Tag: News

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Iowa Legislature Approves Measure Legalizing Distribution of Medical Cannabis Oil

House File 524 was approved by the House today at 3 am (83 to 11), and was passed by the Senate exactly four hours later (33 to 7), sending it to Governor Terry Branstad for final consideration. The proposal would legalize the production and distribution of cannabis oil for those with a qualifying condition who receive a recommendation from a physician. Licensed dispensaries would be established to safely distribute the medicine to patients.

“There are sick Iowans out there that need relief, bottom line,” said the bill’s floor manager, Representative Jarad Klein, R-Keota.

If approved into law, House File 524 would allow the Department of Public Health to approve up to two manufacturers and up to five distributors if cannabis oil. The cannabis oil will be limited to containing no more than 3% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

The bill also would expand the list of qualifying conditions to use cannabis oil to include cancer, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, HIV/AIDS and others. A medical Cannabidiol Advisory Board would be established within the Department of Public Health to recommend adding or removing qualifying conditions.

The Joint Blog

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Researchers recently published the results of a large survey they conducted with magic mushroom consumers, one in which they specifically looked for details about bad trips and their lasting effects.

The survey was recently published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, where it details the survey results of nearly 2,000 magic mushroom consumers. The researchers, who are with Johns Hopkins, specifically asked for individuals who experienced difficult or bad trips after consuming these mushrooms.

More than half of these ‘beneficial’ bad trip experiencers went on to say the difficult experience ultimately ranks among the top ten most valuable experiences they’ve ever had. Of those surveyed, 66% were from the U.S., 78% were men, 89% were white, and 51% were college educated.

There’s a note of caution among it all, though — of those surveyed, more than 7% said they had to seek treatment for ‘enduring psychological symptoms,’ three cases resulted in ‘enduring psychotic symptoms,’ and three cases resulted in an attempted suicide.

Slash Gear

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How Beta Blockers and Weed Can Save You From Hulking Out

Beta blockers are lovely little prescription drugs that cause the effects of adrenaline to be blocked. This helps the heart relax and allows you to calm the fuck down. They are used to manage a ton of different conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure, migraines, glaucoma, fibromyalgia, and generalized anxiety disorder. Many of these conditions can also be treated with cannabis, so it’s a good thing that beta blockers and weed make such a kick-ass team.

Chronic pain is a perfect example of how beta blockers and cannabis work together awesomely. Bodies in pain produce excess amounts of adrenaline, thanks to our “fight or flight” response. This abundance of adrenaline can make pain sufferers feel like the Hulk—and not in a fun way.

Taking beta blockers can simmer down your adrenaline and consuming cannabis can calm your pain, which can help make patients feel like normal people again.

Cannabis has been shown to increase your heart rate, so it’s a good thing that beta blockers are designed to slow that shit down. Beta blockers also tell your blood vessels to open up—which improves blood flow AND the flow of cannabis through your bloodstream, which allows your meds to work more effectively.

There are several different kinds of BBs and each one is slightly differently than the others, so you may have to try a few before you find the one that works for you—kind of like dating, but with pills. “Hulking out” in an adrenaline rage can be fun occasionally…but beta blockers are there for the times when you just wanna pet a bunny and chill.

Merry Jane