March 17 (A bit o' the Green from The Cannabist): The challenge of studying health effects of weed, a Denver 4/20 confirmation and a cancelation, Colorado MMJ patient backlog, cookie recipe & more
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Marijuana research
[Study says marijuana users at increased risk of stroke, heart failure](
Marijuana use increases the risk of stroke by 26 percent and heart failure by 10 percent, researchers say in a study conducted by the Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia. But âthe side effects shouldnât preclude it from being legalized or prescribed,â says Dr. Aditi Kalla, a cardiologist and the report's lead author. âIt needs to be considered a risk factor, but it shouldnât affect the prescription of it.â
The lead doctor in the study also points out how hard it is to do definitive research in this area:
[Why are there so many conflicting marijuana studies?](
As soon as one study is published making a claim about the safety of the drug, another is often published warning of the exact opposite, writes Robert Gebelhoff in a Washington Post op-ed. Take, for instance, the link between marijuana use and cardiovascular disease. Its conclusion directly contradicts a number of other large, recent studies looking at the same question. âThereâs not great infrastructure in place for us to study cannabis well,â Dr. Aditi Kalla says. The root of the problem comes from all of the limitations on studying marijuana.
[Colorado congressman says heâll âfight the Attorney Generalâ if need be on marijuana](
Rep. Mike Coffman is suggesting he might use the power of the purse to protect Colorado's legal marijuana industry. During a telephone town hall this week, the Republican congressman was asked about Attorney General Jeff Sessions' threat to crack down on states like Colorado that have legalized recreational marijuana.
[Recipe: St. Patrickâs Day matcha-frosted infused cannabis cookies](
Cooking/consuming of the green is how weâll roll with this batch of tasty sugar cookies topped with green tea frosting.
4/20 Yes and No
Who's in:
[2 Chainz to headline Denver's 4/20 rally](
Per usual, Denver's Civic Center Park will host a rally to mark the high holy day, complete with a performance by a mega-sized rap star. Grammy award-winning rapper 2 Chainz will headline this year's Denver 420 Rally, which is free to the public. An organizer said fans could expect "Colorado's finest local artists" to join the lineup. The rally will take place on April 20, which falls on a Thursday this year.
Who's not:
[Plans are off for Denver 420 Fest in Cheesman Park after event sparks uproar](
A city parks official on Thursday confirmed that an organizer has canceled plans for a two-day Denver 420 Fest at Cheesman Park next month. The new event had been planned for April 20-21 and would have shared 4/20 with the annual 420 Rally across from the Capitol. The larger single-day event still is on track to obtain its permit for Civic Center, a parks official said. But plans for the festival at Cheesman had been met with intense opposition from park advocates in central Denver.
Quote of the Day
âWe play by the rules all year long and then on the last few days we suspend them all day long.â
- Vermont state Rep. Sam Young,[on the legislative gambits that might get marijuana legalization bills in front of his fellow legislators](
Celebs
[President Trump says Snoop Dogg's controversial new music video should earn him "Jail time!"](
Snoop Dogg's new "Lavender" music video features a world of clowns, and one is clearly a President Donald Trump parody. Trump shared his views on that scene with a tweet, natch. You will be shocked to hear there is also a constant haze of weed consumption in the video, which you can [watch here](.
Numerology
136
That's the [number of medical marijuana dispensaries in Detroit that have closed down in the past year,]( due to tightening restrictions.
Colorado News
[Thousands of Colorado medical marijuana patients caught in registry backlog](
Coloradoâs Medical Marijuana Registry is in the thick of a six- to eight-week backlog for mailed applications for medical cannabis cards, affecting thousands of patients. More than 6,000 pieces of mail remain in the hopper, including over 4,000 pieces of mail that arrived in February. This is causing frustration among some in the stateâs medical marijuana community.
[More than 20 illegal marijuana grow ops busted in statewide sweep in Colorado](
Local authorities, with the help of the Drug Enforcement Administration, are busting members of a suspected ring that has been growing and distributing pot out-of-state. Search warrants are being served in more than 20 locations in Denver, Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert and El Paso counties.
Other Regional Stories
[Owner of members-only MMJ club in Rhode Island arrested on multiple drug charges](
A retired Newport firefighter who runs a members-only medical marijuana club in Providence is facing multiple drug charges. The 47-year-old was arrested and charged with controlled substance conspiracy, possession with intent to deliver between one and five kilograms of marijuana and other offenses.
[Nevada has legalized weed, but politicians still deciding where you'll be able to buy it](
The Douglas County Planning Commission has voted to ban the sale of marijuana throughout the county. The amendment the panel approved unanimously prohibits "marijuana establishments" in all the county's zoning districts. It will now be considered by the full county commission. Last month, the Henderson City Council passed a six-month moratorium on sales of marijuana for recreational use.
[Arizona ruling allows setting conditions on medical marijuana use for PTSD](
An Arizona court ruling upholds a state agencyâs decision to improve conditions on allowing use of medical marijuana to treat post-traumatic stress disorder. The Court of Appeals ruling rejects the Arizona Cannabis Nurses Associationâs challenge to conditions that the Department of Health Services required physicians to include in certifications for patients.
[Georgia lawmakers reach compromise on expanding access to CBD, keeping THC level at 5 percent](
Georgia lawmakers have reached an agreement to expand a program that lets some patients use an oil derived from marijuana. Under the new proposal, six new diagnoses will be added to the list of qualifying conditions for CBD. Additionally, anyone in a hospice program, regardless of diagnosis, will be allowed access.
#AllThingsGreen
[Cannabist Show: He champions social use; He vapes whole-flower extracts](
Save a little "me time" this weekend for this fresh episode. Featured guests are Emmett Reistroffer, who's the sponsor of Denverâs Initiative 300 (social use of cannabis), and Neos CEO Nate Wilson. We're talking about what's next for vaporizers, how cannabis consumers can partake in social spaces and how various states are approaching legalization differently.
[Stash box fail: Goodwill finds pounds of marijuana in donated cooler](
Somebody is kicking themselves right now. Goodwill workers in Monroe, Washington, opened a donated cooler last week and found it was packed full of weed.
[Irrigation systems: Why commercial cannabis growers should go with the flow](
One of the fastest-growing trends in commercial cannabis cultivation is installing irrigation systems. This focus on efficiency can cut production costs for large-scale cultivators, while increasing consistency and uniformity. To get uniformity, you need a properly engineered, pressure-compensating system. Hereâs a breakdown of why a good irrigation system is well worth the time, effort and expense.
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