Thursday, December 18, 2025
Home Blog Page 1097

Pennsylvania Releases List Of Medical Marijuana Doctors

Mary Schumacher
-
0
Pennsylvania Releases List Of Medical Marijuana Doctors

While state officials predict that the medical marijuana program in Pennsylvania will be up and running within six months, doctors are getting their paperwork and training in to become certified medical cannabis physicians. So far 109 have been approved.

State officials say that over 300 doctors have registered for the program, the majority of them still completing the training and review process. Before the final review, physicians must complete a four hour training course and register with the state.

Dr. Adam Rothschild was approved in Allegheny County and has been inundated with calls since the list of doctors was released, primarily from interested persons who have one of the 17 qualifying conditions. Qualifying conditions include cancer, Parkinson’s disease, Multiple sclerosis, PTSD and other severe ailments like HIV/AIDS.

“There are a lot of patients who don’t get relief from conventional or even complementary medical therapies,” Rothschild said to Pennsylvania’s Tribune-Review. “Cannabis has been used successfully by many patients elsewhere. It is an incredibly safe drug, certainly when compared to opioids and even compared to aspirin. It has the potential to help a lot of people. I’m also not afraid of cannabis. I think a lot of physicians are afraid of this unknown.”

That statement is brave on Rothschild’s part. Many doctors dance around the cannabis issue and even those who recommend it often do so with the utmost of caution. A doctor should take caution when prescribing new medications, yet, as just pointed out, cannabis is more innocuous than aspirin and carries with it innumerable benefits that lead to relief.

Patients who qualify and have gotten their doctor’s recommendations will be able to go to a state licensed medical marijuana dispensary, which will be allowed to sell medical cannabis as oil, pills and creams, but not as flowers. They will also sell accessories in which to imbibe, including vaping devices.

“We cannot underestimate the role physicians have played in making sure that patients can access medical marijuana,” Physician General and acting Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine said in a statement. “Our physician workgroup also has been helping to make sure this program remains medically focused and an important tool in our medical toolkit.”

The list of approved doctors thus far can be found here, courtesy of Pennsylvania’s Department of Health.

This Is How Much It Pays To Know Your Cannabis Science

Amy Hansen
-
0
This Is How Much It Pays To Know Your Cannabis Science

It’s been predicted that the marijuana industry will employ up to 300-thousand people by 2020. Most of the jobs available will be entry-level and low-pay (think budtender and bud-trimmer), but not if you have the right degree.

The most competitive job pays six-figures, but requires a science and engineering degree. That’s great if you’re currently weighing your options for college concentrations, but a huge bummer for anyone who isn’t really feeling the classroom.

CNN talked to James Yagielo, co-founder and owner of the Florida-based headhunter Hemp Staff. Yagielo says the biggest demand in the workforce is for master extractors, who process THC and CBD from marijuana and hemp to make products like oils, concentrates and edibles.

The master extractor at Acme Elixirs makes $250,000 a year, according to founder Peter Pietrangeli, who admits the high pay rate doesn’t guarantee a steady workforce, as employees will inevitably build their own labs. And to make matters even more challenging for employers, it’s rare to find someone who has a PhD in biochemistry and a background in engineering, which a master extractor requires.

Yagielo of Hemp Staff tells CNN that entry level pay for master growers is typically $40,000 a year for horticulturalists and $60,000 for botanists, but pay can grow to $120,000 within three years.

He adds that pharmacologists have the potential of earning $100,000 annually if they manage several dispensaries for a chain.

Is going back to school sounding a little more enticing right now?

The $3.6K Blunt: Marijuana Goes High End And Super Luxe

Al Olson
-
0
The $3.6K Blunt: Marijuana Goes High End And Super Luxe

When Alejandro Canto opened up his luxury cannabis retail store in Seattle earlier this year, one of the products on the shelf was a $3.6K blunt that contained 28 grams of ground high-end marijuana and 7 grams of concentrate wrapped in cannabis leaves.

A gimmick? Hardly. Canto, owner of Diego Pellicer — a swanky 3,300-square-foot retail showcase featuring imported Spanish tile, granite floors and ornate chandeliers — sees the future. And the future for marijuana includes a growing sector of the market hungry for luxury and high-end goods.

