CBD Treats Psychosis With Fewer Side Effects, New Study Finds
CBD Treats Psychosis With Fewer Side Effects, New Study Finds
According to a review published in the November issue of the journal Neuropsychopharmacology, non-psychotropic cannabinoid Cananbidiol (CBD) alleviates psychotic symptoms has high potential as an alternative treatment for psychosis. Based on the preclinical and clinical data on the use of CBD as an antipsychotic agent, investigators in the Netherlands and the UK reported that both animal and human studies document the ability of CBD to mitigate symptoms of psychosis.
A 2012 study that compared the effectiveness of CBD vs. the prescription anti-psychotic drug Amisulpride in 42 subjects with schizophrenia and acute paranoia concluded that while both the agents brought about “equally significant clinical improvement”, cannabidiol “possessed significantly less side effects.” Evidence from several study domains and previous human trials suggest that considering its superior cost-effectiveness, safety, and high tolerability, CBD may prove to be an attractive alternative to current antipsychotic treatment.
Preliminary clinical trials assessing the safety and tolerability of the compound in children are scheduled to begin immediately after the FDA’s recent approval of the experimental use of CBD extracts for the treatment of Dravet syndrome, a rare form of incurable pediatric epilepsy.
The therapeutic qualities (anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-epileptic, anti-cancer, and bone-stimulating properties) of CBD have been documented primarily in animal models in separate investigations of CBD. Administration of this cannabinoid is associated with improved symptoms in clinical evaluations of patients with ketamine-induced dissociative and psychotic symptoms, schizophrenia, and Parkinson’s disease.
Source: CBD Treats Psychosis With Fewer Side Effects, New Study Finds
Ten year old fights to legalize marijuana oil to treat her epilepsy
Ten year old fights to legalize marijuana oil to treat her epilepsy
A ten-year-old girl with a rare but intractable form of epilepsy is leading the crusade to have marijuana extract oil approved for medicinal use in her home state of Idaho as a form of treatment for her deadly seizures.
Alexis Carey, from Boise, has Dravet Syndrome, an incurable genetic disease that causes severe and multiple seizures, which often leave parents guessing if the terror of watching their child seize up will pass or turn fatal.
After her family learned that oil extracted from marijuana had helped other children with her condition, they wanted to see if it would help her too, but Idaho’s stringent marijuana laws do not allow for medicinal use.
‘Parent to parent, when you’re in a small community and 10 people that you know are all having success, that’s no longer anecdotal,’ Clare Carey, her mother, said. ‘That’s hope.’
The family began lobbying lawmakers to decriminalize the oil almost two years ago. Now, they’ve got some legislative backers and an upcoming hearing, as Idaho joins a larger movement to loosen laws to allow the use of marijuana extract oil.
Twelve states have legalized the oil while still banning medical marijuana. Virginia legalized the oil February 26. In Utah, lawmakers have given initial approval to let those with chronic and debilitating diseases consume edible marijuana products, while still banning smoking.
Marijuana extract oil first received attention when a Colorado family fought and won for access for their daughter who also had Dravet Syndrome. It is similar to hemp oil, which is legal in Idaho and can be bought in grocery stores.
With no known cure for Dravet Syndrome, children are often prescribed a cocktail of medications to counter the seizures. However, the heavy drugs often come with side-effects that can permanently damage a child’s developing liver, kidneys and other organs.
Proponents of cannabidiol oil, a non-psychotropic extract of marijuana, argue that it reduces the amount and length of seizures in children.
Over time, Mrs Carey hopes that the oil would also reduce the number of medications her daughter relies on.
‘Like any parent, you never give up hope that you can get complete seizure control,’ she said. ‘Children die from Dravet by any one of the seizures. Alexis could have a seizure that may not stop, we never really know.’
Alexis began having seizures when she was two months old. But even in 2003, her mom says a lack of awareness of the disease led to many doctors not automatically suspecting it could be a rare, genetic disorder.
