Marijuana Articles, Research and Data

Link: Georgia Supreme Court rules in Delta-8, Delta-10 caseArticle Date: Tuesday, March 21, 2023Tags:

• Delta-8

The Georgia Supreme Court has cleared the way for Gwinnett County to resume raids, arrests and prosecutions to stop the sale of cannabis-derived products Delta-8 and Delta-10.
Cannabis-derived products containing very low THC amounts are broadly considered legal in Georgia and are widely available at shops around the state.
So when Gwinnett County cracked down on the products last year, shop owner Jennifer Byrd said her business was threatened and she took the county’s district attorney to court.

Link: Tennessee Poison Center seeing 'alarming' increase in calls about delta-8 and childrenArticle Date: Tuesday, March 21, 2023Tags:

• Delta-8

"I'm very concerned about seeing something called respiratory depression in children, where they're not breathing as well," she said. "Another thing that can be potentially deadly is they become so sleepy that they're not protecting their airway so they won't be able to breathe properly."

She said delta-8 can be 'incredibly dangerous' because it isn't regulated in Tennessee. 

"A gummy can say it's 50 milligrams, but it could be way more than that," she said. "It could be less, but the concerning thing is what if it's way more than that?" 

 

Link: Since delta-8 THC rose to prominence a few years ago, things have gotten really tricky Article Date: Thursday, March 16, 2023Tags:

• Pro-pot
• Delta-8

Article from pro-marijuana:
The issue is legislation in Florida that would limit how much THC such products are allowed to contain. Everyone, of course, is not going out of business, though Boyce’s company is at risk. The hemp industry will live on. Boyce’s note blamed the proposed legislation on “certain politicians” who are “heavily invested in the medical marijuana industry.”

This kind of thing is why licensed cannabis companies in legal states are increasingly disgusted by gray-market alt-THC peddlers. It’s not just the competition they face (after all, the hemp-derived products are aimed mostly at people in states where cannabis is still illegal). It’s also that fly-by-night operators tend to make the whole industry look bad, whether they’re selling iffy THC products or CBD gummies and oils that haven’t been tested and in some cases contain little or no CBD.

One relatively simple act could solve all these problems in one fell swoop: legalizing cannabis at the federal level.

Link: DEA Classifies Novel Cannabinoids Delta-8 And -9 THCO As Controlled SubstancesArticle Date: Thursday, February 16, 2023Tags:

• DEA
• Delta-8
• THC-O

Link: Joints, grams and potencyArticle Date: Tuesday, February 14, 2023Tags:

• Potency

If you're smoking a joint to enjoy the psychoactive effects of THC, then you might want to know how much of the potent cannabinoid is in a typical smoke. Here you'll learn how to calculate the amount of THC in a joint and understand what percentage of the cannabinoid your body is actually processing. 
The weight of the joint (in milligrams) multiplied by potency/THC percentage equals total milligrams of THC. 
One gram = 1000 milligrams. 
Example: The difference between a half gram and full gram joint of the same 20% THC flower:
1 gram: 1000 mg x 0.20 = 200 mg
Half gram: 500 mg x 0.20 = 100 mg
If you'd rather skip the math equations, a modern joint may contain between 60 to 150 mg of THC or more, representing a sharp increase from the approximately 10 mg common in the 1970s. 
The above formulas tell us how much THC is in a joint, but they tell us nothing about how much your body is absorbing from the joint. According to Rae, this number will depend on several factors that differ among individuals. These factors include:

• Composition of the joint, i.e., ratio of THC to CBD
• How much THC is wasted in sidestream smoke which wafts off at the end of a joint without being consumed, unlike mainstream smoke which is what you directly inhale and exhale
• Smoking topography, aka your puff technique
• Bioavailability (the proportion of THC that is able to activate the brain, after being introduced into the body and entering the bloodstream)

Rae elaborated on the key components of mainstream and sidestream smoke, saying, “The ratio of mainstream to sidestream smoke produced by a joint is highly variable because of differences in puff techniques. There are several factors in an individual puff. The volume of smoke per puff is typically about 35 milliliters but can be as big as 55 milliliters (for context, the volume of a shot glass is about 40 milliliters). This volume is determined by the force and amount of time a person inhales.”
Mainstream smoke is also affected by the frequency of inhalations, as Rae said, “Puffing more frequently increases the amount of THC consumed in mainstream smoke, and thus diminishes the amount of THC wasted in sidestream smoke.”
Ultimately, bioavailability is calculated by measuring the THC in the blood, and comparing that to how much THC you started with in the joint. Referencing research published in 2007 in the journal Chemistry & Biodiversity, Rae added, “Bioavailability is highly variable for inhalation: experiments in humans show that it ranges from 2% to 56% depending on the person.”
To illustrate bioavailability, Rae provided the following examples using one gram joints and half gram joints.

