Tricking drug tests is no easy feat, but there are ways of getting cannabis out of your system, even if they might take some time.
Despite the fact that cannabis is becoming legal in more and more states, there are still organizations that ask for drug tests. It could be a school, a prerequisite for acquiring a job, etc. If you’re a regular cannabis user, it’s important to know how these tests work and how to flush the THC out of your system.
When you consume cannabis, THC stays in your body long after the “high” feeling goes away. Matters get more complex once you account for the fact that there’s no precise way of knowing how long THC will stay in your system once you account for your body weight, metabolism, body fat, physical activity, frequency of use, potency of strain, and much more.
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It’s also important to know which drug test you’ll take since THC’s presence varies depending on what sample of your body the drug test is analyzing. For example, saliva tests have a short reach, measuring the presence of THC consumed a couple of days ago, while hair samples can show THC that was consumed over 3 months ago.
Here are 4 safe ways that can help you get clean for a drug test. Be aware that the more time you have to prepare, the more successful these methods will be. They’ll help your body get rid of toxins, but it’s also important to remember that they can’t create miracles and are a bit of a gamble. In short: if you have a drug test coming up and it’s important for you to get a negative, steer clear of weed until you take it.
Dilution method
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This method works best for tests for urine tests, which measure THC in your urine sample. The dilution method works best when done at least three days ahead of time and it functions by basically drinking a lot of water, thus increasing your urine flow in order to dilute the drug concentration in the sample you’ll be providing. Diuretics like cranberry juice and coffee can help you speed the process along as well.
Since you’ll be drinking tons of fluids and your urine will be pretty clear-colored, NORML suggests taking vitamin B2, since it’ll color your urine yellow and will prevent suspicions from whoever’s analyzing your sample.
If you know when the test will be and are nervous about your possible positive result, try testing yourself at home and checking up on your progress. Many drug abuse centers provide drug tests for free and there are also pharmacies, which sell home kits for drug testing.
Stall for time
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There are a million methods and marijuana detox kits that seem silly at best and dangerous at worst. Don’t fall for them and do your research. Most importantly, if you have a drug test coming up soon, get clean a few weeks in advance and stick to a cannabis-free environment for a while. It’s not forever, and it’ll do your body good to take a break and return to it once you’re stress-free.
The latest version of Congress’s defense bill has left out a number of provisions that were in the House-approved National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), including the much-anticipated marijuana banking reform known as the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act.
Although the House had passed a version of the NDAA in September that included language to protect banking and financial institutions that work with state-legal cannabis companies, that part of the deal was dropped with Tuesday’s bicameral decision.
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Reaction from cannabis advocates was swift.
“We are disappointed that cannabis reform was among a number of important provisions in the House-approved National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that were not included in the latest version of the bill,” said Steven Hawkins, CEO of the U.S. Cannabis Council, in a statement emailed to Benzinga.
“We see the consequences every day of the lack of banking access, from the rash of dispensary robberies to the ongoing challenges of minority and small business owners to secure capital. The SAFE Banking Act would provide urgently needed relief to cannabis businesses of all sizes and put wind in the sails of the broader push to end federal cannabis prohibition.”
The SAFE Banking Act, which would essentially shield banks that work with the cannabis industry from federal criminal prosecution, is viewed as a major threshold for the industry. The hope was that attaching the banking bill to the already approved NDAA would give it a good push over the finish line. Not to mention that the SAFE banking act has had steady bipartisan support.
Though this development is viewed as a setback, some say it is still possible that the newly negotiated legislation could be further revised.
Marijuana Moment reported that the House Rules Committee is expected to take up the measure on Tuesday and that Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO), chief sponsor of the SAFE Banking Act will file an amendment to add his cannabis provisions to the bill.
“The Senate insists on burying its head in the sand and denying every opportunity to reform our outdated cannabis laws to align state and federal law to improve public safety,” Ashley Verville, a spokeswoman for Perlmutter, said. “As a result, Rep. Perlmutter plans to file an amendment to the NDAA at the Rules Committee which would add the SAFE Banking Act back to the bill.”
