laws on medical marijuana

A political formula is being resolved in the Oregon Legislature after the public hearing on Monday, which is putting forward a proposal to proceed with the bill authorizing and regulating medical marijuana dispensaries. It is aimed at expanding Oregon’s marijuana programs, and of course as a happy news for the supporters of the contemporary marijuana reform. The present registration facilities existing in the state, unfortunately outdated and ineffective, will be ruled out when this bill comes into effect, hopefully very soon. The bill has direct control over the Oregon Health Authority, and directs it to establish an effective registration facility for dispensaries using marijuana medicines.

In the recent past, the state has witnessed many controversial arguments over neo liberalizing ideologies and modernized reforms like legalizing marijuana and other psychotropic drugs, especially in a country which respects the classical theories of liberalization, legacy, social ethics and national interest. However, the winds of change have been there, and now authorities are balancing the political equations, giving more credit to the majority’s interest. A viable statute, but preventing loop holes leading to abuse, is a long awaited proposition to issue medical marijuana dispensaries, and the House Bill 3460 hopefully does ssem to be it.

regulating marijuana dispensaries

Now with the bill introduced by Peter Buckley and Floyd Prozanski, both Democrats, the medical facilities using marijuana need to obtain a license from the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program. In addition, the bill puts forward a series of regulations that such medical facilities must meet, along with giving the Oregon Health Authority the right to draft required rules and statutes to ensure patient’s protection while undergoing treatment using marijuana. In Oregon, the laws on cannabis treatment came into effect in 1998, but it imposed limits on both the access and the cultivation of marijuana. But it unfortunately paved way for black markets and drug cartels.

Now, the House Bill 3460 has strong norms that include providing authorized patients with legal and sanctioned access to medical cannabis, easing the transfer of this medicine towards patients. The proposed regulations on pesticides, mold and mildew testing have got wide approval; invariably it will ensure the purity of the drug. Reports say that the Legislature is also considering bills that would legalize and tax marijuana.

The public interest is changing, and this trend may continue. And legal amendments are possibly yet to come, hopefully in the very recent future.

Medical marijuana market

The issue of medical marijuana, which has always managed to garner mixed response, has reached new levels of controversy in the Midwest. Rules have been passed by the state legislation, concerning the amount of marijuana a patient can have in his possession.

Four-year program

The legislation has designed a four year pilot program, which would include inspection of family and caregivers of the patient, and it would also include the regulation of the amount of marijuana a person may possess.

This has been a long standing issue in the state of California. PE.com conducted a poll earlier this year, and the support that the prospect of legalization of marijuana received, amazed even the organizers. It has been nothing short of overwhelming, and the supporters held a 5-4 margin against those who were against the legalization of marijuana. This support for legalizing marijuana is seen as a bold statement from the general public, who it seems, are fed up by the legal restrictions that are imposed on them.

State House legislation passes marijuana law

In what is seen as a bold move by the State Legislation house, physicians in Illinois have been authorized to prescribe marijuana to patients with specific illnesses, and terminal diseases.

This law was passed with 61 votes being polled in favor of the bill, and 57 against it. The spokeswoman of Senate President John Cullerton said later that he was in full agreement with the legislation house passing the bill.

marijuana for medical purposes

Lou Lang, the sponsor of the bill, had the following words to say when asked about the law, “I know every single one of you have compassion in your heart, this is the day to show it”. He added that having medical marijuana available without the fear of being caught in legal battles, would help the patients and their family lead a better and quality life.

Lou Lang also made it clear that the bill that was passed was one of the strictest that the nation has ever seen, and that those who misuse the law will be brought to justice.

The Republican representative from Murphysboro was much less thrilled about the new law, “It’s going to cause confusion in our communities,” he said. “… I will guarantee you that we will be back adjusting this legislation … because of the problems that can occur or we will be back in this floor for the legalization of marijuana” Mike Bost added.