“We know the market is shifting toward a more sophisticated consumer,” Canto said. “And we want our customers to have a taste of luxury. From the moment they step inside, customers will know that the quality of our cannabis products and service is beyond anything they’ve previously experienced,” he added.

Canto is not alone in his laser focus on the premium end of the cannabis market. A growing number of cannabis entrepreneurs are hoping to establish a foothold in the luxury sector.

According to a recent study by Miner and Co. Studio, today’s cannabis consumer looks decidedly different than the traditional ‘stoner’ stereotype. According to the study, released last month, 65 percent of cannabis consumer report a household income of more than $75,000 and 84 percent hold down full-time jobs.

“Understanding this new cannabis consumer isn’t just important for these new and growing cannabis brands that market to them, said Robert Miner, president of Miner & Co. Studio. “Almost every major brand will have a portion of their customer base who are cannabis consumers.”

Most cannabis consumers do not regard their use of the product as a key identifier of who they are. The average cannabis consumer is, well, average. The lazy stoner stereotype perpetuated by media depictions is just a myth.

“While TV and movies have unquestionably played a powerful role in driving awareness and acceptance of cannabis as a normal part of our lives and culture, media is still stuck propagating the stoner stereotype such that anyone who consumes cannabis becomes the modern equivalent of Otis, the town drunk in Andy Griffith’s Mayberry – hapless, bumbling and out of it,” Miner said.

“Just as drinking a beer doesn’t mean someone is a drunk or an alcoholic – simply consuming cannabis doesn’t make him or her a zoned out stoner. Media has an opportunity to present the new cannabis consumer in a more positive light to overcome the stoner stereotype that still casts a stigma on the consumers in this vast and growing market,” he added.

While mainstream media still giggles about Cheech and Chong and jokes about the munchies, the industry will continue to keep its focus on the future. And the future is as bright as this blingy $2,190 Sweet Leaf anklet from Jacquie Aiche.

311’s Nick Hexum Talks Marijuana Legalization And Family Cancer Worries

Brendan Bures
-
0
311’s Nick Hexum Talks Marijuana Legalization And Family Cancer Worries

Marijuana and music is a timeless relationship, but some musicians have a deeper symbiotic connection with cannabis than others. This isn’t necessarily “stoner music,” though it perhaps fits underneath that category. Instead these are musical acts who aren’t only known to partake in consistent marijuana consumption, but have become activists and entrepreneurs within the cannabis industry as well.

Hip hop acts like Snoop Dogg, Cypress Hill, Wiz Khalifa, but also a band like 311. Though the group can also represent the beer-loving community, 311 has served as an important collective to new-age hippies and stoner kids alike. They were representing the healing and mind-opening powers of marijuana before it was cool—and culturally accepted—to do so.

No one is more outspoken from 311 than Nick Hexum, though. “Bands like us and Cypress Hill, we were carrying the cannabis flag when it was really risky to do that,” 311’s Nick Hexum told Morning Call. “We had instances where we had cops on the side of the stage. We were conscientious objectors. We were about cannabis and using it there, to show the absurdity of the laws.”

Part of Hexum’s brazen nature stems from a personal connection. His mother and mother-in-law are cancer survivors, which has led to Hexum speaking at fundraisers for the Moffitt Cancer Center, like he did in Tampa recently. He told the Tampa Bay Times he wanted to turn that fear into action, which is why he isn’t backing down from his marijuana stance.

“I’m a huge believer in CBD, and how cannabis can be very helpful for the symptoms of what people go through when they’re having cancer treatment, whether it’s aches and pains and chemo, or appetite loss or whatever,” Hexum told TBT. “Being able to work on products in the cannabis field for medical patients like my mom has been another way that I’ve been helping out.”

Those products include a signature 311 vape kit called the Grassroots Uplifter. Currently they only have a THC Grassroots Uplifter available, but Hexum says they’re currently developing a CBD version as well.

If that weren’t enough, Hexum also is in talks with another company to produce a CBD-infused beet juice energy shot. He says it’s a good way to “help with aches and pains and inflammation and some mental stuff as well.”

