Apr 16 2023

A Study Found Infants With Marijuana in Their System Had Drastically Decreased Mortality Rates

In the biggest study of its kind, published in the journal Pediatrics (the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics), infants that tested positive for marijuana had a massive decrease in their likelihood of early mortality.

In the study of 2,964 infants, those that were drug-negative had an average mortality rate of 15.7 deaths per 1,000 live births. Cocaine and opiate-positive infants had a mortality rate of 17.7 and 18.4 deaths per 1,000 live births. However, those that tested positive for cannabis had an average mortality rate of 8.9 deaths per 1,000 live births, a 44% decrease in comparison to the infants that were drug-negative.

Of the babies who tested positive for only cannabis, and no other substance (157 babies total), there was not a single death during the course of the study.
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Apr 15 2023

Colorado House Approves Measure to Allow Online Marijuana Sales and Deliveries

Colorado legislation to allow marijuana stores to sell marijuana and marijuana products online, while also allowing them to deliver it, has been passed by the state’s House of Representatives.

(Photo Credit: AdobeStock)

According to the official summary of House Bill 1279, “Current law prohibits a licensed retail marijuana store from selling retail marijuana or retail marijuana products over the internet or through delivery. The bill repeals the prohibition.”

HB 1279 was filed by State Representatives William Lindstedt, Said Sharbini and Robert Rodriguez, and it will soon be sent to the Senate for consideration. If it can pass the Senate it will be sent to Governor Jared Polis who is expected to sign it into law if given the opportunity.
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Apr 15 2023

Report Finds Portland, Oregon is America’s Best City for Marijuana, Followed by Denver and Buffalo

According to a new report Portland, Oregon is America’s most cannabis-friendly city, followed by Denver, Colorado and Buffalo, New York.

The report, conducted by Real Estate Witch (an online publication from Clever Real Estate) and Leafly, analyzed various criteria including the legality of marijuana, dispensary data, marijuana prices, and more in order to determine the definitive list of the most cannabis-friendly cities. Topping the list of best marijuana cities is Portland, Oregon, with Birmingham, Alabama topping the list of worst cannabis cities.

According to the report Portland boasts the most affordable cannabis prices in the country, with a high-quality ounce costing just $210 — 34% less than the national average of $316. In contrast, the most expensive cannabis is in Washington, D.C., where an ounce of high-quality cannabis costs $590 — 87% more than average.
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Apr 14 2023

Washington State Magic Mushrooms Bill Sent to Governor

Legislation to establish a psilocybin taskforce and pilot program has officially been sent to Washington State Governor Jay Inslee.

Washington’s House of Representatives voted earlier this week to pass Senate Bill 5263, with it having already passed the Senate. However, amendments made in the House created a need for the Senate to give the measure one final vote before it could be sent to Governor Inslee. That vote took place today, with the Senate voting 40 to 4 on final passage.

Governor Inslee now has the option of signing it into law, vetoing it or allowing it to become law without his signature. Worth noting is that the measure passed both chambers with well more than the 2/3rds required to override an executive veto.
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Apr 14 2023

Study: Marijuana Improves Pain Scores and Health-Related Quality of Life in Those With Chronic, Refractory Pain

Medical marijuana was observed to “improve pain intensity scores and HRQoL [health-related quality of life] outcomes in patients with chronic, refractory pain” in a new study published by the British Journal of Pain.

Conducted by researchers at the University of Sydney and Westmead Hospital (both in Australia), the objective of the study was to “examine the tolerability and effectiveness of medicinal cannabis prescribed to patients for chronic, refractory pain, with a subset analysis on arthritis.”

The study examined self-reported adverse events (AEs) and changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) outcomes over time after commencing medicinal cannabis in patients with chronic, refractory pain. Patients were prescribed medicinal cannabis by a medical practitioner, containing various ratios of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and/or cannabidiol (CBD).
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Apr 13 2023

Delaware Lawmakers “100% Confident” Enough Votes to Override Potential Marijuana Legalization Veto

Delaware House Bill 1 was delivered to Governor Carney on April 11, with House Bill 2 being delivered tomorrow. The governor has 10 days from the day they reach his desk to determine his approach.

Although there is fear the governor may veto the measures, Senator Trey Paradee, the bills’ prime sponsor in the Senate, tells us that “Rep. Osienski (the House sponsor) and I are 100% confident that we have the votes to override the Governor’s veto if it comes to that.”

Senator Paradee says they “are hopeful that the Governor will allow both bills to pass into law with or without his signature.”
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Apr 13 2023

Poll: 56% in South Carolina Want Recreational Marijuana Legalized

A strong majority of adults in South Carolina want marijuana to be legalized, and an even higher percentage support legalizing medical marijuana.

According to the newest Winthrop University Poll, 56% of adults in South Carolina support legalizing recreational marijuana, while 76% support legalizing the substance for medical use.

In terms of medical marijuana, 72% of Republicans and 80% of Democrats support legalizing it. When it comes to recreational marijuana, support from Democrats is at 62%, while Republican support is 45%.
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Apr 13 2023

Montana Lawmakers Pass Bill Allowing Police to Give Saliva Tests to Suspected Drugged Drivers

Montana’s full legislature has passed Senate Bill 13, amending the state’s implied consent law to give police the power to administer oral fluid tests to motorists suspected of being under the influence of drugs.

Senate Bill 13 has now been sent to Governor Greg Gianforte, who has not indicated whether or not he plans to sign it into law, allow it to become law without a signature or veto it.

The bill states that “A person who operates or is in actual physical control of a vehicle is considered to have given consent to a test or tests of the person’s blood or breath for the purpose of determining any measured amount or detected presence of alcohol, or blood or oral fluid for the purpose of determining any measured amount or detected presence of drugs in the person’s body.”
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Apr 13 2023

Study: Cannabis Consumers Use Fewer Prescription Opioids Following Wrist Surgery

Patients with a history of marijuana use consume fewer prescription opioids following surgery for distal radius fractures (bone wrist fractures).

This is according to a study published in the International Open Access Journal of the American Society for Plastic Surgeons. The purpose of this study “was to evaluate opioid demand after open reduction and internal fixation of distal radius fractures in patients with and without a diagnosis of cannabis use.”

Researchers from the University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Center compared the demand for opioids among cannabis consumers (cases) and non-users (controls) following wrist surgery. They reported, “[T]here was a significant reduction in average MME [morphine milligram equivalents] for the case population’s initial opioid prescription compared with the control population.”
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Apr 12 2023

Montana Breaks Monthly Record With $27 Million in Legal Marijuana Sales in March

In Montana there was $27,098,679 in legal marijuana and marijuana products purchased in March, resulting in $4.5 million in taxes.

Of the just over $27 million in marijuana sales, $21,223,782 came from recreational marijuana, with the remaining $5,874,897 from the purchase of marijuana for medical use. The year-to-date total for 2023 is now $76,575,277.

The new sales numbers, released by the Montana Cannabis Control Division (a division of the Montana Department of Revenue), bring the January 2022-to-date total for marijuana sales to $380,139,157. Although medical marijuana was legalized in Montana in 2004, recreational marijuana wasn’t legalized until 2021, with the first store opening January the following year.
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