Author Archives: ushempmuseum
Virginia State Crime Commission Holds Hearing On Decriminalization
On Monday, October 30th, I took a short trip down to Richmond, Virginia to testify alongside Virginia NORML regarding proposals to decriminalize the personal possession of marijuana, in order for those who are stopped by law enforcement to no longer face jail time or a criminal charge. Among the policy proposals are options that are line … Continue reading
Domestic Hemp Production More Than Doubles In Past Year
Domestic hemp production increased dramatically from 2016 to 2017, according to data compiled by the advocacy organization Vote Hemp. The group calculates that US farmers cultivated over 23,000 acres of hemp in 2017, up from fewer than 10,000 acres in 2016. Under a 2014 federal law, states may license hemp cultivation as part of a … Continue reading
Congressional Lawmakers Demand The VA Study Medical Marijuana
Members of the US House Committee on Veteran’s Affairs are demanding the Department of Veterans Affairs facilitate protocols to assess the efficacy of medical cannabis in veterans suffering from chronic pain and post-traumatic stress. Minnesota Democrat Tim Walz, along with nine other Democrat members of the Committee, authored an October 26, 2017 letter to VA … Continue reading
Colorado’s Top Doc Debunks Legalization Fears
Contrary to the claims of many marijuana prohibitionists, regulating the adult use of cannabis in Colorado has not been associated with any significant adverse effects on public safety. So affirmed Colorado’s top doctor, Larry Wolk, Chief Medical Officer for the Colorado Department of Public Health, in an interview Tuesday with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Specifically, … Continue reading
Jeff Sessions: We Will Do Our Best To Enforce The Laws As We’re Required To Do
In an interview with conservative radio show host Hugh Hewitt, Attorney General Jeff Sessions reiterated his position against marijuana, his commitment to enforcing its prohibition, and expressed an openness to use RICO suits against businesses that handle the plant. Earlier this year Cully Stimson of the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think-tank that has a tremendous amount … Continue reading
All Time High: New Poll Shows Two-Thirds Of Americans Support Marijuana Legalization
Source: Gallup A record percentage of US adults, including majorities of Democrats, Independents, and for the first time ever, Republicans, believe that the adult use of marijuana should be legal, according to polling data released today by Gallup. Sixty-four percent of adults believe that “the use of marijuana should be made legal in the United States” — the highest percentage … Continue reading
#ACT: Medical Marijuana Could Be On The Line
Protections for the medical marijuana markets that are now legal in 30 states are set to expire on December 8th. After that, over 2 million registered patients’ continued access to their medication will rely on the prohibitionist whims of Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who has been lobbying aggressively for the ability to use the full force of … Continue reading
Setting the Record Straight
One of NORML’s primary missions is to move public opinion sufficiently to legalize the responsible use of marijuana by adults. One of the ways we successfully achieve this goal is by debunking marijuana myths and half-truths via the publication of timely op-eds in online and print media. Since the mainstream media seldom casts a critical eye toward … Continue reading
Study: Cannabis Use Inversely Associated With Fatty Liver Disease
Adults with a history of cannabis use are less likely to suffer from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) than are those who have not used the substance, according to data published online in the journal PLoS One. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is the most prevalent form of liver disease, affecting an estimated 80 to 100 … Continue reading
ACLU Pennsylvania: Blacks Eight Times More Likely Than Whites To Be Arrested For Marijuana Possession
African Americans in Pennsylvania are over eight times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession offenses than are Caucasians, according to an analysis of statewide arrest data by the American Civil Liberties Union. The ACLU Pennsylvania report reviewed arrest data for all 67 counties from 2010 to 2016. Excluding Philadelphia, which decriminalized cannabis possession … Continue reading