Still, Hexum continues to speak out in favor of marijuana legalization. While many states have legalized medical marijuana and a smaller collection have also voted yes to recreational marijuana, the drug remains classified as a Schedule I Drug on the federal level.

“It’s an interesting time, because when alcohol prohibition was repealed, it was all at once, and everybody knew, ‘Okay, it’s legal now.’ This is such a messy incremental ending of prohibition,” Hexum said. “There’s so much uncertainty, and to a certain extent, it’s like, who’s going to be brave and challenge the laws? Keeping up on the regulations and knowing where you can sell what keeps everybody in my organization pretty busy.”

Diddy Changed His Name Again Because He Can

Brendan Bures
-
0
Diddy Changed His Name Again Because He Can

Diddy Changed his name again because he can – UPDATE 11/7/17: Just kidding. Diddy decided not to change his name after the social media made numerous jokes on his behalf. Watch his full explanation below.

https://twitter.com/diddy/status/927934658335203328

Original Post

Allow him to reintroduce himself…for the hundredth time. That’s because hip hop mogul and sometimes rapper Diddy changed his name again because you—yes, you reading this story—needed it.

Look, Diddy is a chief example of living life however you want, whenever you want. Thanks to an aggressively-minded business acumen and an ability to out-shameless plug even a Z-list Instagram model, the hip hop mogul muscled his career into existence like few others can rival.

Throughout his life, people called him by his nickname Puffy. Naturally he took on the stage name of Puff Daddy when he started his music career. But then in 2001, he changed his name from Puff Daddy to P Diddy, then dropped the P in 2005, going by simply, “Diddy.” His Twitter name, by the way? Sean Diddy Combs. Now that’s a man of consistency.

Anyways, for his 48th birthday the artist formerly known as Diddy decided to change his name again. Now you can call him Brother Love.

https://twitter.com/diddy/status/926915432556015616

“I have some very serious, serious news. I’ve been praying on this and I decided. I know it’s risky because I knew it could come off as corny to some people … like yo, I decided to change my name again,” he said in a social media video. “I am just not who I am before. I’m something different. So my new name is Love a.k.a Brother Love.”

Call him Love or Brother Love, he further explained, just not Diddy. Which is strange because his Twitter handle, and Instagram handle, and probably three of his award plaques say Diddy so…awkward.

It Looks Like The DOJ Is Waving The Flag In Kettle Falls Five Case

Daniel Shortt
-
0
It Looks Like The DOJ Is Waving The Flag In Kettle Falls Five Case

Last week, the Federal Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a motion with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to stay or remand appellate proceedings in its case against Rhonda Firestack-Harvey, Rolland Gregg and Michelle Gregg, the remaining members of the Kettle Falls Five, because it does not have funds to continue the prosecution. The Kettle Falls Five is the name given to a group of medical marijuana growers in Kettle Falls, a town in North East Washington. The group consisted of Rhonda Firestack-Harvey and Larry Harvey, their son Rolland Gregg and his wife Michelle, and Jason Zucker.

The Kettle Falls Five were charged by the federal government after a 2012 raid on their farm in Northeast Washington. The group was collectively growing medical cannabis plants in an amount permitted by state law. The federal government vigorously prosecuted the Kettle Falls Five over the last five years. The feds originally sought 10-year mandatory prison terms. The feds dropped charges against Larry Harvey who was battling stage four pancreatic cancer. Mr. Harvey passed away in August 2015.

Jason Zucker pleaded guilty and testified against the other defendants prior to trial. He was sentenced to 16 months of prison time based on his cooperation.  The remaining defendants faced charges of growing, possessing, and distributing cannabis, in addition to charges relating to firearms found on the same property as the cannabis grow. Rhonda, Rolland, and Michelle were acquitted of all charges except growing cannabis. Michelle and Rhonda received a sentence of one year and a day and Rolland received a sentence of 33 months.

The Kettle Falls Five appealed to the Ninth Circuit. The DOJ was expected to continue its vigorous prosecution, which makes its recent motion to stay or remand the case quite a surprise. In its motion, the DOJ provided the following explanation:

This motion is based upon Congress denying funding to the Department of Justice for the prosecution of medical marijuana patients in states where medical marijuana is lawful. The purpose of this motion is to acknowledge that the United States was not authorized to spend money on the prosecution of the defendants after December of 2014 because the defendants strictly complied with the Washington State medical marijuana laws.

