Opiate Addiction Experts Turn To Marijuana As Safer Alternative To Pain Relief
The U.S. is in the grips of a well-documented opiate epidemic. More people in the country now die from heroin and prescription opiates than they do from car accidents. In 2014, nearly 19,000 fatal overdoses were related to legal opiates like Oxycontin and Vicodin, and according to the Center for Disease Control, at least half […]
PA: Medical Marijuana Near McAdoo
Kline Township – A greenhouse business in Schuylkill County wants to put its expertise growing plants to new use growing medical marijuana. The state legalized the medicinal use of the drug in April and soon plans to give permits to growers. Van Hoekelen Greenhouse near McAdoo has been a growing business for nearly 30 years. […]
A Brand New Way To Take Medical Marijuana In New Jersey
Trenton – Medical marijuana patients in New Jersey will soon have a choice of buying edible drops and enhanced lotions to help ease their suffering, according to the south Jersey dispensary that won approval Friday to manufacture and sell the first non-smokable products in the state. Compassionate Sciences in Bellmawr, Camden County, expects to begin […]
CA: Supervisors Reject Medical Marijuana Bans
After nearly three hours of staff reports, public comment and board discussion Tuesday, Aug. 16, county supervisors declined to pass urgency ordinances that would have temporarily restricted the cultivation of medical marijuana and prohibited dispensaries in Plumas County. Instead, the board plans to form a working committee made up of two supervisors, one or two […]
MD: State Issues Preliminary Marijuana Growing Licenses – Including One In Montgomery
Last week, the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission granted license pre-approvals for companies to begin cultivating and processing marijuana in Maryland, including one processing organization in Montgomery County: Rosebud Organics, LLC. The commissioners offered preliminary licenses to 15 growers and 15 processors, located throughout the state, though commission Executive Director Patrick Jameson stated, “A pre-approval is […]
MO: Medical Cannabis Supporters Looking To Connect With Conservatives
Columbia, Mo. – Eapen Thampy, the founder of Heartland Priorities, spoke in front of the Columbia Pachyderm Club Friday. He spoke on a topic that only a decade and a half ago likely would have been taboo for any official party event – legalizing cannabis or marijuana for medical use. Thampy has advocated for drug […]
CA: Signal Hill Voters Could Decide On Medical Marijuana Dispensaries
Signal Hill voters may be deciding whether to allow medical marijuana dispensaries after a petition drive similar to one in Long Beach. Except the Signal Hill proposition won’t be on the ballot – if it qualifies – until next March. A Long Beach ballot initiative to allow medical marijuana dispensaries, along with a second marijuana […]
Arkansas Governor Pans Medical Marijuana Bid
Hot Springs – Legalizing medical marijuana would be a drain on the state’s resources, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Thursday as legalization supporters asked the state’s highest court to dismiss an attempt to block their proposal this fall. The governor also expressed opposition to a casino ballot measure while speaking to the Association of Arkansas Counties. […]
BC: Marijuana Advocates Planning To Raise Awareness
Proponents of medical marijuana are planning a rally in Penticton as the issue makes its way through federal and local governments. A rally is being held at Gyro Park on Sept. 4 at 2 p.m. Anyone with an interest is invited to attend and the rally hopes to raise awareness and promote facts surrounding the […]
MO: Medical Marijuana Advocates To Greene Co. – Back Off Our Ballot Initiative
While waiting outside the Greene County courthouse Wednesday morning, little Ayden Markum had a cluster of five seizures. The 3-year-old has intractable epilepsy and cerebral palsy. Ashley Markum comforted her son, letting him know that she was there. She then pushed his wheelchair in circles to sooth him. Ayden seemed to enjoy the warm breeze […]
CA: Campaign Ignites Over Pot Dispensary
Local voters will soon get used to hearing the words “Measure KK.” Proponents and opponents of the November ballot measure to open two medical marijuana dispensaries in Laguna Beach say they will make their points with anyone and everyone who will listen. Both sides of the measure say they’re taking a grassroots approach to voters, […]
CA: With Spotlight On The Medicinal, Adelanto Makes First Pitch For Pot Tax
Adelanto – Making its first formal pitch to voters Tuesday evening, the city unleashed a panel of medical marijuana industry insiders to vouch for the plant’s health care benefits as a November ballot measure looms that would tax commercial pot activities here. Measure R would enact an up-to 5 percent excise tax on cultivation, manufacturing, […]
CA: Some Marijuana Activists Urge “No” Vote On Legalization
