Source: @norml @WeedConnection
Posted By: norml@weedconnection.com
media :: news - Thu, 10 Dec 2015 04:20:21 PST
Study: Medical Marijuana Laws Associated With Decreased Obesity
San Diego, CA: The enactment of statewide laws permitting the use of cannabis for therapeutic purposes is associated with an annual reduction in obesity-related medical costs, according to data published online ahead of print in the journal Health Economics.
Investigators at San Diego State University and Cornell reviewed twelve years of data from the US Centers for Disease Control's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to examine the effects of medical marijuana laws on body weight, physical wellness, and exercise.
They reported, "[T]he enforcement of MMLs (medical marijuana laws) is associated with a 2% to 6% decline in the probability of obesity. ... Our estimates suggest that MMLs induce a $58 to $115 per-person annual reduction in obesity-related medical costs."
For those age 35 or older, authors determined that the passage of medical cannabis laws is "associated with an increase in physical wellness and frequent exercise consistent with the hypothesis of some medicinal use of marijuana." For younger adults, researchers theorized that obesity declines are the result of less alcohol use.
They concluded, "These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that MMLs may be more likely to induce marijuana use for health-related reasons among older individuals, and cause substitution toward lower-calorie recreational 'highs' among younger individuals."
The findings are consistent with prior studies finding that those with a history of cannabis use possess lower body mass index and reduced rates of obesity compared to non-users.
Preclinical data published this month in the journal PLoS ONE also reports that the administration of cannabinoids is associated with weight gain prevention in mice with diet-induced obesity.
Full text of the study, "The effect of medical marijuana laws on body weight," appears in Health Economics.
Minnesota: Patients With Intractable Pain Eligible For Medical Cannabis
St. Paul, MN: State health officials have announced plans to expand the state's medical marijuana program to permit physicians to recommend cannabis therapy to those with intractable pain.
Under the 2014-enacted law, which took effect this summer, physicians may only recommend non-smoked preparations of cannabinoids to patients with one of nine state-qualified health conditions, such as cancer, HIV, or persistent muscle spasms. The forthcoming regulatory change will permit patients with intractable pain to become eligible for cannabis treatment on August 1, 2016.
State law defines intractable pain as a health condition "in which the cause of the pain cannot be removed or otherwise treated with the consent of the patient and in which, in the generally accepted course of medical practice, no relief or cure of the cause of the pain is possible, or none has been found after reasonable efforts."
A systematic review of clinical trial data published in June in the Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology reports that cannabinoids are "safe," "well-tolerated," and "provide a reasonable treatment option" for patients with chronic pain.
Virginia: Marijuana Possession Arrests Rise, African Americans Overrepresented
Winchester, VA: The number of Virginians arrested for violating the state's marijuana possession laws increased 76 percent between the years 2003 and 2014, at a time when arrests for similar violations were falling nationwide, according to an assessment of arrest data provided by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Virginia State Police.
The study, commissioned by the Drug Policy Alliance, found that marijuana possession arrests in Virginia spiked from 13,032 in 2003 to 22,948 in 2014. Nationally, cannabis possession arrests declined 6.5 percent during this same period.
The number of African Americans arrested for possessing marijuana climbed from 4,991 in 2003 to 10,293 in 2014 - an increase of 106 percent, the report determined. In 2013, African Americans accounted for nearly half (47 percent) of possession arrests, but comprised only 20 percent of the state population.
A 2013 American Civil Liberties Union report found that nationwide blacks are approximately four times as likely as whites to be arrested for marijuana possession, even though both ethnicities consume the substance at similar rates.
Under Virginia law, the possession of marijuana is classified as a criminal misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a $500 fine.
Figures compiled by the ACLU estimates that the enforcement of marijuana possession costs Virginia taxpayers over $67 million annually.
Full text of the report, "Racial Disparities in Marijuana Arrests in Virginia (2003-2013)" appears online @ https://www.drugpolicy.org/sites/default/files/Racial_Disparities_in_Marijuana_Arrests_in_Virginia_2003-2013.pdf
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