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Ireland Labour Leader Calls For Legal Cannabis Sales At Festivals

Written by Hazel Norman on . Posted in Policy.

Social cannabis use reform is in many ways the next frontier for activism efforts around the globe. In many jurisdictions cannabis possession, cultivation, and distribution laws still need to be fixed to be sure.

However, in a growing number of jurisdictions social use reform is either being explored as part of larger reform efforts, or in places where cannabis is already legal for at least possession and use, social use reform is being sought to improve current public policies.

One country that is in need of a massive cannabis policy overhaul is Ireland. Cannabis is currently illegal for adult use in Ireland, and the nation’s medical cannabis program is very limited in size and scope compared to medical programs found in many other countries.

At least one lawmaker in Ireland is calling for reform beyond simple legalization. If Labour leader Ivana Bacik has their way, cannabis will be legally bought and sold at festivals in addition to other reform components. Per the Irish Examiner:

The licenced sale of cannabis at Electric Picnic and other music festivals should be permitted as part of a “rational” approach to drugs, Labour party leader Ivana Bacik has said.

Calling for a “harm reduction based policy” on drugs, Ms Bacik has said politicians need to accept the reality that cannabis is now widely consumed as a recreational drug.

“There’s a clear momentum internationally to adopt a more rational harm reduction based policy on drugs.

At this juncture in time, it’s very unlikely that Ivana Bacik’s calls for social use reform will be adopted. After all, the nation is having a hard enough time just reforming cannabis laws in such a way that it keeps cannabis consumers and patients out of Ireland’s criminal justice system.

Yet, Ivana Bacik’s recent comments have sparked a conversation in Ireland about what a comprehensive cannabis public policy would involve. The main rallying cry of cannabis advocates in Europe right now is to improve public health outcomes via regulated sales, and sales at festivals and other events definitely seem to fit within that strategy.

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Canadian Researchers Find Alcohol To Be Involved In More Crashes Than THC

Written by Frank Schuler on . Posted in Science.

Whenever cannabis reform is being proposed, it’s very common for opponents to ramp up scare tactics related to impaired driving. Don’t get me wrong, preventing impaired driving on public roadways is absolutely a worthwhile endeavor.

However, conversations and strategies regarding the mitigation of impaired drivers need to be sensible, and math and science need to lead the way, which unfortunately does not always happen.

The fact of the matter is that alcohol is much more problematic compared to THC, as demonstrated in a recent study out of Canada. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

Drivers treated for traffic-related injuries are more likely to test positive for high levels of alcohol (BAC ≥ 0.08 percent) than they are likely to test positive for elevated levels of THC (THC in blood ≥ 5 ng/mL), according to data published in the journal Addiction.

Canadian investigators quantified and reviewed alcohol and THC concentrations in a cohort of nearly 7,000 injured drivers.

They reported, “In this sample, there were over three times as many drivers with BAC ≥ 0.08% (12.6 percent) than with THC ≥ 5 ng/mL (3.5 percent), suggesting that alcohol remains a greater threat to road safety.”

Authors also acknowledged that drivers who tested positive for high levels of alcohol were more likely to be involved in single vehicle accidents as well as in motor vehicle accidents resulting in serious injuries.

Because THC can remain present in blood for extended periods of time, the study’s authors emphasized that at least some subjects who tested positive for cannabis may not necessarily have had recent exposure to it. They further emphasized that subjects testing positive for the presence of THC at levels below 5 ng/ml are typically not under the influence and likely do not possess a significantly increased risk of being involved in a motor vehicle accident.

Driving simulator studies generally report that cannabis administration is associated with compensatory driving behavior, such as decreased mean speed and increased mean following distance, whereas alcohol administration is associated with more aggressive driving behavior. Nevertheless, cannabis exposure can influence certain psychomotor skills necessary for safe driving, such as reaction time and drivers’ ability to maintain lane positioning.

A study conducted by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that drivers who test positive for any amount of THC possess, on average, a far lower risk of being involved in a traffic collision than  do drivers who test positive for alcohol at or near legal limits.

By contrast, drivers who test positive for the presence of both THC and alcohol in their system tend to possess significantly higher odds of being involved in a motor vehicle accident than do those who test positive for either substance alone.

