6 Reasons Why Legalized Marijuana is Good Even Though it’s Not - http://clapway.com/2016/01/26/6-reasons-why-legalized-marijuana-is-good-even-though-its-not/

The idea of legalized marijuana is a very controversial one. However, even though some will not want to hear this, there are several benefits to it. After seeing this list, try and decide whether you think it was a good idea to legalize this drug.

BENEFIT 1

One of the best benefits of legalizing marijuana is the fact that it has advanced the research of it. Ever since it was legalized, medical research on it has found that it is actually safer than many other drugs.

BENEFIT 2

Some states in the U.S are tight on cash, and they waste some of that cash on trying to track down illegal drug cartels. Well, the need to track down marijuana has been unneeded for a while because it is legal.

BENEFIT 3

Humans have their rights, and legalizing marijuana gives them one back. People all around the world are being sent to prison for what they decide to put in their body. There are limits, but people should be able to decide what they want to consume.

BENEFIT 4

There was actually a study that took place back in 2006, and it proved that there are health benefits to marijuana. The study showed that it can help prevent protein lumps that can inhibit cognition and memory. Also, more research has discovered that this drug can help Leukemia patients.

BENEFIT 5

One fact that you may be unaware of is the fact that crime has dropped since this legalization. In Colorado, the crime rate for murder, in the first quarter of 2014, actually dropped around 6%. Also, auto theft crimes went down by 11%.

BENEFIT 6

A while back, over 500 economists wrote an open letter to the President, Congress, and Governors, and it stated that legalizing marijuana would save around $7.7 billion per year in state and federal expenditures on prohibition enforcement.

6 Reasons Why Legalized Marijuana is Good Even Though it’s Not

E-Cigarettes Are Safer Than Marijuana and K2 - http://clapway.com/2016/01/13/e-cigarettes-are-safer-than-marijuana-and-k2-123/

The Medicines and Healthcare Product Regulatory Agency has had an e-cigarette brand the first license to be available on the NHS on prescription. Are marijuana and K2 officially less safe?

E-Voke Is Officially Available On Prescription

E-Voke is made by British-American Tobacco. It’s not on sale yet, but it will come as a potential solution to nicotine addiction and help smokers quit. A company spokeswoman has declared that the product uses only pharmaceutical-grade nicotine.

The British Department of Health gave the E-Voke an okay to come to the market. With this move, it’s possible other brands will come in to make e-cigarettes for quitting smoking, and not for recreation. Representatives still recommend cold turkey as the best way to quit, but the E-Voke is a tool that can be used by people who need the extra push.

E-Cigarettes Have helped Many People Quit

Many people have claimed that e-cigarettes helped them quit, and these rechargeable devices are 95% safer than regular tobacco. The E-Voke will be available in the UK for an estimated 20 British pounds per kit and 10 British pounds per week per cartridge for each patient.

Are E-Cigarettes Safer than Marijuana or K2?

The debate over the safety of e-cigarettes is a very long one. Scholars, supporters, and protesters have all had their say in whether or not the devices are safe. The answer we’ve come to is: we don’t know. Researchers from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine have claimed that e-cigarettes are just as bad as regular ones. Similar studies from the University of Liverpool also disprove claims that it is 100% safe.

Marijuana Isn’t Safer, But It’s Not Less Safe. Steer Clear of K2

There is simply not enough information available to draw a clear conclusion. Some studies have shown connections between e-cigarette flavors and diseases like popcorn lung, and others have shown that e-cigarettes have no effect on nicotine addiction. There’s a lot more work to be done to study all available brands. All available flavors and their potential ill effects on the body must be taken into account. For now, e-cigarettes are not as heavily regulated as regular cigarettes, but they will be soon. It’s not safe to say if these devices are safer than marijuana. However, since it is synthetic and uses harmful chemicals, it probably is.

Marijuana isn’t 100% safe, either. It also has been shown to use synthetic chemicals for potency. K2, a strain of synthetic marijuana, is not labeled as safe for human consumption and can be poisonous. People should definitely stay away from K2.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmx7X_uxwDg

E-Cigarettes Are Safer Than Marijuana and K2

Top Five Medical Marijuana Strains - http://clapway.com/2016/01/11/top-five-medical-marijuana-strains/

Marijuana is slowly becoming more and more popular. However, there are many different types of strains that users can choose from. Here are five of the very best, in no particular order.

So, What Are Top Five Medical Marijuana Strains?

SATIVAS

Sativas are particularity convenient for anyone who is looking for extra motivation. This strain has higher levels of THC and will most likely get users talking like a philosopher! Who needs to go to college for philosophy, just smoke some Sativas and you will receive your Masters!

