With recreational marijuana use legalized in the state, more dispensaries are opening their stores for recreational users. The industry is booming, but authorities urge people to be responsible and think before getting behind the wheel after using cannabis.

It comes after experts report the increase of traffic deaths related to cannabis use in states that previously legalized the drug’s recreational use. A Phoenix lawyer reported that DUI incidents are on the rise even before Proposition 207 went into effect.

Fennemore Craig, P.C. attorney, Marc Lamber, expressed his immense concern with rising marijuana-related DUI incidents with his first-hand experience as a personal injury lawyer. He commented that he has hands-on knowledge of the devastation driving after getting high from using cannabis can cause.

Lamber said that once getting someone hurt or killed after getting behind the wheel while impaired changes many things. It can affect the victim’s life, including the families, and could also change the suspect’s life, he added.

Lamber has been keeping a close eye on the statistics from other states that already legalized the use of cannabis, especially for recreational purposes. He exclaimed that everything is still in the early phase, and the real data isn’t available yet, even in states that already passed the legalization of recreational cannabis.

According to him, what is present is the two-fold increase in the THC-fatality rate in states like Washington and Colorado. From a report made by RMHITDA after the legalization of recreational marijuana in Colorado, traffic deaths increased by 35%, and the cannabis-related traffic deaths boosted by 151% in 2018.

It’s the kind of increase that he wishes to never see in Arizona, he stated. However, he also admitted that it might take some time before drug driving enforcement reaches the drinking and driving level in terms of the law.

Lamber stated that drinking while driving has been unlawful since the 1900s, with the earliest laws in New York regarding it established around 1910. Breath analyzers for alcohol have also been present for the longest time and have been used even back in 1950. However, THC only gets detected through the blood.

Lamber commented that among the methods they are testing are police drug vans. In this case, they won’t have to send people to the police station or the hospital to test for THC. However, dug vans will require the office to be certified phlebotomists.

According to Lamber, another challenge is the lack of a standard amount to consider a case of drug impairment, unlike in alcohol. So, police officers will only need to show the slightest degree of drug impairment to get someone prosecuted for drug DUI. Lamber added that such cases are largely similar to alcohol DUI but have heftier penalties, larger fines, jail time, and even suspension of driver’s license.

There is also the fact that researchers pointed out, like marijuana staying in the body for a couple of days. It means that even with toxicology tests, there is no way to point out whether a driver was under impairment during the accident. Although there are conflicting studies about this topic, researchers agree that more testing is necessary.

The new marijuana testing guidelines required for all Arizona dispensaries, which started on November 1, 2020, also further caused a supply shortage. With the mandatory testing, there were fewer medical cannabis products on the shelves in stores. It happened as dispensaries wait for products to get through the testing phase.

Another issue, even before the mandatory testing began, was the potential that not all medical marijuana products would pass. The increased chance that many cannabis wouldn’t pass as some growers couldn’t meet the pesticide regulations will lower the number of available products.

Although there was a reassurance from the Department of Health Services that the disruption in supply, if there is any, will be limited and is only temporary, it wasn’t enough to curb the concern for some.

However, a new bill aims to fix Arizona’s cannabis supply shortage when the mandatory testing began. One of the critical issues during the original testing law was that it launched before many testing labs were ready for operation. There wasn’t an adequate amount of labs to handle the huge amount of marijuana ready for testing.

As testing labs failed to test a massive amount of cannabis promptly, it caused shortages throughout Arizona. It greatly affected medical marijuana patients as it became more challenging to get the medicine they require.

In part, the new Arizona bill reads that if an independent third-party testing laboratory couldn’t provide necessary test results within seven business days, they are to remit the supposed payment to the department of deposit. The test results include those for usable marijuana and other marijuana products intended for medical use sent to the testing labs by nonprofit medical marijuana dispensaries.