Full text of the study, “A comparison of cannabis and alcohol use in drivers presenting to hospital after a vehicular collision,” appears in Addiction. Additional information on cannabis and driving performance is available from  NORML’s Fact Sheet, ‘Marijuana and Psychomotor Performance.’

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When Will France Legalize Cannabis For Adult Use?

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Policy.

Cannabis consumption in France is more common than in many other parts of the world, as demonstrated by recent survey data that was collected and analyzed by the French Observatory of Drugs and Addictive Tendencies. In its most recent survey involving adults aged 18 to 64, the French Observatory of Drugs and Addictive Tendencies found that 10.6% of the survey participants reported having consumed cannabis within the last year. With so many people consuming cannabis in France, it begs the question, when will France pass an adult-use legalization measure?

The same survey by the French Observatory of Drugs and Addictive Tendencies, which was conducted in conjunction with the Santé Publique France agency, found that 47.3% of the survey participants reported having consumed cannabis at least once in their lifetime. To put these numbers into perspective, United States survey data indicates that roughly 49% of adults report having consumed cannabis at least once in their lifetime, and roughly 12% report being an annual consumer.

Yet, whereas the U.S. is trending in the right direction when it comes to cannabis reform, the same cannot be said about France. Late last year France lifted a previously implemented ban on CBD products, however, that is clearly not enough. Even with legalization looming across the border in Germany, leaders in France are indicating that they want to take a ‘wait and see’ approach.

Monitoring From Afar

Germany’s Health Minister Karl Lauterbach is currently lobbying the European Union to gain approval for Germany to proceed with an adult-use legalization measure that would result in the launch of nationwide legal adult-use cannabis sales. According to recent comments made by Minister Lauterbach, he has received “very good feedback” from the EU and indicated that a formal introduction of a legalization measure will happen very soon.

Many countries around the globe are watching Germany with a very close eye, particularly countries on the European continent. Leadership in the Czech Republic has already indicated that it will try to follow Germany’s lead if/when Germany passes an adult-use legalization measure. Unfortunately, leaders in France appear to be taking a more passive approach.

“France will closely monitor the evolution of the German legislative framework, especially with regard to its potential impact on cross-border regions,” the office of French Health Minister François Braun recently told EURACTIV France. The comments from the French Health Minister do not instill any confidence that France will be legalizing any time soon. If anything, they seem to indicate that increased prohibition enforcement may be on the horizon along the France/Germany border.

Boosting Public Health

Whether international cannabis observers realize it or not, Germany is currently doing a considerable amount of the heavy lifting to legalize cannabis across the European continent. The biggest hurdle to comprehensive continental adult-use reform is the European Union, and if/when Germany can overcome that hurdle, it will have created an adult-use legalization blueprint for other European countries to copy, including France.

With a reported second-highest cannabis consumption rate on the European continent, France’s consumer base is enormous. With some minor exceptions, a vast majority of what France consumers are inhaling and/or ingesting is completely unregulated. That is problematic from a public health standpoint and can be largely mitigated by launching a regulated adult-use industry.

That premise largely serves as the crux of the argument being made right now by Germany’s Health Minister to the EU. It’s an argument that France would be well-served to be on the right side of, and there are calls from within France to do so. The consumption of unregulated cannabis products is a public health concern according to France’s Economic, Social, and Environmental Council. The Council is recommending legalization, and policymakers in France should follow that recommendation as soon as possible.

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Premier Doug Ford Is Not A Fan Of Cannabis Clubs

Written by Johnny Green on . Posted in Business, Policy.

Cannabis clubs are becoming more common around the world, particularly in Canada. Unfortunately, some lawmakers and regulators continue to seemingly act as if prohibiting social cannabis use venues will prevent them from operating. A recent example of that can be found via comments made by Ontario Premier Doug Ford after he heard a pitch for cannabis clubs provided by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce.

“I don’t like the idea of having a lounge outside and they’re smoking or doobies or weed or whatever the heck they call it now,” said Premier Ford according to the Toronto Star. “If you want to do your stuff, do it somewhere else. That’s my opinion.”

The recent comments were unfortunate, although, they do not reflect the reality of what is happening throughout much of Canada. When consumers go “somewhere else” it’s often a cannabis speakeasy. Furthermore, people are going to consume cannabis at events such as concerts, just as they have for many, many years. Lawmakers like Premier Ford can choose to stick their heads in the sand and pretend like social cannabis use doesn’t already exist, however, that denial of reality comes at a cost to public health, safety, and revenue.

