Health officials in Virginia are taking steps to prevent children from being exposed to or getting their hands on illegal cannabis products.

Late last month, State Health Commissioner Karen Shelton sent a letter informing clinicians about “adverse events in children” who consumed CBD or THC. “Reported symptoms for these adverse events have included vomiting, hallucinations, low blood pressure, low blood sugar, altered mental status and anxiety,” Shelton stated in the letter. She also noted that some of those children were hospitalized.

The letter asked that local health departments keep track and report minors who are hospitalized due to cannabis consumption with a “special surveillance system.” “After a hospitalization or cluster is reported, VDH staff will collect information about the illness(es), possible exposures, and laboratory results,” Shelton explained.

Since 2019, Vermont Department of Health data shows that emergency visits in children under 17 have increased. In 2019, this included just 52 emergency room visits, but this increased steadily to 29 visits in 2020, 207 in 2021, 328 in 2022, and 377 in 2023.

However, this data only covers visits to the emergency room and not all incidents overall. “As a result of these data, the special surveillance system was established in order for VDH to receive these reports directly and better assess the impact of adverse events related to consumption of products containing THC or CBD among children in the Commonwealth,” Vermont Department of Health spokesperson, Cheryle Rodriguez, told Virginia Mercury.

This new surveillance initiative includes an online portal to report future “THC and CBD adverse events.” It includes an in-depth questionnaire about the person affected, the illness and symptoms, the product that was consumed, and where it was obtained.

The portal was implemented by legislators attempting to curb cannabis access for minors. Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed two bills (Senate Bill 448 and House Bill 698) that would have legalized adult-use cannabis sales in late March. “The most concerning consequence of cannabis commercialization is its impact on adolescents and our children,” Youngkin said in a statement. “As cannabis has become legalized and commercialized, calls to U.S. Poison Control for children who have overdosed on edible cannabis products have increased by 400% since 2016.”

Youngkin also claimed that it’s more difficult to control illegal cannabis when adult-use is legalized. “States that have attempted to regulate the black market for cannabis have generally failed,” he stated, adding that illegal cannabis in New York has tested positive for a variety of harmful contaminants “including tests for E. Coli, salmonella, accurate THC, and heavy metals.”

“It also does not eliminate the illegal black-market sale of cannabis, nor guarantee product safety,” the governor said of legalization. “Addressing the inconsistencies in enforcement and regulation in Virginia’s current laws does not justify expanding access to cannabis, following the failed paths of other states and endangering Virginians’ health and safety.”

Minors getting access to and consuming cannabis products has increased in recent years, and in some cases has affected larger groups of kids. Last October, four students from Armstrong High School in Richmond, Virginia, were in “medical distress” after consuming hemp-derived edibles. This led to the school issuing a complete ban of all candy and baked goods, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

After Youngkin’s adult-use cannabis bill veto, some supporters spoke out criticizing the move. “Gov. Youngkin’s dismissive stance towards addressing Virginia’s cannabis sales dilemma is unacceptable. Public servants are obligated to tackle pressing issues. This legislation would have combated the illegal market & ensured access to safe, tested and taxed cannabis products,” said former NFL player and bill sponsor, Sen. Aaron Rouse.

Virginia Mercury recently spoke with Virginia Commonwealth University forensic science professor, Michelle Peace, who said that better testing of hemp-derived products would help. “It’s important to know how pervasive the problem is,” Peace said, who has previously conducted vaping and cannabis research. Her most recent study includes an analysis of Virginia students between kindergarten and 12th grade. She has tested vape devices that were confiscated by various schools, and found that out of 369 items, 82% of them contained nicotine and 18% contained high concentrations of THC. “At the end of the day, there needs to be proper attribution as to what the child actually consumed,” Peace said.

In March, the Virginia Department of Forensic Science (DFS) released a report that studied reliable methods of testing for THC in blood and urine samples. The DFS received $290,353 from the Department of Justice in 2020 to conduct the study. Researchers showed a method of identifying different cannabinoids using liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. This included separating THC metabolites and experimenting with different blood types such as bank blood, antemortem blood, postmortem blood, and also urine samples.

Adult-use cannabis was legalized as of July 1, 2021, but this only included cultivation, possession, and gifting. Medical cannabis was legalized in March 2017, and has expanded over time. However, a report published last November shows that many medical cannabis patients today are going out of state to purchase medicine because it’s more affordable elsewhere.

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A long standing argument against the legalization of cannabis has cited that legal access could lead to an increase in youth cannabis use. As states across the country continue pushing forward with reform measures, research is continually providing insight on just how merited that assertion is in actuality.

Fresh off the heels of a recent study showing the prevalence of delta-8 THC use among high school seniors — a hemp-derived cannabinoid that is widely available outside of the legal cannabis industry and in states with or without legal cannabis programs — some may wonder how many teens are using cannabis in recreational states and whether reform has escalated these trends.

A new study published in the journal Addictive Behaviors looked to investigate how legal cannabis laws have impacted adolescent use and examined lifetime and past 30-day (P30D) cannabis use among middle school-aged adolescents in Nevada versus New Mexico.

