Medical Marijuana in California

February 17, 2018

Medical Marijuana Advocates Take Aim at Goliath Department of Justice in Court

In the David versus Goliath of weed, five plaintiffs are taking on the federal government’s archaic stance on cannabis, claiming they have “suffered medical marijuana harm, and … are continually threatened with additional harm” as a result of marijuana’s Schedule I classification under Controlled Substances Act, 21 U.S.C. Section 812.

Arguments recently began in U.S. District Court Southern District of New York for the lawsuit filed against Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Department of Justice, U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency and its director Chuck Rosenberg, and, to top it off, the United States of America.

Plaintiffs include a military veteran who uses cannabis for post-traumatic stress disorder, a former pro football player with a business that sells hemp-based products, representatives for two young children, each of whom suffer from severe medical issues, and Cannabis Cultural Association, a non-profit organization meant to help minorities benefit from the cannabis industry, according to an article from Associated Press. The lawsuit also outlines that, while not a class action, it would benefit tens of millions of Americans who depend on marijuana’s medical properties. Continue reading

September 8, 2017

An Aging Population Trades in Pills for Marijuana

By Cannabis Law Group

California has long been a pioneer of medical marijuana advocacy. It was, in fact, the first state to legalize the medical use of marijuana in 1996 with the passage of Proposition 215. This Act did suffer from technical defects. According to the Los Angeles Times, Senator Diane Feinstein famously said, “you’ll be able to drive a truckload of marijuana through the holes in it. Nonetheless, it demonstrated that Californians take seriously a person’s right to access the medical benefits of marijuana. That sentiment has been a part of California culture ever since, and it was instrumental in securing the passage of Proposition 64. The Adult Use of Marijuana Act legalized the use of recreational marijuana in California as of November 9, 2016. medical marijuana lawyers

While the recreational use of marijuana remains controversial, medical marijuana is finding advocates from many unexpected sources. According to Military.com, the American Legion is now making movements to support the medical use of marijuana. The Legion – an association of military veterans which has generally held conservative policies throughout its long history – has recognized the desperate needs of its new members returning from the campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan. It has also recognized the tragedy of veterans who are prescribed vast amounts of medication instead of accessing the simple benefits of organic marijuana. Many of these veterans develop addictions to opioid painkillers, and this epidemic has been exacerbated by the mental health problems faced by returning veterans. The shifting policy of such a conservative organization demonstrates the scale of the epidemic facing both the mental and physical health of our country’s veterans. Continue reading

August 15, 2017

American Legion Joins the Cannabis Cause to Improve Veterans’ Lives

By Cannabis Law Group

The Trump Administration’s anti-marijuana policies adversely affect thousands of Americans who rely on the medicinal benefits of cannabis to relieve various forms of suffering. There is, perhaps, no more potent illustration of the harm these policies cause than in the military veteran community. medical marijuana lawyer

The American military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan have created a mental health crisis of unprecedented proportions within the veterans’ community. Post traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injuries, night terrors, depression, suicide, opioid addictions and other symptoms are increasingly prevalent. According to the National Alliance for Mental Health, nearly one in four active service members shows signs of a mental health condition. The Veterans Administration reports that, in 2014, an average of twenty veterans died every day from suicide. Six out of these twenty daily deaths were veterans who had accessed VA services in an attempt to get help. Continue reading

June 29, 2017

Department of Justice Hits Marijuana Paraphernalia Industry

By Cannabis Law Group

Congress listed marijuana on Schedule One of the U.S. Controlled Substances Act of 1970 (USCSA) and has not de-listed or even moved marijuana to a lower level since that time. To be included on Schedule One, the drug is supposed to have a chance of abuse, a high level of danger, and have no approved medical use. While this is absurd, and based on this list marijuana is considered more dangerous and more likely to cause addiction than heroin, this is where it is listed and that doesn’t look like it will be changing any time soon.

Riverside Marijuana Lawyer That being said, Congress has added language in budget acts that prohibit the federal government and its agencies from spending money to go after medical marijuana in states where it is legal under state law. There is no such prohibition on sending the DEA and FBI after state legal marijuana for recreational use, and that is scaring off many prospective investors, according to a recent news article from Forbes. Continue reading

May 21, 2017

Studies Show Cannabis Compound Can Halve Seizures in Epileptic Patients

By Cannabis Law Group

Evidence continues to mount demonstrating the many health benefits of cannabis and cannabis compounds.

According to Medical News Today, researchers from Ohio State University recently conducted a study on the impact of a daily dose of Cannabidiol on patients suffering from a severe seizure disorder called Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS). The researchers noted a dramatic drop in seizure activity. marijuana lawyer

When seizure activity declines, not only does this improve quality of life for seizure sufferers, but it can also reduce the risks of physical damage that a seizure can cause. It is vital for patients with Lennox-Gastuat Syndrome and other serious disorders to have uninterrupted access to the cannabis products they need to remain healthy. Continue reading

September 16, 2016

Doctor: We Don’t Worry About Marijuana. Why Does the Government?

