Cannabis Study House - NORML Weekly News in Audio 2007.8.15

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Weekly News in Audio

August 15, 2007

State Medi-Pot Laws Not Associated With Increased Drug Use, Study Says

World’s Largest Annual Pot ‘Protestival’ To Take Place This Weekend

Preemptive Use Of Cannabinoids Enhances Pain Relief, Study Says

College Station, TX:
State Medi-Pot Laws Not Associated With Increased Drug Use, Study Says

The enactment of state laws legalizing the medical use of cannabis is not associated with an increase in the drug’s recreational use, according to statistical data published in the International Journal of Drug Policy.

Investigators at the Texas A&M Health Science Center, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, analyzed cannabis use trends among two high-risk subgroups (arrestees and emergency room patients) in five cities and five metropolitan areas in states that have enacted medical cannabis laws. In the four states (California, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington) analyzed, researchers reported, "[T]he introduction of medical cannabis laws was not associated with an increase in cannabis use."

Previous studies performed by the University of Michigan and others have also reported that liberalizing marijuana penalties is not associated with an increase in pot use.

Texas A&M investigators speculated that the passage of medical cannabis laws may "de-glamorize" the drug’s use and "thereby [does] little to encourage [its] use among other" non-medical patients.

A previous study of state medi-pot policies by the US General Accounting Office (GAO) reported that the laws have not led to widespread abuses among the general public.

"Fears that allowing the physician-supervised use of medical cannabis will ‘send a mixed message’ to young people or lead to a significant spike in pot’s personal use are unfounded," said NORML Senior Policy Analyst Paul Armentano. "Such concerns, though popular among opponents of cannabis law reform, are based on rhetoric 窶� not fact 窶� and should not guide public policy."

Seattle, WA:
World’s Largest Annual Pot ‘Protestival’ To Take Place This Weekend

Event organizers are expecting nearly 150,000 attendees at this weekend's 16th annual Seattle Hempfest taking place this Saturday and Sunday at Myrtle Edwards Park in downtown Seattle. More than 70 speakers and 60 bands will participate on five stages during the two-day event, which is now recognized as the largest marijuana law reform gathering in the world.

Speakers at this year’s event include NORML Executive Director Allen St. Pierre, NORML Founder Keith Stroup, and PBS travel host and NORML Advisory Board Member Rick Steves, as well as NORML Board Members George Rohrbacher and Jeffrey Steinborn. Musical reggae artist Pato Banton will headline the festival.

The Seattle Hempfest is an all-volunteer effort and is free to attend. Donations are encouraged and attendees are urged to ride public transportation to the event.

Montreal, Quebec:
Preemptive Use Of Cannabinoids Enhances Pain Relief, Study Says

The daily administration of the synthetic cannabinoid agonist WIN 55,212-2 prior to surgery produces enhanced analgesic activity in an animal model of neuropathic (nerve) pain, according to preclinical data published in the European Journal of Pharmacology.

Investigators at the University of Montreal reported that the preemptive administration of WIN 55, 212-2 in the days leading up to surgery produced greater neuropathic pain relief than did the administration of the drug immediately prior to surgery.

"[Although] WIN 55,212-2 decreased mechanical alloodynia (skin pain) and thermal hyperalgesia in neuropathic animals, … the group receiving pre-emptive WIN 55,212-2 had significantly greater anti-hyperalgesic and anti-allodynic effects compared with the group receiving [it] before the surgery," authors concluded.

Previous preclinical trial data of WIN 55, 212-2 indicates that the agonist can significantly reduce brain inflammation and improve memory in an animal model of Alzheimer’s. Administration of the drug has also been associated with the inhibition of prostate cancer cells.

Clinical trial data published earlier this year by investigators at San Francisco General Hospital and the University of California's Pain Clinical Research Center reported that inhaling cannabis significantly reduced HIV-associated neuropathy compared to placebo.

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