Using marijuana may cause a “complete remission” of Crohn’s disease, a new study suggests. Published in the medical journal Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the study examined the effects of regular marijuana consumption on the development of the severely debilitating Crohn’s disease. Researchers at Israel’s Meir Medical Center found that five of the 11 patients (or nearly half) who smoked twice per day for eight weeks achieved complete remission, compared to none of the patients who were…

Just as marijuana reform advocates predicted, marijuana in a legal market will be safer for users. In response to Colorado and Washington’s legalization laws, laboratories are springing up that test marijuana for its safety, purity, potency, and active ingredients. Like alcohol, the regulatory boards in Colorado and Washington will require marijuana products to carry health warnings, ratings for potency, and certification that the product meets safety standards. The regulations are designed to control…

In May, the organization that regulates the Olympics – the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) – made headlines when it ruled to increase the threshold of permissible marijuana in an athlete’s system from 15 nanograms per milliliter to 150 ng/ml. The WADA based their decision on a few key factors, including changes in state marijuana laws, increasing public support for legalization, and the willingness of outed Olympians who were stripped of their medals or disqualified from competition (such as Michael…

The Partnership at Drugfree.org, formerly known as the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, released a comprehensive survey yesterday of parents’ feelings on marijuana policy reform. Although the organization coordinates with the federal government to stem marijuana use and reinforce prohibitionist laws, the survey, “Marijuana: It’s Legal, Now What?,” presents an objective look at what parents really want to see from lawmakers. The survey found that roughly 70% of adults nationwide support medical…

Many of Michigan’s medical marijuana patients have conditions that limit their ability to smoke marijuana. Often, doctors prefer that patients avoid smoking entirely. However, a recent decision by the Michigan Court of Appeals leaves patients who use medical marijuana edible products, tinctures, and ointments at risk of being arrested! Marijuana patients who are too ill to smoke or prefer a different option should not have to live in fear of arrest. Michigan’s law should accommodate this important…

[caption id="attachment_6102" align="alignright" width="240"] David Boyer[/caption] The Portland Press Herald interviewed David Boyer, the Maine political director of Marijuana Policy Project, about the specifics of Portland’s proposed measure to legalize marijuana for adults. Following a vote by City Council on Monday, June 15, voters residing within city limits will be able to decide whether to remove all civil and criminal penalties for the possession of up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana for adults…

Since August 2012, Arizona has seen 98 registration certificates awarded for those wanting to open medical marijuana dispensaries. Last December saw the opening of the first dispensary, Arizona Organix, and 16 were reportedly open in late April 2013. However, Arizona state government has not been the industry’s biggest supporter. Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne, Rep. John Kavanagh of Fountain Hills, and Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery have all done their part to derail progress for medical…

Portland, Maine may become the first city to defy both state and national marijuana laws. Following a vote by City Council on Monday, July 15, voters residing within city limits will have the opportunity to decide whether to remove all penalties for possession of up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana for adults 21 and older. Portland’s City Council voted 5-1 to send the citizen-initiated marijuana legalization ordinance to voters on a November ballot, rather than immediately adopting it. The ordinance received…

A new study has affirmed that medical marijuana laws do not increase the likelihood that a young person will choose to smoke marijuana recreationally. The study, “Effects of State Medical Marijuana Laws on Adolescent Marijuana Use,” compared teen use rates of marijuana in several states that now have medical marijuana laws from 2003 – 2011. Conducted by researchers at the University of Florida’s College of Medicine, the study was published in the American Journal of Public Health last month. Researchers…

The U.S. House of Representatives approved a revised version of the highly contested Farm Bill yesterday. Although representatives re-crafted the bill to remove provisions for food stamp funding, they left a hemp amendment intact. The amendment would change federal law to allow for colleges and universities to grow hemp for research purposes in states where hemp cultivation and production is permitted by state law. The bill must still pass the Senate before final approval. [caption id="attachment_6722"…