• One gram joint = 200 mg THC. On the low end, 2%: 200 x 0.02 = 4 mg. On the high end, 56%: 200 x 0.56 = 112 mg.
  The bioavailable THC in a 1 gram joint with 20% THC is between 4  and 112 milligrams.
  Half gram joint = 100 mg THC. On the low end, 2%: 100 x 0.02 = 2 mg. On the high end, 56%: 100 x 0.56 = 56 mg.
  The bioavailable THC in a half-gram joint with 20% THC is between 2 and 56 milligrams

Link: Delta-8, a Cannabis-Derived Tetrahydrocannabinol IsomerArticle Date: Saturday, February 11, 2023Tags:

• Delta-8

Conclusion: The first report of D8-THC, in the FAERS database, as a suspect drug appears to be in 2011. Overall, there are 183 total cases listing D8-THC as a suspect drug in the FAERS database as of June 30, 2021. Of the 183 cases, most were respiratory in nature.
 
FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) Public Dashboard

Link: Delta-8-Tetrahydrocannabinol Exposure and Confirmation in Four Pediatric PatientsArticle Date: Saturday, February 11, 2023Tags:

• Delta-8

Introduction: Delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is a known isomer of delta-9-THC, both found naturally in the Cannabis sativa plant and thought to have similar potency. Delta-8-THC products are widely accessible in retail shops which may lead to a rise in pediatric exposures with substantial clinical effects.

Link: 2023 Delta-8 Fact Sheet DFAArticle Date: Thursday, February 9, 2023Tags:

• Delta-8

Link: SAMSHA- Marijuana and PregnancyArticle Date: Thursday, February 9, 2023Tags:

• Pregnancy

Link: DFA-Marijuana and PregnancyArticle Date: Thursday, February 9, 2023Tags:

• Pregnancy

 

Link: Facts About SuicideArticle Date: Sunday, January 29, 2023Tags:

• suicide

Suicide affects all ages. In 2020, suicide was among the top 9 leading causes of death for people ages 10–64. Suicide was the 2nd leading cause of death for people ages 10–14 and 25–34.  

Link: Truckers’ positive drug tests up 18% in 2022Article Date: Sunday, January 29, 2023Tags:

• impaired
• drugged driving

The latest data from the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse reveals that drug use among commercial drivers may be at its highest level since the federal repository was set up in 2019 — but more are being cleared to drive again as well.
Total drug violations reported into the clearinghouse in 2022, including positive tests and refusals to take a drug test, increased 18% to 69,668 compared with last year’s 59,011, according to the most recent statistics released this week by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. That rate almost doubled the 9.2% annual increase in drug violations reported in 2021.
Much of the increase can be attributed to violations related to marijuana, the substance identified most in positive tests. Marijuana violations increased 31.6% in 2022 compared with 2021, to 40,916. That compares to a 5.3% increase between 2020 and 2021.
 
COMMENT:

Sunday, January 29, 2023 at 7:49 am

I’m a old school trucker been out there 32 plus years there was no room to drive impaired for any reason you’re out there on the road around other people’s families I owned several trucks and when something broke I fixed it safety is number 1 in my book however when elds came about I retired the rules implemented are uncalled for I had enough sense when I was tired I parked and slept don’t need to be told too now truck stops are taking advantage of this rule and charge to park rest area’s are closing across the country state officials are doing nothing to see are fellas have safe places to park now there writing tickets for on ramps off ramps my brother truckers needs someone step up and do something about this situations all the truck stops have removed dining where you can park your feet underneath the table for a decent meal fuel prices are ridiculous repairs and road service sucks this industry is in dire need of restoration rules keep changing and getting to where it’s not fun to be out there anymore

 

Link: 2023 Delta 8 Update- Potent Drugs Packaged As CandyArticle Date: Monday, January 23, 2023Tags:

• Delta-8

Excellent PowerPoint information updated in 2023. 

Link: Concerns about KratomArticle Date: Monday, January 23, 2023Tags:

• kratom

Kratom Concerns
The escalation of importation, distribution, as well as online and retail sales of kratom products in the United States over the past two years raises numerous public health and safety concerns. Kratom is a tree, native to Southeast Asia that contains the drug mitragyna which produces both stimulant effects (in low doses) and sedative effects (in high doses) and can lead to addiction.  Kratom is mainly consumed orally as a tea, but it may also be smoked or its leaves may be chewed.
 