It ultimately affirmed what many studies in the past have: Initiating state-licensed cannabis sales is not associated with an increase in cannabis use among young people.

Comparing Youth Cannabis Use in Legal and Illegal Recreational States

We’re still exploring the impacts of cannabis use, for better or worse, given the limited scope of research on the plant over the last several decades. However, despite the many benefits cannabis and its compounds may offer us, it’s widely accepted that cannabis use during adolescence can be especially impactful on development. 

To examine how adult-use cannabis legalization has influenced adolescent cannabis use, researchers behind the recent study used data from the 2017 and 2019 NV Youth Risk Behavior Survey and the NM Youth Risk and Resiliency Survey, state-run surveys for Nevada and New Mexico respectively designed to monitor health behaviors among U.S. students.

Researchers used difference-in-difference analyses to compare behaviors surrounding lifetime and past 30-day use in Nevada and New Mexico during the same period. At the time, Nevada had legal adult-use cannabis sales and New Mexico did not.

According to the analysis, the odds of lifetime and past 30-day use increased in both states during the observed time period, specifically among students who were female, older, non-white or attending a Title 1 school. 

Ultimately, researchers noted that there was “no difference in lifetime and P30D marijuana use by adult-use sales status.” 

Rather, cannabis use in both states followed similar trajectories. Researchers still noted this as a point of concern, given the negative health consequences of cannabis use at an early age, though whether or not cannabis was legal in a given state didn’t appear to be an influencing factor.

“We did not find compelling evidence that implementation of adult-use marijuana sales was associated with an immediate increase in lifetime or P30D marijuana use among middle school youth in Nevada which aligns with previous research,” the study notes.

Compounding Evidence and Related Research

Indeed, many other studies from the past have come to a similar conclusion: Cannabis reform does not appear to be correlated with an increase in use among young people.

A 2022 policy paper looked broader, reviewing data on consumption among eighth, 10th and 12th grade students, finding that youth consumption either “decreases or remains flat in regulated markets.”

“State legalization of cannabis has not, on average, impacted the prevalence of cannabis use among adolescents. In other words, states with medical and/or adult use laws are not seeing larger increases in adolescent use relative to states where use remains illegal,” the report states, additionally noting that educational early prevention methods can help to combat youth consumption.

The same appears to be true when focusing explicitly on medical cannabis laws, as a 2021 study “found no evidence between 1991 and 2015 of increases in adolescents reporting past 30-day marijuana use or heavy marijuana use associated with state MML (medical marijuana law) enactment or operational MML dispensaries.”

Another study tackled an adjacent inquiry: Does a state’s legal or illegal adult-use cannabis status impact children’s attitudes around cannabis use and perceptions of its risks? Researchers concluded that individual, child-level characteristics were the primary factor influencing young people’s attitudes toward cannabis, not state policy.

A recent report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention further compounds these findings, showing a steady decline in cannabis use in high school students from 2011 to 2021.

The market is still in its infancy, and we’re bound to see more reports on the topic as time goes on. But as it stands, the argument that legal cannabis will increase use among young people appears to have weak footing, and naysayers may need to look elsewhere for concrete arguments against reform.

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Snoop Dogg is once again stirring up a grand debate due to his unapologetic and unwavering love of the herb—no matter who’s around. There’s absolutely nothing atypical of Snoop smoking a blunt in the studio, but people are concerned that his grandkids were in the room. 

Snoop Dogg posted an Instagram video on Wednesday, Feb. 21 smoking a blunt in a recording studio, but it outraged some commenters because two of his granddaughters were in the room as he smoked.

HipHopDX first reported the incident that led to the comments section going wild. It sparked up a huge debate: Should parents—and grandparents, for that matter—be allowed to smoke in the presence of a child? And how close is too close?

“The West Coast rap legend posted a clip on Instagram on Wednesday of himself in a recording studio surrounded by his granddaughters as he smoked a blunt,” HipHopDX reports. “The video was widely condemned in the comments section, with Snoop being criticized for smoking the drug around infant children.”

The video was widely condemned in the comments section, with Snoop being criticized for smoking the drug around infant children. Parenting and cannabis is always a controversial topic.

“Nobody and I do mean NOBODY smoking around my babies,” one commenter wrote. Another wrote, “Like Seriously … Is there a blunt in his hand in front of the grand babies? Come man, damn.”

“Burning with the kids????” another commenter asked.

But other commenters said it’s better than smoking tobacco in front of kids, or in a car. “Y’all talkin bout smokin weed around kids??” one commenter posted in response. “Half of u smokin Marlboro with the soccer kids in the back of the minivan.”

Snoop Dogg and Controversy Over Smoking

Last November, Snoop Dogg announced that he’s quitting “smoking” in a post that went viral, but it turned out to be a hugely successful stunt.

But after all that, some X users pointed out some unusual details, and it turns out that the “smoke” Snoop was actually giving up was smoke stoves, and he’s behind the Solo Stove, the “world’s most popular smokeless fire pit.” Solo Stove shareholders were not amused, for not producing revenue, however, and it allegedly led to a CEO change.

