AUSTRALIA & NZ
Nimbin Medican Workshops on YouTube [Hemp Embassy]
Speaker presentations from the Nimbin Medican Workshop, last weekend 23-24 June 2018, are now online. Big thanks to Disco Sista for documenting the many medican workshops that the Embassy has hosted in Nimbin over the past 3 years. If you’ve missed these amazing gatherings, then you can still watch the speakers online: Click on this link to head to Disco Sista’s Nimbin Medican YouTube Channel.
MardiGrass Hemposium 2018 Talks now Available on YouTube [Hemp Embassy]
Speaker presentations from the Nimbin MardiGrass Hemposium, 4-6 May 2018, are now online. Also check out previous years’ Hemposium speakers as well as our Medican Workshops.
Hemp Collective’s winter harvest [Echo Netdaily]
After researching and developing their business model for a year and a half, Hemp Collective is now reaping the benefits of low-THC organic hemp with its first crop being harvested in Byron Shire.
Australia’s first medicinal cannabis clinic set to open in Melbourne – as it’s revealed an additional nine will be launched next year [Daily Mail]
The first of 10 medical cannabis clinics to be launched in Melbourne will open later this year with approval from the state and federal government. New legislation allows doctors to prescribe cannabis treatments which will be available to adults and children, Herald Sun reported. CannaLife founder Helen Lyon predicts the number of patients, who will be approved to legally use medical marijuana, is expected to grow significantly with the opening of the clinic in 2018. Doctors working at CannaLife will have to responsibly determine if a patient is suitable for medical marijuana treatments under Australian Federal regulations.
MediPharm Labs Commences Construction of World-Class Extraction Facility in Australia [Globe News Wire]
MediPharm Australia will operate in the South Gippsland region of Wonthaggi, 127km south east of Melbourne, where MediPharm Australia owns a large plot of industrial land acquired for the development of its purpose-built extraction facility. MediPharm Australia’s state-of-the-art extraction facility will have an initial footprint of approximately 10,000 square feet (1,000 square metres) and has been designed to produce the same superior pharmaceutical grade cannabis oil with a focus on downstream secondary extraction methodology, distillation, cannabinoid isolation, purification and research & development as its purpose-built Health Canada licenced cannabis oil production facility in Barrie, Ontario.
High-tech hemp homes: Australia’s 3D-printed green building revolution [The New Daily]
An Australian company has revealed plans to roll out 3D-printed hemp homes, thanks to pioneering technology that could transform residential and commercial building.
Momentum is building for medical cannabis drug subsidies says Bod Australia boss [Stockhead]
The boss of medical cannabis company, Bod Australia, says it’s likely a range of marijuana-based drugs will be reimbursed by the government in years to come. Medical cannabis products are not subsidised under the federal government’s Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme — though there have been calls to change this — including recently from the Victorian Labor Party. Bod Australia which produces a range of cannabis healthcare products including anti-inflammatories and pregnancy supplements — was speaking ahead of the company’s appearance at this week’s Gold Coast Investment Showcase at the Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort in Queensland June 20 and 21.
Medical students explore the science of mindfulness, empathy & compassion [Australia 21]
Humans are driven by emotions. They influence nearly every decision we make. But does a surgeon feel guilt when they cut into a live human body? Does an oncologist feel shame when prescribing a drug with horrendous side effects?
NORTH AMERICA
FDA Approves First CBD-Based Medicine Epidiolex [The Marijuana Times]
Epidiolex, a CBD-based medicine created by the British company GW Pharmaceuticals, has become the first cannabis-based medicine to be approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This decision also happens to make Epidiolex the first approved medication for an intractable form of epilepsy called Dravet syndrome, though it is also approved for Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, another severe form of epilepsy.
Residents in Deep Red Oklahoma Just Voted to Legalize Medical Marijuana [Reason]
But the efforts of anti-cannabis groups failed to deter voters, who approved S.Q. 788 on Tuesday by a margin of 57 percent to 43 percent. As a result, Oklahoma has “one of the broadest medical marijuana measures to be adopted by any state,” says Mason Tvert, communications director at the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP).
Congress Moves Closer to Passing 2018 Farm Bill [Medical Marijuana Inc]
As the House passes its Farm Bill, the Senate will soon vote on its own hemp-legalizing version. The two competing versions have major differences and will ultimately have to be merged.
