# Mj news for 03/27/2015



## 7greeneyes (Mar 27, 2015)

http://www.oregonlive.com/marijuana/index.ssf/2015/03/oregons_state_marijuana_chief.html





*Oregon's state marijuana chief Tom Burns fired by OLCC*​




UPDATE: Ousted OLCC pot adviser looks 'forward to marijuana industry being a success'

Tom Burns, director of marijuana programs for the Oregon Liquor Control Commission, was fired Thursday.

Burns, who oversaw the implementation of the state's medical marijuana dispensary program and has been instrumental in launching efforts to establish a recreational market, confirmed his termination in an interview with The Oregonian/OregonLive Thursday afternoon.

He declined to comment further, referring questions to Steven Marks, the OLCC's executive director. Marks could not be reached immediately for comment. The liquor control commission's chairman, Rob Patridge, declined to comment on Burns' firing, calling it a "personnel matter."

Will Higlin, the agency's director of licensing, will assume the job's duties until a permanent replacement is named.

The agency also announced that Burns' departure will not affect the timeline for drafting rules for a regulated recreational marijuana industry.

Sen. Ginny Burdick, D-Portland, who co-chairs the House-Senate committee on implementing Oregon's new recreational marijuana law said she was shocked and disappointed by the news of Burns' ouster.

"I don't know how we're going to get through this without him," Burdick said.  "He's the most knowledgeable person on marijuana policy in the state.  It's a real shock. ... It's going to be a real loss to the legislative effort."

Despite her upset, Burdick said there was little legislators could or should do about the decision by Marks, the OLCC director.

"We don't do hiring and firing," Burdick said. "It's pretty perilous [for legislators] to get involved in personnel matters."

Burns' firing also stunned marijuana advocates.

"Wow," said Anthony Taylor, who leads Compassionate Oregon, a group that advocates for medical marijuana patients. He said Burns worked hard to build consensus as director of the dispensary program.

"His ability to interface with the Legislature, and being able to lay out a case for what we are trying to accomplish here, was pretty good," Taylor said.

Rob Bovett, legal counsel for the Association of Oregon Counties, was speechless upon hearing of Burns' ouster. Bovett, a former prosecutor, worked with Burns on implementing the state's dispensary program.

"Are you serious?" he asked a reporter for The Oregonian/OregonLive.

After 18 months overseeing the dispensary program, Burns, 61, was named in December as director of marijuana programs. It was his job to shepherd the complex rule-making process that will guide how marijuana is produced, taxed and sold in Oregon.

The timeline is tight. By law, new rules for the industry must be in place by late 2015 and the state must begin accepting applications for growers, processors and retailers by January 2016.

As a longtime lobbyist before coming to Oregon, Burns was widely viewed as having the policy chops and personality to deal with, not only lawmakers but marijuana growers and retailers.

But Burns could also be outspoken on marijuana policy, something that two sources close to the situation said irritated Patridge, the OLCC chairman. There was "a bad personality conflict there," said one source, who was not authorized to speak for attribution.

When asked about the relationship between Burns and Patridge, OLCC spokesman Tom Towslee said, "I will tell you this has nothing to do with a personality conflict." He said such a suggestion is "conjecture."

Rep. Ann Lininger, D-Lake Oswego, the other co-chair of the marijuana committee said she also saw Burns as a valuable figure in crafting the state's marijuana policy.

"I think people on our committee relied on his knowledge and judgment," she said, noting that Burns had learned a great deal about the issue as head of the state's medical marijuana program.

Before coming to Oregon, Burns spent 17 years in California government, working as a longtime policy advisor to Republican state lawmakers. In 1990, he left to take a job as a lobbyist for the pharmaceutical industry, eventually becoming vice president for state government affairs for GlaxoSmithKline. 

Burns eventually landed at the Oregon Health Authority, where he oversaw the state's pharmacy programs.


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## 7greeneyes (Mar 27, 2015)

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/DC-Groups-to-Hold-Marijuana-Seed-Share-297679781.html





*D.C. Group Holds Marijuana Seed-Sharing Events*​



Marijuana has been legal in D.C. for about a month now, but there's one question that may leave those who want to indulge perplexed: How do you get it?

According to the law, selling marijuana or exchanging it for goods or services remains illegal. To help those who may not know someone who can give them marijuana seeds, the D.C. Cannabis Campaign organized two seed-sharing events.

The line stretched two blocks for the first seed share, held Thursday evening at Libertine in Adams Morgan.

The second seed share is scheduled for Saturday at the D.C. Cannabis Campaign headquarters, northwest of Dupont Circle.

Adam Eidinger, the chairman of the D.C. Cannabis Campaign, says the events are a chance for people to give away seeds to people who need them. 

"[W]e have a new right now, and that right is to grow at home," Eidinger said. "[T]hats one way to obtain marijuana."

Attendees can also give up to an ounce of marijuana to someone else, as long as both parties are 21 or older. While the D.C. Cannabis Campaign says they will accept out-of-state IDs, the events are for D.C. residents.

"Well be checking to make sure youre 21 and older; we dont care where you live," Eidinger said. "But if you tell us youre taking the seeds outside of D.C., we just won't let you come in because that's not legal." 

Guests can only give away an ounce of seeds to any one person, and by law, you can only possess up to two ounces outside your home.

Once you get the seeds home, you can only grow up to six plants for personal use; only three plants can be mature at a time. In households with multiple adults, that number can increase to six mature plants.

City voters approved an initiative legalizing pot last year. Last month, Mayor Muriel Bowser allowed it to take effect despite an attempt by Congress to block it.