Snoop pissed off Piers Morgan and drew the wrath of English soccer fans over a pro-weed meme in 2019. He faced online backlash for a social media post designed to highlight the disparate dangers between cannabis and alcohol. Pot advocates have long touted that cannabis is safer than booze and other drugs, of course, but Snoop ran afoul by using a legendary but troubled former English soccer player to illustrate that comparison.

The meme he posted showed four photos: two of Snoop and two of Paul Gascogine, a decorated soccer player who starred for the England national team and clubs like Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur in the 1980s and 1990s. 

The two photos of Gascogine, placed under a caption that read “Alcohol Abuse,” show him at age 20 and 47 with clear signs of physical deterioration evident. Under the caption “Marijuana Abuse,” the pair of photos of Snoop at the same two ages with no major differences in his appearance. 

Gascoigne’s life has been equally turbulent off the field. He entered therapy in the late 1990s, while still a player, to treat his alcoholism—the first of several stints in treatment. He has struggled to maintain his sobriety since then. 

Wiz Khalifa Agrees That Kids Know

Wiz Khalifa, a frequent collaborator with Snoop, isn’t exactly hiding the fact that he’s smoking weed, in a similar fashion.

On the podcast Call Her Daddy last January, Wiz Khalifa explained that he’s chill with going to the parent-teacher conference stoned. Since smoking weed is an all-day, every day activity for the rapper, the host asked Wiz specifically if he is stoned during parent-teacher conferences.

“Hell yeah, I’m pulling up stoned. They expect it,” Wiz told Call Her Daddy host Alex Cooper. “They know what’s up. It’s not like back in the day, where you’re considered a bad parent if you smell like weed.”

Wiz explained that he’d rather have his son see his true self, and that he’s not pretending to be anyone else. “They’re not going to get a fake version of me or this made-up parent that society makes you think that you’re supposed to be. I am who I am, and it’s not because I’m a celebrity or anything.”

But hiding who he really is, just to adhere to what others expect a parent is supposed to be like? “That’s not how I’m going to be living my life ever. Hell no,” Wiz said.

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On Feb. 17, 2023, a Georgia-based Black family of seven (two parents, Deonte Williams and Bianca Claymore and five children, one of which was an infant at the time) were driving to a funeral and traveling through Tennessee to Chicago, Illinois, when they were detained at a traffic stop. Law enforcement initially pulled them over for dark tinted windows and traveling in the left lane while not passing, but after finding five grams of cannabis in the pocket of the Williams, he was arrested, Clayborne was cited, and they spent four hours at the Coffee County Justice Center.

The children were terrified, and DCS caseworkers asked to obtain a urine sample from Clayborne, who refused because she didn’t want to leave her kids alone. They compromised to have her give a urine sample in her car, while surrounded by law enforcement, and she attempted to do so, but ultimately could not. DCS told her that not complying “made matters worse” for her, and an emergency order from Coffee County Judge Greg Perry was issued for the children; they were removed from Bianca’s side at the justice center and taken into state custody.

The children were placed in temporary separate foster homes, where Clayborne was not allowed to visit them, and later they were allowed to stay with a family friend while the case was ongoing. Finally, after 55 days of separation, the children were returned to their parents on April 13. Clayborne’s misdemeanor was dismissed, Williams pled guilty to a misdemeanor, and the Department of Children’s Services dismissed the case.

According to the Tennessee Lookout, the sudden separation caused Clayborne to suffer from intense anxiety, depression, and mental anguish, and she stopped producing breast milk during that time. The news report shared that the children have also shown signs of trauma because of the incident, including one child having nightmares, wetting the bed, and another child now “has a visceral reaction to seeing police.”

Nearly one year later on Feb. 8, the family is suing the three DCS caseworkers, four Tennessee Highway Patrol officers, 10 Coffee County Sheriff Department officers, all of which played a part in the incident. “These public officials illegally tore apart and terrorized Clayborne’s family. They acted outrageously and unlawfully. Their actions caused severe emotional trauma to Clayborne and each of her five children,” the lawsuit stated. “Clayborne and the children bring this lawsuit to vindicate their rights against people that harmed them, though the full extent of the harm to their family may never be undone.”

The lawsuit claims that the family’s fourth amendment rights were violated, that there is evidence of multiple counts of false arrest and imprisonment, in addition to many other counts. The family is represented by Herzfeld, Suetholz, Gastel, Leniski, and Wall, PLLC, and Rubenfeld Law Office, PC.

Last year, Williams’ and Claymore’s attorney, Jamaal Boykin, expressed the sheer horror of such an event taking place. “It’s just so shocking to the conscience that in 2023 this is happening,” said Boykin. “I just have to believe if my clients looked different or had a different background, they would have just been given a citation and told you just keep this stuff away from the kids while you’re in this state and they’d be on their way.”

