It’s all up to you, but now is a good time to start making plans for your shots if that’s among your priorities.
Fall is here and, as the weather shifts and grows colder, it provides us with the perfect reminder for our seasonal immunizations.
While many states have removed their mask mandates due to the evolving pandemic, the colder seasons are likely to bring a spike in cases. Since there’s also the flu to consider, many are wondering if it’s safe to take both the COVID booster and flu shot at the same time. The short answer? It is.
If you’re someone who prefers to save time and doesn’t want to take several trips to the pharmacy, getting both shots at once is recommended.
As to how the process works, experts suggest taking a shot on each arm. “God gave us two arms: one for the flu shot and the other one for the COVID shot,” said Dr. Asish Jha, leader of the White House’s pandemic response. He was joking, but he has a point. While you can get both shots in the same arm, you might feel extra sore if this is what you choose to do.
As for side effects, you should expect much of the same: pain at the injection site, fatigue, perhaps these symptoms with an edge, but nothing too out of the ordinary.
Still, if you’re squeamish about all that’s going on in your body, there’s no need to get two shots at once. Dr. Miriam Alexander told WBALTV that the majority of experts recommend getting a flu shot in October, that way protection is extended through the winter.
“Typically, the best time to get the flu shot is sometime in October because the flu shot does lose some of its potency in the early spring, and we want you to be protected against the flu still in February and early March when we know we still have flu,” she said. “We think there may be an uptick in flu this year.”
It’s all up to you, but now is a good time to start making plans for your shots if that’s among your priorities.
The relationship between inflammation and obesity springs up from a cycle of events that include high blood pressure, high cholesterol level, and high blood sugar. This is where cannabis can help.
Cannabis has grown considerably in the medical world as new uses of the natural herb are being researched and confirmed. This has fostered the opening of new legal markets for medical marijuana in different regions. It has also helped in increasing the acceptance of cannabis among the populace as many who were initially opposed to the idea of cannabis are now embracing it.
Based on anecdotal reports and extensive studies, cannabis has been found to be useful in dealing with some chronic conditions like depression, insomnia, inflammations, obesity, and so on.
A closer look at inflammation and obesity
Many chronic related conditions are in one way or another related to inflammation. Obesity is no exception to this trend. The condition also comes with different co-morbidities. This is why when physicians prescribe drugs for obesity, the goal of the therapy is to treat the accompanying co-morbidities. These co-morbidities include high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol level, and high blood glucose.
Photo by NeONBRAND via Unsplash
Inflammation is implicated for the co-morbidities that accompany obesity which means it plays a huge role in the development of the condition. Inflammation one of the root causes of high blood pressure and equally promotes the risk of high cholesterol and high blood pressure. A further look into obesity also shows that cytokines which are substances secreted by immune cells have a role to play in the development of obesity. They cause insulin resistance and other health problems which serve as precursors for type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is known to often lead to obesity.
Obesity does not develop suddenly as it is a product of consistent lifestyle habits. These habits include indulging constantly in a diet high in sugar and processed foods which help to elevate the blood sugar level. With increased glucose levels in the body system, the body responds by increasing the amount of insulin produced in order to remove glucose from the bloodstream.
Photo by Rostislav_Sedlacek/Getty Images
The unhealthy cycle of obesity
Production of an increased amount of insulin is the body’s response mechanism to prevent a high level of sugar which comes from regular consumption of processed foods. Eventually, the body becomes desensitized to insulin which in turn reduces the ability of the body to respond to the effects of insulin. Invariably, the blood sugar level in the body becomes high, leads to inflammation, and ultimately produces more insulin resistance. This unhealthy cycle continues and the final product is high blood sugar which in turn causes obesity.
This unhealthy cycle also involved the endocannabinoid system (ECS). The ECS works through the unique relationship between endocannabinoids which directly or indirectly affect cannabinoid receptors in the body. The operation of the ECS can promote overeating of processed foods and low nutrient foods which increased the number of endocannabinoids. With increased appetite and more overeating, the unhealthy cycle continues with high blood sugar and insulin resistance.