In other words, laboratories will be forfeiting their revenue for tests that they cannot complete promptly or in seven business days as required in the regulation. The forfeited revenue from the third-party laboratory will be under the medical marijuana fund established by Section 36-2817.

Meanwhile, Arizona’s recreational marijuana sales, which only began on January 22, 2021, are booming at most cannabis dispensaries. The recreational marijuana market in Arizona is growing following the cannabis legalization passed during the election in November. Arizona joins 14 other US states to move towards broadly legalizing cannabis use.

Early this year, the state’s Department of Health Services started accepting license applications from businesses wishing to dip in the recreational cannabis market. Many businesses and facilities already received licenses to begin adult-use cannabis sales.

Cannabis companies in the state are reporting long customer lines and increasing sales weeks after the market launch and a couple of months after the approved legalization of recreational cannabis for adults.

Dispensary operators who received the first recreational licenses from the department report two up to three times of boost in adult-use sales. Dozens of existing medical cannabis dispensaries already opened their stores to recreation shoppers, sparking new concerns about supply problems.

With many dispensaries opening to sell cannabis recreationally, medical cannabis patients start to worry about supply shortages.

Thomas A. Hurd, DDS, a Lompoc resident with a degree in Psychology, showed his strong opposition to the legalization of pot by addressing alarming issues and concerns about the effects of continued marijuana use. Hurd also talked about the negative effects of pot during his speech as a guest commentary speaker in the city of Lompoc.

He narrated his experiences while in UCLA for his Pre-Med as he witnessed marijuana abuse and other recreational drug use, and how it altered people’s normal state of mind into something destructive and violent. He also mentioned that he saw some of his friends lose their normal self after consuming weed and entering an altered reality based on hallucinations and paranoia caused by the drug.

Hurd said that not many people understand the negative effects of marijuana as nobody can really justify or conclude the real effects of the drug on our brain. All the clinical studies and tests conducted to learn more about using the drug as a medicine often end up with futile results when it comes to the real effects of it on a person’s well-being.

But the main concern of Thomas Hurd as he addressed the audience at UCLA is that once marijuana is legalized and regulated, people who are high on pot and continue to work in a dangerous area such as those who operate heavy machinery or handle dangerous weapons could get into fatal accidents, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of weed.

The impact may not be seen immediately after the implementation of weed legalization, but Hurd is sure that the people will notice the drastic negative impacts of it in the long run. Hurd ended his speech by telling the audience that marijuana and other illegal drugs continue to end and ruin the lives of the users and other innocent people who collide with these substance abusers. He urged the people to vote against the legalization and use of recreational marijuana to save lives and continue to live in a more peaceful environment.

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“On this auspicious day, we’ve got a dangerous bill,” said the bill co-sponsor Sen. Jonathan Singer. There’s no cure for PTSD. Exercise routines, medications, diet programs, and therapy sessions are no silver bullets. Moreover, Colorado has one of the highest suicide cases in the country, according to research.
Military veterans are the primary focus of this bill because they are the ones who get this disorder. Most veterans have PTSD after getting out of the military due to their experiences while they were still serving the country.

But the topic of using marijuana for PTSD patients under 18 years old took the stage on Thursday. The State of the House had an evaluation on whether or not they should let minors with PTSD take marijuana to cure their illnesses.

Before the second reading, the sponsors of the bill had a meeting with concerned parties. These include pediatricians, psychiatrists, and physicians. The purpose of the meeting was to create an amendment that would compromise both the patients and the doctors.

In the said bill, every PTSD patient must have one or two physicians. It can be a licensed family physician, a pediatrician, or a licensed child and adolescent psychiatrist.
However, a counter amendment was proposed on Thursday. Rep. Timothy Leonard, who sponsored the mentioned bill, said that marijuana could affect the brains of children. Moreover, he is alarmed about the increasing opioid addiction rate among teenagers.