It wasn’t until Alexis lost all speech and potty control when she was two that doctors determined she had Dravet Syndrome, Mrs Carey said.
Since then, Alexis’ parents have put her on a variety of diets and medications to help reduce the seizures, but the disease is tricky to manage. Dravet Syndrome often causes a variety of different kinds of seizures but medications typically target one particular type.
Alexis’ seizures usually occur at night, which means one of her parents regularly sleep with her and monitor her sleep patterns. During the day, Alexis requires constant supervision. While most 10-year-olds freely run and jump around, Alexis walks – albeit sometimes unstably and with help going up and down stairs.
Mrs Carey said working with Idaho’s Republican-controlled Legislature has been easier than anticipated.
Lawmakers who resisted the idea at first blush have warmed up to the idea, she explained.
This year, the bill is endorsed by Republicans Senator Curt McKenzie and Representative Tom Loertscher. Both are chairs of the legislature’s State Affairs Committees, panels that often get tossed controversial legislation and have a high bar for clearance.
The measure unanimously passed the Senate committee during its introduction hearing, which means it now goes on to a full hearing in front of the committee.
Yet the bill must survive a Statehouse that approved a resolution in 2013 vowing never to legalize marijuana for any purpose.
Source: Ten year old fights to legalize marijuana oil to treat her epilepsy
No Link Between Marijuana Usage and Depression
No Link Between Marijuana Usage and Depression
Talking about marijuana is tricky. You never know what kind of information will pop up during the conversation. On one hand, marijuana is a heavily under researched drug. On the other hand, the amount of rumors and urban legends that surround marijuana is insane. There are literally thousands of different opinions on marijuana usage and none of them are set in stone. Some people say it cures cancer, some say it will cure your epilepsy, other say your IQ will become lower if you smoke it on a daily basis, etc. There are so many rumors out there that even when a research study is actually released to the public, most people don’t even bother reading it because they do find rumors to be set in stone.
Marijuana Doesn’t Lead To Depression
For instance, not that long ago, a study came out that guarantees marijuana would turn you into a schizophrenic, especially if you have schizophrenic tendencies (whatever that means). Needless to say, the results of that research are a bit far fetched, as well as the methodology of the entire study. Well, recently, another study came out and it definitely doesn’t support the rumor that marijuana usage leads to major depression disorder or bipolar disorder. In fact, the truth can’t be further from it. However, the researchers did find that if you are suffering from any of those two conditions, that marijuana usage is likely to occur as a self-medication method.
Naturally, those results definitely make sense. There are plenty of people out there who self medicate fro psychological problems. Even with relatively minor problems such as insomnia, we would always rather recommend a good indica strain than a bunch of sleeping pills. And that’s where weed should be most efficient – when dealing with psychological problems. There are plenty of strains out there that have a fantastic effect on people battling depression. Some of the strains that work really well are Amber Ice, Sour Diesel and Girl Scout Cookies, the latter being quite popular in medical marijuana circles.
A Heavily Under Researched Drug
However, as mentioned earlier, marijuana is a heavily under researched drug. Everything that we have learned so far was based only on available research and that might soon change because the nature of research is that it sometimes comes up with contradictory results, which is why we need more of it. The more conclusive research is, the better informed are cannabis users. In fact, if it wasn’t for heavy duty research, we wouldn’t even know which strain is good for certain illnesses. Today, there are more than a few strains efficient for fighting depression. They don’t necessarily all have to be sativa’s either. There are more than a few hybrids and indicas on the market that are quite successful in battling depression. Some of the most recent strains that come to mind are: Super Lemon Haze, Trainwreck (not as bad as it sounds) , Super Silver Haze, Lamb’s Bread, to name a few.
Colorado Invests In Medical Marijuana Research
Colorado Invests In Medical Marijuana Research
Ever since medical marijuana was first introduced to the scene in California, things haven’t exactly been going well. The amount of raids all over Los Angeles has eventually become an example on how not to implement medical marijuana regulations. Because of California’s numerous raids, it seemed that the image of marijuana would remain tarnished forever. However, with the development of the Internet, people all over the world can now share experiences with each other in real time. Because of that, numerous medical marijuana testimonials have been clogging up YouTube during the last ten years. They all talk about medical marijuana being the cure for a number of diseases.