This refers to the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer Amendment which limits prosecution of state-compliant medical marijuana actors.  As part of a federal budget deal in December 2014, Congress cut off funds for the federal prosecution of medical marijuana growers and users in states where medical cannabis is legal, so long as those actors are following state law. Since 2014 the Amendment has repeatedly been renewed.

The DOJ’s motion also cites United States v. McIntosh,  in which the Ninth Circuit decided the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer Amendment prohibited the DOJ from “spending funds for the prosecution of individuals who engaged in conduct permitted by the state medical marijuana laws and fully complied with the laws.” The DOJ’s motion states that the “prohibition regarding DOJ expenditure of funds applies even though the prosecution was properly initiated prior to [Rohrabacher-Blumenauer’s] enactment.”

The DOJ asks the court to either back off on the appeal or to send the case back to the trial court. This is promising as it appears the DOJ may have finally seen the writing on the wall and is going to drop its case against the Five. However, it may also mean the DOJ is attempting to hold off on prosecuting the defendants to see if Congress reaffirms the Rohrbacher-Blumenauer Amendment, which is not guaranteed, especially given the current political status of our federal government. It should go without saying that Jeff Sessions has openly lobbied Congress against the Amendment.

In any event, this is an opportunity for defense counsel to ask the judge to toss out the case, which we fervently hope will be its eventual outcome. On a broader scale, this motion shows that the Rohrabacher-Blumenauer Amendment is a powerful tool to limit federal prosecution of medical cannabis growers.

Daniel Shortt is an attorney at Harris Bricken, a law firm with lawyers in Seattle, Portland, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Barcelona, and Beijing. This story was originally published on the Canna Law Blog. 

Ask Dr. Green: Will Marijuana’s CBD Help My Son’s Dravet Syndrome?

Thomas Green, MD
-
0
Ask Dr. Green: Will Marijuana’s CBD Help My Son’s Dravet Syndrome?

Dear Dr. Green: 

My son has suffered from Dravet syndrome and his condition is not improving. I have watched videos of children benefiting from CBD-rich cannabis tincture. I live in a legal marijuana state and would consider trying ANYTHING to help my child. Is this safe for children (he is nine)? And are there significant side effects of CBD? — Pat G., Medford, Ore. 

 Dear Pat:

Your child is suffering from a rare type of genetic epileptic brain dysfunction which is characterized by frequent seizures that are often resistant to therapies. This commonly begins in an otherwise normal child and often the onset is associated with the first vaccine at age 6 months. Most children have some developmental delays by age 2 and difficulties in walking is common.

The syndrome varies widely and the response to medications also varies. There are some typical anti-seizure medication that can actually worsen seizures in your child.

My first recommendation is that your child has a full evaluation by a neurologist who specializes in epilepsy to make sure the diagnosis is correct and has put together a plan to try different medications to see if the seizures can be controlled with standard medication. A genetic counselor can also help define the genetic problem.

There are also other therapies and medications which are not completely studied which may improve the situation such as Intravenous Immunoglobulin, ketogenic diet and vagus nerve stimulation.

There are anecdotal reports of improvement of seizure activity with CBD. In 2013, there was a survey article from the Department of Neurology at Stanford University and published in Epilepsy Behavior of the use of CBD in children with intractable seizures. This showed a significant improvement in seizure activity, improved mood, alertness and sleep. Some side effects were drowsiness and fatigue.

“>In 2016 a phase 3 trial from England with the use of Epidiolex (a CBD-based medication) showed significant improvement in seizure activity with minimal side effects.

So putting this all together, I feel we should first attempt to control the seizures with standard medications. If this does not show the effects we would want, it would be worthwhile to look at other options that have not been completely studied. This would include a discussion on the use of CBD with a healthcare provider who understands the syndrome and the use of CBD.

Our goal would be to limit the seizures >and improve mood and cognition. You would be taking the risk of CBD/THC in a developing child’s brain which might have significant long term effects. This risk is balanced against a debilitating disease which also has the potential of causing some cognitive impairment.