Sacramento – As voters consider marijuana-legalization efforts in several states this November, they can expect opposition from the usual pot opponents like law-enforcement groups and anti-drug activists – but some of the most ardent foes come, unexpectedly, from within the marijuana community itself. Opponents include some in the medical-marijuana industry, concerned about what a wide-open […]
MT: Medical Marijuana Patients Ask State To Delay Enforcement Of New Restrictions
Helena – Medical-marijuana patients and providers in Montana are urging state officials to delay enforcement of next week’s new restrictions on the drug until voters decide a November 8 ballot measure to lift those restrictions. Even if Initiative 182 is approved, it wouldn’t lift the most onerous restrictions until June 2017 – 10 months from […]
MI: Benzie County Local Medical Marijuana Community React To Marijuana
Continuing coverage on a large marijuana growing operation and the arrest of three men in Benzie County. For three months the sheriff’s office worked with the Traverse Narcotics Team to investigate, and ultimately raid the medical marijuana farm. They found $10,000, guns and hundreds of marijuana plants on a property in Homestead Township. “This was […]
OH: New Medical Marijuana Law, What You Need To Know
Ohio is the 25th state to adopt a medical marijuana law. This law takes effect on Sept. 8. Proactively addressing potential concerns and questions about the law, the Allen County Health Department answered the following questions:Who will administer this program? The newly established Medical Marijuana Control Commission in the Ohio Department of Commerce What does […]
To Enrich Big Pharma, FDA And DEA Deny Science On Medical Marijuana
Even though America has been a leader in scientific research and development, this country has an inordinate percentage of the population, and one political party that denies science religiously. That’s what happens when ignorance and stupidity are hailed as uniquely desirable American traits that make the U.S.A. the most exceptional nation in world history. However, […]
OH: Plain Township Employees Will Not Be Permitted To Use Medical Marijuana
PLAIN TWP. Ohio – As of September 8, medical marijuana will be legal to use in the state of Ohio with a prescription. House Bill 523 clears the way for legal distribution and use of marijuana for medicinal purposes but it also allows employers with a drug free workplace policy to prevent their employees from […]
OK: Supporters Of State Question Criticize AG Scott Pruitt’s Rewrite Of Ballot Title
Oklahoma City – Supporters of an effort to legalize medical marijuana in Oklahoma said Thursday they will challenge the ballot title rewording by Attorney General Scott Pruitt. The ballot title explains the measure to voters. Pruitt on Thursday submitted the ballot title for State Question 788, a measure that if approved by voters would legalize […]
Timeline For Texas’ Cannabis Oil Law Leads To Medical Refugees
The Department of Public Safety is meeting Thursday to go over the latest set of rules connected with Texas’ limited medical marijuana law. The timeline for implementing the law is on schedule, but that schedule is two years after the law took effect and that has dozens of Texas families uprooting their lives to move […]
Cannabis Oil Won’t Be Sourced In Cayman, Says MLA
Health Councillor Roy McTaggart told Cayman 27 when cannabis oil is approved for medical use in Cayman, it won’t be grown on Cayman’s soil. He said allowing local farmers to cultivate marijuana would create the need for additional layers of regulation and testing, something he said government is not prepared to do. He told Cayman […]
Charges ‘Inevitable’ For Saint John Medical Marijuana Dispensary Lawyer
A new medical marijuana business in Saint John is drawing the attention of the public as well as the Saint John Police Department. “Medicinal Grounds Cannabis Centre” is a medical marijuana dispensary and resource centre, and the first of its kind in Saint John. It sits in the heart of one of the city’s most […]
AR: Text Of Medical Marijuana Ballot Title
Popular Name The Arkansas Medical Cannabis Act Ballot Title An act making the medical use of cannabis, commonly called marijuana, legal under Arkansas state law, but acknowledging that cannabis use, possession, and distribution for any purpose remain illegal under federal law; establishing a system for the cultivation and distribution of cannabis for qualifying patients through […]
TX: State Today To Begin Writing Legal Marijuana Rules
The Texas Public Safety Commission, which manages the DPS, will take a step today that few expected would be possible five years ago…it will begin to put together the regulations to govern the first legal production of marijuana in the state, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports. The Commission will begin work on a bill passed […]
Pot Dispensary Eying South Florida As Medical Marijuana Business Ramps Up
