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Tisme, which city are you describing, Vancouver or Toronto?
I was surprised when I was in Vancouver last year by the number of druggies on the street
Tisme, which city are you describing, Vancouver or Toronto?
I was surprised when I was in Vancouver last year by the number of druggies on the street
He obviously hasn’t been to Van City lately
Tisme
Apathetic at Best
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Toronto is a much bigger city, but yes I think Canada in general is fast becoming a victim of its own stupidity. When you see numerous 40+ yearolds with baggies and reverse caps riding down the street on skateboards the question tends to be about arrested development with mental pictures of Dude Where's My Car.
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A few interesting facts on drug use in Australia.
https://thewest.com.au/news/crime/wa-towns-top-nation-for-methamphetamine-use-ng-b88984291z
https://thewest.com.au/news/crime/wa-towns-top-nation-for-methamphetamine-use-ng-b88984291z
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Canada legalised marijuana yesterday.
Sales tax collected, Australia is so behind....
Sales tax collected, Australia is so behind....
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Canada is running out of marijuana two days
after drug became legal
after drug became legal
Canadians were so excited about getting their hands on some legal, recreational marijuana the country is reportedly experience a shortage.
Police were called to help shops struggling to handle long queues and with frustrated people unable to buy cannabis.
Bill Blair, a former Toronto police chief who has led the government's legalisation programme, told public broadcaster CBC the country was unable to supply enough to meet demand.
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Canada has legalised cannabis.
This is why Australia should follow suit
Whether it's next year or a decade from now, the question concerning cannabis legalisation is no longer if, but when.This is why Australia should follow suit
History has taught me that our drug laws — good or bad — take time to untangle once we realise they don't work. And when it comes to drugs, our realisations come about a 100 years too late.
These late realisations come with significant costs for our safety and wellbeing. Our community has suffered from undue poverty, criminality and negative health outcomes.
We're late learners when it comes to drug laws.
Therefore, the salient question for me is neither if nor when, but how. How will we manage the legalisation of cannabis?
Canadian economy will profit from cannabis
This is where Canada has taken a strategic step — they have banned advertising, enforced plain packaging, regulated how the ingredients are displayed and limited how many shops can sell it in the first year.
You need to be 19 to purchase it in all provinces except two, where you must be 18.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted: "Profits out of the hands of criminals. Protection for our kids. Today #cannabis is legalized and regulated across Canada."
Canada will certainly benefit from the profits moving from the underbelly into the pockets of their economy. And that is common sense regulation of a black market but let's be clear — we will never destroy a black market entirely.
Today, Australia is home to a tobacco black market. However it's tiny. And a tiny tobacco black market is something far easier to police than an the impossible mission of shutting down every backyard ice lab.
This is about being pragmatic and our kid's health and safety should remain paramount.
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Legalise some drugs, outlaw others?
If governments are clever they can levy high taxes on certain drugs by legalising them.
If governments are clever they can levy high taxes on certain drugs by legalising them.
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Psychedelic psilocybin therapy for depression granted Breakthrough Therapy status by FDA
In an extraordinary step forward for the psychedelic drug research community, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has just given psilocybin therapy for treatment-resistant depression a Breakthrough Therapy designation. This classification suggests the treatment has demonstrated significant potential in early clinical evidence, allowing the FDA to assist and expedite subsequent development and review processes.
The FDA's Breakthrough Therapy designation was created in 2012 as a way of presenting a faster pathway to approval for drugs that display treatment advantages over current options for serious or life-threatening conditions. While not all Breakthrough Therapy treatments may ultimately prove efficacious and make it to market, the designation is generally a positive thumbs-up from the FDA that it's potentially useful and should be expedited.
The specific designation in this instance is directed at a phase IIb trial currently underway across Europe and North America. The research is investigating the optimal dose range for psilocybin in regards to severe treatment-resistant depression. Prior research has found that one to two doses of the psychedelic agent, administered in controlled settings, can markedly reduce a person's depressive symptoms. The safety of these treatments has also been established through earlier research.
The multi-center clinical trial now underway is being run by life sciences company COMPASS Pathways and expands on decades of work by researchers around the world who toiled to push this previously taboo drug into the light of legitimate medical research. Robin Carhart-Harris, head of the Psychedelic Research Group at Imperial College London, has been working for several years to establish the efficacy of psilocybin treatment for depression, and notes that this new FDA designation is a positive sign for the future of psychedelic drug therapy.