Cannabis harvesting laws

While the call for legalizing marijuana is attracting public support, police authorities in Southern California made a major breakthrough in capturing illegal cannabis, along with arresting and charging ten men in connection with the incident on Wednesday. The reports say that police burst into a mafia ring which had been harvesting cannabis illegally across Southern California. Search warrants have been issued at 26 locations, and 15 of these include marijuana grow houses, spread across Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. According to reports from the police, authorities have seized more than $250,000 in cash, seven guns – including one vicious assault rifle – and more than eight thousand marijuana plants.

The affidavit submitted in support of the criminal charges accuses that the mafia, headed by Raymond. A Lam, a 42 year old from Arcadia, leased single family residences and converted to indoor marijuana farms “with the sole purpose of industrial type marijuana grows”. The charges under federal laws include conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess, with intent to distribute. If the defendants are convicted under the narcotics conspiracy charge, they could face a minimum of 10 years of imprisonment,and at maximum a life term behind the bars.

According to the reports from federal authorities, further investigation is going on, headed by agencies such as the Drug Enforcement Administration, and a team of federal law enforcement departments, to destroy any chance of an existing drug cartel allegedly taking part in drug trafficking and production. Search warrants are being executed in Eastvale, Corona, Fontana, Riverside, Rancho

Legalize cannabis harvesting

Cucamonga, Chino, Diamond Bar, El Monte, Arcadia, Los Angeles, Monterey Park, Walnut and Temple City.

After this incident, the air is filled with serious debates over the marijuana reform campaign, which may possibly pave the way for receiving a positive response to the call for removing statutory restrictions on using and harvesting cannabis under authorized and state-approved circumstances, which has become a major demand among the public recently. The risk of illegal marijuana cultivation, trafficking and possible abuse, along with the growth of drug mafias and cartels, are the major reasons that anti legalization groups usually point out, which necessitate the amendment of the contemporary laws on the use and production of cannabis. However, the controversial arguments regarding social order and ethics cannot be set aside, and have been there ever since the marijuana reform has started.

Indoor cultivation of cannabis

Barney John and Tracy Gormley, from Cornwall Place, Melton have been accused for running a cannabis cultivation in a house they shared together. The police was reported to have found a cannabis growing room upstairs on raiding the house. The growing room was in reality a bedroom converted for this purpose.

The police reported that the room had a total of 40 plants which could easily produce around 2 kilograms of the class B drug and worth around £1,800.

Jones (25) admitted to harvesting cannabis in the house but he also said that he was forced to do so because he owed £1,800 to unscrupulous drug dealers who had threatened to slit his throat. The prosecution refused to accept this explanation.

Tracy Gormley (46), who was the house owner, refuses any involvement in the growing of cannabis within her house. Tracy, who is a support worker for a housing association, accused Jones saying that he had had the growing equipment installed while she was away at work.

In one particular interview, she told the police that on arriving home she had had a row about it with him. She also said that she had once warned him that she would inform the police, but she had actually been scared to do so.

However the prosecution, represented by Gary Short, told the court that the two had been in it together. He stated that the business had the two of them growing marijuana, harvesting it and then later selling it off to share the profits.

On September 30, 2011, the police searched the house to find that all the cannabis plants were well watered, and that they were fed using six overhead lamps using a timed system.

Fans were used to control the heat from the lamps, while an extraction carbon was installed in the loft to control the smell.

growing cannabis indoors

While the house was being raided, Jones turned up in a BMW and was immediately arrested. Searching his phone revealed texts regarding arrangements for another batch of plants. On further investigation, it was found that Gormley had a total of 4 bank accounts, with a total of around £38,000, which was far greater than her earnings and legitimate benefits. Profits from harvesting cannabis seemed the only logical explanation to this huge amounts of cash deposited.

She explained the additional income as from buying and selling cars, lottery winnings, selling inherited jewellery, and a compensation pay-out.

Jones said that Gormley had not been a part of the business, and that he had borrowed the BMW from her. The trial is still under way.

Medical benefits of Marijuana

Finally, medical marijuana programs get the green light. The Maryland General Assembly on last Monday gave the green light to conduct marijuana research programs at chosen research centers.

