By Steven Giles
The Department of Veteran Affairs estimates that more than 256,820 veterans who served over the last 12 years suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder — a consequence mostly of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Medical marijuana may help with the symptoms, but vets still can’t use it to treat their symptoms, as Veterans Affairs or the White House does not permit it.
Full Article:
http://www.tokeofthetown.com/2013/04/medical_marijuana_a_veterans_plea_for_support.php
Category: Cannabis News Corner
VA still prescribing tranquilizers to veterans with PTSD, despite warnings
FoxNews.com
Veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are still being prescribed tranquilizers – such as Valium and Xanax – by doctors from the Department of Veterans Affairs, Stars and Stripes reported.
This practice, however, is in direct contrast to VA guidelines, which advise against tranquilizer use for this purpose. According to Dr. Nancy Bernardy, a psychologist for the VA’s National Center for PTSD, the number of veterans being treated by the VA for PTSD has increased three-fold over the past decade, up to around 500,000 patients in 2009.
Bernardy and her colleagues have co-authored a soon-to-be-published study, which analyzed the VA prescription records of veterans with PTSD from 2009 to 2012.
The findings revealed that nearly a third of these veterans with PTSD are being given benzodiazepines – sedatives most often used to treat insomnia, anxiety, seizures and other disorders. While benzodiazepine prescriptions for veteran PTSD patients have declined from 37 percent to 30 percent up until 2009, prescriptions have remained at 30 percent through 2012.
Current clinical guidelines, co-authored by the VA and Department of Defense, advise physicians against using benzodiazepines, citing a lack of efficacy data and growing concern for risk of harm, Stars and Stripes said.
Full Article:
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/04/09/va-still-prescribing-tranquilizers-to-veterans-with-ptsd-despite-warnings/#content#ixzz2Q0UkARk6
Physicians Across Illinois Endorse Medical Marijuana
By Marijuana Policy Project
At a news conference Tuesday, a group of doctors announced the support of nearly 250 Illinois physicians for allowing patients with serious illnesses to obtain and use medical marijuana if their doctors recommend it.
“For many patients, the treatment can sometimes be worse than the disease,” said Dr. Margaret Millar of Moline, one of the endorsing physicians. “Having seen the devastating, and all-too-often lethal toll that legally prescribed narcotics can take, I support medical marijuana as a safer, milder treatment option that carries no risk of fatal overdose.”
Full Article:
http://www.thedailychronic.net/2013/17175/physicians-across-illinois-endorse-medical-marijuana-proposal/
Time to say yes to medical marijuana in Illinois
JOURNALSTANDARD.COM
If you have a loved one who is seriously ill you want that person to have access to any medication that can alleviate pain.
In 18 states and the District of Columbia that includes marijuana. Illinois could join those states if House Bill 1, the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act, finally is approved.
We think it’s long past time for Illinois to legalize medical marijuana.
Full Article:
http://www.journalstandard.com/topstories/x987008880/Our-View-Time-to-say-yes-to-medical-marijuana-in-Illinois
Missouri Hemp Network joins Earth day festival in Columbia
BY Missouri Statesman
Missouri Hemp Network is proud to announce that it has joined the list of organizations that will have a booth for this years Earth day Festival in Columbia, MO.
It will be a prelude to Hemp History week (which runs from June 3rd through June 9th) with the booth offering information about Hemp cultivations globally and the status of Hemp products in North America. The booth will include information about firms that sponsor Hemp History Week which include; Dr. Bronners magic soap, Manitoba Harvest, Nature’s Path Organic, Nutiva, and Living Harvest (Tempt).
Steven Wilson of the Missouri Hemp Network said, “This will be our 4th Hemp History week and it grows bigger each year. Information and fellowship can bridge us into a better world.”
It will be a prelude to Hemp History week (which runs from June 3rd through June 9th) with the booth offering information about Hemp cultivations globally and the status of Hemp products in North America. The booth will include information about firms that sponsor Hemp History Week which include; Dr. Bronners magic soap, Manitoba Harvest, Nature’s Path Organic, Nutiva, and Living Harvest (Tempt).
Steven Wilson of the Missouri Hemp Network said, “This will be our 4th Hemp History week and it grows bigger each year. Information and fellowship can bridge us into a better world.”
