One more country has decided to take a meaningful step toward ending marijuana prohibition. Starting next year, citizens of the Czech Republic will be able to grow up to five marijuana plants and possess “several marijuana cigarettes” for personal use, without fear of criminal prosecution. According to the Wall Street Journal: “The plant still remains illegal, however, though from the new year possession of five or less plants is merely a misdemeanor, and fines for possession will be on par with…

Not by any rational standard, but the folks who run the Iditarod, Alaska’s famous sled-dog race, seem to think so.  Yikes.

A report published yesterday in the online journal BMC Neurology says that marijuana might help multiple sclerosis patients find relief from the spasticity and muscle spasms caused by the debilitating autoimmune disease. “We found evidence that cannabis plant extracts may provide therapeutic benefit for MS spasticity symptoms,” said lead researcher Dr. Shaheen Lakhan, executive director of the Global Neuroscience Initiative Foundation. “The therapeutic potential of cannabinoids in MS appears to be…

President Obama is hosting a jobs forum at the White House today -- a gathering of business leaders and policy makers who will discuss the creation of new jobs in America. I wish I was there. If I was in that room, I would stand up, raise my hand, and suggest that we tax and regulate marijuana like alcohol or tobacco. Obama might laugh at me, like he did when we asked him this very question back in March. But I would say it again anyway, because it’s exactly what the president needs to hear. Here…

The Journal of Neuroscience just published a new study that is particularly interesting in light of recent reports that marijuana may effectively substitute for abuse of more dangerous drugs. In the new study, rats were taught to self-administer heroin and conditioned to associate that behavior with a light that flashed on above the lever that dispensed the heroin. At various stages in the procedure, some of the rats were treated with cannabidiol (CBD), a cannabinoid that doesn’t make you high, but…

This holiday season, Facebook users can help MPP and other groups earn money with just the click of a button. The Chase Community Giving Challenge allows users to help decide which organizations receive $5 million from Chase. The first round of voting ends Dec. 11, and the top 100 charities at that point will each receive $25,000. (Winners will be announced Dec. 15.) In January, another round of voting starts for one $1 million prize and five $100,000 prizes. Right now MPP has close to 1,000 votes,…

A new study published in Harm Reduction Journal by researchers at the University of California, Berkley, suggests that marijuana is a safe and effective substitute for alcohol and prescription drugs. In the study, 40 percent of marijuana users said they have used marijuana to control their alcohol addictions, 66 percent said they used marijuana instead of prescription drugs, and 26 percent said marijuana helped them stay off other illegal drugs. According to lead researcher Amanda Reiman: “Substituting…

Yesterday, Israel’s Ministry of Health was ordered to finalize within four months a detailed bill that would regulate the production and marketing of medical marijuana in that country. Additional measures recommended by a government health committee included making sure that medical marijuana remains affordable for patients and implementing safeguards to prevent the drug from reaching illegal users and merchants. Once again, Israel’s government has shown a desire to promote the wellbeing of patients…

My  recent post about medical marijuana and  young patients got picked up by the folks over at OpposingViews.com. And that prompted writer Katherine Ellison, whose New York Times story I'd taken issue with to post the following response: a couple corrections for you Hi, Bruce -- For the record, my byline is Katherine, not Kathy. And I guess I can understand your frustration at not having a story that reflects your advocate's view of marijuana as a safe , cure-all drug, appropriate for all ages. However,…

While many American authorities continue to drag their feet on medical marijuana issues, one of our closest overseas allies is taking another step to help patients for whom marijuana is a safe and reliable treatment. Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer recently became the first hospital in Israel to administer medical marijuana to qualified patients. After a successful pilot program, the new hospital policy allows medical marijuana patients to use their medication either in smoking rooms or in private…