AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND
‘Medicine Man’ Escapes Prison Time for Serious Drug Charges [Sydney Criminal Lawyers]
Veteran medicinal cannabis producer Tony Bower escaped prison time when he was sentenced for commercial drug cultivation, along with other serious drug offences, at Port Macquarie District Court last Monday.
Elderly people breaking the law to use medicinal cannabis for the aches and pains of ageing [ABC]
Leah Bisiani, a registered nurse who specialises in the care of elderly people in nursing homes, has become an advocate for more research into medicinal cannabis products as an alternative pain relief treatment for patients in aged care.
‘The sky did not fall’: Vermont’s advice to ACT on legalising cannabis [The Sydney Morning Herald]
Police in Vermont have warned the ACT to address issues around drug-driving in its bid to legalise cannabis, as the Australian capital looks to use the same model of legalisation as the US state.
Police Should Test for Impairment Levels of Drugs, Not Minute Traces [Sydney Criminal Lawyers]
On the first weekend of this month, NSW police carried out a roadside alcohol and drug driving blitz in the Northern Rivers region. And while locals aren’t complaining about officers booking drunk drivers, they are opposed to those charged with drug driving as there’s no proof they were impaired.
Australian Researchers Find CBD Curbs Methamphetamine Addiction in Rats [Weedmaps]
Out of a combined effort by the Lambert Initiative and two universities in Australia — Macquarie University and the University of Sydney — comes an animal study that isolates CBD as a promising treatment for addiction to methamphetamine. In recent years, a number of studies have shown emerging evidence of the potential therapeutic effectiveness of cannabidiol (CBD) in treating a variety of addictions such as heroin, cocaine, and alcohol, to mental disorders such as schizophrenia to the psychoses and anxiety that can accompany addiction.
NORTH AMERICA
Equity and Expungement: Why Cannabis Activists Crashed SXSW [Filter]
On March 15, cannabis activists protested outside the South by Southwest (SXSW) gathering at the Hilton Austin Downtown while former US House Speaker John Boehner presented on current cannabis business trends and the path to national legalization. “Just say no to big marijuana” one banner read. “No legalization without equity + justice + repair” read another. Activists gathered in the hotel lobby, before being forced out to the sidewalk. They also raised banners over the I-35 freeway, about a mile from the hotel.
BUSINESS & POLICY
Marijuana is the fastest-growing industry in the US job market [Markets Insider]
Forget the energy industry. Marijuana appears to be the fastest-growing job sector in the US. The US added 64,389 full-time legal cannabis jobs in 2018, according to a new report from the cannabis website Leafly and the consultancy Whitney Economics. That represented a 44% increase in total positions, which rose to 211,000. And that’s not counting jobs indirectly related to the marijuana industry, like lawyers, accountants, security consultants, media companies, and marketing firms. With those included, the report said, there were 296,000 payrolls in the sector last year.
Will Ontario cannabis shops be ready for April 1? [The Star]
25 winners of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario’s Jan. 11 lottery were given fewer than three months to prepare cannabis stores to open April 1.
How Aurora Cannabis Can Produce 700,000 Kilograms a Year [The Motley Fool]
With more than a dozen cannabis cultivation facilities, Canadian-based Aurora has established itself as the clear top grower.
Cannabis café a hazy relic as marijuana’s new retail paradigm takes over [Financial Post]
For decades, the gritty, hazy coffeeshops of Amsterdam have been an archetype of legal cannabis sales. But with restrictions on where you can consume cannabis yet to be sorted out in Canada — and indoor smoking likely a non-starter — the café’s cachet has been giving way to another paradigm: the sleek, sophisticated retail outlet.
Euro stakeholders upbeat on reversing CBD-in-food rule changes [Hemp Today]
European hemp stakeholders came away upbeat from a meeting with European Commission officials yesterday as they seek to reverse recent food rule changes that could upend the hemp food business across the continent.
Medicinal cannabis users left high and dry by Dutch tolerance policy [Dutch News]
Using DNA to Make Informed Cannabis Purchases [Ganjapreneur]
Experts are using DNA to better understand the many differences in how we experience cannabis as individuals.
HEALTH & SCIENCE
Weed has ‘beneficial’ effects in 70 per cent of elderly patients [Metro]
Medical marijuana works well as pain relief for older patients – reducing symptoms and helping patients stay off powerful opioid painkillers, research has found. Researcher Dr. Laszlo Mechtler looked at the effects of medical marijuana on 200 patients aged 75 and older – and said that seven out of 10 had some sort of symptom relief.
The Best Products for Microdosing to Stay Chill and Productive [Herb]
As weed is legalized and becomes more mainstream, cannabis products seem to be getting “weaker” rather than stronger. This trend toward microdosing and low-THC products is, in part, to appeal to a wider audience of new and inexperienced users. But, it’s also helping veteran stoners stay medicated and productive. We took a look at this trend, from low-THC strains of weed to low-dose edibles, and identify some of the best products for microdosing.
Marijuana is a lot more than just THC – a pharmacologist looks at the untapped healing compounds [The Conversation]
Medical marijuana is legal in 33 states as of November 2018. Yet the federal government still insists marijuana has no legal use and is easy to abuse. In the meantime, medical marijuana dispensaries have an increasing array of products available for pain, anxiety, sex and more.
Antidepressants can kill you, study says, so people are turning to cannabis [Herb]
Many people struggling with depression are forgoing the use of antidepressants, for something more natural.