"The Breakthrough Therapy designation is a strong endorsement for the potential of psilocybin therapy," says Carhart-Harris. "We look forward to learning more as further clinical studies are carried out, by our team at Imperial College as well as in COMPASS's multi-center trial."
The FDA's Breakthrough Therapy designation was created in 2012 as a way of presenting a faster pathway to approval for drugs that display treatment advantages over current options for serious or life-threatening conditions. While not all Breakthrough Therapy treatments may ultimately prove efficacious and make it to market, the designation is generally a positive thumbs-up from the FDA that it's potentially useful and should be expedited.
The specific designation in this instance is directed at a phase IIb trial currently underway across Europe and North America. The research is investigating the optimal dose range for psilocybin in regards to severe treatment-resistant depression. Prior research has found that one to two doses of the psychedelic agent, administered in controlled settings, can markedly reduce a person's depressive symptoms. The safety of these treatments has also been established through earlier research.
The multi-center clinical trial now underway is being run by life sciences company COMPASS Pathways and expands on decades of work by researchers around the world who toiled to push this previously taboo drug into the light of legitimate medical research. Robin Carhart-Harris, head of the Psychedelic Research Group at Imperial College London, has been working for several years to establish the efficacy of psilocybin treatment for depression, and notes that this new FDA designation is a positive sign for the future of psychedelic drug therapy.
"The Breakthrough Therapy designation is a strong endorsement for the potential of psilocybin therapy," says Carhart-Harris. "We look forward to learning more as further clinical studies are carried out, by our team at Imperial College as well as in COMPASS's multi-center trial."
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Big Pharma and the FDA have a lot of blood on their hands, and I guess they're starting to feel and see the results of their poor decisions from the past. Fast-tracking psychedelic research can only be a good thing, regardless of the outcome. I'm not sure it will be the answer based on what I've read at Erowid, but it's worth a shot.
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3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine-assisted psychotherapy for treatment of chronic posttraumatic stress disorder: A randomized phase 2 controlled trial
Background:
Posttraumatic stress disorder often does not resolve after conventional psychotherapies or pharmacotherapies. Pilot studies have reported that 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) combined with psychotherapy reduces posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms.
Aims:
This pilot dose response trial assessed efficacy and safety of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy across multiple therapy teams.
Methods:
Twenty-eight people with chronic posttraumatic stress disorder were randomized in a double-blind dose response comparison of two active doses (100 and 125 mg) with a low dose (40 mg) of MDMA administered during eight-hour psychotherapy sessions. Change in the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale total scores one month after two sessions of MDMA served as the primary outcome. Active dose groups had one additional open-label session; the low dose group crossed over for three open-label active dose sessions. A 12-month follow-up assessment occurred after the final MDMA session.
Results:
In the intent-to-treat set, the active groups had the largest reduction in Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale total scores at the primary endpoint, with mean (standard deviation) changes of −26.3 (29.5) for 125 mg, −24.4 (24.2) for 100 mg, and −11.5 (21.2) for 40 mg, though statistical significance was reached only in the per protocol set (p=0.03). Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms remained lower than baseline at 12-month follow-up (p<0.001) with 76% (n=25) not meeting posttraumatic stress disorder criteria. There were no drug-related serious adverse events, and the treatment was well-tolerated.
Conclusions:
Our findings support previous investigations of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy as an innovative, efficacious treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder.
Abstract
Background:
Posttraumatic stress disorder often does not resolve after conventional psychotherapies or pharmacotherapies. Pilot studies have reported that 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) combined with psychotherapy reduces posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms.
Aims:
This pilot dose response trial assessed efficacy and safety of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy across multiple therapy teams.
Methods:
Twenty-eight people with chronic posttraumatic stress disorder were randomized in a double-blind dose response comparison of two active doses (100 and 125 mg) with a low dose (40 mg) of MDMA administered during eight-hour psychotherapy sessions. Change in the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale total scores one month after two sessions of MDMA served as the primary outcome. Active dose groups had one additional open-label session; the low dose group crossed over for three open-label active dose sessions. A 12-month follow-up assessment occurred after the final MDMA session.
Results:
In the intent-to-treat set, the active groups had the largest reduction in Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale total scores at the primary endpoint, with mean (standard deviation) changes of −26.3 (29.5) for 125 mg, −24.4 (24.2) for 100 mg, and −11.5 (21.2) for 40 mg, though statistical significance was reached only in the per protocol set (p=0.03). Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms remained lower than baseline at 12-month follow-up (p<0.001) with 76% (n=25) not meeting posttraumatic stress disorder criteria. There were no drug-related serious adverse events, and the treatment was well-tolerated.
