#NORML #News Source: @norml @WeedConnection Posted By: norml@weedconnection.com media :: news - Tue, 22 Aug 2017 04:20:21 PST
Trauma Study: History Of Marijuana Use Associated With Decreased In-Hospital Mortality
Tucson, AZ: Trauma patients who test positive for marijuana upon their admission to the intensive care unit are less likely to die during hospitalization than are age-matched controls, according to data published online ahead of print in The Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery.
A team of researchers from the University of Arizona analyzed in-hospital mortality rates over a five-year period for adults admitted into the ICU, of which 2,678 were matched (1,339: marijuana positive, 1,339: marijuana negative).
Authors concluded: "Patients with a positive marijuana screen had a lower mortality rate (5.3 percent versus 8.9 percent) compared to patients with a negative marijuana screen. ... Prospective studies with long-term follow up will be useful in answering many of the remaining questions surrounding the specific impact of marijuana on outcomes after trauma."
Prior studies have similarly reported greater survival rates among marijuana-positive patients hospitalized for traumatic brain injuries and heart attacks as compared to controls.
Full text of the study, "How does marijuana effect outcomes after trauma in ICU patients? A propensity matched analysis," appears in The Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery.
Hispanic Caucus Of State Legislators Advocates For Marijuana Decriminalization
Boston, MA: Members of the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators have for the first time voted in favor of a resolution in support of decriminalizing marijuana. The NHCSL is a non-partisan group that represents the interests of Hispanic state lawmakers from all fifty states.
The resolution states that federal cannabis criminalization is "unconstitutional" because it was initiated by "racist politicians" who explicitly wished to "target ... Mexican-American culture." It calls on federal lawmakers to "enact and sign legislation to federally decriminalize marijuana." It urges state lawmakers to similarly enact decriminalization policies and to seal the records of those formerly convicted of marijuana-related crimes.
"NHCSL believes that our laws should focus on ending the current lawlessness of the black market and allow sound public policy based on scientific evidence to prevail on the issue of cannabis," the group's President stated in a press release.
The NHCSL's actions come days after representatives of the National Conference of State Legislators resolved in favor of removing marijuana from the federal Controlled Substances Act.
Survey: Patients With Parkinson's Disease, MS Report Efficacy From Medical Cannabis
Fort Collins, CO: Patients suffering from Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis report that cannabis effectively mitigates many of their symptoms, according to survey data published in the journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine.
Five hundred and ninety-five subjects responded to an online questionnaire hosted on the Michael J. Fox Foundation and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society webpages. Respondents reported that cannabis was highly effective (6.4 on a scale from zero to 7) at providing symptom management, and 59 percent of participants said that they had reduced their use of prescription drugs since initiating medical marijuana treatment. Those respondents who identified themselves as medical cannabis users reported lower overall levels of disability compared to non-users, specifically in the domains of memory, mood, and fatigue.
Placebo-controlled clinical trials assessing the use of both whole-plant cannabis and/or cannabis-derived extracts in patients with MS have consistently shown efficacy in the mitigation of spasticity and other symptoms. A plant cannabis-derived spray, Sativex, is available by prescription for the treatment of MS in Canada, the United Kingdom, and in several other countries.
Patients with PD consistently report subjective benefits from cannabis, particularly for the mitigation of tremors and bradykinsea (slowness of movement).
Full text of the study, "Cannabis use in people with Parkinson's disease and Multiple Sclerosis: A web-based investigation," appears in Complementary Therapies in Medicine.
Court: Marijuana's Schedule I Status Does Not Justify Workplace Discrimination Against State-Qualified Patients
Hartford, CT: A federal district court judge has determined that marijuana's illicit status under federal law does not preempt statewide protections explicitly prohibiting qualified medical cannabis patients from facing discrimination in the workplace.
The defendant in the case, Bride Brook Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, argued that marijuana's classification as a Schedule I drug under the US Controlled Substances Act provided a legal basis for its decision to rescind a job offer to a would-be employee after she failed a drug screen. United States District Court Judge Jeffrey Alker Meyer disagreed.
He wrote: "This lawsuit calls upon me to decide if federal law preempts Connecticut law. In particular, I must decide if federal law precludes enforcement of a Connecticut law that prohibits employers from firing or refusing to hire someone who uses marijuana for medicinal purposes. I conclude that the answer to that question is 'no' and that a plaintiff who uses marijuana for medicinal purposes in compliance with Connecticut law may maintain a cause of action against an employer who refuses to employ her for this reason."
The ruling follows that of a similar decision in Massachusetts in July which determined that state-registered medical cannabis patients may sue a private employer for discrimination if they are fired for their off-the-job marijuana use.
The case is Noffsinger v. SSC Niantic Operating Company, LLC.
