Cannabis is just as harmful as cocaine and crack and should be classified as a Class A drug, police chiefs say

• Police chiefs say cannabis is as harmful as cocaine and should be made Class A
• Tory police and crime commissioners to demand it be put on a par with crack
• Change would see penalties for possession increase from five to seven years
• Maximum penalty for supplying cannabis would be a life jail sentence

David Sidwick, the Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner for Dorset, said there was growing evidence linking psychosis and mental ill health, cancer and birth defects to cannabis use.

Calling it a \’gateway\’ drug used by county lines gangs to lure in users, he warned: \’No child ever went to a drug dealer for heroin for their first deal – they would all have started with a bit of weed.\’

The proposal is also being backed by Alison Hernandez, PCC for Devon and Cornwall, and Avon and Somerset\’s police and crime commissioner Mark Shelford. They will present their plans at the Conservative Party Conference alongside academics.

Mr Sidwick told The Telegraph: \’People who call this drug recreational haven\’t seen the harm that psychosis and other cannabis-related conditions can do, and the costs that heap on our health service and society more generally.

\’We aren\’t just talking about \’a bit of weed\’ anymore, this does the same harm as crack and heroin. 

\’That\’s why we need the penalties for this illegal gateway drug to match those of class A substances.\’

For more Cannabis is just as harmful as cocaine should be classified as a Class A drug, police chiefs say | Daily Mail Online

Liberal parents who let their children smoke cannabis are warned that the drug is causing up to a THIRD of psychosis cases in London and strong \’skunk\’ can cause schizophrenia-like symptoms

• Sir Robin Murray has sounded the alarm over the use of highly-potent \’skunk\’ 
• Expert said drug is behind 30 per cent of his psychosis patients in south London
• King\’s College London professor runs clinic dedicated to psychosis caused by cannabis

Highly-potent cannabis is not being taken seriously enough by some liberal-minded parents, who would rather see their teens smoke pot than drink alcohol, a top psychologist has warned.

Sir Robin Murray, 77, a professor of Psychiatric Research at the Institute of Psychiatry (IoP), King\’s College London, said around a third of the psychosis patents he sees at his practice in south London are caused by use of high-strength skunk.

The expert said the cases mostly involve young people, who often suffer from debilitating paranoia and hallucinations. (continue reading here)

This Many People Getting ‘High’ is a New Low for Britain (Watch Now)

DCC breaks $1 billion mark in amount of illegal cannabis seized just over a year after consolidation

Aug 25, 2022

So, now we are \’lauding \’enforcement\’!

Hmmm, only just prior to unleashing this insanity, the pot-profit-prognosticators were decrying the \’insane wastefulness\’ of enforcing \’stupid\’ laws against cannabis users, but now?

One could write an essay on the hypocrisy, fabrication, prevarication and bald face lies of this #addiction for profit #cannabisindustry, but this latest iteration of #ReeferMadness will blind all marijuana sycophants to the reality of this human, environmental and fiscal wrecking ball.

This culture destroying experiment is only going to bring more grief, especially as dependency grows; and along with the growing evidence-revealed genotoxicity of this #Weed our culture is going to suffer for decades to come.

Further Reading

Then There Were Three – Marijuana Markets, that is!

Cannabis Harms: An Overview of the Known Neurotoxicity and Thalidomide- like Genotoxicity of Cannabis.

Editorial: Did legalizing weed sanction raising demand? Either way, that’s the Midwest reality.

By The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, Aug 27, 2022

Worries over excessive use is why states historically have restricted cigarette and alcohol advertising, even while indulging in those things has remained perfectly legal. Reasonable people have understood the right of adults to imbibe or smoke in moderation while simultaneously recognizing the societal dangers of overindulgence. An entire public health system has devoted extraordinary amounts of attention to finding that balance, to keeping people as safe as possible and keeping adult substances away from kids.