Common Ground

Whether Premier Doug Ford realizes it or not, contained in his recent comments is an argument for regulating social cannabis use and allowing venues to be licensed. Per Premier Ford’s own words, he doesn’t “like the idea of having a lounge outside and they’re smoking.” What is being proposed is private venues, where people can consume cannabis out of public view.

As responsible cannabis consumers will be quick to point out, they typically don’t prefer to consume cannabis on a sidewalk or in an alley. Speaking for myself, I’d much rather consume cannabis in a private social setting. When I am away from home and I don’t have a private setting to consume in, I’d gladly go to a regulated venue to smoke cannabis instead of doing so in a park or on the side of a building. If Premier Ford’s main argument is that he doesn’t want cannabis consumption to be a nuisance, then he should be advocating for cannabis clubs and not against them.

Accepting Reality

Cannabis consumers and patients want cannabis clubs, other private social venues, and consumption-friendly events. Just as some adults want to consume alcohol around their current friends and family, and/or want to make new friends, the same is true for cannabis. For patients specifically, they need to be able to consume their medicine wherever they are, and social cannabis businesses help facilitate that.

The unregulated cannabis market is going to fill any voids left by deficient public policy. If lawmakers like Premier Ford do not want to pursue sensible public policy and do not want to allow social use entities to legally operate, such entities will still surely exist, they will just be less safe and zero percent of any profits will go to public coffers. Lawmakers in Ontario, Canada, and everywhere else would be wise to embrace cannabis clubs rather than oppose them. Calls for social use reform are not going away, and will only get louder as the emerging legal cannabis industry continues to expand.

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No Increased Cardiovascular Risk For Stroke Patients Following Prescription Cannabis Use

Written by Frank Schuler on . Posted in Science.

Public health officials estimate that as many as 15 million strokes occur annually around the globe. Of that estimated 15 million, roughly one-third of them result in the person dying and another one-third leave the patient permanently disabled.

The main cause of someone experiencing a stroke is high blood pressure, which can be caused by a number of factors including poor diet, lack of exercise, other health conditions, and genetics.

With the rise in safe access to medical cannabis and products derived from medical cannabis, researchers are examining cannabis use and stroke survivors to gauge whether or not there are any elevated risks. Fortunately for stroke patients, a recent study in Italy is providing some promising news. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

Genova, Italy: Patients with a history of stroke are not at an increased risk of cardiovascular complications following the use of nabiximols (a/k/a Sativex – an oromucosal spray containing a balanced ratio of plant-derived THC and CBD), according to clinical trial data published in the journal Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine. Nabiximols is available by prescription in various countries, but not in the United States, for patients suffering from symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

Italian researchers compared the cardiovascular impact of nabiximols versus placebo in a cohort of 34 stroke survivors. Subjects in the study suffered from symptoms of spasticity. Patients in the study took either nabiximols or placebo in addition to their standard medications for a period of one-month.

Investigators reported: “No … adverse drug effects emerged during nabiximols treatment, namely no significant fluctuation of blood pressure and heart rate, nor ischemic or hemorrhagic events occurred. During nabiximols treatment, self-assessed blood pressure and heart rate did not change compared to the baseline condition. No patients showed significant acceleration or decrease in heart rate or change in rhythm and none required an additional ECG or cardiological evaluation during the study.”

Authors concluded: “The present study is the first to evaluate the effects of a cannabinoid drug (nabiximols) in patients with post-stroke spasticity. … This ancillary study adds evidence that, in patients who already underwent a cerebrovascular accident, nabiximols does not determine significant blood pressure and heart rate variation or cardiovascular complications. These data support the cardiovascular safety of nabiximols, encouraging more extensive studies involving cannabinoids characterized by slow absorption rates.”

Numerous studies demonstrate the ability of cannabinoids to influence blood pressure and other cardiovascular responses. However, data is inconsistent with respect to whether the frequent use of cannabis may increase one’s risk of stroke, heart attack, or other adverse cardiovascular events. While some studies report an increased risk of stroke and other cardiovascular diseases among marijuana consumers, others report either no risk or provide evidence of possible cardioprotection. A 2021 literature review of 67 studies published in The American Journal of Medicine concluded, “[M]arijuana itself does not appear to be independently associated with excessive cardiovascular risk factors.” Authors did caution, however, that “it can be associated with other unhealthy behaviors such as alcohol use and tobacco smoking that can be detrimental” to cardiovascular health.

