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Surgeon General warns of risks of marijuana use by pregnant women, young people

“U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams and Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said they support additional research on the impacts of marijuana. But Adams -- known as "the nation's doctor" -- said the latest research is clear that marijuana is particularly harmful to developing brains and can be passed along to babies in utero or through breastmilk.

At a news conference, Adams told reporters that he was deeply concerned about what he called the "rapid normalization" of the drug and a false perception among young people that because it's now legal in some states that it must be safe.

‘Not enough people known that today's marijuana is far more potent than in days past,’ the surgeon general said.”

From ABC News

Modern Marijuana Is Often Laced With Heavy Metals and Fungus

"- - - LaFrate says he's been surprised at just how strong most of today's marijuana has become. His group has tested more than 600 strains of marijuana from dozens of producers. Potency tests, the only ones Colorado currently requires, looked at tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive compound that produces the plant's famous high. They found that modern weed contains THC levels of 18 to 30 percent—double to triple the levels that were common in buds from the 1980s. That's because growers have cross-bred plants over the years to create more powerful strains, which today tout colorful names like Bruce Banner, Skunkberry and Blue Cookies.

Those thinking that stronger pot is always better pot might think again. Breeding for more powerful marijuana has led to the virtual absence of cannabidol (CBD), a compound being investigated for treatments to a range of ills, from anxiety and depression to schizophrenia, Huntington's disease and Alzheimer's. Much of the commercially available marijuana LaFrate's lab tested packs very little of this particular cannabinoid. “A lot of the time it's below the detection level of our equipment, or it's there at a very low concentration that we just categorize as a trace amount,” he says. Consumers specifically seeking medical benefits from cannabis-derived oils or other products may have a tough time determining how much, if any, CBD they contain, because Colorado doesn't currently require testing.

- - - some manufacturers employ potentially harmful compounds like butane to strip the plant of most everything but THC. Tests also show that marijuana plants can draw in heavy metals from the soil in which they are grown, and concentrating THC can increase the amounts of heavy metals, pesticides or other substances that end up in a product. That means regulations for their production still need to be hammered out, LaFrate says.

‘People use all kinds of different methods to produce concentrates,’ LaFrate says. ‘They allow people to use rubbing alcohol and heptane. But what grade of solvents are they using? Are they buying heptane on eBay, and if so, what exactly is in there? There are a whole bunch of issues to figure out, and right now there are not enough resources and really no watchdog.’”

From Smithsonian.com

Vaping Illnesses: Consumers can Help Protect Themselves by Avoiding Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-Containing Vaping Products

“Consumers are likely aware of the recent reports of respiratory illnesses — including some resulting in deaths – following the use of vaping products. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) remains deeply concerned about these incidents and is working closely with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as state and local public health partners to investigate them as quickly as possible.

While the work by federal and state health officials to identify more information about the products used, where they were obtained and what substances they contain is ongoing, the FDA is providing consumers with some information to help protect themselves.

In particular, many of the samples tested by the states or by the FDA as part of this ongoing investigation have been identified as vaping products containing tetrahydrocannabinol (or THC, a psychoactive component of the marijuana plant) and further, most of those samples with THC tested also contained significant amounts of Vitamin E acetate. Vitamin E acetate is a substance present in topical consumer products or dietary supplements, but data are limited about its effects after inhalation.”

From FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration)

Feds Warn More CBD Companies Over Health Claims

“The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sent letters on Tuesday ordering three companies to stop making unfounded health claims about their CBD products.

‘It is illegal to advertise that a product can prevent, treat, or cure human disease without competent and reliable scientific evidence to support such claims,’ FTC said in a press release about the action.

One firm said on its website that CBD “works like magic” to relieve “even the most agonizing pain” and has been “clinically proven” to treat cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, cigarette addiction and colitis.”

From Forbes

Strong links to psychosis raise questions about marijuana safety

“In May, the Massachusetts Prevention Alliance (MAPA.) published a ‘statement of concern’ to the Commonwealth signed by more than 40 doctors and researchers urging the state to slow down the process of licensing and focus more on the potential dangers of marijuana like psychosis.