A company that opened Florida’s first medical marijuana dispensary in Tallahassee is considering expanding its operations to South Florida. Trulieve has sent inquiries to Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, along with other communities across Florida, asking about zoning regulations for dispensaries, which are storefront offices where qualified patients can pick up their cannabis, CEO […]
MT: Error In Marijuana Initiative Could Delay Changes To Law
Helena, Mont. – Organizers of a ballot initiative that aims to immediately reverse new restrictions to medical marijuana distribution in Montana may have inadvertently set their cause back by half a year. The initiative seeks, in part, to lift a restriction that goes into effect next week limiting marijuana providers to a maximum of three […]
FL: Voters Likely To Vote To Pass Medical Marijuana Amendment
A poll released Thursday shows the majority of Floridians support a constitutional amendment to legalize medical marijuana, a good sign for supporters of the amendment as they make their final push to the November election. The St. Leo University Polling Institute survey found 68 percent of likely Florida voters would support Amendment 2 on the […]
BC: Nanaimo Reviews Victoria’s Draft Regulations On Medical Marijuana Dispensaries
Nanaimo city councillors want to know how the City of Victoria plans to regulate marijuana dispensaries, but there was agreement, something needs to be done about the pot shops here. Nanaimo continues to see dispensaries open and sell bud to brownies and T-shirts despite still being illegal. After an RCMP crackdown on dispensaries in December, […]
ON: New Medical Marijuana Rules Getting Mixed Reviews
New federal rules today will allow Canadians to grow their own medical marijuana, provided they follow certain steps. Already, some users are claiming the regulations violate their rights and are demanding the government repeal them. These new regulations, under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR) would allow patients to grow a small […]
FL: Why Some Say The Bay Area’s New Medical Marijuana Dispensary Just Isn’t Enough
Lithia, Fla. – Rene Petro’s life came crashing down 6 years ago. Her healthy 8-year-old boy suddenly started seizing. “I kept hearing him say it hurts, please stop hurting me,” said Petro Her son Branden’s seizures never stopped. He suffers from a rare for of epilepsy. Rene’s has documented his struggles fighting for relief for […]
OK: Medical Marijuana Supporters Consider Options If Question Doesn’t Make Ballot
Oklahoma – Supporters of legalization of medical marijuana on Wednesday vowed to press getting the issue on the Nov. 8 ballot, despite a series of deadlines that make it nearly impossible. On Tuesday, state officials said Oklahomans for Health had collected more than enough signatures to get the issue before voters. Supporters collected 67,761 signatures; […]
MA: Leominster Council Wrong To Delay Marijuana Decisions
Leominster – City Council President David Cormier criticized the council’s recent vote on medical-marijuana facilities Wednesday after the council chose to delay any decision on the three pending applications to open dispensaries and cultivation centers in Leominster. “This whole thing about sweeping it under the carpet isn’t sitting well with me and these applicants deserve […]
Activists Supported By Stonegait Institute Win Big For Medical Marijuana
The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners met Thursday night to vote on a one-year moratorium for all medical marijuana facilities within the county. The Stonegait Institute was out in front of this issue, informing the public of what was going on, and sending activists to the meeting to speak out against this infringement on […]
CA: Why Pico Rivera Killed A Plan To Legalize Medical Marijuana Dispensaries
Pico Rivera – A ban on medical marijuana dispensaries in the city will remain in place after City Council members Tuesday refused to move forward a proposal legalizing them. When it came down to a motion, no council member would make it, in effect killing the proposed ordinance. Councilmembers decided to keep their ban in […]
MA: No City Council Support For Allston Marijuana Dispensary
Following the lead of Allston-Brighton’s district councilor, Mark Ciommo, the Boston City Council opted to not endorse a locally run company’s bid to open a medical marijuana dispensary in the Allston neighborhood. The voice vote – which appeared to be unanimous – came Wednesday at the weekly City Council meeting, two days after Ciommo held […]
NY: The Cost Of Medical Marijuana – $1,000 Per Month
Churchville, N.Y. – A mother from Churchville is finally able to get medical marijuana for her daughter who has epilepsy. But the cost of the drug has put it nearly out of reach. “The cost is astronomical,” Christine Emerson told 13 WHAM’s Jane Flasch. Her daughter Julia turns 10 next week. Medical marijuana has helped […]
MA: Could Legalizing Recreational Pot Help Medical Marijuana Patients?
