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Tag: marijuana use

  • What Is "Cali Sober"?

    What Is "Cali Sober"?

    Some are giving up the bottle and picking up the joint. 

    What does sobriety mean to you?

    Many who have decided to give up alcohol have opted to keep marijuana in their lives, giving rise to the term “California sober” (“Cali sober” for short)—abstaining from alcohol but still using cannabis. 

    Fiona Apple mentioned in a recent Vulture profile that she used to drink to help her sleep, but now she uses marijuana instead. 

    “Alcohol helped me for a while, but I don’t drink anymore. Now it’s just pot, pot, pot,” she said. 

    Weaning With Weed

    Sara, 38, who spoke with The Cut for a story on being “Cali sober,” said that she’s seen friends give up alcohol and turn to weed as they age. 

    She said, “At my age, I’ve noticed a lot of people are at their ‘I’m going to stop drinking’ point, and weed has become a way for them to wean themselves off of other substances.”

    Sara never drank much, but discovered that she could use marijuana to relax and engage socially. 

    She explained, “I could smoke a little bit before we went out and I wouldn’t be as anxious socially. I could pass around a bowl with friends and it’d be like what I didn’t do in college.” 

    Marijuana Acts As A Substitute

    The New Yorker staff writer Naomi Fry said that she can use marijuana when she’s trying to step back from alcohol. 

    “I like Cali sober because for me it means that even though I’m getting older, and I take monthlong breaks from drinking occasionally, it doesn’t mean that my life can’t still be enjoyable. It’s sort of equivalent to being a silver fox: your hair might be gray, and you might be taking it a little slower, but you can still be hot!”

    Eve Peyser realized at age 23 that she had an unhealthy relationship with alcohol, but she never felt that way about cannabis. So, she stopped drinking, but continued to smoke pot. 

    “Something my therapist said when I was getting to the point when I was ready to quit drinking was, ‘You do what works for you until it doesn’t work for you anymore.’ I didn’t quit smoking weed because it didn’t have that super negative impact on me,” she said. 

    Peyser recognizes that she is still relying on weed in a way, saying, “I definitely am very hard on myself for my weed habits. In my fantasy of my ideal self, it doesn’t involve smoking weed. It involves having coping mechanisms outside of substances to deal with my problems.”

    However, using some substances that aren’t as problematic is a good compromise, she says. 

    “We use things because we’re in pain, because we want to escape from our lives, because we want to relax. I don’t know if my usage is necessarily healthy, but it doesn’t harm me in the same way alcohol did.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • "Weed To Know" Campaign Informs Expectant Mothers About Pot Use

    "Weed To Know" Campaign Informs Expectant Mothers About Pot Use

    The campaign focuses on providing expectant mothers with the possible outcomes from marijuana use on unborn children.

    Health officials in Spokane, Washington are using a public information campaign to encourage young pregnant women to exercise caution when using marijuana.

    As coverage in the Spokesman-Review noted, the Spokane Regional Health District’s “Weed to Know” campaign is intended to provide information to expectant mothers who may have “less concern” about using marijuana, which is legal in Washington state.

    Starting a Conversation

    Representatives from the district know that while definitive information about the impact of marijuana use on a fetus has yet to be produced, they want to “stimulate some conversation” in order to give mothers information to make informed choices.

    According to statistics cited by the Spokesman-Review article, marijuana use among pregnant women remains relatively rare at 7%, but that number is higher than data culled in 2014, when just 3.9% of pregnant women reported using marijuana. That number was enough for the Spokane Regional Health District’s Community and Family Services division to launch “Weed to Know.”

    The campaign focuses on providing possible outcomes from marijuana use on unborn children, including the chance of negative impact on brain and body development.

    As Melissa Charbonneau, a public health nurse with the Community and Family Services division, pointed out, the information featured on the site was culled from studies that used lower-income mothers who utilized public health care in other countries, and who had used other substances, including alcohol or tobacco, while pregnant. 

    More Research Needed

    Efforts to obtain more conclusive evidence have been also been historically hindered by the federal government, which has classified marijuana as a Schedule I drug. “It is frustrating, because [we] don’t have all the answers,” said Charbonneau. “But the answers we do have, I think, are enough to give you pause.”

    Charbonneau also points to statements by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists and Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, both of which encourage medical professionals to dissuade expectant patients from marijuana use during pregnancy and breastfeeding, as support for their concern. 

    They also look to a pair of studies, one of which is being conducted in Spokane by the Washington State University Nursing School, which is looking into how information about marijuana use is being disseminated to mothers by health care professionals and marijuana retailers. A second, recently funded study at the University of Washington hopes to use in-utero imaging to determine if marijuana use has any effect on the formation of the fetus’s brain.

    As the Spokesman-Review noted, research such as these efforts is crucial in developing a more cohesive understanding of marijuana use during pregnancy without the studies cited in the “Weed to Know” campaign, which are skewed by other substances. 