Cannabis, inflammation, and obesity
Studies have shown a unique relationship exists between cannabinoids, inflammation, and obesity. These unique effects of cannabinoids in the body system have been generally used for medical marijuana. CBD is one of the important cannabinoids in the matrix of cannabis plants and it is effective for reducing inflammation. The cannabinoid has a patent in the US government for its anti-inflammatory activity which shows how much research has been done on the cannabinoid. CBD also works effectively for reducing cholesterol levels and in turn reducing blood sugar. This shows that CBD is useful in reducing the onset of obesity and its co-morbidities.
The implication of ECS in the development of obesity might also prove useful for the effectiveness of CBD in dealing with obesity. CBD interacts with the ECS directly or indirectly to facilitate different responses all over the body. This effect is utilized by CBD to promote the reduction of inflammation throughout the body. CBD is also important to facilitate the reduction of disorderly consumption of processed foods. By reducing the unhealthy consumption of processed foods, CBD, therefore, reduces the development of inflammation and ultimately obesity.
Photo by Shidlovski/Getty Images
How can cannabis break the cycle?
The common steps outside of the use of cannabis that is used to deal with obesity majorly have to do with lifestyle changes. One major step that is pivotal is a change of eating habits in order to stop the unhealthy cycle and ensure that insulin is effective in removing glucose from the bloodstream. Developing a strong anti-inflammatory food plan and sticking to it is also important to deal with the unhealthy cycle of obesity.
Cannabis through the action of CBD can be very beneficial for the reduction of obesity and its co-morbidities. This is why it is important to incorporate cannabis strains that have high CBD content into the nutrition of such patients. For patients that may have issues with smoking cannabis, there are other forms of consumption that will ensure the target cannabinoid is available for the required effect. CBD already exists in different product forms such as oils, tinctures, topical creams, and transdermal patches.
It is also important to ensure that one consults a nutritionist with proper knowledge about the role of the ECS in promoting obesity. Such a professional will be well equipped to provide the patient with advice on which cannabis strains to use to stop food addiction and correct the ECS dysfunction. Such professionals are present in some cannabis dispensaries where they offer important medical and nutritional advice to patients.
Bottom line
The relationship between inflammation and obesity springs up from a cycle of events that include high blood pressure, high cholesterol level, and high blood sugar. This unhealthy cycle is also increased by cytokines secreted by immune cells which promotes insulin resistance. Dealing with inflammation is pivotal to controlling obesity and this is where cannabis can help to break the cycle. CBD is very effective in reducing inflammations in the body which in turn makes it useful for dealing with obesity.
The Department of Justice has struck yet again. The ongoing Florida lawsuit on whether medical cannabis users should also have the right to own guns received more comment recently when the DOJ claimed that MMJ users are inherently dangerous and therefore unfit to possess firearms, reported Marijuana Moment.
“[The DOJ is] now comparing cannabis consumers to domestic abusers with a ‘propensity’ toward violence,” according to the publication.
Attorneys representing Florida’s Agriculture Minister Nikki Fried, who is behind a Second Amendment lawsuit against the Biden administration, filed a response brief earlier this month after the Department of Justice urged the federal court to dismiss the case. The plaintiffs were seeking a hearing before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida.
In its initial request for the lawsuit’s dismissal, DOJ cited offensive “parallels to past gun prohibitions for groups such as Native Americans, Catholics, panhandlers, and those who refuse to take an oath of allegiance to the government and people who shoot firearms while drunk.”
Now, the DOJ has confirmed its stance by putting non-violent cannabis offenses in the same category as domestic abusers. The goal of the comparison was to justify disarming people charged with misdemeanors.
