Latest news with #cannabis
ABC News
3 hours ago
- ABC News
Man sentenced to jail for selling cannabis gummies to Canberra schoolchildren, trading in illegal vapes
A former Vietnamese student has been sentenced to a year in jail for peddling cannabis gummies and vapes to Canberra school children, some of whom paid by bank transfers listed as "drugs", "green", "jelly wobbles", and "thanks". Phuc Tran, 24, was arrested after police were told a 15-year-old student at a Canberra high school had become ill after eating cannabis-laced gummies. It emerged the gummies had been originally sold to a 12-year-old, who said she bought them from Tran in person. She said she had paid $40 for two marijuana cookies, and $60 for a packet containing 15 to 20 gummies, which were green and purple and in the shape of a marijuana leaf. The girl told police she ate some of the gummies and cookies, and stated they did not taste very nice and they made her fall asleep. The 12-year-old denied giving any to the student who fell ill. Tran had already been in the police sights, being caught with 250 illegal vapes in a car during a police stop in 2023. Then last year, before police knew about the school incident, he was stopped again and officers reported a smell of cannabis emerged from the car he was in. A search revealed 149 vapes, cannabis in bags in the centre console and glove box, suboxone strips, and $4,000 in cash. Police said while they were searching the car Tran received a text message asking "What budz you got", and another message about the vapes. Tran was initially arrested, but then freed while police searched his phone. The search revealed dozens of transactions of between $45 and $55, which the court heard is the street price for vapes. When police began to check the account holders they discovered many were children. A total of 14 statements were obtained from young people, many of whom had contacted Tran over Snapchat on a handle known as "no names" to buy vapes, cannabis and gummies. Police later gave the phone back to Tran and began following him, tracking his movements before his final arrest in the wake of the school incident. Police then searched a house linked to the crimes, finding cannabis plants in grow tents, racks of gummies, cookies and brownies, gummy-bear-shaped silicone cooking moulds, and more than 600 vapes. Eventually he pleaded guilty to 12 charges, including supplying drugs to a child, drug trafficking and possessing both drugs and vapes. He is the first person in the ACT to be prosecuted under new commonwealth laws banning the sale of vapes, except through pharmacies. Tran said his motive was to address a cash flow problem. His student visa has now run out.
Malay Mail
7 hours ago
- Malay Mail
KLIA drug busts uncover RM2.65m in cannabis, ecstasy and meth
SEPANG, June 20 — Customs officers have foiled multiple attempts to smuggle 30.14 kilogrammes (kg) of drugs estimated to be worth RM2.65 million through the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA). KLIA Customs director Zulkifli Muhammad said that on April 17, a man was arrested for trying to smuggle out 14.65kg of cannabis buds worth almost RM1.44 million in his checked baggage on a flight to a European country. He said the man was subjected to a baggage inspection after his travel was blocked by the Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) due to a blacklist record. 'During the baggage scan, the man attempted to flee but was apprehended by Customs personnel. 'The inspection found that the cannabis buds were packed in vacuum-sealed plastic to avoid detection,' he told a press conference yesterday. Zulkifli said on May 16, Customs found 5.31kg of ecstasy worth almost RM900,000 that was being smuggled in through a consignment at a cargo terminal operator in the KLIA Free Trade Zone. He said the drugs, believed to have originated from a European country, were packaged and declared as laptop components. Then, on May 24, he said that 10.18kg of syabu, worth nearly RM300,000, concealed in a consignment along with clothing, was also intercepted. He said investigations into both drug shipments are underway, but face obstacles as the smugglers were likely using fake company names and addresses. 'We have gone to the (premises) as declared in the consignment information, but the company either does not exist or is using someone else's address,' he said. — Bernama
Globe and Mail
8 hours ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Aurora Cannabis Advises of Second False Article from Investing.com
NASDAQ| TSX: ACB EDMONTON, AB, June 19, 2025 /CNW/ - Aurora Cannabis Inc. (the "Company" or "Aurora") (NASDAQ: ACB) (TSX: ACB), a leading Canada-based global medical cannabis company, has become aware of a second instance of misinformation posted on news website,
CBS News
10 hours ago
- Business
- CBS News
Fort Worth shop owner fears closure as Gov. Greg Abbott weighs THC ban
Fort Worth shop owner says THC ban could shut down his business Fort Worth shop owner says THC ban could shut down his business Fort Worth shop owner says THC ban could shut down his business Alex Noriega, owner of Natural Buds in Fort Worth, says a proposed statewide ban on hemp-derived THC products could force him to shut down just nine months after opening. THC ban threatens small shops Noriega, who uses THC to manage seizures, says the products have significantly improved his quality of life. "It used to be where I would have seizures on a weekly basis. Now I only have them every three to four months," he said. But with Senate Bill 3 awaiting action from Gov. Greg Abbott, Noriega says the uncertainty is taking a toll. "As Sunday approaches, the 22nd, when the governor has to sign this by, I've been getting less sleep every night," he said. 90% of inventory at risk Noriega estimates that 90% of the products he sells contain THC and would be banned under the bill. "I sold the family house to open this place, so everything's on the line," he said. "Eliminating THC would put us completely out of business." Customers worry about safety Customers like Devonrick Jefferson say a ban could push people toward unregulated alternatives. "I feel safe coming to the THC stores versus buying on the street," he said. "Here, it feels regulated. I know what I'm putting in my body." Governor silent as deadline nears Senate Bill 3 would ban products containing Delta-8, Delta-9, and THC-infused beverages, while still allowing non-intoxicating cannabinoids like CBD. The bill has sparked backlash from business owners and advocates, who say it could eliminate $4.3 billion in annual revenue and 53,000 jobs statewide 1. Gov. Abbott has not publicly stated whether he will sign or veto the bill. If he takes no action by Sunday, it will become law without his signature.
