Phoenix Has Ten Medical Marijuana Dispensaries
Arizona Republic: “Nearly four years after voters passed the Medical Marijuana Act, Phoenix now has 10 state-licensed dispensaries.”
Judge Says Pot Patient Can Sell Marijuana to Another Patient
Phoenix New Times: “Arizona’s medical-marijuana law is so vague, the state can’t prosecute patients who sell pot to other patients, a Pima County Superior Court judge has ruled. . . . The case began with the October 8, 2013, indictment of Jeremy Allen Matlock on three felony counts in connection with the sale and growing of marijuana.”
See “Ruling could pave way for medicinal marijuana patients to sell drug to one another.”
See also my June 24, 2011, article on this subject called “Can a Person Who Holds an Arizona Medical Marijuana Patient Card Sell Marijuana to Another Arizona Licensed Patient or Caregiver?”
Welfare Cash for Weed in Colorado
National Review: “For the past six months, welfare beneficiaries in Colorado have repeatedly withdrawn their cash benefits at marijuana retailers and dispensaries . . . . Such apparent abuses have caught the eye of Colorado’s executive and legislative powers alike, and the state has launched an effort to curb them. At least 259 times in the first six months of legalized recreational marijuana in Colorado, beneficiaries used their electronic-benefit transfer (EBT) cards to access public assistance at weed retailers and dispensaries, withdrawing a total of $23,608.53 in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) cash, NRO’s examination found.
Colorado Underestimated Pot Demand
USA Today: “A study on the Colorado marijuana market is providing economists and business professionals an inside look at the pot industry for the first time. Regulators in the Centennial State have released the brief for the Colorado Department of Revenue, which reveals a number of interesting items, including that Coloradans are consuming a lot more cannabis than was previously estimated. . . . What is the major takeaway from the study? That folks in Colorado are consuming a lot of marijuana“
Medical Marijuana Researcher’s Termination Smells
Mint Press News: “For a controversial, but well-established, researcher and professor, a controversial termination that may halt a study on marijuana’s effects on PTSD patients. When Sue Sisley, a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of Arizona, was notified by the university that her contract would not be renewed on June 27, medical marijuana advocates cried foul. Legalization proponents argued that the professor was fired by the university because she was in favor of medical marijuana legalization, supported adding post-traumatic stress disorder as a qualifying condition to Arizona’s medical marijuana program, and was about to begin a federally-approved study that many believed would prove that marijuana contains medicinal benefits for PTSD sufferers.”
L.A. Asks Court to Halt Cannabis Farmers Market
Los Angeles Times: “The Los Angeles city attorney is seeking an injunction to stop what’s being dubbed as the city’s first-ever cannabis-centric farmers market, which opened for business over the Fourth of July weekend. The medical marijuana market opened July 4-6 inside a Boyle Heights warehouse and continued to operate this past weekend, following its successful start. But City Atty. Mike Feuer says his office will request a temporary restraining order to stop operations.”
Gilbert Revokes Permit for Medical-marijuana Site
Arizona Republic: “A medical-marijuana dispensary near Power and Warner roads in Gilbert likely won’t be opening any time soon as the town’s Planning Commission recently revoked the developer’s site use permit. . . . One developer, Duke Rodriguez with Ultra Health, held the use permit from the town.”
Arizona OKs Medical Marijuana for PTSD Patients
Arizona Daily Star: “Thousands of Arizona veterans and others suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder will soon be able to obtain marijuana legally. State health director Will Humble decided Wednesday there is at least one study showing the drug can be helpful in treating the symptoms of PTSD. He said that, combined with some anecdotal evidence, provides what he needs under Arizona law to allow doctor with a qualifying patient to recommend the drug. But Humble said he is approving the drug for use only to help patients deal with the symptoms of PTSD. He said there is no evidence that marijuana can be useful to actually treat or cure the condition.”
Advice for New Marijuana Buyers
USA Today: “In light of Washington’s start Tuesday of legal marijuana sales, USA TODAY asked Colorado experts for suggestions on how newbie marijuana buyers should proceed. We’ve edited and condensed the answers for clarity and space.”
Phoenix Medical-marijuana Dispensaries Crop Up
Arizona Republic: “TruMed is one of the 10 state-licensed medical-marijuana dispensaries that have cropped up in Phoenix, nearly four years after Arizona voters passed the Medical Marijuana Act. . . . Phoenix is home to 15 such areas, and four more straddle the city’s boundaries. Within those areas are the 10 state-licensed medical-marijuana dispensaries in Phoenix proper.”
Colorado vs. Washington: Whose pot is better?
USA Today: “With two states now allowing recreational marijuana sales, curious minds want to know: Whose pot is better? Washington joined Colorado on Tuesday in allowing marijuana sales, and retailers in Washington braced for long lines and high demand. The same happened when Colorado legalized recreational sales Jan. 1, and tens of thousands of buyers got the chance to pick from a wide variety of strains, from Blue Dream to AK-47 and Facewreck.”
L.A.’s First Marijuana Farmers Market
Hollywood Reporter: “The three-day event at California Heritage Market was billed as L.A. County’s first farmers market for medical marijuana, where buyers could bypass dispensary owners and go directly to growers. Temperatures in the 90s didn’t keep thousands of pot smokers, pain sufferers and partiers alike from standing outside California Heritage Market, billed as L.A. County’s first farmers market for medical marijuana, this past weekend. Lines to get in were as long as an hour Friday, the first day of the three-day event.”
