On Saturday, New Zealand voters will decide on a nationwide referendum that would legalize the possession and use of cannabis by those of 20 years of age and above. 

The referendum entitled, The Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill, is going to be one of two ballot questions that will be decided upon in the upcoming October 17 General Election. The election had initially been scheduled for September 19, but delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

If the vote for the Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill is passed, New Zealand will become the third country worldwide to legalize cannabis at the national level, together with Canada and Uruguay.

The Office of Field Operations officers of US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the World Trade Bridge near Laredo, Texas, seized a shipment of toilets that contained about 6.8 tons of marijuana, according to a report on Breaking 911.

“As our frontline CBP officers at World Trade Bridge seek to facilitate lawful commerce in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, they maintain a robust enforcement posture and that vigilance and attention to detail resulted in the seizure of more than six and a half tons of marijuana hidden within the commodity,” said Andrew Douglas, the Acting Port Director at the Laredo Port of Entry.

The CBP officers at the cargo facility seized the shipment at the World Trade Bridge on October 2. The toilet shipment containing the weed was in a 2015 Freightliner Tractor coming from Mexico. The drugs were discovered by a sniffer dog and non-intrusive imaging system inspection.

The inspection led to the unearthing of 1,017 packages concealed in commercial toilets, which contained about 13,744 pounds (6.8 tons) of marijuana. The seized marijuana has a street value of approximately $2.7 million.

CBP forwarded the case for further investigation to the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HIS) special agents.

It has been nearly four years since voters approved the legal adult-use of marijuana in the state of Maine. In November 2016, the legalization of cannabis was voted on by those in the state and is now in effect.

The recreational sales of cannabis are set to launch before the end of 2020. The road to legal sales has been long and bumpy, as it has long experienced delays due to issues such as change of administration, and legislative rewrites, with more recent drawbacks, including delays due to COVID-19 that had licenses being issued just a month before the first day of sales.

The industry has also been facing supply-related hiccups complicating the set target of the inaugural day. 

Speaking on the impacts of the pandemic on the economy of the state’s new industry, the director of Maine’s Office of Marijuana Policy expressed prudent optimism over the supply-and-demand reality. This is mainly because the number of stores with issued licenses currently counts to just seven, with more license approvals expected in the coming months.

“The fact that Maine has the distinction of opening during a global health pandemic is going to kind of mitigate the amount of tourists specifically with the launch of the new industry but that’s not to say that moving forward into next summer that individuals won’t travel to Maine for recreational marijuana,” said the director on Friday.

The Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement Act has been given attention at the federal level, and the vote on it is expected to happen before the end of 2020.

The packaging of adult-use cannabis will be required to clearly exhibit information about the product inside, including the amount of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) it contains, and for most products to be childproof. 

Ingesting marijuana before operating a motor vehicle, will fall under similar laws as alcohol consumption. There is still no official way to test the level to which a motorist is under the effect of marijuana other than behavioral clues.

Cannabis Sativa is a plant that is widely known by humans for its medical value and recreational purposes. Much research has been carried out, trying to find the impacts of marijuana on humans’ bodies and minds.

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are the two mainly studied components of marijuana. THC causes psychotropic effects and is also used for recreation purposes while CBD is non-psychotropic and is felt by many investigators to be non-toxic or have limited toxicity.

Like in humans, where CBD is used to reduce pain and manage anxiety, veterinarians, and pet owners agree that marijuana has the same effects on animals.

More so, it has been found that CBD oil given to dogs resulted in fewer seizures, help with joint pain, ease GI distress as well as address mood-related issues such as aggression, anxiety, and stress.

However, despite the advantages, cannabis can also be toxic to pets. This occurs when pets directly ingest marijuana plants, marijuana-infused foods, or passive inhalation of marijuana smoke. With a lot of research focused on humans, there has been a deficiency in resolving pet-related poisoning.

For instance, in Colorado, the frequency of marijuana toxicosis in dogs at two veterinary hospitals increased four times over a 5-year period after legalization.

THC is also much harder to metabolize in pets than humans. This implies another challenge of the uncertainty of the long-term impacts of CBD use in pets.

Despite the risks, there are no regulation laws on CBD products implying that pet owners could be buying marijuana with different levels of components such as THC from what is listed.

The findings set a challenge to the whole field of medicine, with the need for immediate action in order to curb possible worst outcomes in the present and near future.  

As a pet owner, however, you should make sure you consult your veterinarian and marijuana experts on how medical marijuana can help your pet and any possible side effects.

Also Read:Cannabis Consumers Prefer Herbal Marijuana Over Concentrates According To Studies

Marijuana has long been known for its intoxicating effects, but many people are now praising and using it for its medicinal effects. 

Despite the control and scrutiny focused on the plant and its products for years, the ‘holy herb’ has been astonishing many with its newly-found aspects, one of them being anti-inflammatory properties.

Inflammation is how the immune system works to ward away harmful stimuli. It triggers inflammation whenever the white blood cells detect a foreign and possibly harmful substance like a virus.

Medical marijuana has THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) as one of its components, which helps reduce inflammation and related pain. According to a study, beta-caryophyllene found in marijuana affects CB2 receptors. 

THC and CBD found in marijuana also reduces the formation and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Cytokines act as messengers when the immune system is under attack. However, they can tell the body to react by inflaming (pro-inflammation) or anti-inflammatory, where they slow the immune system from attacking the area.

Cytokine storms happen when the immune system overreacts and sends many pro-inflammatory cytokines, especially in respiratory diseases. This causes hyper inflammation and possible death.

Extensive research continues to be done on the anti-inflammatory properties of THC and CBD. In times like this, where the whole world has been swept by the Covid19 pandemic, which causes respiratory problems, the discovery would help such situations in the future.

Cannabis could help treat respiratory inflammation and inflammation caused by other diseases like cancer, arthritis, and autoimmune disorders. Pain caused by inflammation is also common.

Also Read: Research Shows Cannabis Lowers Blood Pressure

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and opioid prescription drugs are the most widely used medications for inflammatory pain. However, prolonged use of NSAIDs has significant side effects, while opioids are the most addictive medications today.

Medical marijuana is being used as an alternative to these medications. It has fewer side effects and no risk of overdose. You can get THC in the form of oils, tinctures, edibles, capsules, and more.