Ed

The ‘health’ approach to drugs: Less than one in 100 drug users engaging with services
NZ Herald 5 January 2021
Family First Comment: If you say you want a ‘health’ approach, the coercion of the law is necessary to force that drug addiction support. As we’ve always argued…..
“Those given a health referral are sent an automated text message from Homecare Medical that says: “Kia ora from the Alcohol Drug Helpline. For advice info & support on drug use reply to this or call 0800 733 808 anytime 24×7 free to kōrero with a counsellor”. National Party health spokesman Shane Reti said a health response centred on an automated text message “strains credibility”. “A text message is not a health response, and certainly not an otherwise alternative to a conviction for use or possession of drugs. The minimum for an adequate health response as an alternative to conviction for drugs should be a requirement to at least meet with a health professional.”

Less than 1 per cent of drug users engaged with any health services in the first year of a new law hailed as a game-changer in the Government’s health approach to drugs.

A concerted effort from the Ministry of Health has led to an increase in engagement in recent months, but the low take-up is still being called “disappointing” by the Drug Foundation.

The change to the Misuse of Drugs Act – which came into force in August 2019 – raised expectations that drug users would be diverted from the criminal justice system towards health professionals.

It codified police discretion into law for prosecuting drug use/possession, but consumers shouldn’t be charged if a health approach was “more beneficial to the public interest”.

In the first year it was in force, 5484 people faced the possibility of being charged with drug/use possession as their most serious offence; 565 people were referred to health services, or just over 10 per cent.

And of those people, only 49 engaged with any health service – or less than 1 per cent of those who faced police action.
READ MORE: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/the-health-approach-to-drugs-less-than-one-in-100-drug-users-engaging-with-services/D2AFHDUOZJIZ5TXQ5URYAVE6TE/

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CNN Health 24 December 2020
Family First Comment: “Participants who had vaped cannabis any number of times from within the last month to their overall lifetime had a stronger link to symptoms of bronchitis (daily cough, congestion and phlegm) in comparison to people who had never vaped cannabis.”

Benzinga 27 December 2020
Family First Comment: Not so green eh
“The connotation that marijuana is grown by hippies up in the mountains with only the most holistic, organic practices is a far cry from a multibillion dollar industry that packages everything in child-proof plastic while competing against a robust black market where cultivation, manufacturing and testing standards can be circumvented.”

Between Arizona, Mississippi, Montana, South Dakota and New Jersey – all states who have expanded medical and/or adult-use cannabis legalization statewide – there are over 143 million acres of agricultural land for over 20 million Americans.

But what about the cannabis environmental impact?

The economic possibilities may have investors and entrepreneurs and seeing green, but as climate disasters ravage the United States with floods, fires and storms, one must not forget the impact cannabis mass cultivation can have on local ecology.

The connotation that marijuana is grown by hippies up in the mountains  with only the most holistic, organic practices is a far cry from a multibillion dollar industry that packages everything in child-proof plastic while competing against a robust black market where cultivation, manufacturing and testing standards can be circumvented.

As of now, there are no universal standards for organic cannabis cultivation beyond certain restricted pesticides and few incentives for farms to clean up their act in the face of cannabis environmental factors.

In other words, cannabis, as an industry without conscious practice, contributes significantly to carbon emissions, disrupts local ecology, and creates mountains of garbage.

Sharp Rise in Use of Electricity and Power

No two cannabis grows are run the same. Indoor, outdoor, greenhouse  – they vary in yield, labor, and carbon footprint. A small indoor operation running lights, A/C, and bringing in water for hydroponics uses vastly more resources than an outdoor operation using the sun and well water, for example.

While indoor cultivation allows for the most control of elements, pests, and environments to create these photogenic, high-THC buds, it is also the most costly in terms of resources.

A Bloomberg Environment and Energy report from 2019 showed that in just a year, the legal cannabis industry emits 472 tons of electricity-related carbon. In the city of Denver alone, there was a 36 percent increase in electricity and power between 2012 and 2016 to cultivate cannabis and manufacture products.
https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/20/12/18860032/as-new-states-legalize-cannabiss-environmental-footprint-looms

Media Release 30 December 2020
Polling by Curia Market Research has found that only 1 in 4 New Zealanders want the government to ignore the results of the cannabis referendum despite the close result, and that even half of the YES voters believe that the result should count.

In the poll of 1,000 New Zealanders surveyed this month, respondents were asked “Should the government respect the result of the cannabis referendum and not legalise cannabis for recreational use, even though it was a close result?” 

Just 26% said the result should be ignored, while 66% disagreed (8% unsure). A strong majority of Labour, National and ACT voters said the result should be binding, contrary to a majority of Green voters.

Respondents were also asked how they voted in the referendum. While 94% of NO voters obviously wanted the result respected, YES voters were also marginally more supportive than not of the result being binding – 47% to 44%.

