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This should fit nicely in here.

FDA To Evaluate Marijuana For Potential Reclassification As Less Dangerous Drug

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/24...26pLid%3D492959

The feds could actually soften their stance a little when it comes to weed.

The Food and Drug Administration is reviewing the medical evidence surrounding the safety and effectiveness of marijuana, a process that could lead to the agency downgrading the drug's current status as a Schedule I drug, the most dangerous classification.

FDA Press Officer Jeff Ventura described the review process, which is being completed at the request of the Drug Enforcement Agency, to The Huffington Post.

"FDA conducts for Health and Human Services a scientific and medical analysis of the drug under consideration, which is currently ongoing," Ventura said. "HHS then recommends to DEA that the drug be placed in a given schedule. DEA considers HHS’ analysis, conducts its own assessment, and makes a final scheduling proposal in the form of a proposed rule."

The FDA could not confirm how long the review process would take.

The U.S. has five "schedules" for drugs or chemicals that can be used to make drugs. Schedule I is reserved for drugs that the DEA considers to have the highest potential for abuse and no "current accepted medical use." Marijuana has been classified as Schedule I for decades, along with other substances like heroin and LSD. Rescheduling marijuana would not make it legal, but a lower schedule could potentially ease restrictions on research into the drug and make banks less wary of offering financial services to state-legal marijuana businesses. It could also allow those businesses to make some traditional tax deductions.

"While DEA is the lead federal agency responsible for regulating controlled substances and enforcing the Controlled Substances Act, FDA, working with NIDA, provides scientific recommendations about the appropriate controls for those substances," FDA Deputy Director Doug Throckmorton said Friday in testimony delivered during the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearing.

"To make these recommendations, FDA is responsible for preparing what's called an eight-factor analysis, which is a document that is used to assess how likely a drug is to be abused," Throckmorton said.

Here are the eight factors the FDA will consider about marijuana when deciding which schedule it should go under, according to the CSA:

Its actual or relative potential for abuse
Scientific evidence of its pharmacological effect, if known
The state of current scientific knowledge regarding the drug or other substance
Its history and current pattern of abuse
The scope, duration, and significance of abuse
What, if any, risk there is to the public health
Its psychic or physiological dependence liability
Whether the substance is an immediate precursor of a substance already controlled under this subchapter
A DEA spokeswoman told HuffPost that the agency was required to order the FDA to review marijuana's scheduling status because of two public citizens' petitions that asked the agency for a review. A change could put marijuana in the company of cocaine and methamphetamine, two other Schedule II drugs.

This isn't the first time the DEA has asked the FDA to reconsider marijuana, Throckmorton said Friday. In 2001 and 2006, the DEA requested an analysis of the drug after receiving other public petitions requesting that the agency reschedule it. But both times, federal regulators determined that marijuana should remain a Schedule I substance. At the time, the FDA said there simply wasn't enough research about marijuana's efficacy in treating various ailments.

Part of the lack of cannabis science in the U.S. has to do with the federal stranglehold on marijuana research. There's only one federally legal marijuana garden in the U.S., at the University of Mississippi. The National Institute on Drug Abuse oversees the operation, and it's the only source of marijuana for federally sanctioned studies on the drug.

To date, NIDA has conducted about 30 studies on the potential benefits of marijuana. Since 2003, it has approved more than 500 grants for marijuana-related studies, with a marked upswing in recent years, according to McClatchy. In 2003, 22 grants totaling $6 million were approved for cannabis research, McClatchy reported. In 2012, that number had risen to 69 approved grants totaling more than $30 million.

Federal authorities have long been accused of only funding marijuana research that focuses on the potential negative effects of the substance. The DEA has also been accused of not acting quickly enough when petitioned to reschedule marijuana, and for obstructing science around the drug.

Meanwhile, a number of recent studies have added to the growing body of research showing the medical potential of cannabis. Purified forms may attack some forms of aggressive cancer. Studies have tied marijuana use to blood sugar control and slowing the spread of HIV. One study found that legalization of the plant for medical purposes may even lead to lower suicide rates.

