Several Bills Filed to Improve New Hampshire’s Medical Marijuana Program
Nearly a dozen new bills have been filed in New Hampshire that are designed to vastly improve the state’s medical marijuana program. Changes include everything from adding additional qualifying health conditions to allowing patients to grow their own cannabis in the comfort of their own home. Below you’ll find a quick rundown of what is being considered in Concord. Home Cultivation in New Hampshire House Bill 472, co-sponsored by four Democrats and one Republican, would allow registered patients and caregivers to cultivate limited amounts of marijuana. The bill allows for two mature cannabis plants and 12 immature …
Arkansas Lawmakers Pass Bill to Delay New Medical Marijuana Law
Implementation of a new law to legalize medical marijuana in Arkansas is likely to face delays, as an emergency measure to change key dates in the voter-approved measure is quickly moving through the state legislature. Issue 6, the Arkansas Medical Marijuana Amendment, was approved by voters on November 8, garnering more than 53 percent of the vote. The measure became effective the following day. As approved by voters, Issue 6 granted state regulators 120 days to develop rules and regulations for the medical marijuana program, but a fast moving bill seeks to increase that window to …
Pennsylvania Starts Medical Marijuana Application Process for Dispensaries, Growers/Processors
Companies vying to win one of Pennsylvania’s 27 coveted medical marijuana dispensary licenses or 12 grower/processor permits can now begin the application process, state officials announced Tuesday. “This is an important step forward in getting this valuable medication to patients who desperately need it.” – Dr. Karen Murphy “We’ve developed a thorough application that ensures the operators of medical marijuana grower/processor and dispensary facilities will meet our strict guidelines. Our goal is to deliver medication safely and responsibly and this application will help us do just that,” Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Karen Murphy said. Those wishing …
Common Sense Improvements Proposed for New Mexico’s Medical Marijuana Program
A lawmaker in New Mexico wants to make some minor, yet important changes to the state’s longstanding medical marijuana law. New Mexico’s medical marijuana program was first approved in 2007, but has seen very little changes or improvements to the program in the ten years since. But now, State Senator Cisco McSorley (D-Albuquerque) has filed a bill, Senate Bill 8, for the state’s 2017 regular legislative session, which starts this week. The bill is aimed at helping improve the experience for patients by making some common sense changes to the law. Possession and Cultivation Limits Increased The …
Connecticut Hospice To Study Medical Marijuana As An Alternative to Opioids
According to a recent Washington Post/Kaiser Family Foundation survey, 1 in 3 long-term prescription painkiller users report being addicted or dependent, and abuse of opioid medications may actually open the door to heroin use. Is there a better way to treat chronic pain and not expose others to the social issues of opioid addiction? That is exactly what a federally funded medical marijuana study aims to find out, and will be the first of its kind in New England. In Connecticut alone, heroin related deaths soared from nearly 100 in 2012 to over 400 …
Minnesota Lawmaker Wants to Strip Powers from Health Commissioner
When lawmakers in Minnesota enacted one of the most tightly regulated medical marijuana programs in the country in 2014, they included a limited list of qualifying conditions, but allowed the state’s health commissioner, who oversees the program, to add additional ailments as needed. Lawmakers also made Minnesota the first state to explicitly ban smoking marijuana, outlining specific delivery methods in the legislation. However, the law allowed the health commissioner to authorize additional medication methods for patients. Now, one Republican lawmaker, former House Majority Leader Rep. Matt Dean (R-Dellwood), has filed legislation that would strip the commissioner of those abilities. Rep.
Smoke Sessions: AG Nominee Sidesteps Questions on Federal Marijuana Law Enforcement
During confirmation hearings for his appointment to Attorney General on Tuesday, Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) sidestepped questions regarding the ongoing conflict between federal and state marijuana laws, adding further uncertainty to an already ambiguous stance on marijuana legalization by the incoming Trump administration. Worse, some comments made during questioning could be interpreted as leaving the door open for enforcing federal law in states that have legalized medical or adult use of marijuana, potentially crippling the marijuana industry and preventing patient access. Senator Patrick Leahy, a Democrat representing the medical marijuana state of Vermont, asked Sessions if he …
WHO Takes First Steps To Reclassify Medical Cannabis Under International Law
It could still be a long wait, but patients in the United States may not be dependent on the Drug Enforcement Administration to reclassify marijuana. The World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD) recently met and initiated the first steps in a long process that could lead to the rescheduling of medical marijuana under international law, and has committed to hold a special session to discuss medical marijuana in the next eighteen months. “In order for cannabis to be rescheduled, the United Nations General Assembly would vote on a recommendation made by the CND.” …
Change Is Inevitable: Oregon MMJ Patients May Lose Out to Rec Sales
Attention all current and prospective Oregon medical marijuana patients: Ready or not, how you obtain medicinal cannabis products in your state is about to change. For the past fifteen months, recreational and medical marijuana sales have occurred side-by-side at many dispensaries, but starting January 1, 2017 retail shops have to decide between servicing medical patients or recreational users. While this is great news for adults who wish to purchase marijuana for recreational use, this could have a negative effect on some patients as many medical marijuana dispensaries make the switch to a potentially more lucrative recreational marijuana market. The reason …
New York to Allow Medical Marijuana to Treat Chronic Pain
Patients suffering from chronic pain will soon be eligible to participate in New York’s medical marijuana program state officials announced Thursday. “After conducting a thorough review of the scientific literature, it became clear that there may be certain benefits in the use of medical marijuana by patients suffering from chronic pain,” New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard A. Zucker said in a statement announcing the change. “Medical marijuana is already helping thousands of patients across New York State, and adding chronic pain as a qualifying condition will help more patients and further strengthen the program.” – …