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Study: Medical cannabis laws lower suicide rates
Suicide rates fell nearly 5 percent for the general population and a staggering 11 percent for men 20 to 29 years old in states that enacted medical marijuana laws, researchers from San Diego State and two other universities announced.
The findings were recently published in a discussion paper. Researchers looked at suicide rates in states several years before and after they passed laws permitting the medica
Study: Medical cannabis laws lower suicide rates
Suicide rates fell nearly 5 percent for the general population and a staggering 11 percent for men 20 to 29 years old in states that enacted medical marijuana laws, researchers from San Diego State and two other universities announced.
The findings were recently published in a discussion paper. Researchers looked at suicide rates in states several years before and after they passed laws permitting the medical use of cannabis, and compared them to similar data from states without such laws. The study found the rate of suicide fell faster in states with medical marijuana laws than in states without them. The decline in suicides was particularly pronounced in males.
The discussion paper suggested that medical cannabis laws lead to less alcohol use, and that in turn may reduce the risk of suicide.
Long Beach bans all but 18 dispensaries
Less than two years after charging dozens of medical marijuana dispensaries $15,000 each for the promise of permits to conduct business, the Long Beach City Council voted 8-1 to ban all but 18 cannabis providers in the city.
The 18 dispensaries the council didn’t outright ban were given six months to operate, with their fate at the end of that time unclear. The vote gave the green light for local police to deploy “the full extent of the law” to shut down an estimated 35 other dispensaries.
Santa Ana dispensary initiative launched
Santa Ana would be home to up to 20 regulated cannabis dispensaries, under a proposed initiative a group of medical marijuana activists hope to place on the November ballot.
The measure, unveiled in February by the Committee to Support Medical Marijuana, would restrict access to the dispensaries to patients over 21, set hours of operation at 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and forbid anyone from loitering near the shops. All sales transactions would be taxed at 2 percent above current sales-tax rates.
The activists filed with the Santa Ana City Clerk’s office to circulate a petition to qualify the initiative for citywide vote.
