Overall category on drug issues from alcohol to marijuana and prescription medication.

Marijuana Re-Schedule

The Marijuana Re-Schedule

It was good news and bad news this week for those who wish to legalize marijuana when the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) declined to re-schedule marijuana from a Schedule I to Schedule II drug. (Statement 1, Statement 2) The ruling came in response to two petitions – one from the governors of Rhode Island and
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Drugged Driving

Drugged Driving: The Time Has Come for Action

“[T[he Roadside Survey of Alcohol and Drug Use by Drivers, conducted by NHTSA in 2013-2014, shows that weekend nighttime drivers testing positive for illegal drugs or medications has increased from 16.3 percent in 2007 to 20.0 percent in 2013-2014″ 2015 National Drug Control Strategy, U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy, pg. 105 People driving

There’s an App for That: Apps that Support Sobriety

According to the Pew Research Center, 68% of Americans have smartphones and 45% have tablet computers.  Along with smart phones and tablets come apps – apps that keep track of airline reservations; apps that count calories; apps that fetch drivers.  There’s an app for just about anything. A new set of apps have been developed
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Drugged Driving

Marijuana in the Workplace

Along with alcohol and other drugs in the workplace, the advent of the legalization of medical and recreational marijuana in many states requires employers to face a variety of issues related to the use of marijuana by employees. The U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) estimated in 2013 that 9.1% of full-time
DEA Reclassifies Marijuana

DEA Reclassifies Marijuana: What It Could Mean

This week the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) said that it will make a decision in the coming months on whether to remove marijuana (cannabis) as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act. Marijuana has been in that classification since the promulgation of the Act in 1970. The Act classifies drugs into five categories.
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impaired driving and cannabis

Impaired Driving and Cannabis: A Judicial Wake-Up Call

As you sit on the bench in a criminal court you see impaired drivers every day.   You try to make a reasoned judgment in split seconds about the public safety risk presented by these drivers. You detain, set bail, or agree to leave them on their own recognizance based on your training and the information
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Baby addict myth

The Baby Addict Myth: Debunking Misinformation About Neonatal Exposure

In the 1980s and 1990s it was “crack babies.” Now it’s babies born “addicted to opiates.” We’ve spent 30 years trying to debunk the baby addict myth; that newborns can be born “addicted.” However, the misinformation continues with current headlines like “Life begins with agony of withdrawal for opiate-addicted babies.” Over ten years ago 30
medical marijuana research

Medical Marijuana Research: What We Know and What We Don’t

“Lies, damned lies and statistics” is a phrase sometimes attributed to Benjamin Disraeli but certainly popularized by Mark Twain. I would add to that “lies, damned lies and scientific studies.” As discerning readers know, not all studies should be given equal weight and some are more reliable than others. The funding source is one place
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Colorado recreational marijuana law

Is Colorado Recreational Marijuana Law at Risk?

Colorado’s Amendment 64 was passed as a ballot initiative in Colorado in 2012. The voters in Colorado approved the Amendment, which amended Article XVIII of the Colorado Constitution. This constitutional amendment allowed for the legalization of recreational marijuana.  Colorado is one of four states and the District of Columbia that allow for legal, recreational use. 
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cannabis harm reduction

Cannabis Harm Reduction: A New Path in Addiction Treatment?

The topic of marijuana is of growing interest across the world.  At least 10 countries have seen or will see marijuana legalization either recreational or medical use: Spain, Netherlands, Canada, Mexico, Jamaica, Ecuador, Israel[1] and Australia.[2] As of 2015, Bangladesh, North Korea, Czech Republic, Portugal, Uruguay, the Netherlands, and the United States (Recreational-Washington, Colorado, Oregon, Alaska,
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