New Druglawed film released! [Druglawed]

“Druglawed: Spokeswoman” has just been released. The production crew wants to thank all the fine Australians who supported this production! Special thanks go out to the good folk of Nimbin and the Nimbin Hemp Embassy. “Spokeswoman” is filmed on location in Sydney, Melbourne and Nimbin, featuring outspoken Member of Parliament Fiona Patten, the firebrand civil libertarian who is campaigning for an end to the War on Drugs. Also featured are Law Enforcement Against Prohibition campaigner Greg Denham, high-profile medical cannabis patient Ben Oakley, and the provider of his life-saving cannabinoid medicine, Jenny Hallam. Andrew Kavasilas, pioneering Nimbin hemp researcher, co-stars in the film, which showcases some of the celebratory scenes at Nimbin MardiGrass 2017. “Spokeswoman” can be downloaded for $4.20, all proceeds go towards funding post production of the final chapter of Druglawed Series 2, which was filmed in Uruguay. Click this link to download the film: https://druglawed.vhx.tv/buy/druglawed-2-episode-3-spokeswoman

South Australian Government releases draft regulations on growing and processing industrial hemp [The Advertiser]

New rules for growing and processing hemp in South Australia would require licence holders to prevent theft or loss of the crop in transit and to notify authorities if they were convicted of a drug offence. The State Government has released draft regulations for public feedback, which also restrict the level of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) present in an industrial hemp crop to one per cent

The war on weed: the NFL’s troubled history with marijuana [The Guardian]

But this week the NFL finally took a long-overdue step toward reversing a steadfast refusal to acknowledge medical cannabis as a legitimate option for pain management. The league sent a letter to the NFL Players Association offering to collaborate on research into the potential use of cannabis for medical rehabilitation.

NFL offers to work with players’ union to study marijuana for pain management [The Washington Post]

The NFL has written to the NFL Players Association offering to work in tandem to study the potential use of marijuana as a pain management tool for players, according to people familiar with the situation. It is the clearest indication to this point that the league may be willing to work cooperatively with the union toward such marijuana use, which is currently banned by the sport.

U.S. Couples are installing Open Marijuana Bars at their Weddings [Independent]

Entire businesses have launched to meet demands for the new trend, many of which can be found exhibiting at the Cannabis Wedding Expo, where couples can meet various marijuana vendors and cannabis professionals who can help bring the bud for the big day.

Marijuana company buys entire California town and plans to turn it into ‘pot paradise’ [Independent]

Now that one of the nation’s largest cannabis companies has bought the entire California desert town of Nipton, a question remains: Will the new owners rename the place Potsylvania? The name Weed already belongs to an old mill town in Northern Calfornia. American Green Inc. announced on Thursday it is buying all 80 acres of Nipton, which includes its Old West-style hotel, a handful of houses, an RV park and a coffee shop. Its plans are to transform the old Gold Rush town into what it calls “an energy-independent, cannabis-friendly hospitality destination.”

It’s Time for the U.S. to Decriminalize Drug Use and Possession [Drug Policy Alliance]

This report offers a roadmap for how to begin to unwind our failed drug war. It focuses on one practical step that can and should be taken to avoid many of the harms that flow from punitive prohibitionist drug laws and to promote proven, effective health-based interventions. Drug decriminalization is a critical next step toward achieving a rational drug policy that puts science and public health before punishment and incarceration. Decades of evidence has clearly demonstrated that decriminalization is a sensible path forward that would reap vast human and fiscal benefits, while protecting families and communities.

Over $1.3 Billion in Legal Marijuana Sold in Washington in FY 2017 [The Joint Blog]

In total there was $1,371,882,585.79 in legal marijuana sold in Washington State in fiscal year 2017, which began on July 1st, 2016, and ended on June 30th, 2017. The state garnered $314,838,969.21 in taxes from these sales. All of this is according to data released by the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board (WSLCB).

Booker Debuts ‘Marijuana Justice Act’ to Legalize Cannabis [Leafly]

“I believe the federal government should get out of the illegal marijuana business,” Booker said. “You see what’s happening around this country right now. Eight states and the District of Columbia have moved to legalize marijuana. And these states are seeing decreases in violent crime in their states. They’re seeing increases in revenue to their states. They’re seeing their police forces being able to focus on serious crime. They’re seeing positive things come out of that experience.”

