TheJointBlog

TheJointBlog.com is a cannabis news and information website, founded in 2011.

Study: Marijuana Inhaler Safe and Effective for Treating Chronic Pain

According to a new study published in the European Journal of Pain, delivering a precise doses of THC via a specialized inhaler is associated with pain mitigation in patients with neuropathy and other complex pain conditions. The study, titled Pharmacokinetics, efficacy, and safety of a novel selective-dose cannabis inhaler in patients with chronic pain: A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial, was first published by NORML.

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Louisiana Medical Marijuana Expansion Nears Final Approval

The Louisiana Senate voted 28 to 6 Wednesday to approve legislation that would signfiicantly expand and improve the state’s medical marijuana law. The measure was filed by Representative Larry Bagley (R), who chairs the House Health Committee. The measure now requires one final vote is required from the House, which overwhelmingly backed the measure earlier this month, before the bill can reach the governor’s desk.

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Study Finds Prenatal Marijuana Exposure Is Not Associated With Cognitive Impairments in Offspring

According to a new study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology, longitudinal studies fail to suggest that prenatal marijuanaexposure is independently associated with “clinically significant” cognitive impairments in either children or young adults. The study, conducted by researchers affiliated with Columbia University and with the New York State Psychiatric Institute, was first reported on by NORML.

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Netlifx’s The Patriot Act Tackles Marijuana Industry Inequality

Comedian, former The Daily Show correspondent and star of Netflix’s the Patriot Act Hasan Minhaj featured an entire episode of his hit series regarding the legal marijuana industry. The episode, titled The Legal Marijuana Industry is Rigged, focusing on the fact that in many states that have legalized marijuana the legal industry has been setup to be dominated by big businesses, while excluding those who are low income and those who are part of a minority group (as the episode points out, there is just one marijuana shop with a black owner in all of Massachusetts).

 

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Ohio Legalization Campaign Given More Flexibility to Gather Necessary Signatures

A federal judge has ruled that Ohio must allow groups pursuing voting law changes, a minimum wage increase and marijuana decriminalization more time and flexibility to qualify for ballots amid the coronavirus pandemic, reports the Associated Press.

U.S. District Court Judge Edmund Sargus Jr.’s ruling Tuesday ordered the state to allow campaigns until July 31 to gather required signatures and to allow them to be collected electronically. According to the AP he stopped short of reducing the number of signatures required, as some courts elsewhere have allowed amid a spate of COVID-19-related signature-gathering challenges. Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose, the state’s elections chief, says the state will appeal.

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Opioid Distribution Drops Post-Marijuana Legalization, Finds Study

The legalization of marijuana in Colorado is associated with a significant reduction in prescription opioid distribution, according to a new study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. The study was first reported on by NORML.

For the study, researchers with the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine in Pennsylvania and the University of New England in Maine examined opioid distribution trends in Colorado following legalization as compared to trends in two control states, Utah and Maryland. They examined dispensing trends for nine prescription opioids used for pain (e.g., fentanyl, morphine, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, and oxycodone) as well as for methadone and buprenorphine, which are primarily prescribed to treat opioid use disorder (OUD).

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New Study Recommends Setting Legal Marijuana Age Limit at 19

According to a new study published in the journal BMC Public Health, jurisdictions that regulate marijuana use should consider imposing a minimum age requirement of 19.

For the study researchers examined life outcomes (including educational attainment and mental health) associated with the use of marijuana: They studies this across various age groups.

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Study: Youth Marijuana Use Not Up Since Uruguay Legalized Marijuana in 2013

According to a new study, even though Uruguay legalized marijuana for all uses for those 18+ seven years ago (the first country to do so), youth marijuana use in the country is not higher than it was prior to legalization.

“In 2013, Uruguay became the first country in the world to legalize recreational cannabis, instituting a non-commercial state regulatory model of production and supply”, states the study’s absract. “This study provides the first empirical evidence on its impacts on adolescent use of cannabis and related risks.”

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