City Council Told Getting Medical Marijuana Will Not Be Simple: VIDEO

With all the hype over medical marijuana, you’d think it’d be easy for the medically eligible to get.

First medical marijuana store in Jacksonville opens: VIDEO

Interior of Trulieve store that opened July 12, first medical marijuana storefront in Jacksonville (PHOTO: First Coast News)

The first medical marijuana store in the region has opened its doors to the public on Wednesday on Beach Boulevard.

Study Finds Cannabis is Effective for Treating Tourette’s Patients

In many states where medical marijuana is legal, one of the many listed qualifying conditions is Tourette Syndrome. The illness is a neurological disorder that causes tics, OCD, and ADD-like tendencies among other issues. While there is no cure for Tourette’s, there are some therapies that prove effective in minimizing symptoms – and one of the most effective treatments with the fewest side effects appears to be medical marijuana.

Puerto Rico Governor Signs Medicinal Marijuana Bill

Puerto Rico became the latest corner of US to adopt a medical marijuana law, with the territory’s governor on Sunday signing a bill that legalizes and regulates the plant for medical use.

The University of Maryland School of Pharmacy to provide training for medical marijuana

Image Source: THEDAILYRECORD

The University of Maryland School of Pharmacy will begin offering training to prepare prospective workers for the medical marijuana industry.

Wow! 92% of Patients Prefer Medical Marijuana to Opioids, New Survey Shows

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Favorability toward medical weed is growing, but don't expect the federal government to change its stance anytime soon.

Sean Williams (TMFUltraLong) Jul 8, 2017 at 8:27AM
The marijuana industry has been growing at a lightning-fast pace for years now, so it's not one bit surprising to see marijuana stock investors flocking to the "green rush."

Lawsuit alleges Florida's new medical marijuana law violates constitution, and voters' intent

In this January 2016 file photo, samples of cannabis are tested for purity inside Modern Health Concepts, a South Florida dispensary for medical marijuana that is producing medicine inside its Redland plant. CARL JUSTE Miami Herald

Arguing that Florida legislators violated voters’ intent when they prohibited smoking for the medical use of marijuana, the author of the state's medical marijuana amendment sued the state on Thursday to throw out the implementing law.

Is Colorado Trying to Criminalize Medical Marijuana Caregivers?

Rick Wainwright, whose acquittal in a 2009 criminal case helped cement the concept that Colorado's six-plant threshold for medical marijuana patients can be expanded, is suing Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper and State Attorney General Cynthia Coffman over a new law that tries to limit large home grows under the theory that they may be part of the illegal gray and black markets for cannabis. Wainwright sees the legislation as a stealth effort to target and criminalize law-abiding MMJ caregivers like him.

Expanded medical marijuana bill becomes law

In a special legislative session June 23, Gov. Rick Scott approved a bill that effectively puts into action a state constitutional amendment approving medical marijuana passed by voters in 2016. The measure expands the list of debilitating conditions that could make patients eligible to receive marijuana as a medical treatment. It also increases the number of approved marijuana dispensaries across the state from seven to 17.

Political Risk Increases For Medical Marijuana

Image Source: PEASHEALTH

Summary

• The Trump administration is likely to increase pressure on all cannabis businesses.
• GW Pharma remains the best play.
• Other cannabis companies represent poor risk/reward.

The policies of the Trump Administration pose a growing risk to all companies involved in the cannabis sphere. Attorney General Sessions is an implacable foe of all things cannabis and can make life difficult in the legal, government approval and finance areas. GW Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:GWPH) is furthest down the line in terms of approval and product promise. It still represents the best play for those willing to accept some risk. Recreational cannabis remains an extremely high risk area. This is both in terms of government policy and in terms of the doubtful corporate governance of the players in the market.

Data Show The Typical Medical Marijuana Consumer Is Upscale, Insured And Physician-Diagnosed

With cannabis legalization across multiple states in the U.S. and other countries around the world, there’s been an explosion of research firms looking into the industry. ArcView Market Research became famous for its market-size predictions, Viridian Capital Advisors acquired notoriety for its Cannabis Deal Tracker and Cannabis Stock Index, and New Frontier Data gained a reputation for its extensive (collaborative) reports.

