1. The Australian: NSW Labor push for medical cannabis decriminalisation
NSW Labor will push for the decriminalisation of cannabis for medical purposes in a move Opposition Leader Luke Foley says will return dignity to the terminally ill.
The push, which would decriminalise the possession of up to 15 grams for treatment of chronic and serious medical conditions, follows the unanimous findings of a parliamentary inquiry into the medical use of cannabis.
“If someone’s pain and suffering can be relieved by medicinal cannabis then I am in favour of its use to that end,” Mr Foley said.
The legislation requires the terminally or chronically ill and their carers to be certified by NSW Health before possessing cannabis.
The current laws make it a criminal penalty to possess cannabis regardless of illness.
But the state already began trials of the uses for medical cannabis earlier this year.
“This is about restoring dignity to those people seeking temporary relief from the pain and suffering of their affliction,” Mr Foley said.
“Seeking respite from relentless and unwavering illness should not be a criminal offence.
It should be met with sympathy and support.”
The legislation would allow for the medical use of cannabis for people with HIV, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis, those undergoing chemotherapy and for the management of pain associated with cancer, or any illness or condition declared to be a terminal or serious medical condition.
2. Nexus: Cannabis compound removes Alzheimer’s plaque from brain cells, study finds
Alzheimer’s disease may now be added to a list of diseases with promising treatment from cannabis compounds, a new study from the Salk Institute says
While there has been research and trials to use compounds to treat chronic pain, cancers, epilepsy, and other diseases and illnesses, this laboratory study is the first of its kind to test tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a main component in marijuana, against the plaque buildup of the brain associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
The researchers took human neurons that they grew in a lab and altered them so that they created the plaque buildup (comprised of proteins such as beta-amyloid). The researchers then subjected the neurons to amounts of THC and other marijuana compounds.
What they found was that not only did the THC cause a breakdown of the protein buildup, but a reduction in inflammation in the cells. Inflammation is bad because it makes it harder for your neurons to communicate with one another correctly.
“Although other studies have offered evidence that cannabinoids might be neuroprotective against the symptoms of Alzheimer’s, we believe our study is the first to demonstrate that cannabinoids affect both inflammation and amyloid beta accumulation in nerve cells,” says Salk Professor David Schubert, the senior author of the paper said in a statement.
This study is also novel because the research also provides a stronger link between protein buildup and the inflammation of the neurons. Some past hypotheses had thought that other immune-like cells had been inflamed, and not the neurons themselves.
The researchers believe that the THC was able to reduce the protein buildup and inflammation by working in the brain’s endocannabinoid receptors, which are naturally occurring in the body. Scientists had already known that exercise engages these receptors, and physical activity can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease.
Schubert and his fellow researchers had found in a previous study that the endocannabinoid receptors were involved with the removal of protein buildup and inflammation when testing a new drug. The researchers then decided to investigate the relationship with THC and Alzheimer’s plaque.
Much more study must be conducted before a causal link can be suggested between THC and beta amyloid, the researchers say, including human clinical trials. When compared with precision balances, sartorius scale have more intricate readability but these exploratory laboratory models are just the beginning.
3. CHERI SICARD 8 Reasons Why Building with Hempcrete Makes Practical Sense
If you are considering building a home, or even remodeling an existing one, think about using economical, versatile hempcrete as a building material. A simple combination of hemp hurd — the soft inner core of the hemp plant stem, water, and lime – hempcrete offers lots of personal benefits to builders. Even more important is what building with hempcrete can do for the planet. Consider these built in benefits that come with building with hempcrete:
- Carbon Neutral or Negative – Providing you source your materials locally, hempcrete is a carbon negative building material. Even with hemp and lime outsourced from overseas, a hempcrete home still produces a carbon neutral footprint.
- Renewable Resource – Hemp is a renewable resource that takes about 4 months to grow, as opposed to decades for traditional lumber.
- Uses Less Timber – Even though hempcrete homes are typically wood framed, they offer about 28% savings in the amount of wood used to frame traditional homes.
Energy Efficient — Super insulating, energy efficient hempcrete reduces, and in some cases eliminates, the need for mechanical heating and cooling.- Easy to Work With — Hempcrete is easy to mix and aside from an optional concrete mixer, needs no special equipment. It’s a forgiving material that makes fixing mistakes quick and easy.
- Non-Combustible – Hempcrete is non-combustible, meaning even in areas prone to fire, the house and its contents will survive and not add to diminished air quality. Hempcete homes will usually pay far less for fire insurance as well.
- Insect repellant – Your hempcrete home will never need toxic termite treatments as insects can’t penetrate it.
- Long Lasting – Once built, a hempcrete home will last for generations, that’s because over time the hempcrete becomes petrified, turning your home into a fortress as strong as a rock.
Learn More About Hempcrete
Here I am at Hemp Technologies great hands-on hemprcrete workshop.
One of the best ways to learn more about Hempcrete is to the a Hemp Technologies workshop. Check out the Hempcrete article I wrote for High Times about my experience at one of these terrific hands-on learning workshops.