Teen Marijuana Use in Colorado Continues to Decline [The Marijuana Times]
A new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that teen use in Colorado – where voters approved adult-use legalization in 2012 – has been on the decline since 2011. While 22% of Colorado high school students reported using marijuana in the past 30 days in 2011, that number had fallen to 21.2% in 2015 and is now 19.6% (compared to 19.8% nationwide).
Donald Trump nominates Jason Dunn as Colorado’s U.S. attorney, a move state’s marijuana industry likely to watch [The Denver Post]
Dunn’s appointment needs U.S. Senate confirmation and may impact marijuana and immigration enforcement in Colorado.
Traveling with Medical Marijuana? What the TSA Wants You to Know [Healthline]
Traveling in the United States with medical marijuana means navigating the rough waters of many legal gray zones.
How will Massachusetts deal with marijuana-impaired driving? [Boston Globe]
Police go about trying to catch high drivers the same way they look for cues of drunk or otherwise impaired drivers. Examples include weaving or straddling lanes, driving at inconsistent or even particularly slow speeds, and other abnormal or erratic driving patterns. In that sense, Carmichael again says it isn’t so different.
Calvin White: This is who we are, unfortunately [Vancouver Sun]
So, this is who we are today. Former B.C. Health Minister Terry Lake is now on the corporate board of a major marijuana company. Former Toronto police chief and current MP Bill Blair is a point man on marijuana legalization. Former B.C. Solicitor General and West Vancouver Police Chief Kash Heed is a consultant for marijuana companies. The list of government and policing honchos who have jumped on the bandwagon is substantial.
Shhh! The race to become the global centre of excellence in medical cannabis research and innovation is quietly underway [The Province]
Canada has the unique opportunity to replicate the entrepreneurial success of the Silicon Valley. The race to become the global hub for medical research and innovation in cannabis is now on, but it appears that no Canadian city or leading politician has decided to champion this unique opportunity. While some would strongly argue that Israel is miles ahead in this sprint—the Knesset, country’s legislative body, has only recently passed a bill to decriminalize cannabis with fines for those caught smoking cannabis.
UK & EUROPE
This is why people are breaking the law to grow medical cannabis in the UK [The New Statesman]
Britain is the largest exporter of medical cannabis – so why is it still illegal to grow for use?
Durham police chief calls for legalisation of cannabis in UK [The Guardian]
A chief constable has called for the ban on cannabis to be scrapped, arguing that it damages public safety, puts users in more danger, and gives millions of pounds to organised criminals.
Ten per cent of ‘recorded crime’ is possession of cannabis . . . Home Affairs Minister’s verdict: ‘It’s a waste of police time’ [IOM Today]
Dealing with cannabis possession is a ’complete waste of police and court time’, according to the Home Affairs Minister on the Isle of Man.
What do you think about legalising cannabis in the UK? [The Guardian]
The government has announced a review into the use of medicinal cannabis – we want to hear your views.
“Illogical” cannabis regulation blocks research into therapeutic uses, say doctors [The BMJ]
The Misuse of Drugs (Designation Order) 2001, in accordance with section 7 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, makes prescribing cannabis a specific criminal offence. Cannabis, the oldest medicine known to mankind, is one of only a few drugs to which this special provision applies. This order would have to be varied in order to enable prescriptions. Furthermore, there is no justification at all for cannabis to be in the very strictly regulated schedule 2 when Sativex, the whole plant cannabis oil from GW Pharmaceuticals is in schedule 4. They are one and the same thing.
Cannabis and cannabis-based medicinal products [UK Government]
The government has announced a review of the scheduling of cannabis. The review will be in 2 parts: part 1 will cover the medicinal and therapeutic benefits of cannabis and cannabis-based medicinal products. part 2 will provide an assessment based on the balance of harms and public health needs of whether cannabis and cannabis-based medicinal products should be rescheduled under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001.
New expert panel set up to advise on medicinal cannabis licence applications [UK Government]
An expert panel of clinicians set up to advise Ministers on medicinal cannabis licence applications has started accepting applications.
Cannabis based medicinal products panel – terms of reference [UK Government]
This terms of reference sets out the scope of the expert panel, who assess applications for special licences to prescribe cannabis based medicinal products.
Fueling the German Recreational Cannabis Lifestyle [The Marijuana Times]
Everyone I spoke to, and myself included, hopes that when Germany starts to create and enforce laws around the recreational cannabis lifestyle, they do so in a way that tolerates the small growers as well as making great opportunities for the big players.
