TheJointBlog

The legalization of marijuana in Washington and Colorado has had no impact on road fatality rates, according to a new study published by the American Journal of Public Health. Researchers at the University of Texas evaluated “motor vehicle crash fatality rates in the first 2 states with recreational marijuana legalization” and compared them with “motor …

Just a single dose of cannabidiol (CBD) reduces blood pressure, indicating it may play a role in the treatment of cardiovascular disorders, according to a new study published by the journal JCI Insight. According to researchers, the aim of this study “was to investigate if CBD reduces BP [blood pressure] in humans.” To determine this, …

A New Hampshire bill decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana officially takes effect tomorrow. The bill makes New Hampshire the 22nd state in the nation to eliminate the possibility of jail time for simple marijuana possession. “The governor and Legislature both deserve a lot of credit for moving the state forward with this commonsense …

Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) today introduced the Marijuana Effective Drug Study Act of 2017 (the MEDS Act) which is designed to improve the process for conducting scientific research on marijuana as a safe and effective medical treatment. In introducing this legislation, Senator Hatch was joined by Senator Schatz (D-HI) and cosponsors Senator Chris Coons (D-DE), Senator …

There are 149,304 full-time marijuana-related jobs throughout the United States, according to an estimate calculated by Leafly. This numbers marks a 22% increase from last year, when Leafly found that 122,814 jobs relied on the legal status of cannabis in America. In just 12 months, the legal cannabis industry has added 26,490 jobs to the nation’s workforce. …

According to new research, cannabis use is associated with decreased rates of mortality from obesity, diabetes mellitus, taumatic brain injury, use of alcohol and prescription drugs, driving fatalities, and opioid overdose deaths. According to the study, published by Indiana University South Bend, there would be “an estimated 23,500 to 47,500 deaths prevented annually if medical …

The legal marijuana industry in Washington employs thousands in full-time positions, according to a new report. The report, released by the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP), found that at the end of 2016 the legal marijuana industry accounted for the equivalent of 6,227 full-time jobs. With the industry continuing to grow at a …

According to a new study, tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), a compound found in cannabis, may be useful in treating neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory diseases. “While the biological effects of decarboxylated cannabinoids such as Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) have been extensively investigated, the bioactivity of Δ9-THCA is largely unknown, despite its occurrence in different Cannabis preparations”, states the study, published …

Topical marijuana has the potential to improve pain management associated with wounds, according to a study published in the Journal of Pain Management and e-published ahead of print by the U.S. National Institute of Health. “Pain associated with integumentary wounds is highly prevalent yet it remains an area of significant unmet need within healthcare”, states …

According to a new study published in the journal Planta Medica, cannabidiol blocks the reward of opioids and as such may be useful in treating those addicted to them. This study, conducted by researchers at the University of Mississippi and Oxford, “sought to determine whether the cannabis constituent cannabidiol attenuates the development of morphine reward …

Federal legislation that would protect state marijuana laws, and those following them, has been reintroduced in Congress. Congressmember Suzan DelBene (D-WA-01) has reintroduced the State Marijuana And Regulatory Tolerance Enforcement Act – H.R. 3534 – which prohibits marijuana consumers and businesses from being prosecuted by the federal government if they are following their state’s marijuana …

Those hospitalized for trauma who test positive for marijuana are considerably less likely to die during their stay than those who don’t, according to a new study. For the study, published by The Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, and published online by the National Institute of Health, researchers conducted a “5-year (2008-2012) analysis of …

In fiscal year 2017, there was over $1.3 billion in legal marijuana sold in Washington State. In total there was $1,371,882,585.79 in legal marijuana sold in Washington State in fiscal year 2017, which began on July 1st, 2016, and ended on June 30th, 2017. The state garnered $314,838,969.21 in taxes from these sales. All of this is …

A Department of Justice task force subcommittee on marijuana policy is recommending against attacking state marijuana laws, despite many believing they would do so. The task force –  whose recommendations are meant to inform ongoing policy decisions – asked for continued study and dialogue on the issue. “The task force’s recommendations reflect the fact that …

Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) today introduced The Marijuana Justice Act of 2017, which would legalize marijuana on the federal level by removing it from the Controlled Substances Act. The Marijuana Justice Act also incentivize states to end the racially disparate criminalization of marijuana consumers through federal funds, expunges federal marijuana possession and use crimes, allows …

Congressmen James Comer (R-KY), Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), Jared Polis (D-CO), and Thomas Massie (R-KY) have introduced federal legislation to the federal prohibition on industrial hemp. The Industrial Hemp Farming Act exempts industrial hemp from the Controlled Substance Act’s definition of marijuana, creates a new category for hemp research at universities and state departments of agriculture, …

Cannabinoids may help people recover from a spinal cord injury, according to a new study. The study is being published in the journal Brain Research, and has been e-published ahead of print by the U.S. National Institute of Health. “The endocannabinoid system, including its receptors (CB1 and CB2), act as neuroprotective and immunomodulatory modulators in …

Poland’s President Andrzej Duda has signed into law a bill that legalizes medical cannabis. The legislation was approved by the Sejm (Poland’s legislative body) with 440 out of 460 members voting in favor, and was signed by President Duda on Friday. The new law allows medical marijuana to be prescribed by physicians, and sold in …

According to a new study published in the Journal of Urban Economics, the forced closure of marijuana dispensaries leads to an increase in crime. For the study, researchers at the University of Southern California examined the impact of dispensary closures on crime rates in Los Angeles. Crime data was analyzed in the days before and after …

New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu signed a bill into law Tuesday that decriminalizes the possession of marijuana and hash. The new law – which decriminalizes the possession of up to three-quarters of an ounce of marijuana, and ip to five grams of hash – officially goes into effect in 60 days, making New Hampshire the …

In less than two months supporters of a Michigan initiative to legalize marijuana have collected over 100,000 signatures. The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol must collect 252,523 signatures by May 30th of next year in order to put their marijuana legalization initiative to a vote of the people during the November, 2018 election. They …

Washington has garnered over $300 million in taxes from legal marijuana sales in fiscal year 2017. This is according to data from the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB). In total the state has earned $304,968,332 in fiscal year 2017, which began on July 1, 2016 and ended on June 30. These taxes come …

Lawmakers in Catalonia, an autonomous region of Spain, have voted to legalize marijuana clubs. With a vote of 118 to 9, Catalonia lawmakers have passed legislation to legalize and regulate marijuana clubs. These clubs will be self-reliant, non-profit organizations that are allowed to grow and distribute cannabis to those 18 and older. They will be …

Greece’s prime minister has announced that the country has officially legalized medical cannabis. At Friday press conference Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras announced that the Joint Ministerial Decision to legalize cannabis as a medicine has been signed into law. “From now on, the country is turning its page, as Greece is now included in countries where …

Cannabinoids can prevent the long-term negative consequences of exposure to severe stress, according to a new study published by the journal Hippocampus, and e-published ahead of print by the U.S. National Institute of Health. “Exposure to excessive or uncontrolled stress is a major factor associated with various diseases including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)”, begins the …

Legislation expanding New Hampshire’s medical marijuana program has been signed into law by Governor Chris Sununu. House Bill 160, signed into law Wednesday by Governor Sununu, expands the state’s list of qualifying medical cannabis conditions by adding post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and moderate to severe pain. The legislation also allows medical providers …