Cannabis Study House - NORML Weekly News in Audio 2006.2.16

http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=6650

Weekly News in Audio

February 16, 2006

Chris Goldstein
Download (MP3)

Marijuana Possession Arrests Fuel Drug War, Study Says

Cannabinoid Offers Cardioprotection, Study Says

Cannabinoids Enhance Analgesic Effects Of Anti-Inflammatory Drugs, Study Says

Massachusetts: Decrim Bill Advances

Washington, DC:
Marijuana Possession Arrests Fuel Drug War, Study Says

Marijuana possession arrests have increased dramatically over the past decade and now cost taxpayers an estimated $4 billion annually, according to a study published in the February issue of the Harm Reduction Journal.

Researchers at the Sentencing Project in Washington, DC found that arrests for marijuana offenses, primarily simple possession, increased by 113 percent between 1990 and 2002, while drug arrests for non-marijuana offenses increased by only 10 percent. Authors further noted that this dramatic increase in annual marijuana arrests coincided with a significant decline in arrests for cocaine and heroin offenses. Today, nearly 50 percent of all drug arrests are for marijuana-related offenses; less than 30 percent of drug arrests are for cocaine and/or heroin.

Among those annually arrested on marijuana charges, only one in 18 receive a felony conviction, authors found, adding that the overwhelming majority of those arrested end up having their charges dismissed or adjudicated as a misdemeanor.

"Roughly $4 billion per year is being dedicated to minor [marijuana] offenses," authors conclude. "Our analysis indicates that the 'war on drugs' in the 1990s was, essentially, a war on marijuana."

Ramat-Gan, Israel:
Cannabinoid Offers Cardioprotection, Study Says

The administration of delta-9-THC protects heart muscle cells from injury during hypoxia (a deficiency in the levels of oxygen in the blood), according to preclinical trial data published in the February issue of the journal Molecular and Cellular Boichemistry.

Researchers at the Bar-Ilan University in Israel investigated the effect of THC on cultured heart cells during hypoxia. "The present study confirm[s] the ability of THC to confer cardioprotection on hypoxia-exposed cardiac cells in culture," authors concluded. Investigators defined" cardioprotection" as "delaying the onset of irreversible cell injury."

Authors also noted that THC appears to be non-toxic to heart cells.

"This research demonstrates that THC has beneficial effects on cardiac cells and supports the consideration of marijuana for specific medical uses," investigators concluded.

Previous research indicates that cannabinoids may also protect brain cells against alcohol-induced brain damage, stroke, and acute head trauma.

Ankara, Turkey:
Cannabinoids Enhance Analgesic Effects Of Anti-Inflammatory Drugs, Study Says

Cannabinoids, when administered in combination with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), produce a synergistic analgesic effect, according to preclinical data published in the February issue of the journal Anesthesia & Analgesia.

A research team at the Trakya University in Turkey investigated the analgesic interaction between cannabinoids and NSAIDS in mice. "Analysis showed additive interactions between [cannabinoids] and [NSAIDS] when they were co-administered systematically in an inflammatory visceral pain model," investigators concluded. "The combination of cannabinoids and NSAIDS may have utility in the pharmacotherapy of pain."

Currently, a research team at the San Francisco General Hospital in California is evaluating the effectiveness of inhaled cannabis when used as an adjunctive therapy in combination with opioids to treat persistent cancer pain. The findings of that clinical trial are expected to be published later this year.

Boston, MA:
Massachusetts: Decrim Bill Advances

Senate legislation that would remove criminal penalties for the possession of less than one ounce of marijuana was approved by the Joint Mental Health and Substances Abuse Committee this week by a 6-1 vote.

If passed into law, Senate Bill 1151 would decrease penalties for the minor possession of marijuana to a civil offense punishable by a maximum fine of $250. Currently, state law treats simple possession as a criminal offense punishable by up to six months in jail and a $500 fine.

Twelve states and numerous municipalities have enacted similar versions of marijuana decriminalization.

The House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hear testimony on House Bill 862, the companion bill to SB 1151, in March.

In 2004, voters in three Massachusetts Senate and eight House districts overwhelmingly backed several non-binding "public policy questions" depenalizing the possession of marijuana for personal use, and legalizing the medical use of cannabis for patients who possess a doctor's authorization.