To RSVP and read the rules of the seed share, click here.


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## 7greeneyes (Mar 27, 2015)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...-mom-thinks-marijuana-edibles-killed-her-son/





*Why this mom thinks marijuana edibles killed her son*​




The last time Kim Goodman saw her son alive, it was at a bus stop in central Colorado, and he flashed that toothy smile that she so loved about him.

The Oklahoma family was on a vacation in the Rockies. Her son, Luke, was about to make off on his own to go snowboarding with some of his cousins. She recalls a contented feeling as she saw him leave. They had just had a really long talk the night before, and he looked so full of life  tan, fit, fresh out of Oral Roberts University. Ready for anything.

Days later, he would be dead. Luke Goodman, 22, shot himself once while alone inside a bedroom at a ski resort in Keystone, Colo.

That was Tuesday. And in the days since, the Tulsa mother has struggled to reconcile the vibrancy with which her son lived and the violence of his death. The pieces dont fit: He was so happy when he left her. He loved athletics and was out snowboarding. He was with his cousins, people who loved him more than anything. How could this have happened?

Then her nephew, Christopher Fouler, who was with her son that day, told her. Things began to fall into place. She knew her son had smoked pot before. But he had never had any marijuana edibles, as far as she knew. On the day of the shooting, he had taken five pieces of marijuana candy  four peach tarts and one red velvet. We are absolutely convinced it was the edibles that led to his death, Kim Goodman told The Washington Post on Thursday.

The story of Luke Goodman feeds into a larger debate over the ramifications of legalized marijuana and the diversification of marijuana products. One of the most contentious aspects of that debate involves edibles  and their safety. If Goodmans suicide was related to marijuana intoxication, it wont be the first.

In March of last year, when a college student fell from a hotel balcony, the Denver coroners office reportedly listed marijuana intoxication as a contributing factor. Then theres the case against a Denver man who authorities say ate a marijuana candy and then shot his wife dead.

The thing is, medical experts wrote in the New England Journal of Medicine, marijuana edibles are supremely popular. And companies are meeting the demand by rolling out a dizzying variety of pot snacks like Keef Kat and Munchy Way. But critics say regulation is lax.

Though the ingenuity and swiftness with which manufactures have formulated the new edibles have been surprising, the general problem was predictable, wrote doctors Robert MacCoun and Michelle Mello. As legalization of marijuana spreads, new adopters should ensure that their regulatory scheme for marijuana edibles is fully baked.

Edibles present unusual issues. What were seeing with edibles is that the effect is delayed for approximately 30 minutes, depending on the person,  Al Bronstein, a physician and medical director of the Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center, recently told ABC News.  People get impatient for the effect and will take more, and then the symptoms are more pronounced than what they were expecting.

Its too early to conclude pot edibles contributed to any of these deaths. Suicides are often a fueled by a combination of factors, with no single cause leading to tragedy. But to Kim Goodman, that wasnt the case with her son. Shes convinced his curiosity about pot edibles killed him.

When she left her son that day at the bus station, she knew he had his gun with him. The Goodmans are a gun family. As Goodman was growing up, he watched his father bring a gun on vacation trips to lend the family a sense of security. So when Goodman learned he would be taking a leg of the familys Colorado trip by himself, he bought a 9mm and brought it with him.

Soon Goodman met up with his cousins. He said he had noticed a pot dispensary near the bus station, and his mom said the young men went back there and bought a bag of pot candies. He wasnt familiar with them, she told The Post. So he ate one, but 15 or 20 or 30 minutes later, he said, Im not feeling a thing. So they decided to take another one, then another one, then another one. And ultimately, he ended up taking five edibles.

Goodman seemed fine for a long time. A pair of friends of his had just gotten engaged. Goodman was thrilled, and his Facebook page shows he called them to offer congratulations.

But inside the Keystone resort, it was getting late, and things were getting out of control. Goodman and his cousin, Christopher Fouler, got into an intense debate about religion and politics, police records reported by 9News said. Fouler said Goodman started going overboard, so he said maybe they should hit the hot tub.

My nephew and his girlfriend said, Hey, Luke, lets go down to the hot tub, Kim Goodman said. And he said, No, Im going to stay up here. So my nephew walked down to the hot tub and, two minutes later, a gunshot goes off. It was from the bedroom. Where my son was.

Her nephew found her son there. He was wearing snowboard boots, ski pants and a ski jacket.


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## 7greeneyes (Mar 27, 2015)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertw...-marijuana-taxes-are-blood-money-is-he-right/





*Chris Christie Says Marijuana Taxes Are Blood Money. Is He Right?*​




Government needs money, and there is no shortage of interest in generating tax revenues from marijuana. But not in New Jersey, not if Governor Christ Christie has anything to say about it. He said society should never legalize recreational marijuana even if that allows you to tax it liberally. He even said tax revenue from marijuana was blood money.

This should not be permitted in our society, it sends the wrong message, Christie said. Every bit of objective data tells us that its a gateway drug to other drugs. And it is not an excuse in our society to say that alcohol is legal so why not make marijuana legal.  Well  why not make heroin legal? Why not make cocaine legal? You know, their argument is a slippery slope.

As for legalizing marijuana to raise taxes, Gov. Christie said. To me, thats blood money. Im not going to put the lives of children and citizens at risk to put a little more money into the state coffers, at least not on my watch.

Christie made the big remarks at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for an outpatient drug abuse rehabilitation facility on the Jersey Shore. As long as Im governor of New Jersey, there wont be legalized marijuana in this state, he continued. He even alluded to states that have pursued marijuana tax riches losing out. The businesses go to cash, he suggested, and the taxes go up in smoke.