A Billion Dollar Industry
Medical marijuana is a billion dollar industry and not a lot of money is being poured into the research side of the business. Colorado is about to change that since it is about to invest $8 million into medical marijuana research. We couldn’t be more excited. We always believed that the evolution of this wonderful plant is highly dependable on research and yet we very rarely hear about millions being invested in medical marijuana. Hopefully, Washington and other states will follow Colorado’s example and cultivate an investment culture of their own. An Australian company recently made its first IPO stating that a significant percentage of IPO money would be going into marijuana research.
Funding
However, to be even more specific, all of that money is going into researching the effects of marijuana on people with Parkinson’s disease, posttraumatic stress disorder and epilepsy. To be fair, that makes perfect sense since this is where marijuana has showed some astonishing results. There are cases where people with epilepsy have had the number of monthly seizures reduced to a bare minimum.
The number of veterans that benefit from medical marijuana usage is also on the rise. People suffering from Parkinson’s disease usually have to deal with tremors. This is where medical marijuana research comes in since cannabis could be used to alleviate those tremors. Some of the funding would be spent on researching whether marijuana could alleviate symptoms of children who suffer from brain tumors. The rest of the funding would be spent on researching the effects of marijuana on people suffering from irritable bowel syndrome and whether cannabis could act as a replacement for Oxycodone.
Colorado Has A Long Term Plan
If Colorado hadn’t legalized recreational marijuana, it would hardly be able to invest $8 million into medical marijuana research. However, there are plenty of companies that are only looking to grab a quick buck and run away. Those who are looking at this industry as an ongoing business are the ones who will be most successful at it since they will be looking more into development, research and innovation when it comes to their cannabis products. That is why we hope Colorado will serve as a great example not only to California, Washington and every other state that has legalized medical marijuana but to private companies as well.
Facts About Medical Marijuana in the USA
Facts About Medical Marijuana in the USA
It’s a cliché to claim that times are changing. However, in the case of medical marijuana, the entire climate that surrounds it seems to be shifting on a daily basis. Numerous research studies have been popping up only to confirm what we have believed all along – that medical marijuana actually works. From a myriad of testimonial, over scientific studies to lab tests, not a day goes by without somebody publishing the positive effects of medical marijuana. It is a drug with unlimited potential and we have barely begun to understand it. Its effectiveness in battling cancer, dealing with chronic pain, epilepsy and chemotherapy symptoms has been proven as well.
Budding Business
Naturally, where there’s promise, there is always a budding businessman rubbing his hands in delight. Another undeniable fact is that marijuana has become a billion dollar industry. This was nowhere more evident than in the case of Amsterdam. However, the US is much bigger market and those budding businesses will aim to please all possible aspects of their target market. Luckily, legalization is moving at a reasonable pace but it wouldn’t be hard to imagine what the media ad space is going to look like once the entire US has legalized recreational marijuana.
Legalization Approval Rate
Regarding legalization of recreational marijuana, a lot of people are actually changing their minds on the usefulness of the plant. The public approval rate for marijuana has never been higher in the US and even doctors like Dr. Sanjay Gupta, who was among the first to oppose marijuana legalization, are suddenly changing their opinion. Whether they have been lobbied or not is another question remaining to be answered but the public has spoken quite loudly on the matter.
Big Pharma
In order to stay up to date, it is essential to understand the difference between pharmaceutical and medical marijuana. For one, the former is simply a derived extract of cannabis that allows you to take marijuana in pill form. The latter is marijuana that is of significant medical value that has been concluded through scientific research and depends on the amounts of THC and CBD within the strain itself.