INDICAS

Indicas are the complete opposite of Sativas as this marijuana has a higher CBD content and will calm users down. This strain is good for pain relief, anxiety, and insomnia. The main aspect to remember about this strain is that it will relax users.

HYBRIDS

As one can imagine, this strain can be thought of as a Sativa and Indica morphed. This creates the absolute perfect combination of relaxation and energy. Also, depending on how much relaxation and energy you want, can be altered. This alteration is due to how much Sativas and Indicas you mix in.

THC

This particular marijuana strain is what makes the users high. Without THC, the users would not be able to achieve the feeling of ”high”. Basically, THC communicates with your brain and lets it know that it needs to release the hormone that works with the pleasure hubs.

TRICHOMES

The last of the five best marijuana strains is Trichomes. These are the crystals all over the marijuana that look sugary. When they are looked at from up close they could be confused for mushrooms. When you consume them, they should be a milky color. This will ensure that you get more high. If you do not eat them like this, then you will most likely feel more relaxed.

Top Five Medical Marijuana Strains

Teens Like E-Cigarettes More than Marijuana and Cocaine - http://clapway.com/2016/01/07/teens-like-e-cigarettes-more-than-marijuana-and-cocaine-123/

New reports from the CDC claim that TV, print and online advertisements about e-cigarettes are specifically targeting teens in America. According to Center of Disease Control statistics, 7 out of 10 high school and middle school students are exposed to e-cigarette advertisements.

E-Cigarettes Have Great Marketing Teams

Companies that produce e-cigarettes are investing tens of millions of dollars to target American teenagers specifically. Most of them use similar themes: rebellion, independence, and sex. The tobacco industry did the same. This resulted in a peak in kids smoking and kids with tobacco addictions.

The point of e-cigarettes was to be an alternative to tobacco smoking in adults. They should not induce a smoking habit in teenagers. After decades of pushing back the trend, it is turning itself around. This is probably happening because e-cigarettes are not regulated as closely as they should be. Many organizations have encouraged governments to take action. Some flavors in e-cigarettes are known to give people diseases like popcorn lung among other health effects that have not been properly dealt with.

E-Cigarette Ads Will Soon Be Banned

Tobacco ads were banned in America as of 1971, and soon enough, the same will happen for e-cigarettes. Right now, nearly seventy percent of all teenagers are exposed to these ads. This makes them more vulnerable to nicotine addiction.

Between 2011 and 2014, advertising funds for e-cigarettes went from $6.4 million to $115 million. That’s a very significant change. Use of e-cigarettes in high school students rocketed to 13.4%. Use among middle school students went up to 3.9%.

Teens Prefer E-Cigarettes to Marijuana and Cocaine

Marijuana and cocaine are not widely advertised in the media. Because of that, e-cigarettes have become more popular. Nicotine is highly addictive. I can prime the human brain to become dependent on other substances. This kind of danger has to be avoided. Gateway drugs like alcohol and nicotine are probably the most dangerous.

How to Deal with the Threat of E-Cigarettes

The CDC has made several suggestions as to how this should be handled. The government could enforce a law that required tobacco and e-cigarette sellers to be a certain distance from schools. They could limit tobacco sales to places that do not admit students. This is probably the most reasonable way to handle this on the short-term. On the long term, e-cigarettes will follow the same path as traditional cigarettes and get banned completely from the media.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaMgWUBPeHY

Teens Like E-Cigarettes More than Marijuana and Cocaine

Marijuana is Trending More Than Heroin, Opioid Analgesics and Cigarettes - http://clapway.com/2015/12/16/marijuana-is-trending-more-than-heroin-opioid-analgesics-and-cigarettes-combined/

According to the latest National Institute on Drug Abuse‘s Monitoring the Future Survey, marijuana use is more popular than heroin, opioid analgesics and cigarettes combined. The survey gives talks to teens in grades 8-12 to get a feel for how many students are using drugs, which ones, how often and how much. 

Illegal Use of Prescription Drugs and Heroin is Only Popular Among Adults

The NIH has declared that use of prescription drugs and heroin is at its lowest since the Monitoring Future Survey was first introduced. These drugs have not seen a decline in popularity for adults, but teenagers tell an entirely different story. The use of synthetic cannabinoids, Vicodin, inhalants, methamphetamine, amphetamines, ecstasy and alcohol is at an all time low in NIH records, in all age-groups that took part in the survey.

For 8th-10th graders, the use of Ritalin, Oxycontin, bath salts, over the counter cough medicine and bath salts also saw a significant decrease, and it is at its lowest since the survey was first made. 12th grader reported the lowest amount of crystal meth and sedative use as well.