Many have suggested that legalizing marijuana would mean huge tax revenues. Naysayers worry about public health risks, but may still find the tax revenues alluring. In Colorado, the governors office estimated it would collect $100 million in taxes from the first year of recreational marijuana. In the end, Colorados tax haul for 2014 recreational marijuana was a disappointing $44 million, causing some to say that Colorados marijuana money is going up in smoke.

Colorado was first to regulate marijuana production and sale, so other governments are watching closely. Colorado also collected sales tax on medical marijuana and various fees, for a total of about $76 million. The taxes are significant, but not all the sales are going through legal channels. Perhaps it was silly to think they would.

Avenues for cheaper prices in the illegal and medical markets can political name legal recreational sales where tax revenues are highest. That makes perfect sense, and is calling for a re-examination of tax rates and enforcement. In Colorado, legalization has surprised both supporters and critics, with a mixture of good and bad.

Washington state became the second to legalize recreational marijuana. Oregon and Alaska have followed. With four recreational victories, activists are pushing legalization in other states, including California where a ballot measure is expected in 2016. The tax tally is likely to keep growing, if not always as predicted.

In Colorado, there is a 2.9% sales tax and a 10% marijuana sales tax. Plus, there is a 15% excise tax on the average market rate of retail marijuana. It adds up to 27.9%. But with all those taxes, many smokers buy illegally. An estimated 40% of purchases in Colorado are  not through legal channels. There is also a growing relationship between the 2.9% medical marijuana tax and the 27% recreational variety.

Some patients may be reselling 2.9% medical stock. A medical marijuana card costs $15. About 23% of estimated marijuana users in Colorado have medical cards. Meanwhile, the Colorado tax on marijuana has been upheld despite claims that paying it amounts to self-incrimination that violates the Fifth Amendment.

Since marijuana remains illegal under federal law, the argument is that filling out state tax forms admitting buying or selling implicates you in federal crimes. Its a clever argument, but the plaintiffs have lost so far. Yet the lawsuit challenging the taxes continues. Of course, taxes arent clear on the federal side either. Federal law trumps state law, and Section 280E of the tax code denies even legal medical marijuana dispensaries tax deductions.

The proposed Marijuana Tax Equity Act would end the federal prohibition on marijuana and allow it to be taxedat a whopping 50%. The bill would impose a 50% excise tax on cannabis sales, plus an annual occupational tax on workers in the field of legal marijuana. Hopefully, anticipated tax revenues will be based on hard data and realistic projections.


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## 7greeneyes (Mar 27, 2015)

http://lifehacker.com/what-marijuana-actually-does-to-your-brain-and-body-1693986467





*What Marijuana Actually Does to Your Brain and Body​*




Marijuana. Pot. Weed. Whatever you call it, it's the most popular illegal drug in the world, gaining support for legalization for both medicinal and recreational purposes. But what does marijuana actually do to us? Let's take a look at this fascinating drug, its health effects, and potential concerns about using it.

*Marijuana Is a Controlled Substance...Lacking in Controlled, Scientific Research*

Before we start, we should note that a whole lot more research needs to be done in this area. Although marijuana has been used for centuries as a medicine and as an inebriant (it's even mentioned in the Old Testament several times as "kaneh-bosem"), we don't know a great deal about the health effects of using it. That's because there haven't been many controlled studies on it, due to the way marijuana is classified by the federal government.

The Food and Drug Administration classifies marijuana as a Schedule I drug, defined as the most dangerous of all drug schedules, with "no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse." (Fun fact: heroin, ecstasy, and LSD are also Schedule I drugs, but cocaine and meth are considered less dangerous Schedule II drugs.) As such, to do clinical research with marijuana, you need a license from the DEA and your study approved by the FDA, and to obtain research-grade marijuana, you have to go through the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Popular Science explains. Otherwise, since it's federally illegal to have marijuana (even in states that have legalized marijuana), researchers working in hospitals, colleges, or other institutions that receive federal funding risk losing their funds to do this research.

There have long been movements to reclassify marijuana and open up the doors for more studies, but, for now, here's what we do know about marijuana and our health.

*What Marijuana Does to Our Brains in the First Couple of Hours*

The video above from ASAP Science explains how marijuana acts on our brains shortly after smoking or ingesting it. Cannabis contains at least 60 types of cannabinoids, chemical compounds that act on receptors throughout our brain. THC, or Tetrahydrocannabinol, is the chemical responsible for most of marijuana's effects, including the euphoric high. THC resembles another cannabinoid naturally produced in our brains, anandamide, which regulates our mood, sleep, memory, and appetite.

Essentially, cannabinoids' effect on our brains is to keep our neurons firing, magnifying our thoughts and perception and keeping us fixed on them (until another thought takes us on a different tangent). That's why when you're high, it's really not a good time to drive, study for a test, or play sports that require coordination, like tennis or baseball. Like alcohol, caffeine, and sugar, cannabinoids also effect the levels of dopamine in our brain, often resulting in a sense of relaxation and euphoria.

Salon explains a few more ways marijuana interacts with our brains, such as impairing our ability to form new memories, and how cannabinoids cause the classic "munchies."

The effects will depend on the amount taken, as well as how potent the preparation is (common marijuana contains 2 to 5% THC, while ganja can contain up to 15% THC and hashish oil between 15 and 60% THC). At high doses&#8212;and if you don't follow the 10 commandments of marijuana edible safety&#8212;marijuana can produce scary curled-up-on-the-couch-for-hours hallucinatory states.