    “Universally, we would all like to see good research that would answer these questions,” said Crystal Oliver, director of the cannabis advocacy group Washington Sungrowers Industry Association. “We can exclude things like tobacco use.”

    Until those studies are produced, the Health District plans to continue to advise mothers on the possible side effects of marijuana use on their unborn children.

    “We don’t have all the answers, but we want people to think twice about this before I’m going to be put in charge of children, before I’m going to breastfeed my child, before I’m going to get pregnant, or even while I’m pregnant, let’s have some conversations here.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Teen Marijuana Use Drops Amid Legalization

    Teen Marijuana Use Drops Amid Legalization

    Teen marijuana use is down 8% in states where recreational marijuana is legal. 

    Legalizing recreational cannabis has lead to a decrease in teen use in many states, according to a study published this week that contradicts previous research of how legalization affects teen pot use. 

    The study, published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, found that recreational marijuana laws were associated with an 8% decrease in teen pot use, and a 9% decrease in frequent use. 

    Recreational Use

    “Because our study is based on more policy variation than prior work, we view our estimates as the most credible to date in the literature,” study author Mark Anderson told CNN. He emphasized that the study focused on recreational legalization, not legalization for medical use. 

    “Just to be clear we found no effect on teen use following legalization for medical purposes, but evidence of a possible reduction in use following legalization for recreational purposes,” he said. 

    The researchers looked at data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s annual national Youth Risk Behavior Surveys, which polled 1.4 million high schoolers between 1993 and 2017.

    Anderson would like to see the data reviewed again in a few years in order to reflect more widespread recreational legalization efforts. 

    “Because many recreational marijuana laws have been passed so recently, we do observe limited post-treatment data for some of these states,” he said. “In a few years, it would make sense to update our estimates as more data become available.”

    Stanford University professor of pediatrics Bonnie Halpern-Felsher said that the study needs an in-depth look, since it found different results from previous research. 

    “I think the big question is why,” she said. “Why are they seeing in this national dataset decreases—pretty significant decreases—when other studies are finding no difference?”

    Age Restrictions

    One possible explanation that researchers float in the paper is that teens are not able to buy legal cannabis because of the age restriction (only those 21 and over can access it), and legalization has lead to fewer opportunities to buy on the black market. Halpern-Felsher agreed that this is possible. 

    “Maybe now because of having legalization, you don’t have the street sales anymore,” she said. “So dispensaries, we would hope, would be better at carding and checking for age verification.”

    Whatever the reason for the decrease, she emphasized that education is key in maintaining teens’ health amid legalization. 

    “The other question is, are youth getting the message about the fact that using marijuana during adolescence is more harmful because of their brain development?” she said. “Given the legalization, we need more education around marijuana or cannabis use for youth and we don’t really have a lot of education.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Experts Question Coroner Who Claims Woman Died of "THC Overdose"

    Experts Question Coroner Who Claims Woman Died of "THC Overdose"

    A toxicology revealed that the apparent overdose victim had 8.4 nanograms of THC per milliliter of blood in her system.

    A medical examiner in Louisiana has drawn national attention for attributing a 39-year-old woman’s death to a THC overdose.

    Dr. Christy Montegut, who serves as coroner for St. John the Baptist Parish in LaPlace, Louisiana, stated that the woman was found with elevated levels of THC per milliliter of blood in her system at the time of death. Such high levels, he noted, can cause respiratory depression, and linked the two factors to the woman’s death. If Montegut’s diagnosis proves correct, it will be the first report of an individual dying solely from marijuana use.

    The woman was found dead in her apartment in February 2019. No outwardly obvious causes of death were found on the scene, so investigators ordered an autopsy. The results showed that the woman had “relatively” healthy organs and no signs of illness. Montegut initially suspected alcohol poisoning as the culprit, but was surprised to note that the toxicology report only noted a high level of THC in her system. 

    According to Montegut, the report showed that the woman had 8.4 nanograms of THC per milliliter of blood in her system, or 15 times the level of THC to register on a toxicology report.

    The woman’s boyfriend said that she had been admitted to the emergency room three weeks before her death for a chest infection.

    After considering these factors, as well as the possibility of respiratory depression caused by high levels of THC, the coroner concluded that marijuana use had caused the woman’s death. 

    “I’m 100% sure of the readings we’ve found,” said Montegut.

    Medical experts and agencies are less confident. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has noted that while it’s not impossible that a death may have occurred due to marijuana use, there are no existing reports of anyone dying solely from that cause.

    And Keith Humphreys, a former senior policy adviser at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), said that with Americans using “billions” of cannabis products a year, there should be a “couple thousand cannabis overdoses” in that same timeframe, but none appear to have been reported.

    “What do you conclude from that?” he asked. “It’s just so incredibly unlikely.”

    High Times also shared a 2017 study that found that the top causes for marijuana-related admission to an emergency room were ingestion by kids, acute intoxication due to loss of consciousness or vomiting, or cannabis hypermesis, which causes nausea and vomiting.  It also noted that anxiety can also be included among the top reasons for admission, though again, it remains an unlikely cause of death.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Does Marijuana Use Motivate People To Exercise?