“Marijuana users also engage in criminal activity that renders firearms possession dangerous, albeit for different reasons (i.e., the propensity for violence for domestic violence misdemeanants, and the impairing effects of marijuana for marijuana users),” DOJ’s new filingsays.
Photo by Talaj/Getty Images
On the plaintiffs’ argument that cannabis users can “safely use a firearm…when not using or under the influence of marijuana,” the DOJ replied that “a marijuana user who possesses a firearm will have access to that firearm when she uses marijuana. And because marijuana impairs judgment, the danger exists that she will fail to exercise sound judgment and use the firearm while impaired.”
Background
Fried filed a Second Amendment lawsuit against the Biden administration in April, which she announced at the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference in Miami on 4/20.
“No patient should have to choose between medicine and employment, a roof over their head, access to capital or their Constitutional rights,” she said.
Since then, Fried has pointed out on several occasions that the constitutional rights of state-legal medical marijuana patients in Florida are constrained because of the current language on a federal form that prohibits them from buying a firearm.
“This is not about guns, per se,” Fried said in June. “This is about the fact that, for decades, marijuana patients have been discriminated against—that they see their rights not being completely afforded to them, whether it is on housing or access to banking or employment. And this is one of their other rights.”
In July, Fried filed a revised complaint in a federal district court on the heels of the Supreme Court’s decision to dismiss several cases and send them to lower courts for reconsideration. Those cases included bans on assault-style rifles in Maryland as well as large-capacity ammunition magazines in New Jersey and California. The high court’s move followed a landmark ruling that an individual’s right to carry a handgun in public for the purpose of self-defense is protected by the U.S. constitution.
With the right cleaning tools and solutions, cleaning your favorite pieces is quite simple.
There’s nothing worse than taking a smooth hit only to be greeted by the taste of resin and dust. Not only does unkempt herb gear soil even the highest grade of flower, but it also stinks up your home and clothing. Avoid harsh hits and foul odors by sticking to a habit of cleaning all your favorite pieces. Here is a complete guide to cleaning your cannabis vapes and more.
Keeping your smoking accessories clean is an essential step in any seasoned stoner’s routine. Some smokers opt for rinsing out the rig after every session, while others commit to a thorough cleaning session every so often. Whichever practice you choose, cleaning your accessories involves a few essential tools and steps. Consider this complete guide to cleaning your cannabis gear.
How to clean a dab rig
Wax concentrates quickly build up in the intricate percolators of a dab rig. To loosen up the herbal gunk, you can use a few things. Start by bringing water to a boil and let it cool for a few minutes before adding it to the piece. Cover the nail space and mouthpiece with a paper towel or plastic wrap and shake roughly for a few minutes. Once the resin is dissolved, pour out the solution and wipe clean.
If your rig requires a more heavy-duty method, swap out the hot water with room-temperature isopropyl alcohol. Add a bit of salt to exfoliate stubborn wax and shake until the rig is cleaned. By regularly cleaning your piece, you can keep hand-blown rigs like those from MJ Arsenal looking good as new.
How to clean vape pens
Glass pieces are best paired with liquid solutions and salt, but you should take a different cleaning approach when dealing with a vape pen. Instead, arm yourself with a trusty brush and get to work on the parts where gunk builds up. Take the pen apart into as many pieces as you can and focus on dusting each thoroughly. For challenging areas, dip a cotton swab in acetone and gently brush over it.
If you fail to implement cleaning rituals in your rotation, built-up gunk will leave your vaporizer working harder (not smarter) during your daily smoke sessions. In a worst-case scenario, a neglected vape pen will heighten your risk of inhaling harmful bacteria, sabotaging your high.
Photo by Martina Paraninfi/Getty Images
How to clean a pipe
If you’re a cannabis circle frequenter, give your toking tool some much-needed TLC. To start, select your cleaning solution of choice or make a concoction of your own with rubbing alcohol, table salt, and dish soap. Once that step is complete, fill a reusable plastic bag with said solution, as this vessel will allow for total pipe submersion. If this pipe-friendly soaking bath pops your cleaning ritual bubble, try alternative methods.