Chicopee, Mass. – The state maintains a list of people who have registered for a medical marijuana card. Supporters of “Yes on 4” believe recreational pot will help medical marijuana patients who don’t want to get the card. The “Yes on 4” campaign told 22News that many people, especially veterans and federal employees, don’t want […]
OK: Medical Marijuana Measure Must Clear More Hurdles Before Public Vote
Oklahoma City – Oklahomans will likely have a chance to vote on legalizing medical marijuana. A last minute push by supporters proved successful. They gathered just enough signatures to put the proposal on the ballot. The question now is when will we vote? On Thursday, August 18, Attorney General Scott Pruitt sent a letter to […]
MD: Washington Co. Medical Marijuana Applicant Dropped In Ranking
Annapolis – Maryland’s medical marijuana commission on Wednesday released details on how top applicants to grow and process marijuana in the state were ranked. The rankings named two growers that were bumped out of the top 15 and two that were moved up due to geographical considerations. MD Cultivation and Processing in Frederick County and […]
OH: Avon Lake Moving For Medical Marijuana Moratorium
With the term medical marijuana buzzing around, Avon Lake City Council’s safety committee moved along a moratorium to a collective committee meeting during its meeting Aug. 24. “A number of communities are doing this to allow for the dust to settle,” said Safety Committee Chair David Kos, adding that they want to see how everything […]
SK: Regina Medical Marijuana User Welcomes New Laws
After growing his own marijuana for years, Ryan Murray says he can now do so without the fear of criminal prosecution. “For me personally, it’s a big smile on my face.”said Murray. “Now I get to grow my medical cannabis again”. Effective Wednesday, new federal rules allow people authorized to use medical marijuana to grow […]
MA: Medical Marijuana Dispensary In East Boston Gets Nod From City Council
The Boston City Council voted unanimously today to write a letter of “non-opposition” for a medical-marijuana dispensary proposed for 220 McClellan Highway in East Boston. Happy Valley Ventures needs the letter to win state approval for its proposed dispensary. City Councilor Sal LaMattina (East Boston, Charlestown, North End) praised the application and location. “The location […]
NZ: Cannabis Law Reform Unlikely With Current Crop
The problem with Parliament and social reform is that is that it’s wrested in the hands of too few people. And there’s a lot of reform itching to get out of the political starting blocks. Cannabis law reform’s one area that’s unlikely to see the light of day with the current crop. Labour’s Andrew Little […]
Boom Of Medical Marijuana Research On The Horizon As DEA Loosens Restrictions
Head of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) Rick Doblin has been working on getting marijuana approved as a medicine for years, and recently announced the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is starting to open up to the idea of licensing more than one producer of cannabis product for research. The only organization with exclusive […]
MA: Arlington Redevelopment Board Delays Decision On Medical Marijuana Facility
Arlington, MA – The Arlington Redevelopment Board has decided to delay a decision on a proposed medical marijuana facility in town, reports the Arlington Advocate. During its meeting on Aug. 22, the redevelopment board did not vote on an application from the Massachusetts Patient Foundation, reports the Advocate. The hearing will be continued on Sept. […]
MA: Monson Town Meeting Rejects Creating Medical Marijuana Zoning District
Monson – Town Meeting said no to a Planning Board-recommended zoning amendment to create a medical marijuana overlay zoning district to accommodate potential growing and dispensary facilities at Monday’s session. Although 75 voted in favor, 216 were opposed at the well-attended special Town Meeting. The medical marijuana overlay district that was rejected called for creation […]
DEA Concession Means Marijuana Could Be Approved As A Medicine
Rick Doblin, who as head of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) has been trying for years to jump through the hoops required to get marijuana approved as a medicine, says the Drug Enforcement Administration’s new willingness to license more than one producer of cannabis for research will finally make it at least theoretically […]
FL: Orange County Follows Orlando With Moratorium On Medical Marijuana Activities
More than a month after the Orlando City Council voted for a temporary moratorium for medical marijuana dispensaries, Orange County commissioners followed suit with a similar measure on Tuesday. The moratorium extends to May 23, 2017 or until commissioners adopt new rules regarding medical marijuana nurseries and dispensaries. Currently, several state-approved dispensaries have started selling […]
Canada: New Medical Marijuana Regulations Don’t Pass The Smell Test
The federal Liberals recently unveiled new medical marijuana regulations, in order to meet guidelines set out by the Supreme Court of Canada. With the legalization of recreational cannabis, and likely new ways of handling medical cannabis, forthcoming in the new year, these regulatory changes offer clues as to the direction the federal government is heading. […]
