A widely reported study appearing today in the British journal The Lancet alleges that an estimated 30 to 50 percent of psychosis cases in Europe are due to cannabis exposure, and that exposure to elevated levels of THC increases this risk.
Author: Paul Armentano, NORML Deputy Director
New Mexico: Lawmakers Approve Marijuana Decriminalization, Other Reform Bills
State lawmakers have approved a series of bills reducing penalties for marijuana possession offenses and strengthening and expanding legal protections for medical cannabis patients.
Oklahoma: Governor Signs Medical Marijuana Regulatory Measure
Republican Gov. Ken Stitt signed legislation yesterday, HB 2612, clarifying regulations and patient protections specific to the medical use of cannabis.
Marijuana Legalization Measures Gaining Momentum In Several States
Lawmakers in several states have recently moved forward legislative proposals to either legalize or decriminalize marijuana-related activities. Here is a look at where some of these efforts currently stand.
Report: Legal Marijuana Industry Employs Over 200,000 Full-Time Workers
The state-licensed cannabis industry gained over 64,000 new employees in 2018, and now employs over 200,000 full-time workers, according to data compiled by Whitney Economics and the online content provider Leafly.com.
Vermont: Senate Passes Legislation Permitting Marijuana Sales
Members of the state Senate overwhelmingly approved legislation on Thursday establishing a system of retail marijuana sales to adults.
Justice Department Urged To Take “Immediate Action” On Marijuana Grow Applications
Newly appointed US Attorney General William Barr is being urged to review more than two-dozen pending applications for federal marijuana grow licenses which have languished before the agency for over two years.
Delaware: Attorney General Calls For Expanding Use Of Civil Penalties For Marijuana Violations
Delaware prosecutors will no longer be encouraged to pursue criminal charges against those who possess marijuana for personal use, according to guidelines issued by the state’s new Attorney General, Kathleen Jennings.
Patients Frequently Substituting Cannabis For Anti-Anxiety Drugs
Patients authorized to legally use medical cannabis frequently substitute it in place of benzodiazepines, according to a pair of new studies published this week. According to data compiled by the US Centers for Disease Control, the use of benzodiazepines were attributed to over 11,500 overdose deaths in 2017.
Survey: Three Of Four Military Veterans Would Consider Using Medical Cannabis
Seventy-five percent of military veterans say that they would consider using either “cannabis or cannabinoid products as a treatment option,” according to member survey data compiled by the group Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA). Available data documents that cannabis is effective in the treatment of chronic pain and may potentially mitigate symptoms of post-traumatic stress, along with other conditions commonly facing veterans.