Marijuana

Outlawing psychoactive drugs such as marijuana and “magic mushrooms” impedes research and amounts to scientific censorship, according to three researchers.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington, along with substance abuse prevention and treatment professionals, are calling for rules that would limit youth access to marijuana in Washington state, now that the drug is legal there for adults.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will promote a broad approach to fighting drug-related violence in Central America at a meeting of the Organization of the American States this week, according to Reuters.

A new law that sets legal limits on marijuana levels in the bloodstream took effect in Colorado on May 28. Under the new law, drivers are assumed to be impaired if their blood test shows a level of THC—the active ingredient in marijuana—of five or more nanograms per milliliter.

Law enforcement officials in charge of K-9 units in Washington state and Colorado, where recreational marijuana is now legal, are no longer training drug-sniffing dogs to detect the drug, according to Fox News. Dogs already trained to detect marijuana are being forced into early retirement.

Low doses of the active ingredient in marijuana appear to stop some forms of brain damage in mice, an Israeli researcher has found.

A new study concludes black Americans were almost four times as likely as whites to be arrested for marijuana possession in 2010, according to The New York Times. Blacks and whites use marijuana at similar rates, the study notes.

A drug used to treat liver toxicity in Tylenol overdoses may be helpful in treating teens dependent on marijuana, when it is combined with behavioral therapy, according to an expert speaking at the recent American Psychiatric Association annual meeting.

Marijuana compounds may help control blood sugar and lower the risk of diabetes, a new study suggests. The compounds also might help users control their weight, according to Time.com.

A poll of doctors finds 76 percent say they would approve of the use of medical marijuana to treat pain in an older woman with advanced breast cancer.

Researchers at the University of Michigan will try to document the impact of medical marijuana, with a $2.2 million grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

A study of men arrested in five major U.S. cities finds more than 60 percent use illegal drugs, but most do not receive treatment.

Children who accidentally eat food such as cookies made with marijuana can get sick, according to a new study. Researchers at Colorado Children’s Hospital report they treated 14 children who ingested the drug, half of whom ate marijuana-laced foods.

The average marijuana smoker in Colorado will pay about $650 for the drug next year, according to Time.com. The estimate is based on a study by researchers at Colorado State University, who wanted to determine how much the state will collect in marijuana-related tax revenue.

A report released by the Organization of American States calls for a discussion on legalizing or decriminalizing marijuana, the Associated Press reports.

Lawmakers in Washington state, where recreational marijuana use is now legal, are trying to determine how police officers can identify drivers impaired by marijuana use, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Addiction to drugs, alcohol and tobacco are the most common mental health problems in teenagers, a new government report concludes. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is the most commonly diagnosed problem overall in youth ages 3 to 17.

A new study finds a connection between post-traumatic stress disorder and the number of cannabinoid receptors in the brain. These receptors are activated when a person uses marijuana.

The first medical marijuana dispensaries in Washington, D.C., are expected to open later this month, ABC News reports. One will be located eight blocks from the U.S. Capitol.

Legislators in Colorado on Wednesday passed the first laws regulating the state’s recreational marijuana market, which will take effect in January 2014. Governor John Hickenlooper is expected to sign them by early June, The Wall Street Journal reports.

The California Supreme Court on Monday ruled local governments can outlaw medical marijuana dispensaries, according to Reuters.

A California veterinarian is advocating using medical marijuana to help improve the quality of life for some pets with untreatable conditions, according to ABC News.

Financial institutions are avoiding dealing with marijuana businesses, even in states where the drug is legal. As a result, owners of these businesses are forced to institute cash-only policies, CNN reports.

The Government Accountability Office found the federal government has not made progress on most goals for reducing drug use, which were outlined in the 2010 National Drug Control Strategy, UPI reports.

Officials in Colorado and Washington state, which recently legalized the recreational use of marijuana, are struggling to devise health and safety rules for the drug.