Maine Marijuana Education Toolkit
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Marijuana Education Toolkit Preventing Underage and High Risk Use July 2020 About This Toolkit The use, sale, and possession of marijuana for those 21 and over is legal in Maine. On November 8, 2016, Maine voters approved Question 1 allowing the legalized use, retail sale, and taxation of marijuana. In 2019, licenses for adult use retail sale, manufacture, and operations were made available. Maine has a robust community of public health professionals who use passion and expertise in their work to prevent tobacco and substance use in their communities, and who know it will take a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach to address the increased visibility and shifting norms that accompany legalization of adult use marijuana. This marijuana toolkit aims to provide community members and prevention educators with essential information and supportive resources. This toolkit is intended to be included in broader community prevention education efforts. Preventing initiation of marijuana use among young people, as well as limiting problematic use, will take the effort of entire communities. This toolkit: • Provides information on health impacts, legal considerations, safety issues, and delves into elements of the cannabis plant, including the psychoactive and non-psychoactive components. • Uses cannabis and marijuana interchangeably, however the legal term for the product regulated and licensed in the state of Maine is marijuana. • Refers to adult use (rather than recreational use) in reference to use and possession for those over 21. Federally, marijuana remains a Schedule 1 Drug and continues to be illegal under federal law even though the state of Maine has voted to legalize adult use and retail sales. Under federal categorization, Schedule 1 Drugs have no known medical use and a high potential for abuse. Marijuana’s continued status as a federally illicit substance makes research both limited and difficult. If you have questions about this toolkit, please contact [email protected]. Table of Contents Section Page Number Common Terms and Definitions 1 Methods of Use 4 Adult Use Laws in Maine 6 Data: Marijuana Use in Maine 9 Marijuana Health and Social Impacts 12 How to Talk with Young People About Marijuana 15 Other Issues 16 The Role of Municipalities 18 Additional Resources 20 References 21 Fact sheets: o CBD vs THC (pg. 25) o Marijuana Use Among Maine Adults (pg. 36) o Vaping (pg. 26) o What Youth Need to Know (pg. 37) o Edibles (pg. 27) o How to Talk to Youth (pg. 38) o Adult and Medical Use in Maine (pg. 28) o Safe Storage (pg. 40) o Employers (pg. 33) o Pregnancy and Breastfeeding (pg. 42) o Immigration (pg. 34) o Regulation Best Practices for Municipalities o Youth Marijuana Data (pg. 35) (pg. 43) Common Terms and Definitions Cannabis Hemp Cannabis refers to a genus of plants Hemp is a phenotype of cannabis sativa that include the three species of but does not produce psychoactive cannabis sativa, cannabis indica, and effects that make people feel “high,” as cannabis ruderalis or their hybrids. Their it contains low levels of THC. The Hemp dried flowers or leaves are widely used Farming Act11 of 2018 removed hemp for their psychoactive and non- containing 0.3% THC or less from the psychoactive properties. The primary Schedule I Controlled Substances Act. properties within the cannabis plant include cannabinoids, terpenes, Hemp has many industrial uses flavonoids, and lipids. Some familiar and has been used to make components include cannabinoids, such clothes, paper, soap, and as CBD (Cannabidiol) and THC (Delta 9 furniture. Tetrahydrocannabinol). There are over 545 known compounds in the cannabis plant.1 Indica and Sativa Refers to the taxonomic classification of Research regarding impacts of the plant's genus. However, in today’s cannabis is limited, as there are culture, the terms indica and sativa have rigorous regulations in place from come to represent the effects of state and federal governmental cannabis. Indica has come to indicate a bodies, as well as funders. body-buzz, feelings of sedation, relaxation, or being “stoned”. Sativa has Marijuana come to indicate a cerebral, energetic, and uplifting “high”. However, these Marijuana is a term for the psychoactive classifications were not determined dried resinous flower buds and leaves based on the effects of the plant, but of the cannabis plant. It is known by largely by their geographic location and many slang terms, including flower, the name of the person who made the weed, bud, the devil’s lettuce, grass, discovery (i.e. Jean-Baptiste Lamarck wacky weed, dope, pot, herb, chronic, discovered indica in India).6 For this Mary Jane, reefer, ganga, green, hydro, reason, using the terms indica and dro, 420, and 710 (oil flipped and sativa to describe the varying effects of spelled backwards). Maine statute cannabis species and strains is defines "marijuana" as the leaves, inaccurate and misleading. stems, flowers and seeds of a Additionally, 95 percent of cannabis marijuana plant, whether growing or not. strains today are hybrids, and only a "Marijuana" includes marijuana handful of strains qualify as pure sativa, concentrate but does not include hemp indica, or ruderalis. or a marijuana product. 