Tag: medical marijuana

Kentucky Residents Who Participate In State’s New Medical Marijuana Program Will Be Ineligible To Own Guns, Feds Warn

The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is warning Kentucky residents that, if they choose to participate in the state’s medical marijuana program that’s set to launch imminently, they will be prohibited from buying or possessing firearms under federal law.

As Kentucky prepares to implement the medical cannabis law that Gov. Andy Beshear (D) signed last year, ATF has put residents on notice about the ongoing federal ban on gun ownership by people who use marijuana, regardless of individual state policies.

“You cannot possess firearms and ammunition and also be a user of marijuana,” ATF Special Agent AJ Gibes told WDRB this month, referring to a statute requiring gun purchasers to fill out a form that includes a question about whether they are an active marijuana consumer. If they check yes, they’re disqualified from owning the firearm.

Notably, Gibes said that while people who already own a gun aren’t “expected to” turn them over if they become state-legal cannabis patients, those who “wish to follow federal law and not be in violation of it” must “make the decision to divest themselves of those firearms.”

He added that ATF is “not actively seeking and working solely on investigations involving just the possession of firearms and marijuana because of our finite resources,” but that doesn’t change the law, and people will still be at risk of prosecution if they violate it.

ATF has also weighed in on other recent state cannabis policy developments.

Keep reading

Top Indiana GOP Lawmakers Oppose Medical Marijuana Even As Incoming Republican Governor Says It’s Time To Legalize

On the heels of a survey showing nearly 9 in 10 Indiana adults support legalizing medical marijuana—and comments from Gov.-elect Michael Braun (R) that “it’s probably time” to allow access to therapeutic cannabis—Republican leaders in the state legislature are pushing back on the idea.

“It’s no secret that I am not for this,” Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray (R) said during a panel at a law firm event in Indianapolis on Wednesday. “I don’t have people coming to me with really compelling medical cases as to why it’s so beneficial. And any state that I’ve seen pass medical marijuana is essentially passing recreational marijuana.”

House Speaker Todd Huston (R), meanwhile, doubted any medical benefits associated with marijuana, calling the substance “a deterrent to mental health.” He and others suggested that lawmakers supportive of the reform merely want to boost state revenue.

“I don’t believe public policy should ever be built based off revenue,” Huston said. “On any public policy, I don’t think you should chase revenue.”

Bray, who said he has yet to hear a compelling case where medical marijuana has been beneficial, said that “the idea of passing a policy simply because of the revenue that it would generate is something that I inherently, completely disagree with.”

“If it’s a good policy, then do it,” he added, “and revenue may come from that. But the idea of doing it because of the amount of revenue [it would generate] is really, really bad policy in my perspective.”

One Democrat on the panel, Senate Minority Leader Greg Taylor, said that he believes Indiana is falling behind other nearby states that have already legalized medical marijuana. Republican panelists disagreed.

“I’m not sure we’re behind,” Huston shot back. “If we are behind on having fewer people using an addictive substance, I don’t know, I’m OK with that.”

The comments, made at the annual Dentons Legislative Conference, were first reported by State Affairs.

Keep reading

Marijuana Terpenes Relieve Post-Surgery And Fibromyalgia Pain, Study Shows

New government-funded research on terpenes produced by the cannabis plant finds that some of the aromatic compounds could be promising therapeutics to help manage pain from fibromyalgia or during recovery from an operation.

The study, published this month in the journal Pharmacological Reports, involved administering four separate terpenes—geraniol, linalool, beta-caryophyllene and alpha-humulene—to mice that either underwent paw-incision surgery or had lab-induced fibromyalgia symptoms. Researchers then measured their “mechanical sensitivity” over the course of three hours to evaluate the terpenes’ possible effects on pain.

“These results demonstrate that the terpenes geraniol, linalool, β-caryophyllene, and α-humulene may be a viable medication for post-operative and fibromyalgia pain relief,” says the report, which was funded by a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

As for post-operative pain, each of the four studied terpenes “increased mechanical threshold significantly in comparison to the mice treated with the vehicle,” according to the research, referring to a solution without any terpenes that’s been previously shown not to have any pain-relieving effect. “Taken together, the data suggests that all 4 terpenes are efficacious in relieving post-surgical pain.”

All four terpenes also increased mechanical sensitivity in mice with fibromyalgia-like symptoms compared to mice treated with the vehicle alone, at least for some time points measured. Differences in mice treated with geraniol and linalool were statistically significant, while sensitivity in the mice treated with the other two terpenes was “elevated over vehicle but not statistically significant,” according to the report.

“These observations suggest that these four terpenes are also efficacious in a fibromyalgia pain model,” it says.

