Rather than use these unfortunate incidents as an opportunity to further drive these markets into the shadows, the administration should officially legalize cannabis and empower the FDA to better study, regulate, and oversee these emerging THC and CBD delivery devices — and to create regulatory standards for legal states to follow and enforce.
Category: SCIENCE
Vaping Products Linked with Rising Number of Hospitalizations
The US Centers for Disease Control has now identified over 450 cases of respiratory distress that may be associated with the use of disposable vapor cartridges used to consume certain e-liquids.
Surgeon General’s Advisory Highlights Need for Further Cannabis Regulation, Not Criminalization
“Our current model of federal prohibition represents the utter lack of control over any aspect of marijuana or the marijuana market. The Surgeon General’s time would be better spent advocating for a legally and tightly regulated cannabis market – one in which we educate Americans about the potential harms and benefits of cannabis through evidence-based public education campaigns – rather than through fear-mongering.”
DEA Promises Progress on Federal Cultivation Applications, But Provides No Timetable for Action
“For the past three years, the DEA has failed to take any steps to follow through on its promise to facilitate clinical cannabis research, and today’s announcement makes it clear that this foot-dragging will continue,” NORML Executive Director Erik Altieri said.
Court: DEA Must Explain Its Failure to Act Upon Pending Marijuana Cultivation Applications
A federal court has ordered the Drug Enforcement Administration to respond to a lawsuit charging the agency with failing to move forward with a 2016 policy to expand the total number of federally licensed marijuana cultivators.
Study: Adolescent Cannabis Exposure Not Associated With Structural Brain Differences in Adulthood
The use of cannabis during adolescence is not associated with structural brain differences in adulthood, according to longitudinal data published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence. Researchers concluded, concluded, “[T]he patterns of cannabis use typically seen in community-dwelling adolescents does not appear to have lasting effects on brain structure.”
US Government Approves Increased Production of Marijuana for Clinical Research
Federal officials have approved plans for the University of Mississippi to grow 2,000 kilograms (4,409 pounds) of cannabis to provide to investigators for clinical trial research.
Study: Adult-Use Cannabis Regulations Associated With Self-Reported Declines In Youth Use
The enactment of laws regulating the use of cannabis by adults is associated with short-term declines in self-reported marijuana use by young people, according to findings published today in the journal JAMA Pediatrics.
Study: Presence Of THC In Blood Not Associated With Crash Culpability
Drivers testing positive for the presence of THC in blood do not possess a significantly increased risk of being responsible for a non-fatal motor vehicle accident, according to data published in the journal Addiction.
Clinical Trial: CBD Administration Reduces Heroin Cravings
The administration of oral CBD reduces cue-induced cravings and anxiety in subjects with a history of heroin use, according to clinical data published in The American Journal of Psychiatry. Commenting on the study’s findings, NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano said, “These conclusions add to the growing body of evidence that cannabis and its constituents represent an exit away from the use or abuse of other controlled substances rather than a supposed ‘gateway.'”