State keeps medical marijuana grow applications secret: VIDEO

Who applied to grow medical marijuana in Ohio? The state isn't saying.

After legalizing medical marijuana last year, the state is setting up a massive program to oversee the businesses who grow and sell marijuana as well as doctors who recommend it to patients.

D.C. poised to give minorities preference for entering medical marijuana industry

D.C. Council member Robert C. White Jr. (D-At Large), at his swearing-in ceremony, sponsored legislation to give local minority-owned companies a preference when applying for licenses to operate medical marijuana businesses. (Michael Robinson Chavez/The Washington Post)

By Fenit Nirappil June 30

Members of the D.C. Council advanced legislation to give local minority-owned companies a preference when applying for licenses to operate medical marijuana businesses.

Medical Marijuana Regulations Bill Signed by Florida Governor, Yet Problems Remain

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Last week, Florida Governor Rick Scott finally signed a bill that puts regulations in place for Amendment 2, the measure voters in the state approved last November; a measure that greatly expanded the state’s small medical marijuana program.

Marijuana Could Help Treat Alzheimer's: Here's How It Would Work

You've probably heard this before.

As early as 2008, several reports, including one published in Molecular Pharmaceutics, began proposing various therapeutic pathways by which cannabinoids could treat Alzheimer’s Disease patients, but none were proven.

A medical marijuana dispensary might be coming to Newbury Street

Geoffrey Reilinger, CEO of Compassionate Organics, spoke at a Boston City Council meeting.

A medical marijuana dispensary could move in among the retail shops on Newbury Street next summer, after the Boston City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to let the project proceed.

Mexico Joins Canada In Making Cannabis Legal, Leaving the US Far Behind in Marijuana Policy.

Image credit: YURI CORTEZ | AFP | Getty Images

Our neighbors to the north and south see the war on drugs as a failure and legal cannabis as an opportunity.

Just like that, Mexico joined Canada this month in making medical marijuana legal nationwide. And the Canadian Parliament is considering making adult-use marijuana legal across the nation by mid-2018.

Utah Group Files 2018 Medical Marijuana Ballot Initiative

Doug Rice and his daughter Ashley arrive at the Utah Capitol for a Utah Patients Coalition news conference Monday, June 26, 2017, in Salt Lake City. A group of activists and Utah residents with chronic conditions has launched a ballot initiative to ask voters next year to pass a broad medical marijuana law. (Rick Bowmer/AP)

Activists who say they are tired of waiting for Utah’s conservative Legislature to pass a broad medical marijuana law launched an effort Monday to ask voters next year to pass the law, a move that would bypass state lawmakers.

It's Back! The Senate Just Reintroduced a Potentially Game-Changing Medical Marijuana Bill

Image source: Getty Images.

The marijuana industry has been growing like wildfire in recent years, which is a testament to the rapid changes we've witnessed in public opinion toward the drug, as well as the willingness of state governments to seek tax and licensing revenue through the legalization process.

Florida Governor Signs Medical Marijuana Legislation

Florida Gov. Rick Scott has signed into law a bill that outlines how patients can qualify and receive medical marijuana under the state’s constitutional amendment.

Medical Marijuana Bill Aims to Fight Jeff Sessions' Renewed War on Drugs

Matthew Staver/Bloomberg/Getty

"Marijuana laws in America are broken," said Sen. Cory Booker, reintroducing a bill that would let some state weed laws supersede federal prohibition

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators introduced a bill on Thursday that would allow state medical marijuana laws to supersede the current federal prohibition on weed. The bill is dubbed the CARERS Act, which stands for the Compassionate Access, Research Expansion, and Respect States Act.

