Ben Cort is from Colorado and is the author of “Weed, Inc.: The Truth About the Pot Lobby, THC, and the Commercial Marijuana Industry”, released in September 2017. His passion for recovery, prevention and harm reduction comes from his own struggle with substance abuse. Sober since June 15, 1996, Ben has been a part of the recovery community in almost every way imaginable – from a recipient to a provider to a spokesperson. Ben has a deep understanding of the issues and a personal motivation to see the harmful effects of drug and alcohol abuse minimised. Ben’s Ted-X talk in 2017, What commercialisation is doing to cannabis, has had more than 1.6 million views! Ben recently visited New Zealand, speaking to community leaders, politicians and media.

Stuff co.nz 26 May 2020
National leader Todd Muller says his party will likely support the legalisation of cannabis if New Zealand votes “yes” in the upcoming referendum.

National has previously declined to commit to enacting the result of the non-binding cannabis referendum, which will be voted on in September as part of the 2020 election.

But Muller signalled a softer stance on Tuesday, before his first caucus meeting after ousting Simon Bridges from the leadership, indicating he would legalise cannabis “if the people have spoken” in support.

The bill being proposed by the Labour-led Government would allow cannabis to be consumed, sold, and purchased for recreational use, by people 20 years or older. Personal possession of 14 grams of cannabis, the sale of cannabis edibles, and growing up to four cannabis plants per household would be allowed.

The 14-gram limit became subject of political theatre in December, with former National deputy leader Paula Bennett holding up a bag of oregano in the House, decrying the amount as far too high.

Bridges, who was booted from the leadership by fellow MPs on Friday, was unwilling to directly commit to passing the legislation if it were supported by the public — saying in May 2019 he would not deal with “hypotheticals”.

While Muller said the caucus was yet produce a “finely distilled” perspective, he had a “belief that if the people have spoken, and given a pretty clear steer that they support it, then we need to take very strong cognisance of that, in terms of the legislative changes that will then follow”.
READ MORE: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/121627780/national-leader-todd-muller-signals-cannabis-legislation-will-have-his-support-if-new-zealand-votes-yes

Insurance Journal 18 November 2019
Family First Comment: “Colorado, Oregon, and Washington saw a combined 5.2% increase in the rate of police-reported crashes after legalizing recreational marijuana, compared with neighboring states where such sales are illegal, according to data compiled and analyzed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.”

Car crashes in the first three states to legalize recreational marijuana have soared as law enforcement and regulators struggle to define driving high, let alone determine how to fight it.

Colorado, Oregon, and Washington saw a combined 5.2% increase in the rate of police-reported crashes after legalizing recreational marijuana, compared with neighboring states where such sales are illegal, according to data compiled and analyzed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Researchers tallied crash rates between 2012 and 2016.

Auto-insurance collision claims in the three states have also increased a combined 6% since legalization, compared with neighboring western states without legal weed, the Highway Loss Data Institute found. Analysts controlled for variables such as driver population, car model, weather, and driving environment.

The increases have caught Congress and federal regulators off guard as states with legalized marijuana seek answers. Unlike with alcohol, scientifically there’s neither a proven definition of marijuana-impaired driving nor a method of detecting it, making it difficult to police and prosecute. Insurance companies say driving under the influence statistics don’t separate out marijuana and can’t be used to set rates, taking away another potential deterrent to driving high. And Congress has impeded regulator efforts to collect more information on the subject.

“Drunk driving is still the No. 1 killer on our roads,” said Helen Witty, president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. “But drugged driving, as it’s legalized across this country, is a huge, emerging issue.”

Scientists know that drivers who are high tend to drive at lower speeds, have more difficulty staying in their lanes, and are slower to brake in an emergency than drunk drivers, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported.
READ MORE: https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2019/11/18/548752.htm

TVNZ One News 23 May 2020
Family First Comment: The science doesn’t always back the hype (or the smokescreen).
“We found two trials that looked at cannabis based products in arthritis… and there was no evidence really from either of those trials that they made a difference in the arthritis condition” – Medical Research Institute of NZ
#followthemoney

Some arthritis sufferers claim cannabis products provide them the most effective pain relief, but new research says there isn’t enough scientific evidence to show it’s safe or effective.

