February 19, 2021
Weed Week in Review publishes a weekly report of the good, the bad and the ugly about weed in the US (and other places too). We’ll provide a little commentary about what’s happening in the world of weed.
Report Finds Adult-Use Cannabis Legalization Not Associated With Adverse Social Effects
Part of me wants to think this is kind of a ‘Duh!” report. But it’s not just that. Every report (this one was authored by The Cato Institute) that has come out since legalization in the many states pretty much says the same thing…there are no associative adverse effects that came with the legalization of weed in the various states. Why am I not surprised? Given the documented evidence that there are no adverse effects associated with legalization, why are there still some (think South Dakota for now) who are dead set against legalization? While I don’t have an answer to that, many of the same people who are against legalization are QAnon believers, so you can pretty much tell them anything that’s negative and they’ll believe it. Sad, but it’s the state of affairs in the U.S. these days.
New Jersey Has Arrested Over 6,000 People for Cannabis Since Legalization Vote
This is a pure and simple case of the police abusing their power to arrest people with marijuana. This headline means that since the election on November 3rd, it’s been just over 100 days since the election that legalized recreational marijuana in New Jersey and that equals about 60 people a day getting arrested. Anyone want to place a bet on the percentage of people arrested are mostly minorities and there mostly black? About 40% of the population of New Jersey are minorities and I’d willing to bet anyone reading this that over 70% of the arrests of people of color. All the Attorney General needs to say is stop arresting people. That would end it. The AG has already told prosecutors in New Jersey to stop prosecuting pot cases, but apparently that hasn’t stopped the police from arresting people for possession. Pure and simple; This is an abuse of police power.
More Than Half of Cannabis Users With Parkinson’s Disease Report Clinical Benefits
Why am I not surprised that Parkinson’s disease has clinical benefits associated with cannabis. Cannabis has been gaslighted for over 100 years now and that pretty much means that there has been no real research into the benefits that weed might provide to Parkinson’s or any other disease for that matter. 100 years of research lost. Cannabis might well be the most complex plant in the world and we haven’t yet begun to make sense of all the compounds in it. But the fact that it HAS helped Parkinson’s patients is important. How many other diseases might benefit from cannabis treatments? We just don’t know.
As NJ marijuana reform slows, racial inequity of enforcement continues, advocates say
Social inequity in marijuana enforcement is a known and measured thing. We know that minority communities have taken the brunt of marijuana enforcement and arrests for decades. In November, the citizens of New Jersey voted to legalize and make pot available to any citizen over the age of 21 to purchase. Yet, the arrests in minority communities continue. What the attorney general for New Jersey should immediately do is tell the police departments across New Jersey to do is stop making arrests for marijuana and stop the prosecution of felonious and misdemeanor charges against all people. That would be a start.
More People with MS Turning to Cannabis for Help with Pain, Sleep
Another cannabis health exploration done because there’s no research into how pot can help people with MS. But for many it seems to work. This survey conducted by the University of Michigan about pain and MS was national in scope. Summarizing they said; “A new survey shows high usage rates of cannabinoids like CBD for multiple sclerosis, but most patients are figuring out these new products on their own.” It’s sad that people have to find their own cures in this age of science, but there you have it. They do and that’s sad. But if it gives relief without having to get regulated, whether it’s legal or not, it’s probably a bigger benefit to them then a government funded and run study that wouldn’t have results for several years. And here’s another research project for MS and relief from cannabis. Study: 61% of Parkinson’s Patients Benefit from Medical Cannabis
How Long Does Cannabis Stay Fresh For? Scientists May Have the Answer
If you like to get in the weeds … with weed … here’s an article for you! The online publication Analytical Cannabis will serve the need of anyone who wants to be part of the science of our favorite plant. For me, I do like the fact that the publication is putting some long needed rigorous scientific research into cannabis. There is no one subject when it comes to weed that has had sufficient research. This story is something that we’ve needed to explore for a long time. Analytical Cannabis has done a fine job of explaining this, even if not all of us can understand the science behind the findings. But it IS important.
Teens May Be More Likely to Use Marijuana After Legalization for Adult Recreational Use
GRRRRRRRRRRRRR. I’m tired of seeing this flawed study picked up by the media without further research and presented as fact. There are so many more studies that show the opposite is actually happening in adult use legal states. Teenagers tend to have lower rates of marijuana consumption in adult legal states. There are many studies about this and there are only one or two studies that say the opposite. Why do some feel the need to show the negative side of cannabis, even when they know it’s not true? Why don’t publications spend as much time showing the evils of alcohol? For decades, many ‘scientists’ attempted to show that coffee was bad for us. Now we’re finding out that coffee is actually probably good for our cognitive health! We need to get real.
