All posts tagged: cannabis

Thailand moves to outlaw cannabis again, 2 years after it was decriminalized

Thailand moves to outlaw cannabis again, 2 years after it was decriminalized

Published by skeptic

[ad_1] BANGKOK — The prime minister of Thailand, the first country in Asia to legalize cannabis two years ago, said Wednesday that he wants to outlaw the drug again amid concerns that the lack of regulation had made it available to children and increased crimes.  Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin wrote on the social media platform X that he had asked the Health Ministry to amend its list of narcotics to again include cannabis, and issue new rules to allow its use for medical purposes only. Srettha also ordered local authorities to suppress criminal activities linked to the illegal drug trade and demanded to see progress within 90 days.  After cannabis was decriminalized in 2022, it was initially said that it would be allowed only for medicinal use, but in practice the market was unregulated. It has prompted public backlash and concerns over misuse and crime. Decriminalization was spearheaded by the Bhumjaithai Party, whose stronghold is in the impoverished northeast where it promised farmers cannabis would be a new cash crop. In the 2023 elections, all major parties …

Thai PM says cannabis to be re-listed as narcotic by end of 2024

Thai PM says cannabis to be re-listed as narcotic by end of 2024

Published by skeptic

[ad_1] BANGKOK: Thailand will re-list cannabis as a narcotic by year-end, its prime minister said on Wednesday (May 8), in a stunning U-turn just two years after becoming one of the first countries in Asia to decriminalise its recreational use. The moves come despite the rapid growth of the domestic retail sector for marijuana, with tens of thousands of shops and businesses springing up in Thailand in the past two years in an industry projected to be worth up to US$1.2 billion by 2025. “I want the health ministry to amend the rules and re-list cannabis as a narcotic,” Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said on social media platform X. “The ministry should quickly issue a rule to allow its usage for health and medical purposes only.” Cannabis was decriminalised for medical use in 2018 and recreational use in 2022 under a previous government, but critics say its liberalisation was rushed through, causing huge confusion about rules and regulations. Srettha’s comments followed a meeting with agencies involved in narcotics suppression, where he vowed to take a tough stand on illicit drugs and ordered authorities …

Cannabis Bears Squeezed On Report DEA Is Preparing To Reclassify Marijuana

Cannabis Bears Squeezed On Report DEA Is Preparing To Reclassify Marijuana

Published by skeptic

[ad_1] The Associated Press has learned the US Drug Enforcement Administration is moving to reclassify marijuana to a less dangerous drug category. Shares of cannabis-related companies erupted on the news.  Here’s more from AP news:  The DEA’s proposal, which still must be reviewed by the White House Office of Management and Budget, would recognize the medical uses of cannabis and acknowledge it has less potential for abuse than some of the nation’s most dangerous drugs. However, it would not legalize marijuana outright for recreational use.  The agency’s move, confirmed to the AP on Tuesday by five people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive regulatory review, clears the last significant regulatory hurdle before the agency’s biggest policy change in more than 50 years can take effect.  Once OMB signs off, the DEA will take public comment on the plan to move marijuana from its current classification as a Schedule I drug, alongside heroin and LSD. It moves pot to Schedule III, alongside ketamine and some anabolic steroids, following a recommendation from …

Humans Started Enjoying Cannabis in China Circa 2800 BC

Humans Started Enjoying Cannabis in China Circa 2800 BC

Published by José

[ad_1] Judg­ing by how cer­tain Amer­i­can cities smell these days, you’d think cannabis was invent­ed last week. But that spike in enthu­si­asm, as well as in pub­lic indul­gence, comes as only a recent chap­ter in that sub­stance’s very long his­to­ry. In fact, says the pre­sen­ter of the PBS Eons video above, human­i­ty began cul­ti­vat­ing it “in what’s now Chi­na around 12,000 years ago. This makes cannabis one of the sin­gle old­est known plants we domes­ti­cate,” even ear­li­er than “sta­ples like wheat, corn, and pota­toes.” By that time scale, it was­n’t so long ago — four mil­len­nia or so — that the lin­eages used for hemp and for drugs genet­i­cal­ly sep­a­rat­ed from each oth­er. The old­est evi­dence of cannabis smok­ing as we know it, also explored in the Sci­ence mag­a­zine video below, dates back 2,500 years. “The first known smok­ers were pos­si­bly Zoroas­tri­an mourn­ers along the ancient Silk Road who burned pot dur­ing funer­al rit­u­als,” a propo­si­tion sup­port­ed by the analy­sis of the remains of ancient bra­ziers found at the Jirzankal ceme­tery, at the foot of …