We Need To De-Stigmatize It
Paris – A medical marijuana operation in Paris is planning to start shipping its product by mid-October. Hundreds of towering plants fill a flowering room at Emblem Cannabis’s 23,000-square-foot growing facility in a former chicken processing plant. The operation is one of about 35 federally authorized, mail-order medical marijuana suppliers in Canada, including 20 in […]
CA: Pico Rivera Council Kills Plan To Legalize Medical Marijuana Dispensaries
Pico Rivera – A proposal to legalize medical marijuana dispensaries was killed Tuesday when council members took no action on the plan. After nearly two hours of debate, no one was willing to make a motion in favor, with Mayor David Armenta the only council member speaking in favor. Council members said they saw no […]
MD: Medical Marijuana Means Jobs
When Del. Neil Parrott hits the campaign trail, his message is clear: Elect me and Washington County will see an influx of jobs. The reality, of course, has been somewhat different. Parrott has spent his time in office doing battle with immigrant scholarships, trying to police the state’s bathrooms, and working on other hot-button issues […]
NM: To Help Baby Girl, Family Drives To Denver For Cannabis
Albuquerque, N.M. – A New Mexico family is suing the state’s health department claiming that medical marijuana growing limitations hinder producers from making a certain cannabis oil that helps with their infant daughter’s rare disorder. Nicole and Ernie Sena have an 8-month-old daughter named Amylea, and when they look into her eyes they said they […]
Medical Marijuana
Having recently been in Colorado Springs, medicinal marijuana supply shops are having a hard time keeping up with the demand. More and more uses are being found for cannabinoids for the treatment of medical illnesses. Finally more politicians are deciding to get the education they need on these pharmaceuticals and are coming to the realization […]
Who Is Getting Medical Marijuana In New York?
Albany, N.Y. – A report by the state Health Department gives the first glimpse of who is getting cannabis through the state’s 9-month-old medical marijuana program. Number of patients: As of June 15, 4,998 New Yorkers were certified to get medical pot. Where do they live? About 60 percent live in the New York City […]
MT: Judge Denies Petition To Put Measure Banning Medical Marijuana On Ballot
A judge in Kalispell has denied a petition to put a measure banning medical marijuana on the November ballot. Secretary of State Linda McCulloch’s office says Initiative 176 received 20,038 certified signatures, around 4,000 short of qualifying. But sponsor Steve Zabawa, director of SafeMontana, disputed that number. Zabawa asked Judge Heidi Ulbricht to require Flathead […]
NYS Department Of Health Considering Changes To Medical Marijuana Program
Albany, N.Y. The state’s Department of Health is considering a dozen changes to the state’s medical marijuana program. The recommendations were released as part of a two year review. Nancy Rivera is still searching for a registered physician that can write her a prescription for medical marijuana. The cancer survivor, who is also suffering from […]
Denmark Takes Small Step Towards Medicinal Cannabis
The Region of Southern Denmark on Tuesday agreed to move forward on a plan that could see the region become the first in the nation to prescribe cannabis for medicinal use. The region’s board of health gave the go-head to seek funding for a medicinal cannabis trial programme. “There are so many people who suffer […]
NY: Health Department Airs Out Proposal That Would Put Medical Marijuana In Schools
Albany – Back to school supplies could soon include medical marijuana under a proposal put forward by Gov. Cuomo’s administration. Looking at ways to expand New York’s fledgling medical cannabis program, the state Health Department wants to give schools a way to “possess, secure, and administer medical marijuana products under limited circumstances.” The proposal was […]
Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Petition Surpasses Signatures Needed
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma – The effort to bring medical marijuana to a vote of the people reached a milestone Tuesday.Oklahoma Secretary of State Chris Benge announced his office completed the counting of signatures for State Question 788. According to a news release, the secretary of state’s office counted a total of 67,761 signatures for the […]
These Four States Will Be Voting On Medical Marijuana In November
It’s been 20 years since California punched through pot prohibition and became the first state to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes. Now, 23 states have medical marijuana laws, and more than a dozen more have taken the half-step of legalizing the medicinal use of cannabidiol (CBD) only – not raw marijuana. While some of the […]
NSW: Medical Cannabis Trial For Epileptic Children Showing 'Promising' Early Signs
A special scheme providing medicinal cannabis to epileptic children too sick to join the upcoming standard clinical trial in NSW has shown “promising” early signs, though doctors have warned it is not a miracle cure. About 20 severely epileptic children have so far begun receiving the cannabis-based medicine Epidiolex under the NSW Government’s Compassionate Access […]