With the debate on legalising marijuana well under way, the common perception of the dope user is a relaxed mellow chilled-out smoker – just minding their own business. Love, peace and harmony.

That is far from the truth. Since launching our campaign to educate and encourage kiwi families to investigate the full evidence and harms of legalisation, we’ve received some lovely messages of support interesting messages.

WARNING: Explicit language and content.

and here’s the one we’re referring to the authorities….

Disturbing. People are more than welcome to challenge us on our views and debate the issue – but preferably using words with more than 4-letters. And without encouraging us to commit suicide.

Is this the real effect of marijuana that ex-New York Times journalist Alex Berenson has highlighted in his new book?

“An eye-opening report from an award-winning author and former New York Times reporter reveals the link between teenage marijuana use and mental illness, and a hidden epidemic of violence caused by the drug—facts the media have ignored as the United States rushes to legalize cannabis.”

We’ve invited Mr Berenson to NZ. Urgently.

Cannabis: More middle-aged Kiwis opposed to legalisation than in favour – survey
NewsHub 22 May 2020
Family First Comment: Significant opposition to cannabis legalisation…

“49.8 percent of participants OPPOSED legalisation, while ONLY 26.8 percent were in favour… Women and those with dependents were more likely to oppose, while Kiwis who had used cannabis or other drugs before, a history of depression, Maori ancestry, parental drug use and higher education attainment were in favour. A vast majority (90 percent) want cannabis to remain illegal for those under 18, 70 percent believe it should be illegal for private individuals to sell the drug and 54.4 percent believe cannabis is harmful.”
#saynopetodope #voteNO

Middle-aged Kiwis are more likely to oppose cannabis legalisation than be in favour of it, a study from the University of Otago shows.

With the cannabis legalisation referendum coming up at September’s election, there’s interest in finding out which way Kiwis swing on the issue.

The University of Otago Christchurch Health and Development Study (CHDS) surveyed 900 40-year-old New Zealanders and found 49.8 percent of participants opposed legalisation, while only 26.8 percent were in favour. The rest were neutral. CHDS has been following the lives of 1000 Cantabrians born in 1977.

The interviews were done in 2017 and 2018, before the referendum and any detail on it was announced.

Women and those with dependents were more likely to oppose, while Kiwis who had used cannabis or other drugs before, a history of depression, Maori ancestry, parental drug use and higher education attainment were in favour.

A vast majority (90 percent) want cannabis to remain illegal for those under 18, 70 percent believe it should be illegal for private individuals to sell the drug and 54.4 percent believe cannabis is harmful.

On the issue of decriminalisation – where the drug isn’t sold legally but those caught are not prosecuted – 47.8 percent are in support, 27.2 percent oppose and the rest are neutral.

More than 80 percent of those middle-aged Kiwis surveyed agree or strongly agree that doctors should be able to prescribe medicinal cannabis and that the drug was an effective form of chronic pain relief.
READ MORE: https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2020/05/cannabis-more-middle-aged-kiwis-opposed-to-legalisation-than-in-favour-survey.html

Cannabis study provides glimpse into how New Zealand may vote in referendum
Stuff co.nz 22 May 2020
Middle-aged Cantabrians are more likely to be opposed to the legalisation of cannabis for recreational use than in favour of it, a University of Otago study suggests.

New Zealanders will vote in a non-binding referendum on whether to legalise the sale, use, possession and producton of cannabis in September.

It will be held at the same time as the 2020 general election and euthanasia referendum on September 19.

Researchers have been tracking the lives of more than 1000 Cantabrians since their birth in 1977 and interviewed them at the age of 40.
READ MORE: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/121581610/cannabis-study-provides-glimpse-into-how-new-zealand-may-vote-in-referendum

Source: National Families in Action
Published in the June 2020 issue of World Psychiatry, the official journal of the World Psychiatric Association.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/wps.20735

How has recreational legalization affected US marijuana markets? The authors of this paper, Wayne Hall, PhD, and Michael Lynskey, PhD, begin their paper examining this question. Dr. Hall is a professor at the University of Queensland Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Research in Brisbane Australia. Dr. Lynskey is a psychiatrist and professor in the National Addictions Centre at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience of King’s College London.