State Vs. Federal Law
And last but not least, the most confusing part of medical marijuana legalization has to be the law. Even though the US legislation still classifies marijuana in the same class as cocaine and heroin, some states have completely legalized medical marijuana and/or recreational marijuana. Without getting too technical with Washington and Colorado, the latter of which is currently setting an example on how to successfully implement marijuana regulations, it would be best to mention California as a state that has suffered the most due to the discrepancies between state and federal law. This problem will continue to plague many states until it has been resolved on a federal level. Hopefully, it will not ruin a bunch of lives like it has done so far. We believe that the only reason these discrepancies still exist is because the federal law has to keep overall control over the states that have legalized medical or recreational marijuana.
Medical Marijuana On The Job
Medical Marijuana On The Job
The wave of medical marijuana legalization is successfully sweeping across the USA. More than 24 states have legalized medical marijuana and five of them gone up the recreational route. That means the District of Columbia, Alaska, Oregon, Washington and Colorado are pretty much dealing with first problems of implementing marijuana rules and regulations. To expect that there would be no problem in such a prohibition ending move is somewhat childish. That’s why it is necessary to understand the problems of the medical toker in the workplace.
Effects of Medical Marijuana
Because, let’s face it. Some people couldn’t even get up from bed in the morning without taking a couple of medical marijuana puffs. Reasons are numerous, stemming from chronic pain to debilitating diseases like epilepsy. We are talking about hardcore users here, about people whose quality of life would be below acceptable if it wasn’t for medical marijuana. With that in mind, some rules need to be amended and surely employees who rely on medical marijuana must be allowed to come to work under the influence of the drug.
Changing Policies
This requires changing employment policies, making regulations that would not allow others to take advantage of them. For instance, if you take medical marijuana because you self-prescribed it due to minor headaches, that wouldn’t work. Only people who literally couldn’t work without it would be protected. Needless to say, they wouldn’t be allowed to operate any heavy machinery either.
Coats Vs. Dish Network, LLC
There is a case currently in Colorado that will shed some more light on the whether medical marijuana should be allowed in the work place. The name of the case is Coats vs. Dish Network, LLC. The Colorado Supreme Court is trying to establish whether the Dish Network was lawful in terminating the employee who is a quadriplegic and tested positive for marijuana. It is important to emphasize that Coats has a valid medical marijuana license and suffers from muscle spasms that are alleviated only through using medical marijuana. He wasn’t even getting high on the company’s premises but tested positively because he is a daily user of medical marijuana. However, proving that to your employer is an entirely different matter. A ruling is expected soon.
Employers & Marijuana
This ruling is bound to set an example for all states that have legalized or are about to legalize marijuana. Colorado will obviously be pioneering on that front as well. Naturally, if the ruling is in favor of the Dish Network, LLC. it will affect employers all over the US and give them even more power when it comes to firing employees who have tested positive for marijuana, albeit recreational or medical – it doesn’t really matter in that case.
On the other hand, if Coats wins this one, the effects will be far greater as it would allow a number of medical marijuana patients to actually contribute to society despite their debilitating illness. However, that win would also confuse the hell out of every employer in the country because every company would have to adjust those regulations accordingly and making those regulations air tight and eliminating the possibility of somebody taking advantage of them is nearly impossible.
Four Ways Cannabis is Good for Your Brain
Four Ways Cannabis is Good for Your Brain
Modern research is showing that cannabis extracts protect and benefit the human brain. Here’s four amazing ways scientists are showing that cannabis actually helps to keep your brain safe from disease, dementia and even death!
#4 – Cannabis promotes new brain cell growth
Government scare campaigns often claim that cannabis kills brain cells, but now we are learning the truth. Those discredited studies were done in the ’70s, by strapping a gas mask onto a monkey and pumping in hundreds of joints worth of smoke. The monkeys suffered from lack of oxygen, and that’s why their brain cells died.
Modern research is now proving the opposite. The active ingredients in cannabis spur the growth of new brain cells!
Back in 2005, Dr. Xia Zhang at the University of Saskatchewan showed that cannabinoids cause “neurogenesis” – which means that they help make new brain cells grow!