Currently, 22 states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for medical use, with New York state poised to be the 23rd. About ten other states have also legalized CBD-oil, a non-psychoactive ingredient in marijuana frequently used to treat epilepsy, for research or limited medical purposes.

According to a recent CBS News poll, a vast majority of Americans -- over 80 percent -- approve of medical marijuana legalization.

While the FDA isn't ready to get on board with legalization, it does seem more interested in the medical benefits of the drug.

"The FDA has not approved marijuana as a safe and effective drug for any indication," the FDA stated in its latest guidelines regarding marijuana, posted Friday. "The FDA is aware that there is considerable interest in its use to attempt to treat a number of medical conditions, including, for example, glaucoma, AIDS wasting syndrome, neuropathic pain, cancer, multiple sclerosis, chemotherapy-induced nausea, and certain seizure disorders."

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This isn't the first time the DEA has asked the FDA to reconsider marijuana, Throckmorton said Friday. In 2001 and 2006, the DEA requested an analysis of the drug after receiving other public petitions requesting that the agency reschedule it. But both times, federal regulators determined that marijuana should remain a Schedule I substance.

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A DEA spokeswoman told HuffPost that the agency was required to order the FDA to review marijuana's scheduling status because of two public citizens' petitions that asked the agency for a review.

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I guess every time they get a "public citizens' petitions" they have to do this. don't see how much has changed since the last time so I doubt it will happen.

Wow, I didn't realize that the Feds consider pot to be a more addicting and dangerous drug than cocaine and meth. I mean Meth. Really??!! Cocaine? What the hell?

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The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937.

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It wasn't illegal when they needed cheap Mexican labor. The Mexicans brought it with them and used it like everyone now drinks beer. But when they didn't need the Mexican labor anymore the wanted rid of the Mexicans. One certain way was to make pot illegal with the punishment of deporting any Mexican found in possession of it. Well, they all had it so many of the workers were sent packing by virtue of the new law.

Once it became a law it stayed a law.

There was a long documentary on the history of pot a couple of years back. Real interesting.

first its business fault now the Mexicans? lmao.

Detox network sees pot DUIs spike in Colorado after legalization

http://www.cnbc.com/id/101791748#.

The legal limit in Colorado, according to this article, if 5 nanograms per milliliter. That seems really, really low to me, given that the stuff in pot stays in the blood for a month or so.

A person who is suspected of driving under the influence will be given a blood test by a medical professional. If the driver refuses the test, they lose their licence for a year.

According to here, anyway:

http://www.hlntv.com/article/2014/01/03/what-happens-weed-related-dui-traffic-stop-colorado

Of course, a person in Colorado doesn't have grounds to contest the limits, because even though the recent changes to laws limit enforcement of pot laws, there are still pot laws on the books, and federal laws as well.

Marijuana will show up in blood tests for about 2-7 days for regular users.

About 24 hours for the occasional user.

http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/...juana.kiro.html

CNN did a report on it. Looks like you could safely increase that limit to 3x (15) or even more. Most of their problems occurred when they were basically asked to smoke a gram, which is way over the legal limit.

Marijuana: Pot use declines worldwide, but not in the US

Marijuana legalization for recreational as well as medical purposes is growing in the US. A new UN report raises warning flags, especially for young or regular users.

In Seattle this weekend, a school bus rigged up as a food truck will start selling items infused with marijuana. The menu includes truffle popcorn, peanut butter and jelly, and a Vietnamese pork banh mi, reports the Los Angeles Times.





It may become an increasingly typical sight in Washington State, one of two states where the possession and sale of pot for recreational purposes is now legal. (Colorado is the other state.) And it could spread as the trend toward legalizing marijuana continues.

On the November ballot in Oregon and Alaska are measures allowing the sale of recreational marijuana to adults. Meanwhile, Florida voters will decide on a constitutional amendment legalizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes. That would make it the 24th state, plus the District of Columbia, to legalize medical marijuana.


