Legalizing cannabis
Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez paints this scenario: put several people in a room where they are given alcoholic beverages, and another group in a room where marijuana is provided......»»
P7.2M worth of dried cannabis seized from local supplier along Kennon Road
At least P7.2M worth of dried cannabis leaves and stalks packed in a cylindrical packaging was seized in a sting operation against a local drug trader along Camp 4, Kennon Road in Tuba, Benguet on Wednesday morning......»»
DOH: Medical cannabis proposals need strong science, cost-effective analysis
The Department of Health said Tuesday that proposals to legalize medical cannabis or marijuana use should be based on rigorous scientific evidence and evaluation of public health implications. .....»»
Safety nets in place for medical cannabis
A bill in the House of Representatives that allows marijuana or cannabis for medical purposes will incorporate safety nets to prevent aggravating the country’s problems on drug abuse......»»
Waiting for FIBA
Gilas naturalized player Justin Brownlee is still in Los Angeles waiting for FIBA’s decision on the duration of his expected suspension after testing positive for a cannabis compound following the Philippines’ win for the Asian Games men’s basketball gold in Hangzhou last month......»»
Harsh or not-so-harsh penalty?
SBP is awaiting FIBA’s verdict on Justin Brownlee’s penalty after testing positive for an ingredient or compound in cannabis found in his urine sample from an extraction following Gilas’ game against Jordan in the Asian Games championship game in Hangzhou last Oct. 6......»»
Brownlee formula
The issue surrounding Justin Brownlee is a major blackeye to Philippine basketball. It is yet another heartbreaker for Filipinos, who were hoping and praying to see the national team reassert its dominance in the international arena. For the longest time, the Filipinos had struggled internationally. In the Asian Games, for instance, the Philippines emerged victorious in its first four editions — 1951 in New Delhi, 1954 in Manila, 1958 in Tokyo, and 1962 in Jakarta before suffering a string of frustrating finishes. The closest we got to the gold medal was in 1990 when the Basketball Association of the Philippines tasked the Philippine Basketball Association with assembling a team that would reclaim our Asian glory. It was a tall order at the time as the Philippines was coming off a bitter setback at the hands of Malaysia in the 1989 Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur. The BAP knew that only an Asian crown would soothe the pain of a nation craving revenge. But it didn’t happen. Coached by Robert “Sonny” Jaworski, the team bannered by Allan Caidic, Benjie Paras, Ramon Fernandez, Samboy Lim, and Chito Loyzaga surrendered to powerhouse China featuring Shan Tao and Ma Jian in the gold medal match. Eight years later, Tim Cone was given the marching orders to assemble another star-studded squad to represent the country in the Bangkok Asian Games in 1998. But like Jaworski, his bitter coaching nemesis at the time, Cone was also unsuccessful as his Centennial Team had to settle for bronze behind China and South Korea. In the next edition in Busan in 2002, hopes were high. Despite a sudden coaching change after American mentor Ron Jacobs suffered a stroke in the final stretch of preparations, Jong Uichico was still able to form a solid team that had a mix of Filipino-foreign stars like Asi Taulava, Eric Menk, and Rudy Hatfield, as well as homegrown stars like Olsen Racela, Kenneth Duremdes, and Danny Ildefonso. But fate wrote a cruel script. The Philippines was ahead, 68-66, in the final 23.9 seconds of the semifinal clash against South Korea. A victory would have sent the Filipinos to the gold medal match against China, while a setback would relegate them to a battle for bronze against Kazakhstan. Racela was at the charity stripe for a chance to ice the game and seal the victory. But he missed both free shots. In a shocking — and