New York Considering Home Delivery Of Medical Marijuana
Albany, N.Y. – New York is considering expanding its 9-month-old medical marijuana program by adding more growers and allowing home delivery. The state Health Department has issued a report recommending ways the program can be improved. Some of those recommendations include: Registering five additional growers over the next two years. Making it easier for schools […]
OH: Council Looks For Clarity In Medical Pot Permits
Zanesville – Ohio’s new marijuana law goes into effect on Sept. 8, making the state the 25th to legalize it for medical purposes. However, that doesn’t mean anyone can casually smoke pot. In fact, smoking marijuana in Ohio will still be illegal. Although Ohio Republican Gov. John Kasich signed a bill legalizing marijuana for medical […]
CO: Commercial And Medical Pot Licensing Moratorium Extention May Get New Life
The November ballot may get a little greener. The Pueblo County commissioners are proposing a ballot question asking if an existing moratorium on the licensing of any new commercial and medical pot businesses should be extended to 2020. Another part of the question would ask for a moratorium on commercial pot grow licenses until Jan. […]
Debate Over Marijuana In Missouri More Than Just A Puff Of Smoke
Last week a group of Missouri prosecutors announced they had taken legal steps to block voter consideration of a medical marijuana proposition on the November ballot. In a news release, the group said it opposes the measure because pot is illegal under federal law. “Missouri law cannot usurp federal law,” the prosecutors claim. That doesn’t […]
NB: Medical Marijuana Company Receives Government Support
Atholville, N.B. – The provincial government is providing support for a proposed medical marijuana facility that is expected to create up to 208 jobs in northern New Brunswick. “We understand how important job creation, education and health care are to New Brunswickers,” said Premier Brian Gallant. “With this investment we are getting things done to […]
MA: Leominster Delays Decision On Medical Marijuana Approvals
Leominster – Despite a formal recommendation from the city’s Ways and Means Committee to grant a letter of non-opposition to Prime Wellness Centers Inc., allowing it to open Leominster’s first medical-marijuana dispensary, the City Council voted Monday night to table the requests of all three applicants trying to open marijuana-related facilities in the city. At-large […]
NY: DOH – 340 Marijuana Patients In Westchester
Albany – More than half of patients certified to receive medical marijuana in New York live in New York City or on Long Island, according to a new report. The state Department of Health this week released a legally required report detailing the progress of the state’s medical-marijuana program, which was signed into law two […]
Santa Cruz Nonprofit Provides Free Medical Marijuana To California Vets
Live Oak – By 6 p.m. Monday, more than 100 U.S. veterans had lined up in the back parking lot of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 7263. The group consisted of men and women from all branches and eras of the military. They chatted amiably or rested in folding camping chairs, waiting for […]
Guam – Igisomar Reintroduces Medical Marijuana Bill
Saipan – Sen. Sixto Igisomar shelved his first version of the marijuana bill and drafted another version, this time to regulate its use for personal, commercial and medicinal use. He said Senate Bill 19-106 is the improved version of Senate Bill 19-6 and is now with the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare chaired by […]
FL: Petition To Stop Publix From Fighting Medical Marijuana Has 41K Signatures
Thousands of people are pushing back against Carol Jenkins Barnett, daughter of Publix supermarket founder George Jenkins, who donated $800,000 to Drug Free Florida in hopes of defeating the November medical marijuana vote. A citizen-led petition on Change.org, aimed at stopping the heiress from donating money to anti-medical marijuana causes, has garnered more than 41,000 […]
An Update On Medical Marijuana
Medicinal marijuana is expanding rapidly and recreational marijuana is making a serious, and perhaps inevitable, run at being legal. So where do we stand from a medical perspective? In this session at WCI’s 2016 Workers’ Compensation Educational Conference, Donald Bucklin, MD, Medical Review Officer at U.S. Healthworks, provided a marijuana status update. There are 483 […]
NY: State Health Department Recommends Overhauling Medical Marijuana Program
The Cuomo administration is recommending significant expansions to the state’s fledgling medical marijuana program just nine months after it began. The state Department of Health, in a report analyzing the program, offered 12 recommendations to improve the program, including: registering an additional five growers over the next two years, increasing the number of brands allowed […]
HI: Medical Marijuana Use Big On Big Island