    Does Marijuana Use Motivate People To Exercise?

    A new study debunks the popular lazy stoner myth. 

    Despite the “lazy stoner” stereotype, many people who use cannabis (in states where it is legal) use it before or right after they exercise. According to a recent study, people with this habit tend to be more physically active than the average American. 

    “We found that the majority of our sample did endorse using cannabis concurrently with exercise,” study authors wrote. “We found that the majority of participants who endorsed using cannabis concurrently with exercise reported that doing so at least somewhat enhances recovery from and enjoyment of exercise, while approximately half reported that it at least somewhat increases motivation, and a minority reported that it enhances performance. These findings supported our hypothesis that co-users may be co-using because they believe it contributes to recovery after exercise.”

    In short, people who are using pot right before or right after exercise say that doing so makes them more motivated and helps them enjoy their workouts more. 

    “Given that these are recognized barriers to exercise, it is possible that cannabis might actually serve as a benefit to exercise engagement,” study authors wrote. 

    Lead study author Angela Bryan, a professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, said she was “pretty shocked” at the study results, according to Time. 

    “One of the barriers to physical activity is that people say, ‘I don’t like it. It’s boring. It feels bad. I don’t want to do it,’” she said. “If, for some people, cannabis is helping them to enjoy the activity more,” then that relationship needs to be studied more. 

    Bryan, who studies psychology and neuroscience, had been concerned that more prevalent marijuana use could have a negative impact on overall health by decreasing exercise. 

    “The stereotype is the kid on the couch eating Doritos, not being physically active,” she said. “If that was the impact of cannabis on physical activity, that [would be] a big problem.”

    The study found that people who used marijuana before or after exercise got, on average, 2.5 hours of exercise per week, compared with less than 2 hours for people who didn’t smoke around when they exercised. 

    Still, Bryan said that people should be careful about mixing marijuana and exercise, since there can be unintended consequences, like an elevated heart rate. 

    “I certainly am not going to tell anybody to start smoking cannabis so they’ll start exercising,” she said. However, the research challenges the common picture of cannabis users. 

    “It doesn’t seem like the lazy stoner stereotype is really entirely correct,” Bryan said. “You actually can be quite physically active and use cannabis.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Marijuana Laws in Rhode Island

    Marijuana Laws in Rhode Island

    ARTICLE OVERVIEW: Marijuana is legal for medical use in Rhode Island. It is still illegal for recreational use but there are efforts being taken towards new legalization.

    Table of Contents:

    Is Marijuana Legal?

    Since 2006, marijuana has been medically legal in the state of Rhode Island under the law called, “Approved Qualifying Debilitating Medical Conditions”[1]. Though there are proposals in the works, Rhode Island continues to view marijuana as illegal for recreational use. In other words, without a proper medical card, being in possession of marijuana is against the law and will result in penalties.

    Cannabinoid Oil

    The Ocean State legalized cannabinoid oil, known as CBD, back in 2015. Because of its relation to marijuana, there are rules and regulations to be followed when it comes to purchasing and producing cannabinoid products. For example, cannabinoid products are not allowed to have THC content of more than 0.3%.

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    CBD was made legal to purchase across the nation for two purposes:

    1. It doesn’t get you high.
    2. It has many medical benefits.

    CBD is the chemical within cannabis plants used to treatmedical conditions such as [2]:

    • Anxiety
    • Inflammation
    • Intractable epilepsy
    • Pain
    • Psychosis
    • Seizures

    Marijuana Laws in Rhode Island

    As mentioned, marijuana is medically legal and recreationally illegal in Rhode Island. Without a proper medical card, you will face penalties for being in possession of marijuana. However, even with a medical card, there are still rules that you need to follow. [3] These include guidelines such as:

    You’re allowed to possess no more around 70 grams at a time.

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    You may be in possession of up to 12 plants and up to 12 seedlings.

    Two or more people with medical cards are allowed to harvest marijuana under the following regulations. Non-residential spaces cannot grow more than 10 ounces of usable marijuana, 48 plants, and 48 seedlings. Residential spaces cannot grow more than 10 ounces of usable marijuana, 24 plants, and 24 seedlings.

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    The laws for medical marijuana patients work in the same way as recreational alcohol. You are NOT allowed to drive while intoxicated nor consume marijuana in a public place.

    Furthermore, people with medical cards are only allowed to legally purchase marijuana through a qualified dispensary. A fellow card holder is allowed to share his or her marijuana with you. S/He is not allowed to sell to you. These rules are an attempt to stop the distribution of illicit substances within the state.

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    Penalties

    Penalties for the possession, sale, or trafficking of marijuana in Rhode Island vary based on your circumstance. For example, if you have over 1 kg of cannabis, you’re automatically considered to have the intent to sell. However, if you have less than 1 kg BUT also have an assortment of selling material like baggies or a scale, you can also be charged with intent to sell. The following table gives you a basic idea of marijuana possession laws and penalties within the state of Rhode Island.