Drug Use in Teens is Down to 27.2%

The only drug that has seen only a slight decrease is alcohol. 40% of teens surveyed were revealed to have gotten drunk in the past year. The popularity of e-cigarettes is also evident. While the use of regular cigarettes is at it’s lowest, 9.5% of 8th graders, 14% of 10th graders and 16.2% of 12th graders had used e-cigarettes in the past year.

The Only Drug that Did Not Lose Popularity is Marijuana

6% of high school seniors reported having smoked marijuana daily. 6.5% high school freshman and 16.6% of sophomores smoked in the past month. 21.2% of seniors admitted having used it in the past month. The perception of marijuana at high schools has seen a steady shift. 31.9% of seniors surveyed said that consistent use of marijuana could be harmful, which is down 6% from last year.

These Figures Should Be Taken With A Grain of Salt

Dr. Nora Volkov, director of NIDA, advises the community to still remain alert. The fact that figures are lower doesn’t mean that they will continue to decline. The past twenty years have seen a trend shift toward relatively safer drugs, but rates of drug use are still very high at the national level.

In comparison to other countries, the United States has some of the highest rates of drug use among younger age groups. It will likely be some time before global surveys show us any different. There is lots of work to do until illegal drug use is kept at a manageable line.

Will Legalized Medical or Recreational Marijuana Factor into These Figures in the Future?

If marijuana is legalized under federal law, it may no longer factor into these figures. Whether it for in medical or recreational use, marijuana shows no signs of becoming less popular. Aside from the fact that it introduces potentially harmful fumes and tar into the lungs, there is little to be said about opposing marijuana. While it does impair judgment, it has shown potential to treat pain, depression and other ailments in moderate amounts.

Party Drugs Are Dead to Teens

The fact that this survey shows marijuana as the most popular drug of choice is probably not only for the teenage age group. Figures for young adults in or recently out of college are probably similar. In any case, it’s good news that party drugs and dangerous opioid analgesics are less popular, perhaps because marijuana is as trendy as it is accessible in the United States. Whether or not the trend will stabilize is yet to be seen, as the government has been increasingly considering of legalizing the plant.

Marijuana is Trending More Than Heroin, Opioid Analgesics and Cigarettes

In the past, scientists have announced that they had genetically engineered #yeast to produce a powerful #painkiller. Now, they have created yeast that can make important constituents of #marijuana, including #THC, its main psychoactive compound. - http://clapway.com/2015/09/18/yeast-that-produces-thc213/

This past August, scientists announced that they had genetically engineered yeast to produce hydrocodone, a very powerful painkiller. This development led to a host of new experiments, the latest of which is a bit unconventional. Now, scientists have created yeast that can make important constituents of marijuana, including THC, its main psychoactive compound.

First, Hydrocodone, Now THC

This is not a very new idea, since there are pill-versions of THC available to the public, like Marinol and Cesamet, which are used to treat nausea and vomiting, as well as the loss of appetite caused by HIV or by chemotherapy. The newly yeast-developed THC, however, may become a cheaper and more streamlined alternative to other chemical options.

Through this engineering feat, scientists may be able to further understand the usefulness of compounds derived from cannabis, since marijuana has already been marketed and embraced as a medicinal alternative. Researchers are hoping to examine whether or not cannabis is ultimately effective against the conditions for which it is prescribed to fight against.

Kevin Chen, chief executive of Hyasnth Bio, states that this is something that could change the lives of millions. His company is working to create yeasts to produce THC and other compounds of medical interest in cannabis, including cannabidiol. Biochemists at the Technical University of Dortmund, Germany, have also reported that a strain of yeast that produces THC has already been made. Moreover, they have unpublished data revealing their ability to recreate cannabidiol.

Great Ambitions for Yeast-Produced THC

Oliver Kayser, a member of the team of biochemists, shares that both yeasts rely on precursor modules and not simple sugars, and that only small amounts of THC and cannabidiol can be produced at a time. Eventually, scientists hope that they can gradually steer the experimentation so that yeast can reproduce the entirety of the THC production pathway. In light of these efforts, Kayser has joined the THC Pharm of Frankfurt to attempt to scale the production to industrial levels.

The project look promising, but scientists are still going against a very powerful competitor: marijuana itself. There are certain strains of the plant that contain 30% THC in dry weight, which is more than chemists can hope to achieve as experiments stand now. Regardless, whether or not it should be legalized, marijuana still remains the main and most potent source of THC.

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Scientists Engineer Yeast that Produces THC

Is #cannabis and #marijuana linked to the onset of #diabetes? - http://clapway.com/2015/09/14/marijuana-usage-prediabetes123/

A recent study published in the journal Diabetologia has established a link between marijuana usage and prediabetes.

