People who have post-traumatic stress disorder but do not medicate with cannabis are far more likely to suffer from severe depression and have suicidal thoughts than those who use marijuana, new national research says.

Based on cross-country data from Statistics Canada, the observational study by researchers at the British Columbia Centre for Substance Use shows that Canadians with PTSD who use medicinal cannabis are 60 percent to 65 percent less likely to have major depressive episodes or thoughts of suicide compared with those who do not treat their symptoms with medical marijuana. The study is the first national-scale indication of the effectiveness of cannabis at mitigating the hallmark symptoms of PTSD. It was presented on Thursday at the annual conference of the Canadian Public Health Association in Montreal.

The results underscore the need for increased investments in the science of medical cannabis, including randomized controlled studies designed to explore safety, effectiveness and optimal uses, said M-J Milloy, an epidemiologist and the lead author of the study.

“The findings today are not by any means the end of the story,” said Dr. Milloy, who called the prevalence of PTSD in Canada a “pretty substantial public health problem.”

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Sonoma’s cannabis-consumption future is coming into focus.

The Sonoma City Council, at its May 30 “special” meeting to consider marijuana regulations, voted to allow for the personal cultivation of a limited number of outdoor plants – but stamped down on the idea of an in-town cannabis dispensary.

The votes on cultivation and storefront dispensaries – the former 3-2 in favor; the latter 3-2 against – weren’t binding. The council was, rather, giving direction to city staff, which will return to the city council later with a more concrete set of ordinances to consider based on Wednesday’s votes.

Since the 2016 approval of Proposition 64, which legalized adult recreational cannabis in California, Sonoma has been operating under a cannabis moratorium, which expires in November, until city officials come to terms on formal regulations regarding the newly legal intoxicant. 

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – California lawmakers moved Wednesday to create a state-backed bank to handle the billions of dollars flowing from the newly legal recreational marijuana market.

The world’s largest legal recreational marijuana economy, created under a law that took effect this year, is projected to grow to $7 billion.

The bill approved by a bipartisan 29-6 state Senate vote is designed to help pot entrepreneurs who usually deal in cash because most banks won’t accept money from a product that remains illegal under federal law.

SB930 now goes to the Assembly for consideration.

The bill would permit charter banks and credit unions regulated by the state Department of Business Oversight to provide limited banking services to pot-related businesses.

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Prosecutors have brought the first criminal charges against 142 people as they aim to tamp down the growing illegal marijuana market in Los Angeles since the state legalized recreational use in January, officials said Wednesday.

The charges involve employees of 32 commercial cannabis companies and a business that delivers marijuana, said City Attorney Mike Feuer.

“The combination of significant amounts of cash and marijuana at these locations can make them dangerous,” Feuer said.

Recreational cannabis businesses must be licensed by both the city and state. So far, only 147 city licenses have been issued to sell adult-use, recreational cannabis in Los Angeles. Many illegal marijuana shops operate in plain sight — out of storefronts in busy neighborhoods.

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