Legislators who heard about the incident also stood up for the family, such as Tennessee Sen. London Lamar. “DCS, Coffee County, y’all need to do the right thing before the situation gets worse, and we have a nation of people coming to the rescue of this Black family,” said Lamar. “Give them their children back. It’s borderline discrimination, because if this was any other family, as their attorney said, we don’t even think this would be the outcome.”

Tennessee Sen. Raumesh Akbari also exclaimed her disappointment in the events that tore the family apart. “It is outrageous that the state forcefully separated Bianca Clayborne, a breastfeeding mother, and Deonte Williams from their kids and have allowed this to continue for nearly a month,” Akbari said. “The state exercised extreme and flawed judgment in taking their children and it seems they’ve doubled down on this poor decision. No family is perfect, but an imperfection, like a simple marijuana charge, is no excuse for tearing a family apart. The state is supposed to support reunification. If they don’t have a better reason, they must immediately return these five children to their parents.”

Cannabis laws in Tennessee are incredibly strict, even for the limited number of patients who are permitted to use medical cannabis as residents. In the 2022 State of the States Report written by Americans for Safe Access, Tennessee received an “F” grade for its medical cannabis program. “Tennessee policymakers should avoid delaying implementation of a medical cannabis program; patients in the state are actively harmed by the state’s inaction,” the ASA wrote. Other states with an “F” rating included Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

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The number of legal cannabis retailers has exploded in North America the last decade, but that hasn’t resulted in easier access for kids. 

That is the takeaway from newly published survey data that examined perceptions of cannabis among youth in Canada.

“Very little research has examined how perceptions of cannabis access among underage youth in Canada have changed since cannabis was legalized and since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, this paper examines the effect of the early and ongoing stages of the COVID-19 pandemic period on youth perceptions of cannabis access over time since the onset of the Cannabis Act in 2018 in a large sample of Canadian youth,” the researchers wrote in the introduction of the study, which was published this month in Archives of Public Health.

The authors of the study said that they “used both repeat cross-sectional data [T1 (n = 38,890), T2 (n = 24,109), and T3 (n = 22,795)] to examine overall trends in perceptions of cannabis access, and sequential cohort longitudinal data [n = 4,677 students linked from T1 to T3] to examine the differential changes in perceptions of cannabis access among students over time.”

“In the cross-sectional sample, the frequency of students reporting that cannabis was easy to access decreased by 26.7% from T1 (51.0%) to T3 (37.4%), although respondents who have used cannabis were more likely to report access was easy. In the longitudinal sample, perceptions of cannabis access being easy increased over time, especially among cannabis users. Perceived ease of access appears to have been slightly impeded during the initial pandemic period but rebounded during the ongoing pandemic period,” they wrote in their summary of the results.

In conclusion, the researchers said that although “the prevalence of youth reporting that cannabis is easy to access has declined since legalization and throughout the early and ongoing pandemic periods, a substantial number of underage youth continue to report that cannabis is easy to access,” which they said suggests “that there is an ongoing need for continued cannabis control efforts to address this issue.”

“While there has been a growing number of studies focused on examining changes in cannabis use among Canadian youth since the onset of the Cannabis Act, and more recently since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, there appears to be a paucity of research dedicated to examining changes in youth perceptions of cannabis availability over the same period of time. In response, this study provides unique and novel evidence of how youth perceptions of cannabis access have changed since the onset of the Cannabis Act,” they said in their conclusion, as quoted by NORML, “Our data suggest that in our large samples of youth, perceptions of cannabis access as being easy has declined in prevalence since legalization and through the early and ongoing pandemic response period.”

The Cannabis Act in 2018 made Canada just the second country to legalize marijuana, following Uruguay, which legalized pot in 2013.

In the United States, legalization is a phenomenon that exists on the state and local level, as cannabis remains prohibited under federal law. 

But in states where adult-use cannabis has been made legal, there has been a similar trend as the one identified in the Canadian study.

A study last year found that recreational cannabis laws were not associated with a change in perception among marijuana among youth.

In the study, which was published in the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, the researchers “aimed to discover whether children in states with [recreational cannabis laws] had decreased perception of risk from cannabis compared with children in states with illicit cannabis,” noting that as “more states pass recreational cannabis laws (RCLs) for adults, there is concern that increasing (and state-sanctioned) cannabis acceptance will result in a reduced perception of risk of harm from cannabis among children.”

The researchers said they “analyzed data from the multisite multistate Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development Study to determine how the perception of cannabis harm among children changes over time in states with and without [recreational cannabis laws].” 

“Using multilevel modeling, we assessed survey responses from children longitudinally across 3 years, adjusting for state-, family-, and participant-level clustering and child-level factors, including demographics (sex, race, and socioeconomic status), religiosity, and trait impulsivity,” they said in their explanation of the methodology. 

The researchers said that there “was no significant main effect of state [recreational cannabis laws] on perceived risk of cannabis use, and no differences in change over time by state [recreational cannabis laws], even after controlling for demographic factors and other risk (e.g., impulsivity) and protective (e.g., religiosity) factors.” 

