NEW YORK (AP) - Marijuana use is becoming more accepted among U.S. adults as states loosen pot laws, new national survey data shows. More are using marijuana, using it more often and far fewer think it's risky, the government survey found. That's understandable, experts say, as dozens of states now allow medical marijuana and four states have recently legalized pot for recreational use. More than a half million U.S. adults participated in the survey over a dozen years, and the responses show a shift in attitude. Only a third of adults in 2014 said they thought weekly marijuana use was dangerous, down from half of adults in 2002. [continues 407 words]
A few weeks ago, Derek Peterson got a letter from Mutual of Omaha, turning him down for life insurance. "Our decision was based on," the letter said, then trailed off (Monty Python-style) and picked up in all caps: WE HAVE DISCONTINUED THE PROCESSING OF YOUR APPLICATION FOR INSURANCE DUE TO COMPANY POLICY. WE CANNOT ACCEPT PREMIUM FROM INDIVIDUALS OR ENTITIES WHO ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE MARIJUANA INDUSTRY. Peterson is indeed associated with the marijuana industry. He is the chief executive officer of Terra Tech, a publicly traded pot company based in Irvine, California. [continues 254 words]
Patients fill significantly fewer prescriptions for conditions like nausea and pain in states where medical marijuana is available, researchers reported Wednesday in one of the first studies to examine how medical cannabis might be affecting approved treatments. Prescriptions for all drugs that treat pain combined, from cortisone to OxyContin, were nearly 6 percent lower in states with medical marijuana programs. Anxiety medication was 5 percent lower. The result was a drop of more than $165 million in health care spending in states that had medical marijuana programs running in 2013, according to the analysis of national Medicare data. The savings would equal 0.5 percent of the entire Medicare program's drug budget if medicinal cannabis was available in every state, the authors projected. [continues 421 words]
SEATTLE (AP) - With a deadline looming for the merging of Washington's recreational and medical marijuana markets, cities around the state are warning unlicensed pot dispensaries to close up shop. July 1 marks the date when, after nearly two decades of confusion about the status of medical marijuana, the industry becomes regulated for the first time. Hundreds of pot shop workers are being certified as medical marijuana consultants, the Department of Health is preparing a voluntary registry of patients, and the Liquor and Cannabis Board has been granting endorsements enabling recreational marijuana stores to sell for medical use. [continues 612 words]
PORTLAND, Oregon (AP) - After months of public hearings with pot growers, lawmen, public health officials and others, an Oregon commission is racing to finalize recreational marijuana regulations and issue licenses to hundreds of businesses within a few months. But those who aim to produce souped-up coffee and other niche products might have to wait a bit longer. "It's like the circus around here," Oregon Liquor Control Commission Chair Rob Patridge said after a hearing in which a pot advocate and a panel member argued about whether marijuana is safer than alcohol, and an entrepreneur discussed selling marijuana-infused java, eliciting blank looks from commissioners. [continues 822 words]
MEDFORD, Ore. - Only a handful of medical marijuana growers have applied for Jackson County permits to keep growing on rural residential land - even though growers without permits face fines of up to $10,000 and orders to remove their plants. Most are flying under the radar, hoping to avoid detection rather than pay the $1,563 permit application fee, the Mail Tribune reported. Jackson County has received only seven applications from growers hoping to be grandfathered in by qualifying for a pre-existing, non-conforming use permit. [continues 511 words]
After Legalization, the Law Now Requires That Any Sample Used As Evidence in an Adult Case Be Tested for THC Levels. EVERETT - Sure, marijuana is legal now, for the most part. However, enough criminal cases still involve the drug that the Washington State Patrol has increased the number of scientists with special training needed to analyze its chemical compounds, from one to seven. None of them work at the lab in Snohomish County. Before legalization, any Snohomish County police department could do a quick field test to scientifically confirm that seized plant materials were, in fact, marijuana. That step is required for prosecution. That so-called "leaf test" was standard since the 1970s, said George Johnston, a manager for the state crime laboratory. [continues 401 words]
SPOKANE (AP) - The amount of money spent on legal marijuana sales in Spokane County last year was larger than the retail sales of wine, bread or milk. That's according to sales numbers from the Washington Liquor and Cannabis Board and a survey of household expenses conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. Monthly sales of pot topped $5 million in Spokane County for the first time in March, which is on track to top receipts at area bookstores, museums and live music venues, according to figures released by the Washington Department of Revenue. [continues 291 words]
Regarding the guest commentary, "Treatment, not punishment, will limit opioid problems": States that end cannabis (marijuana) prohibition are in a better position to help lower opioid addiction and death rates compared to states that perpetuate cannabis prohibition. Citizens may use opiates for chronic pain, which may lead to various addiction scenarios. Cannabis has shown to treat chronic pain, and in states where cannabis has been completely re-legalized, citizens may purchase the plant over the counter without a doctor's permission slip. It's a potential win-win situation that should be promoted. Truthfully, Stan White Dillon, Colorado [end]
President Obama did something remarkable this week. For the first time, a president talked about drug addiction in America without talking about prosecution, mandatory minimums or a war on drugs. For the first time, a president talked about a new approach to addiction - an approach rooted in being smart on treatment instead of just tough on crime. His plan would invest $1.1 billion to provide treatment and fight the national opioid epidemic, which he said is affecting everybody. [continues 717 words]
