Policy

Discounts & Low Enrollments Hurt Minnesota MMJ Market

Minnesota Medical Solutions – one of just two medical marijuana dispensaries in the state – raised prices on its pills, vapors, and liquids by 15% to 20% late last month, while reducing the size of the discount that it provides to low-income residents. Dr. Kyle Kingsley told the Associated Press that the move wasn’t made […]

New York Awards MMJ Distribution Licenses

New York’s medical marijuana program took a big step forward after announcing the five companies chosen to cultivate, process, and dispense medical cannabis in 20 designated distribution sites across the Empire State. The move follows the signing of the Compassionate Care Act by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo in July of 2014 and the Health Department’s […]

DEA’s New Administrator Takes a Lighter Stance on Pot

The Drug Enforcement Administration’s new acting head administrator, Chuck Rosenberg, seems to have a relaxed viewpoint when it comes to marijuana, according to the MMJ Observer. In the past, he has acknowledged that the drug isn’t as dangerous as heroin and asked officials to work in other cases rather than focusing their efforts on marijuana […]

Ohio Legalization Efforts Remain Uncertain

ResponsibleOhio secured another 96,000 signatures after the state’s elections chief said they fell short by 29,509 of the 305,591 require signatures to qualify to be on the state’s ballot. The advocacy group claimed that it had initially turned in more than 695,000 petition signatures, but state officials claimed far fewer signatures and found thousands were […]

Christie Promises to Immediately Crackdown on Legal Cannabis

New Jersey Governor and Republican Presidential Candidate Chris Christie told marijuana users in states that have legalized the drug to “enjoy it” while they can because, if he becomes president, there will be a federal crackdown on the substance. “If you’re getting high in Colorado today, enjoy it,” said Christie at a town-hall meeting in […]

Pathways Report Looks to Guide California Legalization

California is positioned to become the key battleground state for the legalization of marijuana in the United States. If successful, the legalization of the controversial drug in the largest U.S. state is likely to spur the federal government into taking action. While November’s elections may prove to be a key turning point, a new report […]

Senate Votes to Open Banking Access to Pot Firms

A Senate panel voted this week to make it easier for businesses that legally produce and sell marijuana to do business with banks and other financial services providers. In a 16-14 vote, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved an amendment to a Treasury funding measure that would effectively ease laws that make it illegal for banks […]

Growing Number of Americans Have Tried Marijuana

A new Gallup poll found that 44% of Americans say they have tried marijuana, which is the highest percentage found since it began asking the question back in 1969 – when just 4% admitted to having tried the controversial drug. The increase in admitted usage comes amid the legalization of recreational marijuana in Colorado, Alaska, […]

New Pathways Report Outlines CA Legalization Recommendations

The legalization of marijuana will appear on California November 2016 ballot and has the backing of a growing number of citizens and financiers. In order to prepare for the possibility of legalization, Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom assembled a team of experts to create a series of guidelines designed to help lawmakers and officials that would […]

Study Finds Inhaled Cannabis Helps with Diabetic Neuropathy

Inhaled cannabis helps reduce diabetic neuropathy and the analgesic effect is dose-dependent, according to a new study appearing in The Journal of Pain. University of California San Diego researchers conducted a randomized, double-blind study that evaluated 16 patients to assess the efficacy and tolerability of inhaled cannabis for treating pain caused by diabetic neuropathy. After […]

Conflicted on Cannabis: The DOJ and IRS’ Opposing Rules for Businesses

The U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) has insisted that marijuana businesses may exist in states where they are legal, but just across the street, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) is telling those businesses that they are illegal drug-trafficking operations ineligible for the benefits that any other corporation in America enjoys. These dynamics have presented real […]

Study Finds Cannabis Could Help Treat Fractures

Tel Aviv University researchers found that certain non-psychotropic compounds in marijuana could help heal bone fissures, creating another potentially beneficial use for the substance that has been banned in most states and countries around the world. The new study, published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, demonstrated the administration of cannabidiol (“CBD”) significantly […]

Italy Looks to Legalize Marijuana

  Italian lawmakers agreed to provisional text to legalize the consumption, growing, production, and sale of cannabis under certain conditions this week. The Intergrupo Parlamentare Cannabis Legale, a cross-party committee of lawmakers, was signed by 218 members of parliament, including many unexpected politicians. Members of the Five Star Movement, the Greens, and a number of […]

Pot for Pets: CBD-Infused Pet Products Hit the Market

Medical marijuana has been legalized in 23 states and recreational use is permitted in four states and Washington D.C., but humans aren’t the only ones taking advantage of the cannabis plant’s potential to help relieve a wide variety of symptoms. Biscuits, edibles, and capsules containing non-psychoactive cannabinoid compounds like cannabidiol (“CBD”) are being marketed to […]

Bill to Reclassify Marijuana Dies Quietly in the House

A rare bipartisan bill designed to reclassify marijuana so that national laboratories could conduct credible research on its safety and efficacy as a medical treatment died a quiet death in the U.S. House of Representatives last week. While Republicans have supported state-level marijuana programs to exist, they have not been quite as supportive of efforts […]