As with other drugs, marijuana's effects will also vary by individual. Not all people may find it an enjoyable or relaxing experience; for those who have anxiety or are prone to panic attacks, marijuana could exacerbate their symptoms rather than bring on a sense of calm.

*Marijuana Doesn't Seem to Have a Long-Term Effect on Memory and Concentration*

The short-term effects of marijuana are generally felt within a few minutes, peak within 30 minutes, and wear off after about two or three hours. The bigger question is: what happens if we use marijuana more regularly, or are occasional but heavy users? Are there permanent cognitive and other health changes? Do we all turn into The Dude from the Big Lebowski?

Again, we don't have many rigorous scientific studies on this, much less many longitudinal studies. A 2012 review of available research, however, published in the Journal of Addiction Medicine, finds that the immediate impairments on memory and concentration, at least, aren't likely permanent:

*Attention/concentration:* Marijuana impairs light users' attention and concentration but doesn't appear to affect regular or heavy users within six hours of smoking or ingesting it. In the long run, researchers have found that after 3 weeks or more since last using marijuana, subjects' attention and concentration return to normal. "In five of seven studies, no attention or concentration impairments were found in subjects who had remained abstinent from 28 days to one year (Lyons et al., 2004; Pope et al., 2001; 2002; 2003; Verdejo-Garcia et al., 2005)." The other two studies found differences in attention and concentration between heavy and non-users after 28 days, but the reviewers note that the disparate findings could be due to measuring different types of processing skills.

*Working memory:* Several studies likewise found no residual or long-term effects on working memory. A 2002 study, for example, tested 77 heavy smokers for days after abstaining from smoking pot. Memory impairment was found for heavy users up to 7 days after using marijuana, but by day 28 their memory test results didn't differ significantly from control subjects. In other words, even if your memory is affected when you smoke up, after you stop it will likely go back to normal with time.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has a brochure on the possible short- and long-term consequences of using marijuana. It reports that there's no strong link between frequency of marijuana use and violence or crime, an unclear or weak link between depression and marijuana use, and no clear link between marijuana use and birth defects. Heavy use of marijuana, however, has been linked to increased likelihood of respiratory problems, schizophrenia development (but some studies suggest a genetic predisposition might be involved in these cases), and, for teens increasing pot use, a harder time adjusting to society. We'll touch on some of these issues below.

*Compared to Other Drugs, Marijuana Is Less Addictive and Harmful*

Addiction is a very complex topic. It's possible for people to get addicted to anything that gives us pleasure. While marijuana addiction is real, it is a rarer addiction than other (legal or illegal) substances. Statistics say that 9 percent of people (roughly one out of 10) who use marijuana become dependent on it, compared to 32 percent of tobacco users, 20 percent of cocaine users, and 15 percent of alcohol drinkers.

What Marijuana Actually Does to Your Brain and Body

When it comes to marijuana and other substances, some say what matters most might not be how addictive the substance is but how harmful it might be. Former Surgeon General Jocelyn Elders told CNN she supports legalizing marijuana, saying it "is not addictive, not physically addictive anyway." Time reports:

As Dr. Elders also said on CNN, marijuana is nontoxic. You can fatally overdose on alcohol, heroin or cocaine, but the only way a dose of marijuana will kill you is if someone crushes you under a bale of it.

By and large, marijuana has been shown to be much less dangerous and addictive than other substances&#8212;over 100 times safer than alcohol&#8212;but that's not to say it is completely harmless. How marijuana is consumed and prepared can make a big difference on its health effects, for better or worse, as well.

*Marijuana Is More Dangerous for Teens*

What Marijuana Actually Does to Your Brain and Body

The chances of getting addicted to marijuana increase if you're a daily user or if you start when you're a teen. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, marijuana addiction goes up to about 17 percent in those who start using young (in their teens) and to 25 to 50 percent among daily users.

Dr. Damon Raskin, internist and Diplomat of the American Board of Addiction Medicine, advises:

Marijuana these days can cause changes in the brain that impair learning, especially in teenagers as their brains have not finished developing. Brains are not fully developed until the age of 25 or 26. Chronic marijuana use can lead to changes in both personality, judgment, and reasoning skills.

Pot damages the heart and lungs, increases the incidence of anxiety, depression and schizophrenia, and it can trigger acute psychotic episodes. Many adults appear to be able to use marijuana with relatively little harm, but the same cannot be said of adolescents, who are about twice as likely as adults to become addicted to marijuana.

Much of the marijuana available today is more potent than it was in the past, so the potential exists for it to have more intense deleterious effects on the user. Medical professionals are seeing more emergency room visits with excessive vomiting, and with adolescents, there is greater risk of psychosis and delirium.
If you're a parent, this is another reminder to talk to your kids about drugs, especially during those formative years.

*Smoking Is Riskier Than Other Methods of Using*

Marijuana is most commonly smoked, but it can be used in vaporizers, turned into a tea, or used as an ingredient in foods as an edible. Oils and tinctures are often made from the cannabis plant as well for medicinal purposes. Of the many ways to use marijuana, smoking seems to have the most harmful side effects. According to the American Lung Association:

Smoke is harmful to lung health. Whether from burning wood, tobacco or marijuana, toxins and carcinogens are released from the combustion of materials. Smoke from marijuana combustion has been shown to contain many of the same toxins, irritants and carcinogens as tobacco smoke.

Beyond just what's in the smoke alone, marijuana is typically smoked differently than tobacco. Marijuana smokers tend to inhale more deeply and hold their breath longer than cigarette smokers, which leads to a greater exposure per breath to tar.

