medical reasons. Most of the data will likely come from patients who use cannabis for pain relief, which, according to Harvard University, is the most common use of medical marijuana in the U.S.

But other patient groups will also provide crucial data for researchers: those who use cannabis to treat neurological diseases like Parkinson’s, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis (MS). For these patient communities, medical cannabis represents an area of emerging interest. Studies show 95 percent of patients with MS believe medical marijuana could be a viable course of treatment. Furthermore, a 2017 survey found that roughly 52 percent of MS patients who used medical cannabis found the drug beneficial.

Currently, however, patients suffering from chronic diseases and their caregivers have little knowledge about which forms of cannabis are the most effective for treating a particular disease or symptom. The mmj.org registry would allow patients to share their experiences and spread knowledge about the best treatment options.

“Millions of patients with chronic diseases are seeking health benefits from marijuana and various cannabinoids, and many are left to experiment with cannabis products on their own,” Charles Pollack Jr., MD and director of the Lambert Center, said in the release. “These patients and their caregivers not only deserve our support, but they can help advance scientific understanding by sharing their experiences in a research registry designed with rigor and scale.”

When Patients Share Their Experiences with Medical Cannabis, Everyone Wins

By aiming to enroll 100,000 patients, the Lambert Center is setting a high bar for itself, but if it hits that mark, it will have established the largest and most comprehensive clinical database in the growing field of medical cannabis studies.

Once mmj.org is live this summer, medical cannabis patients will be able to enroll and share health outcomes through the website’s online portal, and The Lambert Center is also establishing partnerships with patient and healthcare organizations nationwide, including medical cannabis dispensaries. The idea is to cast a wide net to collect as much data as possible.

“Current evidence indicates that cannabinoids can be useful in the management of certain types of chronic pain, side effects of chemotherapy, and some symptoms of MS,” Pollack added. “But there is much we still need to learn.”

Philadelphia to Treat Opioid Addiction with Medical Marijuana

The Pennsylvania Department of Health approved two major changes to the state’s medical marijuana program on Monday.

First, the health department added opioid addiction to the list of conditions eligible for treatment with medicinal cannabis. With that decision, Pennsylvania joins New Jersey as the only two states that have done so.

Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine told local media that marijuana won’t be the first treatment for addiction to opioids. Instead, doctors will try more traditional therapies first.

“It’s important to note that medical marijuana is not a substitute for proven treatments for opioid use disorder,” Dr. Levine said. “In Pennsylvania, medical marijuana will be available to patients if all other treatment fails, or if a physician recommends that it be used in conjunction with traditional therapies.”

Opioid addiction has exacted a grim toll in Pennsylvania, particularly in the state’s largest city, Philadelphia. Officials attribute about 1,200 deaths in the city in 2017 to drug overdoses.

Cannabis Research Also Approved

The Department of Health also approved cannabis research licenses for five Philadelphia area medical schools on Monday. One topic researchers at the institutions want to study is the potential role of cannabis in addiction treatment.

The schools that received approval to study cannabis are Drexel University College of Medicine, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.

“The research component of Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program sets it apart from the rest of the nation,” Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf said. “Today, medical research is so limited by the federal government that only a few doctors can even have access to medical marijuana. Pennsylvania’s premier medical schools will be able to help shape the future of treatment for patients who are in desperate need not just here, but across the country.”

Cannabis Flower Gets the Nod, Too

Pennsylvania’s health department also approved several other changes to the MMJ program on Monday. In a boon for patient choice, regulators have approved cannabis flower for sale at dispensaries. Since the program began earlier this year, only more expensive cannabis oils have been available. The law does not allow the smoking of marijuana, but patients will be able to vaporize cannabis flower.

Chris Visco owns Pennsylvania dispensary chain TerraVida Holistic Centers. When adding flower was first proposed, he said that the change would make patients’ medicine less expensive.

“For some patients, the cost of their medical marijuana could drop by 50 percent with the addition of flower,” said Visco. “It offers the lowest price per milligram of THC, the active ingredient.”

The health department also revised the program’s definition of chronic pain. Now, patients will not have to treat the condition with opioids before receiving a recommendation for medical marijuana.

The new regulations for Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program will go into effect on May 17.