Instead of a saline solution composed of Epsom salt and rubbing alcohol, get creative and opt for a salt and vinegar solution, a fizzing baking soda and vinegar combo, or the dynamic duo of sand and water. For best results, freeze your glass piece first, which will allow the resin to harden.
If a baking soda and vinegar bath proves to be a bust, stick with the old tried-and-true: boiling water. Once your water reaches its boiling point, let the piece soak for approximately 30 minutes before de-bathing. After a quick towel dry, your pipe will be ready for your next session.
Photo by Charles Wollertz/Getty Images
But how often should you bathe your glass pipe? Surprisingly, experts recommend that heavy consumers cleanse their pipes once every one to two days. If regular salt and rubbing alcohol baths can’t squeeze into your tight schedule, cotton-swab touch-ups are a must. Otherwise, germs will cling to the stem, and a slimy biofilm can grow, spiking your risk of infection.
How to clean a bong
Much like cleaning a pipe, isopropyl alcohol is a must-have ingredient for bong cleaning sessions. To set harmful bacteria up in flames, create a mixture of alcohol diluted with hot water. Then, pour the solution into the well-loved bong of your choice. For spotless results, ensure you shake up the grime-eradicating mixture. To do so, ball up a crumpled paper towel to seal the bowl joint and mouthpiece. If your DIY fix is translating to a subpar and spill-prone clean, invest in rubber caps for your bong. That way, you can shake up your cannabis gear maintenance routine—without turning your bathroom or kitchen into a makeshift splash pad.
Note that, in a pinch, vinegar and coarse salt is a viable substitute for rubbing alcohol. Whatever pre-smoke-session solution you choose, be sure to clean your bong at least once a week. Though, bong-cleaning welcomes a more-the-merrier approach. If you can’t make it a day without a trusty bong rip, aim to clean your bong once daily.
Photo by RODNAE Productions via Pexels
Why? For one, you’ll feel flower’s effects faster, and the hit will be worlds smoother. Besides heightening your highs, your clog-free bong will help you conserve bud—music to a seasoned smoker’s ears.
Use household items
Ditch the pricey cleaning solutions and use the goods lying around in your bathroom cabinet. Of course, isopropyl alcohol is a tried-and-true cleaning solution for glass. Pair the liquid with salt and leave it in your piece overnight for the best results.
To combat hard-water stains both inside and outside for piece, white vinegar is a powerful adversary. In terms of tools, you’d be surprised at how efficient cotton swabs and the average toothbrush work to remove the built-up resin. Gently twist them down stems and percolators to clean hard-to-reach stains.
Don’t forget the accessories
Make sure to spend some attention cleaning heavily used herbal accessories. Keep your trusty grinder in tip-top shape by disassembling and submerging each piece in boiling water. After a few minutes, remove them from heat and let sit for about thirty minutes. Once the grinder has dried, scrub with a toothbrush and leave to dry. Don’t forget about your smoking bag, which can quickly become cluttered with runaway herbal crumbs and dead lighters. Go through your kit every few months and reorganize the essentials.
Green and clean
Make the most out of your smoke session by maintaining a well-kept cannabis kit. Fortunately, with the right cleaning tools and solutions, cleaning your favorite pieces is quite simple.
Despite the fact that supporters of the measure submitted more than enough signatures for the issue to move on to the election ballot, it needed final approval from the board.
The Arkansas Supreme Court has ruled that voters will be able to legalize recreational marijuana come November elections. Thursday’s decision overturns an earlier ban from the Board of Election Commissioners.
“The people will decide whether to approve the proposed amendment in November,” wrote Justice Robin Wynne in the court’s ruling.
“We’re extremely grateful to the Supreme Court that they agreed with us and felt like it was a complete validation of everything we’ve done,” said Steve Lancaster, an attorney from Responsible Growth Arkansas, which had raised over $4 million in support of the measure. “We’re excited and moving on to November.”