“This analysis indicates that state-level [recreational cannabis laws] are not associated with differential perception of cannabis risk among children, even after controlling for demographics, trait impulsivity, and religiosity,” they said. “Future studies could assess how perception of risk from cannabis changes as children and adolescents continue to mature in states with and without [recreational cannabis laws].”

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Colorado State University (CSU), Pueblo’s Institute of Cannabis Research (ICR) announced that it will fund $800,000 to cannabis research, split between six studies conducted by CSU and the University of Colorado (UC). The ICR is the official Cannabis Research Institute of Colorado, and as of 2019, funding comes from the Colorado Marijuana Tax Cash Fund.

The six studies include a variety of unique topics related to CBD and children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, the various effects of THC and its properties that may lead to addiction disorder, new ways to measure impairment for cannabis in roadside tests, and more.

According to an interview conducted by Westword with ICR director Chad Kelly, many more studies are already being conducted in Colorado. “There are a number of studies out there in which I’m very excited to see what the outcomes are. In many cases, I’m sure there will be additional research needed to carry it to the next level, but we’re really fortunate to be able to engage the best researchers throughout Colorado,” said Kelly.

Endocannabinoids in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Changes with Cannabidiol (CBD) treatment

 Led by Dr. Nicole Tartaglia, who is also a professor at UC Anshutz Medical Campus, this study will explore how CBD shows promise as a treatment for behavioral difficulties in children with autism. “In this project we will compare levels of 14 different endocannabinoids and the primary enzymes that regulate them in autistic children 4-17 years of age from the CASCADE study to non-autistic children in the same age range,” an ICR study summary stated. “Further, we will study changes in the endocannabinoid system in autistic children after treatment with CBD, and also explore the endocannabinoid profile of autistic children who had a positive response to CBD treatment to help make better recommendations related to which autistic children might respond best to CBD treatment.”

Examination of the bi-directional interactions between phytocannabinoids and a human-associated gut microbiota

Co-led by Dr. Jessica Prenni and D. Tiffany Weir, this study will explore how phytocannabinoids interact with the human gut microbiome. “Successful completion of this project will generate fundamental knowledge around how phytocannabinoids modulate the gut microbiome and provide proof-of concept and preliminary data for exploring interindividual differences in phytocannabinoids metabolism that can be leveraged in future human clinical studies utilizing phytocannabinoids for reducing both intestinal and systemic inflammation,” the summary explained.

Investigation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons resulting from vaped or dabbed cannabis/cannabis-derived products with known adverse health effects

The vitamin E acetate illness that occurred back in 2019 prompted many studies about the potential harms of vaping both cannabis or non-cannabis products. This study, led by Dr. Alison Pauer, will closely examine a toxicants called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), which is classified as a carcinogen. Specifically, the study claims that terpenes can produce PAH when cannabis is heated up to very high temperatures. “Thus, PAHs are already a public health concern, and we will investigate the potential generation of PAHs from vaping or electronic dabbing of cannabis and cannabis-derived products, especially those with high terpene concentrations,” ICR explained.

Developing predictive models to distinguish alcohol use, cannabis use and co-use: an exploration of electroenceph-alography (EEG) metrics and traditional intoxication measures

Determining cannabis impairment in drivers is difficult because it can remain in a person’s system long after a person has consumed. This study, led by CSU professors Dr. Hollis Karoly and Dr. Patti Davies, will explore the efficacy of separately identifying impairment through cannabis or alcohol with roadside tests using elecrtroencephalography (EEG). “The goal of this study is to use EEG to differentiate alcohol and cannabis co-intoxication from single-substance intoxication and identify which of the aforementioned neurocognitive components are most strongly associated with alcohol, cannabis or co-use,” the summary stated.

Increasing the Analytical Testing Capability of Cannabinoids and Concomitant Phytomolecules in Cannabis-derived Plant Matrices

For a more plant-focused study, Dr. Williem Baurerle seeks to examine cannabis water use requirements and determine the most efficient way to increase nutrients and conserve water in the process. Developing best practices to improve and optimize nutrient and irrigation efficiency will provide small- to large-scale Cannabis producers with scientific knowledge to increase their input efficiency, reduce resource waste, and increase the sustainability of a horticulture industry critical to Colorado’s economic growth and prosperity,” ICR explained.

Identifying the neuronal cell-types responsible for the rewarding and aversive properties of THC

UC Boulder professor Dr. David Root seeks to find out about how THC offers “rewarding qualities” and claims that it can sometimes lead to addiction. “Our primary goal is to identify which neurons in the brain’s ‘reward center’, the ventral tegmental area, are affected by THC, how these neurons are physiologically altered by THC, and the necessity of these neurons for the rewarding or aversive properties of THC,” the study summary stated. 

In addition to these six newest studies, ICR has also funded five cannabis studies in 2023 and 10 in 2022 that are ongoing. The ICR started in 2015, and has completed 40 studies since 2018.

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The Arkansas Medical Marijuana Commission (AMMC) recently announced the benefits that the state’s medical cannabis program, with millions of dollars in cannabis tax funds helping to provide lunches for kids at school.