But when Michigan and Illinois decided to legalize recreational cannabis use, the debate mostly centered not on what might happen to demand but on the benefits of decriminalization and new tax revenues.

And as retail licenses proliferated in those and other states, most of the journalistic ink and political blather was expended on the issue of whether the right people were getting a big enough piece of the lucrative retailing pie. Far more stories were written about the equity (or lack thereof) of the licensing processes than what this new retail industry could potentially do to the consuming citizenry of the affected states.

From the governor’s offices on down, the rhetoric was that people are buying, selling and using anyway. Better for them to do so legally, keeping them away from the criminal justice system and, at the same time, bringing in cash to state coffers; in 2019, Illinois revenues from the new industry were projected to be $500 million per year or more.

“As the first state in the nation to fully legalize adult-use cannabis through the legislative process, Illinois exemplifies the best of democracy: a bipartisan and deep commitment to better the lives of all of our people,” was the statement Gov. J.B. Pritzker made during a signing ceremony in 2019. “Legalizing adult-use cannabis brings an important and overdue change to our state, and it’s the right thing to do.”

Underneath that rhetoric was the assumption that the demand was already out there and that here was a way to manage it more efficiently and keep people out of the criminal justice pipeline: in Pritzker’s words, to “better the lives of all of our people.” He did not often address the possibility of newly legal marketing and promotion bringing about a huge spike in demand. In fairness to Pritzker, very few governors in legalizing states did.

But there’s now substantial evidence that demand has indeed increased. Massively.

A new study supported by the National Institutes for Health has found that marijuana and hallucinogen use among young adults reached an all-time high last year. According to the study, the proportion of young adults who reported using marijuana reached 43% in 2021, a big increase from 34% in 2016 and just 29% in 2011. Among college students, it was even higher.

Almost 30% of young adults said they had used weed in the last month, as compared with just 21% in 2016 and 17% in 2011. Perhaps most striking of all, 11% of young adults reported using marijuana every day, compared with 8% in 2016 and 6% in 2011.

It’s also worth noting that the study was based on 2021; those billboards on the interstates have proliferated far more in 2022 as new dispensaries have opened in cities big and small, so it’s logical to assume that usage also has further increased this year.

Is all this increased weed use by young people harmful?

For complete story Editorial: Did legalizing weed sanction raising demand? Either way, that’s the Midwest reality. – Chicago Tribune

California Cannabis Markets: Why Industry-Friendly Regulation Is Not Good Public Health

WARNING! \”Despite the evidence of negative effects, particularly on vulnerable populations, the balance of cannabis regulation in California, as well as most states in the US, favors industry-friendly regulations rather than true public health protections beyond those gains achieved by eliminating prohibition.\”

\”Now, more than ever, where states decide not only to decriminalize but also to permit cannabis commerce, it is imperative to ensure that legal access is in fact safe and does not promote more dangerous products that undermine our public health goals. We are still learning what the best practices are for cannabis, but the science is clear from decades of lessons from tobacco and alcohol research that weak safeguards negatively influence public health and do not bode well for the mental and physical well-being of the next generation. Without robust oversight of what industry is intentionally putting in its products (beyond testing for unintentional contaminants) and strict limits on high-potency products, the cannabis industry will continue to evolve in ways inconsistent with the public health.\”

ALERT!

For complete article  JAMA Health Forum Health Policy, Health Care Reform, Health Affairs | JAMA Health Forum | JAMA Network

Is anyone listening over the \’din\’ of pro-pot propaganda? A \’stoned\’ populace and a cashed up Pot Oligarch Tyranny (I\’ll let you decipher the obvious) are a perfect recipe for continuing this #publichealth disaster. However, it is only the sustainably employed that pay their taxes, and those are being ever move consumed by the harms of this #cannabisindustry and its #toxic #cannabisculture

Also See Then There were Three  Marijuana Markets 

ALERT: Regular cannabis use in people\’s mid-20s can cause permanent damage to brain development and legalizing the drug has WRONGLY presented it as harmless, drug safety expert says