In August, the State Board of Election Commissioners rejected the proposed amendment. Despite the fact that supporters of the measure submitted more than enough signatures for the issue to move on to the election ballot, it needed final approval from the board.
Commissioners claimed that the ballot’s title didn’t explain to voters the amendment’s true impact. One of the examples listed was the concern that the amendment would eliminate the state’s THC limit that was established when medical marijuana was approved.
Photo by FatCamera/Getty Images
“The type of detail that the board expected, or demanded in this case, would make our ballot title thousands and thousands of words long,” said Lancaster after the vote. “That just simply is not workable for a ballot.”
Conservative governors in the state supported the decision from the Board of Elections, with some of them voicing their approval and reaffirming their stance on marijuana. “Marijuana is a harmful drug,” said Governor Asa Hutchinson.
Arkansas legalized medical marijuana in 2016. If the state were to approve recreational marijuana, adults 21 an older would be able to possess up to an ounce of cannabis. They would also be able to purchase recreational products from the state’s dispensaries.
The Wichita City Council recently green-lighted marijuana possession within the city limits, making the largest city in Kansas the least restrictive on cannabis possession statewide. Now Kansas AG Candidates criticize marijuana decriminalization. The decriminalization measure seeks to cut down on arrests and prosecutions of marijuana users without legalizing it. Starting today (Friday), the city will no longer prosecute cannabis cases, reported The Wichita Eagle.
While Wichita police could still arrest people for cannabis possession or use it as a reason to search their property, criminal charges would have to be filed by Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett.
Attorney general candidate Kris Kobach’s stance on marijuana legalization is clear — he wants to keep it illegal.
The GOP official recently said that the Wichita City Council’s recent move “sends a message that, well, marijuana is OK,” adding that it’s not the “message I want to send to my kids.”
Kobach’s Democratic opponent, AG candidate Chris Mann, was not too fond of the council’s move either. He said lawmakers need to address the issue statewide, not locally.
“I don’t think that a patchwork of local rules is going to be helpful because it just moves the problem from municipal court to district court,” Mann said. “I think that we need to have a statewide solution if there’s going to be one.”
The two candidates crossed paths on Thursday as they attended their first one-on-one forum hosted by the Wichita Metro Crime Commission.
Photo by FatCamera/Getty Images
Opposing Views On MMJ Legalization
While they agreed on the issue of marijuana legalization, the two Kansas officials have opposing views on medical cannabis, given that Kansas is one of the few states that does not have a comprehensive MMJ law.
Kobach’s anti-legalization stance is based on the fear that medical access to cannabis would be “automatically abused.”
He’s staunchly against it because “then you end up legalizing something that becomes Pandora’s box because no state that has a law that allows medical marijuana has been able to confine it to purely medical cases.”
On the other hand, Mann would prefer “well-regulated medical marijuana at the state level.”
“The Legislature hasn’t decided to do that yet, but if they were to decide to do that, we need to put up some safeguards,” Mann said. “We need to ensure that we’re protecting vulnerable populations and our children. We need to have more drug addiction help, and we need money to go to law enforcement.”
Photo by Olena Ruban/Getty Images
Gov. Laura Kelly Wants MMJ Legalized
Meanwhile, Governor Laura Kelly (D) continues to push for policy reform. Earlier this year, she signed legislation allowing Kansans to obtain prescription medications derived from cannabis-related products.
“I think [MMJ legalizaition] is a good place for us to start,” Kelly said in Louisburg after an event celebrating a highway expansion. “Get that infrastructure built so that we can regulate it the way it needs to be regulated, ensure that we implement it in a way that’s productive.”
This new finding could provide a simple way for people to be healthier while doing something that brings them a little bit of joy.