What to Make of Marijuana

The potential health consequences and benefits of marijuana have long been the subject of debate, and these questions are becoming more and more relevant as the legalization trend continues in the American political sphere. Medical professionals and recreational users often point to the treatment properties of the drug, which has proved effective in minimizing nausea, improving appetite, and reducing muscle spasms, among other positives.

Others stress the adverse effects of marijuana usage, pointing to studies that link cannabis to increased risk of schizophrenia as well as to long-term reductions in memory function and cognitive functioning in the frontal lobe of the brain, which is associated with mature decision making and executive planning.

Many of the potential adverse effects of marijuana depend on the frequency and form of ingestion. Obviously, smoking weed will harm your lungs and cardiovascular system, because smoking anything is pretty bad for your body. Similarly, studies indicate that the more frequently you use marijuana, the more likely you are to experience memory problems and the like. But there are any number of variables that could also be influencing these connections.

For example, individuals experiencing greater struggles with mental health (including addictive tendencies) are more likely to abuse substances, creating a chicken-or-egg conundrum in the case of linking marijuana to psychosis. Similarly, a huge portion of marijuana users are also regular tobacco smokers, and we are all quite familiar by now with the health consequences of smoking tobacco.

Essentially, no one is quite sure exactly what to make of cannabis in terms of health consequences. Researchers are still hard at work determining what they can about its effects on the human body, both long-term and short-term.

Study by Study: An Examination of Prediabetes and Marijuana

This time, a research team from the University of Minnesota set out to investigate whether or not there is a discernible link specifically between marijuana usage and prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, as the relationship between the drug and the disease has been another question producing conflicting answers. The conclusions were based on data collected in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study, which began in 1985, monitoring over 3,000 participants between the ages of 18 and 30 on a yearly basis. The study is currently in its thirtieth year of data collection.

After controlling for potentially confounding factors like body mass index, race, gender, and lifestyle choices, the researchers found that participants currently using marijuana experienced a 65% increase in their risk of developing prediabetes, compared to individuals who had never used marijuana. Those who did not currently use marijuana but had used it at least 100 times in their lives showed at least a 40% increased risk.


Prediabetes is essentially a condition in which blood sugar levels are elevated above normal regulations, but not enough to classify the problem as type 2 diabetes. Prediabetes can be damaging, but it does not always lead directly to the onset of type 2 diabetes. The more serious condition can be avoided with proper lifestyle choices.

As always, more work needs to be done to understand this connection. For example, the increased risk for prediabetes could, in part, be due to alterations in eating habits that occur as a result of heavy marijuana usage, rather than to the cannabis compound itself. But still, there is a definitive link between the two, which is a significant starting point.

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Marijuana Usage Found to Link to Prediabetes

What if the #marijuana you buy "has blood all over it"? Now, it is legitimate to wonder: would anyone mind if #weed was #geneticallymodified? - http://clapway.com/2015/09/04/genetically-modified-weed123/

As the marijuana legalization movement wins ground, a group of scientists is mapping the genetic structure of weed to protect the biodiversity of cannabis from corporate interests.

A recent report by ATTN: sheds a light on the risks of multinational agrochemical corporations such as Monsanto, which might be tempted to capitalize on legal marijuana by securing exclusive patents on select strains.

Monsanto denies allegations of genetically modified weed

Monsanto, which has been widely criticized for its approach to genetically modified organisms (GMOs), released a statement in response to gossip about its interest in pot, stating that it “has not and is not working on GMO marijuana,” calling the allegation an “Internet rumor” and a “lie”.

For now, it is only guesswork, but this didn’t stop a team of researchers at Phylos Bioscience from launching the Cannabis Evolution Project last year. The objective? Mapping the history of Cannabis evolution, “from thousands of years ago in Central Asia to the pharmacy shelves of the 1930s, to the last few decades of breeding in California and Holland”.

Untangling the evolutionary past of weed

Researchers are sequencing the genomes of thousands of different varieties of Cannabis plants and collecting samples of “every single modern hybrid strain available.”

Phylos Bioscience will be offering genetic strain certification through its partner labs soon. This will allow small growers with “incredible plants” to protect themselves from the risk of being modified and monopolized. At the same time, an online data visualization tool will help ganja lovers locate their plants, by tracing their ancestry and seeing how they compare to their relatives.

No Fairtrade mark on drugs

However, the fear that marijuana may be genetically modified has already come true. Police in Mexico have arrested a gang of Colombians and Mexicans for growing genetically modified pot in three gigantic greenhouses covering 20,000sq ft. A total of 7,000 ‘mother plants’ of marijuana were being genetically modified and cloned. The gangsters were involved in much more than simple selective breeding.

