Posts Tagged Marijuana

Holland to Ban Sale of Strong Marijuana

Posted by Drug Free in Marijuana Use and Abuse on October 10th, 2011

High-potency marijuana may have to be replaced with milder variants, with Holland pushing to classify high-potency marijuana in the same group as hard drugs, such as cocaine and ecstasy.

marijuanaEconomic Affairs Minister Maxime Verhagen explained that marijuana with over 15 per cent of THC, its main active chemical, is much stronger than marijuana decades ago. As such, it should be considered as a different drug.

There are doubts on how to implement the plan, however. Gerrit-Jan ten Bloomendal, spokesman for the Platform of Cannabis Businesses in the Netherlands, asked: “How are we going to know whether a given batch exceeds 15 per cent THC? For that matter, how would health inspectors know?”

Jeffrey Parsons, a psychologist at Hunter College in New York, also doubts if this plan would actually yield its expected benefits. He said: “If it encourages smoking an increased amount of low-concentration THC weed, it is likely to actually cause more harm than good.” He explained that extra inhalation may increase the risk of lung damage and cancer.

This move is part of the ongoing Dutch crackdown on marijuana, which saw the government announcing plans to ban tourists from buying weed. The city of Amsterdam, where marijuana cafes actually attract tourists, resisted the plan.

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Seven Men Charged with Smuggling 11 Tons of Pot from Mexico

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Addiction, Tobacco Abuse on December 17th, 2010

Seven men have been charged for their alleged involving in the smuggling of 11 tons of pot from Mexico, which were delivered to a warehouse in Chicago Heights in Illinois.

marijuanaAccording to a report on The Wall Street Journal, federal authorities were able to seize 21,800 pounds of marijuana from the warehouse, after these were delivered by six rail cars from Mexico. The street value of the pot was estimated at $22 million, and has been described as the largest seizure of marijuana in the Chicago area. Before this bust, the largest seizure happened in the early 2000s, with the interception of 8,000 pounds of marijuana.

The sting operation that led to the seizure of marijuana in the Chicago area began on November 17, in the rail yards of Eagle Pass, Texas. This was revealed in the 74-page complaint that was filed on Thursday in federal court in Chicago. U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents were able to uncover pot that was loaded on rail carsin bundles that were marked with the words “TITANIUM PIGMENTS OR,” through the help of drug-sniffing canines.

The U.S. Justice Department described each bundle as “encrusted in a thick layer of fine red masonry pigment dust.”

Documents that accompanied the shipment indicated that its origin was a company in Jalisco, Mexico. Its destination, still according to the accompanying documentation, was a company called Earth Minerals Corporation, in Illinois. There are, however, no public records of a company in Illinois that carried that name.

The seven men who were charged are as follows: Carlos Osvaldo Quintero, 31 years old; his father, Martin Quintero, 63; Felipe de Jesus Magana-Campos, 47; Eduardo Angel Zalayaran-Ruiz, 54; Javier Vera, 24; Miguel Cordova, 20; and Christian Gonzalez, 24.

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500 Pounds of Marijuana Busted in Minneapolis

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Addiction on July 14th, 2010

After a period of surveillance and studying gang activities, the Minneapolis Police Gang Enforcement Team have proven that they have what it takes to put a stop on illegal drugs activities, at least in their area.

The team successfully busted a total of more than 500 pounds of marijuana, 1.5 kilos of cocaine and some guns. Four people are now facing charges for what has been uncovered by the sting.

marijuanaIt has been a fact that in recent days, the streets of Minneapolis have been a site for violence where gangs and drugs play great roles. With what the police has been able to do, it sends out a clear signal that they are dead set on catching the criminals.

Capt. Don Banham, a member of the Enforcement Team has said that they were able to establish three things on this operation. First, they were able to take out the drugs in the street. It’s no joke to have that much drugs in the area and the money involved will really be significant. Second, by catching the criminals, they have somehow disrupted their behaviors and prevent their planned drug-related activities. Third, with the arrests made and people put behind bars, Minneapolis streets may become a little peaceful, although not completely free from crooks. This can somehow decrease violent scenarios in the streets which have been happening for the past couple of months.