“Despite court cases and petitions since the results were announced, it is clear that New Zealanders want the referendum to be binding and respected – as Helen Clark originally demanded. Fortunately – and to their credit – both Jacinda Ardern and Andrew Little are willing to honour the result. It’s also pretty clear from the latest data coming out of both the USA and Canadian that we dodged a health and social harm bullet when the majority of kiwi voters voted no. New Zealand is too precious to be wasted,” says Bob McCoskrie of Family First.

Recent U.S. state-level data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the most authoritative study on drug use conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA), has found significant increases in youth cannabis use in several recently legalised marijuana states versus last year. At the same time, mental illness indicators worsened across the country while alcohol, cocaine, and tobacco use dropped, especially among young people.

The latest data from Health Canada’s Canadian Cannabis Survey reveals that there has been three years of consecutive increases in use since legalisation, and that almost 1 in 3 Canadian males over 16 consumed cannabis in the past 12 months, and 1 in 4 females. In 2020, 27% of Canadians reported having used cannabis in the past 12 months, an increase from 25% (2019) and 22% (2018). This is growing to almost double the rate in New Zealand, with past year use at just 15% in NZ compared to Canada’s 27% under legalisation.

The nationwide poll was carried out during December and has a margin of error of +/- 3.1%.
READ THE FULL POLL RESULTS
ENDS

The Guardian 19 December 2020
Family First Comment: “Government generally sees cannabis and tobacco as separate issues but plainly their use is deeply interwoven,” said Hazel Cheeseman, director of policy at Action on Smoking and Health. “There is an opportunity to address this in the government’s planned Addiction Strategy. This strategy must include measures to tackle the overlapping use of cannabis and tobacco and the resulting harm to health.”
Correct.
#SmokeFree #DrugFree

Study shows that consumers of drug are not aware they could be risking a lifetime of tobacco addiction

Hundreds of thousands of people who smoke cannabis describe themselves as non-smokers, a study has revealed. Experts fear the findings mean cannabis users may not appreciate that smoking the drug carries many of the same health risks as smoking tobacco.

The study, published in the journal Addiction, and based on a survey of almost 13,000 British adults, estimates that 380,000 people who describe themselves as non-smokers are smoking cannabis with or without tobacco at least weekly.

A further 830,000 tobacco smokers also smoke cannabis at least weekly, suggesting that there may be around 1.2 million weekly cannabis smokers in Britain, a figure borne out by previous studies.

“It is extremely concerning,” said Hannah Walsh of King’s College London, one of the study’s authors. “It is possible that they do not realise they are putting their health at risk. It’s also a concern that people may be unwittingly establishing a tobacco addiction, with cannabis acting as their route into a lifetime of smoking tobacco.”

The study discusses recent research suggesting that UK-based recreational cannabis users who mix the drug with tobacco will use about 0.35g of tobacco per joint, equivalent to one third of the content of a cigarette.

“This exposes participants to cotinine (the main metabolite of nicotine found in the bloodstream) levels suggestive of moderate tobacco exposure, equivalent to that found in light/moderate cigarette smokers,” the study notes. It also points to research that finds mixing cannabis and tobacco produces more negative acute cardiovascular effects and is associated with chronic bronchitis.
READ MORE: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/dec/19/cannabis-users-fail-to-grasp-health-risks-of-smoking-study-says?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

NewsTalk ZB 17 December 2020
Family First Comment: “You only have to look at the fatal crash stats in Colorado to see the perverse surge in cannabis-related road deaths, after that state legalised recreational use. Thank God the Chloe Swarbrick’s of this world were defeated and stopped at making our current plight, even worse.”

Coroner David Robinson’s chilling findings about dopes on dope, behind the wheel, are stark. His review of nine fatal vehicle crashes is a wake up call to the aloof, who still think cannabis is harmless.

The coroner is warning of the menace of drug-impaired driving, after finding cannabis was implicated in six of the nine fatalities, he was required to examine.

Six in nine.

You only have to look at the fatal crash stats in Colorado to see the perverse surge in cannabis-related road deaths, after that state legalised recreational use.

Thank God the Chloe Swarbrick’s of this world were defeated and stopped at making our current plight, even worse.

The Coroner’s insights are further proof why rapid roadside drug-testing is so badly needed. It’s shameful that it has taken so long. When National was last in government, Stuart Nash hounded them to roll it out. And yet now, Nash’s crew are into their second term in power, and the wait goes on.

The public desire for real road enforcement against drug-driving is huge. Even Julie Anne Genter was recently forced to admit, that the drug factor in our road toll is horrendous. In July, she confirmed that over a hundred people died in crashes last year where the driver had drugs in their system. That drug factor in dead drivers, by the way, amounted to just under a third of all road fatalities last year.

And the AA has produced fatal crash data to indicate that drug-driving is an equal menace if not a bigger menace now, than drink-driving.