heartbreaking — turn of events, Korean gunner Lee Sang Min buried a long three-pointer off a broken play at the buzzer that sent the host country to the finals. The players were crushed while a river of tears flowed through the streets of Manila as the entire country couldn’t believe how merciless the basketball gods could be. Since then, Philippine basketball has been reduced to a mere footnote in Asian basketball. We bombed out of the medal podium in Doha in 2006 and Guangzhou in 2010. We even suffered international embarrassment when head coach Chot Reyes instructed naturalized player Marcus Douthit to shoot at our own basket in Incheon in 2014. In 2018, a legitimate National Basketball Association campaigner, Jordan Clarkson, came along and was billed as the hero who would save Philippine basketball. But he was unsuccessful. The Filipinos’ string of misfortunes continued as Gilas Pilipinas settled for fifth place. Then here came Brownlee, tapped to see action as a naturalized player in the Hangzhou Asian Games. The 35-year-old American was tasked to power a team already familiar to him — guys he had been playing with for more than five years. The coach — Cone — had been his mentor since he arrived in Manila in 2016 and led Barangay Ginebra San Miguel to six PBA titles while winning three Best Import honors. There was no honeymoon period to speak of. He hit the ground running. The result was impressive as Brownlee dropped 36 points to lead Gilas Pilipinas to a razor-thin 84-83 win over Iran in the quarterfinals, before dropping back-to-back three-point bombs in their miraculous 77-76 victory over host China in the semifinals. The Filipinos won their first gold medal in 61 years following a 70-60 victory over Jordan in the final, but an asterisk was attached to the victory after Brownlee tested positive for Carboxy-THC, a banned substance linked to the use of cannabis. At this point, it is unknown whether Brownlee will contest the findings or how long his possible suspension will be. What is clear is that Brownlee made a tremendous impact on Philippine basketball as he proved that the best way to win an international title is to field a naturalized player who is very familiar with the Filipinos’ style of play. Brownlee may not be as exciting and flashy as Clarkson or as tall as Douthit and Blatche, but he knows Philippine basketball like the back of his hand. It’s time for the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas to create more Justin Brownlees by recruiting young foreign players who are willing to stay in the country for a longer period — not just to earn and play as imports in the PBA — but to win the hearts and minds of these basketball-crazy Filipinos. Brownlee’s professional career is in great peril, and we may not see him don the Gilas or Ginebra jerseys again. But we should always remember his most significant contribution to Philippine basketball. Nope, it wasn’t the incredible play he delivered against China or how he stood his ground against Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and the powerful Jordanians that led to the country’s first Asian Games title in 61 years. His most important contribution was the idea that to gain international success, the federation must recruit a naturalized player not based on skills, height, or popularity but on his love, respect, and dedication to the country he wishes to represent. The post Brownlee formula appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
What fate awaits Brownlee?
Gilas naturalized player Justin Brownlee has until Thursday to decide whether or not to exercise his right to test his Sample B after the International Testing Agency found traces of cannabis in Sample A. Although the ITA report was copied to FIBA, it hasn’t been formally endorsed to the basketball federation......»»
P3.4 million worth of cannabis destroyed in Kalinga anti-drug op
Law enforcement authorities dismantled two marijuana plantations in Barangay Butbut, Tinglayan town, Kalinga province, over the weekend. .....»»