The senate did its part on the last Monday by officially announcing its support for Marijuana medical programs. The bill was passed by the Senate with a vote of 42-4 and was later sent to Gov. Martin O’Malley. The bill managed to win 12 Republican votes along with the 32 democrats. Gov. Martin O’Malley, later in the press meet held on Monday evening indicated that he would only sign the bill after his office studies the same.  The Democratic governor also mentioned in the press meet that his office would approve the bill only if he or his office was entrusted with full command over the bill. He wanted the bill to include provisions that enabled his office to suspend the program, in case, the Federal government decides to impeach any of the state employees who are in charge of the marijuana program. Joshua Sharfstein of Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, who had expressed his apprehension over the possible federal prosecution stated in a local press meet that he would support the senate’s decision with a few amendments made.

          Legalizing medical Marijuana

Frederick County Republican senator, David Brinkley, expressed his concerns about passing the bill. Sen. David Brinkley briefed to the interviewer about his concerns about marijuana laws being bent and violated. Mr. Brinkley also quoted examples of such violations that had happened in the neighboring states. He also expressed his concern over  the health issues that these can cause.

Many activists like Mr. Joshua Sharfstein who were against the medical marijuana project have supported this move by the senate. Delegate Dan Morhaim, an active Baltimore County Democrat and a physician at the local hospital, was delighted with the senate’s action. He had been one among those supporters who had been waiting for the legalization of marijuana.

Many consider it as a small step taken in the right direction and want the bill to be implemented just as the way it is on the papers. If the bill gets passed, it would likely produce a new monitoring board within the state health department to monitor all marijuana programs being conducted at various research centers. The commission will also be monitoring the patient database, the type of drug prescribed to the patients etc.

This is just the first step towards legalizing marijuana for medical use. There is still a long way to go.

              Marijuana medicines

The zoning amendment introduced by the City Council of Waltham on the last Monday night, is imposing a moratorium on medical marijuana dispensaries in the city of Waltham, and has become big news initiating serious debates, as the call for marijuana legalization is so pervasive across many states of America. The council, joined by the Survey and Planning Board, has been around a table assessing the possibility of creating a moratorium and its impacts, so important when public interest is growing in removing statutory restrictions on marijuana, brought forward the amendment, which puts one-year halt on dispensaries using marijuana medicine being established in the city.

Media reports say that the proposal is an outcome of the resolution suggested by the councilor of Ward 1, Mr. Daniel Romard in last December. This demanded that the City Council should examine the contemporary zoning laws and their effectiveness in reducing the abuse of marijuana, as it possesses a greater chance of misuse of marijuana medicine, which is always a serious threat to social order and ethics. During the public hearing on Monday night, Romard said” Eighteen states so far have legalized marijuana treatment centers and of those 18 states, each law is different. There’s very little precedence set between any of them and there’s much controversy both positive and negative.”

However, Mr. Romard has ruled out the news that he was against medical marijuana dispensaries, and he emphasized, “It’s absolutely not my intent to avoid a dispensary in Waltham.” In spite of all neo liberalized marijuana reforms, Waltham has been on a long search for a consensus over the guidelines for marijuana dispensaries, like many other states in America, definitely, there were political equations to be balanced during the elections on last November where the marijuana issue was a ballot question. Now things are changing and currently the law allows each country at least one medical marijuana dispensary, but not more than five.

        Uses of marijuana as medicine

Controversies are not yet over. Annette Reynolds, the director of Waltham’s League of Women Voters is lamenting over and sprouting against the moratorium. “There are those who fear that marijuana dispensaries will attract undesirables to our city,” Reynolds said. “I know what those undesirables look like. They are the ones whose faces are in grimaces of pain. They’re the ones whose bodies look like they’re hardly bodies at all because of the medicine they’re taking.”

City Council’s concerns are understandable but the greater common good is quite subtle.

Know about cannabis effects on health

There were several reports that showed the ill effects of using marijuana. It has been reported that the cannabis effects are many, that it is addictive and affects the IQ level of the individuals causing permanent decrease in the intellectual level. Moreover, it promotes the use of many other hard drugs.