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, when asked last whether giving cannabis companies access to U.S. banks would facilitate IRS tax collection, replied “Yes, of course it would.”
Researchers from South Africa published a preprint of a study that shows more of how the Omicron variant works.
New evidence is coming out on the Omicron COVID-19 variant. According to a new study, Omicron is capable of producing more reinfections than previous variants of the virus.
The study was conducted in South Africa, where the variant was first detected, and where it continues to rage. Out of 2.8 million positive tests for the Omicron variant, there were 35,670 reinfections, suggesting that Omicron can overcome some of the natural protection developed from a previous infection.
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While these results don’t suggest that Omicron leads to more death and serious disease, it does suggest that it might outpace the Delta variant, resulting in a more problematic virus for the vaccinated and unvaccinated alike.
Experts shared that Omicron’s many mutations might make it more likely to evade immunity. “This does not bode well for vaccine-induced immunity,” virologist Florian Krammer toldScience.
According to Natalie Dean, a biostatistician at Emory University, the study suggests that an early infection provides half as much protection from Omicron as it did against Delta.
As researchers continue to study the variant they’ll begin to draw a clearer picture of the matter. As of this writing, experts hope that the reinfections prompted by the new variant are mild and that the protection granted from vaccines and previous infections will result in a disease that isn’t serious and that will transform COVID-19 into any other disease that can be fought off with a vaccine.
Well-designed virtual reality systems can be used to augment and extend therapy by establishing the proper ‘mindset and setting’ for therapy, and to facilitate post-session cognitive integration.
Legal psychedelic medicine is poised to soon disrupt the multibillion-dollar mental health field. Treatments being trialed today in clinical settings using substances like psilocybin-containing mushrooms will soon offer legal alternatives to the more than 50% of patients receiving therapy for major depressive disorder (MDD) who do not respond to approved depression medications.
As psychedelic substances meet with ever-decreasing resistance from the public — evidenced by the growing number of U.S. cities passing decriminalization laws — the reality of adding psychedelic treatments to the mental health landscape is coming sharper into focus. Along with creating more opportunities of care for patients, the creation of new effective therapies will likely put pressure on healthcare providers to examine the upside of psychedelic therapies and how such treatments will inevitably affect their bottom line.
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While these therapies will not be a cure-all for everyone, over the next three to five years an expanding number of psychedelic treatments will produce alternatives for the many patients who find no relief from FDA-approved, first-line therapeutics like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). How these new systems will roll out is up for debate, but what is certain is the considerable amount of clinician hours that will go into psychedelic therapies.
Since legalizing the use of psilocybin-containing magic mushrooms in 2020 through a ballot measure, Oregon is now in the process of creating an intricate statewide system for qualified caregivers to deliver psilocybin treatments in therapeutic settings. Sessions using psilocybin can last over six hours, which does not include vital therapy before and after treatments.
MDMA-assisted therapy for severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is very close to being an FDA-approved therapy, will likewise require significant clinician involvement before, during and after a session. Ketamine treatments — currently the only psychedelic therapy that is federally legal in the U.S. — has hastened clinics opening up all over North America, providing some degree of relief for those roughly 50% of Americans with MDD who don’t respond to current meds. Just last week, health insurance giant Blue Cross Blue Shield announced eligibility of coverage for ketamine treatments, a major endorsement of such therapies.
All of this relatively recent activity means a considerable bottleneck lies up ahead for clinicians administering psychedelic care at an affordable cost. You can bet that other healthcare payers such as UnitedHealth Group and Anthem are busily crunching numbers and gaming out the more likely psychedelic therapies they will regard as eligible for coverage.
Therapeutic Virtual Reality Is Here
While forward-thinking organizations such as the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) and Fluence have been actively positioning ahead of the curve and educating and training mental health professionals to best treat patients in new psychedelic settings, demand in the near term will surely outpace what providers can deliver — at least at an affordable price for most patients. Experts say the solution involves digital and telemedicine approaches to relieve the inevitably escalating caregiver burden and help build systems that can effectively scale up.