In a recent article published in The Guardian, Jay Rayner argues that part of the problem these days is that, although Millennials are being extra careful about buying ethically produced food, very few are interested in knowing where the narcotics they consume actually come from.

The writer provocatively asks if those urban hipsters who love the hashtag #eatclean apply the same standards to their grass and coke.

Does it matter to twentysomethings if the drug “was produced by impoverished, subjugated Bolivian peasants”, or in the words of novelist Don Winslow, if the marijuana they buy “has blood all over it”? Now, it is legitimate to wonder: would anyone mind if weed was genetically modified?

Share your views in the comments section below.

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Scientists Are Against Genetically Modified Weed

A study has found that more college students are using #marijuana everyday. And for the first time ever, more students are smoking #pot or #weed than cigarettes. - http://clapway.com/2015/09/01/marijuana-use-college-students123/

A new study by the University of Michigan has found that more college students are using marijuana everyday, or almost everyday, compared to the last 35 years. And for the first time ever, more students are smoking pot than cigarettes, Tech Times reports.

MARIJUANA USE: 1 IN 17 SMOKE DAILY OR ALMOST DAILY

The research found that the percentage of students that had used marijuana at least 20 times in the past 30 days had rose to 5.9 percent, having been just 3.5 percent in 2007. That’s 1 in 17. Frequent use by a larger number of students was found in polls about pot at college in the 1980s. However, marijuana smoking being more common than cigarette smoking on American college campuses is unprecedented.

“It’s clear that for the past seven or eight years there has been an increase in marijuana use among the nation’s college students,” Lloyd Johnston, the report’s lead author, said. “And this largely parallels an increase we have been seeing among high school seniors.”

HIGH SCHOOL GRADS LESS WORRIED ABOUT POT

Higher rates of marijuana use were also found among high school graduates aged 19 to 22 years old. While 55 percent of the group that was polled in 2006 responded that marijuana use was dangerous, only 35 percent said the same last year. Infrequent marijuana smoking also increased, but not as sharply.

The research is part of the Monitoring the Future project supported by the National Institute of Health that studies substance abuse in American youth. The study has been conducted every year since 1980.

WHY GENERAL DRUG USE IS ON THE RISE

The study also found that the use of illegal drugs overall had increased. In 2006, 34 percent of college students reported using illicit drugs; in 2014, 41 percent have. However, as Fox News pointed out, the increase is mostly related to the trend of growing marijuana use, rather than other substances.

OTHER DRUGS AND THE SURVEY

Students were also surveyed about the use of other drugs, like cocaine, ecstasy and amphetamines. While cocaine use may be increasing among college students, the abuse of ecstasy and amphetamines has not increased, and have either remained the same or decreased.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uh73AjBjCN0

Marijuana Use Among Students At Its Highest

A new #wedding trend is emerging in states where #marijuana is legal: open #weedbars. - http://clapway.com/2015/08/30/weed-weddings-099/

A new wedding trend is emerging in states where marijuana is legal: open weed bars.

In Washington, Colorado, Alaska, and Oregon—the four states where marijuana is recreationally legal —“weed weddings” have gone from a “let’s get high” idea to a lucrative reality, according to The Daily Beast.

Sites such as Cannabride.com and LoveandMarij.com are promoting cannabis-friendly weddings – a new norm for ganja-loving, modern nuptials.

Giving up booze for bud

A couple in Portland, Oregon drew much media attention after it served joints instead of champagne at their weeding. According to the state’s Measure 91 marijuana can be served only if alcohol isn’t.

The “weed tent” featured 13 different strains of cannabis, a budtender, and free transportation following the event.

Offering open Weed Bar to guests

Groom John Elledge said he was “shocked” by how much of a hit the “cannabar” was—it even convinced an 81-year-old who hadn’t smoke since the 1960s. “I’m still getting a couple of texts a day from guests who enjoyed the weed tent,” said Elledge of his recent reception.

Imagine showing up at your brother’s wedding and lighting up a blunt for the first time in front of your family. Weird? Maybe. Yet experts believe the trend could expand opinions and widen perceptions about legal marijuana.

According to The New York Times article “A Toast? How About a Toke”, a wedding in Colorado included gift bags with a rolled joint, a lighter and cannabis- infused lip balm infused, along with this note: “We wanted to show you some of the things we love the best.”

Weeding crushers

Marijuana use at weddings is “out of the closet now,” said Kelli Bielema of Shindig Events in Seattle. We might soon see joints, bongs and vaporizers being passed around at weddings instead of alcohol. Colorado florists are even embracing buds in bouquets in response to customer requests to incorporate cannabis into their special occasion.