After law change, Greek medicinal users hope to enter cannabis business [Reuters]
Greece legalized cannabis for medical use last year, and in March this year it lifted a ban on growing and producing it, in the hope of drawing foreign investment into the sector. The law permitting Greeks to grow cannabis has come as a relief to patients, who say that lifting the ban on using it was only half the battle, as long as it remained hard to get.
WORLD
Japan: Cannabis plants found growing near MPs’ offices [BBC]
Cannabis plants have been found growing in the grounds of a Japanese parliamentary building in Tokyo.
A higher calling: How Israeli marijuana research changed the world [The Jerusalem Post]
Today, thanks to Mechoulam’s research over the past half century, doctors around the world prescribe marijuana for a variety of disorders. Mechoulam’s work catapulted Israel to the top of the field of medical marijuana testing. “Israel is the marijuana research capital of the world,” says Dr. Sanjay Gupta, chief medical correspondent for the Health, Medical & Wellness unit at CNN.
Cannabis May Be Illegal There, But Smoking Paraphernalia Is Big Business In India [Civilized]
Cannabis use is illegal in India, but that hasn’t stopped a booming business from being built around it. Smoking paraphernalia commands a market estimated at over $66 million.
NPA, SAPS and other enemies of the people [Daily Maverick]
As the UK promises an about-turn on its archaic cannabis laws and Canada becomes the first G7 nation to fully legalise, South Africa continues to brutalise its citizens for consuming, growing or trading the plant. What appears to be coalescing here is a three-way alliance between the NPA, SAPS and the Medicines Control Council, a grand plan to take the cash-crop away from local growers and hand it to Big Pharma. Can they be stopped?
Cannabis Effective and “Relatively Safe” Says UN Drug Committee [Medical Marijuana Inc]
Cannabis is effective in the treatment efforts of a range of medical conditions and is “relatively safe,” according to a new report from the World Health Organization.
HEALTH & SCIENCE
Approval of drug derived from cannabis not necessarily a win for weed [The Conversation]
The Food and Drug Administration on June 25 approved for the first time a drug made from cannabidiol (CBD), a molecule derived from the cannabis plant. The drug, Epidiolex, was approved for the treatment of two types of epilepsy, Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, that have been resistant to treatment.
Cannabis: One of the most thoroughly studied plants ever [Open Access Government]
David Bearman, M.D., Executive VP of the American Academy of Cannabinoid Medicine details the research priorities for cannabis, one of the most thoroughly studied plants of all time. Cannabis is one of the most thoroughly studied plants of all time. Its documented medical use goes back to the first known material medical, the Ping Ts’ao Ching, dated by Chinese oral tradition to be written in 2637 BC. At the turn of the 19th to the 20th century, cannabis was the third most common ingredient in physician prescriptions and over-the-counter (OTC) medications, after opium and alcohol. Cannabis was in the USP (United States Pharmacopeia) from the 1850s to 1942.
Best Cannabis Strains for Anxiety Relief in 2018 [The Marijuana Times]
Medical cannabis is an herb used to combat post-traumatic stress – a difficult condition for thousands of people who have experienced catastrophes, accidents, natural disasters, terrorist acts, and so on. Apart from handling anxiety, medical cannabis has many other effects on the human body. The study of the useful properties of cannabis and its potential applications in medicine is a promising area of research. Today, there are many different types of medical cannabis – each having particular effects on the human body and mind. Below is information about the best cannabis strains for anxiety relief in 2018, according to customer reviews left on CannaSOS.com.
Cannabis oil for epilepsy – what you need to know [The Conversation]
So what do we know about cannabis oil and its effects on epilepsy seizures?
Evidence for cannabis and cannabinoids for epilepsy: a systematic review of controlled and observational evidence [Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry]
Few high-quality RCTs have been conducted to date, and those that currently exist have tested CBD in paediatric samples with rare and serious forms of drug-resistant epilepsy. Of these existing studies, a reasonable proportion of patients experienced a decrease in seizure frequency when using pharmaceutical grade CBD products in addition to AEDs; however, minor AEs were likely and complete seizure freedom was unlikely. The timely completion and publication of RCTs will provide a better basis for assessing the benefits and risks of cannabinoid products to control epilepsy. These results will also provide a better basis for a more rational and informed clinical use of cannabis-based products and cannabinoids to treat drug-resistant epilepsy.