Dr. Walter Greenleaf, renowned neuroscientist and medical technology developer working at Stanford University, believes that the number of current therapists equipped to deliver psychedelic therapies does not match future need. Greenleaf is the foremost authority in the field of digital medicine and medical virtual reality (VR) technology with over three decades of experience. He is often referred to in Silicon Valley circles as the “godfather” of therapeutic VR.
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“To be effective, and to be used safely, psychedelic-assisted therapies are reliant on proper engagement, support, and clinical supervision by trained clinicians,” says Greenleaf. “There are very few of those — therefore, the only way to properly support the use of psychedelics in therapy is to leverage technology.”
His point is well taken. Greenleaf’s current research focus is on developing computer supported clinical products, with a specific emphasis on applying virtual reality and digital health technology to address difficult problems, including for use with therapies designed to treat PTSD, anxiety disorders and depression.
The use of VR in medical settings to provide emotional care is not a new concept. Over the past several years VR has been employed with greater frequency and effectiveness in ways large and small. Recently, the staff at a hospital in Long Beach, California, used virtual reality tech in a simple yet valuable context, distracting young patients during medical procedures like removing a cast.
“Kids need more than medicine. We normalize the environment for pediatric patients, usually through play,” Rita Goshert, director of Memorial’s child life program, told the Long Beach Business Journal. “Our role is to help comfort and distract patients during uncomfortable or anxiety-producing procedures.”
In 2020, the startup Olfactory Virtual Reality (OVR) debuted its Architecture of Scent platform to incorporate smell into therapeutic VR treatments. It has been deployed as VR exposure therapy — also known as “stress inoculation” — for military vets with PTSD. The technology adds memory-provoking scents via cartridges to VR experiences creating real-life sensations, including blood, diesel fuel, smoke and Iraqi spices, explains Neo Life. It’s an effective approach for modern military personnel, many of whom have grown up with digital gaming technology and may be more attracted to this style of interactive VR treatment as a substitute for conventional talk therapy.
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All this activity in the VR industry has meant leaps in tech and a reduction in the cost of VR headsets (they now average approximately $300), which has created more accessibility for users. It has also seen the space expand exponentially. In 2020, VR in the healthcare sector was valued at $2.08 billion and is projected to reach $42.84 billion by 2028.
VR As Prep For Psychedelic Treatments
It was just a matter of time before a company like FireflyVR landed on the scene of the expanding psychedelic therapy field. Their technology, called the Sanctuary, is intended for use in clinical psychedelic-assisted therapies, providing value for clinicians by offering patients a tutorial and self-directed tool before and after treatments.
VR tech of this kind isn’t necessarily what you would think. It’s not an experiential total immersion like OVR’s fragrance gaming-tech simulation of urban warfare. It’s not like the app called Tripp either, the tagline of which is “the fitness solution for your inner self,” geared more as a mindfulness tool for consumers (and also used in some clinical settings) and featuring classical psychedelic visuals.
FireflyVR’s Sanctuary doesn’t feature trippy whirling psychedelic mushrooms or dancing machine elves. No astral projection or communion with the universe. It is not a simulated psychedelic trip. Instead, as the name suggests, the Sanctuary follows the zeitgeist of the psychedelic times.
Meant as a kind of preflight checklist to “reduce pre-procedure anxiety and develop positive intentions when the medicine is eventually administered,” it is a specialized clinical tool intended as an adjunct for therapy sessions. The VR product looks to cover the unmet need of assisting people unfamiliar with the use of psychedelics in clinical settings, as well as the many patients who will come to such therapies with no experience at all in psychedelic substances.
“We created the Sanctuary as a clinical tool using virtual reality to prepare a patient for a transformational psychedelic treatment,” says the CEO of FireflyVR, Shel Mann, whose company has had several years of intensive experience in the medical industry working with managed healthcare concerns like insurance monolith UnitedHealth Group. “We see the Sanctuary being used in clinical settings providing value for both patient and payers.”