Conclusions:
Our findings support previous investigations of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy as an innovative, efficacious treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder.
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As the marijuana industry grows, more states are reporting massive tax revenues that are being used to fund schools, drug treatment programs, and other vital services.
Legalizing marijuana nationwide would raise $7 billion in tax revenue per year. It’s a no brainer.
Legalizing marijuana nationwide would raise $7 billion in tax revenue per year. It’s a no brainer.
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Well, at least the Greens are doing something.
The Greens introduce Australian Cannabis Agency Bill 2018
into Parliament
into Parliament
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USA...
Australia is so far behind. Muppets
More on link below...
Australia is so far behind. Muppets
5 hot new careers created by marijuana legalization
- By 2020 the $8.5 billion U.S. marijuana industry is expected to create 250,000 new jobs, according to New Frontier Data.
- In 2017 the number of job posts for openings in the marijuana industry increased by 445 percent, outpacing tech (254 percent) and health care (70 percent), according to ZipRecruiter.
- Fast-growing new careers driven by marijuana legalization include director of cultivation, budtender, dispensary manager, director of extraction and trimmer.
Six years ago recreational marijuana use was illegal in all 50 states — and had been for nearly a century. Following the 2018 midterm elections, anyone over 21 will soon be allowed to legally consume marijuana in 10 states plus the District of Columbia. Overall, 33 states in the past 22 years have passed some form of marijuana legalization, from medical to recreational use.
Despite the ever-present federal threat — the Drug Enforcement Administration still considers marijuana a banned substance, and former Attorney General Jeff Sessions threatened a crackdown — the $8.5 billion U.S. marijuana industry seems poised to grow as rapidly as the law will allow it. And it's generating jobs just as quickly.
By 2020 the industry is expected to create 250,000 new jobs, according to New Frontier Data, an industry research firm. In 2017 the number of job posts for openings in the marijuana industry increased by 445 percent, outpacing tech (254 percent) and health care (70 percent), according to ZipRecruiter.
The industry is in search of workers across the spectrum, from accounting to compliance, customer service, sales, technology and more. As the industry grows, so too do the opportunities. California, Colorado and Washington currently have the greatest demand for workers, but that could shift as legalization spreads.
Though the total number of marijuana jobs are still far smaller than those other, much older industries, they include several positions that didn't exist prior to legalization, offering enterprising workers the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of an entirely new career.
Because legalization has come state by state, there is no single association or governing body offering licenses, training or certifications. Workers looking to enter the industry will need to do a bit of research to find out their specific state requirements.
But newcomers don't necessarily need an encyclopedic nature of weed culture to succeed in the industry. In fact, Karson Humiston, CEO and founder of recruiting firm Vangst, said she decided to start her firm, which specializes in the cannabis industry, after discovering the breadth of talent required by entrepreneurs attending a 2015 industry convention.
"When I asked people what positions they were hiring for, it was everything from a botanist to a chemical engineer to a Ph.D. to a retail store manager to a marketing manager to a human resource manager to a CFO," she said. "You name it, and these companies were hiring for it."
Though some may hesitate to join an industry selling a drug that's still banned by federal law, everyday workers have little to fear, said Morgan Fox, media relations director for the National Cannabis Industry Association. "We haven't seen any U.S. attorneys make an effort to crack down on businesses that are compliant with state law, even though the former attorney general gave them carte blanche to do so," he said, referring to Sessions. "If someone is just an employee of a company, I would think there's pretty much no risk."
Here are five fast-growing new careers driven by marijuana legalization. Salary data is gleaned from the 2018 Vangst Salary Guide. In most cases the salary ranges are unusually broad due to the industry's youth and rapid expansion.
Despite the ever-present federal threat — the Drug Enforcement Administration still considers marijuana a banned substance, and former Attorney General Jeff Sessions threatened a crackdown — the $8.5 billion U.S. marijuana industry seems poised to grow as rapidly as the law will allow it. And it's generating jobs just as quickly.
By 2020 the industry is expected to create 250,000 new jobs, according to New Frontier Data, an industry research firm. In 2017 the number of job posts for openings in the marijuana industry increased by 445 percent, outpacing tech (254 percent) and health care (70 percent), according to ZipRecruiter.
The industry is in search of workers across the spectrum, from accounting to compliance, customer service, sales, technology and more. As the industry grows, so too do the opportunities. California, Colorado and Washington currently have the greatest demand for workers, but that could shift as legalization spreads.
Though the total number of marijuana jobs are still far smaller than those other, much older industries, they include several positions that didn't exist prior to legalization, offering enterprising workers the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of an entirely new career.