• Dr Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, warned cannabis use among young adults was a \’concern\’
• She called for \’urgent\’ research into the potential health risks of the drug 
• Several papers have suggested regular use could be damaging mental development and affecting users social life
• But these often also include people regularly using alcohol and tobacco, making it difficult to deduce whether cannabis is behind the changes
• About 48million Americans use cannabis annually, a number that is rising 

LUKE ANDREWS HEALTH REPORTER Daily Mail 23 August 2022

Taking cannabis regularly in your mid-20s can cause permanent damage to the brain and its legalization in some states has wrongly suggested to many that it is safe, the head of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has told DailyMail.com.

Dr Nora Volkow, who has led the agency for almost two decades, warned that cannabis use among young adults was a \’concern\’ and called for more \’urgent\’ research into the \’potential health risks\’ for the age group.

Her agency which is part of the National Institutes of Health,  revealed Monday that a record number of 19 to 30-year-olds were using cannabis in 2021, with one in ten admitting to using it every day. Around 30 percent used the drug at least once a month, with four-in-ten having used the drug at least once last year.

Numerous studies have warned that regularly using cannabis can harm brain development \”which continues into the mid-20s” and that repeated users are more likely to struggle socially and face career and relationship problems.

But it is now only fully illegal in just four states, Idaho, Kansas, South Carolina and Wyoming , with 19 approving it for recreational use and nearly every state already giving it the green light for medicinal use, typically to treat chronic pain.

Experts warn that legalizing the drug has led to it gaining acceptance in recent years, leading more people to try it. Stress from the COVID-19 pandemic has also driven up the number of people using it.

The above graph shows the proportion of young Americans surveyed who said they were using marijuana at least once a year in 2021. It reveals that levels are now at a record high 

Volkow told DailyMail.com that cannabis use was likely surging because it has now been legalized in many states, making it \’more appealing\’.

\’Legalization not only has made access to cannabis easier for its regular use, but it has also contributed to the perception that cannabis is a \’safe drug,\’ she said.

\'[This] makes it more appealing to individuals who are concerned of engaging in illegal activities or activities that endanger their health.\’

But she warned: \’The trends that were found [of rising cannabis use] highlight the urgent need to gain a better understanding of the potential health risks and benefits of cannabis use among young adults.\’

Volkow pointed to studies suggesting that taking cannabis regularly, in high doses or over a long period may lead to problems with brain development, lowering IQ,  and psychosis” where someone struggles to interpret reality.

She also pointed out the drug has been linked to social problems, including being linked to a higher likelihood of dropping out of school.

\’Brain development occurs into a person\’s mid-20s, so cannabis use among youth and young adults is a concern,\’ Volkow warned.

\’Long-term effects have been observed among individuals who report early, heavy and/or long-term marijuana use.

\’Studies have shown that heavy and long-term marijuana use is associated with impairments in cognitive development and early initiation of marijuana use is associated with a higher risk of dropping out of school.

\’Research has also shown an association between early, regular marijuana use and onset of psychosis as well as increased risk of anxiety and suicidality.\’

She said that in the studies participants were also likely to be heavy tobacco or alcohol users, making it hard to determine whether cannabis itself was behind the mental and social issues.

Health agencies in the U.S. have been warning for years there is a \’real risk\’ that cannabis can harm a person\’s mental development and their social life, including triggering problems with relationships, education and careers.

But their concerns have largely been swept under the carpet as many states push forward with legalizing the drug for recreational use.

In November another six states, Arkansas, Maryland, Nebraska, North and South Dakota and Oklahoma, are set to decide whether to also liberalize the drug\’s use.

Volkow did not detail what amounted to regular cannabis use, but studies show that even smoking it once a month could lead to heart problems. Others suggest that taking it once a week may damage the brain.