Aside from the drugs and guns that were seized, a whopping $100,000 was also confiscated. Minneapolis Police authorities are hoping for more successful drug busts in the coming days. They are seeking the help of civilians to eradicate violence and drug operations on the streets. If people will become active in the fight against illegal drugs, police work can be made a lot easier.

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Marijuana Danger Facts for Teens

Posted by Drug Free in Alcohol Abuse, Drug Addiction, Raising Healthy Kids on May 4th, 2010

Can marijuana cause harm (illness or death) to the user?

The components of marijuana are not toxic enough to cause an illness or death. It has even been used as a form of medication in a number of states in the US. However, if we talk about using marijuana with other drugs or using marijuana while or shortly before doing activities that require focus and coordination, such as driving or operating a heavy machine, then marijuana can be dangerous and can even cause death.

teen marijuanaIs it dangerous to drink alcohol and smoke marijuana at the same time?

Drinking too much alcohol can cause serious illness or death. Throwing up is the body’s way to get rid of poison. Smoking marijuana suppresses the body’s need to purge when the blood alcohol content reaches dangerous levels. That is why binge drinking and marijuana smoking make a dangerous combination.

Does using marijuana always lead to abusing other more dangerous drugs?

Marijuana has been referred to as a gateway drug, a label which many marijuana advocates strongly oppose to. Many drug abusers may have started with marijuana, but only a small percentage of marijuana users actually move on to using other more dangerous drugs. What marijuana users should be concerned about is not how it can lead to further drug abuse, but what its effects are to the brain even when taken without other drugs.

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Marijuana Is Not For Everyone!

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Addiction, Prescription Drug Abuse on April 25th, 2010

Medical marijuana has been found to help patients manage their pains and other symptoms associated with certain conditions such as nausea, neurogenic pain, glaucoma, asthma, multiple sclerosis, leukemia, Tourette syndrome, childhood mental disorders, alcohol abuse, epilepsy, hepatitis, cancers and more. This usefulness has prompted advocates to promote and fight for the legalization of marijuana in different states. Some have already heeded the calls; there are now 14 states with medical marijuana laws in place.

marijuanaWith medical marijuana getting the approval of legislators in certain U.S. states, questions are being raised — why is marijuana still prohibited in several other states?

The answer is simple — it is not for everyone.

While patients of specific illnesses may benefit from the effects of marijuana to the body, some should not even try it.

Impact of Marijuana to the Brain

THC finds brain cells, or neurons, with high concentrations of cannabinoid receptors, and binds to them. The areas of the brain most affected by marijuana are the hippocampus, the cerebellum, the basal ganglia, and the cerebral cortex. The hippocampus has a big role in the learning process, and THC may thus interfere with learning and memory. This is especially critical for children or teens whose brains are still developing.

Marijuana may also affect judgment, coordination and perception. Under the influence of marijuana, remembering things you have recently learned or driving a car may seem to be a challenge.

This is why a patient who needs marijuana must get a medical transcription from a doctor to make sure that one can really take benefit from the use of marijuana.

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Old Films About Marijuana

Posted by Drug Free in Drug Addiction, Drug Films and Books on April 21st, 2010

Before Pineapple Express, Adventureland and Smiley Face, there were several films that bravely discussed the issue of marijuana. Here are some of the marijuana films of interest:

MarihuanaMarihuana (1936). Well, the title of the movie says what it’s all about — marijuana, weed, pot. Classified as an exploitation film, Marihuana follows the life of Burma, a girl who attends a party, smokes marijuana and goes skin-dipping with other girls. One of the girls drowned. Later in the film, Burma becomes pregnant, gives up her child for adoption, becomes a drug dealer and plans to kidnap her sister’s adopted daughter, who turns out to be her own.

Reefer Madness (1936). Another exploitation film, it presents the events that happened after pushers lured high school students to try marijuana. It was originally made to show parents the dangers of cannabis by using tragic events such as hit-and-run accident, manslaughter, rape and suicide. The film was not well received then. It was rediscovered in 1970s as an unintentional comedy. In 2004, major American film studio 20th Century Fox released a colorized version of the film on DVD.

Assassin of Youth (1937). Although often referred as a clone to Reefer Madness, this film is a thriller that reflects the ill effects of marijuana use. It showcases marijuana-dealing youths, all-night parties, obscenity and violence.

Recent films on marijuana, however, are less critical of marijuana compared with these old ones.

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