Mar 22 2023

Study Finds CBD May Help Patients With Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome

The marijuana compound cannabidiol “may help manage patients with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome regarding seizure control and improve other aspects of the clinical spectrum of the disease”, according to new research.

The research was published in the recent issue of the journal Epileptic Disorders. It was conducted by researchers at the University of Rome and the University Hospital of Rome, and is titled Highly purified cannabidiol improves stability and postural tone in adult patients with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome: a case series.

Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS) is a severe developmental epileptic encephalopathy associated with numerous neurological signs and symptoms, notes the study. Altered postural tone and the need for a caregiver-assisted wheelchair are features characterizing patients with LGS.
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Mar 22 2023

New Hampshire House Approves Measure Legalizing Personal Marijuana Cultivation for Patients

New Hampshire’s full House of Representatives has given approval to House Bill 431 to legalize the personal cultivation of medical marijuana.

Filed by Representative Wendy Thomas, House Bill 431 was passed today in a voice vote as part of the House’s consent calendar. No lawmaker chose to pull the item from the consent calendar which would have forced a roll-call vote.

The proposed law would legalize the personal cultivation of up to three mature marijuana plants, three immature plants and 12 seedlings for those who are qualified medical marijuana patients. All plants would be required to be grown in an “enclosed, locked space”. Patients would need to inform the Department of Health and Human Services if they decide to grow marijuana plants.
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Mar 21 2023

Arizona House Committee Passes Senate-Approved Bill to Expand Medical Marijuana Program

Legislation to expand Arizona’s medical marijuana program has been passed by a key House committee the same month it was approved by the full Senate.

Senate Bill 1466, filed by Senator Thomas Shope, has been given approval by the House Health and Human Services Committee. The vote was 7 to 2, sending it towards a vote by the full House of Representatives.

The proposal would add post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and autism spectrum disorder as conditions that qualify an individual to become a legal medical marijuana patient. It would also reduce the price of medical marijuana cards to just $50 (a third of the current cost), while making them entirely free for veterans.
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Mar 21 2023

Using a Cell Membrane Bionic Delivery System for CBD May Help Alleviate PTSD Symptoms

A cell membrane bionic delivery system for CBD assisted with ultrasound “had good therapeutic effect against PTSD mice”, and may help to “alleviate the symptoms of PTSD.”

Photo credit: Forbes

This is according to a new study published by the International Journal of Pharmaceutics. The study was conducted by researchers at the Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Henan University, Hebei University and the General Hospital of Western Theater Command. The study is titled Cannabidiol–loaded biomimetic macrophage membrane vesicles against post–traumatic stress disorder assisted by ultrasound.

“Our previous studies proved the effectiveness of cannabidiol (CBD) against PTSD, but low water solubility, low brain targeting efficiency and poor bioavailability restricted its applications”, states the study. “Here, a bionic delivery system, camouflage CBD–loaded macrophage–membrane nanovesicles (CMNVs), was constructed via co–extrusion of CBD with macrophage membranes, which had inflammatory and immune escape properties.”
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Mar 21 2023

New York Committee Approves Bill to Add Medical Marijuana Coverage to Public Insurance Programs

Legislation that would “add coverage of medical marijuana to public insurance programs and clarify that it may be covered by private insurance” has been passed by its initial committee in the New York Assembly.

Sponsored by Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes, A04713 was given approval today in an 18 to 7 vote by the Assembly Health Committee, moving it forward to the Ways and Means Committee .

“For thousands of patients, medical marijuana is a safer and more effective medication than other drugs, especially opioids”, states the “Justification” segment of the bill’s text. “While it can be prohibitively expensive for many patients, especially in the absence of insurance coverage, it may often be less expensive than what their insurance coverage pays for other medications.”
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Mar 21 2023

WA House Committee Votes to Protect Marijuana Users From Discrimination When Job Hunting

A Washington State House committee has voted to approve legislation that would protect most job applicants from discrimination if they use marijuana during their personal time.

Senate Bill 5123 has already been passed by the full Senate in a 28 to 21 vote. Now, the bill introduced by Senator Karen Keiser along with nine cosponsors has passed the House Labor and Workplace Standards Committee by a vote of 6 to 3. The measure will need to be passed by one more House committee before it can receive a vote by the full House of Representatives.

“It simply doesn’t make sense to base an employment decision on that kind of unreliable outcome and test,” says Senator Keiser, who points out the fact that most employers test for THC metabolites which can remain in the system for weeks.
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Mar 21 2023

Bill to Legalize Psychedelics Passed by California Senate Committee

Legislation that would legalize the personal possession of certain psychedelics while establishing a system to facilitate their use has been passed by a key senate committee in California.

The California Public Safety Committee voted 3 to 1 today to pass the Senate Bill 58 by Senator Scott Wiener. The bill, which would legalize the personal possession of DMT, ibogaine, psilocybin and psilocyn, now heads to the Senate Appropriations Committee. Passage in that committee would allow it to receive a vote by the full Senate.

Specifically the measure would legalize the “possession, preparation, obtaining, transfer, as specified, or transportation” of the above-mentioned substances” for personal or facilitated use”. It would also allow for “group counseling and community-based healing” and would legalize “any spores or mycelium capable of producing mushrooms or other material which contain psilocybin or psilocyn.”
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Mar 20 2023

North Dakota Legislature Approves Bill Allowing Those 65+ in Hospice Care to Self-Certify as Medical Marijuana Patients

A North Dakota bill that would allow those aged 65 and older to certify themselves as patients eligible to take part in the state’s medical cannabis program has been passed by the House and Senate.

House Bill 1478, “relating to the self-certification of an individual admitted into the hospice program for the medical use of marijuana”, will now be sent to Governor Doug Burgum after being approved by both the House and Senate. The measure passed the House by a vote of 86 to 6, and it passed the Senate unanimously, 45 to 0.

Filed by State Representative Mary Schneider with a bipartisan group of 10 cosponsors, House Bill 1478 allows those 65 and older to to “submit to the department a copy of the individual’s medical records identifying a designation of being admitted” into the program. The department “may use medical records in place of a written certification to approve or deny the application”.
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Mar 20 2023

Texas Committee Approves Bill to Add Chronic Pain as Medical Marijuana Condition and Replace THC Cap

Legislation to expand Texas’ medical marijuana program has been passed by its initial House committee.

The House Public Health Committee gave approval today to House Bill 1805, sponsored by Representative Stephanie Klick.

As amended, HB 1805 adds chronic pain “for which a physician would otherwise prescribe an opioid” to the state’s list of qualifying medical cannabis conditions. The measure would also replace the 1% cap on THC content by instead instituting a volumetric dose of 10mg, and it empowers the Department of State Health Services to add additional qualifying condition through an administrative process.
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Mar 20 2023

Massachusetts Marijuana Company Becomes First to Make 4/20 a Paid Holiday

Temescal Wellness, which runs three licensed marijuana dispensaries in Massachusetts, has announced that they’re making 4/20 a paid holiday for all their employees.

Sian Leininger, Director of Retail and Customer Engagement, says that this move honors both marijuana culture as well as employees, and will apply to its dispensaries, production facilities and corporate office.

“4/20 is a day to show appreciation, love and respect for cannabis and its power to help amplify the health and happiness that people experience in their daily lives,” says Leininger. “For us, it’s a day to celebrate our employees, whose passion, knowledge and true dedication inspires their unparalleled service to our customers and our community all of the other days of the year.”
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