“Many pot enthusiasts think of alcohol as an old-fashioned, old-school toxin whose overuse can inflame family tensions and cause people to say horrible things, especially at weddings,” the NY Times article reads. “In comparison, marijuana, they contend, is more like a tonic that calms people down and makes them like each other more rather than less — perfect for a wedding, they say.”

What do you think of weed weddings? Share your experiences in the comments section below.

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FAN OF NATURAL BLENDS? TRY ATMOPH!

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Weed Weddings: Rest Assured They"re a Thing Now

Casual Marijuana Use Doesn"t Shrink Brains #marijuana #weed #schizophrenia - http://clapway.com/2015/08/27/marijuana-brains234

Two studies that came out today in the Journal of American Medical Association explored the effects of marijuana in the developing brain. Each yielded mixed results, but one thing is clear: there is no evidence to suggest that smoking pot causes brain damage in young adults.

Did you know about synthetic marijuana?

Twins with discordant marijuana use show no difference in their brain volumes

Researchers interviewed and conducted neuroimaging on young adult twins or siblings with different marijuana use habits. Studies in twins or siblings allow controlling for genetic and familial factors on brain growth. Of the pool of participants, 71 twin pairs had never used marijuana, 81 pairs used it casually, and 89 pairs were comprised of one sibling who used it and one who did not. The neuroimaging analysis looked at the amygdala and the right ventral striatum⎯areas related to emotions and reward. They found that brains of casual marijuana users had smaller amygdala and right ventral striatum than the brains of siblings who never used marijuana, with the difference being within the bounds of normal variation. What is interesting is that even those who had never used marijuana had smaller amygdala if their sibling used marijuana. This means that marijuana does not cause lower amygdala volumes. Instead, common genetic and environmental factors (that siblings experience) predispose young adults to both marijuana use and smaller amygdala in their brains.

Males with a high risk for schizophrenia are more susceptible to the brain-altering effects of marijuana

In another study, 1574 young adults and adolescents were examined based on their genetic risk for schizophrenia and their marijuana use. They used brain cortical thickness as an indicator of brain maturation and information processing power. While both high-and low-risk females and low-risk males had no changes in their cortical thickness upon marijuana use, high-risk males responded differently. Their brains showed lower cortical thickness when they used marijuana. Thus, males who are at a high risk for schizophrenia show changes in their brain when they use marijuana. This doesn’t mean that the marijuana causes changes in the brain structures, but merely that common precipitating factors could increase the risk of schizophrenia in young men as well as make them vulnerable to marijuana use.

This is not an endorsement for marijuana

While these studies have importantly pointed out the fallacy in assuming causation from correlation, the results are just the tip of the iceberg. More research needs to be conducted to study different areas of the brain to put stock into these findings, and eventually proposing legislative solutions.

Photo Credit: IMG_4311 via photopin (license)

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Casual Marijuana Use Doesn"t Shrink Brains

Does #Weed #smell good or bad to you? What does it most closely resemble? The court rules on this! - http://clapway.com/2015/08/23/whats-that-funk-marijuana-doesnt-smell-like-raw-sewage-court-rules-242/

Have you ever heard someone complaining that their apartment “reeked of weed” from their neighbor’s joint?

Some people in Oregon brought an unusual neighborhood complaint to the Court of Appeals News Week reported: that the smell of marijuana was – to say the least – “unpleasant”. But the court ruled earlier this week that while odors such as rotten eggs and raw sewage are “objectively unpleasant,” weed doesn’t necessarily smell that bad.

A “physically offensive” smell?

“We are not prepared to declare that the odor of marijuana smoke is equivalent to the odor of garbage. Indeed, some people undoubtedly find the scent pleasing,” the appeals court wrote.

“Who determines whether a particular odor is offensive?” the appeals court added. “Although some odors are objectively unpleasant — rotten eggs or raw sewage come to mind — others are more subjective in nature.”

Marijuana Smoke not that nasty

The appeals court found that it couldn’t declare the odor of marijuana smoke offensive. They explained that an odor that is excessively intense and persisted could be regarded as nasty – regardless of its nature. Yet according to Oregon Live the scent in this case was regarded as “subjective” and dependent on the “intensity, duration or frequency” of the smokers’ habits.

If you consume marijuana “like a chimney” you might want to buy a smoke sucker or something. While for those who believe that the right to consume marijuana does not grant the right to be a bad neighbor, following are a couple of ways to resolve smelly issues.

Ways to Clear the Air

According to the Denver Post you can always call the city’s odor police. Calling the smell police. Complaints related to marijuana are not uncommon according to Denver’s Department of Environmental Health. However, complaints usually stem from industrial-level smells and just a few cases from the cultivation or consumption of weed at household level.