A first test drive of the Sanctuary displays scenes that are far more subtle than anticipated. Because the concept of virtual reality lends itself to full-throttle immersion, results can sometimes feel far too overproduced. This wasn’t that. The central scene is quiet and understated. A pleasant room with low lighting, Cubist art and low-slung 1950’s decor. The scene is warm and welcoming. An environment to not rush anything. You could be sitting in the celebrated Esalen Institute in Big Sur (the mecca of internal exploration for over 60 years), surely what the makers had in mind, or a bluff overlooking Yosemite Valley. The overall effect is quietness — precisely what you want prior to a mind-expanding flight.
“Well-designed virtual reality systems can be used to augment and extend therapy by establishing the proper ‘mindset and setting’ for therapy, and to facilitate post-session cognitive integration,” says Greenleaf, who is a scientific advisor to FireflyVR.
While the Sanctuary is still in the process of testing, there are currently key industry players who are interested in FireflyVR’s work. Matt Emmer, Vice President of Healthcare Practice at Field Trip Health, a global leader in the development and delivery of psychedelic therapies with treatment centers across the U.S. and Canada, says the company is currently testing the Sanctuary at their New York and Toronto offices and exploring a strategic relationship with Firefly VR. Mann also shares that other organizations have signed letters of intent to conduct a study of the Sanctuary, including Rochester Mayo Clinic at their integrative medicine and health center.
There will be more opportunities for VR to show its transformational upside, as a cascade of clinical studies is occurring at research universities worldwide — Johns Hopkins, Imperial College London, Maastricht University and UC San Francisco to name just a few. There are also nonprofit and for-profit organizations, including Usona Institute, the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies and Compass Pathways, all working diligently to usher in psychedelic treatments through important clinical trials with the FDA.
Mann believes that VR is especially effective in this field because it “provides small escapes from your own reality and its distractions,” he says, “Therapy often requires visualization. Many people lack strong visualization skills. VR can help fill that gap.”
Greenleaf notes of innovative VR, “We can shift attitudes and behaviors if we can activate the power of the brain’s reward system. This allows us to activate neuroplastic changes and reinforce behaviors and learning.”
That is perhaps one the best outcomes that psychotherapy can offer people: a shift in mindsets and behaviors.
Still, a significant part of the problem is access to mental health services. A current snapshot of a critical mental health professional shortage across the U.S. shows a troubling view of resources nationwide. A 2021 data visualization provided by Rural Health Information Hub (supported by a wing of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services), highlights how a vast majority of U.S. counties fall into the category of “whole county is shortage area” for mental health practitioners.
Virtual reality, much like psychedelic therapy itself, is not a panacea that will singlehandedly fix the problem of access and affordability. But surely VR is a piece of the puzzle that could lend itself to a style of remote medicine that immerses a patient just enough to feel focused, connected and calm when approaching their emotional issues.
The Sanctuary is currently focusing on prep work before a psychedelic experience, says Mann, but with a roadmap that incorporates a comprehensive curriculum, including post-trip integration and eventually for use during actual psychedelic therapy (dependent on the specific molecule).
“The key issue today, which is what we are laser focused on, is that the world demand for mental health care is much greater than the supply, including for psychedelic treatments,” says Mann. “Our mission is to deliver immersive digital solutions that can scale, get this technology to the people that need it, and help solve this issue in tandem with key health providers.”
Whether you’ve noticed are not, some strides in cannabis have already been made in Biden’s short time in office. And more are expected.
President Joe Biden has been a busy man throughout his first year in the Oval Office. From passing stimulus legislation to facilitating the rollout of coronavirus vaccines, it’s hard to imagine when he has time to concern himself with matters regarding cannabis.
But no matter how much Biden has on his plate, cannabis enthusiasts can rest assured that there are plans in place for the young, budding industry. Here are some ways the administration has already made its impact on the world of cannabis.
Cannabis Research
One of the main factors that contributed to the stigma that’s tainted marijuana is the lack of research that has been conducted on the substance. For decades, all federally-approved marijuana research has been primarily conducted from marijuana sourced directly from a facility located on the campus of the University of Mississippi. The current monopoly on marijuana research makes finding details about the marijuana available in dispensaries an uphill climb.