Global Study Finds Tobacco, Alcohol More Harmful Than Illicit Drugs

A new report from the Society for the Study of Addiction found that alcohol and tobacco are far and away the most harmful substances used around the world. The report culls together data from the World Health Organization, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. Even though there are some limitations in the data, the SSA’s report offers a global picture of the mortality and burden of disease associated with alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drug use.

And while cannabis use is up especially in the US and Canada, the real story here is alcohol and tobacco. Researchers measured cannabis dependence at just 259 out of 100,000 people, with more affluent regions having the highest rates.

Alcohol and Tobacco Use Cost Humankind 250,000,000 Life Years In 2015 Alone

Compared to their illicit counterparts (including cannabis and hard drugs like methamphetamine and cocaine), alcohol and tobacco cost the most life years and caused the highest mortality rates, according to a new report from the Society for the Study of Addiction.

Researchers can study the overall harm drug use causes by measuring their impact in “disability-adjusted life years,” or DALYs. This metric takes into account the years people live with cancers, respiratory disease or heart disease. It also tallies deaths from overdoses.

Using DALYs and deaths from substance use, researchers were able to measure the harm alcohol, tobacco and drug use cause in relative and absolute terms. And according to the report’s findings, illicit drugs come nowhere close to the harm alcohol and tobacco cause.

Take a look at the raw numbers, beginning with substance-attributable mortality rates. Tobacco use killed the most people, 110.7 deaths per 100,000 people. Alcohol, by comparison, is only about a third as lethal. Drinking caused 33.0 deaths out of 100,000 people.

From there, the numbers drop off sharply. Combined, illicit drug use accounts for 6.9 deaths per 100,00 people.

But it’s the loss in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) that’s most striking. Alcohol and Tobacco use cost humankind 250,000,000, or a quarter of a billion years globally. Illicit drug use cost just a fraction of as many years. But they still added tens of millions more lost DALYs to the pile.

Once again, tobacco was king, costing 170.9 million DALYs. Runner-up was alcohol, costing 85.0 million years. Comparably, illicit drugs cost 27.8 million.

Africa and the Middle East Have Lowest Levels Of Harm While Europe Suffers Most From Its Habits

The SSA’s report also paints a picture of the global distribution of the harm caused by alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs. But this is admittedly where the researchers’ data sets are the most incomplete.

Still, the report found that Eastern Europe had the both the highest mortality rates and DALYs for alcohol and illicit drugs. Oceania, which includes New Zealand, Australia and a host of Pacific island nations, had the highest mortality rates and DALYs for tobacco.

Europe also suffered worse in low income and middle-income countries. In absolute terms, mortality rates were greatest there. But data is also sparsest from these regions.

In North Africa and Southwest Asia, however, alcohol use is the lowest globally at less than a liter per capita. The lowest smoking rates were in Western sub-Saharan Africa.

“We think of ourselves as bastions of civilization, but on this particular area we’re doing worse than the developing world,” Professor Robert West of University College London, one of the report’s co-authors, told the Independent in reference to the prevalence of substance use in Europe and North America.

More Accessible, More Harmful

While the SSA’s new report may show an upward trend of years and lives lost to alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs, it shows that nothing has changed in terms of which substances are the most harmful, or where people use them most.

Compared with illicit drugs, “smoking and alcohol are always well ahead,” said Professor West. “There’s nowhere that it even comes close.”

But considering how many more people use alcohol and tobacco compared with amphetamines, cocaine and opioids, that makes sense. The more people who drink and smoke, the greater the harm.

FBI Raids California Mayor, Marijuana Dispensary On Bribery Charges

On Tuesday, FBI agents executed a series of search warrants in Adelanto, CA that included City Hall, a marijuana dispensary, and Mayor Rich Kerr’s home. FBI spokesperson Laura Eimiller said the agency acted in concert with the IRS, the San Bernardino County’s DA office, and the Sheriff’s Department. Full details of the investigation are pending. The search warrants appear to be connected to an alleged bribery and corruption scandal involving the mayor’s office and marijuana businesses in Adelanto.

Adelanto Mayor Suspected Of Accepting Bribes From Marijuana Businesses

According to multiple reports, FBI agents raided the home of Adelanto mayor Rich Kerr and the city’s town hall on Tuesday. The raids are part of a large-scale investigation into suspected corruption and bribery.