Secondhand marijuana smoke contains many of the same toxins and carcinogens found in directly inhaled marijuana smoke, in similar amounts if not more.
A review of studies in 2013, however, found mixed evidence linking heavy, long-term marijuana use to pulmonary disease or lung cancer and concluded that there's definitely a bigger risk for these if you smoke tobacco.

Still, regular users might consider other options besides smoking, such as vaping and edibles. Ata Gonzalez, CEO of G FarmaLabs, says:

Traditional methods (joints, blunts, etc), first off, aren&#8217;t the most efficient and certainly aren&#8217;t the cleanest ways to do it. These paper-based methods can be harsh on throat and lung tissue over time, potentially introduce the possibility of inhaling mold spores, and can be carcinogenic depending on what the cannabis is rolled in. Vaporizers are a much better option if you&#8217;re going to smoke it, not only because it&#8217;s much more discreet, but it introduces cannabinoids into the bloodstream as a gas through heat, rather than as smoke due to combustion. Vaping also reduces any possible exposure to harmful toxins/byproducts because the marijuana is never burned.

Conversely, there&#8217;s always the edibles option. This method is the most efficient way to get cannabinoids into the system because it&#8217;s done through the gastrointestinal tracts instead of the lungs &#8211; this also means that absorption is slower and the effects seem like they&#8217;re delayed, but that&#8217;s because the body has to process THC through the liver. The resulting effect, however, is a much more body-focused &#8220;high&#8221; that&#8217;s optimal for pain relief. 

Tinctures and tonics are sometimes classified in this subset/consumption category. Finally, we have topical solutions made with cannabis oil (e.g. salves, lotions, ointments, etc.) which are best used as anti-inflammatories and analgesics.

Additionally, if you partake, you'll want to know where your marijuana came from&#8212;who grew it, how they grew it, how they harvested it, and so on. (Soon you'll be able to buy Willie Nelson's own brand of weed from his stores!) If you don't know, however, consider Global Healing Center editor Ben Nettleton's suggestion to water cure your stuff:

Water curing is basically just soaking your stuff in water and changing the water several times. The water draws out any water soluble impurities. So any leftover fertilizer, pesticides, fungus (recent Smithsonian touched on the prevalence of that), and even innocuous unnecessary compounds like salts and chlorophyll. Pretty much just like giving it a wash. THC is not water soluble so you don't lose any of what you want.

We tend to think of marijuana as a hippy all-natural movement, but today legal marijuana is the fastest growing industry in the US&#8212;a multi-billion dollar industry&#8212;and the purity and quality of the marijuana can matter a great deal to your health and its effect on you.

*There Are Many Possible Medical Uses for Marijuana*

Finally, there are the potential medical uses of marijuana for a wide variety of conditions. 23 US states and DC have legalized the medical use of marijuana to treat symptoms of cancer, AIDS, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, migraines, epilepsy, nausea, and other conditions. 76% of doctors surveyed said they would prescribe marijuana for medicinal purposes. And Procon.org's analysis of 60 peer-reviewed studies on medical marijuana found 68% of them concluded treatments were positive for the conditions treated.

As with the adverse effects of marijuana, however, the research here is still limited and lacking. CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta, who changed his stance on marijuana to now question marijuana's categorization as a Schedule I drug, says that of the recent papers on it, the overwhelming majority&#8212;about 94%&#8212;are designed to investigate the harm while only 6% investigate the benefits of medical marijuana.

So what we're left with is anecdotal evidence. Greta Carter, marijuana activist, entrepreneur, and founder of a chain of clinics tells me:

What we know is that the VA has clearly identified the benefits of marijuana on post-traumatic stress syndrome. We also know that parents who have struggled daily with children suffering from seizures and movement disorders go to extremes to relocate their families to states that will allow them access to the medicine. We&#8217;ve heard from patients with AIDS and Cancer who find benefits from cannabis. There are studies outside of the US that actually show tumors being reduced with cannabis treatment. I find it unconscionable that we as a country that have over 500 deaths a year to aspirin, and none to cannabis in its entire history would ever try to stand in the way of this plant being readily available to whomever might seek it.

With those being the extreme situations advocating for cannabis, I am more of the position that cannabis is a part of overall wellness for many. &#8230; Having served over 1,000 patients a month (40K to date) walking through my clinics and the average age growing older each year, the stories I&#8217;m more accustomed to hearing go like this: The aging population who come in and report that they take over 14 kinds of medications (and some of them are meds to offset the side effects of the other meds), in a year after incorporating cannabis, they come back and are down to 2 or 3 meds and enjoying a better quality of life. From those who have suffered from addiction to pain pills, they use cannabis to manage their pain and are off of their pain meds. The stories going on and on.

Opponents of medical marijuana argue that it's too dangerous to use (though the arguments seem to be mostly associated with the effects of smoking rather than marijuana in general or administered in other ways), that marijuana is addictive, and that legal drugs make marijuana unnecessary.

Health professionals and researchers (and lawmakers) on both sides of the debate continue to argue the pros and cons of marijuana use. As for us regular people, over a year ago, more than half of polled Americans said they were in favor of marijuana (recreational or medical) being sold legally, just like alcohol is.

As ever, "further research is recommended" (isn't that how all studies conclude?) In the case of marijuana, though, we really do need more.


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## Grower13 (Mar 27, 2015)

:ciao:

Hey 7g


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## 7greeneyes (Mar 27, 2015)

http://consequenceofsound.net/2015/...ijuana-dispensaries-across-the-united-states/





*Willie Nelson plans to open marijuana dispensaries across the United States*​




sk Willie Nelson about his love of marijuana and he will likely direct you to his memoir, the awesomely titled Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die: Musings From the Road. That, or hell delightfully tell you about that one time he smoked pot on the roof of the White House. Soon enough, the legendary singer-songwriter will have something new to boast about: his very own brand of weed.

