WeedLife News Network

With the decriminalization of cannabis comes a list of questions and concerns over its medical and recreational use – including figuring out how long the drug's effects actually last for.

While society has had decades to question the relationship between alcohol consumption and intoxication, the duration of impairment from inhaling or ingesting weed has been more anecdotal than scientific.

A meta-analysis of 80 papers published last year narrowed down this timeframe. Depending on factors such as how the cannabis is consumed and how strong it is, the user can remain impaired for between three and 10 hours.

This information can help inform advisory information given to patients, help recreational users make better decisions about performing tasks such as driving after consuming cannabis, and help update the laws to better reflect the reality of cannabis impairment.

"THC can be detected in the body weeks after cannabis consumption, while it is clear that impairment lasts for a much shorter period of time," psychopharmacologist Iain McGregor from the University of Sydney (USYD) in Australia explained in 2021.

"Our legal frameworks probably need to catch up with that and, as with alcohol, focus on the interval when users are more of a risk to themselves and others. Prosecution solely on the basis of the presence of THC in blood or saliva is manifestly unjust."

By all accounts, it appears the first Camp Cannabis festival, which took place Friday and Saturday at Marquette’s Tourist Park, was a success.

Recreational marijuana was legalized in Michigan with the 2018 election, so it probably was a matter of time before somebody stepped up with a festival to celebrate it.

The event marked the Upper Peninsula’s largest cannabis consumption event, with numerous educational sessions and vendors. For example, the program listed events such as a cannabis flower demonstration, “Ingestibles 101,” “What is Clean, Quality Cannabis?” and “Cannabinoids Explained.”

The Fire Station Cannabis Co. put on the event.

Although the city of Marquette police log had a few items that might have been connected to Camp Cannabis, it basically was a peaceful event, and definitely did not resemble “Reefer Madness” — although the smell of weed was in the air.

In fact, the program had a full-page emergency evacuation plan in case an evacuation was needed, with various exits explained. There also were campground rules with set quiet hours, and alcohol permitted only in beer tents so cannabis consumption could take place throughout the park.

One-third of applicants receive funding, many also receive additional TIF funding.

Taurance Thomas has sold hospital scrubs to select customers for more than seven years, but his dream is to open a brick-and-mortar retail store in Springfield that focuses on urban clothing.

The 50-year-old Springfield resident hopes to bring that dream to fruition by the end of the year in a leased building at 2701 Old Rochester Road.

The $40,000 that Thomas' business, Urban Vines, was awarded recently through the city's Business Assistance Cannabis Grant Program, along with an additional $40,000 in tax-increment financing funds that most grant recipients qualified for, were key to the project's progress, Thomas said.

"It means everything to bring that dream to life," he said.

Thomas' future store was among 22 grants to minority-owned businesses in the first round of allocations from the city's share of recreational cannabis taxes.

V.P. Kamala Harris’ comments came days after President Biden’s historic pardons.

Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday urged both Congress and state governments to follow the Biden administration’s lead and decriminalize marijuana.

Harris’ comments, made during an interview on “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” came less than a week after President Joe Biden issued pardons to individuals who have previously been convicted of a cannabis-related offense under federal law.

“Let me just start with saying this. I strongly believe, and the majority of Americans agree, nobody should have to go to jail for smoking weed, right?” Harris said, as quoted by Yahoo. “We’re urging governors and states to take our lead and to pardon people who have been criminalized for possession of marijuana. And ultimately though, as with so many issues, if Congress acts, then there is a uniform approach to this and so many other issues. But Congress needs to act.”

On Thursday, Biden announced that he will issue pardons to all individuals with federal convictions of simple marijuana possession, a move that will affect thousands of Americans.

In the announcement, Biden made the same points that his vice president deployed in her late night interview, urging “all Governors to do the same with regard to state offenses.”

A youth marijuana prevention presentation will take place in Reeds Spring on Thursday, Oct. 13.

Laura Stack, the founder and CEO of Johnny’s Ambassadors will be the guest speaker at the free community event, which will take place at the Reeds Spring Middle School from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The event is being presented by several local organizations, including the Stone County Health Department. 

“Laura Stack is a national speaker that shares her experiences with her son Johnny and how he got into the high potency THC,” Prevention Specialist for the Stone County Health Coalition Sharon Perkins said in an email. “Laura has started an organization called Johnny’s Ambassadors in honor of her son.

Laura speaks how the high potency THC is not like it used to be back in the 1970’s. Laura will share how if our youth use the high potency THC it will change their brain chemistry.” 

