High in the sky.
The U.S. Air Force and Space Force are reviewing policy changes that would allow recruits a pass if they test positive for cannabis. Since the end of time, U.S. Military branches has had a strict zero-tolerance rule for cannabis use. Maj. Gen. Ed Thomas, the commander of the Air Force Recruiting Service, told Air Force Times in an interview published on Wednesday that the current marijuana policy “permanently” disqualifies people from service if they test positive for THC metabolites during a mandatory drug screening. But as the legalization movement continues to expand, “there is an increased prevalence of THC-positive applicants.” The General went on to say that they are realistic and can exercise "common sense". If only our congress could do the same.
Bye, Bye Big Pharma!
A recently published study showed that in states that legalize cannabis, drug makers lose nearly $10 billion of annual revenue per state legalization event. The peer-reviewed research article, published in the journal PLOS ONE on Wednesday, looked at stock return and prescription drug sales data for 556 pharmaceutical companies from 1996 to 2019, analyzing market trends before and after the enactment of medical and adult-use cannabis legalization laws at the state level. The stock returns were “1.5-2 percent lower at 10 days after legalization,” the study authors found. “Returns decreased in response to both medical and recreational legalization, for both generic and brand drugmakers Investors anticipate a single legalization event to reduce drugmaker annual sales by $3 billion on average.” “By expanding access and, thus use, legalization could permit cannabis to compete with conventional pharmaceuticals. Largely unpatentable, cannabis may act like a new generic entrant following medical legalization, leading some individuals to substitute away from other drugs with cannabis. However, unlike a conventional new generic drug, cannabis use is not restricted to a single or limited set of conditions. This means that cannabis acts as a new entrant across many different drug markets simultaneously.” marijuanamoment.net
From one stoner to another.
We have all either fallen victim to or passed judgment on another based on our societal preconceptions. A recent study from the University of Cambridge showed that cannabis users are no more or no less motivated then non-cannabis users; killing the theory that cannabis users are just "lazy stoners". Skumlien (University of Cambridge PhD) said smoking cannabis could be associated with other downsides, but that the stoner stereotype is “stigmatizing” and could make messages around harm reduction less effective. “We need to be honest and frank about what are and are not the harmful consequences of drug use,” she added. Cannabis is the third most commonly used controlled substance worldwide, after alcohol and nicotine, with a 2018 NHS report finding that almost one in five (19%) of 15-year-olds in England had used cannabis in the previous 12 months. theguardian.com