PTSD patients eligible for medical marijuana starting today [Post Bulletin]

Beginning today, patients with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, will be allowed to purchase medical marijuana in Minnesota. Dr. Kyle Kingsley, CEO of Minnesota Medical Solutions, expects a boost in the number of patients in the state’s medical cannabis program thanks to the addition of PTSD as a qualifying condition.

INCB on therapeutic cannabis [International Drug Policy Consortium]

The INCB has produced a series of alerts, including one in late June on the therapeutic use of cannabis. The alert notes that a growing number of governments have authorised the use of cannabis for medical purposes. Such a policy is permissible under the 1961 Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, as amended by the 1972 Protocol.

Liberal Legalisers: The Times Cannabis Letter at 50 [BBC]

In July 1967 a petition appeared in the Times, signed by 64 of Britain’s great and good. They included The Beatles, David Dimbleby, David Hockney and Tariq Ali. The petition called for the decriminalisation of cannabis, describing it as “the least harmful pleasure-giving drug, probably much safer than alcohol and tobacco”. Its publication brought forth the wrath of the establishment – the future Lord Hailsham called it “a grave error of judgement.” Now, the journalist Peter Hitchens meets some of those who signed the petition to ask whether, 50 years on, they have any regrets.

Newport leisure centre used as £1.6m cannabis farm [BBC]

A disused council leisure centre in Newport was bought and turned into a cannabis farm worth up to £1.6m.

Burnley cannabis food supplement store ‘will be first in the UK’ [Lancashire Telegraph]

A shop thought to be the first in the UK dedicated to a cannabis compound with claimed health benefits is due to open in East Lancashire. Cbdrus, which is to sell cannabidiol as a food supplement, is expected to launch in Burnley tomorrow.

Medical Cannabis Can Restrain Opiate Addiction [Marijuana News Online]

Medical practitioners at Blue Door Therapeutics claim that cannabis patches and cannabis capsule can help alleviate symptoms of opiate withdrawal such as nausea and vomiting. One patient attests that the use of medical marijuana helped her off from her opiate addiction.

Compound derived from marijuana interacts with antiepileptic drugs [EurekAlert!]

New research published in Epilepsia, a journal of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), suggests that an investigational neurological treatment derived from cannabis may alter the blood levels of commonly used antiepileptic drugs. It is important for clinicians to consider such drug interactions during treatment of complex conditions.

Green Planet [volteface]

Instead of helping us become ‘one with the world,’; is drug taking actually contributing in some way to destroying our planet? Beyond its title being a rollicking triptych of double-e’s, Gary Potter’s thesis turned eco-cannabis handbook Weed, Need and Greed has presented something of a standout in the Volteface drug policy library since landing through the letterbox last month. A forerunner in the relatively nascent academic field of ‘Green criminology,’ Dr Gary Potter’s book comes at cannabis from a fresh angle: investigating the effects of drug laws both at home and abroad on the environment.

Know Your Medicine: CBN [Marijuana]

There are over 100 phytocannabinoids in the cannabis plant with the two major cannabinoids THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) and CBD (cannabidiol) as the most prominent and researched. Dr. Raphael Mechoulam, the renowned researcher who discovered the chemical structure of THC in 1964, was the first to hypothesize that phytocannabinoids work via the “entourage effect.” This means that the compounds in the plant work together synergistically to enhance the therapeutic benefits and minimize unwanted side effects. Although many understand the medicinal properties of the two major cannabinoids, let’s take a look at cannabinol (CBN), another anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant and antibacterial medicinal cannabinoid.

Research Proves CBD Has The Power To Destroy Leukemia Cells [Herb]

Lab studies have proven, not only does CBD target certain pathways in Leukemia cells, but CBD actually has the power to adhere to those cancer cells and destroy them. Dr. Bonni Goldstein, medical director of Canna-Centers in Los Angeles and the medical adviser to Weedmaps.com, explains how CBD effectively kills cancer cells.

5 Best CBD Oils for Pain Relief 2017 Update [Marijuana Break]

Cannabidiol (CBD) is now used globally for a variety of medical conditions including pain relief. This is following numerous studies proving that CBD oil can have an extremely positive impact on pain management. It has also become an alternative to those who suffer from more severe forms of pain and are forced to use opioids.

