Marijuana Blog

Despite technically being on the same side, marijuana reform activists continue to duke it out with one another in pursuit of the “perfect” plan to end prohibition in the state of Massachusetts.

A couple of organizations wielding two very different proposals with the intent of legalizing recreational marijuana will go to war this week to determine which group will reign victorious in their effort to earn a spot on the ballot in the 2016 election.

Instead of combining their resources to embark on a powerful campaign to bring an end to prohibition, the two groups—which are expected to submit the language of their initiatives to Attorney General Maura Healey before the end of the week—are hell bent on legalizing weed their own way. One proposes establishing a taxed and regulated cannabis industry, while the other suggests imposing just enough regulation to drive out the black market.

Although it is likely that both initiatives will be cleared by the state to begin collecting the necessary signatures for inclusion on next year’s ballot, it will ultimately be up to each group’s financial competence and their ability to drum up support for their respective initiatives that will dictate their success in the next phase of the game.

Read More:http://www.hightimes.com/read/massachusetts-pot-activists-battle-each-other-over-legalization

Two groups will file petitions for ballot measures Wednesday that would legalize marijuana for recreational adult use in Massachusetts, likely setting the stage for a fierce battle at the November 2016 ballot box.

But there’s another slow-burning conflict.

The groups’ efforts represent two fundamentally different philosophies on legalization. One would create a new regulation, taxation, and bureaucratic regimen for marijuana with similarities to the way alcohol is overseen in Massachusetts. The other is more focused on individual liberty, avoiding heavy regulation or any special taxes on the substance.

At the core of the divide are questions about personal freedom, the right role of government, and to what degree marijuana commerce should be overseen by the state. But there’s also another issue at play: What would a majority of Massachusetts voters support next fall?

Voters in four states — Colorado, Washington, Oregon, and Alaska — and the District of Columbia have already legalized marijuana for recreational use.

Read More:https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/08/04/two-groups-push-marijuana-legalization-measures/p0R7ubyFtegg2HiLMI9PXL/story.html

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A new working paper by the National Bureau of Economic Research reveals states with active medical marijuana dispensary systems are cutting 7% of illegal opioid deaths annually- but states with legalized dispensaries cut that rate by 20%.

The working paper titled, ‘DO MEDICAL MARIJUANA LAWS REDUCE ADDICTIONS AND DEATHS RELATED TO PAIN KILLERS?’ was written by David Powell, Rosalie Liccardo Pacula, Mireille Jacobson. It was published on the NBER website in July of 2015.

Powell and Pacula work for the RAND Corporation in Santa Monica, California; Jacobson works at the University of California – Irvine. All three are credited as being with the NBER. The Working Paper was funded by the RAND Corporation via a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

“If marijuana is used as a substitute for powerful and addictive pain relievers in medical marijuana states, a potential overlooked positive impact of medical marijuana laws may be a reduction in harms associated with opioid pain relievers, a far more addictive and potentially deadly substance,” the Abstract begins.

After a detail on methodology, the Abstract concludes: “we find that states permitting medical marijuana dispensaries experience a relative decrease in both opioid addictions and opioid overdose deaths compared to states that do not. We find no impact of medical marijuana laws more broadly; the mitigating effect of medical marijuana laws is specific to states that permit dispensaries.”

Read More:http://www.theweedblog.com/michigans-medical-marijuana-dispensaries-saving-lives-could-save-more/

Strawberry Cough (Hybrid)