Marijuana Weekly Roundup

New Study Links Casual Marijuana Use To Brain Abnormalities

A study conducted at Northwestern University links casual, recreational marijuana use to abnormalities in key regions of the brain. The study, published in The Journal of Neuroscience, focused on 20 causal smokers and 20 non-smokers for three months. Results showed that brain damage increased consistently with increased use. 

With the public opinion of marijuana changing quickly, it will be interesting to see if this study changes, or reverses, the momentum that legalizing marijuana currently has. 

Saliva Testing For Stoned Drivers

The Michigan legislature is considering a bill that would allow police officers to conduct roadside saliva tests on drivers they believe to be high. The bill, formulated by a group of bipartisan lawmakers and the Michigan state police, would be the first of it's kind. 

Michigan medical marijuana advocates gathered in Lansing to support an amendment to HB 5835, that would provide an exemption from the law to licensed medical users. 

Chris Christie Takes Firm Stance Against Marijuana Legalization

New Jersey's Republican Governor, Chris Christie, has spoken out against the 'War On Drugs.' And on Monday, he reaffirmed his stance on marijuana. Industry experts have known that Christie is opposed to marijuana legalization, but his recent comments confirm their suspicions. 

In a radio interview with New Jersey's 101.5 FM, Christie inferred that, if a citizen wants to use recreational marijuana, they should move west. "Go to Colorado and see if you want to live there,: he said. "See if you want to live in a major city...where there are headshops popping up on every corner, and people are flying into your airport just to get high. To me, it's not the quality of life we want to have here in the state of New Jersey, and there's no tax revenue that's worth that."

Marijuana Licensing Lottery

The state of Washington will conduct a lottery this week to distribute the 334 available licenses for recreational marijuana stores. But even if a lottery hopeful is selected, nothing is set in stone. Winners will still have to pass a background check, meet set requirements and submit to a full investigation of their financial history. Washington's retail sales are set to begin in July.

Cannabis Vending Machines

Tranzbyte ERBB released their flagship product last week, the ZaZZ marijuana vending machine. The machine is a high tech (and high security) device that will be placed inside dispensaries, as a purchasing option for licensed users. ERBB shares traded up on the news.