By Cannabis Law Group

A resident physician at Stanford Hospital, Dr. Nathaniel Morris specializes in mental health. In a recent editorial in Scientific American about the difference between the way health care providers view marijuana and the way the federal government regulates it, Morris expresses disbelief at the decision by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to keep marijuana classified as a Schedule I narcotic. doctor7

A Schedule I drug is one that is considered so dangerous, it has no medically-accepted purpose. It’s in the same category as bath salts and heroin. Says Morris, “I can’t make much sense of this.”

Daily, he speaks with his mental health patients about substance abuse. In his training and experience, he has learned there are some abuses that are extremely concerning, and others much less so. The very first substance he inquires about in evaluations? Alcohol. It’s effects are seen daily by emergency room doctors after drinkers crash their cars, fall into an alcohol-induced coma or inhale their own vomit. Alcohol leads to some 1.2 million emergency room visits annually, and excess alcohol consumption accounts for nearly 90,000 deaths in the U.S., according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It causes significant problems for fetuses when their mothers drink. Then there is cocaine, also a concern for pregnant women, and also the source of heart attacks and kidney failure. Methamphetamine causes rapid heart palpitations, violent agitation and hyperthermia. Opioids – including heroin and morphine – often kill patients with sudden respiratory failure. The effects are worse when the drug is used intravenously.

But marijuana? Morris says it’s an “afterthought.” Continue reading

March 23, 2016

Football Player Martavis Bryant Suspended for a Year: Marijuana Drug Policy Violation Suspected

By Cannabis Law Group

While Americans all over the country are increasingly changing their attitudes about legalization of marijuana and are now willing to support the initiative, the National Football League (NFL) clearly seems trapped in the ways of the past/ The league has just suspended Martavis Bryant, the Pittsburgh Steeler’s young star, for one full year due to two missed drug tests.

Bryant was suspended during the 2015 football season by the NFL when he tested positive for marijuana. It should be noted that one technically doesn’t test positive for marijuana (or even THC) in most cases, but tests positive for a metabolite of THC. While this may seem like a minor technical distinction, it actually has a major impact on the fairness of arresting people for driving with this chemical in their system.
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March 6, 2016

Medical Marijuana for Children With Serious Medical Conditions

By Cannabis Law Group

Parents of children with epilepsy or other serious seizure disorders have started turning toward medical marijuana as a legitimate treatment option, according to recent news article from Fox News. Having a child with a seizure disorder can be one of the scariest things imaginable. The parents have to watch their young children suffer through seizures, which could cause permanent damage, with nothing they can do to stop it.

The conventional treatment for seizure disorders in adults and children is administering powerful benzodiazepines like Klonapin, Valium, or even Xanax on a regular basis to prevent seizures.

These medications are highly addictive, cause extreme drowsiness, and can damage the liver. Patients can also develop a tolerance fairly easily, so they are having to take higher and higher dosages on a regular basis. This is the accepted treatment, and, as strange as it sounds, there is very little controversy over the treatment, because these medications come from large drug makers.
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February 22, 2016

Woody Harrelson Weighs Medical Marijuana Business Entry

By Cannabis Law Group

It’s no secret that actor Woody Harrelson has been a long-time supporter of legalizing medical cannabis and recreational marijuana. Harrelson, along with some of his friends, like Willie Nelson, have been featured in magazines like High Times for decades supporting the legalization movement, and this began at time when very few Americans would be willing to vote for legalization, unlike today where it is supported by the majority of voters.

According to a recent news article from Fox News, Harrelson is one of 66 people and corporations who have applied for a medical marijuana dispensary permit in Hawaii. Technically, it his company, Simple Organic Living, that applied for the permit.
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February 16, 2016

Cigarette Maker Jumps in Marijuana Game With Israeli Vapor Deal

By Cannabis Law Group

Philip Morris, the manufacturer of Marlboro, Parliament, Virginia Slims and Basics, is now reportedly jumping into the medical marijuana industry.

According to Reuters, the company is investing $20 million in an Israeli start-up that is working to create a vaporiser of raw plants that will allow users to set the correct dosage for medicinal use.

At first glance, it seems an odd partnership. The company initiating development is a medical technology company, while Philip Morris is associated with products that cause a wide range of serious and deadly health risks for people across the globe. But as part of the deal, Israeli news media reported Philip Morris had promised to reduce the health risks associated with smoking/ inhaling these vapors.

The technology works by reducing plant matter into tiny granules that can be inhaled in certain pre-set doses. The company says the device is already in development, and researchers are looking for ways to expand use to other types of plants.

There is more to suggest that Israel may soon be the world’s next major marijuana market – and that big tobacco will soon be a major player in the industry.
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