CULTURE & SOCIETY
Cooking on High: Netflix’s foray into weed cuisine is half-baked [The Guardian]
An unusual cooking competition show sees expert chefs make sumptuous meals with cannabis while a judging panel of weed enthusiasts get stoned.
Forget Kombucha and Coconut Water. Cannabis Is the Next Beverage Trend [Inc.]
As consumer preferences change, the road to failure in the beverage industry is paved with sugar. But cannabis holds a new opportunity for drink makers looking for the next trend in consumer tastes, especially as legalization spreads among states and new marijuana users look for more social ways to consume.
OTHER DRUGS
LSD as a therapeutic treatment [Alcohol and Drug Foundation]
Studies reporting the possibility of using LSD as a therapeutic treatment for various mental health conditions were published from the 1950s. But following the USA’s criminalisation of LSD in 1966, clinical research was abandoned and its potential forgotten for decades.Now, emerging research is beginning to change the perception of LSD from a drug that can negatively affect mental health and wellbeing, to one that can alleviate the symptoms of anxiety and depression. Its benefits are also being studied in relation to helping individuals who are trying to overcome drug dependency.
FUNDRAISERS/CAMPAIGNS
Support Tony Bower’s Legal Fees [gofundme]
21 June Breaking news! Tony has been released on bail. Tony of Mullaway’s Medical Cannabis has once again been arrested for growing his cannabis medicine! Tony makes cannabis tincture for children with epilepsy and countless others with cancer, chronic pain, ms and the list goes on. Tony Bower has dedicated his life to helping others and now needs your help. All Donations would be greatly appreciated.
Supporting Andrew Katelaris [gofundeme]
Andrew is behind bars again and may be there until the trial starts in November unless a Supreme Court appeal passes. Funds to date have gone to a legal team plus barrister. More recently a lawyer has been engaged to appear in court RE the current matter. 3 lawyers will now have visited Andrew in jail since the beginning of his first in Parklea and now in the Hunter Valley.
LEGALISING CANNABIS [The Greens]
Let’s get real about cannabis. The “war on drugs” has been lost. These days, millions of Australians choose to use cannabis and countries all around the world are changing their laws after realising prohibition does more harm than good. It’s high time we joined them and legalised it. That’s why I’m proud to announce today that the Greens are launching our national plan to legalise cannabis for adult use.
EVENTS
MEDICAN WEEKENDS at the BUSH THEATRE, Nimbin [Hemp Embassy]
The next Medican Workshops will be on the weekend of October 20/21 and then January 19/20, 2019. Entry by donation, beside the river at Nimbin’s Bush Theatre. Starting at 11 am and aiming to finish by 420! Learn how to make and use Cannabis as medicine!
CannaTech
BuddingTech is partnered with the world’s premier medical cannabis conference! Save the date 29-30th October 2018 Sydney.
DRUG WAR OVER! [Radio Documentary]
IF YOU WANT IT: When Phil Bromley moved from Sydney to one of Australia’s most famous and surprisingly largest tourism destinations, Nimbin he felt like he’d found home. Six years on, after observing and experiencing the relentless police harassment and mainstream media victimization of his new hometown, Phil felt it was time to let the town tell their story in their own words. ‘Exposing The War On Drugs’ is an eight part radio documentary series that looks at how the war on drugs has affected Australia and the rest of the world. Broadcast around Australia on the Community Radio Network, from the 18th April and podcast at https://player.whooshkaa.com/shows/exposing-the-war-on-drugs . With the spotlight on Nimbin, Australia’s most famous “alternative” town, the team from NIM FM, (Nimbin’s local community radio station), explore drug prohibition, medicinal cannabis, addiction and Nimbin itself; and offer some solutions to the costly drug war that has raged since the early 1930s.
Entheogenesis Australis Shop Now Open [EGA]
Entheogenesis Australis (EGA) would like to thank the psychedelic community for it’s ongoing support and attendance at our recent Psychedelic Symposium. Since the event we’ve had a lot of inquiries about obtaining copies of the new EGA Journal 4 and other special merchandise. To browse, please feel free to head to the EGA Shop online or click on the items below. This is also your chance to pick up classic and new T-shirt designs. Please keep in mind much of the stock is very limited so don’t delay!