“This work further strengthens the case for the translational potential of Cannabis and its individual components to determine if they could be effective in relieving post-operative and fibromyalgia pain in patients while causing more tolerable side effects than current standard medications for these ailments.”

The current study, noted authors at the University of Arizona’s pharmacology department and Center for Pain and Addiction, is a continuation of their past research into the same four terpenes to treat other types of pain.

“Previously, we found the terpenes…to be effective in relieving CIPN [chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy] and inflammatory pain in mice,” they wrote in the new report. “Their efficacy in other pain models, such as post-operative and fibromyalgia pain, had not yet been defined.”

Keep reading

Portugal To Become The New ‘El Dorado’ Of Medical Cannabis in Europe

“We should be the new El Dorado of medical cannabis production,” said agronomist Jose Martins as dozens of workers harvested marijuana in bright sunshine at a farm in southeastern Portugal.

The country is fast becoming a European hub for medical cannabis, with its warm temperate subtropical climate — often compared to California’s — making it an ideal place to grow the plant.

“No other country in Europe has better environmental conditions,” Martins told AFP at the plantation, which is surrounded by razor wire and infrared cameras.

Set in hills near Serpa dotted with olive trees and cork oaks, the 5.4-hectare (13.3-acre) farm owned by the Portuguese pharmaceutical company FAI Therapeutic produces around 30 tonnes of cannabis flowers a year.

They set up two years ago after a flood of foreign cannabis producers were drawn to Portugal because of its favourable climate and legislation.

More than 60 companies are currently authorised to grow, produce or distribute medical cannabis products there, with 170 more having applied for permission.

Keep reading

Florida Judge Sides With Paramedic Who Was Fired Over Legal Medical Marijuana Use

A Hillsborough County judge has ruled in favor of a paramedic and medical marijuana patient who was suspended by the Hillsborough County Fire and Rescue Department in 2019 after testing positive for cannabis use.

Judge Melissa Polo ruled on Tuesday that Hillsborough County is prohibited from discriminating against and must provide accommodations to employees with valid medical marijuana cards who test positive for the drug—as long as there is no evidence the employee was using illegal substances at work, on county property or in county vehicles, or reported to work under the influence.

She also ruled that the plaintiff, Angelo Giambrone, is entitled to  back pay, compensatory damages and attorney fees and costs associated with his case.

Florida’s medical marijuana statute does not require an employer to accommodate the medical use of marijuana in any workplace or any employee while working under the influence of marijuana but is silent about whether employers must accommodate off-site or off-work use of marijuana.

Officials with Hillsborough County issued a statement on Wednesday about the decision.

“Following the recent court ruling involving a former employee of Hillsborough County Fire Rescue and the use of medical marijuana, Hillsborough County is carefully evaluating possible next steps related to the case,” it said.

Democratic lawmakers have filed bills in recent sessions to give employees who are medical marijuana patients legal protections at work, although they haven’t moved in the GOP-controlled Legislature.

“It’s finally what I think the people voted for in 2016 for medically marijuana coming to fruition,” said Tampa attorney Michael Minardi, who defended Giambrone in court. “We think this is obviously a correct verdict and hopefully allow marijuana patients to stop being discriminated against when they’re using medicine so they can be functional human beings in life again.”

Keep reading

Nebraska Judge Rejects Officials’ Move To Amend Medical Marijuana Ballot Challenges She Has Already Dismissed

A Lancaster County District Court judge has overruled two final attempts to amend legal challenges against Nebraska’s two medical cannabis petitions.

In a five-page order Thursday morning, District Judge Susan Strong denied requests from John Kuehn (R), a former state senator and former State Board of Health member who brought the initial lawsuit, and Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen (R) to amend their complaints.

Strong said the amendments would not affect the outcome of the lawsuit that she had already dismissed last week, and for which she had already anticipated the legal arguments.

The dismissal upheld the ballot certification of two measures from the Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana campaign to legalize and regulate the drug. Voters passed the two measures, and state constitutional officers certified those election results Monday, including Evnen and Attorney General Mike Hilgers (R), whose office defended Evnen in the Kuehn-led lawsuit.

The medical cannabis laws to legalize and regulate the drug are set to take effect by December 12.

Keep reading

Nebraska AG Prepares To Ask Supreme Court To Overturn Voter-Approved Medical Marijuana Measures

The Nebraska Attorney General’s Office filed a second “amended cross-claim” Friday on behalf of Secretary of State Bob Evnen (R) in a lawsuit against two successful medical cannabis measures.

The brief formally adds allegations of circulator fraud and widespread malfeasance to Evnen’s complaint. However, Lancaster County District Judge Susan Strong anticipated those arguments already last Tuesday when she dismissed the case and ruled in favor of the ballot sponsors behind Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana.