The Jet Room, a marijuana dispensary, was also targeted in Tuesday’s sweeping raids. Agents executed additional warrants at the law office of the Jet Room’s attorney, Philip E. Rios.

There’s a family connection between Rios’ firm, Professional Lawyers Group, and the Jet Room dispensary. The general counsel for the Professional Lawyers Group, David Serrano, is the brother of the Jet Room’s owner, Manuel Serrano.

So far, the FBI isn’t releasing information about the nature of the warrants, which were sealed by a federal court. FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller did say that the warrants involve “an investigation into criminal activity.”

Despite earlier reports that agents arrested Mayor Rich Kerr and took him away in handcuffs, Eimiller said there had been no arrests. Agents did, however, seize a number of boxes and storage bins of documents from Mayor Kerr’s home.

“They’re just doing their due diligence,” Kerr’s daughter told the San Bernardino Sun.

Raids The Latest Development In Ongoing Corruption Investigations

Located in San Bernardino county, Adelanto has been aggressively recruiting marijuana businesses to the area. But this isn’t the first time Adelanto has come under federal scrutiny for possible corruption.

When Rich Kerr took office, federal agents had already filed charges against the city’s pro tem mayor Jermaine Wright. The charges accused Wright of taking bribes to fast-track certain licensing steps for marijuana businesses.

Last November, federal agents arrested and indicted Wright. Wright had taken a $10,000 cash bribe from an undercover FBI agent in exchange for a rezoning move that would have favored a particular cannabis transportation business.

According to reports, Wright also attempted to pay another FBI agent $1,500 to torch his barbecue restaurant, Fat Boyz Grill. The restaurant carried a $300,000 insurance policy.

Adelanto’s history of official corruption goes back even further. The city has seen multiple corruption scandals involving police, elected officials, and even an animal control supervisor, according to the Sun.

This isn’t Mayor Kerr’s first controversy. Back in January, an intern accused Kerr of sexual harassment and workplace humiliation. The intern filed an official complaint against Kerr with the city. An independent investigation ultimately cleared Kerr of any wrongdoing.

FBI Raids Mayor’s Home In Marijuana Business Bribery Investigation

Despite the coordinated, multi-agency investigation that raided mayor Kerr’s home and City Hall, the FBI didn’t arrest Kerr or anyone at the Jet Room.

The raids closed down City Hall for the day on Tuesday. Adelanto’s public information officer Michael Stevens said in a statement that the city is “unaware of the nature of the FBI’s investigation” but is prepared to fully cooperate with any investigations being conducted.

Mayor Kerr’s wife, Misty, assured neighbors concerned about the FBI activity that “Everything’s fine”. The investigation is ongoing.

Sen. Kamala Harris Joins the Ranks of Marijuana Justice Act Sponsors

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Ca.) is undeniably a rising star in the Democratic party. Her announcement Thursday that she would back federal marijuana legalization has quickly propelled her to the ranks of progressive heavyweights like Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). A potential 2020 contender for the White House, Harris’s recent statements signal she is ready to move the country toward progressive marijuana and criminal justice reform.

Sen. Kamala Harris Vows To Support Federal Marijuana Legalization

As Sen. Kamala Harris joins the ranks of Marijuana Justice Act sponsors, she moves alongside progressive Democrats like Cory Booker, the bill’s sponsor, and Kirsten Gillibrand, who champion marijuana legalization as a social justice issue.

Sen. Booker’s legislation would remove marijuana from the federal government’s list of Schedule I controlled substances. But the justice component goes much further. The Marijuana Justice Act would additionally expunge the criminal records of any American with prior marijuana use or possession convictions.

It’s a radical proposal that would dramatically alter the criminal justice landscape in the United States. And that’s something for which Harris, former attorney general of California, has long fought.

“It’s the right thing to do. And I know this as a former prosecutor. I know this as a senator,” Harris said in a video posted by NowThis announcing her decision. “I just look at what we want as a country and where we need to be instead of where we’ve been.”

And where we’ve been, according to Harris and many who support cannabis legalization, has been a nightmare of racially disparate drug enforcement and incarceration. Where we’ve been, Harris says, is the failed war on drugs.

