medical marijuana News

North Dakota Bills Aim to Improve Medical Marijuana Access

As North Dakota’s Health Department enters the final stages of implementing a statewide distribution system for medical marijuana, state lawmakers are considering proposals that would make it easier for patients to get doctor approval for the drug. Medical marijuana advocates …

Study Finds Chronic Pain Drives Patients to Use Medical Marijuana

As of 2018, 33 states and the District of Columbia have approved the medical use of cannabis, while 10 states have legalized marijuana for recreational use. Despite this fact, at the federal level, marijuana remains a Schedule 1 drug under …

South Carolina Lawmakers Try Again With New Medical Marijuana Bill

South Carolina lawmakers are once again introducing legislation to legalize marijuana for treatment of critically ill patients in the state, making another go at a debate that has gradually made progress in this deeply red state in recent years. Sen. …

Study Finds Marijuana Users More Likely to Be Fired, Laid Off

As the rate of marijuana use continues to rise in the U.S., workers who use marijuana may be at higher risk of losing their jobs, suggests a study in the January Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. “Job loss may …

Thorny Questions Could Slow Pot Legalization Efforts in New York

Efforts to legalize marijuana for recreational use in New York are gaining steam, and Gov. Andrew Cuomo predicts a bill will pass this year. But don’t expect to see pot shops opening up from Brooklyn to Buffalo anytime soon. While …

Arkansas Nears Launch of Medical Marijuana Program

An Arkansas panel on Wednesday named 32 companies it intends to license to sell medical marijuana, two years after voters approved its legalization and following a series of delays that have frustrated patients and advocates. The state Medical Marijuana Commission …

Delaware Judge Says Medical Marijuana User Can Sue Former Employer

A Delaware judge has ruled that a medical marijuana user fired from his factory job after failing a drug test can pursue a lawsuit against his former employer. Jeremiah Chance was fired in 2016 from his job as a yard …

Despite Concerns, Utah Medical Pot Legislation Changes Approved

Lawmakers in conservative Utah passed sweeping changes Monday to a new voter-approved medical marijuana ballot measure under a planned compromise that secured the support of the influential Mormon church but sparked a backlash from advocates. Supporters of the compromise cheered …

Oklahoma Ruling Could Impact Workers’ Comp Cases Involving Med Pot

A recent Oklahoma court ruling that permits an injured worker to receive compensation benefits with a positive drug test could set a precedent for such cases at a time when medical marijuana may soon be widely available in the state. …

A Year in Review: The Highs and Lows of the Cannabis Industry in 2018

The cannabis industry was full of activity in 2018. By October, thirty states had legalized the use of cannabis products for medicinal purposes, with nine states legalizing recreational use. Although the sale and use of cannabis products have remained a …