UCSF Tobacco Center Billion Lives Symposium available for online viewing

As in past years, the symposium is archived and available to watch for free here. This is the program: Keynote Panel: 20 Years of the Industry Documents: Past, Present and Future: Presentations by Faculty and Postdoctoral Scholars: Closing Remarks, Chris Shaffer, MS, UCSF Assistant Vice Chancellor and University Librarian The last several years’ symposia areContinue reading “UCSF Tobacco Center Billion Lives Symposium available for online viewing”

Using e-cigs, cigs, heated tobacco products, or marijuana once a day increases risk of heart arrythmias and causes remodeling of the heart

Huiliang Qiu, Matt Springer, and colleagues’ paper “Increased vulnerability to atrial and ventricular arrhythmias caused by different types of inhaled tobacco or marijuana products” makes two important points: (1) even very short daily exposures to tobacco and marijuana products have serious cumulative effects on the heart, and (2) nicotine and THC, the psychoactive components ofContinue reading Using e-cigs, cigs, heated tobacco products, or marijuana once a day increases risk of heart arrythmias and causes remodeling of the heart

Removing cannabis from Schedule I will make it possible to do long-needed research

On October 6, 2022, President Joe Biden announced pardons for people convicted to marijuana use and possession under federal law. He also announced that he was directing his administration to review marijuana’s listing as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act, which is defined as one with a high potential for abuse, noContinue reading “Removing cannabis from Schedule I will make it possible to do long-needed research”

Cannabis companies engage in “corporate social responsibility” activities similar to what tobacco companies do

The tobacco companies (and some other companies) use “corporate social responsibility” programs in which the companies stress some socially desirable behavior — such as affirmative action in hiring or supporting cultural institutions — to distract attention from the fact that they engage in predatory marketing of a dangerous product. As the legal cannabis industry emerges,Continue reading “Cannabis companies engage in “corporate social responsibility” activities similar to what tobacco companies do”

Excellent legal analysis of protecting bystanders from cannabis use in multiunit housing

Dan Orenstein recently published an excellent review and analysis of extending smokefree multiunit housing laws to include cannabis, “Multiunit Housing and Cannabis: Good Laws Make Good Neighbors.” In particular, he considers the impact of the fact that cannabis remains illegal under federal law as well as prohibited from public use even in states that haveContinue reading “Excellent legal analysis of protecting bystanders from cannabis use in multiunit housing”

Marijuana bong produces huge amounts of secondhand smoke

Anyone who has been around people smoking marijuana with a bong know that it produces a lot of secondhand smoke. Now Patton Khuu Nguyen and Kathy Hammond have shown that the amount of secondhand smoke is huge. Their paper, “Fine Particulate Matter Exposure From Secondhand Cannabis Bong Smoking” published in JAMA Network Open reports theContinue reading “Marijuana bong produces huge amounts of secondhand smoke”

SB1097 to improve warning labels on marijuana products in California faces hearing

California Senator and pediatrician Richard Pan has introduced SB 1097, that will require stronger and clearer health warnings on cannabis products and cannabis advertising inspired by front of pack tobacco graphic warnings. This legislation is sponsored by the Getting it Right from the Start Project at the California Public Health Institute and by Youth Forward,Continue reading “SB1097 to improve warning labels on marijuana products in California faces hearing”

Cannabis industry lobbying in Colorado often hard to track; succeeds in weakening state clean indoor air law

Thomas Rotering and Dorie Apollonio just published “Cannabis industry lobbying in the Colorado state legislature in fiscal years 2010-2021” in International Journal of Drug Policy. This paper provides the first in-depth analysis of cannabis industry lobbying at in the first state to legalize adult use cannabis. It shows rapidly accelerating lobbying expenditures after recreational cannabisContinue reading “Cannabis industry lobbying in Colorado often hard to track; succeeds in weakening state clean indoor air law”

Higher cannabis use in states that have legalized

Abra Jeffers Amy Byers and Salome Keyhani just published a large study of cannabis use patterns in 23 US states and territories from 2016 to 2019. Our national study, “Sociodemographic Characteristics Associated With and Prevalence and Frequency of Cannabis Use Among Adults in the US” published in JAMA Network Open found higher-frequency cannabis use isContinue reading “Higher cannabis use in states that have legalized”

California ignores public health and quickly approves cannabis “emergency” regulations

On September 27, 2021, just a week after the 5 day public comment period closed, the California Department of Cannabis Control released its final emergency regulations. The minor changes the Department made in response to the comments all but ignored the extensive thoughtful public health comments Getting it Right from the Start submitted, with theContinue reading “California ignores public health and quickly approves cannabis “emergency” regulations”