New data from the state Department of Health confirms Hawaii County has nearly twice as many medical marijuana patients as Oahu, with about 11 percent living in Pahoa alone. On June 30, there were 6,101 patients residing on Hawaii Island, comprising 42 percent of the 14,492 patients statewide. The island has about 13 percent of […]
MD: Legislative Black Caucus – Hogan Should Intervene In Medical Cannabis Licenses
The head of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland is asking the governor to intervene in the awarding of medical cannabis licenses because the selected companies lack diversity, denying minorities the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of an emerging industry. “I am completely disappointed with the medical marijuana commission and the decision […]
After Years Of Quiet Progress, Israeli Medical Cannabis Research Is Budding
Behind closed doors somewhere in the recesses of the Israeli government’s Agricultural Research Organization, Dr. Nirit Bernstein has been working for the past three years to perfect cannabis cultivation practices. “It’s difficult to be a cannabis researcher. It’s much easier to be a tomato or citrus researcher,” she told The Jerusalem Post on Monday. “We […]
PR: Pro Cannabis Patients Alliance – Regulations Are Inconsistent And Contradictory
San Juan – The Pro Cannabis Patients Alliance Inc. complained Monday that proposed medical marijuana regulations discriminate against patients, hinder the participation of small businesses and promote a monopoly in the sale of the product. The alliance testified on the first day of public hearings at the Health Department on Regulation 8766, which repealed regulations […]
NM: Legislative Committee Tackles Medical Pot
The New Mexico Legislative Health and Human Services committee will meet in Taos for three days starting Aug. 22 to hear updates on a number of health-related issues that have come under scrutiny in recent months. The meeting opens with an update on New Mexico’s medical cannabis program, which has seen nearly double the enrollment […]
AU: Medicinal Cannabis Closer In Victoria
As part of the Victorian government’s support for legalised medicinal cannabis to be used “in exceptional circumstances”, Australia’s first phase of horticultural trials of the drug are complete. Phase one identified suitable plant strains from which to grow multiple plants for use by patients, and phase two will now see those plants cultivated under the […]
PA: Medical Marijuana Coming To Schuylkill County?
Van Hoekelen greenhouses near Mcadoo will apply for one of the first state permits to grow marijuana to be used for medicinal purposes. State regulators are trying to figure out the rules for the growing and distribution of medical marijuana…something made possible by the state legislature earlier this spring. Officials at Van Hoekelen Greenhouses say […]
CO: Districts Wrestle With Law Allowing Students To Use Medical Cannabis At School
Colorado school districts this year are wrestling with a new law that allows students with a valid prescription to get medical marijuana treatments on school property with or without help from a school nurse. “Jack’s Law” offers two alternatives for the state’s 179 school districts. They can write policies limiting where on campus the treatments […]
MA: Northampton Doctor Prescribing Marijuana Closes Practice
Northampton, Mass. – One of the state’s only certified medical marijuana prescribers is calling it quits with the practice. Dr. Jill Griffin is one of only 13 physicians in western Massachusetts who have seven or more active medical marijuana certifications. In a voicemail and letter to her patients, Dr. Griffin said she will no longer […]
Marijuana Group Plans Southern Illinois Clinic
Carbondale – An outreach group for medical cannabis plans to open a clinic in Southern Illinois that will help patients get registered for the state’s medical marijuana program. Caprice Sweatt, founder and CEO of Medical Cannabis Outreach, said the facility will open in early December, most likely in Carbondale, although the exact location is still […]
MO: Kansas City Marijuana Advocates Closing In On Reform Efforts
Organizers are closing in on their goal of collecting 2,300 signatures to get marijuana decriminalization on the November ballot in Kansas City. The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws’ Kansas City branch (NORML KC) has been gathering signatures since June. Under the proposal, if someone is caught with less than 35 grams of […]
NY: Medical Marijuana Program Should Be Expanded
New York’s medical marijuana program should double in size and see a broader range of authorized health providers, according to recommendations by the New York State Department of Health. The recommendations came as part of a new report“Medical Use of Marijuana Under the Compassionate Care Act” posted by the DOH this week, two years after […]
MA: City Councilor Likes Proposed Marijuana Dispensary In Allston – But Not This One
City Councilor Mark Ciommo today tore into a medical-marijuana dispensary proposed for 144 Harvard Ave., stopping just short of accusing its proponents of being liars who would let kids down pot-laced gummy bears and lollipops. Compassionate Organics needs a statement of “non-opposition” from the City Council to gain state approval for its proposed dispensary. Ciommo […]
NM: Chamber Of Commerce Posts About Marijuana Issues
