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Source: @norml @WeedConnection
Posted By: norml@weedconnection.com
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- Tue, 03 Nov 2015 04:20:21 PST

Court: Feds Cannot Take Punitive Action Against State-Compliant Medical Marijuana Facilities

San Francisco, CA: Federal budgetary provisions forbid the Justice Department from taking action against medical marijuana providers who are operating in compliance with state law, a federal judge for the northern district of California has determined.

The ruling, issued by US District Court Judge Charles Breyer, affirms that Section 538 of the Continuing Appropriations Act of 2015 prohibits the federal government from spending funds in a manner that interferes with a state's ability to authorize the use, distribution, possession, or cultivation of cannabis for medical purposes. Federal actions that result in the closing of dispensaries "substantially impede" patients' access to marijuana and thus are forbidden, the Court opined.

"[T]he statutory language ... is plain on its face [and] the Court must enforce it according to its terms," Judge Breyer opined.

His ruling removed an injunction against the Marin Alliance for Medical Marijuana. The injunction had been in place since federal officials took actions to close down the facility in 2011 as part of a statewide crackdown against dispensary operators.

Section 538 was included as part of a fiscal year 2015 spending bill. Congress is anticipated to renew similar language later this year as part of a FY 2016 appropriations measure.


Survey: Majority Of Pharmacy Students Say Legalize Marijuana For Medical Purposes

Lawrence, KS: Nearly six out of ten pharmacy students believe that the therapeutic use of cannabis should be legal, according to survey data published in the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education.

Investigators at the University of Kansas assessed students' knowledge and attitudes toward the medical use of cannabis. Three hundred and eleven UK pharmacy students completed the survey.

Fifty-nine percent of respondents said, "[M]arijuana should be legalized for medicinal uses." Respondents who acknowledged having previously consumed marijuana themselves were far more likely to support legalizing cannabis therapy as compared to those with no prior history of use.

However, the majority of respondents also acknowledged that they felt uncomfortable answering consumers' questions specific to the plant's safety and efficacy. Few respondents reported receiving any school instruction specific to cannabis, and 90 percent of those surveyed indicated that more instruction on medical marijuana should be incorporated into their curriculum.

"Pharmacy students' knowledge and attitudes regarding medical marijuana," appears online in Archives of Oral Biology.


Study: ADHD Patients Responsive To Cannabis Therapy

Cologne, Germany: The administration of herbal cannabis eases symptoms in adults suffering from ADHD (attention deficiency hyperactivity disorder), according to clinical trial data recently presented at the 7th European Workshop on Canabinoid Research.

German investigators evaluated cannabis' effects in 30 patients suffering from treatment-resistant ADHD. By law, patients who are unresponsive to conventional medications may apply with the Health Ministry for a waiver to use medicinal cannabis.

Researchers reported that a majority of subjects experienced a mitigation in ADHD symptoms, including "improved concentration and sleep, and reduced impulsivity," following cannabis therapy. Twenty-two of the 30 patients in the cohort elected to discontinue their use of pharmaceutical drugs during the study period, instead opting to solely use cannabis to treat their symptoms.

A previous case study similarly reported that the administration of synthetic THC "had a positive impact on performance, behavior and mental state" of a 28-year-old subject diagnosed with ADHD.

Attention deficiency hyperactivity disorder is a condition that is typically identified in children but may persist into adulthood.

An abstract of the presentation is available online @ https://cannabis-med.org/nis/data/file/abstractbook.pdf


Polls: Ohioans Divided On Marijuana Ballot Measure

Columbus, OH: Ohioans are divided in their support for Issue 3, the Marijuana Legalization Amendment, according to a pair of recent polls. Voters will decide the issue, which seeks to legalize and regulate the personal use and commercial production of cannabis, on Tuesday.

Bowling Green State University polling data released late last week finds 44 percent of respondents supporting the measure and 43 percent opposing it. Thirteen percent of respondents are undecided.

Separate polling data released by the University of Akron finds 46 percent of respondents favoring the measure and 46 percent opposing it.

Both polls report larger margins of support for Issue 2, a counter-measure placed on the ballot by state lawmakers to prohibit state regulators from permitting the limited production of "any Schedule I controlled substance." If voters endorse both competing measures, it will likely be up to the courts to decide which initiative takes precedence.


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