Mar 07 2023

Hawaii Senate Passes Bill to Legalize Recreational Marijuana

A bill to make Hawaii the next state to legalize recreational marijuana has been passed by the state’s Senate.

Senate Bill 669 was passed today by the Hawaii Senate, sending it to the state’s House of Representatives for consideration. Passage in the House would send the measure to the desk of Governor Josh Green.

If passed into law, those 21 and older would be allowed to possess up to 30 grams of marijuana and cultivate up to six marijuana plants (three of which could be mature).  An independent Hawaii Cannabis Regulatory Authority would be established under the Department of Health to regulate the industry and licensed marijuana retail outlets.
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Mar 07 2023

Arizona Senate Votes to Add PTSD and Autism to State’s Medical Marijuana Program

A legislative proposal to expand Arizona’s medical marijuana program  has been passed by Arizona’s full Senate.

Senate Bill 1466, filed by Senator Thomas Shope, would add post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and autism spectrum disorder as conditions that qualify an individual to become a legal medical marijuana patient. The measure would also reduce the price of medicinal marijuana cards to just $50, which is a third of the current cost ($150), while making them entirely free for veterans.  The bill was passed recently by the Senate in an overwhelming 24 to 6 vote.

The measure has now been sent to the House of Representatives. Passage in the House would send the bill to Governor Katie Hobbs, who is expected to sign it into law if given the chance.
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Mar 07 2023

Cannabinoids May Protect Against Cancer Cachexia, Finds Study

Cannabinoids may protect against the negative effects of colorectal cancer cachexia, according to a new study published by the peer-reviewed journal Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy.

Cancer cachexia is a multifactorial disorder characterized by weight loss and muscle wasting, and there are currently no FDA-approved medications. For this new study, conducted by researchers from National Taiwan University, “upregulation of six cytokines was observed in serum samples from patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) and in mouse models.”

Researchers found that “pharmacological treatment with Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), a selective CB2 agonist attenuated CRC-associated muscle atrophy.”
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Mar 06 2023

Study: Cannabinoids Can Reduce the Viability of Human Bladder Cancer Cells

The results of newly published research “indicate that cannabinoids can reduce human bladder transitional cell carcinoma cell viability”.

The research is published in the recent issue of the Journal of Cannabis Research, and it was epublished by the National Library of Medicine. Conducted by researchers at  Dalhousie University in Canada, the study is titled Anticancer properties of cannabidiol and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol and synergistic effects with gemcitabine and cisplatin in bladder cancer cell lines.

The study notes that “Several studies have demonstrated anti-tumor effects of components present in cannabis in different models. Unfortunately, little is known about the potential anti-tumoral effects of cannabinoids in bladder cancer and how cannabinoids could potentially synergize with chemotherapeutic agents.” The current study aimed “to identify whether a combination of cannabinoids, like cannabidiol and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, with agents commonly used to treat bladder cancer, such as gemcitabine and cisplatin, can produce desirable synergistic effects. We also evaluated if co-treatment with different cannabinoids resulted in synergistic effects.”
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Mar 06 2023

Tomorrow Oklahoma Voters Decide the Fate of an Initiative to Legalize Marijuana

Tomorrow, March 7, voters in Oklahoma voters will decide the fate of an initiative to legalize recreational marijuana, potentially making their state the 22nd to do so.

State Question 820 is on the March 7 special election ballot, placed there by the state’s governor after the secretary of state missed the signature counting deadline that would have seen the measure voted on in November.

State Question 820 would allow those 21 and older to possess, consume, cultivate and purchase marijuana for any purpose, be it medical, recreational or therapeutical. The possession limit would be set at one ounce of marijuana, eight grams of marijuana concentrates and eight grams of marijuana-infused products. The cultivation limit would be set at six mature plants and six seedlings.
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Mar 04 2023

Legislation to Legalize Marijuana Filed in Florida

Florida State Senator Victor Torre has filed a legislative proposal that would legalize recreational marijuana for everyone 21 and older.

Senate Bill 1576 would make the personal possession of up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana legal in Florida for everyone 21 and older, while also allowing them to grow up to six marijuana plants. The measure would also establish a “Division of Cannabis Management” in the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services that would be in charge of overseeing the legal marijuana market.

The law would not legalize the public consumption of marijuana, but as with many other legal marijuana states this would not be an arrestable offense but instead would be an $100 ticket.
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Mar 03 2023

Study Finds Marijuana Extracts With Equal Parts THC and CBD Could Potentially Treat Melanoma

The use of cannabis-derived extracts containing equal amounts of THC and CBD is a potential treatment option for those with melanoma, finds a study published by the journal Anticancer Research.

Malignant melanoma is an aggressive skin cancer, accounting for the majority of skin cancer deaths. The study notes that prognosis is often poor and finding effective treatment remains a challenge. In this study researchers “aimed to perform gene expression analysis of human melanoma A375 cells following stimulation with C. sativa extracts.”

For the study, which was conducted by researchers at Mae Fah Luang University, the Ministry of Public Health, the Government Pharmaceutical Organization, Mahidol University and the Institute of Medical Research and Technology Assessment, all in Thailand, “Gene expression profiles of A375 human melanoma and Vero (control) cell lines were evaluated by RNA sequencing and quantitative real-time PCR.”
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Mar 02 2023

Hawaii Bill to Legalize Marijuana Passed by Two Senate Committees

Legislation to legalize marijuana has been overwhelmingly approved by two committees in the Hawaii Senate.

Senate Bill 669 was passed today by the Senate Ways and Means Committee by a vote of 10 to 2, the same day it passed the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee in a unanimous 4 to 0 vote.

“Today marks a significant step forward in the legalization of adult-use cannabis in Hawai”, said Senator Jarrett Keohokalole, one of the bill’s cosponsors. “These amendments are reflective of the Senate’s commitment to ensuring a fair and well-regulated cannabis market that provides safe access to both adult consumers and existing medical patients.”
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Mar 02 2023

Study: Marijuana Legalization Associated With Reduction in Pedestrian Fatalities

Legalizing marijuana is associated with a reduction in the number of alcohol-related fatalities involving pedestrians, according to a new study published in the journal IATSS (International Association of Traffic and Safety Sciences) Research.

For the study researchers from Florida Polytechnic University examined the relationship between marijuana legalization and rates of pedestrian-involved fatal crashes between the years 1985 and 2019. This is particularly important because “Pedestrian fatality rates in the US began to increase in 2009, after three decades of decline.”

Researchers found that the passage of both medical cannabis laws and laws legalizing recreational marijuana were associated with overall declines in pedestrian fatalities, including declines in alcohol-related fatalities. Researchers believe this may be due to consumers substituting marijuana for alcohol.
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Mar 01 2023

North Carolina Senate Votes 36 to 10 to Pass Medical Marijuana Bill

Legislation to legalize medical marijuana in North Carolina has been passed by the state’s full Senate.

By a vote of 36 to 10 the North Carolina Senate passed legislation that would narrowly legalize medical marijuana for those with certain medical conditions. Introduced by Senator Bill Rabon with a bipartisan coalition of 12 cosponsors, the measure now goes to the House of Representative. Passage in the House would send the bill to Governor Roy Cooper for final consideration.

Under  (the “Compassionate Care Act”) patients with a “debilitating medical condition” such as cancer, epilepsy, HIV/AIDS, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and post-traumatic stress disorder would be allowed to possess and consume medical marijuana and marijuana products if they receive a recommendation from a licensed physician, who would need to reevaluate patients’ medical marijuana status annually.
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