Using cannabis for pain relief is nothing new. Across the U.S., most states include chronic pain as a qualifying condition for medical cannabis. Looking broader, individuals around the globe are already embracing cannabis for these pain-relieving qualities alongside the additional benefits it may offer. While we’re still learning exactly how cannabis can work to treat symptoms and provide relief for specific conditions, many are taking matters into their own hands with promising results — and these trends could very well help to shape further research and policy. A recent survey published in t ..read more

Australian border authorities confiscated nearly 900 kilos of ketamine last year, setting a new national record for seizures of the psychedelic drug. The spike in seizures of ketamine is concerning to Australian officials, who worry that organized crime groups are now focusing on illicit sales of the powerful drug. The 882 kilograms of ketamine seized last year is more than double the 415 kilos seized in 2022, according to a report from 9 News. Officials say that the majority of the ketamine seized by the Australian Border Force (ABF) was imported into the country by sea.  Testing of wast ..read more

It’s already fairly well known that music festivals tend to come with plenty of illicit drug use. The activity is so common at festivals, and in dance scenes as a whole, that organizers and attendees alike are becoming increasingly more equipped to combat potential overdoses through a variety of measures. A new study published in the International Journal of Drug Policy underscores the impact of these harm reduction strategies and consciously incorporating them into events, looking at the amount of drug-related deaths at Australian music festivals, the common trends and what may have helped to ..read more

Police seized nearly five tons of methamphetamine in Fiji, equivalent to more than $2 billion in Fijian dollars (approximately $886.2 million USD). The first Jan. 14 raid resulted in seizure of more than three tons of meth at a warehouse on the western side of Fiji’s main island near the country’s main international airport, according to an OCCRP report. The second raid took place Jan. 20, with Fiji’s public prosecutor sanctioning charges against 13 people in connection to the raids, RNZ reports. Those accused have been charged with unlawful possession of illicit drugs, according to a statemen ..read more

Sometimes, you have to take it to the streets, literally. At least that’s the approach Australian cannabis activists Will Stolk and Alec Zammitt take when trying to generate awareness around the flaws in Australia’s current weed regulations. Stolk and Zammitt have been helping make cannabis a hot topic of discussion in Australia for the past eight years, rolling out annual 420 “Who Are We Hurting?” demonstrations that have captivated the ears and eyes of the Australian public. At the very least, Stolk and Zammitt aim to share a laugh and start a conversation with people about cannabis legislat ..read more

Two Tasmanian hemp business owners are founders and operators of the island state’s hemp processing operations. Andi Lucas of the hemp processing facility X-Hemp and Tim Crow of Hemp Harvests proudly embrace the benefits of hemp, but in a recent interview with ABC News, both of them expressed the need for regulations to change. “I’m effectively being treated as though I’m dealing with some sort of narcotic when in actual fact it’s a crop like grain, or barley, or wheat,” said Lucas about the state of the industry. “I think we missed an opportunity, the rest of the world has the ability to util ..read more

A long-term study on opioid addiction and cannabis use found little to no evidence that using cannabis can help addicts reduce or stop their long-term intake of illicit opioids.  The study, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, was led by researchers at the University of Sydney and followed over 600 heroin addicts for up to 20 years, monitoring their cannabis and heroin intake at regular intervals to try and associate a relationship, positive or negative, between the two.  “The Australian Treatment Outcome Study (ATOS) recruited 615 people with heroin dependence in 2001 an ..read more

Nota por Lucía Tedesco publicada originalmente en El Planteo. Más artículos por El Planteo en High Times en Español. Síguenos en Instagram (@El.Planteo) y Twitter (@ElPlanteo). Alec Zammitt y Will Stolk son integrantes de Craze Co, un colectivo de activistas por el cannabis en Australia. Juntos han sido noticia en varias ocasiones, por protestar por la legalización de la planta con tanques de guerra en la vía pública, hasta por proyectar hojas de marihuana en la reconocida Ópera de Sídney. Contenido relacionado: Australia: Cruzan Sidney en Tanque para Protestar por la Discr ..read more

The Victorian parliament has passed new laws that will allow medical cannabis users to get behind the wheel on a closed road. These new laws are part of a trial that will look into the impact marijuana has on a person’s driving ability. In 2016, Victoria was the first Australian state to legalize medical cannabis. However, individuals part of this program can still face legal consequences if they’re found to have tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in their system while driving. The difficulty with this is THC can remain in a person’s system long after the “high” has worn out. That said, you can find y ..read more

New research carried out over three years in Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc vineyard by grape grower Kristy Harkness and viticulture researcher Dr. Mark Krasnow has found that hemp is a viable cover crop, at least when it comes to the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc vineyards.  The research, as  outlined by New Zealand Wine Grower, found that the hemp did not compete with the vines and beneficially affected soils and wines. During the country’s dry season, the hemp also became established without supplemental irrigation when other crops failed to survive, allowing the plants to sequester ca ..read more