Fortunately, verbiage included in the recently passed infrastructure bill makes it possible for various cannabis companies to become federally approved cannabis manufacturers for research purposes. The legislation which is currently headed to the President desk, calls for the release of a report detailing the effects of marijuana and impaired driving from the transportation secretary, attorney general and secretary of health and human services. The report is slated to be released two years after the bill is signed into law.
Banking Access
Along with making cannabis research more accessible, the Biden administration has also created a framework to make it easier for banks to do business with marijuana-related businesses. When legalized medical marijuana originally entered the fray, most transactions were cash-only presenting numerous problems for cannabis retailers. Nearly three decades later, many marijuana retailers are still encountering the same obstacles.
To the benefit of marijuana retailers, politicians on Capitol Hill have taken note and drafted legislation aimed at helping cannabis retailers overcome those obstacles. The SAFE Banking act is a part of the recently-passed National Defense Spending Act (NDAA) which is currently awaiting committee approval before being signed into law by the President. Congressman Ed Perlmutter, serving the 7th congressional district of Colorado, originally introduced the legislation that would provide federal protections to legally operating marijuana businesses in 2019.
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How the Biden Administration Could Decriminalize Cannabis
Although certain decisions the Biden Administration has made regarding marijuana are likely to have a profound impact for years to come, many cannabis enthusiasts are eager to see whether or not the administration proceeds with further decriminalization efforts such as full legalization and record expungement.
While there are no concrete plans to remove marijuana from the list of Schedule 1 substances, DC politicians have provided numerous opportunities to do so with the help of Congress.
The Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act, for example, was reintroduced before the House of Representatives in May of 2021 after passing the House, but stalling in the Senate in December of 2020. In July of 2021, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer proposed legislation that would eliminate cannabis from the Controlled Substances Act, while introducing regulations that would tax cannabis products. The bill, called the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act, would need to garner 10 republican votes in order to reach the threshold of 60 votes needed to pass the senate.
Cannabis has become an unlikely source of relief for many suffering from PMS. Here are some products that could ease the discomfort.
Periods affect women in unpredictable ways. While some may feel a general sense of grumpiness and discomfort, a significant group of women experience rough menstrual periods, where they are faced with crippling pain and symptoms such as nausea, muscle aches, abdominal pressure and more. Some cannabis products can help cope with your period.
While women have turned to all sorts of medications and practices for relief, marijuana has become an option to alleviate a variety of symptoms.
The cannabis industry has capitalized on this need, creating products to treat these symptoms, such as cannabis suppositories and tampons, which provide localized and fast relief. But there’s also soaks and bath salts to relax your entire body while targeting other symptoms aside from the pain in your uterus. Here are four of the best cannabis menstruation products you can find.
Cannabis suppositories are meant to provide fast-acting pain relief. Taking around 15 – 20 minutes to kick in, cannabis suppositories affect your pelvis region, relaxing your muscles and uterus. Depending on the brand, suppositories can contain more or less THC, with there being CBD options as well.
While cannabis suppositories are mostly mentioned when discussing periods, they can treat a wide range of ailments. They can make sex less painful, treat constipation and hemorrhoids, and more. The most popular of these products is made by Foria, a company that also makes cannabis lubricants and oils.
Soaks and bath salts
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A good remedy against pain and period cramps is relaxation, which can be facilitated with a nice long bath and some fancy bath salts. These can be effective and powerful, providing relief for up to 5 hours, and maybe leaving you a little loopy after your bath. Use with care. There’s a variety of brands making these products, including Vertly, Happy Dance, and more.
Tinctures are very concentrated and strong, healing your pain with just a few drops if you can stomach the powerful and oily taste. They’re placed under your tongue, and they act fast, within 10 minutes you’ll experience effects, hopefully getting some much-needed relief for your cramps. Tinctures are also a great and safe option for consuming during the daytime, because they won’t make you feel high at all.
Cannabis balms can be used anywhere on the body, providing analgesic effects. Products like Love Your Lady Parts allow you to scoop a spoonful of product and apply it, providing an effective, if a bit messy, option for pain and cramp relief. Wear your least favorite underwear.
