Minnesota Opens Sales of Medical Marijuana for Pain

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Judy Bjerke Severson wants to be normal — visit friends and family, go to the grocery store or even sleep in her own bed — but she says the crippling pain from fibromyalgia and back surgery complications, as well as a painkiller-induced fog, have made her a shell of her former self.

Monday brings a sliver of hope to her and other Minnesota residents who have incurable pain: They can finally buy medical marijuana. Bjerke Severson will be the first to be seen Monday at a Bloomington clinic, one of eight statewide that sell the medicine.

"I could just cry I'm so excited," the 70-year-old Edina woman said. "I don't enjoy this life I have right now."

Expanding the list of qualifying conditions to include intractable pain marks a critical juncture in the year-old program, which is among the most restrictive in the country. Manufacturers and patients have big hopes that it will usher in thousands of new patients, eventually bringing down high costs — which exceed $1,000 a month for some patients — and easing dependence on addictive narcotic painkillers.

Those hopes were buoyed by data from the state showing nearly 500 patients suffering intractable pain had registered in July, the first month of registration and a month before legal sales could begin. That's more than five times the number of people who signed up in the month ahead of the program's launch.

The Minnesota Legislature legalized medical marijuana in 2014. The law bans the plant form, but allows pills, oils and vapors to be used by patients with nine serious conditions who received their doctor's permission.

The Legislature directed Minnesota's health commissioner to determine if intractable pain should be added as a 10th condition within the program's first year. Commissioner Ed Ehlinger cited the program's successful first few months when announcing in December that intractable pain would qualify starting Aug. 1.

Kyle Kinglsey at Minnesota Medical Solutions, one of the state's two medical marijuana manufacturers, said he's confident a largely problem-free first year and his company's own outreach efforts to the medical community would make it easier in the second year. He also said he thinks doctors, many of whom patients have said are wary of the health benefits and possible drawbacks of marijuana, will be convinced it's an attractive alternative to addictive and often deadly opiate painkillers.

"The reason why I left a comfortable job ... was to help fight the opioid scourge. Medical cannabis is one of the tools that will help fight the crisis," said Kingsley, the company's chief executive.

The long-awaited expansion is welcome for patient advocacy organizations, though Maren Schroeder doubts whether it would have any impact on the program's costs. Her patient advocacy group, Sensible Minnesota, is pushing to allow patients to use the plant form and has petitioned Ehlinger to add post-traumatic stress disorder as a qualifying condition next year.

For now, manufacturers and patients are focused on intractable pain, which the state defines as pain that can't be otherwise treated or cured.

For Bjerke Severson, that means muscle spasms, tingling and fiery pain so severe she can barely walk. Having lived the last two decades with chronic pain, she struggles to describe it.

Bjerke Severson knows medical marijuana won't be a magic cure. But she is hoping to kick the hydrocodone and get some relief.

"I would love to do an errand," she said. "Things that people not just take for granted, but busywork they're sick of."

from
https://www.leafly.com/news/headlines/minnesota-pain-patients-medical-marijuana-sales-begin

Illinois Decriminalizes Marijuana Possession

Illinois has become the twenty-first state in the nation to eliminate the criminal penalties associated with the minor possession of marijuana.

Governor Bruce Rauner has put a new law on the books aimed at ensuring that the average cannabis consumer no longer witnesses the inside of a jail cell for simply holding small amounts of the herb for personal use. Now, anyone caught with up to 10 grams of marijuana by state or local law enforcement will simply be issued a fine between $100 and $200 – a significant improvement from the previous charge of a class B misdemeanor resulting in up to six months in jail and fines maxing out at $1,500.

“We applaud Governor Rauner and the legislature for replacing Illinois’s needlessly draconian marijuana possession law with a much more sensible policy,” said Chris Lindsey, senior legislative counsel for the Marijuana Policy Project. “This commonsense legislation will prevent countless citizens from having their lives turned upside down by a marijuana possession arrest.”

It was revealed earlier last week that Governor Rauner, who was given 60 days to make a decision on Senate Bill 2228, was planning to meet with the Illinois State Police to discuss the newly proposed decriminalization policy in an attempt to guarantee the law “could be implemented in the best interests of the public.” Although some supporters were nervous that including law enforcement in the final decision might deter the measure once again, in 2016, policy experts did not seem too concerned by the idea of Rauner communicating with police before gracing the bill with his signature.