1 Cannabinoid At this time, the only FDA-approved synthetic cannabis-related products Cannabinoids are one of the primary include Marinol and Syndros (for use in properties of the cannabis plant. THC anorexia and weight loss due to AIDS or and CBD are the main cannabinoids, from chemotherapy-induced nausea and but more than 100 have been vomiting) and Cesamet (approved for identified.12 unmanageable chemotherapy-induced 10 Synthetic Cannabinoids nausea and vomiting). Synthetic cannabinoids (also known as Cannabidiol (CBD) K-2 or spice) are human-made CBD is a non-psychoactive component psychoactive substances that are of the cannabis plant (it won’t produce misleadingly referred to as synthetic feelings of being “high.”) CBD can come marijuana. Learn more about synthetic from both hemp and plants with high cannabinoids at the National Institute of THC content. Health. CBD derived from hemp with a THC THC- Delta 9 content of 0.3% or less can be Tetrahydrocannabinol purchased legally over the counter, THC is the psychoactive component of while CBD derived from marijuana can cannabis. THC causes a change in only be purchased from a dispensary or brain function, resulting in alterations of adult use retail store. While hemp perception, mood, cognition, or behavior derived CBD is readily available over - “the high.” the counter, it is currently an unregulated supplement making it THC levels vary depending on the difficult to know the levels of THC or strain, product, and method of other additives.8 consumption, but the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) considers anything CBD oil can be added to food or drinks above 12% THC to be “high potency.”2 or made into tinctures that can be taken THC can be consumed in food and orally or used topically. Certain types of drinks or by smoking, vaping, or dabbing CBD oil can be used in vaping devices, (definitions included below). but due to the lack of regulation, product safety is a concern. THC content has risen steadily since the late 1990s and early 2000s. According While CBD has reported benefits for to analyzed illicit cannabis products managing anxiety, arthritis, insomnia, seized by Drug Enforcement and chronic pain, there is little scientific Administration (DEA), the concentration research to support these claims. At this of THC has increased from 4% in 1995 time, the only FDA approved medical 2 use of CBD is the seizure medication to 12% in 2014. Additionally, the 9 potency monitoring program at the Epidiolex. There is potential for drug University of Mississippi observed an interactions and it is recommended to increase in THC concentration from consult a physician before using CBD 8.9% in 2008 to 17.1% in 2017.3 products. 2 Terpene with a patient certification for any condition medical providers believe Terpenes are compounds that give the would benefit from treatment with different strains of cannabis their marijuana. distinctive aromas like citrus, berry, or pine. There is currently little research to Currently, the Food and Drug support a strong correlation between Administration (FDA) does not any single terpene and the “high” that it recognize marijuana as a medicine. creates. Terpenes are thought to play a Medical marijuana users are not key role in modulating the effects of protected under the Americans with various cannabis strains, like whether Disability Act (ADA). Schools, someone might experience stress-relief, employers, or landlords may not focus, or anxiety. penalize a person for being issued a medical card or being a caregiver. There are over 100 different terpenes Employers are not required to make that have been identified in the cannabis accommodations for employees plant. Common terpenes include regarding marijuana use (even with a limonene, pinene, and myrcene.13 medical card). Medical vs. Adult Use in Maine For questions about medical use in These definitions refer to medical Maine, please refer to the Maine and adult use, possession, and Medical Use of Marijuana Program. cultivation in the state of Maine. Rules and regulations in other Adult Use states may vary. Adult use is purchase, possession, or consumption without medical need but Medical Use for its effects on motor, sensory, or cognitive activities or on emotional state. Under Maine law, "medical use" is The State of Maine requires those defined as the acquisition, possession, wishing to purchase, consume, or cultivation, manufacture, use, delivery, possess marijuana from a licensed transfer, or transportation of marijuana retailer to be 21 years or older. A best or paraphernalia relating to the practice is to use the term adult use administration of marijuana to treat or rather than “recreational marijuana” as alleviate a qualifying patient's medical recreation indicates a tone of diagnosis or symptoms for which a encouraged activities for fun.