America\’s $30 billion legalized cannabis industry is causing an \’explosion\’ of teen users

Teenagers in states that have legalized cannabis use more of it and are lured by colorfully-packaged candy-like products that leave them vulnerable to higher rates of dependency, psychosis and school dropouts, researchers warn.

A DailyMail.com, analysis of research focusing on California, Massachusetts, Nevada, and other states that have legalized recreational pot shows experts warning of a \’potential explosion\’ of under-aged use, and more youngsters using it than in states where it\’s illegal.

They are alarmed by the weak oversight of a $30billion business and warn of a free-for-all market in which super-strength cannabis products are sold in cartoon-covered packaging that attracts youngsters, even as tobacco and alcohol firms are barred from targeting youths.

Data from the 19 states that have permitted recreational pot this past decade, as well as the 38 states that allow medical use, indicates that teens and young adults there are using stronger products more often.

Not every teen who eats a pot gummy sees their life unravel. But they are more prone to addiction and dependency than adults, and greater availability and use means more cases of anxiety, depression, psychosis and even suicide.

In November, voters in Arkansas, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, North and South Dakota, and Oklahoma will decide on whether to liberalize their own cannabis laws, and let windfall pot industry taxes flow into state coffers.

\’Cannabis use is more common among youth and adults in states where cannabis use is legal for recreational use,\’ Renee Goodwin, who leads Columbia University\’s research, told DailyMail.com.

\’Legalization has moved from a social justice issue, to the other extreme of big business commercialization without any of the same restrictions that tobacco and alcohol now need to follow.\’

She also did not say what counted as heavy use, but studies have found in many states that the THC content active component of edibles is much higher than before it was legalized.

But in states where it has been legalized many parents are saying their children have been led into an addiction spiral.

One of them is Mary Maas, 57, who voted to legalize recreational cannabis in Washington in 2012.

But she now regrets her decision after seeing her son Adam spiral into a devastating addiction fueled by super-strength products that were worlds apart from the \’Woodstock weed\’ she recalls from the 1960s.

The \’straight A student\’ started casually using cannabis in high school in Monroe, Washington, soon after the state in 2012 became one of the first to allow recreational cannabis, she said.

But problems began in his sophomore year of college when Adam turned to powerful \’dabs\’, a cannabis concentrate,  and began experiencing paranoia, delusions and hearing voices.

Adam had graduated in math, but eventually became jobless, broke, depressed and was left sleeping rough in Seattle.

He was eventually diagnosed with cannabis psychosis in 2019,  a breakthrough moment that identified the problem and an exit strategy.

Maas and her husband John, 59, who works for the state government, spent $30,000 out-of-pocket on Adam\’s addiction treatment, including repeated bouts of quitting and relapsing.

Maas thinks back to 2012 when she was one of the 57 percent who voted to allow recreational cannabis use in the over-21s.

\’I had no idea what they were legalizing. I thought it was going to be the Woodstock weed,\’ Mary told DailyMail.com, referring to the 1960s hippy movement.

\’I didn\’t feel like it was a dangerous drug at that point.\’

Now, she looks at the potent oils, vapes, dabs, drinks and gummies sold at a growing number of dispensaries, as well as the down-and-outs living in tents under Seattle\’s I-5 highway, and urges other states to heed Washington\’s lessons.

\’They\’d better watch out,\’ she said.

Another mother says she took her family out of Colorado once it became the \’ground zero\’ for cannabis expansion. Another, from Oregon, has watched her 16-year-old daughter mess up school and turn to dealing to finance her addiction.

Monday\’s NIDA report was based on a survey of 5,000 youngsters from a nationally representative group of 19 to 30-year-olds.

It found 43 percent of respondents said they had used marijuana at least once last year, up a quarter on the number a decade ago.

Some 29 percent also admitted to using it every month, while 11 percent said they used it daily defined as at least 20 times a month, double the level a decade ago.