Because legalization has come state by state, there is no single association or governing body offering licenses, training or certifications. Workers looking to enter the industry will need to do a bit of research to find out their specific state requirements.
But newcomers don't necessarily need an encyclopedic nature of weed culture to succeed in the industry. In fact, Karson Humiston, CEO and founder of recruiting firm Vangst, said she decided to start her firm, which specializes in the cannabis industry, after discovering the breadth of talent required by entrepreneurs attending a 2015 industry convention.
"When I asked people what positions they were hiring for, it was everything from a botanist to a chemical engineer to a Ph.D. to a retail store manager to a marketing manager to a human resource manager to a CFO," she said. "You name it, and these companies were hiring for it."
Though some may hesitate to join an industry selling a drug that's still banned by federal law, everyday workers have little to fear, said Morgan Fox, media relations director for the National Cannabis Industry Association. "We haven't seen any U.S. attorneys make an effort to crack down on businesses that are compliant with state law, even though the former attorney general gave them carte blanche to do so," he said, referring to Sessions. "If someone is just an employee of a company, I would think there's pretty much no risk."
Here are five fast-growing new careers driven by marijuana legalization. Salary data is gleaned from the 2018 Vangst Salary Guide. In most cases the salary ranges are unusually broad due to the industry's youth and rapid expansion.
More on link below...
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New Zealand legalizes medical cannabis, regulated market within one year.
Medicinal cannabis bill passes, with regulated market promised within a year and a legal defence until then
The Government has passed its medicinal cannabis bill, which will establish a regulated scheme within a year and give those close to death a legal defence before then.
After a long road to third reading the bill passed on Tuesday afternoon with the support of Labour, the Greens, and NZ First.
Both the Greens and NZ First won some concessions to the bill, which has been criticised by medicinal marijuana advocates for not going far enough - and by National as "decriminalisation by stealth".
The bill sets up a statutory defence which allows those close to death in palliative care to consume illicit marijuana with a legal defence if prosecuted.
This is intended as a bridging mechanism until the full Medicinal Cannabis Scheme is set up, which will make the process much more simple, likely by allowing pharmacies to sell regulated marijuana products.
After a long road to third reading the bill passed on Tuesday afternoon with the support of Labour, the Greens, and NZ First.
Both the Greens and NZ First won some concessions to the bill, which has been criticised by medicinal marijuana advocates for not going far enough - and by National as "decriminalisation by stealth".
The bill sets up a statutory defence which allows those close to death in palliative care to consume illicit marijuana with a legal defence if prosecuted.
This is intended as a bridging mechanism until the full Medicinal Cannabis Scheme is set up, which will make the process much more simple, likely by allowing pharmacies to sell regulated marijuana products.
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Australia is following a corrupt system. Sheep. Blind leading the blind....
https://www.dea.gov/drug-scheduling
Schedule I
Schedule I drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Some examples of Schedule I drugs are:
heroin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), marijuana (cannabis), 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy), methaqualone, and peyote
Schedule II
Schedule II drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with a high potential for abuse, with use potentially leading to severe psychological or physical dependence. These drugs are also considered dangerous. Some examples of Schedule II drugs are:
Combination products with less than 15 milligrams of hydrocodone per dosage unit (Vicodin), cocaine, methamphetamine, methadone, hydromorphone (Dilaudid), meperidine (Demerol), oxycodone (OxyContin), fentanyl, Dexedrine, Adderall, and Ritalin
https://www.dea.gov/drug-scheduling
Schedule I
Schedule I drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. Some examples of Schedule I drugs are:
heroin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), marijuana (cannabis), 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy), methaqualone, and peyote
Schedule II
Schedule II drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with a high potential for abuse, with use potentially leading to severe psychological or physical dependence. These drugs are also considered dangerous. Some examples of Schedule II drugs are:
Combination products with less than 15 milligrams of hydrocodone per dosage unit (Vicodin), cocaine, methamphetamine, methadone, hydromorphone (Dilaudid), meperidine (Demerol), oxycodone (OxyContin), fentanyl, Dexedrine, Adderall, and Ritalin
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Campaign to decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms in Denver says it has enough signatures to make the ballot
Denver for Psilocybin said it will turn in more than 8,000 ballot signatures following a rally outside of the Colorado Capitol on Monday afternoon.
Denver for Psilocybin said it will turn in more than 8,000 ballot signatures following a rally outside of the Colorado Capitol on Monday afternoon.