However, the recent studies conducted by psychologists say that when compared to the use of tobacco, cocaine, heroin and alcohol, the negative effects of cannabis on human health were considerably less. Furthermore, the health problems attributed to marijuana smoking is much lower than those caused by smoking tobacco are or consuming alcohol are. The severe health conditions like anxiety, sleep disorders and nausea are found more often in regular tobacco smokers.

There are no significant studies conducted regarding whether the regular usage of marijuana can reduce IQ. Since marijuana is an illegal substance, there are many constraints to choose a group and conduct behavioral and cognitive studies. Furthermore, it involves the study of many other external factors as well. This denies the argument against the marijuana reducing the IQ level in individuals. There are no scientific studies conducted so far to prove the ill effects of marijuana especially affecting the brain sensory nerves.

It has also been reported that marijuana is negatively attributed to the promotion of usage of other drugs. It cannot be blamed that marijuana lead to the use of harmful drugs. Of course, since cannabis is illegal, you may likely get more harmful illegal substances. However, it is less likely to get these harmful substances by increasing the opportunity for experimentation within casual marijuana users.

Since the legalization of marijuana is not implemented in many states, the scientific studies cannot be conducted very easily.

News about cannabis effects

However, the legalization of cannabis in Washington and Colorado will throw some light regarding the cannabis effects on health. Until now, it is advised that there is no need to exaggerate the negative effects of using the marijuana.

Many studies linked to smoking marijuana run the risks of lung cancer. However, the researchers said that the people under study were too young to show the signs of the malignancy. Since the effects of smoking pot are related to lung cancer, the result can be better identified only when you conduct the research on the targeted people.

Since there are no significant studies conducted on the effects of using marijuana, it is too early for anyone to make a comment on the ill effects of using marijuana.

Medical Marijuana legalization

Despite the relentless pressure of lawyers against the use of Marijuana, the case was finally heard by the Michigan Supreme Court. The case was originally filed by a medical marijuana patient, a diabetic resident of Wyoming; challenging the ordinance passed in 2010, which banned weed cultivation. Although successfully challenged at the district court, the state went on appeal and won it thereafter reversing the lower court’s order. Obviously, there are many legal hurdles to legalizing marijuana.

Local lawmakers banned pot based on their authority to regulate land use. They argue that Cannabis is illegal under the Federal Govt. Controlled Substances Act, stating that the product is a Schedule I controlled substance like any other harmful narcotic substances, and should not be allowed near educational institutions. While at the same time, the city or town, where medical marijuana is legal, has never restricted a patient from smoking pot or growing the plant for personal use.

Some medical marijuana states have laws for the product providers, who are allowed to grow & cultivate under restrictions and purview of the law. These “Caregivers” can be chosen by the patients to avail pot. But because they have no control over these “Caregivers,” it’s easy to misuse this right and they start to trade the plant to people apart from the prescribed person.

Verdict on Medical Marijuana

When the local authorities felt that the issues regarding legalizing marijuana could not be settled by them, they left it upon the residents to decide. But marijuana activists have forced the ruling authorities to clarify the matter.

There is no light, whatsoever, on legalizing weed and whether local governing authorities can opt out of the law or not. Medical marijuana bans will directly have an impact on the medical and thereby, the business side of the drug as well. Though the local lawmakers have banned the sale of marijuana in many towns, its fate is yet to be decided by the court. The final verdict of the court will not limit to the 200 California towns & the three Michigan Cities, but will also affect many other states where marijuana business is spreading. The only states that have laws to ban marijuana shops until now are California and Colorado. Where in Massachusetts, when the town banned pot defensively, Attorney General Martha Coakley introduced a legal memo saying localities cannot opt out from the final verdict.

        Weed as medicine

The probability of passing House sponsor Katie Edwards’ bill, D-Plantation can be described as slim to none. Another similar bill that was filed by Sen. Jeff Clemens, D-Lake Worth has also reached a dead end.

