Under-treatment of Pain

New research suggests that, for an aging, aching population, medical marijuana can reduce dependency on opiates while maintaining quality of life.

Busy, busy: There's movement on marijuana banking, Gary Johnson picks up MPP's endorsement, a leading California cannabis oil producer gets busted, the AMA casts on leery eye on patient pain reports, a congresswoman wants to drug test the rich, British public health groups call for decrim, the Thai government wants to end the war on meth, and more.

Purdue Pharma claims the drug is effective for 12 hours. The LA Times just reported that it isn't. Now, Sen. Ed Markey wants the feds to take a look.

An effort to create a per se marijuana DUID law in California ran into a brick wall of science, the Ohio effort to put a medical marijuana initiative on the ballot gives up the ghost, a US senator seeks an investigation into Purdue Pharma over its claims on OxyContin's extended effectiveness, and more.

Bill Bratton misses the point on prohibition and violence, Nebraskans will have to wait for medical marijuana, Fentanyl is displacing heroin in Vancouver, and more.

Another poll has a national majority for pot legalization, the Vermont legalization bill is now before the House, the CDC urges doctors to really cut back on pain pill prescriptions, a New York assemblywoman wants supervised injection sites, a Mexican governor wants a pilot program of opium cultivation, and more.

Marijuana business access to banking services takes a hit from a federal judge, DC marijuana social clubs take a hit from the city council, Vermont legalization prospects get downplayed, pain patients are in the crosshairs, and more.

A thousand march for marijuana in Dallas, a few dozen in Montgomery; a UNODC document calling for drug decriminalization gets leaked and then yanked, the Global Commission on Drug Policy issues a report on pain, and more.

Toledo's decriminalization is challenged, Florida officials face heat for delays in implementing the state's CBD medical marijuana law, an Illinois panel approves medical marijuana for pain conditions (but will the governor go for it?), and more.

Competing legalization initiatives get filed in Massachusetts, pain patients face obstacles amidst the pill mill crackdown, the Yemen war is messing up the peninsular drug trade, and more.