When it comes to creams, there’s a wide variety of products that can be applied on your lower back and abdomen, areas commonly affected by period pains, while providing effective pain relief. Popular brands like Lord Jones and Well Care Botanicals make some of the best-reviewed products on the market.
While testifying at a recent House subcommittee hearing, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and National Institute On Drug Abuse (NIDA) signaled their willingness to align with a White House proposal that seeks to streamline the process of researching Schedule I drugs.
The federal government’s treatment of Schedule I drugs, which includes LSD, MDMA, cannabis and peyote, is defined by the DEA as having “no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse” has prevented many beneficial drugs from being readily obtained and studied by researchers.
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Studies are showing that cannabis and a variety of psychedelic drugs are proving effective for treating a range of mental injuries, for instance, clinical studies of MDMA-assisted therapy to treat PTSD, which is currently in Phase III trials with the FDA.
Marijuana Moment reported that the DEA has said in written testimony that “expanding access to Schedule I research is a critical part of the DEA’s mission to protect public safety and health.”
The proposal looks to align research limitations of Schedule I drugs with those of less-restricted Schedule II drugs, which include effective and widely prescribed drugs like hydrocodone, Adderall and Ritalin. Researchers and policymakers alike have pointed out that existing protocols for studying Schedule I substances have for decades restricted essential research of therapies that could save lives.
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“It is critical that the scientific and medical community study Schedule I substances, as some may turn out to have therapeutic value,” DEA principal deputy administrator Louis Milione said. “DEA supports the administration’s legislative proposal’s expansion of access to Schedule I research. DEA looks forward to continuing to work with the research community and our interagency partners to facilitate Schedule I research.”
Current regulations include onerous situations where each researcher involved in a Schedule I drug study must obtain individual DEA registration. The proposal would make it possible for multiple researchers at a given institution to be authorized to participate under a single registration and potentially extend to multiple location sites as well.
Nora Volkow, director of NIDA, has voiced her opposition to the handling of Schedule I drugs and how such rules impede viable research. “One of the barriers that has actually been noted is that cannabis, by being a Schedule I substance, requires certain procedures that actually can be very lengthy,” Volkow said. “In some instances, it detracts researchers who want to investigate it because it’s just much more cumbersome than doing studies with other substances.”
COVID-19 can leave long-term effects that people may have missed if they didn’t confirm their original diagnosis with a doctor.
We’ve been in the ebb and flow of the COVID-19 pandemic since early 2020. The disease has disrupted our lives, to the degree where a 2019 world — one without worrying over face masks, travel, and COVID-19 variants — seems almost unthinkable. Here are 3 signs you may already have had COVID-19.
Throughout the past two years, it’s possible for people to have gotten COVID-19 and then to have received their vaccines, or for them to have gotten their vaccines and then have caught COVID-19, or any of these in order.
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It’s also possible for people to have had COVID-19 without knowing about it. In fact, many of them may be experiencing symptoms of long COVID-19 without knowing they’re related to the disease. Since some of these symptoms are so strange, it’s understandable not to connect them to a virus that’s considered mostly respiratory. These people may no longer be dealing with the COVID-19 virus, yet may still be reckoning with debilitating symptoms.
Here are three of the most common and concerning symptoms that suggest you’ve had COVID-19 and are dealing with its long term symptoms:
In conversation with Medscape, Dr. Anthony Fauci spoke about extreme fatigue. “And it’s extraordinary how many people have a post-viral syndrome that’s very strikingly similar to myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome. They just don’t get back to normal energy or normal feeling of good health,” he said. This condition worsens when people are exposed to extraneous physical and mental stress, but, unlike other forms of fatigue, doesn’t get better when people rest and sleep.
Muscle pain
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Another common side effect of long COVID is muscle aches and pain, also known as myalgia. This pain is strong and can be confused for other conditions, such as a pulled muscle or even a heart attack when the pain is located in the chest area.
Brain fog
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Lastly, brain fog is another symptom that has been extensively reported. This blanket term envelops things like confusion, feeling scattered brain, and even forgetting the events of a trip or a moment you spent with friends and family. “There are thousands of people who have that,” Dr. Igor Koralnik, Professor of Neurology and Chief of Neuro-infectious Diseases and Global Neurology at Northwestern Medicine, told the New York Times.