The AG’s Office has not formally filed an appeal to the Nebraska Supreme Court, but Attorney General Mike Hilgers (R) told the Nebraska Examiner on Monday that his office was “taking advantage” of court rules that allow a party to formally amend a cross-claim, even after a verdict, to conform to the evidence presented at trial.

“It’s just a post-trial motion,” Hilgers said Monday. “We want to make sure our case is fully prepared for an appeal.”

Keep reading

Nebraska Judge Dismisses Legal Challenges To Voter-Approved Medical Marijuana Measures

A Lancaster County District Court judge has dismissed major legal challenges against Nebraska’s two medical cannabis petitions, although the ruling is likely to be appealed.

District Judge Susan Strong, in a 57-page order Tuesday afternoon, said the “case was about numbers.” However, the lawsuit brought by John Kuehn, a former Republican state senator and former State Board of Health member, and aided by Nebraska Secretary of State Bob Evnen (R) and the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office fell “well short” of invalidating enough petition signatures secured for ballot access by this summer, Strong concluded.

The Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana campaign had two measures on the ballot, one to legalize medical cannabis and the other to regulate it. The campaign needed 86,499 valid signatures on each petition.

When Evnen certified the measures for the November ballot, he said they both exceeded that number by almost 3,500.

Strong ruled Tuesday that the “presumption of validity” was lost for 711 signatures on the legalization petition and 826 on the regulatory petition.

“In a record of this size, it is likely, perhaps inevitable, that the Court has made some mathematical errors,” Strong wrote. “It is also possible that the Court missed a few petitions that should lose their presumption of validity under this Court’s reasoning.”

Strong cautioned that the judgment wasn’t based on the inclusion or exclusion of a few petitions and that, either way, Evnen and Kuehn “would still fall short” of challenged signatures.

Keep reading

FDA Approves Long-Awaited Clinical Trial Of Smoked Marijuana To Treat PTSD In Veterans

After years of delays, researchers are set to move forward on a landmark clinical trial meant to evaluate the efficacy of smoked medical marijuana to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in military veterans. The study is being funded with tax revenue from legal cannabis sales in Michigan.

The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, or MAPS, announced this week that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted approval for Phase 2 of the research, what MAPS described in a press release as “a randomized, placebo-controlled study of 320 Veterans suffering from moderate to severe PTSD who have previously used cannabis.”

The group said the study “is designed to investigate the inhalation of high THC dried cannabis flower, versus placebo cannabis, with the daily dose being self-titrated by participants.” It’s meant to reflect consumption patterns already happening across the country and study “the ‘real-world’ use of inhaled cannabis to understand its potential benefits and risks in treating PTSD.”

The project is years in the making, MAPS said, noting that it encountered numerous issues in clearing the research with FDA that only recently were resolved.

“After 3 years of negotiations with the FDA, this decision opens the door to future research into cannabis as a medical treatment, offering hope to millions,” the organization said.

“These data are critical to inform patients, medical providers, and adult-use consumers when considering cannabis in treatment plans for the management of PTSD, pain, and other serious health conditions,” the group’s press release said, “yet regulatory obstacles have historically made it difficult or impossible to conduct meaningful research on the safety and effectiveness of cannabis products typically consumed in regulated markets.”

MAPS said that over the years, it responded to five partial clinical hold letters from FDA that halted the study’s progress.

“On August 23, 2024, MAPS responded to the FDA’s fifth clinical hold letter by submitting a Formal Dispute Resolution Request (FDRR) to resolve the continued scientific and regulatory disagreement with the Division on four key issues,” according to the organization: “1) the proposed THC dose of the cannabis flower product, 2) smoking as a delivery method, 3) vaping as a delivery method, and 4) the enrollment of cannabis naïve participants.”

Keep reading

Medical Marijuana Improves Chronic Pain And Mental Health Symptoms While Reducing Prescription Drug Use, Study Shows

Results of a new yearlong study of prescribed medical marijuana for patients with chronic pain and mental health issues observed an association between cannabis use and symptom improvement, with most side effects limited to dry mouth and sleepiness. At least some of the benefits appeared to fade as the 12-month study period went on, however.

The report, published in the Journal of Pain and Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy, evaluated the effects of medical marijuana on 96 patients over the course of the yearlong observational study, with measurements of pain, depression, anxiety and sleep problems taken at three, six and 12 months.

“We found that the use of medical cannabis was associated with reduced pain during the first 6 months and improved mental well-being over 12 months,” wrote authors, from the University of Melbourne in Australia. “Patients reported not only less pain but also experienced reduced interference from pain in their daily functions. Furthermore, they reported decreased use of pain medications and a large proportion felt that their pain symptoms had significantly improved, as reflected in their reported changes in the severity of pain.”

Keep reading