Senate Bill Could Finally Provide Banking Access to Cannabis Firms

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators are introduced a new bill designed to open up banking access to the cannabis industry, following a similar bill produced in the House of Representatives earlier this year. According to one of the bill’s sponsors, Senator Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, the bill creates a “safe harbor from criminal prosecution and […]

New Federal Bill Could Accelerate Cannabis Research

Marijuana advocates are working on a new amendment that would create a new federal sub-category for the cannabis plant and make it easier to conduct future research about the plant’s medical efficacy when it comes to treating a number of diseases. The amendment to the 21st Century Cures Act (HR 6) – a bill that […]

Chile Moves Toward Cannabis Legalization

Chile took a big step toward the legalization of cannabis after its lower house passed a bill that would permit small amounts of cannabis to be used by the general public, although a health commission and the Senate must still approve the measure before it becomes law. In particular, the bill would permit the country’s […]

Cannabis Patents & Trademarks Present Legal Quandry

The newly minted cannabis industry may be the Wild Wild West in many ways, but lawyers are hoping to change the game by fencing off intellectual property. A growing number of cannabis companies are interested in bolstering their intellectual property portfolios with a combination of trademarks and patents, but it’s unclear what’s allowed and what’s […]

Washington Pot Taxes Top $70 Million

Washington State became the second state in the nation to legalize recreational marijuana, and with about 160 stores open, tax revenue has soared past $1.4 million per day. In total, the state racked up more than $250 million in marijuana sales, including $62 million worth of marijuana excise tax and millions more in local and […]

Wyoming Assembles Panel to Explore Legalization

Wyoming Governor Matt Mead assembled a marijuana impact assessment council to determine how marijuana usage would affect the public ahead of a push for legalization that could put the issue before voters at some point in 2016. Among other things, the council will consider issues related to health, law enforcement, and costs, before the Wyoming […]

Rand Paul Becomes First Presidential Candidate to Court Pot Industry

Republican Presidential Candidate Rand Paul recently addressed a “private briefing” of cannabis businesses and activists and Colorado’s second annual Business Summit and Expo in Denver, where he became the first candidate in history to accept donations from the cannabis industry. According to the National Cannabis Industry Association, which organized the summit, attendees could donate $2,700 […]

Oregon’s Pot Industry Opens for Business on July 1st

Oregon’s Measure 91, a voter-approved initiative legalizing marijuana in the state, takes effect on July 1st and will permit adult possession and home cultivation of the drug. Following the laws implementation, the state will become the third in the U.S. to permit recreational marijuana, following similar programs in Colorado and Washington State. Alaska and Washington […]

Uruguay Defends Legalization at United Nations

The President of Uruguay’s National Drug Board presented a report before the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights defending the country’s legalization of marijuana on Thursday, June 26th. In the address, Juan Andres Roballo urged the international body to discuss the topic “without taboos” and consider different viewpoints. The UN claims that Uruguay’s legalization […]

Canadian Supreme Court Rules in Favour of Cannabis Edibles

Lexaria, Corp. (LXRP) (CSE:LXX) (the “Company”) provides the following information related to the Supreme Court of Canada ruling in the Owen Smith case. This case was related to the use of oils, edibles and forms of cannabis for medical use other than the smoking of dried plant material. On Thursday June 11, The Supreme court […]

California Voters Show Record Support for Legalization

A record high 54% of Californians support ending cannabis prohibition, according to a June 3rd poll from the Public Policy Institute of California, while the figure moves up to 56% for likely voters during the November 2016 Presidential election season. According to PPIC, “A majority of whites (60%) favor legalization, while a similar proportion of […]

Presidential Elections Could Make or Break Legalization Movement

The legalization of medical and recreational cannabis throughout a growing number of states has create a multi-billion-dollar industry overnight, while helping patients suffering from seizures, cancer pain, PTSD, and other ailments get the relief they need. Unfortunately, these programs operate largely outside of federal law, which considers the drug a Schedule I Controlled Substance with […]

Colorado’s Taxpayer Bill of Rights Forces Tax Holiday in September

The State of Colorado will waive its special 10% tax on recreational marijuana on September 16th in order to comply with its Taxpayer Bill of Rights – the same rules that could force it to refund tax revenue to voters. Marijuana sold on that day will be subject to regular sales and local taxes, however, […]

Louisiana Looks Toward Cannabis Reforms

Governor Bobby Jindal has voiced his support for recent cannabis reform policies, saying he would sign House Bill 149, which aims to reduce second and third marijuana offenses to significantly less jail time, and Senate Bill 143, which would setup procedures for patients to get medical marijuana. While medical marijuana has been legal in the […]

Connecticut Judges Erase Pot Convictions after Decriminalization

Connecticut judges have granted more than 80% of requests to erase marijuana possession convictions since the state decriminalized small amounts of marijuana in 2011, according to a report by the Associated Press. After lawmakers downgraded possession of less than a half ounce of pot to a misdemeanor with potential jail time, the judges approved 32 […]