Marijuana

Colorado lawmakers on Tuesday rejected a bill that would have set a legal blood-level limit for the active ingredient in marijuana, THC. Currently convictions for drugged driving in the state depend on an officer’s observations, according to the Associated Press.

After receiving warning letters from the federal government, 25 medical marijuana dispensaries in Colorado that were located near schools have shut down. The letters from Colorado U.S. Attorney John Walsh said they must close, or potentially face criminal prosecution.

Marijuana cultivators are taking advantage of depressed real estate markets to buy or rent homes, and turn them into “grow houses.” The Drug Enforcement Administration says an increasing number of these houses are in high-end neighborhoods.

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi criticized the Obama Administration’s stance against medical marijuana suppliers in California this week. She said the government is putting patients in danger, and undermining its policy of deferring to states on the issue, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

The Colorado Senate has passed a measure that would make it easier to convict someone of driving while under the influence of marijuana. The measure will now move to the House, according to The Denver Post.

Nearly one in 10 teenagers are smoking marijuana at least 20 or more times a month, a new survey finds. The Associated Press reports that the survey, released Wednesday by The Partnership at Drugfree.org, found past-month use of marijuana rose from 19 percent in 2008, to 27 percent last year.

The drug gabapentin, used to treat epilepsy and nerve pain, may help people quit smoking marijuana, a new study suggests.

Officials at the University of Colorado-Boulder are trying to prevent thousands of people from gathering on campus today for the annual 4/20 marijuana celebration. They have spread smelly fish-based fertilizer on campus as a deterrent.

A survey of young adults recruited through social media finds more than half of those who smoke cigarettes say they also use marijuana. This is a higher percentage than has been reported in other surveys, suggesting young adults may be more comfortable reporting their substance use anonymously online.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said this week that it is unlikely the state legislature will take up the issue of medical marijuana this year. He added the risks of legalizing marijuana for pain relief require more study.

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed into law this week a bill that bans medical marijuana on state university and community college campuses.

A retail store that calls itself a one-stop shop for marijuana cultivators opened in Washington, D.C. last week. WeGrow is located about four miles from the White House.

People who engage in Internet gambling, such as online poker, are more likely to use alcohol and marijuana than those who gamble offline, a new study suggests.

The owners of 25 medical marijuana dispensaries located within 1,000 feet of a school have received letters from Colorado U.S. Attorney John Walsh telling them that they must close, or potentially face criminal prosecution.

Medical marijuana dispensaries are set to open in Washington, D.C. this summer, according to the San Jose Mercury News.

Drivers who use medical marijuana are posing a challenge to law enforcement officers trying to enforce driving under the influence laws, according to the Associated Press.

Students who bully their classmates are more likely to use cigarettes, alcohol and marijuana, compared with their peers who aren’t bullies, a new study suggests.

Fetal exposure to cocaine, tobacco or marijuana is not associated with lower academic achievement in children, a new study suggests. However, fetal exposure to alcohol in children with no evidence of fetal alcohol syndrome does lead to lower scores in math reasoning and spelling at age 11.

According to a recent study, nearly one in five (19 percent) of teens say they have gotten behind the wheel after smoking marijuana.

In the second half of a two-part series, Kevin Sabet, PhD, Policy Consultant and Assistant Professor, University of Florida, focuses on the issues brought up by the governors in their rescheduling petition.

The arrest of four football players on the Texas Christian University team this week on suspicion of selling marijuana points to an increasing problem in college athletics, says the Vice President of the National Center for Drug Free Sports.

In the first of a two-part series, Kevin Sabet, PhD, Policy Consultant and Assistant Professor, University of Florida, breaks down the various issues of medical marijuana.

Driving under the influence of marijuana is associated with an increased risk of a motor vehicle crash, especially for fatal collisions, an analysis of nine studies concludes.

The Colorado Secretary of State said Friday that supporters of a measure to legalize possession of marijuana for recreational use need an additional 2,500 signatures in order to get the initiative on the ballot.

Backers of a ballot proposal in Colorado to legalize possession of small amounts of marijuana are urging voters to “regulate marijuana like alcohol,” The New York Times reports.