The Butterfly Community: A Movement of Women Who Use Drugs in Indonesia [Talking Drugs]

Risma is familiar with the harms that women can face in Indonesian prisons; in 2006, she was sentenced to 18 months incarceration after being caught with a small quantity of drugs. Today, Risma is a health and human rights activist: “I was one of the beneficiaries of an NGO peer education programme in the women’s prison. I was released early for good behaviour and immediately joined the NGO as a volunteer.” Working as a peer educator, Risma met women who had used drugs and faced debilitating stigma. Unwilling to accept this marginalisation for herself or her peers, Risma set up phone support and counselling to assist women in standing up to fight for their health and rights. “I realised there were many of us.”

Closing Dark Web Marketplaces Won’t Reduce Drug Use or Trafficking [Talking Drugs]

Contrary to what US Attorney General Jeff Sessions says, the recent shutdown of two major dark web sites – AlphaBay and Hansa – will not reduce the prevalence of online drug marketplaces or solve the opioid crisis. In fact, it may do the opposite.

Landmark long-term study shows opioids no good for back pain [Sydney Morning Herald]

Got back pain? Think once, twice and then again before taking any opioid-based painkillers, warn international experts after the release of groundbreaking new research. It found opioids were no better than ibuprofen or paracetamol at reducing lower back pain over a 12-month period, yet these opioids came with the threat of dependence and addiction, which has been blamed for an increase in accidental overdoses.

How Can The Opioid Epidemic Be Solved? [International Business Times]

President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that he will be briefed on the opioid epidemic in the United States from his summer vacation at his private golf course in Bedminster, New Jersey. The opioid crisis claims thousands of lives each year, and a White House Commission on the matter has recommended Trump declare an emergency to address the situation. The crisis is multi-faceted and would require several policy prescriptions to help tackle the problem.

The World If … drugs become legal [The Economist]

As part of the Daily Watch ‘drugs week’ we explore what the world might look like if legalisation replaces the failing war on drugs. Join Tom Wainwright, Britain editor of The Economist and author of Narconomics, as he predicts what would happen to the cartels.

Australia’s First Medicinal Cannabis Leadership Program [Cann10]

The Cann10 Medicinal Cannabis Leadership Program is Australia’s first training program in the field of medicinal cannabis. The program provides a comprehensive approach to cannabis education including historical, cultural, legal/regulatory, commercial, chemical and agricultural aspects. It is delivered by an array of world-class professionals and has been designed so that participants can have personal access to their expertise. As a result, the number of participants in this program is limited. Graduates of this program will acquire an in depth knowledge of the industry as well as practical tools to help build their commercial and scientific projects.

Petition: Please help desperate terminally-ill and sick patients — medicinal cannabis is blocked [change.org]

The laws are so broken that just 18 sick patients have managed to access medicinal cannabis in NSW. I need your help now by signing my petition. I’ve spoken with NSW Health Minister personally about fixing the broken medicinal cannabis laws. But the government still hasn’t fixed these laws blocking doctors and patients from accessing medicinal cannabis, in fact it has added to them.

Drugs, driving and policing: Byron Community Forum [Greens]

15 September 6 – 8pm @ Byron Community Centre, 69 Jonson Street Byron Bay NSW. Free Admission. Come along to hear Greens MP David Shoebridge talking about the evidence-free roadside testing regime. We will also hear from locals and experts about broader concerns about policing and drugs, particularly as they apply in Byron and surrounds. Come with a comment, a question or just to learn about what’s going on! Limited number of tickets available.

Entheogenesis Australis 2017 Outdoor Psychedelic Symposium 8th – 10th of December [EGA]

EGA’s 2017 Psychedelic Symposium will be a botanical, academic and lifestyle conference – with a pinch of psychedelic energy.  The program will span three days and three nights, featuring more than 50 lectures from diverse fields covering the botanical, academic, and philosophical, to arts and drug law reform. Accompanying the main program will be workshops, panel discussions, a marketplace, and much more!!

Emerging Threat Report [Drug Enforcement Administration]

emerging-threat-report-2017-quarter-2