Oregon officials said they've collected about $3.5 million in taxes from recreational marijuana sales in January. The 25 percent-tax on recreational pot sales began at the start of 2016 and the state began collecting the taxes from dispensaries last month. Data released Thursday show the $3.5 million collected came from 253 individual payments. That's fewer than the 309 medical dispensaries statewide that have elected to sell recreational pot. Some could be late with their payments. An Oregon Department of Revenue spokeswoman said they'll have a better idea of the situation after the dispensaries file their tax returns at the end of the quarter. From Herald news services [end]
EVERETT - The Everett City Council has said "no more" to would-be marijuana retailers. On Wednesday the council imposed a cap on the number of shops operating in the city, limiting the number to the five shops already open. The cap will last a minimum of two years. The 4-2 vote came after weeks of debate that was thought to have been put to rest after the city adopted its "permanent" ordinance last July. What changed since then was the state Liquor and Cannabis Board's decision to double the number of retail shops allowed in each municipality, an attempt to compensate for the fact that most medical marijuana dispensaries across the state are being shut down mid-year. [continues 596 words]
MONROE - Pot smokers won't get to prove they're no couch potatoes, at least not for now. A 5K run aimed at having those involved in marijuana businesses, users and people who don't partake, huffing along together Saturday has been called off. The Farewell to Prohibition 5K at the Evergreen Speedway was to include live music and information booths about the pot industry as part of the after-race festivities. Former beauty-pageant queen Crystal Newton, of Monroe, said she spent thousands of dollars and many hours putting together the festival. But her efforts went up in smoke Wednesday. [continues 432 words]
Legal marijuana may be doing at least one thing that a decades-long drug war couldn't: taking a bite out of Mexican drug cartels' profits. The latest data from the Border Patrol shows that last year marijuana seizures along the southwest border tumbled to their lowest level in at least a decade. Agents snagged roughly 1.5 million pounds of marijuana at the border, down from a peak of nearly 4 million pounds in 2009. As domestic marijuana production has ramped up in places such as California, Colorado and Washington, marijuana prices have fallen, especially at the bulk level. [end]
PORTLAND, Ore. - The owner of the World Famous Cannabis Cafe announced she will close her doors next week after another warning by public health officials that the establishment violates indoor air rules. The cafe will host its final Stoner Bingo session Sunday, said Madeline Martinez, a longtime marijuana legalization advocate and owner of the business, which offers people 21 and older a place to socialize and use cannabis. She doesn't want to face fines for violating the law, she said. [continues 443 words]
The Jan. 22 letter, "Bill creates new pot black market," takes issue with Senate bill 6207, which exempts from public disclosure some information contained within marijuana licensing records. As chief of enforcement for the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board, I would like to clarify that the intent of the legislation would protect only a small amount of information from being released publicly. The bill specifically targets information such as the licensee's personal financial and retirement statements, shipment information for licensed deliveries, including vehicle identification, and building security information. Releasing this information to the public could potentially increase the risk for theft, fraud and the illegal diversion of marijuana. [continues 143 words]
EVERETT - The Everett City Council has reopened debate on its marijuana ordinance and is sending it back to the city's planning commission for a second look. After Initiative 502 legalized recreational pot businesses in Washington in late 2012, Everett passed a series of six month emergency ordinances to govern where retail shops were located while the city's staff and city council could study and debate the issue. The city adopted its permanent ordinance in July 2015, but given the latest actions, "permanent" turned out to mean seven months. [continues 371 words]
The U.S. Smart Act Would Protect Marijuana Users and Businesses in States Where It Has Been Legalized. In 2012, voters in Washington state passed Initiative 502, which legalized the sale, consumption and taxation of marijuana products. Including Washington, 23 states and the District of Columbia have legalized some form of marijuana, and in 2016, several more states are expected to consider marijuana legalization ballot initiatives. Yet, marijuana possession or use for any purpose is still prohibited under the federal Controlled Substances Act, leaving participants in all of the state markets - including cancer patients - at risk of arrest by federal authorities. [continues 490 words]
EVERETT - For the first time since the legal marijuana shops opened a year ago, the city of Everett is moving toward a permanent ordinance regulating how and where the new businesses will operate. Everett has been operating under six-month temporary ordinances since November 2013. Since then, three retail stores have opened in the city, but no marijuana production or processing businesses have opened. Businesses and residents have been waiting and lobbying the city to adopt a permanent measure. The current ordinance expires July 27. [continues 209 words]
More Than 150 Inmates Have Died of Overdoses Since 2006 VACAVILLE, Calif. (AP) - California inmates are dying of drug overdoses at nearly triple the national rate and it's unclear whether the tough steps state officials took this year to stop illicit drugs from getting into prisons are having any effect, though they are prompting criticism from civil rights advocates. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is spending $8 million this year on drug-detecting scanners and a new breed of drug-sniffing dogs while also employing strip searches on visitors suspected of carrying drugs. [continues 658 words]