Finally, we have legislation before the house that will implement rapid roadside drug-testing, next year. We are light years behind the UK, the US, Canada and Australia in taking the fight to this scourge. Under our roll-out, it will be a two-step regime. There will be fines for drivers who test positive for the presence of drugs. And harsher criminal penalties if you breach the specified impairment levels. Roll on 2021. It cannot come soon enough.
https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/mike-hosking-breakfast/opinion/mike-yardley-rapid-roadside-drug-testing-cant-come-soon-enough/

San Diego County Marijuana Prevention Initiative on 2020 marijuana report
KUSI News 15 December 2020
Family First Comment: “According to findings of the 2020 California Marijuana Impact Report, stronger potency in pot products has led to an upward trend in hospital emergency room discharges related to a cannabis use disorder. There has been a 350% increase in potency between 1995 – 2018. Additionally, marijuana concentrates can contain up to 90% THC. The most recent findings from the monitoring the future survey indicated the largest single-year increases in adolescent marijuana vaping ever recorded in the surveys 45-year history.”
Still wanna legalise? Nope.

According to findings of the 2020 CA Marijuana Impact Report, stronger potency in pot products has led to an upward trend in hospital emergency room discharges related to a cannabis use disorder.

The new report on marijuana-related public health issues was released Thursday. The report also highlighted the increase in youth vaping and emergency room discharges.

The average potency of THC, the primary psychoactive chemical found in marijuana is at its highest levels in history, according to the report. There has been a 350% increase in potency between 1995 – 2018. Additionally, marijuana concentrates can contain up to 90% THC.

The most recent findings from the monitoring the future survey indicated the largest single-year increases in adolescent marijuana vaping ever recorded in the surveys 45-year history.

Statewide emergency department data indicate a continued increase in marijuana-related visits. From 2016 to 2019, California Emergency Department visits and admissions for any related marijuana misuse has increased by 89%.

The report said Marijuana remains the primary drug of choice for youth ages 12-17 entering treatment

“Marijuana-related public health issues should not be ignored. Increasingly potent pot products, vaping is increasing among youth, ER discharges are increasing, age of onset is younger, treatment numbers are high and the rise of a cannabis use disorder,” said Dave King, Director, San Diego – Imperial High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.
READ MORE: https://www.kusi.com/san-diego-county-marijuana-prevention-initiative-on-2020-marijuana-report/

NZ Herald 16 December 2020
Family First Comment: “Cannabis was implicated in six of those nine. If that sample is truly representative of the proportion of fatal driving cases where cannabis is implicated, the picture painted must be of real concern.” – Coroner

A coroner has warned of the dangers of driving while impaired by drugs after reviewing nine fatal vehicle crashes and finding cannabis use was implicated in six of them.

The stark warning came in the coronial findings which examined the death of Thomas Jacob Goodman who crashed driving home from a work gathering on the night of November 29 last year.

Goodman, 29, had just started working as a farmhand at a South Canterbury farm when he and some workmates stayed behind for a few drinks.

His employer supplied alcohol and a barbecue was put on.

When Goodman went to leave at around 10pm, his boss asked him if he was “okay to drive” and offered him a bed for the night. He thought he’d had around three to four beers over the evening – six at the most.

Goodman said he was fit to drive and headed home, a short distance away.

His boss texted him around 20 minutes later – as he did with most of his workers – to check that he’d arrived home safely.

But he never got a reply.
READ MORE: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/coroner-expresses-alarm-at-finding-cannabis-implicated-in-six-of-nine-fatal-road-crashes/5UHZHD4OPHAIAKSNMLBJITOK7A/#

Waimate crash victim not wearing seat belt, alcohol and cannabis in system
Stuff co.nz 16 December 2020
A Waimate man killed after his vehicle barrel-rolled down a bank had cannabis in his system, was close to five times over the legal alcohol limit, and was not wearing a seatbelt.

When Thomas Jacob Goodman decided to head home after dinner and a few drinks with his colleagues at the Kurow farm where they worked, his boss offered him a bed for the night. He declined.

The next morning, Goodman’s vehicle was discovered at the bottom of a steep slope.

Coroner David Robinson made no recommendations at the conclusion of an inquiry into the 29-year-old man’s death in a crash off Clarkesfield Rd, near Waimate, overnight November 29, 2019.

“Mr Goodman’s death could have been prevented by adhering to basic rules of road safety such as wearing a seatbelt, and obeying the law as it applies to alcohol and drug use,” the coroner said in a decision released on Wednesday.

Tyre marks at the crash scene showed Goodman drifted onto the right side of the road and when trying to correct himself, slid off the left side and barrel-rolled down a 5.5-metre slope.
READ MORE: https://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/123714713/waimate-crash-victim-not-wearing-seat-belt-alcohol-and-cannabis-in-system

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