5 Best and Strongest Marijuana Strains of 2019 [Marijuana Break]
If you believe the annual reports from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, weed is getting stronger. Certainly, if you measure potency by THC content, marijuana is unquestionably becoming more potent. It was even noticeable when the average THC content of weed in 2003 was 6.4%, compared to just 0.72% in 1976. One of the main reasons for this extra potency is the focus on producing sinsemilla, which is the tops of unfertilized female plants (these happen to contain the highest amount of THC). In the modern era, harvesters remove the trimmings and get rid of water leaves, which contain little to no THC.
First U.S. Clinical Trial Looking at Cannabinoids and Traumatic Brain Injury [CBD Testers]
Two prominent Colorado institutions just announced a collaboration on the first clinical trial in the U.S. to analyze the effects of plant-derived cannabinoids on trauma to the brain.
Clinical Research Begins On Cannabis Inhalers Offering Immediate Pain Relief to Cancer Patients in Israel Who Can’t Smoke [Good News Network]
As a means of providing immediate pain relief for cancer patients, scientists have begun conducting clinical research on delivering medical cannabis concentrates through an inhaler.
Marijuana won’t solve opioid crisis, but could be part of solution [The Growth Op]
Cannabis could be substantial first step in addiction therapy.
Consumers Are Replacing Pharmaceuticals With Medical Marijuana [The Fresh Toast]
Recent studies break down the reasons why.
Women are Embracing Cannabis for Health [Medical Marijuana News]
The number of female cannabis consumers is on the rise, with most using the plant to address stress, anxiety, sleep problems, and pain.
CULTURE & SOCIETY
The WIRED Guide to Cannabis [WIRED]
Humanity just can’t make up its mind about cannabis. For thousands of years, humans have used the stuff as medicine or to travel on spiritual quests. That, though, didn’t quite suit the British, who banned cannabis in colonial India. Then in the 20th century, the United States government declared war on marijuana, and most of the world followed suit.
The Spiritual History of Cannabis [Marijuana Break]
You might think of cannabis as a medicinal and recreational substance, but did you know it also has a long and varied history as a spiritual herb?
5 Genius Hacks to Make Your High Last Longer [Marijuana Break]
There are so many articles online that talk about detoxing or getting weed out of your system, so here at MarijuanaBreak we wanted to share something different with you. We believe that if you are enjoying your bud or you are lighting it up to ease the pain or any other debilitating condition, then why not prolong that lovely occurrence. Enhance your experience and enjoy the effects of weed every minute, while it lasts.
Everything You Should Know About CBD-Infused Meals [Civilized]
“Keeping control of your dose is crucial,” says Ron Silver, chef/owner of Bubby’s in New York City and founder of Azuca, a CBD-infused line of syrups and edibles. “We look at CBD as medicine, and not something to be thrown around.”
DPA Releases Nine-Part Video Series: Rethinking The ‘Drug Dealer’ [Weed News]
Today, the Drug Policy Alliance is releasing a nine-part video series challenging assumptions about who ends up behind bars for drug selling and distribution-related offenses.
‘Miss Marijuana’ beauty pageant asking for ‘single and natural born women’ accused of sexism and transphobia [Independent]
‘Miss Marijuana’s the type of girl all the guys want and all the girls want to be friends with,’ says pageant.
FUNDRAISERS/CAMPAIGNS/PETITIONS/SURVEYS
Gateway to Good Health [Weed Billboards]
The war on drugs and in particular cannabis is well past its use by date in Australia and in an effort to keep the issue on the agenda we have started a weed billboards campaign. Excited that our first billboard is up just north of Grafton in NSW.
It costs $5K for a year, and we’d like to grow weed billboards all around the country. We’d love your help to spread the weed, so there is a gofundme site where you can donate.
Please send in billboard suggestions! We’d like this campaign to support messages from various cannabis and drug law reform groups around Australia, so it would be great to pool resources to create more and more new billboards. We are open to all creative ideas, and any size donations.
We just want an end to being criminals for using one of nature’s absolute gifts.
E-Petition: Legalise cannabis for recreational use [Parliament of Victoria]
Petition: For a Referendum on Recreational Cannabis Use during 2019 NSW Election [Liberal Democrats]
Cannabis as Medicine Survey: 2018 [The University of Sydney]
Support Tony Bower’s Legal Fees [gofundme]
Just Reform It! Let’s Get Real about Drugs [The Greens]
Survey: What’s the link between cannabis use and psychotic experiences? [The University of Queensland]
EVENTS
Medicinal Cannabis Symposium [United in Compassion]
22-24 March 2019, Tweed Heads NSW
Medical Cannabis Educational Seminars [Medical Cannabis Research Australia]
Throughout March Across Australia Details: Tickets available – click here to find out more
Harvest Festival & Cannabis Cup [New Zealand]
20-21 April 2019, Dunedin NZ
27th Nimbin MardiGrass [Hemp Embassy]
3-5 May 2019, Nimbin NSW
Garden States – A forum for cultivating ethnobotanical plants & knowledge [Entheogenesis Australis]
12 May 2019, Melbourne VIC
Hemp, Health & Innovation Expo & Symposium [HHI]
18-19 May 2019, Rosehill Racecourse, Rosehill, Sydney NSW
EDUCATION
‘Sex, Drugs and the Electoral Roll’: MP’s Memoir Goes On Sale [Reason]
Medicinal Cannabis & Hemp Tasmania & “the leaf” Newsletter [Facebook]
Nimbin Medican Workshops on YouTube [Hemp Embassy]
MardiGrass Hemposium 2018 Talks now Available on YouTube [Hemp Embassy]
DRUG WAR OVER! [Radio Documentary]
View five new EGA video presentations on ethnobotanical plants and psychedelics [Entheogenesis Australis]
To mark the anniversary of our special gathering and end the year on a high note, we’ve released five new videos of talks from the Psychedelic Symposium that are now available to watch online and can also be found below in this email.