“At the end of the day, they’re going to be the ones enforcing it, and it makes sense for their perspectives to at least be considered,” Tom Angell, chairman of the Marijuana Majority, told HIGH TIMES.

In addition to petty pot possession no longer being a criminal offense, motorists will also have more of a fighting chance at beating stoned driving charges in court. The new law does away with the state’s previous no-tolerance policy on drugged driving and replaces it with a legal limit of five nanograms of THC per milliliter of blood, or up to 10 nanograms of THC in the case of a saliva test. These limits are relatively standard in legal marijuana states like Colorado.

All of the particulars included in the new law were designed under the guidance of the Rauner Administration. Last year, a similar measure was approved by the General Assembly, one asking for the decriminalization of up to 15 grams of weed with fines ranging between $55 and $125. However, Rauner vetoed that bill because he felt the THC limits and the fines were too conservative. The Governor’s recommendations were then used to draft the latest measure, which was introduced at the beginning of the year by Senator Heather Steans.

The new decimalization law is effective immediately. Local ordinances, however, will not be impacted by the change.

“The safety of Illinois citizens, and the motoring public, will always remain the utmost priority of the Illinois State Police (ISP). ISP officers will continue to enforce the law, while being mindful of the penalty changes for smaller amounts of cannabis,” said ISP Director Leo P. Schmitz. “The public is reminded that cannabis possession without a medical marijuana card is still illegal; the penalty and fines have changed. In addition, drivers under the influence of cannabis will still be arrested and prosecuted.”

Unfortunately, while the new law will prevent thousands of people from going to jail for minor pot possession, it will not stop them from losing ownership of their weed if they happen to get busted. The ISP said, “Following the adjudication of the citation in court, seized cannabis and paraphernalia will be destroyed.”

from
http://hightimes.com/news/laws/illinois-decriminalizes-marijuana-possession/

Pot Matters: Working Folks

People who use cannabis have jobs.

Is this surprising? It shouldn’t be surprising, except for the popular slur about marijuana making people lazy. One of the popular lies about marijuana use in the 1970s, for example, is that it caused something called “amotivational syndrome” in teenagers.

According to the data in the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, just under 60 percent of the people who do not use marijuana are employed (full-time or part-time) or are in school. To be precise, 59.3 percent of the people who did not use marijuana in the last month were working or in school, and for those who did not use marijuana in the last year the figure was 58.7 percent.

Statistics and surveys are tricky things to understand. So, to be clear, here is what these stats indicate. Separate all the people who do not use marijuana into one category. Of all these people, how many of them are working or in school?  The answer is that about 60 percent of them fit this description.

Now, take all the people who use marijuana. How many of them are working or in school? Well, the simple answer is this—more.

Looking at people who used marijuana in the last month, 68.9 percent were working full-time, part-time or were in school. Looking at those who used marijuana in the last year, it turns out that 69.4 percent were working or in school. In rough terms, about 70 percent of them fit this description.

There are people who do not use marijuana who occasionally read HIGH TIMES, and they will be confused by this data. So here it is again, stated plainly. More marijuana users work than non-users. Seventy percent of marijuana users work or attend school, while only 60 percent of non-users work or attend school.

It must be a trick, that’s what the skeptics will argue. Ah, it must be because of students, right? After all, lots of students use marijuana. There is some truth to this, but taking students out of the statistic doesn’t really change the result.

First of all, the category here is in school or in training. Second, this category does account for a larger share of marijuana users than non-users. Take monthly marijuana users for example, 5.8 percent of them are in school, compared to 4.2 percent of non-users. With annual marijuana users, 6.6 percent are in school compared to 4 percent of non-users. There is a difference here, but not enough to change the big picture.

Well then, it must be because of part-time workers, right? They are too stoned to hold down a full-time job, that’s what the skeptics will think. Ah… no. Among monthly marijuana users, 16.4 percent have part-time jobs compared to 11.2 percent of non- users, and 16.9 percent of annual marijuana users have a part time job compared to 10.8 percent of non-users. Still not enough to change the big picture.

When it comes to having a full-time job, 46.7 percent of monthly marijuana users have one compared to 43.9 percent of non-users. Looking at annual marijuana users, 45.9 percent have a full-time job compared to 43.9 percent of non-users.