    Again, these laws vary depending on your situation. For example, if you’re caught selling within 300 yards of a school, all penalties automatically double. If you’re caught selling to a minor, you receive a minimum fine of $10,000 along with a minimum sentence of 2 to 5 years.

    Marijuana DUI

    DUI laws for marijuana in Rhode Island work like the laws set up for drunk driving. The only huge difference is you can be charged more for possession of marijuana on top of your DUI. [4] Furthermore, the charges you receive will depend on your circumstance. For example, if you have a child in the car while driving under the influence of marijuana, you can expect to be face more penalties.

    The following are offenses with the general penalties involved with them. Understand, you can receive more or less of a consequence, depending on your situation.

    • First Offense

    ○ Up to one year in jail.
    ○ Suspended license for 3 to 12 months.
    ○ Fines of up to $800.
    ○ 10 to 60 hours of community services.
    ○ Driving school.

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    • Second Offense

    ○ Minimum 10 day jail sentence, maximum 1 year.
    ○ Suspended license for 1 to 2 years.
    ○ Mandatory drug treatment.
    ○ Fines of up to $1,500.

    • Third Offense

    ○ Minimum 3 year jail sentence, maximum 5 years.
    ○ 3 years of license suspension.
    ○ Mandatory drug treatment.
    ○ Fines of up to $5,000.

    If somebody was INJURED or KILLED due to your DUI, the penalties will be much greater. It’s common for these situations to bring upon felony charges, especially if your DUI causes a fatality. You’ll automatically be charged with vehicular manslaughter and can face upwards of life in prison.

    Views on Marijuana

    Currently, at the time of writing, marijuana advocates are taking action to legalize marijuana in the state of Rhode Island. With fellow New England states Vermont, Massachusetts, and Maine already allowing recreational cannabis, it wouldn’t be surprising if Rhode Island joined in too. In fact, a recent public opinion poll found that more people in Rhode Island favor legalization than discourage it. [6]

    With this in mind, the laws mentioned throughout this article may change in the near future. However, as is currently happening with legal states, rules and regulations surrounding cannabis is constantly changing. Therefore, the future of its legal status within the state and how it’ll be regulated remains a question up for debate.

    Is Marijuana Addictive?

    There are many out there who will tell you marijuana isn’t addictive. The unfortunate truth is, they’re absolutely wrong! Marijuana contains addictive qualities in a similar way to other drugs. People who smoke cannabis usually are addicted to its psychoactive elements and use the drug for mental and emotional reasons.

    You know marijuana causes a dependence because when a chronic user suddenly stops, they experience withdrawals. This is when the body begins to need marijuana in order to function normally. When marijuana is suddenly taken out of the system or when a high begins to wear off, you may feel the following:

    • Anger
    • Anxiety
    • Depression
    • Difficulty concentrating
    • Irritability
    • Mood changes
    • Trouble sleeping

    People also use marijuana for a lot of physical reasons as well. Some smokers will tell you they need marijuana in order to sleep properly. Or they have trouble maintaining an appetite without it. This is due to the fact that the body has adjusted to marijuana. Physical addiction can cause the following in individuals:

    • Aggression
    • Cravings
    • Difficulty falling asleep
    • Insomnia
    • Loss of appetite
    • Raise in body temperature
    • Restlessness
    • Sweating

    If you or anyone you love is currently struggling with a marijuana addiction, we can help. Our American Addiction Center hotline operators can walk you through the treatment process and answer any questions you may have.

    You are not alone.

    If you want to quit, reach out for help today.

    Marijuana Treatment

    Since marijuana affects people differently, treatment also needs to be individualize. Marijuana affects a person’s psychology and, therefore, treatment tends to focus on talk therapies. [5] The mental reasons we use marijuana are often very personal and need to be identified on an equally personal level.

    Keep in mind that a treatment facility should be customized to your needs rather than vice versa. Depending on where you go, the way in which the facility goes about treatment may differ. However, most reputable facilities will offer similar steps during treatment. These include:

    1. Medical Assessment

    A reputable rehab follows protocol and first offers patients a complete medical evaluation upon intake. This will involve drug tests, interviews, and a full medical and family history. This data is neededin order to discover the best course of treatment for you.

    2. Detox

    People go through detox when withdrawal symptoms are very strong and require medical supervision. Since marijuana’s physical withdrawals usually aren’t strong, you might not need to go through this step. Chronic smokers and those who use marijuana with other drugs can benefit from detox to flush out their system.

    3. Psychological Treatment

    When it comes to treatment, counseling is the most important step. Many people use cannabis as a means of relieving emotional stress or handling day-to-day life. The goal of psychological treatment is to change your thoughts, patterns, and beliefs. As mentioned, talk therapy is often the most common and effective therapy option when it comes to marijuana. This therapy will be a combination of individual and group counseling.