NIDA\’s annual survey also showed how the use of hallucinogens, like LSD and MDMA,  had hit an all-time high among young adults. One in 12 said they had used the drugs at least once last year, which was double the level from five years ago.

Alcohol remained the most popular substance used, however, with eight in ten saying they had it at least once in the past year.

Experts have warned DailyMail.com of a \’potential explosion\’ of underage cannabis use and raised the alarm over the weak oversight of a $30 billion business. They also raised concerns over a free-for-all market in which super-strength cannabis products are sold in cartoon-covered packaging.

\’Cannabis use is more common among youth and adults in states where cannabis use is legal for recreational use,\’ Renee Goodwin, who leads Columbia University\’s research, told DailyMail.com.

\’Legalization has moved from a social justice issue, to the other extreme of big business commercialization without any of the same restrictions that tobacco and alcohol now need to follow.\’

The above shows cannabis use across American states. Some 19 have legalized it for recreational use, while nearly each now allows it to be used for medicinal purposes

Gummies, oils and vape cartridges are sold in bright packaging that appeals to teens, even while the products are for over-21s. In many cases, dispensary shopfronts and trucks are decked out similarly.

\’State, county and local legislatures have the power to regulate that,\’ said Goodwin, a psychiatric and substance use epidemiologist.

\’It is generally easier to do it before commercialization happens than to look back and undo it.\’

For Goodwin, Shi and others, research and regulation is moving too slowly compared to the rapid pace of legalization.

Data from the 19 states that have permitted recreational pot this past decade, as well as the 38 states that allow medical use, indicates that teens and young adults there are using stronger products more often.

It comes after a study revealed yesterday found that using cannabis can raise the risk of developing heart problems in patient.

A Danish research team from Gentofte University, in Copenhagen, found that those who regularly used the drug to manage chronic pain were at a 74 percent higher risk of developing arrhythmia, an issue where a person\’s heart beats at an irregular pace.

Researchers, who published their findings Monday in the European Society of Cardiology, gathered data from nearly 5,000 patients who were prescribed cannabis to manage pain symptoms.

For complete Article Taking cannabis in your mid-20s damages cognitive development, NIH expert warns | Daily Mail Online

Products tested for CBD in Kent found to contain illegal drugs

Published: 22 August 2022

Scientists who tested a number of CBD products, a substance popular for pain relief found the majority contained illegal drugs.

The testing was carried out on behalf of several local authorities by Kent Scientific Services (KSS), the Official Control Laboratory operated by Kent County Council.

The results of testing on 61 products found that 44 samples contained one or more of the psychoactive elements of cannabis.

These are controlled drugs and are illegal.

CBD is classed as a novel food and is currently being assessed for safety by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) which has allowed around 6,000 products to be marketed in the UK, pending final approval.

The product can only be sold if it is on the list.

Products on the other end of the scale were found to contain hardly any CBD at all, despite claiming to, making them up to 99% deficient.

For more wild west \’Medical Marijuana mayhem, go to https://www.kentonline.co.uk/kent/news/products-tested-for-cbd-found-to-contain-illegal-drugs-272286/

Also See

1) Nearly three-quarters of trendy high street CBD products contain illegal substances, study warns | Daily Mail Online

2) Does CBD oil help neuropathic pain? Summary: While many people living with neuropathy explore using CBD products, evidence for its efficacy is lacking. Certain CBD products, including CBD oils, are unregulated. Products coming from unlicensed sources may contain contaminants or different amounts of CBD and THC than the labels suggest. Individuals living with neuropathy who do not feel they are experiencing sufficient pain relief from traditional therapies should speak with their doctor. A person must tell their doctor if they are taking CBD products to monitor for potential signs of toxicity, side effects, and efficacy. (Source – How to use CBD oil for neuropathy (medicalnewstoday.com)

Dr. Gina Brings In Dr Ken Finn To Discuss Cannabis Induced Psychosis

 

A cash crunch for Colorado’s pot trade (EDITORIAL)

Aug 14, 2022

There was more bad news for Big Marijuana in Colorado last week. As reported in The Gazette, Coloradans as well as “pot tourists” visiting the state appear to be spending nowhere near as much on marijuana products as they did at the height of the pandemic. That’s the upshot of the latest pot sales stats released by the Colorado Department of Revenue – and it reflects a continued, months-long decline in legal retail marijuana sales statewide.