Having a multidisciplinary approach with a pediatrician, a neurologist, a genetic counselor and a health care provider who understands the use of CBD is essential. Researching through the Dravet Foundation and the Epilepsy Foundation can also provide significant help with their advice on day to day tips to ensure the safety of your child and their ongoing research into this rare disease.

This information is intended only to complement, and not to replace or contradict, any health or medical advice or information provided by healthcare professionals.  If you have any questions, please contact your doctor or other healthcare professional.

That Time When Alex Trebek Accidentally Ate A Bunch Of Hash Brownies

Terry Hacienda
-
0
That Time When Alex Trebek Accidentally Ate A Bunch Of Hash Brownies

This is Jeopardy! And now, here’s your host, Alex Trebek!

Alex: Hello and welcome to Jeopardy!, America’s favorite answer-and-question game. Yes, we give the answers, and then it’s up to the contestants to come up with the questions.

Contestant: Alex, I’ll try “Getting High With A Little Help From My Friends” for $100, please.

Alex: OK, here’s your answer: “This tasty treat knocked my on my ass for two days.”

Contestant: What are hash brownies?

Alex: Correct!

That’s right. Years ago, long before cannabis legalization, the game show host and “pulled a Maureen Dowd” long before pulling a Maureen Dowd was even a thing. In a lengthy Q&A with Daily Beast, here is how Trebek described the unfortunate edible incident:

As the story goes, when Trebek first arrived in California, he attended a swanky party at a friend’s beach house in Malibu and came across some delicious-looking brownies on display. Now Trebek, despite at one time resembling a ’70s porn star, was no hippie and hadn’t dabbled much in recreational marijuana, let alone potent edibles. So needless to say, he had no idea what he was in for.

“It was by accident! I didn’t know what they were,” he tells me. “I had just arrived in California and went to a friend’s house for dinner, and there were brownies. I love brownies—I’m a chocoholic—and I didn’t realize that they were hash brownies. And… whoa. That threw me for a loop. I took down about a half-dozen. The dinner party was on a Friday, and I was not able to leave that house until Sunday afternoon. I spent the next day and a half in bed. It was not a good trip, and I have not done any of that stuff since!”

This is not the first time Trebek has told this cannabis cautionary tale. Two years ago, Trebek boldly appeared on “The Howard Stern Show” and described the event similarly. There are a few minor discrepancies in two versions of the story: the number of brownies he consumed and the day he left the party host’s home:

“I went to this party at a home in Malibu and I didn’t know the people who were hosting the party and they had hash brownies. I love chocolate, and I ate four or five hash brownies. The party was on a Friday night… I didn’t leave their home until Monday morning.”

Trebek says he has not tried cannabis since.

Americans Are Stressed AF And This Is The Main Reason Why

Amy Hansen
-
0
Americans Are Stressed AF And This Is The Main Reason Why

Feeling stressed? You’re in good company. A new report by the American Psychological Association says nearly two-thirds of Americans report being totally stressed out by the future of our country. That’s more than money and work.

According to the report:

When asked to think about the nation this year, nearly six in 10 adults report that the current social divisiveness causes them stress. A majority of adults from both political parties say the future of the nation is a source of stress, though the number is significantly higher for Democrats (73 percent) than for Republicans (56 percent) and independents (59 percent).

That’s depressing.

“We’re seeing significant stress transcending party lines,” said Arthur C. Evans Jr., PhD, APA’s chief executive officer. “The uncertainty and unpredictability tied to the future of our nation is affecting the health and well-being of many Americans in a way that feels unique to this period in recent history.”

Evans says it’s a stress that spans every generation.

The most common issues causing stress when thinking about the nation are:

  • health care (43 percent),
  • the economy (35 percent)
  • trust in government (32 percent)
  • hate crimes (31 percent)
  • crime (31 percent)
  • wars/conflicts with other countries (30 percent)
  • terrorist attacks in the United States (30 percent).

To a lesser extend, unemployment and low wages (22 percent) and environmental issues (21 percent) were also cited as stressors.

News, now readily accessible in just about any form 24-seven, is also a cause of stress. Adults say they struggle with competing feelings of their desire to stay informed and their somewhat negative view of the media. While most adults (95 percent) say they follow the news regularly, 56 percent say that doing so causes them stress, and 72 percent believe the media blows things out of proportion.