Tea has long been linked with a variety of health benefits, but with type 2 diabetes? Now, a new study claims drinking four cups of tea a day could lower risk of this disease.
The study, conducted in China and presented at this year’s European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) Annual Meeting in Stockholm, Sweden, was based on a review of 19 cohort studies that included the data of a million people.
While tea has been linked with anti-oxidating properties, for the purposes of this study, researchers wanted to know if the drink had an effect on type 2 diabetes, conducting a cohort study and a dose-response analysis to get a full picture of tea’s effects.
Photo by Kira auf der Heide via Unsplash
Participants filled out a questionnaire where they listed out their tea drinking habits while also including information on their daily routines, including their exercise schedule, and whether they drank alcohol or smoked. This part of the study provided no clear answers. Researchers then turned to cohort studies, which showed a fuller picture of patient’s health over a decade. Here, they found that patients who consumed tea regularly were associated with a 17% decrease in type 2 diabetes.
“Our results are exciting because they suggest that people can do something as simple as drinking four cups of tea a day to potentially lessen their risk of developing type 2 diabetes”, said the study’s lead author Xiaying Li.
No matter the type of tea, the gender of the person drinking it, or the area where they lived, the effects were the same. At least four cups of tea a day equaled fewer odds of developing type 2 diabetes.
While researchers need to study the situation more clearly in order to be fully sure of their results, the study is promising. It could provide a simple way for people to be healthier while they do something that brings them a little bit of joy.
Instead of reasonably regulating legal sales, it’s increasingly common for leaders to opt out of legalized sales entirely, with unintended consequences.
Leafly released a first-of-its-kind report detailing the unintended and harmful consequences that occur when local municipalities choose to opt out of legal and regulated cannabis sales.
The report, developed in partnership with Whitney Economics, a global leader in cannabis and hemp business consulting, data, and economic research, reveals the adverse consequences of opting out and explores why local regulation, not local prohibition is the right way to handle cannabis.
Opting In To Legalized Sales Would Benefit The Entire Community
After legal cannabis is approved in a state, numerous legalization laws enable local municipalities to establish specific regulations within cities and counties. That is, they can choose to sell cannabis or not to sell cannabis.
According to the Leafly report, “instead of reasonably regulating legal sales, it is increasingly common for leaders to opt out of legalized sales entirely, with unintended consequences that effectively create an economic protection zone for illegal street sellers to continue the business.”
Leafly’s Opt-Out Report found that local leaders who choose to opt out of cannabis sales are hurting their communities by:
Indirectly encouraging adult consumers to purchase illegal products
Putting public health at risk by allowing the circulation of untested products
Sustaining illegal sales to local teens
Turning away local jobs and tax revenue
Continuing the losing War on Drugs
Bruce Barcott, the report’s lead author and Leafly’s senior editor, said “this report demonstrates that legal, regulated cannabis stores put illicit marijuana dealers out of business.
“Fears surrounding local cannabis stores may prompt elected officials to prohibit cannabis companies in their towns. But adults in every community already purchase and enjoy cannabis, legal or not,”he said. “The cities and counties that skip out on cannabis are essentially voting to keep their local illegal marijuana markets in business.”
Photo by Ozge Yagmur / EyeEm/Getty Images
The Opt-Out Cannabis Sales Situation In Some U.S. States
After four years oflegal cannabis in California, illegal street sellers still satisfy more than 50% of the state’s adult consumer marijuana demand, and it’s no coincidence that 62% of the state’s municipalities have opted out of regulated retail sales.
More recently in New Jersey, which launched legal cannabis sales this past April, 71% of local municipalities have prohibited the sale of legal, state-regulated cannabis. “That has left the state’s adult consumers with few legal options. With only one store for every 358,000 residents, illegal street sellers still command more than 80% of the marijuana market,” according to Leafly.
In New York, which will begin legal recreational cannabis sales soon, 50% of all municipalities have chosen to opt out. New York’s Cannabis Control Board (CCB) recently adopted regulations allowing home cultivation for card-carrying MMJ patients and caregivers.