Finally, the best way is probably just to talk to your neighbor who probably didn’t even realize that you could smell his or her weed from your couch.

What do you think of the court marijuana skunk and the court ruling? Share your views in the comments section below.

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What’s That Funk? Marijuana Doesn’t Smell Like Raw Sewage Court Rules

%This weekend, over 300 #stoners congregated for the first #420Games event ever; a 4.2 mile race in the #GoldenGatePark in the #BayArea.% - http://clapway.com/2015/08/16/420-weed-games-stoner-099/

MARIJUANA USERS RACE TO PROVE THEIR ATHLETICISM

Michael Phelps aside, you may not associate recreational marijuana use and athletes. If anything, marijuana tends to be associated with laziness and lethargy; watching cartoons instead of working out. But stoners are capable of doing both of those things, and with the tide turning in regards to the support of legalization and decriminalization, a number of cannabis users are looking to prove that weed users are not only functional members of society, but can also in fact be fit and athletic. That’s why the 420 Games have come to fruition, named for the number heavily associated with marijuana and Sublime t-shirts. This weekend, over 300 stoners congregated for the first “420 Games” event ever; a 4.20 mile race in the Golden Gate Park in the Bay Area.

MEDICAL MARIJUANA AS PAIN MANAGEMENT A BIG FOCUS OF 420 GAMES

The 420 Games look to make sure its known that marijuana isn’t just a normal thing for an athlete to use, but something that could be a benefit. Medical marijuana’s helpfulness in pain management is a large reason athletes in the 420 Games praised its use. And if you don’t believe the average stoner, just ask any of the retired professional athletes who gladly took part in the event. Kyle Kingsbury, a retired MMA fighter, participated in the 420 Games and emphasized the importance of pain management in athletics, noting that “There is a lot of wear and tear playing football and fighting professionally.”

DIVERSE ATHLETICISM PROMOTED IN THE GAMES

This race is only the first event planned for the 420 Games. The plan is for a golf tournament to take place in San Jose, a bike race in Orange County, and paddle boarding in Lake Tahoe. The idea is to promote the notion of marijuana being a benefit and not a detriment for a wide array of fitness and athleticism, as opposed to the stereotypical 420 Games of “chip eating” and “Adventure Time watching.”

HEALTHY WEED USE

Perhaps the most important aspect of the 420 Games is the idea that medical marijuana is, true to its name, a medical asset that can be used by productive members of society. As such, after the first 420 Games, the winner received $500 worth of credits for medical marijuana. And, because we can only combat so many stereotypes about marijuana, the games also ended in a two hour reggae concert.

WE’RE PASSING THE WEEK’S BEST TO YOU. PASS IT ON, TO THE LEFT, MAN.

420 Games Look to Change Stoner Stereotypes

Cannabis Could Help Heal Broken Bones - http://clapway.com/2015/07/17/cannabis-could-help-heal-broken-bones678/

Cannabis has been used as a medical remedy in many societies around the world for centuries. It is just now making a serious comeback into the world of modern medicine. Some of the important medical benefits of cannabis are alleviating symptoms associated with cancer, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease have been evaluated.

THE STUDY WAS DONE BY TEL AVIV UNIVERSITY AND HEBREW UNIVERSITY

A study that was recently published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research by Tel Aviv University and Hebrew University showed another promising medical application for marijuana. According to research, the use of non- psychotropic component cannabinoid cannabidiol, also known as CBD, helps heal bone fractures. This study was conducted on rats with mid-femoral fractures and the results were that CBD enhanced the healing process after just eight weeks. This is even when it CBD is isolated form THC, tetrahydrocannabinol, the major psychoactive component of cannabis. The same team that did this study also found in earlier research that cannabinoid receptors in the body stimulate bone formation and prevent bone loss. This opens the door for cannabinoid to fight against osteoporosis and other bone related diseases (BRLDs). This research study was led by doctors at the Bone Research Laboratory at the Department of Anatomy and Anthropology.

THIS IS A PATHWAY FOR OTHER CANNABINOID FUELED TREATMENTS

The potential for the clinical use of cannabinoid-related compounds is going to be thoroughly discovered in order to properly develop more therapies. This clinical therapy used cannabinoid that has no psychoactivity and is anti-inflammatory.

The body naturally with a cannabinoid system that regulated non-vital and vital systems. The body only responds to cannabis due to the receptors that can be activated by the same compounds in the cannabis plant. Researchers also found that the skeleton is regulated by cannabinoids. The addition of non-psychogenic compounds acting outside of the brain still affect the skeleton.

