Medical Marijuana

A recent report claims that an unintentional, surprising side-effect of medical marijuana has emerged: the likeliness that more people will make Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) claims. But while the study, which was conducted by researchers at Temple University, Johns Hopkins University and the University of Cincinnati, posits their theory on figures provided by data from the 1990 to 2013 Current Population Survey by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, are the reasons behind this correlation as definitive?

MMJ AND SSDI: FACTS AND FIGURES

According to the report—which is categorized as a “working paper,” or one in its preliminary stages—states where MMJ is legalized experienced a 9.9 percent increase in SSDI claims, as well as a 2.6 percent increase in SSDI benefits.

Read More:http://hightimes.com/news/surprising-side-effect-medical-marijuana/

Despite the fact that the Philippines has become the murder capital of the world when it comes to dealing with its drug offenders, the nation’s legislative forces are giving serious consideration to a proposal that could lead to the legalization of marijuana for medicinal use. The Philippines house committee has so far been particularly open to the idea.

EARLY APPROVAL BY PHILIPPINES HOUSE COMMITTEE

According to a report from CNN, a House committee recently put its stamp of approval on a bill called the “Philippine Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act,” which would allow patients suffering from a variety of conditions to have access to cannabis products.

The measure, which was brought to the table by Isabela First District Representative Rodolfo Albano, is similar to some of the medical marijuana laws that have been passed recently in the United States.

Read More:http://hightimes.com/news/world/philippines-house-committee-marijuana/

According to researchers, a new study finds that 25 percent of all cancer patients use medical marijuana. “All cancer patients” in this case refers to the over 900 cancer patients who participated in the research. The other findings of this study confirm two things: cancer patients may find relief from medical cannabis. And they want to get more information about it.

THE STUDY

Cancer researchers based in Seattle, Washington conducted this study by surveying 926 cancer patients. All of the patients lived in Washington, where cannabis is legal for both medicinal and recreational purposes. The ages of the patients involved in the study ranged from 46 to 66 years old, although the median age of the participants was 58. The purpose of the study was to get an idea of how many cancer patients use cannabis.

Read More:http://hightimes.com/news/study-25-percent-cancer-patients-use-medical-marijuana/

BATON ROUGE, La.  -- Southern University has selected a vendor to run its medical marijuana program.

The university's Board of Supervisors on Friday (Sept. 22) chose Lafayette-based Advanced Biomedics, LLC, to grow the marijuana for Southern, which will receive more than $6 million over five years.

Advanced Biomedics will produce pharmaceutical grade medicines for patients with cancer, HIV/AIDS, cachexia or wasting syndrome, seizure disorders, epilepsy, spasticity, Chrohn's disease, muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis. Under the law, marijuana can be available in medicinal oils, pills, sprays and topical applications, but cannot be sold in a form that can be smoked.

Read More:http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/09/southern_university_chooses_co.html

Although it's becoming more commonplace, medical marijuana is rarely discussed in U.S. medical schools, a new study shows.

"Medical education needs to catch up to marijuana legislation," said senior author Dr. Laura Jean Bierut, a professor of psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

"Physicians in training need to know the benefits and drawbacks associated with medical marijuana so they know when or if, and to whom, to prescribe the drug," she explained in a school news release.

Marijuana is now legal -- at least for medical purposes -- in more than half the states in the country, the researchers said.

Read More:http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/news/20170919/9-of-10-docs-unprepared-to-prescribe-marijuana

Contrary to the popular image of stoners as party animals, many cannabis users may just want to go to sleep, if a Denver-area survey is a reliable indicator. The survey, conducted by Consumer Research Around Cannabis, found that only pain relief rivals sleep as a reason for using marijuana.

Consumer Research surveyed 1,258 marijuana users in the Denver metropolitan area and nearby parts of Wyoming and Nebraska.

Read More:https://www.forbes.com/sites/debraborchardt/2017/09/19/marijuana-users-arent-hard-core-partiers-they-just-want-to-sleep/#5630f30b30b1