Marijuana and mental health: A curious diagnosis

The National Institute of Health (NIH) issued a news release Friday about rising rates of “marijuana use disorder” in America. That’s right — not marijuana addiction but rather “marijuana use disorder.”

“Marijuana use disorder is common in the United States, is often associated with other substance use disorders, behavioral problems, and disability, and goes largely untreated,” the release reads.

SALT LAKE CITY — How Utah lawmakers vote on medical marijuana next week will in large part determine future plans for Lindsay Sledge and her husband.

DETROIT, MI -- Detroit has been one of the most lax cities in Michigan regarding the enforcement of medical marijuana dispensaries, which are still illegal under state and federal laws.

With names like The Green Mile, House of Dank, Action Medz and Detroit Grass Station. at latest count there were an estimated 211 dispensaries operating throughout the city, nearly 1.5 per square mile.

The businesses make no effort to hide their intent, and police have left them to operate freely for the most part, despite a state Supreme Court ruling in 2013 that made medical marijuana dispensaries illegal.

A bill expanding medical marijuana now heads to the governor, after state lawmakers spent hours debating the merits of the proposal.

The state Senate voted 28-11 to approve a bill (HB 307) that expands the Right to Try Act to include medical marijuana. Among other things, the bill allows eligible patients — defined as someone with one year left to live — can purchase medical marijuana from dispensing organizations.

Marijuana appears set for a critical year. We've already witnessed nearly two-dozen states approve marijuana for medicinal use since 1996 (the year in which California became the first state to legalize the use of cannabis for certain ailments), and residents in four states have voted to legalize recreational marijuana since 2012. Now, come November, we could see around a dozen more state-level marijuana initiatives and referendums on ballots.

Many women are diagnosed with breast cancer and this deadly disease also affects their families. It is the most common malignant disease in Western women and statistics says it represents 22.9% of all cancer cases in women throughout the world. In 2008, breast cancer caused over 450,000 deaths in the world.

Canabinoids and Cancer
The healing properties of marijuana were first documented over thousands years ago, but the therapeutic effect of cannabinoids in cancer therapies was recently discovered.

Cannabinoids are medical compounds found in marijuana. Since the late 1990s until now, many preclinical studies have proven the antitumor effect of cannabinoids in the treatment of different types of cancer.

When we talk about medical marijuana, we tend to think of the most common and well-researched examples of diseases and disorders cannabis has been shown to treat: Pain, anxiety, insomnia, and epilepsy, to name a few.

Medical marijuana supporters got a big endorsement Friday from an interfaith group. 

Leaders say while we've heard from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, there are many other faith groups in Utah who want to make their voices heard as well. 

The group is called Truce. Members say while they might have different ideological views, they can unite on certain issues, like medical marijuana. 

The group and its supporters gather at the Utah State Capitol Friday. Those in attendance heard from a Buddhist priest, a paster at Unitarian Universalist Society and a paster a Presbyterian Church.  They all urge lawmakers to extend access to medical cannabis in Utah.

SALT LAKE CITY – Leaders from various faiths gathered at the Utah State Capitol this week, where they called on members of the legislature to pass a law allowing patients to use medical marijuana.

Anna Zumwalt, a Soto-Zen Buddhist Priest from Salt Lake City, was among those who attended.

“We hope that the legislature will act with compassion, and not put government between the sacrosanct doctor-patient relationship,” Zumwalt said.

Rev. Patty C. Willis of the South Valley Unitarian Universalist Society was also present.

“As faith leaders, we must be the voices of those who are quietly suffering,” Willis said.