On a positive note, more than half (51 percent) of Americans surveyed say the state of the nation has inspired them to volunteer or support causes they believe in; More than half (59 percent) have taken some form of action in the past year, including 28 percent who signed a petition and 15 percent who boycotted a company or product in response to its social or political views or actions.

You can read the full report online.

The Fresh Toast Marijuana Legislative Roundup: Nov. 6

Alec Engber
-
0
The Fresh Toast Marijuana Legislative Roundup: Nov. 6

The reform of marijuana laws took a few steps forward and one big step back last week. The biggest news of the week was in Maine, where Gov. Paul LePage vetoed legislation voters passed a year ago. Read all about these developments and more in The Fresh Toast’s Marijuana Legislative Roundup for Nov. 6. 

Maine:  

On Friday, Maine Governor Paul LePage vetoed legislation to implement the recreational marijuana legalization measure passed by voters in November 2016. The bill sought to increase the sales tax on marijuana from 10 percent to 20 percent, require municipalities to “opt in” to the state’s legal cannabis market, and make a number of changes to the way cannabis is regulated at the state level. The legislation was the result of months of work by a special committee tasked with creating a regulatory framework for recreational marijuana in Maine. LePage, an outspoken critic of cannabis legalization, expressed public safety concerns and uncertainty regarding federal policy toward marijuana legalization. This was apparently a reference to numerous statements made by Attorney General Jeff Sessions in opposition to state efforts at marijuana legalization.   

Maine lawmakers will meet this week to discuss an override of the governor’s veto, which would require the vote of two-thirds of both legislative chambers. While the measure received a veto-proof majority in the Senate, it failed to garner two-thirds of votes in the House of Representatives. It has been legal to grow and possess cannabis in the state since last February, but the legislature has delayed the start of recreational sales until February of 2018. In October, LePage urged lawmakers to further delay recreational sales until 2019 to provide more time to finalize the regulatory framework.  

Nevada: 

On Wednesday, the Nevada Tax Commission voted unanimously to extend emergency regulations on marijuana sales. The emergency regulations restrict applications for cannabis distribution licenses to liquor wholesalers, following a Nevada Supreme Court ruling that granted liquor wholesalers the exclusive right to apply for such licenses. A unique provision of Nevada’s voter-approved legalization measure gives liquor wholesalers the exclusive right to transport marijuana from growers to retailers for the first 18 months of recreational sales.  

In April, the Department of Taxation determined that wholesalers would be unable to meet demand for recreational cannabis and granted some distributor licenses to existing medical marijuana retailers in advance of the July 1 beginning of sales. Following a protracted legal battle that caused supply shortages and a steep decline in retail sales, the Supreme Court sided with the group of liquor wholesalers that brought the lawsuit. However, licenses granted on or before September 14 will remain valid for a year following the date of their issuance. A final set of regulations is awaiting approval by the Nevada legislature.  

New Jersey:  

On Tuesday, a New Jersey appeals court ruled that the state’s Division of Consumer Affairs must review marijuana’s Schedule I status. The ruling noted that there are clear medical uses of marijuana that were not known when the state adopted the federal government’s Schedule I classification in 1971. Schedule I drugs, which include heroin and LSD, are defined as having no “accepted medical use.” However, New Jersey has allowed marijuana to be consumed for medical purposes since 2010. The state intends to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court.   

Texas:  

On Monday, county commissioners in El Paso, Texas unanimously approved a measure to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana for first-time offenders. The First Chance program will waive criminal charges for people without prior marijuana convictions who are caught in possession of no more than two ounces of marijuana. Those also facing additional charges will not be eligible. The program is set to begin this month, and follows similar moves by Dallas and Harris counties, as well as the city of Dallas.  

1...1,0961,0971,098...1,460Page 1,097 of 1,460

Don't Miss Your Weekly Dose of The Fresh Toast.

Stay informed with exclusive news briefs delivered directly to your inbox every Friday.

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe anytime.

The Fresh Toast is an award-winning lifestyle & health platform with a side of cannabis. We work hard each day to bring uplifting and informative information about culture, weed, celebrity, tech and medical marijuana.

© Copyright @2020