According to the Johnny’s Ambassadors website, the organization is on a mission to educate teens, parents, and communities about the dangers of today’s high-THC marijuana on adolescent brain development, mental illness, and suicide. They focus on youth marijuana awareness, prevention, and education.

Primarily, the organization shares data-driven facts and clear messaging with teens and parents to reduce the likelihood they will use marijuana and stop progression to more problematic use. Their goals are to keep youth from using marijuana and increase their perception of harm in using.

GLOCESTER - Police in Rhode Island have a warning for parents ahead of Halloween.

Officers in Glocester pulled over a car and found more than 200 edible marijuana products. They were packaged like cereal snacks similar to Rice Krispies Treats, Cocoa Pebbles and Trix. 

"These treats can easily be mistaken for the popular name brand snacks that you could purchase in the store," the police department said.

Police say this is a good reminder to always check your kids' Halloween candy.

CBS News reported last year that children are increasingly overdosing on marijuana edibles as more states legalize marijuana and edibles become more common in homes with children. 

It’s time to respond to our next major drug epidemic.

For years, the opioid crisis has been the leading concern when it comes to substance use. There’s certainly good reason for this emphasis, but as a result, the harms associated with other drugs have successfully been able to avoid the spotlight.

In my view, cannabis use is now the biggest contributor to mental health and substance use problems that, up until quite recently, nobody was talking about. While it may not be the most toxic substance on earth, it is arguably the one where the largest chasm exists between its actual dangers (which are substantial) and its perceived dangers (which to a lot of people are zero).

Similar to the science of global warming, research demonstrating the risks of cannabis has been steadily growing over the years to the point of being overwhelming.

Perhaps the scariest risks have to do with psychosis and psychotic disorders, particularly with the ultra-potent products now dominating the market, but there is also plenty of evidence for other things such as suicide, anxiety, PTSD, harms to a developing fetus, and progression to so-called “harder” drugs such as opiates and methamphetamines.

In contrast to the stereotype of cannabis users as silly and docile, research shows links between its use and violence with cannabis being a significant part of the lives of a disturbing percentage of mass shooting perpetrators.

CHICAGO - Advocates and state lawmakers are pushing for more fairness in the cannabis industry.

They gathered on Tuesday in the West Loop to call on state leaders and regulators to do more to help business owners to get what's called "social equity cannabis licenses."

"The cannabis industry for social equity was to hire Black and brown people in communities that were hardest hit and we have not realized that yet," said State Rep. LaShawn Ford (D-8th).

The activists said Gov. JB Pritzker and state lawmakers need to do more to cut red tape and lower barriers to entry. They want to see more loans and grants distributed and more leniency for people who need more time to open their businesses so these license holders can compete with big cannabis corporations.

They also want producers to be able to grow more cannabis.

Farmington Hills is hosting two public feedback sessions next week on the commercial cannabis industry, welcoming residents and members of the business community to share opinions and concerns.

“Cannabis Conversations” — outreach and education sessions — will run Oct. 3 from 6 to 8 p.m. and Oct. 4 from 9 to 11 a.m. at the city council chambers at Farmington Hills city hall, 31555 W. 11 Mile Rd.

At the sessions, the public will also hear results from the city’s recent information gathering efforts with commercial cannabis industry representatives on production and retail distribution of marijuana.

Cannabis Conversations are open to all members of the public and will also be livestreamed on YouTube. They will also be recorded and posted on the city’s website main page.

Questions can be submitted prior to or during the meetings via email to psmith@fhgov.com. Public comments will be limited to three minutes each.

For additional information, go to the City of Farmington Hills website at www.fhgov.com and click on the Cannabis Information Outreach icon.

Whether it's to boost motivation, facilitate recovery or find more pleasure in exercise, weed can be your new exercise partner.

FAIRFIELD - A town task force decided to take action after finding evidence of underage drug use at a local park.

Fairfield CARES Community Coalition, a town-created task force aimed at addressing youth drug and alcohol use, recently helped get community watch signs installed at the entrances of the Mary Katona Memorial Open Space.

Catherine Hazlett, the coalition's program director, said this became necessary after nearby residents repeatedly found marijuana and vaping products discarded around the open space.

Parents encouraged to talk to their kids early and often to prevent substance abuse.

SAN DIEGO - San Diego health officials last week highlighted the mental health-related risks of marijuana, particularly frequent use of high-potency cannabis among youth.