Brazil opens first ‘ExpoCannabis’ amid pot debate
Bubbling with euphoria as thick as the haze in the air, marijuana enthusiasts flocked this weekend to Brazil's first "ExpoCannabis," amid a national debate over decriminalizing the drug for personal use. Launched in Uruguay a decade ago, the huge marijuana fair opened its first international edition Friday in Sao Paulo, complete with DJs, guest speakers, myriad pot products and a large outdoor space packed with hundreds of visitors, nearly all of them smoking up. Organizers said they expected 20,000 people to attend the three-day event, which aims to showcase cannabis in its many uses, and not just recreational and medicinal. "We want to show the public all the plant's capabilities. We're not just talking about the pharmaceutical industry. The plant can also work in the food and beverage industry, the construction industry, the textile industry and biofuels," organizer Larissa Uchida told AFP. "It's a plant that has been demonized for many years, so there needs to be a whole deconstruction of this idea." Uchida said the event respected Brazilian legislation, with vendors selling cannabis accessories, extracts and derivatives -- but not the actual drug. Those smoking it at the fair likely purchased it illegally, but authorities appeared willing to turn a blind eye. Brazil’s 2006 drug law imposes prison terms for drug trafficking, and lighter penalties such as community service for possession, but has faced criticism for a lack of clarity over the line between the two. - Landmark court case - ExpoCannabis got its start in Uruguay in 2013, the same year the small South American country became the first in the world to fully legalize the regulated production and sale of recreational marijuana. The event in neighboring Brazil comes as the Latin American economic powerhouse re-evaluates its own prohibitionist drug laws. Brazil's Supreme Court is currently hearing a case that could decriminalize small-scale possession and use of cannabis and certain other drugs in the nation of 203 million people. Five of the court's 11 justices have so far ruled for decriminalizing marijuana for personal use, just one vote short of the majority needed. Ruling to decriminalize in August, Justice Alexandre de Moraes condemned existing anti-narcotics laws, which he said principally penalized "young people, especially uneducated Blacks, who are treated as drug traffickers for possessing small quantities." However, in a sign of how controversial the subject remains, Senate president Rodrigo Pacheco announced plans Thursday to introduce legislation to amend the constitution to explicitly make the possession of any amount of cannabis a crime. - Budding mega-industry - "I think it's very important to have the first edition (of ExpoCannabis) in Brazil right now," Sao Paulo state legislator Caio Franca told AFP at the fair. "We're at a very opportune moment for a conversation on cannabis-based medicines and recreational use, both from a legislative point of view and also in the courts," said Franca, who has introduced a bill to include medical marijuana in the Sao Paulo public health system. Marijuana for medical use also remains a touchy subject in Brazil. Patients have had to go to court to win the right to use the active ingredient cannabidiol, or CBD, for treatment of conditions such as epilepsy. Gabriel Vieira, an exhibitor at the fair, called for Brazil to join the growing number of countries that have partially or fully legalized cannabis. "We have to see the truth: there are a lot of people who consume it, whether it's medicinal or recreational. I think we need to follow in the footsteps of countries like Germany, the United States," said Vieira, who is 29. The economic potential of the budding global cannabis industry -- valued at $43.7 billion last year, and projected to grow to more than 10 times that by 2030 -- was on full display at the fair. Visitor Luciano Narita, 40, grinned as he showed off his haul of products. "I came here looking for new products, like this chocolate I bought, pipes, leaves," he said with a smile. "I like it for recreational use." fg-jhb/bbk/tjj © Agence France-Presse The post Brazil opens first ‘ExpoCannabis’ amid pot debate appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Cannabis Use Disorder Prevalent in a State Where Marijuana is Legal
Title: High Rates of Cannabis Use Disorder Found in Washington State, Study Reveals In a groundbreaking study, researchers have uncovered alarming statistics regarding cannabis use.....»»
Cebu authorities burn P10-M worth of marijuana in joint operation
Millions worth of cannabis were burned by law enforcement agents in Cebu City this Saturday morning in a bid to continue the government's crackdown on illegal substances......»»