All of this fits public opinion polls showing greater acceptance of the trend, particularly among younger Americans. But a United Nations report offers a cautionary note.

Use of marijuana around the world is declining, according to the just-released World Drug Report 2014, put out by the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime.

"However, in the United States, the lower perceived risk of cannabis use has led to an increase in its use," the report states. "At the same time, more people using cannabis are seeking treatment each year."

This included a 56 percent increase in US marijuana-related emergency room visits between 2006 and 2010, and a 14 percent increase in admission to drug-treatment programs over the same period, the report states.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), about 9 percent of people who use marijuana become dependent on it – a number that increases to about one in six among those who start using it at a young age, and to 25 to 50 percent among daily users.

Meanwhile, the potency of pot has increased over the years due to genetic selection. "Daily use can have stronger effects on a developing teen brain than it did 10 or 20 years ago,” the NIH warns.

The UN cites the “risk of heavy dependence, lung problems, memory impairment, psychosocial development problems and mental health problems, and poorer cognitive performance associated with early initiation and persistent use between the early teenage years and adulthood.”

One of the arguments for marijuana legalization has been that, properly controlled by government agencies, it will provide a source of revenue for states. But the cost-benefit ratio may not be entirely clear, the UN reports.

“Based on assumptions regarding the size of the consumer market, it is unclear how legalization will affect public budgets in the short or long term, but expected revenue will need to be cautiously balanced against the costs of prevention and health care,” the report states.

“In addition to the impact on health, criminal justice, and the economy, a series of other effects such as consequences related to security, health care, family problems, low performance, absenteeism, car and workplace accidents and insurance could create significant costs for the state,” the UN report cautions. “It is also important to note that legalization does not eliminate trafficking in that drug. Although decriminalized, its use and personal possession will be restricted by age. Therefore, the gaps that traffickers can exploit, although reduced, will remain.”

http://news.yahoo.com/marijuana-pot-decl...bBT12sAGDTQtDMD

The cost benefit is obvious since anyone who wants weed can get it any time they want now and no revenue is being generated from it.

Now all you have to do is get voters to agree with you and you're all set!

Jc

It just needs to be legalized. Straight up. Colorado already proved it works and it brings in a massive amount of money, especially for the government. There's so many benefits to legalization that he good far outweighs the bad.

Notice how it's always the musician who blazes up first?

Talk about 'negative stereotypes'...


Oh, and hey! That chick was wailin' the helloutta that piano after torching-


causal relationship?

GUILTY!

(what was the charge, again?)

Josh Gordon hearing has been set for late July

With the NFL firing off suspensions today like shots from a Roman candle, some have wondered whether the next shoe will drop on the throat of Browns receiver Josh Gordon.

Per a league source, nothing will be happening today.

But it will be happening sooner rather than later. Gordon’s hearing, we’re told, has been scheduled for late July.

It’s still possible that a hearing won’t be needed, if the NFL and the NFLPA work out a reduced suspension. Gordon reportedly faces a minimum banishment of one year for his latest violation of the substance-abuse policy.

If Gordon is suspended for a year, the ban will start immediately. It’s possible that, with a reduced suspension, he’ll be permitted to participate in training camp and the preseason.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/07/03/josh-gordon-hearing-has-been-set-for-late-july/

Josh's Porsche:



Note: That custom paint job is really loud for me, but whatever... It is his car.

It's a vinyl decal, not actual paint. Also that's not the only thing that Josh has that's loud.

It's been reported, believe it or not.

It"s how it's done these days. My son wraps vehicles for a living. It cost's less than a custom paint job, takes less time and can be removed back to original condition in a couple of hours when you tire of it.

When Gordon is ready to trade that car in, or sell it or whatever, the wrap can be peeled off leaving the pristine original paint.

Jc

So Washington finally got these guys licensed. A few stores are opening today but the prices are stupid high, what my homeboy was telling me.

Guess they got some type of shortage, but he says it's still cheaper to buy off the streets or get the medical weed, the prices at the state licensed stores are too high. He said it was like 22 dollars just for a gram.

