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.

Voters in Massachusetts are set to decide on the legalization of cannabis for recreational purposes this fall, prompting the state’s governor, attorney general, and the mayor of Boston to come out against the idea in a recent op-ed for The Boston Globe.

While it’s unlikely these officials actually wrote the op-ed – the real author is probably a staff member for one of them – they did allow their names to be assigned to it, giving the ideas expressed therein the weight of their combined offices.

CARBONDALE — Illinois voters overwhelmingly support the use of marijuana for medical purposes, according to a new poll by the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute.

Of 1,000 registered voters sampled, 82 percent said they favor legalized medical marijuana, while 16 percent oppose it. Three percent were undecided.

Asked if they approve of legalization for recreational use, voters were more polarized, with 45 percent in favor and 51 percent against.

“We see clear support for medicinal marijuana, but its recreational use is a mixed bag,” David Yepsen, the institute’s director, said. “Medical use, recreational use and decriminalization are all related but are still distinct public policy issues in the minds of many voters.”

Justices had been scheduled to discuss the case brought by Nebraska and Oklahoma at a private meeting on Friday

The U.S. Supreme Court did not make a decision Monday on whether to hear a lawsuit brought against Colorado over marijuana legalization.

The nation's highest court had been scheduled on Friday  to privately discuss the lawsuit, brought by the neighboring states of Nebraska and Oklahoma. But a list of Supreme Court orders released on Monday made no mention of the case.

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.

RICHMOND, Va. (WSET) -- The Manufacturing of Industrial Hemp for commercial purposes was approved according to Virginia's Legislation Information System.

Governor Terry McAuliffe signed the bill after it passed the General Assembly 138 - 0.

This bill will allow farmers to legally manufacture industrial hemp products. The law will go into effect July 1, 2016 according to the Virginia Industrial Hemp Coalition (VIHC).

Ladies, to celebrate International Women’s Day we wanted to explore how independent women, and the characters they’ve inspired, have been celebrated on the silver screen. Below are our top picks for some great flicks to get you in the mood for IWD. 

The Accused (1988)

When Sarah (Jodie Foster) fights back against the men who brutally gang-raped her, she must not only face the men she accuses, she must defend herself against society’s deeply embedded view that ‘she was asking for it.’

As if America's legalization project didn't have enough on its plate: social, political and legislative hurdles. Fighting stigma. Banking issues. The spectre of Big Cannabis swallowing cottage producers. But there's another, massive problem that the industry hasn't yet tackled: what legal cannabis could do to the planet. 

"If marijuana producers continue to use energy at current rates, their electricity use in the Northwestern states alone will nearly double from 130 megawatts in 2015 to 237 megawatts in 2035," according to new data from the Northwest Power and Conservation Council. It's estimated that 1% of America's energy consumption is now attributable to legal growing operations.

There are many types of grow setups for your cannabis, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Besides outdoor growing, all of them have one common factor, removal of plant wastes and toxins means dumping your water or getting new soil for every new plant. There is an eco-friendly alternative, which can not only deliver big plants, but money in your pocket. Check out the video below to see it in action.