Cannabis users are working folks.

There are some interesting differences in the prevalence of the types of jobs when comparing marijuana users to non-users. Generally, there is not much difference to comparing the jobs of non-marijuana uses to either annual or monthly marijuana users. The comparison here will utilize data on people who have used marijuana in the last month.

When it comes to executives and managers, they make up 14.9 percent of non-users compared to 10.7 percent of marijuana users, and those in professional positions (but not education or entertainment) account for 12.9 percent of non-users compared to 7.6 percent of users. When it comes to entertainers, sports, media and communications, these people account for 2 percent of non-users compared to 3.8 percent on marijuana users.

The occupations that account for higher percentages of the marijuana user group include sales (12.4 percent of the users and 10.3 percent of non-users), service workers with 20.6 percent of users compared to 13 percent of non-users (and this category does not include protective service occupations), construction trades (9.9 percent of users compared to 5.1 percent of non-users) and transportation and material moving workers (7.1 percent of users compared to 5.8 percent of non-users).

Generally, marijuana use is more prevalent among blue-collar workers, but not by as much as one might think when it comes to the old slur that marijuana use makes someone lazy and incompetent. Taking five categories that could be considered white-collar jobs, this group accounts for 41.4 percent of non-marijuana users compared to 28.9 percent of marijuana users. Looking at annual marijuana use rather than monthly use, 32.5 percent of annual users have white-collar jobs compared to 41.4 percent of non-users.

Like all Americans, people who use marijuana work, and they work in a variety of positions.

The type of job they have likely has a lot more to do with their education and training than whether or not they use marijuana. This should not be a surprise to anyone who knows anything about marijuana use.

If it is a surprise to people who oppose legalization, it’s another indication of how far out of touch they are with reality.

from
http://hightimes.com/culture/pot-matters-working-folks/

HIGH TIMES Legislative Roundup: August 1

It seems the fight to legalize marijuana across more of the United States has taken a bit of a backseat recently due to the chaos, conspiracy, and overall political reverberations of the Democratic and Republican National Conventions. But this racket did not stop Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner from stepping up last week to sign a significant marijuana reform measure that will allow minor pot possession to be treated as a civil infraction. In Massachusetts, the Secretary of State officially announced that a recreational marijuana initiative was fit for the November ballot, while in Texas, there is talk of a decriminalization bill being introduced next session.

Read all about these developments and more in the HIGH TIMES Legislative Roundup for August 1:

National: Democrats and Republicans Differ Significantly on Marijuana
Over the past couple of weeks we have learned that, for better or worse, the nation will be choosing between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump for the next President of the United States. However, while neither candidate is very appealing to a significant majority of the cannabis reform community, the official campaign platforms for the for their respective parties could help provide you with some insight on where these politicians currently stand on the issue of legalization. In short, the Democrats want to create “a reasoned pathway to legalization,” while the Republicans refuse to take even a modest stance on medical marijuana.

Democratic Party’s Cannabis Platform:
“Because of conflicting federal and state laws concerning marijuana, we encourage the federal government to remove marijuana from the list of ‘Schedule 1’ federal controlled substances and to appropriately regulate it, providing a reasoned pathway for future legalization. We believe that the states should be laboratories of democracy on the issue of marijuana, and those states that want to decriminalize it or provide access to medical marijuana should be able to do so. We support policies that will allow more research on marijuana, as well as reforming our laws to allow legal marijuana businesses to exist without uncertainty. And we recognize our current marijuana laws have had an unacceptable disparate impact in terms of arrest rates for African-Americans that far outstrip arrest rates for whites, despite similar usage rates.”

Republican Party’s Marijuana Platform:
None. However, Donald Trump says he supports marijuana for medicinal purposes “100 percent,” while his selection for Vice President, Indiana Governor Mike Pence, is staunchly opposed.

Illinois: Governor Rauner Signs Decriminalization Bill
Illinois just became the 21th state in the nation to eliminate the criminal penalties associated with marijuana possession. A spokesperson for the office of Governor Bruce Rauner said last week that the administration was in the process of reviewing Senate Bill 2228 with the Illinois State Police to make sure everyone involved was on the same page with the newly proposed decriminalization policy. Rauner signed the bill into law a few days later. Now anyone caught holding up to 10 grams of marijuana will simply be fined between $100 and $200 – No arrest, no jail time. The law is effective immediately.