According to the government’s research, 40 percent of teens have tried weed. Twenty percent of them are current users, and 10 percent tried it before they reached 13. Meanwhile, tobacco consumption has increased among college students. Still, children aged 12-17 years old believe that marijuana is safe to take.
Earlier this year, the American Academy of Pediatrics gave a warning about the effects of cannabis on children. According to research, the use of marijuana for PTSD patients could affect the memory and the brain’s ability to plan. The frequent use of pot could lower the IQ level and could lead to addiction.
Nonetheless, not all teen users developed an addiction. It still depends on the user’s genetics and other factors.

For this reason, The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine called for more marijuana PTSD medical research. Despite conducting multiple studies on marijuana, they want to know how cannabis can affect a developing brain and other areas.

Rep. Leonard didn’t want this to happen. He didn’t want to use children in experiments; hence, the proposal of the counter-amendment. However, Leonard failed, and the House is one step closer to allowing marijuana for PTSD. All they need to wait is for the Senate’s final approval.

Meanwhile, Leonard’s worries were repeated by Dr. Jennifer Hagman, a child psychologist. According to Dr. Hagman, the conversation about medical marijuana is surfacing around Colorado. She added that she’s also optimistic and enthusiastic for the progression of the study. She even mentioned the latest Senate Bill 275, which would let cannabis growers and sellers use their crops for research.

Since Colorado implemented the medical marijuana bill in 2001, no new sickness has been added to the list. (The list consists of cachexia, HIV/AIDS, muscle spasms, glaucoma, nausea, cancer, and severe pain.)
Colorado has rejected medical marijuana for PTSD treatment multiple times. The last request to add PTSD as a qualifying disorder was in 2015. The said petition was filed by four veterans and one sexual assault victim. But like any requests, the Colorado Court of Appeals rejected the request.

However, the Senate Bill 17, which allows veterans and children to use cannabis for treating PTSD, is another story. Compared to its previous petitions, this one has experienced smooth sailing. Earlier this year, the bill was cleared by the Senate Committee, allowing PTSD to be in the medical marijuana list. It got a unanimous vote from the senators.

A few days later, it got a 34-1 vote from the GOP. Last month, the House’s voted 8-1 to move the bill to the House floor.

The newly revised bill has the following amendments:

The patient’s PTSD diagnosis must come from a board-certified mental health professional.
Parents who live in Colorado must write a letter of consent to the state health department. The letter must ask for permission to use marijuana dosage for PTSD. The parent must also include his/her name and ask if he/she could be the caregiver of the patient.

The patient must build a real patient-doctor relationship. This means that the resident physician must have a full evaluation of the patient’s physical examination and medical history.

Minor patients must receive PTSD diagnoses from two doctors. One of the physicians must explain the risks and benefits of marijuana for PTSD to their parents. However, this is only implemented if they reside in Colorado.

This is the best time to focus on what’s coming in the marijuana industry.

Among the primary areas of concern in 2017 include Jeff sessions and California. The recreational marijuana market in California is still in the building phase, many are watching the progress, and expect some good news towards the end of the year.

Another center of focus is the appointment of Jeff Sessions as the Attorney General of the United States. This is a huge milestone because the industry will be kept on check, as far as marijuana laws are concerned. Apart from the above themes, the following are some of the prediction in marijuana industry this year:

LA is set to become the marijuana capital

Many marijuana experts across the country have a strong belief that Los Angeles will become the hub for all the marijuana activities. It will definitely beat Mile High City and others. There are several reasons for this deduction. First of all, the medical marijuana market is almost hitting the $1 billion mark, and sooner the figures will overtake those of entire Colorado market. Secondly, the city is yet to pass the ordinance in 2017. This enactment will put in place the right licensing program and introduce the recreational market. Thirdly, many investors are shifting their attention to the city, thanks to the promising emerging market.

 A marijuana sports league will be introduced

Experts argue that there is a possibility of a major sports to green light marijuana. The league will approve the use of cannabis for medical reasons. Athletes from all areas have shifted to using marijuana to treat head injuries and pain and are now avoiding prescribed opiates. At the moment, medical cannabis is legal in 29 states, and athletes are fighting to be treated like other people.