Medical Marijuana: How Six Senators are Leading the Fight for Federally Legal Weed

New legislations would let state law trump federal prohibition. Justin Sullivan/Getty

The United States Senate is an intentionally slow moving body when it comes to passing laws, but the nation's upper legislative chamber is even slower when it comes to catching up with the popular will of the American people. That's especially been on display when it comes to the nation's pot laws, but now there's a growing core group of senators who are vocally crying out for the federal government to catch up with the states, at least when it comes to medical marijuana.

Lawmakers sign-off on medical marijuana for PTSD: VIDEO

New York State lawmakers have signed off on a bill to add post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD, as a qualifying condition for medical marijuana treatment.

The legislation passed 50-13 in the Senate, weeks after it passed in the Assembly. It now goes to Governor Andrew Cuomo, who can sign the bill into law or veto it.

What Florida medical marijuana will look like under proposed rules

In this Jan. 4, 2017 photo, people stand in Surterra, a wellness center in Tampa, Fla. Called "wellness centers," these facilities are designed to provide access to patients who qualified under the existing law. (Ricardo Rolon, The News-Press via The Associated Press)

The Department last month outlined a procedure where it would give 15 days' notice before adopting a new rule and the public three days to submit comments

Florida health officials have issued their proposed rules to implement the state’s constitutional medical marijuana amendment.

Mexico Legalizes Medical Marijuana

A decree issued by Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto today confirmed that Mexico has legalized cannabis for medicinal use after overwhelming support from Mexico’s Lower House of Congress.

Medical Marijuana Bill Aims to Fight Jeff Sessions' Renewed War on Drugs

Matthew Staver/Bloomberg/Getty

"Marijuana laws in America are broken," said Sen. Cory Booker, reintroducing a bill that would let some state weed laws supersede federal prohibition

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators introduced a bill on Thursday that would allow state medical marijuana laws to supersede the current federal prohibition on weed. The bill is dubbed the CARERS Act, which stands for the Compassionate Access, Research Expansion, and Respect States Act.

Cannabis and Trump: What Will Happen to Medical and Recreational Laws?

In the first few months of 2017, the Trump Administration made certain statements suggesting there may be “greater enforcement” of federal laws against cannabis. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer also compared recreational cannabis to the opioid addiction crisis, while Attorney General Jeff Sessions rejected the idea that America would a better place if people could go down to their corner drug store to buy cannabis. So is it time to panic? Not exactly.

Jeff Sessions Asked Congress for Permission to Go After Medical Marijuana

Attorney General Jeff Sessions has taken another step towards attempting to fully enforce federal marijuana policy. Earlier this week, Tom Angell of MassRoots found and published an article regarding a letter that Sessions personally wrote to congress asking them to more or less abolish the Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment. That amendment is currently one of the only things that is protecting medical marijuana businesses and patients from federal involvement by banning the use of funds to prosecute such crimes as long as the individuals are fully complying with state law.

Bipartisan medical marijuana legislation reintroduced

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., is part of a bipartisan group of lawmakers who support legislation that would enable states to set their own medical marijuana policies. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Bill would allows states to set their own laws
   
A bipartisan group of senators and representatives have reintroduced legislation that would enable states to set their own medical marijuana policies.

Science Calls Out Jeff Sessions on Medical Marijuana and the "Historic Drug Epidemic"

Credit: Getty Images

Rolling back protections from federal interference in state legalization laws could worsen the opioid overdose crisis

Amid a drug crisis that kills 91 people in the U.S. each day, Attorney General Jeff Sessions has asked Congress to help roll back protections that have shielded medical marijuana dispensaries from federal prosecutors since 2014, according to a letter made public this week.

5 Ways to Improve California MMJ

Nearing the end of its 45-day review period, California’s proposed licensing regulations for medical marijuana were dissected and debated in downtown Los Angeles recently as part of a series of public hearings being held throughout the state. The room was packed with a mix of usual suspects—patients, business owners, industry veterans—and a surprising array of new voices, from a former aide for Kamala Harris (now a U.S. Senator), to a pharmacist and people from as far away as Palm Springs and San Diego. There was also a parade of California cannabis heavyweights, including representatives from Weedmaps and Kiva Confections.