“The war on drugs was a war on communities. Not somebody smoking a joint,” Harris says in the video.

Making Good On Her Progressive Credentials

While Sen. Harris’s record on criminal justice reform is laudatory, her action on legal cannabis has been less so. Even so, Harris’s coming out to support Sen. Booker’s Marijuana Justice Act fits in with her long-standing critique of the criminal justice system.

As San Francisco’s district attorney and later as California’s attorney general, Harris adopted a number of progressive stances. The list is admirable, and includes significant measures like sentencing reform and adopting measures to reduce recidivism in California’s over-populated prison system.

Harris was also a vocal supporter of the Affordable Care Act and defended the rights of same-sex couples to marry. And she was responsible for getting California’s justice department to adopt body cameras and mandate implicit racial bias training for its police officers. She’s even gone after polluters and corporate fraudsters.

With Trump in office and Jeff Sessions as Attorney General, Kamala has become an even more outspoken progressive. She has supported single-payer healthcare along with Bernie Sanders and is a backer of free college tuition for low-income households.

All of that is impressive and praiseworthy, even if critics of Harris point out that her deeds have not always follow her words.

Unfortunately, those criticisms seemed especially valid when it came to Harris’s stance on marijuana. While she frequently blasted the war on drugs as a failure, as California AG she took no meaningful action on drug reform. In fact, in some cases, she endorsed the “tough on crime” policies of her conservative colleagues.

Of course, that was then and this is now. And politicians have pivoted more rapidly toward legalization than Harris. Whatever disappointments Harris’s past record on marijuana may cause, her statements Thursday make clear that in 2018, the senator is completely on board with justice for cannabis users.

Philadelphia Vying For License to Grow and Process Medical Marijuana

Pennsylvania’s relatively young medical marijuana program is continuing to grow and expand. Now, with Philadelphia vying for a license to grow and process medical marijuana, the legal cannabis industry could be on the verge of moving into the City of Brotherly Love.

Philly Wants to Grow Medical Marijuana

Pennsylvania is poised to issue another round of permits for medical marijuana growers and processors. The state of Pennsylvania issued its first round of permits last year, but Philadelphia didn’t get any of them. This time around, the state will reportedly give out 13 new licenses. And the city of Philadelphia wants in on the action.

According to local news outlet WPVI-TV, Philadelphia city leaders are pushing hard to obtain one of the forthcoming grower/processor permits.

As the state’s medical marijuana program unfolds, cities like Philadelphia have doubled their efforts to attract cannabis business. For many leaders in Philadelphia, it’s all about the economy.

“I think it is important that we raise this voice and raise this issue, as we try to combat poverty in our city,”said Philadelphia City Councilman Derek Green.

He added: “And we believe with this growing industry of medical cannabis, this is a real opportunity to provide economic development opportunities here.”

State Representative Jordan Harris took it a step further. He voiced his own particularly strong support of medical marijuana. In particular, he likes the idea of Philadelphia being able to move into the industry.

In recent comments, he praised the medical marijuana industry. He also reminded city residents and officials that the industry is expected to see rapid growth in immediate the future.

“We should be looking at not only do we want to have one in Philadelphia, we want to have all of the ancillary business that comes with it,” Rep. Harris said. “And we want to begin to train our young people on how to cultivate and how to grow and how [to] do so legally because this is the industry of the future.”

A Bid for Bud in the City of Brotherly Love

Philadelphia’s bid to obtain growing and processing permits is the latest development in Pennsylvania’s evolving cannabis laws.

The state legalized medical marijuana in 2016. In April of that year, Governor Tom Wolf signed a new bill into law making Pennsylvania the 24th state to legalize medical marijuana.

From there, it took some time for the program to become operational. In fact, Pennsylvania didn’t approve a growing facility until the fall of 2017. A few months later, in January 2018, the first medical marijuana dispensary in Pennsylvania opened for business.

Under current laws, patients can only access and use non-smokable forms of cannabis. However, a move to change that is currently underway. Beginning in March, Pennsylvania’s Medical Marijuana Advisory Board was tasked with looking into the possibility of expanding the medical marijuana program to include smokable flower.

In April, the Board voiced its support of the change. But before dispensaries can begin selling flower, the proposal must first be approved by other lawmakers and agencies.