    4. Educational Sessions

    During treatment, it’s important to be enrolled in educational sessions which teach you about addiction. Learning about how drugs affect the brain can help you stay away from them in the future! The importance of this is to make you aware of the dangers and penalties which can arise through an addiction. It also hopes to prevent you from relapse.

    5. Supportive Services

    Most treatment facilities off supportive services. These include vocational training, housing assistance, financial assistance, legal assistance, and medical assistance. Not everyone will need this kind of help, but it should be in place.

    Your Questions

    Still have questions about weed in RI? If you have any further questions pertaining to marijuana laws in the state of Rhode Island or marijuana addiction and treatment, we invite you to ask them below.

    If you have any advice or information to share on these topics, we’d also love to hear from you. We try to reply to each comment in a prompt and personal manner.

    Reference Sources: [1] State of Rhode Island Department of Health: Medical Marijuana in Rhode Island
    [2] National Center of Complementary and Integrative Health: Health Benefits of Marijuana
    [3] NORML: Looking to Reform Marijuana Laws in RI
    [4] DMV.org: Rhode Island DUI & DWI Laws
    [5] National Institute on Drug Abuse: Is Marijuana Addictive?
    [6]Providence Journal: 3 of 5 in RI Support Legal Recreational Marijuana
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    View the original article at addictionblog.org

  • Marijuana Laws in California

    Marijuana Laws in California

    ARTICLE OVERVIEW: This article outlines current marijuana laws, regulations, and penalties in the state of California. Your questions are welcomed at the end.

    Table Of Contents:

    Is Marijuana Legal?

    Marijuana is legal for medical and recreational use in California. The Adult Use of Marijuana Act,or Proposition 64, legalized recreational use of cannabis in November 2016 to anyone over the age of 21. The Compassionate Use Act of 1996 legalized medical use of marijuana to those over 18 with a proper medical card. Both of these acts continue to be in effect.

    However, it’s important to remember lawmakers are still trying to figure out how to make legal cannabis work.

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    In fact, legalization a new concept to the country as a whole; many laws are constantly changing.The truth is the state is still figuring out the logistics. For example, it was recently reported that a law is currently in the works to expunge prior convictions or decrease ongoing sentences for prior marijuana charges. [1] The law isn’t yet in effect as the bill still requires a signature from Governor Jerry Brown. You can follow updates concerning this issue here:

    In addition, there have been struggles regulating cannabis business. In July 2018, new standards were set for labels, packaging, and distribution. [2] When this law was enacted, legal marijuana stores had to get rid of their entire supply and wait for a new one to come in. This was a big hit to people who were purchasing cannabis regularly and, in turn, caused a flood back into the illicit market.

    Marijuana Laws in California

    In terms of the laws set under the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, the state allows the following:
    • For cannabis to be consumed in a private location.
    • For people to hold a maximum of 28.5 grams, or about an ounce.
    • For people to hold up to 8 grams of concentrates.
    • For people to cultivate up to 6 plants per residency.

    What the state doesn’t allow is the following:

    • Consumption of cannabis in public.
    • Manufacture without licensing.
    • Operation of a vehicle while under the influence.
    • Smoking or ingesting cannabis while you’re a passenger in a vehicle.
    • Possessing, ingesting, or smoking marijuana within 1,000 feet of a daycare, school, or youth center while children are present.

    It should be noted, though marijuana is legal in the entire state of California, only 18 of 58 counties in the state allow legal marijuana businesses and cultivations on a business scale. Therefore, those who reside in the other 40 counties run much higher risks as marijuana is only obtainable through illegal means.

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    Furthermore, since cannabis remains illegal on a federal level, you aren’t allowed to travel from California with marijuana through state lines. So, marijuana possession can be charged as a crime if you leave the state unless the state you enter directly has legalized cannabis as well, such as Oregon or Nevada.

    Penalties

    There are regulations that serve as the backbone to marijuana laws and are meant to keep people safe and responsible when consuming. Furthermore, legality doesn’t mean the drug is safe. Just like alcohol, marijuana comes with side effects which are often overlooked. Here you can find a list of possession penalties, but keep in mind the regulations are subject to change.

    1. Possession penalties

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    1.1. Possession of up to one ounce (28.5 grams) of cannabis or 8 grams of concentrate

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    1.2 Possession of more than one ounce (28.5 grams) of cannabis or 8 grams of concentrate.

    1.3 Possession of up to one ounce (28.5 grams) of cannabis or 8 grams of concentrate upon the grounds of, or within, any school providing instruction in kindergarten or any of grades 1-12, inclusive, during the hours the school is open for classes or school-related programs

    1.4 Possessing, smoking, or ingesting cannabis or cannabis products in or upon the grounds of a school, day care center, or youth center while children are present.

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    1.5 Possession of cannabis for sale

    1.6 Possession of an open container or package of cannabis or cannabis products while driving, operating, or riding as a passenger in a motor vehicle, boat, aircraft or other vehicle used for transportation.