“Most ‘drugs of abuse’ suppress neurogenesis,” said Dr. Zhang. “Only marijuana promotes neurogenesis.”
Scientists in Brazil expanded on this research, demonstrating in 2013 that CBD, another chemical in cannabis, also causes new brain cells to sprout up. Researchers in Italy then produced the same resultwith CBC, another “cannabinoid” found in cannabis resin.
Now there is no doubt that cannabinoids cause new brain cells to grow in the hippocampus. This helps explain previous research showing that cannabinoids effectively treat mood disorders like depression, anxiety and stress – they are all related to a lack of adult neurogenesis.
#3 – Cannabis prevents Alzheimer’s
About 5 millions Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s. but there’s hope in sight. Modern research shows that using cannabis helps prevent the incidence of Alzheimer’s and dementia by cleaning away beta-amyloid “brain plaque.”
A 2014 study into cannabis and Alzheimer’s was lead by Dr. Chuanhai Cao, PhD, a neuroscientist at the Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute.
“THC is known to be a potent antioxidant with neuroprotective properties,” said Cao, explaining that THC “directly affects Alzheimer’s pathology by decreasing amyloid beta levels, inhibiting its aggregation, and enhancing mitochondrial function.”
This confirmed earlier studies, such as one from 2008 which found that THC “simultaneously treated both the symptoms and progression of Alzheimer’s disease.” This study concluded that, “compared to currently approved drugs prescribed for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, THC is considerably superior.”
These studies used very low levels of THC to find these results – the levels you might find in a moderate cannabis user. So where’s the headlines saying “Smoking Cannabis Prevents Alzheimer’s”?
#2 – Cannabis prevents brain damage after strokes and trauma
Several recent studies have found that cannabinoids protect the brain from permanent damage after trauma or stroke.
Studies done in 2012 and 2013 found that a low dose of THC protected mice’s brains from damage by carbon monoxide and head trauma.
Researchers found that THC “protected brain cells and preserved cognitive function over time” and suggested that it could be used preventively, for ongoing protection.
A 2014 study found that people with low amounts of THC in their system were about 80% less likely to die from serious head injuries than those without.
This last study is actually quite remarkable and should have been headline news. Researchers analyzed blood samples from hundreds of people who had suffered head injuries, and found that people with small amounts of cannabinoids in their bloodstream were 80% less likely to be killed from head trauma.
This means that in a group of occasional pot smokers and a group of abstainers who suffer similar brain injuries, the pot smokers will have only 2 deaths for every 10 suffered by the abstainers!
There are 52,000 deaths every year from traumatic head injury in America. This study showed that if every adult American had a puff of cannabis once a week, 80% of those deaths would be avoided – that’s about 41,600 lives that could be saved, every year. Why isn’t this front page news?
#1 – Cannabis extracts treat brain cancer
One exciting use of cannabinoids is in the treatment of cancer. Repeated laboratory and animal studies have shown that cannabinoids kill cancer cells and shrink tumours, while helping to protect normal cells.
Recent research includes a 2012 study showing that CBD stopped metastasis in aggressive forms of cancer, a 2013 study showing that a blend of six cannabinoids killed leukemia cell, and a 2014 study showing that THC and CBD could be combined with traditional chemotherapy to produce “dramatic reductions” in brain tumour size.
Using cannabis extracts for brain cancer is nothing new. A 1998 study found that THC “induces apoptosis [cell death] in C6 glioma cells” – an aggressive form of brain cancer. A 2009 study showed that THC acted “to kill cancer cells, while it does not affect normal cells” in the brain.
The medicinal benefits of cannabis and cannabinoids are immense, and it’s time everyone is allowed full access to this amazing healing herb.
Source: Four Ways Cannabis is Good for Your Brain
Clinical Trials high on list for Medical Marijuana Community
Clinical Trials high on list for Medical Marijuana Community
The medical marijuana movement is asking the scientific community to make examining the therapeutic potential of cannabis in much more depth a priority, cannabis experts from North America and the UK declared on 14 February at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) annual meeting in California. But the drug’s controlled status is continuing to slow efforts to investigate the myriad compounds in the plant.