“Today, nearly 45% of Americans live in a legal, adult-use state. If pending legalization measures gain approval on the November ballot, half of all Americans could live in a legal cannabis state by 2023,” continued the Leafly report. “In every newly legal state, local officials will be called upon to regulate cannabis in ways appropriate for their community. Opting out isn’t a vote against marijuana—it’s a vote in favor of illegal dealers.”
Photo by OlegMalyshev/Getty Images
Report Methodology
The data in Leafly’s 2022 Opt-In Report “derives from a variety of public and private sources. Unless otherwise noted, data cited by Leafly and Whitney Economics represents market conditions as of July 1, 2022. Cannabis sales figures and active license numbers are dynamic. We chose July 1, 2022, as a firm point-in-time mark to ensure data completeness from all states under review.”
According to the report:
The number of legal cannabis stores per capita was derived using public licensing data released by state cannabis regulatory agencies. The state population is current as of the 2020 US Census.
The percentage of cannabis sales captured by the legal market “was derived by comparing each legal state’s annual cannabis sales with that state’s Total Market Estimation,” the authors said.
TME is defined as the value of total cannabis sales in a calendar year, regardless of the legal status of the product.
Finally, Beau Whitney, co-author of the report and founder of Whitney Economics said: “Access and taxes, those are the keys to customer migration to the legal market (…) And right now we’re seeing illegal cannabis sales propped up by opt-out cities and counties.”
While societal rules are changing, people’s personal norms aren’t because if it’s acceptable to smoke weed outside, how do parents set ground rules at home?
As of the time of writing, 18 states and the District of Columbia have already legalized marijuana for recreational use. A majority of US states have also approved it for medicinal use. In these areas, it’s legal for adults over the age of 18 — parents included — to consume marijuana the way they would a bottle of beer.
However, the stigma is still there. The cultural bias can still be astounding especially for parents who need marijuana the most. Each state has its own specific laws regarding cannabis use though in many cases, it’s far too easy to charge a parent for endangerment or even child neglect if they consume marijuana and others suspect that their children are being put at risk.
While we’re living in terrific times — legal marijuana and all — parents must still think carefully and strategize around cannabis consumption. Whether or not your cannabis use puts your child at risk, it will depend on many things such as how conservative your social circle is, whether you act impaired around your child or not, and what your lawyer thinks. Unfortunately, there are many gray areas still at this time when it comes to parenting, child safety, and marijuana use.
There are many parents who have no problem consuming responsibly. After all, what ‘harm’ is being done when you smoke a few puffs when your kid is in bed? Then there again, there are also those who abuse it, and they give the rest of the responsible parents a bad rap.
Photo by Juliane Liebermann via Unsplash
Impact of Cannabis Legalization on Foster Care
Cannabis law can have a direct impact on child welfare, though there must also be laws in place that would protect parents. Several studies have shown that cannabis use actually reduces domestic violence at home, and can even have a positive impact on child welfare.
Earlier this year, a study appeared in the journal Economic Inquiry which shed hopeful light on the possible benefits that cannabis may have on foster care admissions. According to researchers, cannabis legalization led to a 10% reduction in foster care placement. They expect that this number could increase should the United States legalize marijuana on a national level.
The researchers hypothesized a few factors that could have contributed to the decrease in foster care placements. For one, cannabis law reform pushes states to update foster care policies to be relevant to the drug laws. As a result, amendments lead to a drop in incarceration since the antiquated cannabis laws state that children should be removed from homes if parents are charged with some marijuana possession laws.
Governments can save a tremendous amount of money from child welfare interventions if cannabis is legalized nationally. The study’s researchers estimate that the cost for one foster care placement is around $25,000, and a 10% decrease in foster care placements mean that 27,000 less kids would have to enter the system. This can save the government as much as $675 million.