While the state has collected $115 million from cannabis taxes, $87 million went toward free or low-cost lunches for children. AMMC spokesperson Scott Hardin explained the breakdown. “A billion dollars has been spent to purchase medical marijuana but what that means for the state is that we’ve collected 115 million dollars in state tax revenue,” Hardin told ABC 7. “From that $115…$87 went to [University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences] specifically as they tried to obtain that National Cancer Institute designation. Now there’s a change. Now that funding is going to go specifically to food insecurity.”

The “low-cost” part of this means kids are paying very little for food. “What that’ll mean is, if someone is on a reduced school lunch, if they are now paying 50 cents to a dollar, that medical marijuana revenue steps in and pays that to ensure that a student gets that for free,” Hardin explained. “So really students in the state will be not having to pay whatever that burden is. 50 cents, a $1.50 to have reduced school lunch so it really is, it’s affecting Arkansans in a positive way.”

The state currently only has eight cultivators and 38 dispensaries, which Hardin said is plenty of storefronts to serve patients and address the current growth pattern. “Unless something changes, unless voters go back to the polls and either accept a modified program or a recreational program or something that’s really where we are,” he said. “The industry itself, you’re not going to see more dispensaries opening up all over the state. You’re not going to see more growers but what we are seeing is more patients. At the beginning of the year we had 89,000 patients. Now we are pushing 100,000.”

Current data, updated as of Dec. 9, shows that there are 98,099 patients with active medical cannabis ID cards. According to Hardin, the industry has far outpaced initial projections that the state’s mature market would only have approximately 50,000 active cardholders.

The most recent sales data for November 2023 shows that the state collected $257 million. Arkansas’ medical cannabis program launched in May 2019, and between then and October 2023, the state has collected a total of $988.3 million in sales. The combined sales per year breaks down sales from 2019 ($31.2 million), 2020 ($181.8 million), 2021 ($264.9 million), 2022 ($276.3 million), and 2023 ($234 million, but only between January 2023-October 2023).

According to a report from the Arkansas Times, the more accurate number for total sales since medical cannabis began has already surpassed $1 billion. “We’re totally confident we’ve surpassed that,” Hardin said.

According to Arkansas Cannabis Industry Association executive director, Bill Paschall, reaching that $1 billion mark is a sign that cannabis is doing a lot for patients in Arkansas. “It underscores the growing acceptance and recognition of the therapeutic benefits of cannabis and the commitment of the state’s medical cannabis licensees to providing safe, quality and innovative products that meet patients’ needs,” said Paschall. “The men and women employed by the marijuana industry look forward to continuing to positively impact the lives of Arkansans and contributing to the evolving cannabis landscape.”

Arkansas isn’t the only market hitting $1 billion for cannabis sales. A recent report shows that Arizona’s recreational cannabis market has also hit $1.1 billion in sales, but includes sales data from just 2023 (specifically, January 2023-September 2023). Arizona’s overall sales data shows a total of more than $billion since it began sales in January 2021.

In legal news, an Arkansas judge ruled in September that the 2018 Farm Bill takes legal precedence over the state’s ban on hemp-derived cannabinoid products like delta-8. Act 629 of 2023 that passed earlier this year banned delta-8, delta-9, and delta-10 THC products. The lawsuit was filed by four companies (Bio Gen LLC, Drippers Vape Shop LLC, The Cigarette Store LLC, and Sky Marketing Corp) whose lawyers alleged that the ban would harm their businesses. “Plaintiffs have been, and will be, harmed by Act 629, as they are unable to transport in and through Arkansas hemp-derived cannabinoid products that have been declared legal under federal law,” the lawsuit stated.

According to the Arkansas Times, a different ongoing case involves if restrictions on advertising for cannabis businesses is unconstitutional. The lawsuit was filed in 2022 by Good Day Farm, which argued that advertising restrictions violate its right to protected commercial speech. Circuit Judge Chip Welch heard arguments earlier this month, and plans to issue a ruling by the end of the year. Attorney General Tim Griffin already stated that he plans to appeal the decision, if Welch decides to rule in favor of advertising being too restrictive.

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The White House is urging American public schools to carry Naloxone, commonly known as NARCAN, to help combat sky-high overdose rates from fentanyl.

A letter was sent regarding fentanyl awareness from United States Secretary of Education, Miguel Cardona and the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, Rahul Gupta to all U.S. schools. The letter called on school administrators and educators to take conscious efforts towards harm reduction in the face of a drug they said was having a “disproportionate impact on our children.”

The letter emphasized how effective naloxone, which is an opioid antagonist medication, can be. Naloxone can stop an opiate overdose in its tracks if administered quickly enough and as the letter also mentioned, it’s an incredibly safe medication to use.

“Studies show that naloxone access can reduce overdose death rates, that its availability does not lead to increases in youth drug use, and that it causes no harm if used on a person who is not overdosing on opioids,” the letter said. “It is important to note that individuals should not be afraid to administer naloxone, as most states have Good Samaritan Laws protecting bystanders who aid at the scene of an overdose. Our schools are on the frontlines of this epidemic, but our teachers and students can be equipped with tools to save lives.”