    Marijuana DUI

    Driving under the influence laws for marijuana work very similar to DUI alcohol laws. The only difference is law enforcement measures alcohol through blood alcohol concentration, or BAC, whereas they have no way of measuring a cannabis high. Therefore, having any amount of cannabis in your system can result in a DUI as the result of marijuana consumption.

    NOTE HERE: Sometimes, house arrest or work programs are alternate sentences for jail time. Additionally, you might be a candidate for drug court and seek alternate sentencing in the state.The penalties for DUI of marijuana offenses in the State of California are as follows [3]:

    1st-Time Offender

    • A fine between $390 and $1,000.
    • Jail time of anywhere between 48 hours and 6 months.
    • License suspension of up to 6 months.
    • 3 month DUI school or 30 hours of classes.
    • Up to 3 years of probation.

    2nd-Time Offender

    • A fine between $390 and $1,000.
    • Jail time of anywhere between 96 hours to 1 year.
    • License suspension of up to 2 years.
    • 18 to 30 months of DUI school.
    • Up to 3 years of probation.

    3rd-Time Offender

    • A fine between $390 and $1,000.
    • Jail time of anywhere between 120 days to 1 year.
    • License suspension of anywhere between 1 to 3 years.
    • 30 months of DUI school.
    • 3 to 5 years of informal probation.

    These penalties become more severe if your DUI results in someone else’s injury. Depending on the situation, you could be charged with a felony which results in a fine upwards of $5,000 and/or risk 16 months to 4 years in prison.If your DUI caused a fatality, you will be prosecuted under vehicular manslaughter or other of the state’s murder laws. Even if the death was a result of an accident. This can lead you into a 15-year to life prison sentence.

    Views on Marijuana

    As discussed, there are 40 counties within California which consider it illegal to run a marijuana business or cultivation. With this in mind, we begin to see that the whole state doesn’t have the open opinion to cannabis as we might expect.

    For example, just because marijuana is legal doesn’t mean employers want to see it show up on adrug test. In fact, depending on the company, your cannabis consumption might cost you a job. This isn’t the case for every job. Some companies will allow you to use weed as long as you don’t get high on the job. But any job that requires operation of machinery can legally require clean drug tests.

    Another example, just as with alcohol, parents who consume cannabis are at risk when it comes to child custody laws. It all depends on the situation your case finds itself in. If a judge or jury finds your child or children are at risk due to your marijuana use, police records will be sought out from the following:

    • Law enforcement agencies
    • Medical facilities
    • Social welfare agencies
    • Third-party eye-witness(es)

    The court has a right to do this under California Family Code 3011. Furthermore, they have the right to drug test you if they’re suspicious of your child’s safety. At the end of the day, courts are looking out for your children and their well-being. Their two main concerns when it comes to cannabis consumption are:

    1. The harm caused to parents due to drug exposure.
    2. The harm caused to children due to drug exposure.

    With all this in mind, it’s understandable that not everyone has the same views when it comes to cannabis. Just because it’s legal doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed specific rights. It’s important to look into these matters before deciding to recreationally consume.

    Is Marijuana Addictive?

    Yes! Contrast to popular belief, marijuana has addictive qualities. Due to the fact that THC – the chemical in cannabis which gets you high – is psychoactive, people will feel physical addiction symptoms and more dominant mental addiction symptoms.

    How do you know if you’re addicted, or not?

    To begin, you can look at the physical signs. Not everyone who consumes cannabis will have these traits as the drug effects everyone differently. Furthermore, it’s unlikely someone will be addicted to cannabis if they smoke on rare occasions, such as once every few months. Chronic, daily users begin to manifest some of the following signs:

    • Aggression
    • Cravings
    • Difficulty falling asleep
    • Difficulty sleeping
    • Loss of appetite
    • Raise in body temperature
    • Restlessness
    • Sweating

    Most of marijuana’s addictive qualities take place within the brain. Its psychoactive factors are very similar to other hallucinogens such as LSD due to the fact that it heavily affects emotions and mentality. The risks include:

    • Anger
    • Anxiety
    • Depression
    • Difficulty concentrating
    • Irritability
    • Mood changes

    Though the short-term effects have their consequences, long-term cannabis use brings much greater risks. [5] Especially, when marijuana consumption starts at a younger age.

    In a study done in New Zealand, it was found that tenacious marijuana use from adolescence to adulthood showed a loss of 6 to 8 IQ points. The study found that those who smoked during adolescence then quit upon becoming an adult never regained those loss IQ points. However, those who didn’t smoke during adolescence but started a persistent habit during adulthood never lost said IQ points.

    Regular marijuana also has a tendency to bring upon withdrawal symptoms that can last for weeks. This is when the body and brain react to a lack of THC and improperly function without the chemical. Though cannabis withdrawal symptoms aren’t as strong as other drug withdrawals, such as heroin, they are real. So, if you are dependent on marijuana, you can experience the following when you try to quit:

    • Abdominal cramps
    • Aggression
    • Anxiety
    • Chills
    • Cravings
    • Headaches
    • Irritability
    • Lack of concentration
    • Lack of focus
    • Loss of appetite
    • Mild depression
    • Mood swings
    • Nausea
    • Restlessness
    • Sleep disorders
    • Sweating
    • Weight loss

    If you or anyone you love is currently struggling with a marijuana addiction, there are available resources to help you. Feel free to give us a call. Our hotline operators are ready to talk with you about medical treatment options.