More importantly, this means that children can grow up in safe, happier homes – no different than one of a sober parent provided that parents do so responsibly. Reasonable cannabis laws for parents would mean that households are more stable while parents still have access to the medicine that they need to function efficiently as both a human and a parent.
We can only hope that our state government can be on the side of parents. In California, for example, Governor Gavin Newsom just signed bills that would protect cannabis consuming parents.
Photo by cottonbro via Pexels
Assembly Bill 2595, which was introduced by Bill Quirk (D-Hayward), mandates that California’s Department of Social Services (DSS) must update “all regulations, all-county letters, and other instructions relating to the investigation of a minor”. It goes on to add that if a social worker has to investigate an alleged case involving child abuse or neglect, the child’s guardian or parents’ use of marijuana should be treated in the same way that they would if the guardian or parent possessed alcohol or other legally prescribed drugs.
“As is the case with alcohol and prescription medication, parents and guardians should be allowed to safely and legally use cannabis without fear of having their children permanently removed from their care, provided there are no other concerns regarding the child’s safety,” says Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D), who sponsored the bill.
Higher Risk in Prohibition States
Parents who live in states where cannabis isn’t legal yet will have to face more serious risks. Child Protective Services (CPS) in these states are much stricter when it comes to parents consuming cannabis. The risk grows in proportion to how relaxed cannabis laws are in your state, but parents also have to comply with any state laws.
For example, even if you live in a state that has decriminalized marijuana, laws may not do much to protect parents if you consume recreationally and without a medical marijuana card. Again, it depends on the specific state: some legal protections exist in certain states.
It’s the job of family courts to make sure that the best interest of kids are always protected. Make sure that your kids can’t access marijuana in your home, and don’t accidentally see gummies lying around and ensure that you don’t blow smoke in their face. But you already knew this.
There are still blurred lines when it comes to what’s deemed as acceptable and what’s not; while societal rules are changing, people’s personal norms aren’t because if it’s acceptable to smoke weed outside, how do parents set ground rules at home?
The gray area is challenging at best though it would help if parents have more scientific and factual information about how to discuss marijuana with children at home — and specific guidelines to consume it when they need it.
Indiana lawmakers divided over marijuana legalization. Earlier this year, regulators in the Hoosier state agreed that more research on the potential health benefits and decriminalization of cannabis is required before taking any legislative action. Now, lawmakers have moved from words to deeds.
On Tuesday, the Interim Study Committee on Public Health, Behavioral Health and Human Services hosted a discussion on whether the state should consider legalizing medical or recreational marijuana. Lawmakers from both chambers and parties as well as health officials joined the meeting which saw roughly four hours of testimony on various aspects of marijuana policy, reported FOX59.
“This seems to be an issue that we’ve kind of demonized,” said Sen. Ed Charbonneau (R-Valparaiso), vice chair of the summer study committee. “And by doing that, we’ve never had a real discussion.”
While cannabis advocates made a strong case when laying out arguments for cannabis reform, most criticisms came from the Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council, reported WISH-TV.
Photo by Prostock-Studio/Getty Images
“There was a comment made that legalized states are seeing lower overdose rates. That’s just not the case,” Legislative Counsel Brock Pattersonsaid. “So my point is if you want it regulated, give me an example of where it’s been done right and I can’t find one where, wholesale, it’s done right.”
Mike Ripley, a vice president for health care policy and employment law at the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, had a similar take on marijuana legalization.
“Pre-COVID, post-COVID, the highest priority for Indiana employers is identifying individuals to fill vacant positions, and secondly, finding candidates that can pass a drug test,” Ripley said.
Bryan Hannon of the American Cancer Society wants to see smoking marijuana in public banned, as it “unnecessarily exposes non-marijuana users to health risks.”
Meanwhile, lawmakers did not decide on any legislative action, which is more likely to happen during the 2023 session. Until then, lawmakers plan to consult experts and take public testimony on THC issues.