A TV talk show with a marijuana theme will be introduced

According to various studies, many Americans want marijuana to be legalized. And sooner, a major network will be using a marijuana backdrop. It is now more than ten years since a TV program had a weed drop. The series featured a mom who sold weed to earn income. At that time, all this was considered ground breaking. Today we have Mary Jane on MTV and High Maintenance on HBO and so much more.

 Recycling marijuana failures

the Cannabis Business Alliance is one of the major bodies in the country that handles all the marijuana issues, and it hopes to work with legislators to come up with various options for cannabis that fail to pass the pesticide testing. At the moment, marijuana producers are supposed to get rid of crops that don’t pass the test. The body is also working on a new law to allow the failed cannabis to be converted into concentrates that are safe to use.

Medical marijuana accounts for about three-fourths of the market. Meanwhile, recreational marijuana commands the remaining one-fourth of the market. This skew is not surprising in view of the fact that there are only a handful of countries in the world where ingesting recreational marijuana is legalized. In order to understand where investors can look to propel growth, it is best to look at the consumption patterns of the recreational cannabis market.

Trial Rates and Usage Levels of Recreational Marijuana

According to the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime, only 4% of the global population have used marijuana for recreational purposes at least once. In the United States of America, despite the fact that rising usage rates are monitored, usage levels in 2009 are still much lower than those monitored in the 1970s. Of the 10 people who ingest recreational marijuana on a regular basis, at least two ingest recreational marijuana daily. Recreational marijuana users spend an average of $1,869 per year.

Demographic Picture of Users
Marijuana users are both male and female. Several studies show that the young adults in their mid-twenties to their mid-thirties are the more active users of recreational marijuana.

Usage rates taper down as the age group gets older. A possible reason could be that older people still tend to equate marijuana with hard drugs. A majority look at recreational marijuana as a substance positioned in between alcohol and hard drugs in terms of health benefits and social impact.

Reasons for Using Recreational Marijuana

Consumers of recreational marijuana claim that they use it to help them sleep and relax. It is also ingested as a stress reliever and helps minimize anxiety and panic attacks. This contributes to an overall feeling of fun and well-being after ingesting recreational marijuana. Some users claim that it helps improve moods and disposition. Recreational marijuana also helps the user concentrate and meditate.

Purchase Habits

Users usually purchase recreational marijuana legally through pharmacies and dispensaries that are either government owned or privately owned but government supervised. The usual form of marijuana purchases is dried flower buds. The second popular variant is the pre-rolled joint, followed by vapor pens, various edibles, and concentrates. It is remarkable to note that marijuana users do not drink alcohol while “high” on the drug.

Findings show that marijuana is ingested recreationally primarily to help the user relax and feel good. For whatever it is worth, a number of mindful cannabis users claim that marijuana is their substance of choice over alcohol to unwind with after a long hard day while hanging out with friends. Based on the consumption patterns of the recreational cannabis market, it appears that drivers for market growth is to appeal and be relevant to the young upwardly mobile adult’s lifestyle.

On Monday, March 6th, the state of Pennsylvania is looking to be added to the list of those that intend to go beyond medical marijuana use. The primary reason, like the other aforementioned territories, is rooted to likely financial growth.

The Potential for Economic Growth

The first two states in the US that opted to legalize recreational marijuana are Washington, Colorado and Oregon. According to this report, the revenue from taxes that the two states have raked in in 2016 alone were $220 million, $129 million, and $65.4 million, respectively.

Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale is looking to put the same approach in place. He admitted that he was initially unconvinced about how it could turn out, but after seeing how it all fared with the three states, he was eventually persuaded to consider legalization and how it could benefit them “fiscally and socially.”