    Marijuana Treatment

    Luckily, there are options available for marijuana treatment. It works a bit differently compared to other drugs considering the psychological implications of the addiction. Cannabis addiction treatment works in the following 5 steps.

    1. Medical Assessment

    When you enter a reputable rehabilitation facility, you’ll be given a medical assessment as a means of determining the best course of treatment for you. This usually includes drug tests, interviews, and a full medical and family history.

    2. Detox

    Not everyone who enters rehabilitation for marijuana treatment will required to go through detox. It can be helpful to certain individuals – especially those who chronically smoke or for those using other drugs in combination with weed – but it isn’t necessary for everyone. During detox, you’ll receive professional assistance in “weening” off the drug through monitoring of your health and aid in relieving certain symptoms.

    3. Psychological Treatments

    Talk therapy is the most important aspect of marijuana treatment. During rehab, you’ll learn how to get through day-to-day life without the use of cannabis. This is done through a change in thoughts, patterns, and beliefs. Once you identify your unique thought processes, counselors can help provide you with alternative ways of thinking and behaving without marijuana.

    4. Educational Sessions

    After or during psychological treatment, you’ll be enrolled in educational sessions which teach you about addiction. This is vital as those who are addicted tend to not be aware as to how addiction affects them.

    5. Supportive Services

    Within reputable treatment facilities, supportive services are offered. These include vocational training, housing assistance, financial assistance, legal assistance, and medical assistance. Just as with detox, not everyone will need this part of treatment. However, it’s there for those who can benefit from it.

    Your Questions

    Still have questions?

    Wondering if you need to quit?

    If you have further questions about marijuana laws or marijuana addiction treatment, we invite you to ask them below. If you have any further insight or advice for people, we’d also love to hear from you. We try to reply to each comment in a prompt and personal manner.

    Reference Sources:[1] NPR: California law would expunge many marijuana related crimes
    [2] Cannabis Regulations in California State
    [3] DUI penalties for California
    [4] SHRM: Can CA Employers Still Test for Marijuana?
    [5] NIDA: What are Marijuana’s Long Term Effects on the Brain?
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    View the original article at addictionblog.org

  • Does Marijuana Affect Sperm Count?

    Does Marijuana Affect Sperm Count?

    A new study suggests it does—but not in the way you might think. 

    Harvard researchers were surprised to find that men who have smoked marijuana had better sperm counts than their counterparts who had never used cannabis—but scientists are cautioning that the link does not mean there is a causal connection between smoking marijuana and increased fertility. 

    A study published this week in the journal Human Reproduction found that men who had smoked marijuana at some point in their lives had higher sperm counts, which is associated with increased fertility.

    Researchers examined 1,143 semen samples from 662 men, all of whom were undergoing fertility treatments with their partners at the Massachusetts General Hospital Fertility Center.

    “Men who had ever smoked marijuana had significantly higher sperm concentration than men who had never smoked marijuana,” study authors wrote. There was no difference in sperm count between current and previous marijuana smokers. 

    These findings came as a surprise, since previous research has indicted that smoking marijuana had a negative effect on fertility. A 2015 study found that men who smoked weekly had a lower sperm count than those that did not, and a study published in 2018 found that THC can change the structure of sperm.  

    Researchers said that it’s possible that low-level exposure to cannabis could aid fertility by stimulating the endocannabinoid system in the brain. However, they said that it’s just as likely that testosterone levels affect both the likelihood that a man uses cannabis (a risk-taking behavior) and his sperm production. 

    “Our findings could reflect the fact that men with higher testosterone levels are more likely to engage in risk-seeking behaviors, including smoking marijuana,” Dr Feiby Nassan, who was involved with the research, told Bloomberg. 

    Allan Pacey, professor of Andrology at the University of Sheffield in Britain, said that men who are trying to have a child should continue to avoid cannabis. 

    “As the authors point out, men with higher sperm concentrations are likely to have more testosterone in their bodies and thus may be more likely to smoke marijuana because simply they are willing to take more risks,” he said. “In conclusion, I am not convinced that this paper moves us any further forward in this debate. Moreover, nor does it give support to any apparent fertility benefits of smoking marijuana. In my opinion, this should be avoided at all costs in any couples trying to start a family.” 

    Lead author Dr. Jorge Chavarro said that the findings highlight the need for more research into the effects of cannabis on male fertility. 

    “These unexpected findings highlight how little we know about the reproductive health effects of marijuana, and in fact of the health effects of marijuana in general,” he said. “Our results need to be interpreted with caution and they highlight the need to further study the health effects of marijuana use.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Positive Drug Tests At Work Continue To Rise

    Positive Drug Tests At Work Continue To Rise

    Marijuana is the substance most often detected in workplace drug screenings, according to a new study.