They write that legalization in some US states has brought about a substantial decrease in the price of retail marijuana, allowed adults to obtain a regular supply of marijuana without risk of criminal penalty, and led to a major diversification of marijuana products.

Most legal states tie taxes to the retail price of marijuana products. As prices fall, tax revenue declines, giving industry an incentive to increase THC potency to increase profits. If legalization becomes national policy, prices are likely to fall even further as the marijuana industry expands and attracts large-scale investment from the alcohol, tobacco, and finance sectors.

Experience with alcohol and tobacco suggests that more access to high-potency marijuana at a lower price is likely to increase amounts of the drug consumed by current users as well as motivate the industry to increase the number of users and the amounts they use in order to maximize profits. Industry will likely use promotional techniques like advertising and price discounts to achieve this goal. As more people use marijuana, and use it more frequently, public health impacts will also likely increase.

The authors devote the rest of their paper reviewing the health effects of marijuana use to date, as well as those that broader legalization is likely to intensify. Both lists are too long for us to summarize here. We encourage readers to click here to read this full, groundbreaking paper.

Stuff co.nz 10 October 2019
Family First Comment: This is what home cultivation is all about, and families and children will be put at risk…
“Butane is used to reduce cannabis to a honeycomb-like substance called BHO – short for either butane honey oil or butane hash oil. The oil is smoked and typically has HIGHER concentrations of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – the principal psychoactive substance in marijuana – than dried cannabis.”
#saynopetodope
#voteNO

An explosion that rocked an Upper Hutt motel complex and put one person in hospital was caused by someone making cannabis oil, police believe.

On Thursday a 44-year-old man was arrested on charges of arson and producing the drug. He is expected to appear in the Hutt Valley District Court on October 24 in relation to the explosion at Trentham Motel in September.

Cannabis oil is often produced with the use of flammable solvents such as butane. There have been several incidences of life-threatening explosions being caused by people producing cannabis oil using this method.

According to the New Zealand Drug Foundation butane is used to reduce cannabis to a honeycomb-like substance called BHO – short for either butane honey oil or butane hash oil.

The oil is smoked and typically has higher concentrations of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – the principal psychoactive substance in marijuana – than dried cannabis.
READ MORE: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/116203757/upper-hutt-motel-explosion-caused-by-butane-hash-oil-mishap–police

The production of a highly-concentrated cannabis oil using butane gas has caused several life-threatening explosions in Nelson, prompting a warning from emergency services about the dangers. Emergency services have attended four explosions caused by manufacturing cannabis oil using butane gas in Nelson-Tasman in the past 15 months.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/84503677/explosive-butane-cannabis-oil-production-risking-lives-say-emergency-services

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What is Hash Oil? Cannabis Extract Explosion in L.A. Injures 11 Firefighters, 3 Critically
NewsWeek 17 May 2020
Family First Comment: Remember the Los Angeles fire at the weekend? 11 fire fighters injured
Guess what..
“The business operating at the building was identified by LAFD as Smoke Tokes, a wholesale supplier of butane honey oil, also known as hash oil, a concentrated form of marijuana.”
Remember the term ‘butane hash oil’. It’s going to cost us if we legalise cannabis.

An explosion at a hash oil supplier in Los Angeles has left 11 firefighters injured, three of them critically, authorities said.

Firefighters had responded to a structure fire at 327 East Boyd Street in the city’s Toy District at around 6:30 p.m. local time on Saturday, the Los Angeles Fire Department said.

Eric Scott, a spokesman for the LAFD, told The Los Angeles Times that “a significant explosion” occurred as firefighters were inside looking to find the source of the blaze.

A number of firefighters had been inside the building and on the roof when the explosion occurred, Scott said. Responding crews described the sound like a “freight train or jet engine.”

A massive ball of flame spewed out of the building and firefighters who were inside ran “straight through that ball of flame to get to safety across the street,” Scott told The Times.

He said 11 firefighters were transported to County-USC Medical Center for treatment for burn injuries. More than 240 firefighters responded to the fire, which had spread to several nearby buildings before it was extinguished at around 8 p.m., Scott added.
READ MORE: https://www.newsweek.com/hash-oil-supplier-explosion-firefighters-injured-la-1504616