Cannabis use linked to enhanced ability to understand others’ emotions

Cannabis use linked to enhanced ability to understand others’ emotions

Published by José

[ad_1] A recent study published in the Journal of Neuroscience Research offers an intriguing perspective on the effects of regular cannabis use. Contrary to the commonly held view that cannabis has primarily negative impacts on mental health and behavior, the study suggests that regular cannabis users may have a heightened ability to understand the emotions of others. This enhanced empathetic ability is linked to increased connectivity within certain brain regions, particularly the anterior cingulate cortex, a key area involved in processing empathy. Cannabis is one of the most widely used psychoactive substances worldwide, yet its impact on mental health and cognitive functions remains a subject of contentious debate. Traditional research predominantly highlights the negative consequences associated with cannabis use, particularly its potential to impair cognitive functions and contribute to mental health issues. These studies often focus on how cannabis interacts with brain regions like the anterior cingulate cortex, which is known to have a high density of cannabinoid receptors and plays a significant role in cognitive processes such as decision making and emotion regulation. However, …

Is cannabis actually green? Experts unpack the climate impacts of weed’s rising popularity

Is cannabis actually green? Experts unpack the climate impacts of weed’s rising popularity

Published by skeptic

[ad_1] Cannabis is one of the fastest growing industries in the world, this year estimated to rake in more than $64 billion globally as more and more regions unravel marijuana prohibition. Germany became the third European country to legalize weed on April 1 this year, though only in limited amounts, while voters in states like Florida and Nebraska may decide to legalize the plant, potentially joining the roughly 74% of Americans who live somewhere cannabis is legally sold. While the drug has a long history of villainization due to racist and anti-scientific drug policy, most people today recognize the drug is safer than alcohol and tobacco (though certainly not harm-free) and that prohibition fails to accomplish much aside from feeding the prison-industrial complex. Marijuana, whether medical or recreational, is big business, and as is typical with large industries, that means it has outsized impacts on the environment. Much of the modern cannabis industry relies on unsustainable agricultural practices. This means, in effect, that the world’s favorite green drug can have a decidedly un-green carbon footprint. …

Cannabis Seizures at Checkpoints by US-Mexico Border Frustrate State-Authorized Pot Industry

Cannabis Seizures at Checkpoints by US-Mexico Border Frustrate State-Authorized Pot Industry

Published by skeptic

[ad_1] SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The U.S. Border Patrol is asserting its authority to seize cannabis shipments — including commercial, state-authorized supplies — as licensed cannabis providers file complaints that more than $300,000 worth of marijuana has been confiscated in recent months at highway checkpoints in southern New Mexico. New Mexico’s Democratic governor says the disruptions prompted a discussion this week with U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, whose impeachment charges were dismissed this week. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham says she voiced concerns that the scrutiny of cannabis companies appears to be greater in New Mexico than states with regulated markets that aren’t along the U.S. border with Mexico. Authorized cannabis sales in New Mexico have exceeded $1 billion since regulation and taxation of the recreational market began two years ago. Yet cannabis transport drivers say they have been detained hours while supplies are seized at permanent Border Patrol checkpoints that filter inbound traffic for unauthorized migrants and illegal narcotics, typically located about 60 miles (100 kilometers) from the U.S. border. “Secretary Mayorkas assured …

Semaglutide shows promise in reducing cannabis dependence

Semaglutide shows promise in reducing cannabis dependence

Published by José

[ad_1] A recent study suggests that semaglutide (brand names: Ozempic, Rybelsus, and Wegovy) may have the potential to reduce the risk of developing and relapsing into cannabis use disorder. This discovery offers a promising avenue for treatment, especially since no medications are currently approved for cannabis use disorder. The findings have been published in Molecular Psychiatry. Cannabis use disorder is a condition characterized by the compulsive use of cannabis despite significant negative consequences in a person’s life. This disorder is diagnosed based on criteria that include a strong desire to use cannabis, difficulties controlling its use, prioritizing cannabis use over other activities and obligations, and continued use despite experiencing social or interpersonal problems. “Cannabis is the most frequently used illicit drug in the United States. Cannabis use disorder is associated with significant adverse outcomes. Currently, there is no FDA-approved medication for treating Cannabis use disorder. Therefore, there is an urgent need for identifying strategies to prevent or treat it,” said senior author Rong Xu, a professor and director of the Center for AI in Drug …

In Germany, cannabis legalization faces implementation challenges

In Germany, cannabis legalization faces implementation challenges

Published by skeptic

[ad_1] Marijuana smokers in front of the Brandenburg Gate during the ‘Smoke-In’ event in Berlin, Germany, Monday, April 1, 2024. EBRAHIM NOROOZI / AP If it’s too early to say whether Germany’s new law on the “controlled use of cannabis” will be a success or a failure, one thing is clear: The new legislation, which came into force on April 1, has been introduced amid such confusion that it’s hard to see how the government’s stated objectives can be achieved, at least in the short term. Among these objectives is the eradication of the black market. Originally, the coalition led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz planned to authorize the sale of cannabis in licensed stores. However, Berlin was forced to abandon this plan, as it proved incompatible with European law. Instead of being able to buy cannabis from stores on the street, consumers now have two options: grow their own at home, up to a limit of three plants per person, or join a growers’ association, through which they can receive up to 30 grams per …