Yes, after being a longtime proponent and enthusiast of marijuana, Nelson is looking to get into the business of actually selling it. The product is called Willies Reserve, and it could be available to the public as early as 2016. It will also be distributed through physical stores, which Nelson and his family hope to open up across the US in states thatve legalized marijuana. (For reference, Colorados estimated legal weed market is expected to reach $1 billion next year. Whew.)

According to an interview with Willies Reserve spokesperson Michael Bowman, the business is not just some fun, hobby-type venture, but a culmination of Willies vision, and his whole life. He adds:

"_Willie has spent a lifetime in support of cannabis, both the industrial hemp side and the marijuana side. He wants it to be something thats reflective of his passion. Ultimately, its his. But it was developed by his family, and their focus on environmental and social issues, and in particular this crazy war on drugs, and trying to be a bright light amongst this trail as were trying to extract ourselves from the goo of prohibition.
_"
Really he wants it, at the end of the day, to envelop what his personal morals and convictions are. So from the store itself to how theyll work with suppliers and how things are operated, its going to be very reflective of Willies life.

Bowman notes that in addition to signature strains grown under the 81-year-old musicians guidance, Willies Reserve will sell other peoples products. Below, watch Nelson recall his days spent lighting it up at the nations capital.


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## 7greeneyes (Mar 27, 2015)

http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox...deal_with_420_friendly_employees_legally.html






*Marijuana Is Changing the Workplace. Here's How Employers Should Deal With It.*​





With medical marijuana legal in 23 states and Washington, D.C., there are now millions of card-carrying cannabis users working at companies across the U.S. While four states and the District have legalized recreational marijuana use, pot is still illegal under federal law, and many business owners still subscribe to the plant's Reefer Madness stigma and don't want to allow people to smoke on the job. For some of those owners, that can mean getting sued for failing to accommodate an employee who has a medical condition.

Regardless of how you feel about marijuana, there are certain rules employees and employers need to follow when it comes to drugs in the workplace. If you make a mistake, you could find yourself in court. Todd Wulffson, a partner at California-based employment and labor law firm Carothers DiSante & Freudenberger, is one of the many lawyers who have been busy defending employers in these types of cases. Wulffson says that to protect your business you need to update your employment policies and human resources programs, and train all managers.

First, employers need to be familiar with the laws that have been passed in their states and consider a drug policy that doesn't prohibit employees from using cannabis on their own time. With 86 percent of Americans supporting medical marijuana, an overly restrictive policy may chase some of your workers to another employer. Marijuana, while still classified as a Schedule I drug without medical use, does have medical benefits, and a bipartisan bill to make medical marijuana legal on the federal level has been introduced in the Senate. 

Until then, employers need to take steps to avoid becoming a target of an employee lawsuit (whether the employee would have a strong case or not). "There are four scenarios that play out in these types of lawsuits that I see over and over again," Wulffson says.

*1. Innocent inquiry*

The first scenario is when an employee or an applicant innocently asks the question "'I just wanted to know, would you accommodate my use of medical marijuana?'" "That's a loaded question because you have to accommodate the underlying disability of the medical condition," Wulffson says. "But you don't have to accommodate being stoned at work."

If the query is put to the human resources department, the HR person should tell the employee that the company will accommodate his condition. At the same time, the employee should explain his condition, the treatment, and exactly what kind of accommodation he needs so you can have a dialogue about it. Where most companies falter is when a manager doesn't know the company policy and speaks out of turn.

"If an employee asks a line manager, they could easily say, 'Hell no! We don't accommodate stoners! You can't be stoned at work!'" Then the employee says, "Gee, I got glaucoma and I was hoping you'd accommodate my condition." If the manager doesn't tell the employee to go talk to HR and fires them, Wulffson warns, the result may be a lawsuit.

*2. An ill employee stoned at work*

The second scenario, Wulffson says, is when an employee with a serious disease is under the influence at work and gets called on the carpet: "The employee will say, 'I am getting treated for cancer and I am going through chemo. The only thing that helps is medical marijuana and I had to smoke a bowl at lunch to keep from throwing up. I am really sorry, I'll do something light until it wears off.'" Wulffson says that although you may have sympathy for the employee's situation, the only way to protect yourself from litigation is to institute a zero-tolerance policy for the use of any drugs, including medical marijuana, while at work.

Keep in mind, however, that if you are in a state that mandates employers accommodate medical marijuana (i.e., Arizona, Delaware, or Minnesota) you cannot fire a medical marijuana card-holding employee for a positive marijuana test. While it is indeed advisable to have a drug policy prohibiting marijuana use during work hours, you don't need to know about what employees are doing on their own time.

*3. The future smoker*

Wulffson says he's currently representing three clients who are in this situation: The employee comes to you and says she's suffering from anxiety or glaucoma and needs to deal with the symptoms. She tells you she's about to go outside, walk 50 feet away from the building, smoke, and come back. "They're telling you they're going to do it, but they are not stoned right now, so you don't have the right to fire them right now," he says. "But, invariably, the manager says, 'No, no, no, no. Go home, stay home, you're fired.'" 

Wulffson says you should not allow the employee to smoke while at work, but you can make allowances. Say something like this: "We will reasonably accommodate your condition, but we cannot allow you to be under the influence while on the clockit's too risky for the company. You can go home for the rest of the day and come back tomorrow."