One of those doctors was Sharon Levy from Boston Children's Hospital. ‘I'm concerned that the initial rollout has been largely guided by the industry,’ said Levy. She led a survey published in JAMA Pediatrics that found 40% of teens who said they smoked marijuana in the last year experienced symptoms of psychosis, which include delusions, paranoia, or hallucinations. ‘It was shocking, it was absolutely shocking,’ said Levy.

Two new studies this year have linked marijuana and psychosis. One published in Lancet Psychiatry found people who regularly smoke high potency marijuana are five times more likely to have a psychotic episode. Another study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found Denver emergency room visits due to THC consumption have skyrocketed since legalization five years ago.”

From Boston 25 News

How Colorado’s marijuana legalization strengthened the drug's black market

“Some states that have legalized marijuana for recreational use have experienced a surge in the drug's black market activity. In particular, Colorado has become a haven for underground marijuana cultivation, sale and export, prompting questions about how legalization led to some unforeseen consequences. John Ferrugia of Rocky Mountain PBS has the story.”

From PBS News Hour

Pot smuggling arrests at LAX have surged 166% since marijuana legalization

“The sudden increase in airport smuggling is largely the result of legalization and a saturated market. California grows far more marijuana than its residents consume — up to five times more by some accounts — and cannabis users in other states will pay a much higher price.

‘Since pot’s been legalized in California, there’s no money to be made because everyone got involved in it,’ Kroger said. ‘They’ve got these big 50,000-square-foot [grow] houses, and they’re flooding the market. The money is outside of California.’”

From Los Angeles Times

State assemblywoman cristina garcia supports our referendum vote effort

“If the council is confident that residents support cannabis in their city, why not just put it on the ballot like the activists want? I support legalization & regulation, but I also support the public being part of the local decision making.” Cristina Garcia, State Assemblywoman

PRESS PLAY WITH MADELEINE BRAND:

Is the smell of weed repelling tourists from Santa Barbara?

“Santa Barbara County leads the state in marijuana growing, and the smell of skunk from all those greenhouses is overwhelming. Wineries are angry, saying the stench is scaring off tourists.“

From KCRW

Marijuana entrepreneurs give up on El Monte as council rescinds their permits

The five approved businesses prompted five lawsuits filed by activists and the cities of Temple City and Rosemead.

“After months of sparring with activists, all five would-be operators of El Monte’s approved medicinal cannabis growing facilities have decided to pull up stakes, despite the City Council’s full support.

At the developers’ request, city officials voted unanimously Wednesday to rescind the permits they granted last year. The five growing operations would have been El Monte’s first cannabis businesses, but their location drew ire from local activists and neighboring cities of Rosemead and Temple City.”

From San Gabriel Valley Tribune

‘Dead Skunk’ Stench From Marijuana Farms Outrages Californians

“CARPINTERIA, Calif. — They call it fresh skunk, the odor cloud or sometimes just the stink.

Mike Wondolowski often finds himself in the middle of it. He may be on the chaise longue on his patio, at his computer in the house, or tending to his orange and lemon trees in the garden when the powerful, nauseating stench descends on him.”

From The New York Times

New problem for legal weed: Exploding pot factories

“Legalization of marijuana at the state level has resulted in at least 10 recorded instances of fires or explosions at facilities that extract hash oil.”

From Politico

Would this California town have become so pro-cannabis if not for a councilwoman's pot industry ties?

“Few local politicians have championed marijuana as loudly as Aide Castro. She says the drug was crucial to treating a thyroid condition. And as a Lynwood city councilwoman, she was the driving force behind the city’s decision more than two years ago to become one of the first in Los Angeles County to embrace the newly legalized industry. But while she was helping approve the city’s cannabis regulations, Castro was also quietly making money from the industry, a Times investigation found.”

From Los Angeles Times

California is awash in cannabis cash. Some is being used to bribe public officials

“Lopey called in the FBI, and, later, deliveries of envelopes stuffed with thousands of dollars in cash were recorded by cameras and microphones hidden on the sheriff's cluttered, wooden desk. Two people were later indicted by a federal grand jury for attempting to bribe the elected sheriff.”

From Los Angeles Times