A Glance At Kratom, The Species & Seeds
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Convinced that prohibition of marijuana, or even cocaine, is not the solution to curbing addiction rates or fighting against the black market drug trade, Ecuadorian lawmakers have proposed a historic piece of legislation aimed at decriminalizing all illegal drugs. Earlier last month, Carlos Velasco, who oversees Ecuador’s congressional Commission of the Right to Health, submitted a bill (Organic Law on Comprehensive Drug Prevention) that would strip away the criminal penalties currently associated with the possession and use of illicit substances, while establishing a system that provides prevention and rehabilitation programs as and alternative to jail.
"Treating the drug phenomenon in a repressive way, as was done in the 1980s and 1990s when prison was the only destination for the drug consumer, is absurd," said Velasco. The law, if passed, would allow for the creation of a Technical Secretariat of Drugs, which would set controls on more than 100 substances, regulating every aspect from importation to general use. Anyone wishing to take advantage of the system, whether it is consumer or dealer, would be required to register with the agency and adhere to the rules set forth. The current law punishes individuals caught growing or selling illegal drugs to up to 16 years in prison. Under the revised statute, violators would only be required to surrender their stash and pay a fine. But will decriminalization serve the greater good of Ecuador? Many legislators believe the measure is entirely too liberal to be effective, paving the way for an escalation in drug use, while giving dope dealers a free pass. Some even argue that if the grand scheme of the proposal is to simply legalize marijuana that it should be decided on by the people through a referendum. Others suggest naysayers should look no further than Portugal for evidence against continued prohibition. After all, the latest statistics show that since eliminating penalties for small time drug offenses, Portugal has experienced no significant increase in drug use. In fact, their user rates remain under the European average, and more of their citizens are seeking treatment for opiate addiction than ever before. With that in mind, it is no surprise that the nation’s drug overdoses are also on the decline, as well as cases of HIV/AIDS. Yet, even proponents of drug reform are not fully prepared to stand in support of the latest decriminalization model. Cannabis Ecuador, an organization that studies the impact of marijuana on Ecuadorian society, says that although Velasco’s proposal is on the right track, it is insufficient in its current state. They believe there is too much grey area left up to interpretation that could threaten the safety of marijuana users across the country. “The law should provide logical and well-structured avenues, so the public knows what institutions are in charge of rehabilitation and what their responsibilities are,” Gabriel Buitrón, spokesman for Cannabis Ecuador, told The Pan Am Post. This should be framed in constitutional law, and in the Penal Code (COIP), so that the idea that cannabis users are not subject to criminalization or penalty is enforced.” Fortunately, there appears to be a great deal of support for this proposal. Several members of the assembly have already agreed that treating the Ecuadorian drug problem from a health perspective makes more sense than current incarceration policy. A continued debate on the issue is expected to happen in the coming weeks. Mike Adams writes for stoners and smut enthusiasts in HIGH TIMES, Playboy’s The Smoking Jacket and Hustler Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter @adamssoup and on Facebook/mikeadams73. A new chart released by DrugAbuse.com has revealed which drugs are the most popular at each music festival. The study was conducted by gathering and analyzing over 3 million instagram posts from 15 different festivals. Marley Fest was ranked the No. 1 festival for marijuana use, followed by Camp Bisco and Bonnaroo. We didn't think any of the findings were really that surprising, but take a look at the chart yourself and let us know what you think. (Source: Hightimes.com) (Photo Courtesy of Weedville.com)
Today I got the store up and running. Small selection for now but all the vaporizers up are awesome devices. Stayed tuned as I will ad more items over the next week. Also if there are any suggestions as to anything anyone wants on this site let me know! I'll be working on this site a lot over the next week or two to get it how I want by then ..so if any visitors have a suggestion I'm all ears!
Monday, May 04, 2015 04:27PM CHICAGO -- Illinois residents could use medical marijuana to treat chronic migraines and post-traumatic stress disorder, but not anxiety or diabetes under recommendations that an advisory board agreed to on Monday.
The board, which is made up of doctors, nurses, patients and a pharmacist, held a public meeting in Chicago to consider whether to expand Illinois' nascent medical marijuana program to include the treatment of additional diseases and disorders. The state Department of Public Health will consider the recommendations. Besides chronic migraines and PTSD, the board voted to recommend adding osteoarthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, peripheral neuropathy and diabetic neuropathy to the list of qualifying conditions for the medical marijuana program. Board member Jim Champion, who is a military veteran, announced the board's unanimous approval for adding PTSD, saying he was "very, very proud." Most experts agree that the evidence on marijuana and PTSD is limited to anecdotal reports from people who say the drug helps them. Meanwhile, gold-standard research has been stymied by federal barriers. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs states on its website that there is "no evidence at this time that marijuana is an effective treatment for PTSD. In fact, research suggests that marijuana can be harmful to individuals with PTSD." CBD, a component of marijuana, has been shown to decrease anxiety in people with social anxiety "but not yet among individuals with PTSD," according to the VA. A small trial of THC, another ingredient in marijuana, showed decreases in "hyperarousal symptoms," that is, being easily startled or feeling tense. The most rigorous trial yet of marijuana for PTSD is on track to begin this summer. "I finally starting listening to the vets," said Dr. Sue Sisley, an Arizona psychiatrist and a co-investigator on the study. "I finally started hearing their stories and learning from them how they were successful using the (marijuana) plant to manage their symptoms." Sisley and her colleagues plan to recruit 76 veterans with PTSD for a randomized controlled trial of smoked marijuana. The trial has approval from the Food and Drug Administration. The Colorado Board of Health recently approved a nearly $2.2 million grant. But the researchers still need the Drug Enforcement Administration to sign off. Three years ago, Sisley was accepting speaking fees from a pharmaceutical company to teach other doctors about Lexapro, a brand name drug for anxiety and depression. "These (antidepressant) medications are very disappointing on the whole," she said. Patients told her they got better results smoking pot. The sentiment is echoed in a petition from an Illinois veteran, who asked that PTSD be included in the state program. "It is my intent to replace most of my current medications with cannabis," the veteran wrote. The state blacked out the names of petitioners before releasing the documents to the AP to protect patients' privacy. "My biggest concerns are the long term debilitating conditions including possible death, with the current medications I am prescribed." Source: AP |