The Biden administration has made previous efforts to combat an issue that has managed to affect almost every community in the country, including making naloxone an over-the-counter medication. This latest development, however, marks the most concrete acknowledgement by the Biden administration that the fentanyl problem is affecting America’s children.

“Overdose deaths among adolescents doubled from 2019 to 2020 and continue to rise, even though youth rates of drug use have remained stagnant. That’s because a teenager today can log onto social media with a smartphone and buy what they think is an opioid pain medicine or a prescription stimulant to help them study—and instead die from one pill that actually has fentanyl in it. Just one pill,” the letter said. “And data show that two-thirds of adolescent drug poisoning deaths occurred with a potential bystander nearby, but naloxone was often not administered.”

Naloxone has proven to be, in the most blunt possible terms, the only tool which has managed to prevent any tangible number of deaths from fentanyl, which is hundreds if not thousands of times stronger gram for gram than almost any other opiate available legally or illegally and has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans since emerging onto the scene. Naloxone is administered via an easy-to-use nasal spray which will not harm anyone, even if they don’t have opiates in their system, according to the FDA. 

For a long time naloxone was somewhat hard to find, only available through a prescription and very expensive especially for anyone in active drug addiction. Previously, doses could cost upwards of $100 but today, single doses currently run about $45 through most pharmacies and some overdoses require more than one dose of naloxone to reverse it. The letter from the Biden administration emphasized how critical it is that our nation’s teachers and school administrators understand this life-saving medication and stay prepared to use it.

“Our schools are on the frontlines of this epidemic, but our teachers and students can be equipped with tools to save lives,” the letter said. “There is no time to waste when responding to an overdose, and it is critical that youth and school personnel can access naloxone on school grounds during and after school.”

There are now several programs which will provide a certain number of free doses of naloxone to eligible participants. A cursory Google search of “free naloxone + your local township, county or state” will, in many places, provide options for free naloxone for at-risk people if not everybody. If your area does not have a free program, you can visit Next Distro which sends free doses to people who cannot otherwise access it.

I must break from journalistic candor for a moment to urge everybody reading this, even people who do not use drugs, even people who do not believe they know any addicts (though I can assure you that you do), please carry naloxone with you whenever possible. Opiate addiction affects people of every shape and size, every cultural and economic background. It’s affecting children, it’s affecting everybody and carrying naloxone unequivocally saves lives. Don’t take my word for it either, take the president’s.

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Michigan students enrolled in K-12 schools might be allowed to consume their medical cannabis on school grounds soon (and on the bus, something anyone who was bullied on those tragic vehicles is likely jealous of), FOX 2 Detroit reports. That is if new legislation introduced last week passes. Michigan House Democratic representatives introduced the bill, which would allow students to take edibles, infused beverages, and other low-dose cannabis and CBD products.  

However, as much fun as some readers may have to imagine kids lighting up a joint on the back of a school bus and telling bullies where to shove it, teachers will be in charge of administering the cannabis (and not in the form of joints). Those prescribed medical marijuana will require written specific permission about when it can be taken. The legislation aims to make it easier for kids who use cannabis therapeutically to take their medicine. 

For pretty obvious reasons, steeped in our country’s drug war, the idea of kids taking cannabis at all, even with the blessing of a doctor, is pretty controversial. But if children were prescribed another medication yet unable to take it while at school, which takes up most of their day, communities would be in an uproar. This latest proposed legislation aims to treat cannabis as just another prescription. 

In Michigan, the use of medical cannabis by children requires approval from not just one, but two medical professionals. This rule sets Michigan apart from the majority of states where medical marijuana is legal, as many of these states do not impose a minimum age requirement of 18 for medical marijuana users. Conditions that can be treated by medical cannabis for children include epilepsy, autism, muscular dystrophy, attention deficit disorder, and pain and nausea due to cancer.

In other Michigan news, looking at adults, those past school age and part of the job market, as of Sunday, most government jobs will no longer drug test prospective employees for cannabis. It even has retroactive effects, as those who have been denied jobs regarding positive THC tests have a chance to get the same sanctions. John Gnodtke, State Personnel Director, proposed this change to the Michigan Civil Service Commission on May 12.

Following that, at a July 12 meeting, the Michigan Civil Service Commission approved the proposed additional changes while adopting rule amendments that would allow for revoking active sanctions for some applicants who tested positive for cannabis in drug tests since 2020. 

“When a drug test is required, an appointing authority shall require testing for marijuana, cocaine, opiates, amphetamines, and phencyclidine, except that marijuana testing is not authorized for a preemployment drug test for a new hire to a position that is not test‐designated and cannot be used to rescind a conditional offer of employment to such a position,” the amended rule reads. “Before 9f an agency requires testing for other drugs, it must first obtain written approval from the director. A request must include the agency’s proposed initial test methods, testing levels, and performance test program. When conducting reasonable‐suspicion or post‐accident testing, an agency may require testing for any drug listed in schedule 1 or 2.”