The identical bills, if approved would have authorized a tightly regulated system for producing and distributing medical marijuana for specific severe diseases on producing a prescription. In spite of the close monitoring, it would also have allowed authorized patients to grow up to a maximum of eight plants within their homes to meet their medical needs. However, this seems to be a misunderstanding with Edwards saying that the grow-at-home may not be there if she decides to file another bill next year.

According to Edwards, it is the perception of smoking marijuana that turns many people against it. People are a lot more comfortable when you speak about using weed as a medicine in the form of an oil, pill or ointment. On the other hand, you would get the most effective weed medicine by growing and producing it on your own.

At a news conference held on medical marijuana, Edwards was accompanied by Cathy Jordan. In the 1980s, this woman from Manatee County was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis or ALS. Because of this degenerative condition, she was not expected to live for long. But with the help of medical marijuana, not only did she feel much better, but it actually extended her life way beyond the short prognosis that was given to her. It also helped restore her lost appetite.

      Medical aspects of weed

‘Neurologists have learned that cannabis does protect the brain,’ says Edwards. Even though pot is still considered an outlaw drug along with the likes of heroin and LSD, the federal government has now patented making use of weed as an antioxidant and neuroprotector. The National Institutes of Health has approved the further investigation of this drug as a possible cure for treating ALS after recognizing the cell-protecting properties of weed.

Even though public approval for medical marijuana has been steadily increasing, legalizing weed medicine still seems like a task that cannot be realized anytime soon. Edwards is of the opinion that it is politics and not the issue of medical efficacy that prevents the American Medical Association from legalizing weed medicine.

For Cathy Jordan, the prospect of legalizing medical marijuana seems to swing between encouraging ups to painful downs. A recent law enforcement raid had officers confiscate her supply of pot leading to a weeklong of pain and depression until a ‘good Samaritan’ re-supplied her stock.

various cannabis facts

Marijuana, also known as Cannabis or Weed comes from the Sativa plant. It is a combination of stem, leaves, flowers and seeds of the plant. Although it is illegal to grow or trade marijuana except for medical purposes, a survey conducted in 2010 reveals that more than 17.4 million people use them every month. The THC delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol component in Marijuana is responsible for its psychoactive reactions. Let us find out more cannabis facts.

How Marijuana is ingested?

Different methods are in practice to take in marijuana. The most common form is a ‘joint’. Marijuana and tobacco are mixed together and rolled in a rizla paper to inhale. Some others mix marijuana with tea or food and consume them.

Effects of Marijuana on brain

The THC component in Marijuana is held responsible for the ‘high’ feelings that one gets on inhaling them. The THC chemical moves to the bloodstream from lungs and spreads quickly throughout your body. It also reaches the brain where it reacts with cannabinoid receptors. The end cannabinoids like THC trigger the cannabinoid receptors. These receptors manipulate the brain on various things like memory, concentration, thinking, pleasure, time and sensory reception etc. With the over activation of the cannabinoid system, you get a feeling of high or any other weird experiences, which one may get. Some of the effects of Marijuana are impaired coordination, memory troubles, low problem solving skills and disrupted perceptions.

How Marijuana affects your life?

side effects of cannabis

Marijuana can cause numerous adverse effects on your life. Studies show that people who smoke marijuana regularly have relationship troubles, poor physical and mental health, low career growth. It is a fact that many college or school dropouts are addicted to joints. This is mainly because; Marijuana acts on the brain and slows down the studying and memory capacity of a student. Another study shows that Marijuana reduces the IQ in teens considerably. In addition, there is a considerable shortfall in the link between the memory and learning areas of brain.

Those who started smoking Marijuana in their teenage period lost up to eight IQ points when they reached 38. However, this loss of IQ points was not reported among those who started smoking them in adulthood. The study also reveals that workers who smoke marijuana regularly abstain from work and frequently change their jobs. One of the other cannabis facts is the increase in response time after smoking marijuana, which is said to be responsible for a large number of accidents. However, the scientific surveys have proved this senseless.

We have listed only a few effects of Marijuana that have been discussed mostly. The advent of using this recreational and medical drug can only be understood later on as more and more scientific studies on cannabis and its effects continue.