Browsing Marijuana News

Voters in Missouri will not be allowed to decide on a proposal to legalize medical marijuana in the state after a court decision left supporters 23 signatures short of qualifying for the November ballot. On Tuesday, Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green ruled that the Missouri Secretary of State and local election authorities acted properly when they invalidated hundreds of petition signatures that had been collected by New Approach Missouri, the organization behind the measure. The reason? Supporters collecting signatures used the wrong county’s form so the signatures were declared invalid. “It is with an extremely heavy …

The Minnesota Department of Health is currently considering adding several qualifying conditions to the state’s medical marijuana program including autism and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). “The Department has held two meetings to consider conditions thus far, with a third meeting scheduled for Thursday, September 22.” Under Minnesota’s medical marijuana law, which was passed in 2014 and went into effect last year, patients can petition the Department every year to request additional conditions be considered. Petitions are accepted during a two month window each year, starting June 1 and ending July 31. A seven-member review panel then holds public …

If you are a legal MMJ patient living in a cannabis friendly state, you are most likely already familiar with the process of using some of the more popular dispensary locator tools like Weedmaps and Leafly. Gone are the days of sneaking into the shadows to quickly exchange money for a bag of weed, or hoping a friend’s friend’s cousin can come through for you. Times change, businesses change, and patient’s needs change, but internet magnates such as Yelp, Google and Facebook continue to resist the idea of accepting and focusing on building cannabis-related listings. For the past …

Supporters of a proposal to legalize medical marijuana in Oklahoma have collected enough signatures to place the issue on the ballot, but the measure may not appear before voters this November because there are several steps remaining in the qualification process and there may not be enough time remaining to complete them. On Tuesday, Oklahoma Secretary of State Chris Benge announced that Oklahomans for Health has collected 67,761 valid signatures, slightly more than the 65,987 signatures needed to qualify, in support of their proposal State Question 788, Initiative Petition 412. However, …

Medical marijuana patients and supporters are celebrating a well-deserved win this week. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled unanimously that the Department of Justice is prohibited from spending funds to prosecute people in medical marijuana states if they are in compliance with state laws. Justice Diarmuid O’Scannlain rendered the decision on behalf of the panel in United States v McIntosh et al. – F.3d – (9th Cir. Aug. 16, 2016): “By officially permitting certain conduct, state law provides for non-prosecution of individuals who engage in such conduct. If the …

Medical marijuana dispensaries in Nevada are allowed to legally sell cannabis to visitors who possess a valid authorization card issued in other states, but the state’s top attorney believes that dispensaries should no longer be able to accept California doctors’ recommendation letters. Attorney General Adam Laxalt sent a letter to state health department Director Richard Whitley in late July saying that out-of-state residents should not be allowed to use a California physician’s note to purchase medical marijuana in lieu of a state-issued medical marijuana identification card. While most states issue mandatory identification cards to medical marijuana …

Supporters of a proposed constitutional amendment to create a comprehensive medical marijuana law in Florida have received nearly 650 times more individual donations than the opposition. Despite this shocking fact, anti-marijuana foes have still raised more money, having received contributions from deep-pocketed prohibitionists. “In 2014, a similar proposed amendment to legalize medical marijuana in Florida was narrowly defeated, garnering 58% of the vote but needing 60% to pass.” United for Care, the organization responsible for placing Amendment 2 on the November ballot, has received over 7,000 individual donations in support of their campaign, with most donations ranging between $5 …

A proposed ballot initiative to legalize medical marijuana in Missouri narrowly missed qualifying for the ballot. On Monday, supporters announced that they will be launching a lawsuit seeking to have some invalidated signatures overturned in the state’s largest district, in the hopes of making the November ballot. “The citizens overwhelmingly want Missouri to be the 26th state to allow state licensed physicians to recommend medical marijuana to patients with debilitating illnesses.” – Jack Cardetti, New Approach Missouri New Approach Missouri, the organization behind the signature drive, were confident they had collected more than enough signatures to …

Sponsored by CWCBExpo All eyes are on California with the impending passage of Prop 64 (AUMA) in November. The legalization of adult recreational use of marijuana in California would make this state the largest cannabis market in the US. There is no better place to learn how to be part of this incredible sea of change than at the Cannabis World Congress & Business Exposition. Taking place September 7-9, 2016 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, CWCBExpo LA provides end-to-end information and resources for those just entering the business or for established businesses …

Following a long and troubled past with prohibition, cannabis is finally being legalized throughout the United States, and medical marijuana dispensaries are popping up all over the country. While the cannabis industry and laws vary from state to state, the importance medical marijuana dispensaries play in the lives of many patients is an immensely important role. The basic premise of a dispensary should be to serve the sick and needy. Unfortunately, there are those who see this as nothing more than an opportunity for personal financial gain, and will commit fraud and abuse to line their own pockets. No one …