AUSTRALIA & NZ

Medicinal cannabis bill to be introduced tomorrow [NZ Herald]

Health Minister David Clark will introduce a government bill on medicinal cannabis to Parliament tomorrow but it will not be as liberal as Green MP Chloe Swarbrick’s bill, which would allow for suffering people to grow, possess or use cannabis for therapeutic purposes.

Government’s cannabis plans include legal defence for terminal patients who use [Stuff NZ]

The Government will not be legalising the medicinal use of cannabis, but it will allow terminal patients caught growing cannabis to use their illness as a defence to avoid prosecution. New legislation introduced by the Government on Wednesday will also introduce a medicinal cannabis scheme to enable access to medical-grade cannabis products and remove cannabidiol from the schedule of controlled drugs. That meant eventually, patients with a prescription would be able to access medicinal cannabis products at a pharmacy.

Police to compensate grower after raiding legal hemp farm on the East Coast [Stuff NZ]

Police have apologised to a legal hemp gower after ripping out his entire crop on an East Coast farm. Willie Kaa is part of a collective of growers working with Hikurangi Hemp to develop medical cannabis products from industrial hemp plantations. He had planted 16 hemp plants supplied by Hikurangi Hemp as a trial, but when he came home on Wednesday, he discovered all the plants had been ripped out – and police have admitted they did it.

NORTH AMERICA

All politics—and cannabis marketing—are local [MedicalXpress]

California’s legal cannabis market, opening for business on Jan. 1, is expected to quickly grow to be the largest in the nation and worth more than $5 billion a year.

Cheers to hangover-free wine [Independent]

Come January – once the state’s new cannabis industry regulations go into effect – California’s Rebel Coast Winery will officially release its new line of wine that promises to be 100 percent hangover-free, “because hangovers suck.”

Delays over provision of medicinal cannabis [Jersey Evening Post]

Finding appropriate suppliers that are prepared to deliver cannabis-based medicine products to Jersey has been ‘more difficult than originally envisaged’, the Health Minister has said.

Cautious Texas among last states to OK medical marijuana [MedicalXpress]

When California rings in the new year with the sale of recreational pot for the first time, Texas will be tiptoeing into its own marijuana milestone: a medical cannabis program so restrictive that doubts swirl over who will even use it.

Police bust multimillion-dollar weed “fortress” in Southern California [CBS]

California voters have approved the legalization of marijuana, but growers must receive licenses and permits from local governments and the state. Recreational pot sales start in California on Jan. 1, joining the long-running medical cannabis industry.

Nearly one MILLION Californians could have their marijuana convictions WIPED CLEAN when the state legalizes pot next month [Daily Mail]

Hundreds of thousands of Californians could be gifted the second chance of meaningful employment next month when the state legalizes the sale of recreational marijuana. Thanks to a lesser-known provision in the new legislation, up to one million people convicted of possession or even dealing will be able to apply to have their charges reduced or even cleared.

Canadians consumed C$5 billion to C$6.2 billion in cannabis in 2015: study [Reuters]

Using existing data sources, the study estimated there were 4.9 million medical and recreational users of cannabis aged 15 and older in 2015.

Canadian cannabis survey 2017 – Summary [Government of Canada]

Data were collected on four thematic areas: knowledge, attitudes and behaviours; cannabis use and products used; driving and cannabis, and cannabis for medical purposes. A summary of the key results is provided below and the detailed results tables have been published on the Library and Archives website.

Canadians spending nearly as much on marijuana as wine, shows report [Independent]

Canadians spent $6.2bn (£3.5bn) on marijuana in 2015, almost as much as they did on wine, a report has shown. A study of marijuana consumption between 1960 and 2015 carried out by Canada’s bureau of statistics estimated there were 4.9 million cannabis consumers aged 15 and older in 2015.  The agency is preparing to track weed’s effect on economy and society when it is made legal next year.

UK & EUROPE

Luxembourg’s Half-Hearted Green Light for Medical Cannabis [Marijuana]

On Wednesday, the Cabinet of the Duchy of Luxembourg agreed to a reform of the Narcotics Act to allow the use of medical cannabis at an undetermined future date. Despite the new law, patients in Luxembourg will continue to have zero access to pharmacy-grade herbal cannabis.

Medicinal cannabis: the long journey to acceptance [The Irish Times]

One year after becoming the first person in Ireland allowed to use medicinal cannabis, three-year-old Tristan Forde is thriving. 