    More and more employees are testing positive for drugs in workplace screenings, an increase that is concerning for some employers and safety specialists. 

    According to a study by Quest Diagnostics, positive drugs tests have increased significantly in a two-year period between 2015 and 2017. Marijuana is the substance most often detected in workplace drug screenings, and analysis found that it was detected 33% more often in 2017 than in 2015. That jump may be expected, as more states make cannabis legal for recreational and medicinal use. 

    However, it’s alarming that the industry with the most significant increase was transportation and warehousing. In this industry, people often operate heavy machinery, and being intoxicated could put them at risk for accidents, human resources expert Rob Wilson, president of Employco USA, told WXYZ Detroit. 

    “Test results showed that there was a double-digit jump of marijuana use in transportation and warehouse fields, which could be very problematic as operating heavy machinery while under the influence of marijuana could be very dangerous indeed,” he said.

    Despite the fact that more states are legalizing cannabis, employees could still put their jobs at risk by using it. Whether or not medical use of cannabis is protected is the subject of many legal battles, but Wilson said that employers can treat cannabis like other legal substances: employees can use them, but not at work. 

    “While it is against the law to discriminate against someone simply because they have a medical marijuana card, as this could be seen as discrimination against someone with a disability, you can still require sobriety among your employees and treat marijuana the same way you would alcohol or prescription drugs like Vicodin. Whether an employee is driving heavy machinery or approving loans, you need your workers to be clear-headed and capable of performing at a high level,” he said. 

    However, this can complicate drug testing because the tests usually just show whether a substance is in someone’s system, without indicating the level, which is needed to know whether someone is currently under the influence of marijuana. 

    In addition, employers could face pushback for testing employees, Wilson said. 

    “Your ability to monitor drug use among your employees is going to depend on whether or not you are a unionized or private workplace,” he explained. “While you have the right to expect and require sobriety from workers on the job, it can become a bit tricky when you suspect drug use and want to act on your fears.”

    In addition to marijuana, more people also tested positive for cocaine and amphetamines, suggesting that the rise in positive tests can’t be wholly explained by cannabis legalization. 

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Can Cannabis Alter The Teenage Brain?

    Can Cannabis Alter The Teenage Brain?

    A recent study examined how marijuana use impacts the gray matter in the teenage brain.

    A recent study consisting of brain scans of 46 teens in Europe found that smoking just one or two joints seemed to produce changes in the gray matter of their brains.

    The teens appeared to have a greater amount of this tissue, which is a major component of the central nervous system and is responsible for information processing. However, this does not necessarily mean that more gray matter is better.

    According to a 2006 article in the Postgraduate Medical Journal, the brain naturally shrinks as people age. This process is called “pruning” and is part of the normal development process at all ages.

    This new study, titled “Grey Matter Volume Differences Associated with Extremely Low Levels of Cannabis Use in Adolescence,” notes that gray matter volume (GMV) in the temporal regions of the brain is “associated with contemporaneous performance on the Perceptual Reasoning Index and with future generalized anxiety symptoms in the cannabis users.”

    While there has been little research on the effects of cannabis on the brain compared to substances like alcohol, it is generally considered true that permanent changes and damage to the young, developing brain are more significant due to the compounding issues that development disruption causes over time. However, it’s difficult to determine whether the increased gray matter observed in the studied teens is a bad thing, a good thing or a little of both.

    “At the age at which we studied these kids (age 14), cortical regions are going through a process of thinning,” said Hugh Garavan, lead author of the study and a professor of psychiatry at the University of Vermont School of Medicine, to NBC News. “So, one possibility is that the cannabis use has disrupted this pruning process, resulting in larger volumes (i.e., a disruption of typical maturation) in the cannabis users. Another possibility is that the cannabis use has led to a growth in neurons and in the connections between them.”

    Gray matter can also be altered by a number of common activities other than drug use. Studies have found that meditation can result in changes to this part of the brain. Others have found that habitual interaction with action video games reduces gray matter in the hippocampus while playing 3D platformer video games increases it. Even becoming pregnant has shown to create significant changes in gray matter structure that last for two years after birth.

    In this latest study, the 46 teens self-reported smoking very small amounts of cannabis in their lifetimes, equivalent to one or two joints, and reported that they had not consumed any other illicit substances.

    Not only did the study find greater GMV levels around the amygdala, hippocampus and other areas of the brain, follow-ups found higher levels of “sensation seeking” and anxiety symptoms among the cannabis-using teens compared to controls. However, the authors of the study specifically stated that these behavioral differences were unrelated to the amount of gray matter.

    “Of the behavioral variables tested, only sensation seeking and agoraphobia differed between the cannabis users and controls and these factors were not related to GMV differences,” the study reads.

    The authors also noted that behavioral differences should be “interpreted with caution” due to the low sample size, but they are notable as “panic and anxiety symptoms are frequently reported side effects by naïve and occasional cannabis users.”

    View the original article at thefix.com