The panellists said the evidence is clear that cannabinoids can treat different types of pain effectively. In addition, they cited some evidence that cannabinoids help with neurological conditions like epilepsy. There is also very early clinical trial data suggesting that the molecule cannabidiol(CBD) has an antipsychotic effect and some evidence that it could help with anxiety disorders.
Although cannabis use is associated with things like short-term memory loss and learning problems, the experts presented data showing that once use is stopped those effects disappear within a few days. They also said there is no proof of any long-term neurocognitive effects of chronic marijuana use on the adult brain, although there is some cause for concern about heavy use by adolescents.
The question of whether the compounds have untoward effects remains unclear due to insufficient research. The field is stalled because large clinical trials require the deep pockets of the pharmaceutical sector, but a major barrier is the lack of intellectual property around some of these compounds. ‘They are old drugs, they are hard to lock in patents, and that makes it difficult for someone to invest significantly into these kinds of research studies that might not have the long-term payback,’ explained Mark Ware, who runs the pain research unit at McGill University, Canada.
However, possession of cannabis is still illegal in most US states making it a difficult drug to work with in the clinic. Igor Grant, a neuropsychiatrist who directs the cannabis research centre at the University of California, San Diego, US, has conducted seven clinical trials that involved smoked or inhaled cannabis and all required that he obtain regulatory approvals from three separate agencies before he could even acquire the cannabis for the studies.
Research marijuana for the US is grown by University of Mississippi under government licence. Once investigators clear all of the approvals, they can request the study drug from the NIH in the form of cigarettes containing different concentrations of tetrahydrocannabinol or THC – the main psychoactive constituent of cannabis.
Cannabis in Canada
Cannabis research is far easier to pursue in Canada where there is a regulated government programme. The country controls cannabis differently to other drugs, arguing that it fits neither under natural health product regulations that govern the use of herbal medicines, nor under the pharmaceutical drug regulations.
Some of the Canadian companies that grow cannabis under licence are now funding clinical trials to try and develop a drug, according to Ware. ‘The money is out there, but the trick is to get these kinds of pilot studies – proof-of-concept studies – done that encourage people to do larger-scale trials,’ he said.
The experts agreed that more information is needed about therapeutic use of cannabis. To help fill this gap, the provincial ethics committee in Quebec recently directed that all patients cleared to use cannabis for medical reasons must agree to be part on an ongoing study. Ware has been tapped to help set up a Quebec-wide registry that will allow these patients to be tracked anonymously for adverse events, as well as for things like pain, spasticity, appetite level and mood. The registry is expected to go live by the end of March.
In the US, there has been much media and public interest in a strain of medical marijuana first developed to treat a child suffering from repeated seizures, dubbed Charlotte’s Web, which is high in CBD but does not contain any psychoactive compounds. But Ware is troubled by the phenomenon of parents and patients seeking out CBD therapeutics. ‘We don’t know where the cannabidiol is coming from; there is a tremendous kind of mythology about the stuff coming from eastern Europe or China,’ he said. Hemp farmers in Canada are being approached to produce CBD and are charging huge amounts of money, he added.
The development of such medicinal products is complicated by the fact that cannabis contains over 100 different ingredients that may be bioactive. This flies in the face of the model followed by regulatory agencies like the US Food and Drug Administration that are set up to deal with single molecules rather than complex mixtures.
Source: Clinical trials high on list for medical marijuana community
Scientists have confirmed amazing link between Cannabis and Cancer suppression
Scientists have confirmed amazing link between Cannabis and Cancer suppression
Researchers at the Institute of Toxicology and Pharmacology of Rostock University in Germany rang in the New Year with excellent news for the world. In a study, Prof. Burkhard Hinz and his scientists put the active ingredients in cannabis up to the claims of holding an ability to truly kill cancer cells, even going further into the chemistry to find out exactly how this medical miracle takes place.
