#NORML #News Source: @norml @WeedConnection Posted By: norml@weedconnection.com media :: news - Tue, 19 Dec 2017 04:20:21 PST
World Health Organization: CBD Should Not Be Subject To International Drug Controls
Geneva, Switzerland: Use of the naturally occurring cannabinoid CBD (cannabidiol) possesses no likely abuse potential and should not be subject to international drug scheduling restrictions, according to recommendations issued this week by the World Health Organization's (WHO) Expert Committee on Drug Dependence.
Stated WHO: "Recent evidence from animal and human studies shows that its use could have some therapeutic value for seizures due to epilepsy and related conditions. Current evidence also shows that cannabidiol is not likely to be abused or create dependence as for other cannabinoids (such as Tetra Hydro Cannabinol (THC), for instance). The ECDD therefore concluded that current information does not justify scheduling of cannabidiol and postponed a fuller review of cannabidiol preparations to May 2018, when the committee will undertake a comprehensive review of cannabis and cannabis related substances."
In September, NORML submitted written testimony to the US Food and Drug Administration in opposition to the imposition of new international restrictions regarding CBD access. The FDA is one of a number of agencies that advised WHO with their review.
A preliminary report issued by the WHO in November affirmed that CBD was generally safe, well-tolerated, and that there "is no evidence of recreational use of CBD or any public health related problems associated with the use of pure CBD."
Despite the international health agency's acknowledgment that CBD is therapeutic, safe, and well-tolerated, it remains classified under US law as a schedule I controlled substance.
"The domestic classification and criminalization of cannabidiol as a schedule I controlled substance is out of step with both available science and common sense," NORML Political Director Justin Strekal said. "It is yet another example of the US government placing ideology over evidence when it comes to issues related to the cannabis plant."
Study: Retail Marijuana Access Laws Not Associated With Upticks In Teen Use
Rockville, MD: The enactment of statewide adult use marijuana regulations is not associated with increased trends of youth use, according to state-by-state data compiled by the US Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
The report identified recent declines in rates of past year cannabis use by teens in most jurisdictions where adult use is legally regulated, including Colorado, the District of Columbia, Oregon, and Washington. Declines in the percentage of teens reporting marijuana use within the past month were reported in Alaska, Colorado, the District of Columbia, and Washington. In Colorado, young people's self-reported marijuana use fell to its lowest level in nearly a decade.
The SAMHSA data is consistent with that of numerous prior reports finding that neither the passage of medical cannabis regulations nor the enactment of adult use marijuana access is associated with any significant increases in adolescent use, access, or abuse.
Full text of the report, "2015-2016 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Model-Based Prevalence Estimates (50 States and the District of Columbia)," appears online.
Ohio: Group Proposes 2018 Adult Use Ballot Initiative Effort
Columbus, OH: State organizers on Monday publicly announced their intent to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot to regulate the adult use and retail sale of cannabis. Proponents must gather over 305,000 signatures from registered voters in order to place the proposal on the November 2018 ballot.
As proposed, the measure would allow those age 21 and older to legally possess and grow personal use amounts of marijuana, and regulate the commercial production and retail sale of the plant. Organizers behind the effort previously coordinated a failed 2015 statewide initiative effort, and failed to receive a license to cultivate medical cannabis under Ohio's 2016 marijuana law.
Cancer Treatment Providers Accepting Of Medical Cannabis Use In Children
New Haven, CT: Health professionals who specialize in the treatment of pediatric cancer overwhelmingly support medical cannabis as a therapeutic option, according to survey data published in the journal Pediatrics.
A team of investigators surveyed the positions of 288 pediatric oncology providers in Illinois, Massachusetts, and Washington. Ninety-two percent of respondents reported their "willingness to help children with cancer access medical marijuana." Only two percent of providers responded that cannabis access was never appropriate for children with cancer.
Full text of the study, "Provider perspectives on use of medical marijuana in children with cancer," appears in Pediatrics.
Connecticut: Hartford City Council Unanimously Votes For Marijuana Legalization
Hartford, CT: City council members representing the city of Hartford (population 123,200) have unanimously voted in favor of a resolution endorsing the regulation of the adult use cannabis market.
Connecticut state lawmakers debated several legislative proposals this past spring seeking to regulate the adult use and sale of marijuana. However, momentum for these efforts stalled after Democrat Gov. Dan Malloy publicly expressed his opposition to legalizing cannabis. Several candidates seeking Malloy's seat in the 2018 November election are on record in support of legalization.
According to statewide polling, 63 percent of registered voters favor permitting adults to legally possess personal use quantities of cannabis. When considering new sources of tax revenue in Connecticut, 70 percent of voters support the idea of "legalizing and taxing marijuana."
