marijuana Archives - TheJointBlog

TheJointBlog.com’s Weekly Cannabis Podcast – October 11th, 2015

October 12, 2015October 11, 2015 by Anthony Martinelli

Welcome to TheJointBlog.com’s Weekly Cannabis Podcast!

Today’s episode features an interview with Karen Paull, who has directed, produced, written and starred in over 30 plays and musicals, and Wendy Robbins, co-inventor of The Tingler head massager who is also an Emmy Award winning documentary filmmaker. Together, the two run The Marijuana Show, the first-ever reality show about investing in cannabis that reaches 50 million viewers through syndication on outlets such as Comcast and DirecTV!

You can listen to today’s episode below:

New Side-Effect of Washington’s Marijuana Law: Youth Possession Now a Felony

September 18, 2015 by Anthony Martinelli

By Associated Press

A prosecutor in southeastern Washington has charged three teens with felonies for marijuana possession, saying a new law demands the higher level of offense.

The Lewiston Tribune in Idaho reports (http://goo.gl/g8Xhpl) three teens ages 14, 15 and 17 have been charged in nearby Asotin County, Wash., with felonies that could net them up to five years in prison.

The offense was previously a misdemeanor with a maximum 90-day jail sentence.

New Study Counters Cannabis “Gateway” Theory

July 13, 2015July 11, 2015 by Anthony Martinelli

By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay

Marijuana may not be the “gateway drug” some believe it to be, a new study contends.

Instead, teens smoke pot for very specific reasons, and it is those reasons that appear to prompt their decision to try other drugs, researchers report.

For example, kids who use marijuana because they are bored are more likely to also use cocaine, while kids using pot to achieve insight or understanding are more likely to try magic mushrooms, according to findings published recently in the American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse.

Bipartisan Federal Bill to Reschedule Cannabis Introduced

April 16, 2015April 16, 2015 by Anthony Martinelli

Representatives Morgan Griffitth (R-Virginia) and Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon) filed federal legislation this week that would reschedule cannabis and cannabidiol (CBD).

Specifically, the Compassionate Access Act would “reschedule marijuana from its current position as a Schedule 1 drug under the Controlled Substances Act, which asserts the drug has no medical use and limits the ability of researchers to study the drug’s safety and effectiveness as a treatment”. This would “allow the states to provide appropriate access to patients needing these legitimate, medical treatments under the supervision of their physician”.

According to a press release, the proposal is supported by the Epilepsy Foundation, the American Academy of Neurology, and Americans for Safe Access.

Initiative to Decriminalize Cannabis on April 7th Ballot in Wichita, Kansas

April 2, 2015April 1, 2015 by Anthony Martinelli

An initiative to decriminalize the possession of over an ounce of cannabis is up for a public vote next week on Tuesday, April 7th, in Wichita, Kansas’ largest city.

If approved into law, the initiative would decriminalize the possession of up to 32 grams of cannabis for those 21 and older, making it a simple $50 ticket, rather than the current penalty of a misdemeanor with the potential of up to a year in jail.

Advocates of the initiative submitted enough signatures on January 7th to put the measure before the City Council, which voted 6 to 1 to put it to a vote of the people on April 7th.

New Metastudy Finds Evidence that Cannabis is a Safe, Effective Treatment for Chronic Pain

March 23, 2015 by Anthony Martinelli

A new metastudy of numerous randomized controlled trials has found that cannabis is a safe, effective treatment for chronic pain. The study was published in the Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology, and was published online Monday by the National Institute of Health.

The study, conducted by researchers at Pharmacology Dalhousie University‘s Departments of Anesthesiology in Canada, was an “updated systematic review of randomized controlled trials examining cannabinoids in the treatment of chronic non-cancer pain was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews reporting on health care outcomes”, according to the study’s abstract.

TheJointBlog.com’s Election Podcast

September 21, 2015November 2, 2014 by Anthony Martinelli

Welcome to TheJointBlog.com’s 2014 election podcast, featuring an interview with Allen St. Pierre, the Executive Director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML)

November 2nd, 2014:

Neuropsychopharmacology Journal Publishes Study Showing Cannabinoids Can Treat PTSD

June 13, 2014June 7, 2014 by Anthony Martinelli

A new study e-published ahead of print by Neuropsychopharmacology, the official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, has determined that cannabinoids can help treat, or even prevent, the effects of PTSD.

Scientists from the Department of Psychology of the University of Haifa in Israel examined rat models suffering from shock-induced PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). The rats were each given an injection of either a cannabinoid receptor agonist (a substance that mimics the effects of cannabis) or a control placebo 2 hours after the shock.

New National Survey: 69% of Voters More Likely to Vote if Cannabis Legalization is on the Ballot

August 24, 2014March 28, 2014 by Anthony Martinelli

Results of the newest George Washington University Battleground Poll, released this week, have found voters are much more likely to turn out at the polls if cannabis legalization is on the ballot.

From March 16th to March 20th, pollsters surveyed 1,000 registered, likely voters across the U.S. from every demographic. Participants were asked a variety of questions, including whether they support legalizing medical cannabis in their state, whether they would support the decriminalization of cannabis possession in their state, and if they would be more likely to vote in an election if a cannabis legalization initiative was on the ballot.

Maryland Proposal to Legalize Medical Cannabis Garners 61 Sponsors, Public Hearing Held

March 3, 2014March 3, 2014 by Anthony Martinelli

Advocates of medical cannabis gave tearful testimonies on Friday before the Maryland House Health and Government Operations Committee, in an effort to encourage lawmakers to support House Bill 1321.

The measure, sponsored by 61 Delegates (43% of Maryland’s entire House), would legalize medical cannabis for patients suffering from ailments including cancer, PTSD, seizures and chronic pain.