German govt okays plan to legalize recreational cannabis
The German government approved a draft law Wednesday legalizing the purchase and possession of small amounts of cannabis for recreational use, despite criticism from opposition politicians and judges. The bill, which still needs to go through parliament, would allow adults to possess up to 25 grams (0.9 ounces) of cannabis and grow up to three plants for personal use. People will also be allowed to join non-profit "cannabis clubs" of up to 500 members where the drug can be legally cultivated and purchased. Health Minister Karl Lauterbach called the draft law "a turning point" in Germany's attitude towards cannabis. The more relaxed approach would crack down on the black market and drug-related crime, ease the burden on law enforcement and allow for safer consumption of marijuana, he said in a statement. Minors will still be prohibited from using the drug, and the government will launch a campaign warning of the health risks for young people especially, he added. "Nobody should misunderstand the law. Cannabis use will be legalized. But it's still dangerous," Lauterbach said. The proposed legislation is a flagship project of Chancellor Olaf Scholz's three-party coalition and would leave Germany with one of the most liberal cannabis policies in Europe. But the draft law is less ambitious than what was originally envisioned. Plans to allow the widespread sale of cannabis in licensed stores were dropped in April after the European Commission raised concerns. The post German govt okays plan to legalize recreational cannabis appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Singapore hangs 14th drug convict since last year
Singapore on Wednesday hanged a local man convicted of drug trafficking, officials said, two days before the scheduled execution of the first woman prisoner in the city-state in nearly 20 years. Mohd Aziz bin Hussain, convicted and sentenced to death in 2017 for trafficking "not less than 49.98 grams" (1.76 ounces) of heroin, was executed at Changi Prison, the Central Narcotics Bureau said in a statement. The 57-year-old was the 14th convict sent to the gallows since the government resumed executions in March 2022 after a two-year pause during the Covid-19 pandemic. Hussain's previous appeals against his conviction and sentence had been dismissed, and a petition for presidential clemency was also denied. A woman drug convict, 45-year-old Saridewi Djamani, is scheduled to be hanged on Friday, according to the local rights group Transformative Justice Collective (TJC). She was sentenced to death in 2018 for trafficking around 30 grams of heroin. If carried out, Djamani would be the first woman executed in Singapore since 2004, when 36-year-old hairdresser Yen May Woen was hanged for drug trafficking, according to TJC activist Kokila Annamalai. Singapore has some of the world's toughest anti-drug laws -- trafficking more than 500 grams of cannabis or over 15 grams of heroin can result in the death penalty. Rights watchdog Amnesty International on Tuesday urged Singapore to halt the executions, saying there was no evidence the death penalty acted as a deterrent to crime. "It is unconscionable that authorities in Singapore continue to cruelly pursue more executions in the name of drug control," Amnesty death penalty expert Chiara Sangiorgio said in a statement. Singapore, however, insists that the death penalty has helped make it one of Asia's safest countries. Among those hanged since last year was Nagaenthran K. Dharmalingam, whose execution sparked a global outcry, including from the United Nations and British tycoon Richard Branson, because he was deemed to have a mental disability. The post Singapore hangs 14th drug convict since last year appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Singapore to execute first woman in nearly 20 years: rights groups
Singapore is set to hang two drug convicts this week, including the first woman to be sent to the gallows in nearly 20 years, rights groups said Tuesday, while urging the executions be halted. Local rights organization Transformative Justice Collective (TJC) said a 56-year-old man convicted of trafficking 50 grams (1.76 ounces) of heroin is scheduled to be hanged on Wednesday at the Southeast Asian city-state's Changi Prison. A 45-year-old woman convict who TJC identified as Saridewi Djamani is also set to be sent to the gallows on Friday. She was sentenced to death in 2018 for trafficking around 30 grams of heroin. If carried out, she would be the first woman to be executed in Singapore since 2004 when 36-year-old hairdresser Yen May Woen was hanged for drug trafficking, said TJC activist Kokila Annamalai. TJC said the two prisoners are Singaporeans and their families have received notices setting the dates of their executions. Prison officials have not answered emailed questions from AFP seeking confirmation. Singapore imposes the death penalty for certain crimes, including murder and some forms of kidnapping. It also has some of the world's toughest anti-drug laws: trafficking more than 500 grams of cannabis and 15 grams of heroin can result in the death penalty. At least 13 people have been hanged so far since the government resumed executions following a two-year hiatus in place during the Covid-19 pandemic. Rights watchdog Amnesty International on Tuesday urged Singapore to halt the impending executions. "It is unconscionable that authorities in Singapore continue to cruelly pursue more executions in the name of drug control," Amnesty's death penalty expert Chiara Sangiorgio said in a statement. "There is no evidence that the death penalty has a unique deterrent effect or that it has any impact on the use and availability of drugs. "As countries around the world do away with the death penalty and embrace drug policy reform, Singapore's authorities are doing neither," Sangiorgio added. Singapore insists that the death penalty is an effective crime deterrent. The post Singapore to execute first woman in nearly 20 years: rights groups appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Supermodel Gigi Hadid inaresto, pinagmulta sa Cayman Islands dahil sa ‘marijuana possession’
MATAPOS mahulihan ng marijuana sa isang airport sa Cayman Islands, inaresto agad ang supermodel na si Gigi Hadid. Ayon sa news outlet na Cayman Marl Road, mismong mga custom officer ang nakakita na nakalagay sa kanyang mga bagahe ang naturang cannabis plant. Nakalaya naman daw ang modelo, pati ang kanyang kaibigan matapos magmulta ng $1,000 […] The post Supermodel Gigi Hadid inaresto, pinagmulta sa Cayman Islands dahil sa ‘marijuana possession’ appeared first on Bandera......»»