Applications for the phase two licensing round must be postmarked by May 17th. Find more information about Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program on the state website.

Ultrasound Increases Yields And Cannabinoid Extraction Speed

Could ultrasound be the next step in the evolution of cannabinoid extraction? Researchers in Hungary tested how ultrasound could impact the speed and efficiency of cannabinoid extraction. The results were promising. In fact, they found ultrasound increases yields and cannabinoid extraction speed.

Using Ultrasound During Cannabinoid Extraction

A study that was published in The Journal of Food Science and conducted at Sopron University in Hungary looked into the benefits of ultrasound cannabis extraction. A team of Hungarian researchers used alcohol as a solvent and low-frequency ultrasound to enhance the extraction of bioactive chemicals from the cannabis plant. There was also a control extraction with no sonification to draw comparisons from.

Alcohol is a popular solvent used for small extractions like Rick Simpson Oiland it is also used in medical extraction facilities. The extraction equipment is small and easier to obtain than the necessary tools for other extraction methods.

The team of Hungarian researchers conducted an experiment on the influence of time, input power and methanol concentration on the extraction of phenols, flavonoids, the ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) and the overall yield.

Influence On Yield

One of the most notable advantages researchers found to using ultrasound were increased yields. In fact, higher values were obtained during the ultrasonic process when compared to the control extraction. Researchers praised the potential of using ultrasound technology to increase the yield of cannabinoid extraction.

“Appreciably higher extraction of cannabinoids was achieved on sonication against control,” the study report stated.

Extraction Speed

One of the greatest advantages noted from the ultrasound-assisted extraction was the influence on extraction speed. A typical extraction can take anywhere from thirty minutes to a few days. The experiment found the optimal extraction time with ultrasound was 15 minutes.

“On comparing the ultrasonic process with the control extraction, noticeably higher values were obtained for each of the responses,” researchers said.

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Researchers also noted that the time and the solvent “significantly affected the extraction.” Using ultrasound on other solvents could lead to even more effective extractions but more research would need to be conducted.

Certain extractors are already taking advantage of ultrasonic cannabis extraction with other solvents. It is nonthermal so there isn’t enough heat to cause the degradation of active ingredients. It is energy-efficient so costs are low, it doesn’t add any hazardous or toxic chemicals and best of all research has shown it shortens extraction time while increasing cannabinoid yields.

Canadian Veterans Plan Lawsuit Over Medical Marijuana Funding Cuts

A group of Canadian veterans is planning to file a lawsuit over medical marijuana funding cuts by Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC). In May of last year, the VAC reduced the amount of medicinal cannabis it would cover. Before that, the VAC would permit vets to use up to ten grams of medical marijuana per day. But the VAC dropped that permitted daily allotment to just three grams.

When the cut was enacted, more than 2,500 veterans nationwide had received permission to use more than three grams per day.

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The advocacy group Veterans for Healing in Oromocto, New Brunswick is organizing the legal action. The vets plan to ask the court to rule that the VAC failed to live up to its responsibilities with the reduction.

David Lutz is the attorney representing the vets. He told local media that the veterans want the VAC to cover enough cannabis to eliminate the need for prescription drugs. They would also like to see the court restore funding for medical marijuana to previous levels.

“We are asking for a declaration by the court that reducing from 10 grams to three grams is a violation of the government’s obligation to the veterans,” Lutz said. “We need to make a new law here.”

Jamie Keating, a veteran living in St. John, will be a named plaintiff in the suit. He said that the VAC needs to honor its commitment to care for vets.

“It’s not about money, it’s about doing what’s right,” said Keating. “You can’t just cut vets off cold turkey when something works. If it was opiates, they wouldn’t be able to just stop.”

Soldiers Are Using Cannabis to Treat PTSD

Veterans like Keating are using medicinal cannabis to treat a variety of serious health conditions. Vets are finding relief from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), chronic pain, and anxiety with medical marijuana. So much so that prior to the cuts, payments for medical marijuana had grown to $60 million per year. That made cannabis the most expensive item in the VAC’s drug coverage program. But while costs for cannabis increased, payments for opioids and benzodiazepines dropped.

Seamus O’Regan, the Minister of Foreign affairs, said the cut in the medical marijuana benefit was more about science than money.