WORLD

Legal Cannabis Sales Grow Globally [Stockhouse]

According to a report published by Grand View Research, the global medical cannabis market is expected to reach USD 55.8 billion by 2025. Rising awareness of various medical applications in cannabis is one of the factors driving the market. The report indicated that chronic pain was the largest application segment, holding 39.6 percent of the revenue share in 2015, while application in cancer grows at the fastest rate at a CAGR of 18.2 percent during the forecast period. The growing number of cannabis legalization in the U.S. also contributed to the growth of the market.

Mexico to legalize marijuana-based product sales next year [Yahoo]

Mexico will legalize sales of marijuana-based medicines, foods, drinks, cosmetics and other products early next year, its health regulator said on Wednesday, bringing some forms of cannabis into legal commerce even as the country struggles with the illicit drug trade.

In North Korea, You Can Buy 2 Pounds Of Weed For $4.30… But There’s a Catch [Herb]

It is known as Yeoksam in North Korea, and tourists are after its cheap leafy goodness. Or so it would seem according to a report from the Seoul based American network Radio Free Asia. Tourists from China flock to Rason, a Special Economic Zone, in the northeasternmost province of the Democratic Peoples’ Republic of Korea (DPRK) to buy the equivalent of $4.30 per 2.2 lbs bags of weed and sell them for nearly 20 times the price at home.

HEALTH

An ingredient in cannabis may be useful for treating psychosis – new study [The Conversation]

Psychiatric patients treated with a substance found in cannabis, cannabidiol, showed a significant reduction in psychotic symptoms and were also more likely to be rated as “improved” by their psychiatrist, our latest study shows.

Researchers target cannabinoid receptors with new line of pain‑relief products [MedicalXpress]

Known simply as Topical A OTC at this stage, the cream uses cannabinoids derived from clover and cloves—rather than cannabis—to target pathways involved in inflammation and pain. It also uses capsaicin—the compound that gives that spicy zing to chili peppers—to target other pain pathways.

Smoking Marijuana Causes ‘Complete Remission’ Of Crohn’s Disease, No Side Effects, New Study Shows [Health Journal]

Investigators reported that smoking weed caused a “complete remission” of Crohn’s Disease in five of the 11 subjects. Another five of the eleven test subjects saw their Crohn’s Disease symptoms cut in half. Furthermore, “subjects receiving cannabis reported improved appetite and sleep, with no significant side effects.”

EXTRAS

Reflections After Entheogenesis Australis: “Australia’s Premier Psychedelic Symposium” [Medicine Path]

EGA, Entheogenesis Australis, is described as Australia’s premium psychedelic symposium. It was held on the beautiful lands of Lake Eildon in Victoria, featuring a decent gathering of various leaders at the forefront of psychedelic research, presenting the latest findings, ideas, knowledge, and debates on all things psychedelia related. Now that I’m back, I’m going to try and give a brief run down of some of what I found to be key concepts / ideas / take-aways that have stuck with me since EGA.  

OTHER DRUGS

Prescription drugs misused by 1 million Australians in year, report shows [The Guardian]

Analysis by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare showed the misuse of powerful prescription medications for non-medical reasons was rising and accounted for more drug-induced deaths than illegal drugs.

Santa and the ‘Shrooms: The real story behind the “design” of Christmas [inhabitat]

Most people think of Santa Claus and the cheery red and white we decorate with at Christmas as little more than lighthearted fun and pretty colors. But the real story behind that Christmas look that takes over the Western world at this time of year is a bit… shall we say, darker. Or at least way, way more tripped-out. Read on to find out about the psychedelic and mystical roots of the Santa Claus myth and the traditional Christmas decorating scheme!

EVENTS

Toad Retreat Jan 2018 [Aya Awakenings]

If you’re interested I will be co-facilitating a special medicine retreat in Tulum, Mexico this January, 2018. This is your private invitation to come on a life changing journey to Mexico, where you will awaken your mind, body and soul with meditation, yoga, ceremony and medicine from the Bufo Alvarius toad, the entheogen 5-MeO-DMT. Through the shamanic cultivation of ancient energetic modalities and modern technology, we will help you awaken your full potential to create a profound paradigm shift.

Nimbin Medican Workshop 20-21 January 2018 [Hemp Embassy]

The next Nimbin medican workshop is over the January weekend 20/21 2018 when medicine makers from California will be demonstrating and speaking about different extraction methods, and how it all works over there, where they have enjoyed legal medical cannabis for over twenty years.

Nimbin Medican Workshops on YouTube [Hemp Embassy]

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.