Consumption of kratom can lead to a number of health impacts, including

• respiratory depression,
• nervousness,
• agitation,
• aggression,
• sleeplessness,
• hallucinations,
• delusions,
• tremors,
• loss of libido,
• constipation,
• skin hyperpigmentation (darkening of the skin),
• nausea,
• vomiting, and
• severe withdrawal signs and symptoms. 

click link to read additional informaiton

Link: Intensity of cannabis use: Findings from three online surveysArticle Date: Tuesday, January 17, 2023Tags:

• undefined

Article Date: Sunday, January 15, 2023Sunday, January 15, 2023Tags:

• 2023
• Fact Sheet
• 2023 Legislation

 

 

 

References

1. Devitt, Tiffany. California Cannabis Industry Association. White Paper: PANDORA’S BOX The Dangers of a National, Unregulated, Hemp-Derived Intoxicating Cannabinoid Market. October 2022 https://www.projectcbd.org/sites/projectcbd/files/downloads/white-paper_hemp_2022-10-18.pdf

2. Florida State Statute 581.217 State Hemp Program. 2019 http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0500-0599/0581/Sections/0581.217.html 3. Oleinik, Gleb. Is Delta 8 THC Legal in Your State? Laws and Map. CBD Thinker. January 2023 https://cbdthinker.com/is-delta-8-thc-legal/ 4. FDA. 5 Things to Know about Delta-8 Tetrahydrocannabinol – Delta-8 THC. Updated May 2022. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/5-things-know-about-delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol-delta-8-thc

5. Florida Poison Information Network, Delta 8 Exposures - Query Builder 2023

6. Sale of Delta-8 Products in Hillsborough County. Report from Code Enforcement, Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners Meeting on September 8, 2022. https://eagenda.hillsboroughcounty.org/portal/PTL29560/search?D=09/08/2022&T=Regular%20BOCC%20Meeting&Y=Backup&o=G-2.pdf

7. Hillsborough County. Protect Children and Pets from Cannabis Poisoning. August 2022 https://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/en/newsroom/2022/08/11/protect-children-and-pets-from-cannabis-poisoning

8. University of Tampa Smoking, Vaping, Tobacco and THC Policy: University of Tampa added select tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and hemp-based intoxicant products to policy on August 29, 2022. https://www.ut.edu/campus-life/student-services/wellness-services/smoking-vaping-tobacco-and-thc-policy

9. SB 1906 (2022) -  Hemp Extract Products. General Bill by Rouson  https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2022/1906 10. DEA. Implementation of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, A Rule by the Drug Enforcement Administration on 08/21/2020 https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/08/21/2020-17356/implementation-of-the-agriculture-improvement-act-of-2018

 

Link: Hillsborough Commission ponders vape sales restrictionsArticle Date: Wednesday, December 7, 2022Sunday, January 15, 2023Tags:

• Snelling
• Vaping
• Hillsborough

Hillsborough School Board member Patricia Rendon, Ellen Snelling of the Hillsborough County Anti-Drug Alliance and Terry Kemble of the nonprofit Protect Our Children all favored Owen’s push.
“Youth vaping is epidemic in Hillsborough County,” Snelling told commissioners.
The Florida Department of Children and Family Services annual survey of youth substance abuse showed the percentage of Hillsborough middle and high school students who had vaped nicotine in the prior 30 days to be above the statewide average.

Link: Mississippi family hospitalized after unknowingly eating THC-infused candyArticle Date: Monday, January 9, 2023Sunday, January 15, 2023Tags:

• edibles
• poisoning

Kate Easterling pulled up on the scene as paramedics and other first responders were evaluating her husband and kids. Within an hour of leaving the family gathering, all four were headed to the hospital.
“I had no idea what was going on. He wasn’t talking clearly. I couldn’t piece it together...” said Kate.

Link: Avoiding Pot Holes: Navigating the Cautionary Trail of CannabisArticle Date: Sunday, January 15, 2023Sunday, January 15, 2023Tags:

• Medical
• Dr. Berry

Other presentations:  West Virginia, because the wonderful world of opioids, lost in the weeds;  beans, benzos, and bud.
Professor and Chair
Director of Addictions
Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry
Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute 
West Virginia University 
930 Chestnut Ridge Road   
Morgantown, WV, 26508
304-293-5323
jberry@hsc.wvu.edu  
Admin. Assistant: Lisa Terris lisa.terris@hsc.wvu.edu
 

Link: Risk of depressive disorders associated with medical cannabis authorization: A propensity score matched cohort studyArticle Date: Sunday, January 15, 2023Sunday, January 15, 2023Tags:

• Medical
• Psychosis
• science direct

Our study showed that patients with medical cannabis authorization have a higher risk of emergency department visits or hospitalizations for depression compared to patients with no authorization. Our results also suggest that this risk is increased among patients without prior mental health disorders at cannabis authorization. The findings emphasize the need for a careful risk-benefit assessment that takes into account this observation prior to cannabis authorization. Further longitudinal