Texas: Lawmakers Plans to Introduce Decriminalization Bill Next Session
The topic of marijuana decriminalization is expected to grace the halls of the Texas Legislature once the session resumes in 2017. State Representative Joe Moody recently told My Statesman that he plans to introduce a bill next year aimed at doing away with the criminal penalties for minor pot possession. Right now, anyone caught holding up to 2 ounces can be charged with a misdemeanor, which is punishable with 180 days in jail and a maximum fine of $2,000. Moody’s goal is to simply make this a ticketed offense.

California: Los Angeles Cancelling Initiative to Use Pot Taxes for Homeless
The concept of helping the homeless problem in Los Angeles using tax dollars generated from the sale of marijuana is no more. County supervisors made the decision last week to cancel an initiative that was projected to raise $130 million per year to build housing projects for the homeless. But there were concerns that proposal was not in the right place at the right time to focus resources into getting it passed. There is a possibility that this issue could come up again in 2017 after the outcome of the AUMA in the upcoming November election.

Massachusetts: Recreational Marijuana to Appear on the Ballot
Massachusetts voters will get to decide this November whether the state should legalize marijuana for recreational use. The Secretary of State’s office announced last week that an initiative supported by the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol has enough signatures to proceed to the ballot. If voters approve, Massachusetts will establish a full legal cannabis trade similar to the one currently underway in Colorado.

from
http://hightimes.com/news/high-times-legislative-roundup-august-1/

Native American Teen Faces Year in Clink for One Joint—in Oregon!

In an utterly bizarre case reported last week by Oregon’s Willamette Week, the federal government is taking the almost unheard of move of prosecuting an individual for possession of a small amount of cannabis. Making it all the more perverse, this is happening in Oregon, which legalized recreational cannabis by popular vote last year. More perverse still, the targeted individual is a Native American youth—who may face one year in prison for possession of just about enough herb to roll a fat joint.

In April, the U.S. attorney for Oregon filed a misdemeanor charge against Devontre Thomas for possessing “about a gram” of cannabis, according to his public defender Ruben Iniguez. A conviction could mean a year in prison and a $1,000 fine. Worse, federal charges can’t be vacated, so Thomas could be denied federal student loans, public housing and government aid for the rest of his life.

The catch seems to be that Thomas got popped at Chemawa Indian School, a boarding school in Salem, operated by the Bureau of Indian Education, a federal agency. But local rights watchdogs say the move still goes against federal policy.  

“I can’t figure out why they are going after this youth. It literally makes no sense,” Mat dos Santos, legal director at the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon, told the Guardian. “I find it really hard to believe this should merit the concern of the U.S. attorney. It’s really heartbreaking.”

The details remain murky. Thomas, a member of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, did not actually have cannabis on him at the school, but was suspected in a $20 sale of weed—which took place a year before charges were actually brought.

“I’ve never seen a case like this in my entire time practicing in federal court,” Bear Wilner-Nugent, a Portland criminal defense lawyer, told the Willamette Week. “It’s outlandish.”

Under Oregon’s legalization law, users must be at least 21, and Thomas is only 19. But, if anything, Thomas’ youth makes this case even more puzzling for a federal administration that is ostensibly concerned with racial justice.

Historically, black residents in Oregon have been about twice as likely to be cited or arrested for cannabis as white folks, according to the ACLU. Racial disparities in arrests for public use have continued even in states that have legalized, like Colorado. Some cannabis law reform efforts are being designed with an effort to address this ongoing problem. By singling out a Native American youth like this, the feds are not exactly helping.

from
http://hightimes.com/news/native-american-teen-faces-year-in-clink-for-one-joint-in-oregon/

Stoner Sex: Mediocre Pot, Shroom Ecstasy, Backdoor Tips & Fresh Air Sex

Dear Hyapatia,
I have a sensitive issue. I’m a medical cannabis patient in a legal state. My boyfriend grows for me in our house. At first, I thought it was very nice and that it would save us some money. I accepted the big up-front cost for the lights, nutrients and other supplies. I wasn’t ready for the big spike in the electric bills, but I told myself it would all pay off when we got our first harvest. It didn’t. I know he tried hard and is new to this, but his stuff is just not working for me. I need relief! I hate having to spend even more money but after all, we do live in a legal state and I have a card! We both work full-time jobs, but money is tight. How do I let him know that I want to spend even more of our money – insulting him at the same time over his growing skills – without causing a breakup? – Vikki

Dear Vikki,
Honesty is always the best route. Sit down for a talk and smoke some of his weed first. Explain your medical situation and needs. Let him know that you understand it can takes many years to learn everything it takes to be a master grower and there will be many lesser quality yields along the way. Your equipment is a good investment that can be used to hone his growing skills for years to come. Encourage him to keep trying, but he needs to understand your need for medical quality cannabis that will ease your symptoms.