The potency of cannabis — measured by the amount of THC found in products — has been on the rise for years, with a roughly 0.20 percent increase every year from 1970 to 2017, according to a study published by the Society for the Study of Addiction. THC is the chemical that gives cannabis its effect.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which cites various studies, regular use of marijuana, especially high-potency cannabis, is a risk factor for psychosis and mental health disorders such as schizophrenia.

Among youth, the risk is greater.

It’s for this reason that officials with Family Health Centers of San Diego, Scripps Mercy Hospital and Marijuana Prevention Initiative urged parents last week to talk to their children early and often about the risks. The Marijuana Prevention Initiative held a news conference Thursday at the City Heights Family Health Center.

Cannabis is often marketed and presented as a less problematic drug than its contemporaries alcohol and tobacco.

However, just like everything else in this world, there is a risk associated with cannabis use.

Lucky for you, dear reader, there are ways to mitigate this risk while still partaking.

In a new review of previous studies published in the International Journal of Drug Policy, scientists have created general guidelines for lower-risk cannabis use. 

The article contains 12 recommendations, but there are a few major, actionable guidelines: Delay cannabis use until adulthood, avoid high-potency THC products, use infrequently, abstain from inhalation methods and refrain from driving high. 

First is waiting until adulthood. Luckily, you have confirmed you’re at least 21 to enter this section, so you’re at much lower risk than adolescents for cannabis use. Cannabis use prior to the completion of puberty is associated with “adverse health and psycho-social effects, especially in those who engage in intensive use,” according to the study.

While societal rules are changing, people’s personal norms aren’t because if it’s acceptable to smoke weed outside, how do parents set ground rules at home?

As of the time of writing, 18 states and the District of Columbia have already legalized marijuana for recreational use. A majority of US states have also approved it for medicinal use. In these areas, it’s legal for adults over the age of 18 — parents included — to consume marijuana the way they would a bottle of beer.

However, the stigma is still there. The cultural bias can still be astounding especially for parents who need marijuana the most. Each state has its own specific laws regarding cannabis use though in many cases, it’s far too easy to charge a parent for endangerment or even child neglect if they consume marijuana and others suspect that their children are being put at risk.

While we’re living in terrific times — legal marijuana and all — parents must still think carefully and strategize around cannabis consumption. Whether or not your cannabis use puts your child at risk, it will depend on many things such as how conservative your social circle is, whether you act impaired around your child or not, and what your lawyer thinks.

Unfortunately, there are many gray areas still at this time when it comes to parenting, child safety, and marijuana use.

There are many parents who have no problem consuming responsibly. After all, what ‘harm’ is being done when you smoke a few puffs when your kid is in bed? Then there again, there are also those who abuse it, and they give the rest of the responsible parents a bad rap.

The dispensary will be rolling into Fort Worth Oct. 8 and Dallas Oct 10.

Though the cannabis legalization movement in the U.S. has spawned plenty of "bud and breakfasts" and weed-friendly, budget hotels, a handful of boutique hoteliers are targeting the high-end cannabis traveler - no pun intended.

Expansion at the sector's more premium end comes as the number of Americans interested in cannabis-related travel has swelled, according to Brian Applegarth, founder of the Cannabis Travel Association and Cultivar Brands, a strategic marketing agency specializing in the cannabis industry.

In early 2020, just prior to the pandemic, Cultivar partnered with MMGY Travel Intelligence to analyze the burgeoning cannabis traveler segment. They discovered that 29% of all active leisure travelers in the U.S. could be identified as being part of a growing "cannabis-motivated travel audience."

Findings from a recent pandemic-era survey, released this summer, indicate that the size of that audience has increased to 37% of all active leisure travelers, with Gen Z and millennial travelers, in particular, reporting overwhelming interest in engaging in at least one cannabis-related activity while on vacation.

"There's also this sophisticated kind of connoisseur" that's emerging, said Applegarth. "And the data shows, if you look at the median and mean household incomes, the cannabis-interested audience has a very compelling profile when it comes to disposable income."

California leads the way

The trend is being led by properties in California, both an early adopter of relaxed marijuana laws and the nation's top grower of cannabis.

BOISE - Starting Nov. 1, all stores will have to stop selling pet CBD and hemp products.

For pet supply store Bark N' Purr, owner Jennifer Willett said this will not only have an impact on her store but also the customers.

"We have had people in the store crying. We have had testimonials on social media. We have had phone calls. Just people saying what do I do now," Willett said.

For five years, the store has been carrying a variety of CBD and hemp products.

"Our products are 0.0% THC, third party tested, so that means there's nothing sliding through here that is going to be dangerous to an animal," Willett said.

According to the ISDA, these products are illegal.