*4. Social media smokers*

Here, an employee goes on Facebook or Twitter and sees pictures of an applicant smoking a joint. The employee then emails the hiring manager to discourage him from hiring the person. When the candidate finds out you saw the photos, Wulffson says, "that's when they claim you didn't hire them because of either a perceived disability" and/or because you don't want to provide an accommodation for them. 

You might find this is frivolous, but there are lawyers out there looking to cash in. "There is a cottage industry of lawyers that do nothing but bring claims related to medical marijuana against employers," Wulffson says. "Google 'medical marijuana rights' and you'll find 50 lawyers who write well-written letters about how you didn't accommodate the employee and you're getting sued for hundreds of millions of dollars, but today they'll take $15,000 to go away."

Wulffson says these lawsuits are catching a lot of employers off guard because of the confusion over medical marijuana laws. "It may be legal in many states, but it's still a federal crime," he says. California and other states will not prosecute someone with a medical card who is carrying less than a certain amount, but that's not a blanket permission. "You can't go on federal property, you can't work for a federal employer," he says. "'Don't work for a federal contractor because you could be fired and maybe jailed."

When it comes to drug use at workwhether it is an employee with cancer smoking marijuana or one popping Xanax to deal with anxietyWulffson suggests you should adopt a simple, straightforward company policy that reads something like this: "We don't allow the use of, the possession, or being under the influence of any illegal drug in the workplace. 'Illegal drug' is defined as 'the abuse of over-the-counter medication, prescription medication, medical marijuana, and alcohol."

Additionally, Wulffson says, make sure you train all of your managers to answer questions. "If anything from any employee looks, sounds, or smells like they have a medical condition or medical marijuana issue, refer them to HR," he says. "The biggest issue I see is that companies don't get the word out and the line managers say and do things that get the company sued."


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## 7greeneyes (Mar 27, 2015)

http://www.webmd.com/brain/news/20150324/colorado-marijuana-metals-fungus





*Metals, Fungus Found in Colorados Marijuana*​




March 24, 2015 -- Legal marijuana grown in Colorado is two to three times as potent as what was sold on the black market 30 years ago, according to test results released this week at a scientific meeting in Denver.

But its the unexpected contents of Colorados recreational marijuana that surprised researchers. Scientists found butane, heavy metals, and fungus in some samples.

Its pretty startling just how dirty a lot of this stuff is, said Andy LaFrate, president and director of research at Charas Scientific, in a news release. Youll see a marijuana bud that looks beautiful. And then we run it through a biological assay and we see that its covered in fungi.

LaFrate shared the findings at a meeting of the American Chemical Society.

*What's in Colorado's Recreational Pot?*

Colorado voters legalized recreational marijuana in 2012, with the first legal sales of cannabis in the U.S. in eight decades beginning in 2014.

Mandatory testing for potency began in May 2014, followed by testing for consistency in July 2014, said Daria Serna, director of communications for the Colorado Department of Revenue.

Charas Scientific is one of eight labs certified by Colorado to test marijuana samples submitted by retailers.

Tests found that, despite the common belief that different strains produce different effects on the user, there was little chemical difference among marijuana samples. Researchers also found the levels of THC, the ingredient in marijuana that gives you a high, ranged from 20% to 30 % percent, compared to the average of 10% 30 years ago. Thats likely a result of years of breeding for higher THC potency many users prefer.

Another side effect of this breeding is that recreational marijuana has little or no CBD. That is an ingredient that has shown promise in treating seizures and other medical conditions.

The state has not yet begun requiring testing for contaminants, but some companies volunteered their products for such tests. Nothing was found to indicate a serious health risk. But the findings have raised questions about what should be tolerated in marijuana sold to the public and if such contaminants could be harmful.

Mary Meek, director of business development at Charas, said some marijuana samples had levels that are OK for grocery store produce. But right now [the testing] is not in effect for marijuana, so you dont really know how dirty or clean your product is right now.

The possible health effects are unknown. While smoking a marijuana bud would conceivably kill the fungus, what if a user smells the marijuana first and breathes it in? Could it make him sick? For an industry just emerging from eight decades on the black market, there are few answers.

The problem is its not been tracked. You may just think youre getting a cold and it may look like allergies, when in reality it could be something else going on, Meek said.

Another problem is edible marijuana products. Meek said researchers have found E. coli -- though not a hazardous form -- and salmonella in some samples. Yet Denver is the only municipality in Colorado where health inspectors monitor edible marijuana products. Salmonella has also been found on marijuana buds, likely a result of organic growing techniques.

Still, Meek said that type of contamination is rare.

None of this is meant to be a scare campaign. Thats not why were here, she said. We want to label your marijuana like we would label your liquor or your beer. You want to know your items have been tested and theyre safe.

When contaminant testing becomes mandatory, pot stores will be required to test for molds, mildew, and filth; germs; and herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, and other harmful chemicals. They will also be required to include this information on labels, along with potency and the number of servings.


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## 7greeneyes (Mar 27, 2015)

http://whotv.com/2015/03/26/medical-cannabis-bill-moves-to-senate-floor/





*(IOWA) Medical Cannabis Bill Moves To Senate Floor*​




DES MOINES, Iowa  Expanding Iowas medical cannabis legislation made it one step further Thursday at the statehouse.

Last year Iowa passed a medical cannabis bill for those suffering from chronic epilepsy.

Thursday afternoon the Senate Ways and Means Committee pushed to expand that bill to create equal access for all Iowans.

In a vote of nine to five the bill advanced to the Senate floor for full debate.