The campaign to decriminalize psychedelic mushrooms in Denver said it has more than enough signatures to make the May municipal ballot and will turn them into the elections office following a rally outside the Capitol Monday afternoon.
Kevin Matthews, the campaign director for Denver for Psilocybin, said the group has gathered more than 8,000 signatures. The elections office has 25 days to verify they have collected the 4,729 valid signatures needed to make the May 2019 municipal ballot.
“This is a chance for Denver and Colorado to be an example for the rest of the country,” Matthews said.
He said an important distinction for voters to make is the fact the measure would decriminalize magic mushrooms rather than legalize them. The language in the measure is based off a 2007 initiative to decriminalize marijuana possession in Denver – something that was a precursor to the 2012 legalization of recreational cannabis use and distribution -- and a first-of-its-kind in the country.
“We’re not talking about a regulatory framework, we’re not talking about a recreational framework at all,” Matthews said.
The Denver for Psilocybin campaign touts what it said are the medical benefits of magic mushrooms, and has cited studies saying the drug has been known to help people experiencing a decline in mental health.
Matthews, a father of a 4-year-old, said he personally has benefited from the drug to help with depression.
Kevin Matthews, the campaign director for Denver for Psilocybin, said the group has gathered more than 8,000 signatures. The elections office has 25 days to verify they have collected the 4,729 valid signatures needed to make the May 2019 municipal ballot.
“This is a chance for Denver and Colorado to be an example for the rest of the country,” Matthews said.
He said an important distinction for voters to make is the fact the measure would decriminalize magic mushrooms rather than legalize them. The language in the measure is based off a 2007 initiative to decriminalize marijuana possession in Denver – something that was a precursor to the 2012 legalization of recreational cannabis use and distribution -- and a first-of-its-kind in the country.
“We’re not talking about a regulatory framework, we’re not talking about a recreational framework at all,” Matthews said.
The Denver for Psilocybin campaign touts what it said are the medical benefits of magic mushrooms, and has cited studies saying the drug has been known to help people experiencing a decline in mental health.
Matthews, a father of a 4-year-old, said he personally has benefited from the drug to help with depression.
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I must admit that I find it very strange that the most dangerous thing about Cannabis is getting caught with some.
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^AH but do you know the reason it was banned? I'd wager you know only part of the story.
Do you know that it used to be illegal NOT to grow hemp.
American greed overtook common sense. (what's new)
In 1619, America’s first marijuana law was enacted at Jamestown Colony, Virginia, “ordering” all farmers to “make tryal of “(grow) Indian hempseed. More mandatory (must-grow) hemp cultivation laws were enacted in Massachusetts in 1631, in Connecticut in 1632 and in the Chesapeake Colonies into the mid-1700s.
Even in England, the much-sought-after prize of full British citizenship was bestowed by a decree of the crown on foreigners who would grow cannabis, and fines were often levied against those who refused.
Cannabis hemp was legal tender (money) in most of the Americas from 1631 until the early 1800s. Why? To encourage American farmers to grow more.1
You could pay your taxes with cannabis hemp throughout America for over 200 years.2
You could even be jailed in America for not growing cannabis during several periods of shortage, e.g., in Virginia between 1763 and 1767.
(Herndon, G.M., Hemp in Colonial Virginia, 1963; The Chesapeake Colonies, 1954; L.A. Times, August 12, 1981; et al.)
Read all about it here. It's a great read.
https://jackherer.com/emperor-3/
Do you know that it used to be illegal NOT to grow hemp.
American greed overtook common sense. (what's new)
In 1619, America’s first marijuana law was enacted at Jamestown Colony, Virginia, “ordering” all farmers to “make tryal of “(grow) Indian hempseed. More mandatory (must-grow) hemp cultivation laws were enacted in Massachusetts in 1631, in Connecticut in 1632 and in the Chesapeake Colonies into the mid-1700s.
Even in England, the much-sought-after prize of full British citizenship was bestowed by a decree of the crown on foreigners who would grow cannabis, and fines were often levied against those who refused.
Cannabis hemp was legal tender (money) in most of the Americas from 1631 until the early 1800s. Why? To encourage American farmers to grow more.1
You could pay your taxes with cannabis hemp throughout America for over 200 years.2
You could even be jailed in America for not growing cannabis during several periods of shortage, e.g., in Virginia between 1763 and 1767.
(Herndon, G.M., Hemp in Colonial Virginia, 1963; The Chesapeake Colonies, 1954; L.A. Times, August 12, 1981; et al.)
Read all about it here. It's a great read.
https://jackherer.com/emperor-3/