“The impact on the workforce that’s affected is going to be significant.” Brain fog is one of the most mysterious side effects of COVID-19. It can affect anyone who suffered from it, even if their symptoms were mild.
In order to know if these symptoms are a sequel of a COVID-19 infection or if they’re an underlying condition of something else, it’s important to talk to a doctor and to get an expert opinion. Aside from providing some clarification, an expert may also suggest viable ways of moving forward and improving these symptoms. Hopefully these 3 signs you may have already had COVID-19 is helpful.
The Sensible Marijuana campaign was four signatures short of qualifying the measure to be voted on last month. However, findings suggest that officials incorrectly marked several signatures as invalid.
Ohio lawmakers filed a bill to legalize cannabis in the state recently.
The move comes on the heels of a recent push to place a full marijuana legalization initiative on the Ohio ballot, with activists nearing completion of the first phase of their signature drive for the cause.
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The legislation was formally introduced by Reps. Jamie Callender (R) and Ron Ferguson (R), almost two months following the first announcement of their plan to legalize the plant.
Ohio Adult Use Act would allow adults 21 and older to purchase and possess up to 50 grams of cannabis. Moreover, the cultivation of up to six plants, with only three being mature, would be permitted for personal use under the new bill, as well as gifting up to 25 grams of marijuana between adult consumers without remuneration.
Money from a 10% tax on marijuana sales would go to the state’s general revenue, law enforcement, mental health, addiction treatment and recovery services.
The state Department of Commerce would regulate the new recreational marijuana and existing medical cannabis program and issue business licenses through a new Division of Marijuana Control.
The new bill would also limit regulators to approve only one retail cannabis dispensary license per 60,000 residents in the state up until January 1, 2027.
While provisions to promote social equity by expunging prior cannabis convictions or prioritizing licensing for communities most impacted by prohibition were left out from the introduced version of the bill, a spokesperson in the lawmaker’s office told Marijuana Moment that “it is still the plan to add any needed language on the subject once we get it to committee. Conversations on modifications are continuing, but with Thanksgiving here and the end of the year approaching, we wanted to get the ball rolling with introduction.”
Ohio Activists Prove Local Marijuana Decriminalization Initiative Had Enough Signatures After All
In the meantime, marijuana activists in the Buckey State recently proved that they had indeed turned in enough valid signatures to put a local decriminalization initiative before Kent voters after having missed the 2021 ballot due to a verification error made by county officials, as The Portagerreported.
According to The Portage County Board of Elections, the Sensible Marijuana campaign was four signatures short of qualifying the measure to be voted on last month. Kent is in Portage County.
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However, activists’ findings suggest that officials incorrectly marked several signatures as invalid.
A bipartisan team asked by the Portage County Board to examine the three-part petitions from the Sensible Marijuana petition found that the ballot initiative had garnered 815 signatures, well above 806 necessary to trigger a referendum.
“This was the outcome we expected from the beginning,” said Sensible Kent campaign manager Michael Fricke.
Now that the Board of Elections is expected to notify Kent City Council of its updated findings, it remains to be seen what the council will do next.
Years of petitioning the DEA to remove cannabis from the controlled substance act have yielded no positive results, in spite of its proven and established therapeutic potential.
Imagine pushing for marijuana legislation for decades, just for a drug produced from a more potent and harmful controlled substance to receive more support from the DEA.
Very few people would have guessed that the “cocaine versus cannabis” discussion would come to light this year, and fewer still would have guessed that it would be the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) working tirelessly to see that a cocaine-derived drug is rescheduled before cannabis on a federal level.
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Scheduling System in America
The federal government of the U.S. authorizes the DEA to regulate all forms of drugs. The DEA is in charge of classifying or scheduling a drug depending on its therapeutic value and its potential to be abused.
According to the DEA policies, drugs like cocaine and marijuana are scheduled due to their relative potential for abuse being higher than their medical value. The hindrance of this scheduling process is that it prevents in-depth clinical trials from being carried out on these substances.