The bill would expand Iowas current medical cannabis law to include other conditions such as cancer, MS, Chrons Disease, PTSD, epilepsy, AIDS/HIV, glaucoma, hepatitis C, ALS, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, PTSD and severe chronic pain associated with an underlying condition.

Thats good news for Lori Tassin of Des Moines who suffers from cancer and wants another option for treatment.

The reading that Ive done on it the THC is supposed to kill cancer cells and the CBD is not supposed to allow it to metastasize, so it`s another treatment option for me. Ive been on seven different kinds of chemo treatments, Ive had four bouts of radiation and brain surgery so i need something, says Tassin.

The same can be said for Jon Custis of Anamosa who as a Vietnam Veteran suffers from PTSD. Hes confident he would see relief with medical cannabis.

From what I hear from my friends, cannabis would calm you down and it will help you sleep through the night. It takes away the pain you have and it lessens all the effects, says Custis.

The bill establishes a medical advisory board and would allow for the cultivation, production and dispensing of medical cannabis at multiple locations across Iowa.

Sen. Joe Bolkcom, whos led the charge on medical cannabis legislation, says he credits the dozens and dozens of patients who came forward to share their stories as to why this bill is seeing success.

This legislation is really brought to us by the patients who suffer from amazing types of conditions that we`ve learned about some of which are here with us today. They`ve shown great courage to basically come here and convince us to do something that`s really hard to do, says Sen. Bolkcom.

The bill now advances to the full Senate for debate where lawmakers are hopeful it will pass.

However, House Republican Leader Kraig Paulson said Thursday he doesnt believe the House will take up any bills regarding medical marijuana this legislative session.


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## 7greeneyes (Mar 27, 2015)

http://abcnews.go.com/US/alaska-police-raid-cannabis-club-run-reporter-quit/story?id=26496459





*Alaska Police Raid Cannabis Club Run By Reporter Who Quit on Live TV*​




The cannabis club run by a former news reporter who used profanity on live television while announcing she was quitting her job is currently under police investigation.

Search warrants were served by the Anchorage Police Department at the Alaska Cannabis Club in Anchorage, Alaska, last Friday. The Alaska Cannabis Club is owned by former KTVA reporter Charlene Egby.

Police received reports of the illegal sale of marijuana and other derivatives at a location that's been identified as the Alaska Cannabis Club, the Anchorage Police Department said in a statement on its website.

Egby, known professionally as Charlo Greene, told ABC News she was not surprised by the raid.

I have to stress that no arrests were made and no citations were issued. The police did however destroy the 9 mature and about a dozen immature medical cannabis plants on site - all within the legal cultivation bounds - and confiscated cellphones, computers and 2 vehicles (one of which was not included in the warrant), Greene told ABC News in a statement.

Greene was reporting live for KTVA on the Alaska Cannabis Club in September, when she admitted to viewers that she actually owned the club and was quitting her job to fight for the legalization of marijuana.

The Alaska Cannabis Club is a network of medical marijuana patients throughout Alaska, Greene said. Since leaving KTVA, Greene said shes received multiple job offers.

On the local, on the national and on the international level, I've been receiving job offers, Greene told ABC News 20/20 in an interview in October 2014. I'm not going anywhere. You're going to see a lot more of me.

Greene declined to name where any of the job offers were from.

That decision was made before we started even filming that day story. I knew this was going to be my exit. All of it was planned out, top to bottom, Greene said.

Greene added that her life has been turned upside-down since she said, F*** it, I quit on the air.

I wasn't expecting that to be, like, the F-bomb heard round the world or anything like that, Greene said last October.

In a statement the day after Greene quit, KTVA News Director Bert Rudman said, [Greene] had a personal and business stake in the issue she was reporting, but did not disclose that interest to us. This betrayed the basic bedrock of responsible journalism.

Regardless of the criticism over her viral resignation, Greene said she doesn't regret reporting on the Alaska Cannabis Club without disclosing that she owned it.

The Alaska Cannabis Club is my business, Greene said in October. I have a degree in journalism. I know all about ethics. I made a choice, and I'm unapologetic in it.

When asked how she makes money through the Alaska Cannabis Club, Greene said, You could talk to my attorney about that.

After the new marijuana laws went into effect in Alaska on Feb. 24, Greene said she successfully opened the Alaskas first and only medical marijuana dispensary, named the Alaska Cannabis Club, that same day.

Greene said she uses marijuana regularly and credits it with saving her life.

[With] every single reporting job, I have probably smoked right after I got off work daily," she said in October. "I'm trusted to give you information. The fact that you don't know I smoke weed doesn't make that information any less viable.

While she doesnt have any detailed plans for the future, Greene said she will continue to tell her story and support marijuana legalization.

I mean, I'm not even worried about [the job offers]. I'm set. I'm good, Greene said in October.

People believe in me because I took a stand.


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## 7greeneyes (Mar 27, 2015)

Grower13 said:


> :ciao:
> 
> Hey 7g




Hey buddy! How's it growin'?


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## Grower13 (Mar 27, 2015)

7greeneyes said:


> Hey buddy! How's it growin'?


 
just fine....... hope all is well with you.......

:48:


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## DankColas (Mar 27, 2015)

Lots of good things happening.
Keep it Green ALL!:vap-red vapor:


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## N.E.wguy (Mar 28, 2015)

7greeneyes said:


> Hey buddy! How's it growin'?



perfect quote! reversed to u! Glad to see you keeping the live feed of news alive! can u troll my thread in coffee table for me see what u can dig up on it. I posted it there to get approval rather then posting it here and would like to add it to my PTSD thread as it needs a bump any way. Nice to see you I will be around alot now!


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