CBD MAKES THE BONE STRONGER THAN BEFORE

CBD itself does a lot of beneficial things to the bones during healing. It makes the bones stronger during the healing process, and enhances the maturing of the collagenous matrixes that provide the basis for new mineralization of bone tissues. This process helps the healed bone become harder to break in the future.

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Cannabis Could Help Heal Broken Bones

Colorado Says No to Medical Marijuana for Treatment of PTSD - http://clapway.com/2015/07/16/colorado-says-no-to-medical-marijuana-to-ptsd567/

The trauma

Dealing with any mental health issues is extremely troublesome for the patient, their family, and those around them. Some take years to go away, and some some never truly do.
PTSD affects many people who have suffered a traumatic event in their life. One may periodically see or relive that moment and become severely stressed in the process. PTSD is often seen in returning soldiers or victims of a violent attack. But it can be seen in other cases as well, such as in small children.

Medical marijuana for treatment?

Since the legal advancements of allowing medical marijuana legal in health applications have been made, another doctor by the name of Dr. Mechoulam discovered that certain properties of marijuana may have positive effects on PTSD patients, with respect to memory. What was found in experiments with mice was that, after use, marijuana helps a subject to forget shock triggered by stimuli, whereas others without marijuana simply never forgot.

This novel idea for treating PTSD was fascinating and potentially promising to many, and this was likely the reason why officials and voters wanted to conduct research and start putting it in practice. Voting in Colorado were underway recently, and a decision was made.

The decision about medical marijuana treatment

A decision was made by the Colorado Board of Health yesterday about whether nor not to allow the state to let PTSD patients use medical marijuana as treatment. However, they said no to the measure due a variety of factors, including lack of sufficient research and medical trials on the effectiveness of this type of treatment for PTSD patients.

Despite the usage of marijuana being legal in the state, the decision was almost unanimous in its vote with a vote of 6-2. This is not the first time the recommendation to use medical marijuana for PTSD has been put to the vote.

However, even though the motion was not passed, patients can still continue to use medical marijuana as treatment on their dime. The downside of all this is that Colorado implements a tax on medical marijuana which is significantly lower than the tax amount for recreational use. Studies are now underway for the practical use of medical marijuana in treatment of PTSD by the state.

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Colorado Says No to Medical Marijuana for Treatment of PTSD

Why You Get the Munchies When You’re High - http://clapway.com/2015/07/02/why-you-get-the-munchies-when-youre-high765/

Everybody knows what the munchies are, and anybody who has smoked pot knows that the struggle is real. It’s an insatiable hunger that never seems to be tamed. As a stoner, you have your regular stash that you pick up from the store, and nothing else really works but your tried-n-true choices. Cancer patients often use medicinal marijuana to help calm their nausea and give them back their appetite.

Have you ever wondered why you get the munchies or why your munchies are never satisfied? And why is the food so much better when you’re stoned?

THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) is the main active ingredient in marijuana and when you smoke, the chemical reaches the brain at a quick rate. To your brain, THC resembles the natural transmitting neurons, called cannabinoids, which your brain emits to process information. These neurons are located in the part of the brain that help regulate the body’s normal functions, and will normally send out a chemical signal to let your brain know when you are full. The Yale University School of Medicine conducted a study on a group of mice and found that the natural cannabinoids in THC interfered with their body’s neurons causing them (the neurons) to act erratic. Adversely, they are being activated to promote hunger, even when you aren’t really hungry. The neurological effect that the THC had on the mice is what researchers believe is happening in humans as well. The researchers say this is why you get the munchies. The same lab also discovered another side effect of the cannabinoids being tampered with; you think your food smells and tastes more amazing than usual (not that your cooking isn’t amazing when you’re sober!) Another fact that every pot smoker knows from experience; you will also be inclined to eat things that you might not normally eat, whether you’re just craving something normal, like pickles, or something outrageous, like a lasagna made out of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and bacon. Researchers also attribute this to the rogue cannabinoids. If you’ve ever seen Epic Meal Time, I assume that’s what every stoner’s food dreams consist of.

In English Please?

The authors of the study claim to have unintentionally stumbled upon finding this possible reason as to why your stomach is always growling when you smoke. To put it simply, the hormones that are released in your brain when you smoke pot would normally act as an appetite suppressant. However, the THC in the marijuana causes your endorphins to kick in, which adversely acts as a stimulant for your appetite. Your system gets confused, which why you get the munchies.

Of course, there is always more research being done in this field

This is especially true now that many states are contemplating the legalization of marijuana. It’ll be interesting to see what more we discover about the plant.

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Why You Get the Munchies When You’re High