In April of this year (2016), medical marijuana became legal in Pennsylvania, and lawmakers said children would get the first crack at obtaining the medication. Let’s take a look at recent developments.
Just recently, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) said it would not reschedule marijuana from a Schedule I drug to a Schedule II drug. However, the agency said it would try to make it easier for scientists and companies to access marijuana for research.
Many hoped that the Obama administration would reschedule marijuana from a Schedule I substance to a Schedule II substance this year, but no such luck. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) also announced on August 11 that marijuana would remain illegal under federal law. Other Schedule I substances include heroin, LSD, peyote, ecstasy, quaaludes, and bath salts, among others. [1]
(ANTIMEDIA) When celebrity website Radar Online shared a video of Malia Obama allegedly smoking marijuana at Lollapalooza in Chicago last week, the internet came to her defense.
In Colorado, the rate of unintentional marijuana exposure in young children has increased 150% since 2014, according to a new study in JAMA. That’s the year recreational pot became legally available.
Right now, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) classifies marijuana as a Schedule I drug, right alongside heroin, LSD, peyote, and ecstasy. That’s more than a little ridiculous, considering Schedule I drugs are classified as such because they have “no medical use and a high potential for abuse.”
We know that marijuana does, in fact, have numerous medical uses.
For more than a year, Minnesota residents with a few serious medical conditions have been able to legally purchase medical marijuana. But now, as of August 1, nearly 500 registered patients with intractable pain will finally have access to it, too.
On July 29, state health officials said that 481 patients with severe pain had pre-registered through their doctors to obtain medical marijuana. Under state law, intractable pain is defined as pain that can’t be treated with traditional drugs or therapies. [1]
On July 8th, marijuana opponents in Colorado abandoned a plan to ask voters about requiring less-potent pot and telling pot consumers that cannabis can cause brain damage and paranoia, saying they didn’t have enough money to advertise it.
Love it or hate it, the marijuana industry is exploding, and states where it has been legalized are reaping the financial rewards. If California residents vote to legalize pot in November, it could usher in a new Gold Rush.