Dear Hyapatia,
We read your article a couple of weeks ago and decided to try some mushrooms. We waited until they were really kicking in good and took some lubricant into the bedroom. We were having a fabulous time! Our bodies were electrified and the physical connections were amazing. The lubricant we used was flavored. We were smoking some weed, so we got the munchies. We took some whipped cream into the bedroom and ate it off of each other. It was fantastic! Next time I’m at the grocery store, I’m going to get six cans of whipped cream! Party all night long! – Phil

Dear Phil,
Sounds like you are going to have more fun! I like your idea. Can’t wait to try it next time I find some fine mushrooms! Thanks for sharing.

Dear Hyapatia,
My lady and I are very sexual. We have experimented with different things and love role-playing. One thing my lady keeps bringing up now and then is anal sex, but every time we try it, she tells me to stop before we can. It just won’t work without pain, but it is a fantasy she keeps trying to fulfill. Any suggestions? – Mark

Dear Mark,
Get some vibrators of different sizes that are all smaller than you. Start with the smallest one and gradually let her get used to larger ones until she’s ready for you. Take your time with each one and use lots of good lubricant. When she is ready for your size, be very gentle and communicate with each other to ensure her comfort. In time, she may be able to accommodate you without having to go through all the preparation.

Dear Hyapatia,
My boyfriend and I moved in to this new neighborhood about seven months ago. There are lots of families with kids around here. We’re in our early twenties and childless right now. About a week ago, we were high and enjoying some wine. We were on the upstairs balcony. It was after midnight. We didn’t think much of it, but one thing led to another. After a few minutes of fun, I noticed a lady on her balcony across the large grassy area watching us. She got up and went inside and acted disgusted. I’ve been waiting for a knock at the door to tell us that we’re in some kind of trouble, but nothing has happened yet. Should I try to find her and tell her we’re sorry and that it will never happen again? – Shawn and Dana

Dear Shawn and Dana,
If something hasn’t happened by now, I’d let it go, unless she approaches you and brings it up. In the future, try to be more discreet. I completely understand your desire to have sex outside. Could you leave the door to the balcony open and stay out of the view of others while still enjoying the night air? Be aware that others may walk out onto their balconies and see you while you’re “too busy” to notice. Even though it’s late at night, they could be sleepless children. There are other places you might try have sex outside. Most parks have secluded areas off the paths. Take some time to stake out the right place. You may be able to enjoy yourself behind a few trees or bushes. Bear in mind, that if you’re careless, you could get busted and, if convicted, be labeled a “sex offender.” So staking out a safe place is paramount! Even better, make your outdoor sex extra-special. Plan a weekend in the deep in the country, where there’s virtually no chance of being interrupted.

from
http://hightimes.com/culture/stoner-sex-mediocre-pot-shroom-ecstasy-backdoor-tips-fresh-air-sex/

Montel Williams Detained in Germany Over Medical Marijuana

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — A spokesman for Montel Williams says the television personality was detained by customs officials at an airport in Germany after inadvertently leaving prescription marijuana powder in his luggage.

Jonathan Franks tells The Associated Press that Williams was held for about an hour Friday morning at the airport in Frankfurt while traveling on vacation. Franks says Williams was let go after showing a doctor’s note verifying the marijuana was for medicinal purposes. Franks says Williams was neither arrested nor cited.

Frankfurt airport police and the city’s customs office were not immediately reachable late Friday, and there was no immediate response to an emailed query.

The 60-year-old Williams suffers from multiple sclerosis and has been an outspoken advocate of medical marijuana, which he uses to help manage pain.

from
http://hightimes.com/culture/montel-williams-detained-in-germany-over-medical-marijuana/