Source: @norml
Posted By: norml@weedconnection.com
media :: media - Mon, 03 Mar 2014 04:20:21 PST
National Black Caucus Of State Legislators Calls For Decriminalizing Marijuana
Washington, DC: Members of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators resolved at their Annual Legislative Conference in favor of decriminalizing marijuana.
"Whereas state and local governments could potentially stand to save billions of dollars that they currently spend regulating marijuana use by decriminalizing the recreational use of marijuana, therefore be it resolved that the National Black Caucus of State Legislators recognizes the decision of the Administration to not challenge the choice made by citizens of these states, and urges the continued respect of state law, and encourages other states to consider decriminalization," members of the Caucus resolved.
They added, "[The] NBCSL supports the states' authority to make a determination as to what age, at or above 18, qualifies as a "legal adult" who may purchase, possess, or consume marijuana [and] ... urges the federal government to reduce the penalties associated with the use and simple possession of marijuana."
The resolution is LJE-14-40: Supporting States' Rights to Decriminalize Marijuana Use.
A 2013 report by the American Civil Liberties Union reported that blacks nationwide were approximately four times as likely as whites to be arrested for marijuana possession in 2010, even though both ethnic groups consumed the substance at similar rates.
The National Black Caucus of State Legislators represents more than 650 African-American legislators from 45 states, the District of Columbia, and the Virgin Islands.
Marijuana-Positive Drug Tests Not Associated With Elevated Risk Of Workplace Accidents
Evansville, IN: Past use of cannabis, as identified by the presence of the inert carboxy THC metabolite on a standard urine test, is not positively associated with workplace accidents, according to data published online in the Journal of Addictive Diseases.
The study's author assessed whether there exists a statistical association between marijuana use and work related accidents by comparing the proportion of cannabis positive urine specimens for post-accident verses random samples in a cohort of employees from five states (Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, and Pennsylvania).
"This study fell short of finding an association between marijuana use and involvement of workplace accidents," the author concluded. He added, "This study cannot be taken as definitive evidence of absence of an association between marijuana and work related accidents but the findings are compelling."
A 2010 review of 20 years of published literature pertaining to cannabis, drug testing, and workplace performance similarly concluded, "[I]t is not clear that heavy cannabis users represent a meaningful job safety risk unless using before work or on the job; urine tests have poor validity and low sensitivity to detect employees who represent a safety risk; ... [and] urinalysis has not been shown to have a meaningful impact on job injury/accident rates."
Full text of the study, "Marijuana use and workplace safety: An examination of urine drug tests," appears in the Journal of Addictive Diseases.
Epilepsy Foundation Calls For Increased Patient Access To Medicinal Cannabis
Landover, MD: The Epilepsy Foundation of America supports patients having the legal option to access whole plant cannabis for therapeutic purposes, and is calling for an end to federal restrictions that unnecessarily burden investigators from conducting clinical research assessing the plant's efficacy, according to statements released publicly by the agency last week.
A statement authored by Philip M. Gattone, President of the Epilepsy Foundation, and Warren Lammert, Chair of the Foundation's Board of Directors reads, "The Epilepsy Foundation supports the rights of patients and families living with seizures and epilepsy to access physician directed care, including medical marijuana. ... If a patient and their healthcare professionals feel that the potential benefits of medical marijuana for uncontrolled epilepsy outweigh the risks, then families need to have that legal option now - not in five years or ten years."
They add: "The Epilepsy Foundation calls for an end to Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) restrictions that limit clinical trials and research into medical marijuana for epilepsy. ... Certain components of medical marijuana, including CBD (cannabidiol), have shown effectiveness in animal studies, and there have been encouraging anecdotal reports from patients. But further research and unbiased clinical trials are needed to establish whether and in what forms medical marijuana is or is not effective and safe. Restrictions on the use of medical marijuana continue to stand in the way of this research."
The paper also calls for "changes to state laws to increase access to medical marijuana as a treatment option for epilepsy, including pediatric use as supported by a treating physician," and recommends "the inclusion of epilepsy as a condition that uses medical marijuana as a treatment option where it is currently available."
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