New York Times Editorial Board Calls For Legalization Of Marijuana

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/26/new-york-times-marijuana_n_5623972.html

The most authoritative paper in the United States has put its weight behind the federal legalization of marijuana, a momentous endorsement in the prolonged fight to end to the criminalization of marijuana that has been in place since 1937.

Debuting what is to be a six-part series, The New York Times editorial board called for an end to the "prohibition" of marijuana, saying the current ban "[inflicts] great harm on society just to prohibit a substance far less dangerous than alcohol." The interactive series is to run from July 26 to August 5, beginning with Saturday's editorial, "High Time: An Editorial Series on Marijuana Legalization." An accompanying blog post by editor Andrew Rosenthal stated the decision to back legalizing marijuana was "long in the making," and "as more and more states liberalized their marijuana laws in open defiance of the federal ban, it became clear to us that there had to be a national approach to the issue."

The board argues that after weighing the pros and cons of legalization, the scale tips in favor of ending the ban. The Times acknowledges that there are concerns about certain forms of marijuana use, including that by minors. Thus, the board advocates for restricting sales of marijuana to those under the age of 21. Addressing other health, social and legal concerns, the board writes that "there are no perfect answers ... but neither are there such answers about tobacco or alcohol." But as the Times argues, the concerns are outweighed by the "vast" social costs of marijuana laws.

From the Times editors:

There were 658,000 arrests for marijuana possession in 2012, according to F.B.I. figures, compared with 256,000 for cocaine, heroin and their derivatives. Even worse, the result is racist, falling disproportionately on young black men, ruining their lives and creating new generations of career criminals.
As Politico notes, the "The Times is the biggest U.S. newspaper to endorse the legalization of marijuana." Adding to the significance is the Times' history of being conservative when it comes to legalization. In 2013, an article stressed the dangers of more potent forms of marijuana as well as use of the drug by teenagers. Following Colorado's legalization of marijuana in January 2014, a Times article sounded alarm over having more users of the drug behind the wheel. The article was accompanied by a photo of Tommy Chong and Cheech Marin in the film “Up in Smoke," lighting up in a vehicle. Fears over food laced with marijuana being more accessible to children were sparked by tales of a rise in youth being taken to the emergency room after consuming snacks with the drug. As Washington state moved to join Colorado in legalizing recreational marijuana, the Times wrote on the many hurdles that medical marijuana providers would encounter. In June, the Times hosted an op-ed column where the writer said "Marijuana is more dangerous than many of us once thought," pointing to a link between marijuana use and schizophrenia. And of course, there was New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd's "bad trip," where she detailed being "curled up in a hallucinatory state for the next eight hours," after trying a marijuana candy bar while on assignment.

Given the Times influence, it could be that the endorsement of federal legalization of marijuana could spur politicians, organizations and publications to do in kind. The Times' endorsement is strengthened by the paper's history on issues concerning marijuana and strong language, likening the ban on marijuana to the prohibition of alcohol. Set beside an interactive American flag where stars transform to marijuana leaves as readers scroll, the editorial opens:

It took 13 years for the United States to come to its senses and end Prohibition, 13 years in which people kept drinking, otherwise law-abiding citizens became criminals and crime syndicates arose and flourished. It has been more than 40 years since Congress passed the current ban on marijuana, inflicting great harm on society just to prohibit a substance far less dangerous than alcohol.
The Times editors close with certainty, "It is long past time to repeal this version of Prohibition."

President Barack Obama said in 2012 that prosecuting pot users in states that have legalized it would not be a top priority for his administration, telling ABC News' Barbara Walters, "We've got bigger fish to fry." The New York Times editorial board endorsement of legalizing marijuana counts as another key voice sounding for a change in how the U.S. approaches marijuana.

CORRECTION: 10:30 p.m. ET -- This article previously stated that marijuana had been banned in the United States for 40 years. As Frontline notes, the Marijuana Tax Act effectively criminalized marijuana in the U.S. in 1937.