DePasquale foresees a huge jump in state revenue if the state goes beyond just medical marijuana. Specifically, he is projecting earnings that could reach up to $200 million per year by regulating and taxing cannabis use.

Recreational Marijuana in Other States

Colorado legalized the recreational use of cannabis in 2012, and since then, it has done wonders for the state, in terms of revenue. In the past year, it was reported that sales soared up to more than $1 billion, both for medical and recreational marijuana.

It was already an impressive enough feat from their 2015 earnings, which reached up to $996 million in total. In October of 2016 alone, the state raked in earnings of $82.8 million in retail and $35 million for medical cannabis. Annually, Colorado collects $40 million in taxes, which in turn go to school projects.

In another early 2016 report, the Washington state also experienced monthly revenue of $75.3 million in December 2014, and $18.8 million in January 2015. These numbers come from sales of edible cannabis and extracts.

Repercussions from Trump’s Stance on Cannabis

Upon taking office in January, President Donald Trump made it clear that he was not going to interfere with state laws on medical marijuana. As stated in this report, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer clarified that the president had nothing against medicinal cannabis, particularly for individuals who are suffering from terminal illnesses. Spicer says President Trump “understands the pain” of these patients and how medical marijuana could be of great help to them.
The state of Pennsylvania is now looking to capitalize on this standpoint of the president, as investors are now more confident with where their money is going. And since Pennsylvania’s business model for dispensing and regulating medical marijuana is similar to that of New York and New Jersey, they are expecting for the Trump administration to be supportive.

This, however, has made them look away from considering venturing into the business of recreational marijuana.

For a state like Pennsylvania that is looking to head towards that route, President Trump’s polarizing point of view on both medicinal and recreational cannabis use could be more of a hurdle to deal with. According to constitutional law professor Stephen Wermiel, the current administration should be able to set priorities and figure out how to iron out such laws.

In conclusion

Rightfully, a state like Pennsylvania that has legalized medicinal cannabis for a long time now would consider decriminalizing recreational marijuana as well. The proof is in the pudding, as the saying goes, just by looking at how other states have benefitted from it, in terms of monetary gains.

The main thing to consider would be regulation, if this new law gets enacted. Just like how President Obama’s administration put more focus on prohibition among minors, it would only be logical for the state of Pennsylvania to head towards a similar direction.

Known as an oppositionist of cannabis legalization, he ordered a review of the weed policy among states that have legalized pot. So, on Monday at 12:00 noon, marijuana activists had a get together on the Capitol lawn.
The purpose of the gathering was to appeal to the authority. There were a Rastafarian, an emperor, a marijuana ganja Rene urs, and a dozen advocates wearing what looked like Keebler elf hats. They held a rite for the protection of the “holy herb.”

Dawn Lee Carty offered a Christian prayer while carrying a bottle of marijuana oil. In his prayer, he asked God to help them change Sessions’ mind on the decriminalization and legalization of cannabis.
Meanwhile, Rev. “Billy” Talen from the “Church of Stop Shopping” offered another prayer for nonbelievers. He finished his prayer with “Thank you, cannabis!” and “Marijuanalujah!”
One of the marijuana protesters performed a Buddhist mantra, then Adam Eidinger, leader of DCMJ, offered a Hebrew prayer.

Lastly, the Rastafarian was holding a Lion of Judah flag while praying. He asked for fortification “in the name of the imperial majesty” as what he said in his prayer.

Unfortunately, their prayers were not returned. After an hour and 20 minutes of prayers and speech about marijuana, a distinctive odor spread all over the Capitol. Some activists lit and inhaled cannabis during the program. For this reason, law enforcers started to capture and drag defenders into the van.
The people who were captured includes the Rastafarian. Before the police caught him, he chanted a sacramental joint as he orated: “For too long, they’ve held down cannabis.”

People’s Take on Jeff Sessions’ Order

Before this event, Quinnipiac University conducted a survey. The result shows that 60 percent of Americans think cannabis should be made available and legal. Meanwhile, only 34 percent don’t like the idea of legal marijuana. Even larger groups are marijuana supporters, and they don’t want to have a federal crackdown.