Full Article:
http://interact.stltoday.com/pr/local-news/PR041413012412552
California’s First Pot Farmers’ Market: Weed ‘stead of Kale
Written by David Downs
FIRST PERSON ACCOUNT – Northern California’s first pot farmers’ market is like most other farmers’ markets, except you buy weed instead of kale and there’s the possibility you’ll go to prison – which gives visits to the Organicann Harvest Market in Sonoma County a bit of an edge this chilly morning.
Driving through Sonoma’s famed pastures and rolling vineyards, I note billboards advertising casinos and hydroponics—a favored tool for cultivating pot indoors. This is pot country as much as wine country. Marijuana is the second most-popular intoxicant in the world (after alcohol) and largely legal in the Golden State thanks to 1996 and 2003 laws that allow its use for medicinal purposes.
Full Article:
http://www.citywatchla.com/lead-stories-hidden/4888-california-s-first-pot-farmers-market-weed-stead-of-kale
Evergreen Nations
Marijuana advocate happy to take his medicine
By Amy Calder acalder@mainetoday.com
Marijuana advocate Donald Christen shows a jar of the weed to Skowhegan Deputy Police Chief Dan Summers during the Patriots Day “smoke-in” on the steps of the Somerset County Courthouse. The event is staged annually to support full legalization of the drug. – David Leaming/Morning Sentinel
SKOWHEGAN – Donald Christen ate marijuana cookies Monday and produced a quart-sized Mason jar of the aromatic weed as he stood on the steps of the Somerset County Courthouse.
“Sorry,” he said, apologizing for not sharing his cookies. “If you have a card, you can have one — that’s the law. Patients can now share with one another if you have a card.”
A founder and longtime member of the group Maine Vocals, Christen, 59, of Madison, has argued for many years for full legalization of marijuana.
Monday marked his 23rd year of standing at noon on Patriots Day on the courthouse steps to continue his efforts, he said.
“If the Legislature changes the law this year, which is a good possibility to do, we won’t have to come here and do this,” he said. “This could be our last one if the Legislature does legalize.”
Full Article:
http://www.pressherald.com/news/advocate-happy-to-take-his-medicine_2013-04-16.html
“Sorry,” he said, apologizing for not sharing his cookies. “If you have a card, you can have one — that’s the law. Patients can now share with one another if you have a card.”
A founder and longtime member of the group Maine Vocals, Christen, 59, of Madison, has argued for many years for full legalization of marijuana.
Monday marked his 23rd year of standing at noon on Patriots Day on the courthouse steps to continue his efforts, he said.
“If the Legislature changes the law this year, which is a good possibility to do, we won’t have to come here and do this,” he said. “This could be our last one if the Legislature does legalize.”
Full Article:
http://www.pressherald.com/news/advocate-happy-to-take-his-medicine_2013-04-16.html
Thousands of tourists flocking to Colorado for 4/20
by Tony Spehar – tspehar@koaa.com
Thousands of marijuana users will flock to Colorado over the next week to celebrate the counter culture holiday of 4/20 and after the passage of Amendment 64 the festivities this year are expected to be bigger than ever.
Jason Warf, Director of the Colorado Springs Medical Cannabis Council and lobbyist working with the special legislative committee designing rules for recreational marijuana use, told News 5 he is expecting turnout for 4/20 celebrations to be historic.
“Colorado has always kind of been a hub for the 4/20 celebration,” Warf explained. “Denver actually hosts the biggest event worldwide so it’ll be interesting this year.”
Full Article:
http://www.koaa.com/news/thousands-of-tourists-flocking-to-colorado-for-4-20/
Missouri – Reduction in marijuana penalties approved by St. Louis Board of Aldermen
By Nicholas J.C. Pistor npistor@post-dispatch.com 314-436-2239
Marijuana smokers in the city may soon get a break.
Anyone caught with small amounts of marijuana could end up with a charge as insignificant as a traffic ticket. The Board of Aldermen voted 22-3 on Monday to reduce penalties for possessing small amounts of the drug.
The bill, which was championed by Alderman Shane Cohn, gives police officers the option to redistribute some marijuana cases to the municipal court system, essentially making a criminal infraction a municipal offense. Violators would typically be given a summons to appear in municipal court instead of handcuffed and put in the back of a police car. Police currently charge marijuana offenders under more harsh state laws because no local law is on the books.
Full Article:
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/political-fix/marijuana-penalties-reduced-in-st-louis-city/article_9336d7d9-cbc3-531a-b512-ec2325ed5ae2.html