Silver City – The Grant County Chamber of Commerce recently published a post about the use of marijuana that pertains to Silver City and New Mexico. According to the post, the chamber stated it placed the article because marijuana legalization will more than likely, once again, be heard during the 2017 Legislature in Santa Fe. […]
OH: State Puts $1.8 Million Behind Medical Marijuana Enforcement
Columbus – The state of Ohio agreed today for the first time to put money, $1.8 million, behind its commitment to allow the legal use of marijuana within its borders for medical use only. House Bill 523, signed into law by Gov. John Kasich in June, will take effect on Sept. 8, starting the process […]
Hoosier Veteran Says It’s Time Indiana Legalizes Medical Marijuana
Indianapolis – Jeff Staker knows the new battle that lies ahead. The Indiana Marine veteran has registered a nonprofit with the state, Hoosier Veterans for Medical Cannabis, and said he is committed to pushing Indiana lawmakers to legalize medical marijuana. “There needs to be an alternative,” Staker said. It’s in part his first-hand account of […]
OH: North Canton Talks Moratorium On Medical Marijuana
North Canton City Council could become the first city in Stark County to halt medical marijuana. Council will introduce legislation tonight that would impose a six-month moratorium on granting permits or certificates of occupancy for any structure used for the “cultivation, processing or retail sale of medical marijuana.” The delay would allow the city to […]
OH: West Milton To Vote On Medical Marijuana Ban
West Milton – The city council is looking to follow suit with the neighboring communities when it comes to medical marijuana. The legalization of medical marijuana in Ohio goes into effect on Sept. 1, so the city has called a special meeting to vote on proposed restrictions for the issue. The meeting will be held […]
PA: Greenhouse Seeks Marijuana Business
A Hazleton-area company that has decades of experience raising bulbs, sunflowers, poinsettias and other decorative plants hopes to grow with Pennsylvania’s new medical marijuana industry. Van Hoekelen Greenhouses of Kline Township plans to form a new company called TheraBloom that will apply for a state permit to grow and process medical marijuana. “We’re taking what […]
MA: No Need For Pot Paranoia In North Attleboro
North Attleboro selectmen are facing a decision that town leaders in neighboring communities have had to confront in recent months and years: Whether or not to prohibit the possibility of a medical marijuana dispensary locating in town. Under the convoluted laws passed in the Commonwealth after a medical marijuana question was approved by voters, boards […]
A Q&A On New Mexico’s Medical Cannabis Economy
Economist Kelly O’Donnell, former New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department secretary under Gov. Bill Richardson, and Duke Rodriguez, president of Ultra Health, a state licensed cannabis producer, recently discussed their views on cannabis program regulations that they say could lead to a 7-ton shortage and a new lawsuit aimed at improving patients’ access to the […]
MD: Hancock Gets Medical Cannabis Grower Company
Hancock – An Arizona-based medical cannabis grower has been granted a stage-one license to establish an operation in Hancock and has promised to share profits with the town. Harvest of Maryland LLC, headquartered in Arizona, plans to locate at the Stanley Fulton Center in Hancock, the former home of Fleetwood Travel Trailers. The Maryland Medical […]
AU: Supporters Argue Medicinal Cannabis Is Vital To Easing Suffering In Many Cases
It is with extreme disappointment that I read the opinion piece by Dr Jenny Martin (‘Putting ice on hype over medicinal marijuana’, Herald, 12/8). I am not a medical practitioner, but I have better knowledge than most on the medical benefits of cannabis for patients in extreme distress after watching my 25-year-old son succumb to […]
MD: For Taneytown Family, Cannabis Is About Medicine
The trip to Oregon this spring wasn’t conceived as an adventure in cannatourism by Randy and Lisa Crawford, but serendipity intervened. “What started out as a bucket list trip also turned into an education on medical cannabis,” Lisa Crawford said in an emotional interview Friday at the couple’s family home in Taneytown. “There are some […]
OK: Medical Marijuana Question Doubtful For November Ballot
Oklahoma City – Advocates for medical marijuana are convinced limited use of the drug will be allowed by Oklahoma voters this November. That is, if voters actually see a question on the ballot. Doubt is growing that petitioners have enough time to navigate a sometimes lengthy process – which includes verifying 66,000 signatures, a review […]
Health Department Seeking Input For Implementation Of PA’s Medical Marijuana Program
Harrisburg – Health Secretary Dr. Karen Murphy has provided an update on the implementation status of Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana program and announced the department is seeking input on its draft temporary regulations for growers and processors. “The Department of Health is being very thoughtful and thorough in developing this complex patient and medically-focused program,” said […]