Full text of the study, “Nabiximols effect on blood pressure and heart rate in post-stroke patients: A randomized controlled study,” appears in Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine.

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Agreement Reached In Spain For Future Regulation Of ‘Cannabis Light’

Written by Hazel Norman on . Posted in Business, Policy.

Spain is home to one of the most unique approaches to cannabis policy out of any nation on the planet. The nation has one of the most robust and vibrant cannabis communities on earth, yet the cannabis public policies in Spain are very outdated.

Anyone with internet access and the ability to use a popular online search engine can see that private cannabis clubs are located throughout Spain, with huge clumps of them being located in Barcelona in particular. Unfortunately, Spain’s laws and regulations are such that all of those clubs operate in a legal grey area versus being licensed and outright accepted.

Cannabis advocates inside and outside of Spain were hopeful that the start of 2023 would see a cannabis regulatory measure finally reach the finish line and get the nation’s laws to match reality, however, that has yet to materialize.

What has materialized is an agreement in Spain’s Congress to, eventually, regulate low-THC cannabis. Low-THC cannabis is often referred to as ‘cannabis light’ and is very popular in many European nations. Perhaps someday Spain will join those nations in regulating such products. Per Europa Press (translated to English):

The PSOE has agreed on an initiative in Congress with Unidas Podemos, Esquerra (ERC) and Bildu that opens the door to a future regulation of non-psychoactive cannabis, that whose percentage of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the euphoric drug, is less than 1% .

Unidas Podemos and the two pro-independence allies of the Government presented an initiative this Wednesday in the Congressional Agriculture Commission demanding the regulation of the production and commercialization of this crop in order to offer legal certainty to producers and marketers.

It will be interesting to see if 1) this type of reform actually gets adopted in the near future, and 2) if it will have any meaningful impact on Spain’s cannabis industry. To be clear – providing this type of reform to the nation’s emerging cannabis industry is helpful, although, exactly how helpful it would be is open for debate.

What Spain really needs is a comprehensive cannabis policy and regulatory overhaul. Cannabis products containing all types of THC percentages, including concentrates that contain large amounts of THC, are being consumed every day in Spain. It’s a reality that lawmakers and regulators ignore at a cost to public health.

Consumers and patients in Spain deserve safe access to tested cannabis. Entrepreneurs in Spain deserve to operate in a business landscape that affords them every reasonable opportunity to supply the nation’s demand in a way that boosts public health and generates revenue for public coffers.

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Israeli Tourette Syndrome Patients Report Improvements Following Cannabis Therapy

Written by Frank Schuler on . Posted in Science.

Global statisticians estimate that around 0.5-1% of the planet’s population has been diagnosed with some level of Tourette Syndrome, although the true diagnosis rate of people suffering from the condition could be larger due to gaps in identification and treatment in some parts of the globe.

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, “Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a neurological disorder characterized by sudden, repetitive, rapid, and unwanted movements or vocal sounds called tics.” Currently, there is no cure for the condition.

Various treatments for Tourette Syndrome exist, with common ones being dopamine blockers, Botox injections, ADHD medications, anti-depressants, and anti-seizure medications. All of those treatments can yield possible undesirable side effects. Fortunately, a recent study in Israel found that cannabis may help. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

Tel Aviv, Israel: Tourette Syndrome (TS) patients report improvements in their quality of life and reductions in their use of prescription medications following cannabis therapy, according to data published in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research.

Israeli investigators surveyed patients prior to and six-months following cannabis treatment. Subjects in the study consumed products containing roughly twice as much THC as CBD.

Participants reported statistically significant improvements in their quality of life and employment status following cannabis treatment. Most subjects also reported reduced symptoms of anxiety and obsessive-compulsive tendencies. Patients reduced their use of prescription medicines.

By contrast, subjects did not report statistically significant improvements in their frequency of either vocal or motor tics during the study period.

Authors concluded: “Subjective reports from TS patients suggest that medical cannabis may improve their quality of life and comorbidities. More studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of medical cannabis.”

A limited number of clinical trials have shown both oral THC and inhaled cannabis to be associated with symptom improvements in TS patients, including decreased tic severity and reductions in obsessive-compulsive behaviors. The results of a randomized, placebo-controlled trial published last month in the journal Psychiatry Research reported that patients with more severe TS symptoms experienced symptomatic improvements following the consumption of a balanced formulation of oral THC and CBD.