Padilla eyes Israel as model for medical marijuana use in Philippines
Tel Aviv [Israel], July 13 (ANI/TPS): Sen. Robinhood Padilla on Thursday said he is considering Israel as model for allowing cannabis (marijuana) strictly for medical purposes, as well as in preventing its misuse and abuse, in the Philippines. Speaking during the hearing of the Senate Health Subcommittee tackling Senate Bill 230 (Medical Cannabis Compassionate Access Act), Padilla said he learned more of the use of medica.....»»
Doctors push Philippine medical cannabis body
A doctors’ group advocating for the medical benefits of marijuana has urged Sen. Robinhood Padilla to include creating a national cannabis agency in his proposal to make cannabis accessible......»»
Medical, but hold the marijuana: new CBD source found in Brazil
In a laboratory tucked away on a sprawling university campus in Rio de Janeiro, Brazilian molecular biologist Rodrigo Moura Neto is running tests on a seemingly ordinary plant with a potent secret. The fast-growing, homely plant, Trema micrantha blume, is native to the Americas, where it is widespread and often considered a weed. But Moura Neto recently discovered its fruits and flowers contain one of the active ingredients in marijuana: cannabidiol, or CBD, which has shown promise as a treatment for conditions including epilepsy, autism, anxiety and chronic pain. Crucially, he also found it does not contain the other main ingredient in pot, tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC -- the psychoactive substance that makes people high. That opens the possibility of an abundant new source of CBD, without the complications of cannabis, which remains illegal in many places. The discovery has made something of an overnight academic star of Dr Moura Neto, an affable, silver-haired 66-year-old who now has a packed schedule of meetings with patent experts and companies keen to tap the multi-billion-dollar CBD market. "It was wonderful to find a plant (with CBD but) without THC, because you avoid all the mess around psychotropic substances," says Moura Neto, who has spent the better part of five decades researching in this small lab at Rio de Janeiro Federal University. "That means the potential is enormous," he tells AFP. His 10-member team recently won a 500,000-real ($104,000) public grant to expand his project, which will now identify the best methods to extract CBD from "Trema," then study its effectiveness as a substitute for medical marijuana. Man in demand Many of CBD's touted medical uses are still under research. The compound is controversial, including in Brazil, where patients have gone to court to win the right to use it. They often have to import it at eye-watering prices, given that cultivating medical marijuana remains illegal -- though there is legislation before Congress to change that. Debates aside, demand for CBD is booming. The global market for CBD last year was estimated at nearly $5 billion. Analytics firm Vantage Market Research projects it will grow to more than $47 billion by 2028, driven mainly by health and wellness use. Interest in Moura Neto's research has been "huge," says Rosane Silva, the director of his laboratory, which sits off a hallway bustling with students and researchers in white lab coats. "Lots of companies have been calling, looking to collaborate" on an eventual non-cannabis-based CBD medication, Silva says, standing beside what she calls the "magical plant." A member of the Cannabaceae family -- like cannabis -- "Trema" can grow into a tree up to 20 meters (66 feet) tall. Moura Neto says he and the university may explore patenting any innovations they find for extracting CBD from its tiny fruits and flowers. But he is quick to add he won't patent "Trema" itself. He wants scientists everywhere to be able to research it. "If I dreamed of being a billionaire, I wouldn't have become a professor," he says. From policing to producing? Moura Neto started studying CBD for a completely different reason: trained as a forensic geneticist, he would analyze the DNA of marijuana seized by police to help investigators trace its source. When he came across a study that identified CBD in a related plant in Thailand -- another member of the Cannabaceae family -- he got the idea to test for it in "Trema." He says turning his still-unpublished findings into a drug ready for market will take five to 10 years of research and clinical trials -- if it is possible at all. Cannabis, first domesticated in China more than 10,000 years ago, has been cultivated for millennia to hone its mind-altering and medicinal effects. CBD from "Trema" might not work as well, or at all, Moura Neto says. In the meantime, it's no use smoking the plant for a high. "That definitely won't do anything for you," he laughs. The post Medical, but hold the marijuana: new CBD source found in Brazil appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Brazilian shrub a marijuana alternative