Perhaps the erosion of the marijuana market should come as no surprise. In post-pandemic Colorado, people no longer have reason to feel confined to their homes or cut off from entertainment. Other, healthier pastimes once again can compete for their recreation dollars, so pot users inevitably spend less time – and money – just sitting around getting high.

Whatever the reason, we’ll take it. What’s bad news for the legalized pot industry is good news for Colorado.

Yes, it comes with a downside – declining tax revenue to fund some state and local human-services programs. But then that’s a potent reminder to policy makers at all levels of government not to force vital public services to rely on such a dubious revenue source.

If Colorado’s ongoing experiment with legal retail pot has taught us anything, it is that its market is unstable even as its toll on all society grows. After taking in the ill effects of legalized recreational sales – from a dramatic spike in traffic fatalities to a surge in mental health crises among youth – Coloradans’ recent inclination to spend their wages on more essential things is laudable and just plain sensible. All the more so as spiraling inflation eats into their paychecks.

Legalized pot’s rippling consequences for Colorado bear repeating.

Click Image for MORE 

An analysis of 26,000 impaired-driving cases in Colorado in 2019 showed 45% of drivers tested positive for more than one substance, according to the state\’s Division of Criminal Justice. The most common combination was alcohol and pot. Consider that in light of some other sobering statistics: Fatalities on Colorado roads have soared 50% since 2011, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation, and over a third of those involved drivers impaired by alcohol, drugs or both. Just since 2019, there has been a 44% increase in the number of fatalities in Colorado involving an impaired driver, according to state data.

For complete story A cash crunch for Colorado’s pot trade | Editorials | denvergazette.com

 

Cannabis addiction rising in Canada and worldwide thanks to higher THC concentration

Author of the article: Postmedia News  Published: Aug 06, 2022

Already the second-most-commonly used substance in Canada, Cannabis usage went up following its legalization and then again during the first stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

And the combination of increased usage and higher concentrations of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is leading to more people getting addicted to cannabis, according to a new study.

It was long thought that, unlike many other drugs, one could not get addicted to cannabis – but that’s not the case.

“Contrary to popular belief, people can become addicted to cannabis,” according to Canada.ca. “Continued, frequent and heavy cannabis use can cause physical dependency and addiction.”

“Cannabis addiction can cause serious harm to your health, social life,  school work,  work and financial future,” Canada.ca adds.

And higher concentrations of THC (over 10 milligrams per gram of THC) are increasing the number of those addicted, which also leads to more people becoming more likely to experience mental health outcomes, according to the study published last week in the journal Lancet Psychiatry.

“One of the highest quality studies included in our publication found that use of high potency cannabis, compared to low potency cannabis (5 milligrams of THC or below), was linked to a four-fold increased risk of addiction,” study coauthor Tom Freeman, a senior lecturer in the department of psychology and director of the addiction and mental health group at the University of Bath in the United Kingdom, told CNN.

Similarly, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) said in Jan. 2021 that cannabis consumption was up in Canada. They also discussed the negatives of potentially becoming addicted.

“We know that regular use of cannabis leads to greater health problems, addiction and other mental health disorders,” senior author Dr. Tara Elton-Marshall, Independent Scientist, Institute for Mental Health Policy Research at CAMH, said at the time. “Seeing a sustained increase in cannabis use during the first wave of the pandemic is a concern.”

For complete article go to Cannabis addiction rising thanks to higher THC concentration | Toronto Sun