Our guests on this week’s Cannabist Show: Uruguay-based journalist Will Carless and medical marijuana advocate Brandon Coats, who recently lost a high-profile case in the Colorado Supreme Court regarding workers’ off-duty marijuana use.
Notable happenings this week: Oregon is gearing up to go legal in less than a week. It will be following suit with Colorado and Alaska in allowing adult possession and use before the recreational system is put in place.
Comedian Hannibal Buress came through Colorado recently, and visited Denver’s Native Roots marijuana shop. He was intrigued by the vast array of THC-infused products on the shelves, particularly the “weed juice,” as he called the beverage, and the THC sex lube.
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Top news: A new review of medical marijuana research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association says that many of the conditions approved by state medical marijuana laws don’t have scientific backing. The review said that there was evidence that medical marijuana worked for severe pain and other problems related to chemotherapy, as well as spasticity from multiple sclerosis. However, several other state-approved conditions, including glaucoma, post traumatic stress disorder and Parkinson’s disease, come up short.
Advocates and researchers are in agreement that more research is needed. Dr. Sue Sisley, who is studying the use of marijuana in treating PTSD, had strong words.
“The research on the efficacy of marijuana has been systematically impeded by the federal government for two decades,” Sisley said. She has received a $2 million grant from the state of Colorado for her pot-and-PTSD research.
In other news, Massachusetts opened its first medical marijuana dispensary after years of delays. The dispensary, located in Salem, is operating by appointment only.
The Denver County Fair won’t be bringing back the Pot Pavilion after its inaugural appearance in 2014. Fair organizers cited lack of interest by vendors. “Fast-forward a year later and it’s completely old hat,” said organizer Dana Cain. “There’s a huge overload of marijuana events in this town now.”
In this week’s Pot Quiz: We’ll quiz you about a Canadian city that is the first in the country to regulate its marijuana market, an Indian nation that has legalized growing and possessing marijuana for medical and recreational purposes in a state that is decidedly not 420-friendly and other questions.
Watch: More videos on YouTube about marijuana in Colorado and beyond
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