Marijuana – Page 27 – Family Council

Federal Judge Blocks State from Enforcing Delta-8 Ban for Now

Sep 15, 2023Jerry CoxMarijuanaDelta-8, Marijuana

Last week U.S. District Judge Billy Roy Wilson issued a preliminary injunction blocking the State of Arkansas’ ban on Delta-8 THC.

Delta-8 THC is a mind-altering substance made from cannabis, and health experts increasingly warn the drug poses serious risks.

For example, from December 1, 2020, to February 28, 2022, the FDA documented 104 “adverse event reports” concerning Delta-8 THC — including hallucinations, vomiting, tremors, anxiety, dizziness, confusion, and loss of consciousness. National poison control centers also received 2,362 Delta-8 THC calls — most of which required evaluation at a healthcare facility. Eight percent of these calls resulted in admission to a critical care unit, and one child reportedly died as a result of exposure to Delta-8 THC.

Arkansas has virtually no meaningful restrictions on Delta-8 THC. That’s why earlier this year the Arkansas Legislature passed Act 629 of 2023 by Sen. Tyler Dees (R – Siloam Springs) and Rep. Jimmy Gazaway (R – Paragould). This good law prevents Delta-8 THC from being manufactured via industrial hemp — or cannabis — in Arkansas.

The law also places Delta-8, Delta-9, Delta-10 THC, and other psychoactive drugs made from industrial hemp on the list of controlled substances in state law, and it contains language enacting drug restrictions that would take effect if a state or federal court someday blocked Arkansas from prohibiting Delta-8 altogether.

However, a group of companies that profit from Delta-8 THC are suing to block Act 629 in federal court.

Judge Wilson’s ruling issued last week blocks the state from enforcing Act 629 for the time being, and it schedules the lawsuit over Act 629 to go to trial a little less than a year from now — on August 27, 2024.

It should not come as any surprise that companies who profit from Delta-8 THC in Arkansas are suing to keep Delta-8 legal.

Act 629 of 2023 is a good law that protects Arkansans from dangerous drugs. We believe courts ultimately will recognize that fact and let the state enforce it.

Why Stronger Marijuana is Sparking Backlash

Sep 13, 2023Jerry CoxMarijuanaMarijuana

As states around the country have chosen to legalize marijuana, we have seen the rise of high-THC products linked to psychosis and other health problems.

Recent studies have found that marijuana use is a leading indicator of workplace accidents and leads to schizophrenia among young men as well as being closely associated with increased risk for depression and bipolar disorder.

Bloomberg News recently published a special report examining marijuana in Colorado — and how high-potency THC products are sparking backlash amid health concerns.

You can watch their short video special below.

Guest Column: Marijuana and Teen Suicide

Sep 4, 2023John StonestreetMarijuanaMarijuana

By John Stonestreet

A feature of life in Colorado is the prevalence of pot. There are dispensaries on virtually every corner, and everywhere I travel I hear a pot joke. Something else my adopted state is becoming known for is the harmful aftereffects of legalized marijuana. According to state statistics, the drug was found in the system of some 42% of teen suicides, a rate nearly twice as much as with alcohol and four times of any other substances.

Of course, correlation doesn’t mean causation, but it can mean connection. If nearly half of stroke victims were taking the same medicine, would we wonder if there was a link? Why the reluctance to connect the dots here?

Marijuana might not cause suicide, but numbers don’t lie. It encourages or exacerbates problems that lead down that deadly road, especially for a group at high risk. The link is there for those willing to see it. Since suicide rates have risen every year that it has been legal, we’re far past giving the benefit of the doubt.