The current schedule system could be described as “flawed.” Marijuana, which is a fast-rising medical drug, is classified as a Schedule 1 drug, meaning that it has no medical value and a high potential for abuse. Whereas cocaine, which has an established reputation of posing one of the highest risks of abuse and little medical value, is a Schedule 2 drug. All these and more are some of the reasons why the majority are confused about the DEA’s stance on decriminalizing a cocaine-derived drug before cannabis.
The DEA’s Petition for Policy Change
Some weeks back, the DEA announced its proposal to remove the cocaine derivative from its current schedule. The agency also implied that the drug would be completely decriminalized, meaning all civil and criminal punishments associated with the drug’s use and sale would be resolved.
In defense of this proposal, the DEA wrote that the drug, [18 F] FP-CIT, could be effective in diagnosing adult patients suspected of suffering from Parkinsonian syndromes. It would be used in the evaluation phase to visualize striatal dopamine transporters (DAT). The process itself would use a positron emission tomography (PET) imaging system.
The first time a rescheduling petition was submitted on this drug was in June 2018. The Advanced Imaging Projects, as well as other federal agencies played a role in processing the application.
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The HHS’s Role In This Policy Change
The new announcement has been put up for public comments till December 6. This session will see to it that the due process which ought to take place before a drug schedule is revised is accounted for. The reclassification of this cocaine derivative by the DEA has been under wraps for several months. The agency had been busy gathering information and data which was subsequently passed along to the Health and Human Services (HHS) department, along with the petition. They also requested a scientific and medical evaluation for the drug, as well as a scheduling recommendation.
Following this request, the HHS, FDA and the National Institute on Drug Abuse worked together to offer a recommendation. Reports have it that HHS established that the new derivative happens to have more abuse potential than cocaine. In some behavioural assessments, the drug showed more potency with respect to its effect on dopamine transporters. When taken in high doses, the user might get hooked, especially when the impeding effect of very low concentrations of the available ” radioligand” is not taken into account.
However, the HHS concluded that FP-CIT does not correspond with the description of schedule 2 drugs, nor does it match the findings for any other schedule.
What’s Next?
The Attorney General has delegated the CSA to establish whether or not the drug should be rescheduled. To do this, the CSA has requested the DEA to prove that the HHS’s medical and scientific evaluation is accurate.
The DEA has reviewed the HHS’s report and other important data. It has also completed an eight-factor review document to support the scheduling recommendation provided by HHS pursuant to 21 U.S.C. 811 ( c).
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The following are the eight factors considered in this review.
Up-to-date available scientific evidence about the drug.
The actual or relative potential of the drug to be abused.
The physiological dependence risk of the drug.
Whether or not the drug is a precursor of an already scheduled substance under the CSA’s control.
Scientific evidence of the pharmacological effect of the drug.
Previous and current history of the drug’s abuse patterns.
Risk to public health and,
Information about the scope, duration and significance of abuse.
What This Means for Federal Cannabis Legalization
The main concern cannabis advocates have about this move by the DEA is that cannabis reforms would fare better with this type of action. It appears that the scheduling review process of the derived-cannabis drug would.be followed up with changes. This is bewildering.
Federal cannabis reform has taken ages to get to this current point, and it still faces a very difficult phase before it can be achieved.
Years of petitioning the DEA to remove cannabis from the controlled substance act have yielded no positive results, in spite of its proven and established therapeutic potential. The DEA has also rejected motions to simply schedule cannabis based on its medical value. Advocates have also challenged the agency’s rulings through lawsuits, and whatnot. None of these has served the movement, nor has it caused any change in the schedule 1 classification of cannabis.
Bottom Line
The closest cannabis has gotten to a schedule review came last year when the DEA completely removed Epidiolex from Schedule 5 of the CSA. The marijuana-derived drug is produced from purified CBD.
The DEA can only postpone this review for a few years at most. A judge was quoted as having said that the DEA may soon consider a policy change due to the medical potential of cannabis. For [18F] FP-CIT, the DEA has disclosed that the drug does not fall under any CSA controlled schedule. Let’s see how this would eventually play out.