Full text of the study, “Using medical cannabis in patients with Gilles de la Tourette’s Syndrome in a real-world setting” appears in Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research. Additional information on cannabinoids and TS is available from NORML’s publication, Clinical Applications for Cannabis and Cannabinoids.

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Brazil Judge Allows NGO To Cultivate Medical Cannabis

Written by Hazel Norman on . Posted in Policy.

The public policy avenue that most people are familiar with when it comes to legalization efforts is when lawmakers approve a reform measure in a particular jurisdiction. After all, people are elected or appointed to make laws, and legislative action is the most straightforward way to codify something into law.

However, there are other means by which public policy is changed, including public policies that pertain to cannabis. One such way is via a citizen initiative or referendum. Italy, for example, has this political process in which ordinary citizens can gather a certain number of signatures to force a vote on something.

Another avenue that many people don’t seem to always consider is the courts. Legal decisions handed down by courts also create laws, particularly when it’s a nation’s top court that has the final say and there are no further appeal options.

Brazil is a nation that seems to have quite a bit of cannabis policy being set by its courts, with a recent example of that coming via a case involving an NGO that wants to cultivate medical cannabis. Brazil’s industry is currently built around importing cannabis products, but thanks to a recent legal decision, that could be changing. Per excerpts from The Brazilian Report:

A federal judge in the northeastern state of Sergipe on Wednesday authorized an NGO to grow cannabis and manufacture medicinal products for its associates. Although similar authorizations have been granted in Brazil for producing cannabis oil, this is the first time such approval has included the plant’s flowers, extracts, and edible products.

Lawyer Paulo Henrique Thiessen, who represents the NGO Salvar, celbrated the decions as “wonderful news.”

Cannabis reform is sweeping the globe, particularly in South America. The continent is famously home to the world’s first legalized nation, Uruguay, which passed an adult-use legalization measure back in 2013.

Several South American countries have reformed their medical cannabis policies in recent years, with Brazil, the continent’s largest country, being much slower to pass and implement meaningful medical cannabis reform measures compared to its continental peers. Hopefully this recent legal decision will inspire lawmakers and regulators in Brazil to pick up the pace.

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Cannabis Sales In Canada Are Not Associated With An Increase In Crash Hospitalizations

Written by Frank Schuler on . Posted in Business, Policy.

Earlier this week we covered a report that was recently issued by the Traffic Injury Research Foundation titled, “Recreational Cannabis Consumption Spaces in Canada.” The report was published with support from the Canada Safety Council and DRIVE SOBER®.

In many ways, the report failed to provide proper context and seemed to try to portray cannabis in the most negative light possible, with a heavy focus on public roadway fearmongering. The results of a recent traffic-injury study are proving to be quite timely, as the findings of this new study seem to contradict many points that were recently offered up by cannabis opponents.

A new study based out of Canada examined traffic-injury hospitalization data in an attempt to see if the launch of legal adult-use sales in Canada was associated with an increase in traffic-injury hospitalization rates. Below is more information about it via a news release from NORML:

Toronto, Canada: The implementation of adult-use marijuana sales in Canada is not associated with any increase in traffic injury-related hospitalizations, according to data published in the journal Addiction.

Investigators assessed nationwide rates of emergency department visits and hospitalizations in the years before and immediately following legalization.

Authors concluded, “Overall, there is no clear evidence that RCL [recreational cannabis laws] had any effect on rates of ED visits and hospitalizations for either motor vehicle or pedestrian/cyclist injury across Canada.”

The findings are consistent with those of a 2021 Canadian study that similarly “found no evidence that the implementation of the Cannabis Act was associated with significant changes in post-legalization patterns of all drivers’ traffic-injury ED visits or, more specifically, youth-driver traffic-injury ED presentations.”

Several studies from the United States also found no significant changes in traffic safety in the years immediately following the enactment of adult-use legalization. However, other assessments evaluating longer-term trends in traffic safety following legalization have yielded inconsistent results.

Full text of the study, “The effect of recreational cannabis legalization on rates of traffic injury in Canada,” appears in Addiction. Additional information is available from the NORML Fact Sheet, ‘Marijuana and Psychomotor Performance.’