Scientists have discovered cannabidiol, a compound in marijuana known as CBD, in a common Brazilian plant, opening potential new avenues to produce the increasingly popular substance, a lead researcher said Thursday. The team found CBD in the fruits and flowers of a plant known as Trema micrantha blume, a shrub which grows across much of the South American country and is often considered a weed, molecular biologist Rodrigo Moura Neto of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro told Agence France-Presse. CBD, increasingly used by some to treat conditions including epilepsy, chronic pain and anxiety, is one of the main active compounds in cannabis, along with tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC — the substance that makes users feel high. The compound’s effectiveness as a medical treatment is still under research. Neto said chemical analysis had found “Trema” contains CBD but not THC, raising the possibility of an abundant new source of the former — one that would not face the legal and regulatory hurdles of marijuana, which continues to be outlawed in many places, including Brazil. “It’s a legal alternative to using cannabis,” he said. “This is a plant that grows all over Brazil. It would be a simpler and cheaper source of cannabidiol.” Scientists had previously found CBD in a related plant in Thailand, he said. Neto, who has not yet published his results, said he now plans to scale up his study to identify the best methods to extract CBD from “Trema” and analyze its effectiveness in patients with conditions currently treated with medical marijuana. His team recently won a 500,000-real ($104,000) grant from the Brazilian government to fund the research, which he estimates will take at least five years to complete. A study last year by market analysis firm Vantage Market Research estimated the global market for CBD at nearly $5 billion and projected it would grow to more than $47 billion by 2028, driven mainly by health and wellness use. The post Brazilian shrub a marijuana alternative appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Cannabis compound CBD found in common Brazilian shrub
Scientists have discovered cannabidiol, a compound in marijuana known as CBD, in a common Brazilian plant, opening potential new avenues to produce the increasingly popular substance, a lead researcher said Thursday. The team found CBD in the fruits and flowers of a plant known as Trema micrantha blume, a shrub which grows across much of the South American country and is often considered a weed, molecular biologist Rodrigo Moura Neto of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro told AFP. CBD, increasingly used by some to treat conditions including epilepsy, chronic pain and anxiety, is one of the main active compounds in cannabis, along with tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC -- the substance that makes users feel high. The compound's effectiveness as a medical treatment is still under research. Neto said chemical analysis had found "Trema" contains CBD but not THC, raising the possibility of an abundant new source of the former -- one that would not face the legal and regulatory hurdles of marijuana, which continues to be outlawed in many places, including Brazil. "It's a legal alternative to using cannabis," he said. "This is a plant that grows all over Brazil. It would be a simpler and cheaper source of cannabidiol." Scientists had previously found CBD in a related plant in Thailand, he said. Neto, who has not yet published his results, said he now plans to scale up his study to identify the best methods to extract CBD from "Trema" and analyze its effectiveness in patients with conditions currently treated with medical marijuana. His team recently won a 500,000-real ($104,000) grant from the Brazilian government to fund the research, which he estimates will take at least five years to complete. A study last year by market analysis firm Vantage Market Research estimated the global market for CBD at nearly $5 billion, and projected it would grow to more than $47 billion by 2028, driven mainly by health and wellness use. The post Cannabis compound CBD found in common Brazilian shrub appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»