We Have to Let them Know

     With the news recently confirming that medical cannabis patients won’t have access to legal clones after July 1^{st, and with} Countless medical cannabis products patients depend on   going away that same day, ^{it is clear} the Governor and the Legislature have forgotten about the medical cannabis patient in WA. If you are loosing access to medical cannabis on July 1^st, it is very important to call the Governor’s office and your legislator to let them know your story. Here are some links to contact info to call and remind them who they work for.

Contact the Governor

http://www.governor.wa.gov/contact/contact/contact-gov-inslee#main-content

Find your Legislator

http://app.leg.wa.gov/Rosters/Members

Be sure to be specific when it comes to identifying how 5052 has negatively impacted your life.

Lawsuit Seeks 5052 Injunction

Lawsuit Seeks 5052 Injunction

     On July 1^st the so called Cannabis Patient Protection Act goes into effect, essentially devastating a once thriving non profit medical cannabis system in Washington State. As predicted the ill advised bill has triggered numerous lawsuits. The latest court action seeks to place an injunction on the bill going into full effect and focuses on the Marijuana Authorization Database (MAD) and its failure to protect patient privacy.

     Dr. Gregory Carter points out in his lawsuit that the MAD violates patient doctor confidentiality in that it requires the patient to divulge their medical condition to a 3^rd party. These 3^rd parties known as Marijuana Consultants will work at medically endorsed recreational cannabis shops. A likely scene is a patient discussing their very private medical conditions with a half trained bud tender standing in line with a couple frat boys heading out to party that night. The lawsuit also contends the lowering of plant counts from 15 to 4 places a restriction on the doctor patient relationship that interferes with the patients care.

To read more about this promising lawsuit go to…
http://www.courthousenews.com/2016/06/06/doctor-and-patient-fight-washington-pot-law.htm

Groups Calling on Governor to Extend Medical Cannabis Deadline

Groups Call on Governor to Extend Medical Cannabis Deadline

     With July 1^st fast approaching and medical cannabis patients scrabbling to adjust to the new medical cannabis regulations in Washington activist groups are calling on the Governor to extend the deadline.

To sign the petition and read more go to…

https://www.change.org/p/jay-inslee-extend-the-july-1st-deadline-for-medical-cannabis-in-wa-state?recruiter=84027924&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=share_email_responsive

   

Cannabis Terpene Effect Guides Available

Cannabis Terpene Effect Guides Available

     Last year the MMCWS put together business card sized “Cannabis Terpene Effect Guides”. Terpenes are smell molecules. The cards list the most common terpenes found in cannabis, and their known effects. The cards are based on the work of Dr. Jeffery Raber, and others, who have studied what is known as the “entourage effect”. The idea is the terpenes act in conjunction with THC, CBD and other cannabanoids to produce the different unique medicinal effects of each cannabis strain. Think of THC as a 15 seat passenger van, and the terpenes the passengers. When ingested the THC “van” transports the terpenes across the blood brain barrier, thus intensifying the effect of the terpenes. For example, limonene in a lemon does not cross the blood brain barrier, therefore, when consumed the limonene has a far less effect than if it is consumed in Super Lemon Haze. This is a basic example, and there is much more to be learned about terpenes in cannabis and their various medicinal effects. We put these cards together to begin to educate the public and medical cannabis patients on the true nature of cannabis. They are not meant to be medical advice, and provide only a snapshot of current research.

     Recently, the MMCWS has generously received offers for funding to print more Cannabis Terpene Effect Guides. If you’d like a pack of 20, please send over your address to emailmmcws@gmail.com , and we will send them direct to your door. If you need more than 20, please let us know.

View our Cannabis Terpene Effect Guides at our FB page.
https://www.facebook.com/mjismedicine/

Alabama Affirmative Defense for Parents up for a Vote

Alabama Affirmative Defense for Parents up for a Vote

      An important step forward in medical cannabis may be coming in Alabama. It will also be much needed relief for kids suffering from epilepsy and other debilitating conditions. Leni’s Bill, named after Lemi young who had to move to Oregon to get the medicine she needed, is being voted on in the Alabama House today. There have been restrictive amendments added, but the hope is these are removed in the Alabama Senate. If the Governor vetoes the bill, the sponsor of the bill believes the Senate and House have enough votes to over ride it.

     This bill unfortunately is not a bill that legalizes the use of medical cannabis. It simply gives parents the right to an affirmative defense. In other words after the parent gets arrested, drug into court, harassed and the kids are fairly traumatized, the parent can present a mass of medical proof that the child needs medical cannabis. This may keep the parent out of prison, but there are no guarantees. Alabama should go much further, and simply legalize medical cannabis for kids with debilitating conditions.

Read More   

Sports Medicine Potentially Helping Drive Cannabis Acceptance

Sports Medicine Potentially Helping Drive Cannabis Acceptance

      Sports medicine is a field that is becoming a center point for cannabis research, and at the same time, although more than likely unintentional, a driver in bringing medical cannabis into the mainstream. Athletes have long been in the spotlight for violating the zero tolerance cannabis rules in college and professional sports leagues, but there soon may come a time when cannabis is accepted as a medicine in sports.

     Constance Therapeutics, which makes whole plant cannabis extracts, has decided to partner with a sports medicine group called Grit Iron Cannabis Coalition. The research is being done to judge the efficacy of replacing widely prescribed and addictive opiates with medical cannabis. This study sets out to be unique when taking into account the entourage effect of cannabis. The entourage effect is the interaction of all the cannabanoids in cannabis, not just more widely used legal CBD extracts. Constance Finley, CEO of Constance Therapeutics, says in a release “After cycling through several prescription drugs with the hope of finding relief from my rare autoimmune disease, I reluctantly tried medical cannabis, This ended up being the decision that would save my life, and it led me to develop my own cannabis extracts and form Constance Therapeutics. It is now my mission to help others seeking alternatives to what are often highly addictive pharmaceuticals.”

        As athletes begin to use medical cannabis to treat their sports related injuries, cannabis will slowly and steadily become more accepted in our society. These societal shifts have been a key driver in the past to changing stigmas related to other once illegal topics that are now legal.

DEA Signals Possible Re-Scheduling of Cannabis

DEA Signals Possible Re-Scheduling of Cannabis

     According to several news sources the DEA is considering re-scheduling cannabis from a Schedule 1 Narcotic to a Schedule 2 Narcotic. Surprisingly, cannabis is currently classified with Heroin and LSD as a “drug’ with no medical value. The new schedule would put it on the same level as many pharmaceuticals, such as the many opiates currently over prescribed in the United States. This could be a turning point in the legalization movement, but also could spell trouble for people who grow at home.

     Many states and municipalities hesitate to legalize cannabis, due to its Schedule 1 status. They point to the long arm of the Federal Government, and use it as a justification for not legalizing. It makes sense n the context of the amount of money the Feds give out to the states. Even now DC could yank legalization away from the 4 states that have legalized cannabis. The Feds could simply say, “End legalization, or we’ll take away _______ funding.” The states would have no choice but to comply. A Schedule 2 designation would make this more difficult for the Feds to crack down on legalization. As far as working against home grows. Well, we don’t allow people to manufacture any drug on the Schedule 2 list. So, cannabis could be legalized, but not legal to grow at home. Home growing is the essence of the legalization movement.

      However, If the DEA reschedules cannabis in the end this will be a good thing simply for the number of people it will keep out of prison. It would also open up more research on cannabis. Let’s hope the DEA follows through, and reschedules cannabis as a Schedule 2 Narcotic.