Fox News
13 hours ago
- Health
- Fox News
Cannabis use raises risk of heart attack and stroke more than cocaine, other drugs, major review suggests
The potential risk of cannabis use has been in the spotlight following recent research pointing toward negative health effects. This includes a new meta-analysis by French researchers, published in the journal Heart, which reviewed multiple studies to assess the link between cannabis and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). The researchers analyzed data from more than 400 million patients involved in 24 previous cross-sectional studies (capturing data at a single point in time) and cohort studies (following patients over time). One study focused on medical cannabis. The overall results noted a significant increase in risk of major cardiovascular events, including a 29% higher likelihood of heart attack, 20% higher risk of stroke and twice the chances of cardiovascular death. The danger was also elevated in people who used cannabis at least once a week. Several studies found higher odds of acute myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack. One study pinpointed the risk among younger populations aged 15 to 22, while another observed it in patients who used cannabis more than once a week. One study from the primary French administrative database for hospitals found that, compared to other illicit drugs like cocaine and opioids, cannabis was a larger predictor of heart attack. Another study analyzed the association between cannabis and acute coronary syndrome (reduced blood flow to the heart) in nearly 15,000 patients ranging from 18 to 54 years old. The analysis found no significant association in the overall sample, but signaled a higher risk in a subgroup of patients aged 18 to 36. Cannabis use significantly increased all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality in a cohort of patients who experienced a heart attack before age 50. A UK Biobank analysis pointed out that women have a "significantly higher" risk of cardiovascular mortality than men. The larger review concluded that these findings reveal "positive associations" between cannabis use and MACE, and should "encourage investigating cannabis use in all patients presenting with serious cardiovascular disorders." Although medical marijuana can provide relief for people with conditions like arthritis, multiple sclerosis, cancer and other illnesses, overuse has been linked to potential health risks, especially for seniors. The authors of the French review acknowledged that there were some limitations to the findings – primarily that there is a lower prevalence of cocaine and opioids compared to cannabis use. "Cannabis exposure was poorly reported in the included studies, which prevented our meta-analysis from assessing it," they wrote. There was also a potential for some degree of bias in some of the studies due to lack of information or missing data. "Studies that relied on patient surveys faced substantial bias regarding exposure and outcome misclassification when patients assessed these data themselves," the researchers noted. Other potential limitations included overlapping data and limited timeframes. During an appearance on "America's Newsroom" in early June, Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel commented on a recent study that found more seniors are using cannabis than ever before, despite the potential health risks. Siegel noted that regular use of cannabis can be dangerous if not tracked. "We definitely jumped the gun by not anticipating all the medical risks here." "You might use a gummy to go to bed, and then the next thing, you're using two gummies, or three gummies, and it could increase anxiety, it can increase discombobulation, you're not thinking clearly, ER visits are on the increase," he cautioned. "We know about problems with the lungs," Siegel added. "It can accelerate dementia and can affect behavior." The doctor likened the use of marijuana to the effects of smoking cigarettes in terms of damage to the heart and lungs. "It is absolutely an active chemical we need to watch out for, and I'm very disturbed that the elderly are using it," he said. "We've completely jumped the gun [on legalization] because people are going to the ER with psychosis. They're going there with vomiting disorders. They're having car accidents as a result," he went on. For more Health articles, visit "We are studying Colorado ever since it was legalized there, and the results are not pretty. We definitely jumped the gun by not anticipating all the medical risks here." Fox News Digital reached out to the study authors for comment.
