TheJointBlog

The legalization of cannabis in Colorado has reduced opioid-related deaths, according to a new study published by The American Journal of Public Health. The objective of the study, conducted by researchers at the University of North Texas School of Public Health, the University of Florida, and Emory University, was to “examine the association between Colorado’s legalization of …

Legislation that would legalize medical cannabis has been approved through its first reading in the U.K. Parliament. The proposal, introduced by MP Paul Flynn, was passed on a unanimous vote. “The bill went through its first reading today without opposition,” said Flynn in an interview with Marijuana.com. “The other matter, which was of more importance is …

Medical marijuana dispensaries are associated with a reduction in prescription drug-related hospital admissions, and moralities, according to a new study published by the Social Science Research Network. “As the U.S. opioid epidemic surges to unprecedented levels and individual states continue to enact laws liberalizing marijuana use, understanding the relationship between narcotics and marijuana consumption is …

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has officially removed cannabidiol (CBD) from their 2018 list of prohibited substances. “Cannabidiol is no longer prohibited”, states a WADA document titled Summary of Major Modifications and Explanatory Notes, 2018 Prohibited List. WADA is however banning synthetic cannabinoids such as K2 and spice. “Synthetic cannabidiol is not a cannabimimetic; however, cannabidiol extracted from …

Millions of dollars worth of marijuana was sold in Nevada in July, the month such sales became legal. In total, there was $27.1 million in marijuana sold in Nevada in July. By comparison, Washington State sold just $3.8 million in legal marijuana during their first full month of legal sales (which was also in July), …

A new study conducted by researchers at the Wisconsin School of Business has found that marijuana legalization has had a large impact in Denver. New research from the Wisconsin School of Business at the University of Wisconsin–Madison reveals that property values in the immediate vicinity of Denver’s retail marijuana establishments increased by more than eight …

A key legislative committee in the Philippines has given approval to legislation that would legalize medical cannabis throughout the country. The House Health Committee approved House Bill 180 on Monday, known as the Philippine Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act. The bill, which now moves towards a vote by the full House of Representatives, would legalize and …

A new report by the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) has found that marijuana legalization may have helped to reduce rape and murder rates in both Washington and Oregon. In their second assessment report on the impact of marijuana legalization, WSIPP also found no evidence that marijuana legalization has increased marijuana usage rates …

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 …