With this overwhelming opinion, Sessions is against all the odds. Last month, Sessions described cannabis as “slightly less awful” than opioids. This statement puts the Trump’s administration on a “battle” not only with pot users but also with states that have legalized marijuana.

What Is Going to Happen?

If you were to make a recall on the Trump’s administration initiatives, you would probably describe it as “nothing much.” Meaning, people will be confused on what they should follow – the existing local system or the federal government. In other words, it’s a system that makes no sense, as marijuana ganja Rene urs described it on Monday.

This arrangement may be favorable for the weed black market, but it’s hardly superior to the legal system. Because the government regulates and collects taxes on cannabis, it could affect the economy as the industry keeps growing. However, this will happen in the future; maybe not in Trump’s regime, but in the next administration.

On the flip side, the situation gives the advocates time to enhance their pitch.

It gives parliament just two years to change the laws regarding home use of marijuana. The ruling hasn’t however, said how much a person can legally have, and that will be up to parliament.

“The right to privacy is not confined to a home or private dwelling. It will not be a criminal offence for an adult person to use or be in possession of cannabis in private space,” deputy chief justice Raymond Zondo said in the ruling.

“This Court must invoke its powers under s 172 (1) (b) of the Constitution to order a suspension of the declaration of invalidity for a realistic period to ensure Parliament may correct the defect. In my view, a period of 24 months from the date of this judgment would be appropriate.

“The order also makes clear that the relevant provisions are only unconstitutional to the extent that they trench upon the private use and consumption of a quantity of cannabis for personal purposes, which the legislative considers does not constitute undue harm.

”
The initial ruling by the Western Cape High court still left the legality of it in question, but this ruling now by the constitutional court makes it very clear that it’ll soon be perfectly legal to use marijuana at home.

And honestly? That’s a good thing. By decriminalising weed, it becomes possible for it to become completely legal – which could see job creation, taxation, regulation and other benefits.

Through the years, laws and regulations declared marijuana as a harmful and prohibited drug. But with the help of science, technology, and advanced studies, it was seen that it is useful as a doctor’s alternative to preventing or curing diseases.

Prevention of Illnesses

Alzheimer’s disease and seizures are some of the ailments which are said to be prevented by marijuana use. Not all people experience these conditions. However, it still poses issues and difficulties to those who suffer from these diseases. It also includes the hardship of their families in dealing with the circumstances.

Reliever of Pain

Studies show that people, especially women, can consider using cannabis as an alternative treatment to the following discomforts. The list includes dysmenorrhea, dysuria, hyperemesis gravidarum, and menopausal symptoms.

Also, because of its anti-inflammatory characteristics just like kratom tea powder, and is considered as a “powerful analgesic (painkiller),”. Many studies assert that cannabis may also cure arthritis, asthma and even cancer.

Use in Athletics

Recently, CBD was stricken out as a prohibited substance from the World Anti-Doping Agency. CBD is a compound extracted from marijuana. This removal is effective starting next year.

With its elimination from the list, athletes can soon use CBD. Personal testimonies of some athletes show that CBD helped with the healing of the body after a match and reduces inflammation. These athletes also claim that CBD and medical marijuana helps to “avoid having to take addictive opioid pain relievers for long-term pain relief.”

Allows Further Research

Marijuana legalization may help the pharmacological world by enabling the study of the plant’s health benefits or how it can be used to treat illnesses. Research on marijuana will help resolve the myths, claims and violent reactions revolving around the substance.

Conclusion

Marijuana and its outcome, not just for medicinal purposes but as a recreation, will need more studies. The different claims about its benefits require the scrutiny of the policymakers and the people.

Although many studies already took place, such as for Patent 6630507 the benefits and advantages of medical marijuana will need more time to be accepted by the public. Weed Near Me