Hinz’s repertoire with cannabis goes back a ways. In 2008 his research team was the first to discover that active ingredients actually slowed the migration of tumor cells into the surrounding tissues, this migration is what commonly leads metastasis, which is when cancer moves out from one affected area and into the rest of the body.
The research has been published in the January 2015 edition of the journal Biochemical Pharmacology with the title “New Insights into Antimetastic and Antiangiogenic Effects of Cannabinoids.” What they found was that both tetrahydrocannabinol (THC or known as Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol) and cannabidiol, also an active substance and originating from cannabis, contribute to the destruction of tumor cells by stimulating the formation of a specific protein, ICAM-1. By acting on the surface of the cells attacked by cancer, the proteins link themselves to the immune system’s own defensive cells, making the cancerous cells burst. The active ingredients, thus, prevent cancerous cells from forming blood vessels which allow the cancer to take root and grow.
This is, of course, very encouraging news, but the professor gave no timeline with respect to when his studies will progress onward with the process of producing an actual medicine. Hinz emphasized that the study is still at an early stage, and said, “We are far from putting our discoveries into practice on a clinical level. However, our results are further evidence that cannabinoids mediate a series of potentially therapeutic uses.”
Source: Scientists have confirmed amazing link between Cannabis and Cancer suppression.
Cannabis Legalization Proposal Advances in New Mexico
Cannabis Legalization Proposal Advances in New Mexico
Today, for the first time in history, a legislative committee voted in favor of taxing and regulating marijuana in New Mexico. On a vote of 5-4 New Mexico State Senator Gerald Ortiz y Pino’s (D-12-Bernalillo) Senate Joint Resolution 2 (SJR2) passed the Senate Rules Committee.
SJR2 would allow for the possession and personal use of marijuana by persons 21 years of age and older and for the regulation of the production, sale and taxation of marijuana in New Mexico.
“Today’s vote sets in motion the process to put the issue on a 2016 statewide ballot for voters,” said Emily Kaltenbach, New Mexico state director with the Drug Policy Alliance. “Marijuana prohibition in New Mexico has clearly failed. It hasn’t reduced use and instead has resulted in the criminalization of people, gross racial disparities, and enormous fiscal waste. Senator Ortiz y Pino’s resolution will allow our legislature rethink how we can enhance the health and safety of all New Mexicans through sensible reforms.”
A 2013 state poll conducted by Research and Polling found a majority of New Mexico’s registered voters (52 percent) say they support legalizing marijuana for adults, including 50 percent of independents and 60 percent of parents with children under the age of 18. Nearly 40 percent of voters say their senator or representative’s position on the issue would not make a difference in how they vote with 31 percent of voters saying they would be more likely to vote for their legislator if they supported reducing penalties or taxing and regulating marijuana.
All eyes in New Mexico have been on Colorado to gauge the impact of the country’s first-ever state law to tax and regulate the sale and private use of marijuana for non-medical purposes, which took effect last year. January 1, 2015, marked the one year anniversary since marijuana became available for purchase for adults 21 and older in Colorado. For over two years, the state has also allowed adults to possess and cultivate limited amounts of marijuana.
According to the state’s department of revenue, the first ten months of legal marijuana sales have resulted in nearly $40 million in tax revenue. The city of Denver saw a decrease in violent crime rates in the first 11 months of 2014, following a similar trend in 2013. Statewide traffic fatalities continue to decline, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation. Upwards of $8 million has been allocated to fund youth education and drug prevention efforts. And the state is enjoying economic growth and the lowest unemployment rate in years.
“Today is an historic day for New Mexicans,” said Brett Phelps, president of the University of New Mexico’s chapter of Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP). “Our legislature has taken a courageous step towards creating a sensible policy for regulating and taxing marijuana in New Mexico. This is an issue that should be decided by the people and SJR 2 will allow New Mexicans to do just that.”
Source: Cannabis Legalization Proposal Advances in New Mexico