In late August, a leaked letter from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Assistant Secretary for Health Rachel Levine recommended reclassifying cannabis from a Schedule I drug to a Schedule III drug, as per the Controlled Substances Act. 

The DEA defines a Schedule III substance as “drugs with a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence.” The DEA says that the potential for abuse of Schedule III drugs is less than that of Schedule I and Schedule II drugs—but more habit-forming than Schedule IV (which Xanax falls into) and Schedule V drugs (such as Robitussin AC). Other examples of Schedule III drugs include pills containing less than 90 mg of codeine per dosage unit, ketamine, and testosterone.

This move was directed to DEA’s Anne Milgram. While hailed as “historic,” it’s worth noting that while this reclassification would relax certain restrictions, cannabis would still be considered a controlled substance, leaving plenty of folks to argue that it falls far too short of fully ending cannabis prohibition and the ongoing War on Drugs.

Confirmation of this recommendation came shortly after the leak when HHS said that their representative had indeed passed along their findings to the DEA. An HHS spokesperson stated, “Following the data and science, HHS has expeditiously responded to President Biden’s directive to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra and provided its scheduling recommendation for marijuana to the DEA on August 29, 2023.”

While most pro-cannabis activists think it’s not enough, the impact of the suggestion alone was enough to send cannabis stocks soaring. 

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The father of a nine-month old baby girl who went missing overnight this past July is facing multiple felony charges because police say he was inside his dealer’s house buying drugs when his car, left running with his baby inside, went missing out of the driveway.

According to the Parrish Police Department, 9-month-old Harlow Freeman was first reported missing on Monday, July 10 by her father, 30-year-old Madison Jo Rilee Freeman of Jasper, Alabama. 

“On July 10th, 2023, the Parrish Police Department was notified of a 9-month-old child that was left inside of a vehicle located at 311 Crest Avenue in Parrish. The father, Jo Rilee Freeman, reported to officers that he left the child inside the running vehicle while he went inside to visit his friends,” said the Parrish Police Department in a Facebook post. 

Police said the results of their months-long investigation revealed Freeman had lied about what he had been doing inside the house and he had actually been inside purchasing a prescription anxiety medication called Xanax, which is often abused for its extremely sedative and tranquilizing effects.

“The investigation has revealed the father, Jo Rilee Freeman, drove to 311 Crest Avenue and was conducting a drug transaction with Rodney Thomas while inside the residence,” Parrish Police said. “The father was made aware while he was inside the residence that his car was no longer in the driveway. He drove around for several minutes looking for his car then notified the police. A handgun and other narcotics were recovered from the residence.”   

An AMBER alert was issued and according to Police Chief Danny Woodard, over 100 law enforcement units arrived to help find Harlow within 30 minutes of the alert.

“The child was located inside the vehicle 12 hours later. The vehicle was approximately 80 yards down a steep embankment across the street from the house completely covered in kudzu,” Parrish Police said.

What happened to little Harlow between the time her father went into his suspected dealer’s house and the time she was found the next morning is still relatively unclear. The vehicle was found just across the street down a steep ravine the next morning, shrouded from view by thick patches of vines.  Parrish Police have said they do not have a suspect in custody for the suspected kidnapping or car theft. 

“It was impossible to see,” Chief Woodard said about the location of the vehicle. “The area was searched multiple times through the night.”

Harlow was dehydrated but ok when they found her, according to police. In a stroke of blind luck for the infant, a rear window of the vehicle had been broken in a previous and completely unrelated incident so the baby had plenty of fresh air overnight. She was taken to the hospital to be evaluated but was in “good” condition when Chief Woodard gave a press conference update to the situation in July.

“Considering the situation this was the best case scenario for us to find the child alive and well, dehydrated, but going to [have] a 100 percent recovery.” Chief Woodard said. 

I found a lot of speculation saying the Dad forgot to apply the parking brake and the vehicle rolled into the ravine backwards but I also found plenty of speculation saying that didn’t happen and Chief Woodard has given few details other than to say that “Anything is possible, and everything is being evaluated.” Police also said they received many reports of the vehicle in question leaving the area at a high rate of speed.

Warrants were issued and subsequent arrests made for Madison Jo Rilee Freeman and his alleged dealer, Rodney Thomas as well as a third person, 19-year-old Mason Chappel whose involvement in the case was not immediately clear. 

Freeman was charged with conspiracy to commit a controlled substance crime and endangering the welfare of a child. Thomas was charged with conspiracy to commit a controlled substance crime and unlawful possession of a controlled substance. He also had six grams of meth and assorted prescription pills on him when he was arrested. Chappel was charged with interfering with governmental operations. A call to the Parrish Police Department to inquire who Chappel is and what he had to do with this case was not returned in time for publication.

“I would like to thank all the agencies and the Walker County District Attorney’s for the many hours of hard work that went into this investigation. While we are still seeking answers to this case the investigation will continue,” Chief Woodard said.

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