“We still have a heck of a lot of research to do when it comes to cannabis use and how it affects PTSD and other mental-health conditions,” O’Regan said.

To prepare for that argument in court, attorney Lutz said he is compiling anecdotal evidence on the efficacy of medical marijuana. He and his staff are in the process of interviewing up to 100 vets to learn about and document their experience with medical marijuana. Lutz noted that the vets participating in the lawsuit had to start taking other drugs when their coverage for cannabis was reduced to three grams daily.

“The theme here is plants, not pills,” Lutz said. “Medical marijuana has replaced every pill that these people were on before. I expect to be able to demonstrate that,” he said.

Ron Forrest is a vet who uses cannabis to treat PTSD and chronic pain. He also plans to be a plaintiff in the lawsuit. He said that for some veterans, access to medical cannabis is a matter of life or death.

“There was no reason for VAC to cut us back that drastically,” he said. “We had people kill themselves.”

Georgia Adds Pain and PTSD as Conditions for Medical Marijuana

After months of working its way to Governor Nathan Deal’s desk, a new bill hoped to add intractable pain and PTSD to the list of qualifying conditions for medical marijuana in Georgia. And yesterday, Governor Deal signed the bill into law.

A Look at Marijuana in Georgia

Georgia has been easing up on weed penalties for a while. Last fall, Atlanta, the largest city and capital, passed a referendum that decriminalized marijuana. Now, Atlantans cannot be jailed for possession, and the maximum fine is a low $75.

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Since then, lawmakers have introduced new legislation that would extend decriminalization to the whole state. The first bill, House Bill 865, would reclassify possession of 2 ounces as a misdemeanor. Additionally, Senate Bill 105 would decriminalize up to half an ounce, and lower the fine.

Of course, selling, transporting, and growing marijuana would still be illegal. Though this legislation is by no means lenient, it is a movement towards tolerance.

The State’s Medical Marijuana Laws Are Evolving

Georgia legalized medical marijuana in 2015 but continues to expand its list of qualifying conditions. In 2017, Republican State Representative Allen Peake introduced a bill to the House that doubled the list of ailments treatable with medical pot.

The list included HIV/AIDS, Tourette’s Syndrome, autism, autoimmune disease, epidermolysis bullosa, Alzheimer’s disease, and peripheral neuropathy. Today, increasing scientific and anecdotal evidence shows that marijuana can treat these illnesses.

To date, approximately 4,000 Georgians have medical marijuana cards.

This Week, Lawmakers Added More Conditions

On Monday, House Bill 65 reached the final step in the legislative process. Thanks to Governor Nathan Deal’s signature, patients with intractable pain and PTSD can now access medical marijuana.

Getting this bill through was not easy due to intense opposition. A supporter of the legislation, House Rep. David Clark, had some harsh words for the President of the Senate, Casey Cagle. “There are lives at stake. This isn’t a game. … People are dying,” he said to Cagle.

This bill’s passage does not mean that you can get marijuana in any form. Even with a doctor’s approval, you can’t legally smoke marijuana. This legislation only permits is low-THC cannabis oil.

Unfortunately, you may not even be able to get weed oil due to a huge caveat in the new law. Cardholders still have no legal way to get their medicine because you cannot grow marijuana or bring it from one place to another. You cannot legally import it from another state, either.

Georgia’s Medical Marijuana Program Is Far From Complete

Since there isn’t a legal way for patients to obtain medical marijuana, the state is still essentially forcing people to break the law to access medicine they’re legally allowed to have. In early 2018, lawmakers attempted to pass a bill that would have allowed cannabis cultivation. As is the case in Washington D.C.with recreational weed, lawmakers need to find a way to get people access to a substance they’ve legalized.

Despite Georgia’s conservatism when it comes to medical marijuana, some are optimistic that recreational marijuana is coming. This southern state needs to up its tax revenue, and last year, they failed to legalize casinos. As seen in Colorado, marijuana is an untapped source of state income.

Whether discussing medical or recreational marijuana, Georgia’s biggest obstacle is its unique legislative process. A vote cannot legalize weed, so it would need to go through lawmakers… which seems less than likely with a Republican majority in the Georgian Senate and House.