Pot Plants Slurp California’s Water Supply
CNBC: “California cannabis growers may be making millions, but their thirsty plants are sucking up a priceless resource: water. Now scientists say that if no action is taken in the drought-wracked state, the consequences for fisheries and wildlife will be dire.”
With Legal Marijuana, Washington Joins Exclusive Club
USA Today: “Smoke ’em if you’ve got ’em: Washington state this week joins an exclusive club as residents and tourists alike get their first chance to buy recreational marijuana. The second state to legalize recreational pot — Colorado allowed sales starting Jan. 1 — Washington joins a fast-growing market that’s already generating tens of millions of dollars in taxes with no signs of slowing down.”
Republican House Passes Bill to Stop DEA Raids on Medical Marijuana
The Daily Beast: “In a historic move Thursday night, Congress voted to pass a bill that will end federal raids on medical marijuana. The first major marijuana reform to pass, it’s a sign of a new day rising in the war on drugs. In an unprecedented move Thursday night, the House of Representatives voted to pass a bill that prevents the Drug Enforcement Administration from raiding state-legal medical marijuana dispensaries.”
Raid at Colorado Pot Club
Associated Press: “A police raid at an Amsterdam-style cannabis lounge in Denver has triggered a debate over where adults can smoke pot in a state that allows recreational marijuana consumption – but not in public. Denver police showed up last week at Maryjane’s Social Club, one of dozens of private pot-smoking clubs in Colorado operating in a legal gray area. The officers handcuffed smokers, seized drug paraphernalia and ticketed the club’s owner for violating state law banning indoor cigarette smoking.”
Police Getting Sued to Return Marijuana Seizures
Brietbart: “In states with legalized recreational marijuana and legalized medical marijuana use, police are finding themselves sued by citizens who have wrongly had their pot seized as evidence. Only a few years ago, police could confiscate ‘illegal pot plants by ripping them out by their roots and stashing them away in musty evidence rooms to die are now thinking twice about the practice.’ A new trend is growing where people are suing not only for return of the stash, but sometimes monetary restitution.”
Medical Marijuana Farmers Market to Open in L.A
Hollywood Reporter: “The world’s first medical marijuana farmers market is set to take place in L.A. from July 4-6, allowing patients to purchase cannabis directly from growers. The market hopes to create a better relationship between growers and patients, giving them a new way to safely access marijuana from trustworthy suppliers.”
The world’s first medical marijuana farmers market is set to take place in L.A. from July 4-6, allowing patients to purchase cannabis directly from growers.
The market hopes to create a better relationship between growers and patients, giving them a new way to safely access marijuana from trustworthy suppliers.
– See more at: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/medical-marijuana-farmers-market-open-715081#sthash.BuAe1Kzu.dpuf
The world’s first medical marijuana farmers market is set to take place in L.A. from July 4-6, allowing patients to purchase cannabis directly from growers.
The market hopes to create a better relationship between growers and patients, giving them a new way to safely access marijuana from trustworthy suppliers.
– See more at: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/medical-marijuana-farmers-market-open-715081#sthash.BuAe1Kzu.dpuf
The world’s first medical marijuana farmers market is set to take place in L.A. from July 4-6, allowing patients to purchase cannabis directly from growers.
The market hopes to create a better relationship between growers and patients, giving them a new way to safely access marijuana from trustworthy suppliers.
– See more at: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/medical-marijuana-farmers-market-open-715081#sthash.BuAe1Kzu.dpuf
Discerning medical marijuana users will have a new way to get the weed they need over Independence Day weekend. – See more at: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/medical-marijuana-farmers-market-open-715081#sthash.BuAe1Kzu.dpuf
Discerning medical marijuana users will have a new way to get the weed they need over Independence Day weekend. – See more at: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/medical-marijuana-farmers-market-open-715081#sthash.BuAe1Kzu.dpuf
Discerning medical marijuana users will have a new way to get the weed they need over Independence Day weekend. – See more at: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/medical-marijuana-farmers-market-open-715081#sthash.BuAe1Kzu.dpuf
Discerning medical marijuana users will have a new way to get the weed they need over Independence Day weekend. – See more at: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/medical-marijuana-farmers-market-open-715081#sthash.BuAe1Kzu.dpuf
Keep Pot Plants Potted
Denver Post: “Police in some medical marijuana states who once routinely seized illegal pot plants by ripping them out by their roots and stashing them away in musty evidence rooms to die are now thinking twice about the practice. From Colorado and Washington state to California and Hawaii, police are being sued by people who want their marijuana back after prosecutors chose not to charge them or they were acquitted.”
Gilbert May Revoke Medical-marijuana Dispensary Permit
Arizona republic: “Arizona’s medical-marijuana dispensary program has been fraught with legal challenges since its inception three years ago, and a new court battle among dispensary operators has put several locations in jeopardy, including one in Gilbert. An apparent power struggle among development partners has stalled plans to open East Valley Patient Wellness Center near Power and Warner roads in Gilbert, and town officials are now seeking to strip the developer of a use permit they awarded him last summer.”
Seniors & Vets May Get Discount on Medical Marijuana Cards
Arizona Republic: “Medical marijuana patients who are 65 and older could soon get discounted medical pot cards. The Arizona Department of Health Services, which oversees the state’s medical marijuana program, wants to slash card prices by 50 percent for seniors, veterans, and those who receive Social Security and disability payments.”
Hershey Sues Colorado Edible Pot Company
USA Today: “The Hershey Co. has sued a Colorado marijuana edibles maker, claiming it makes four pot-infused candies that too closely resemble iconic products of the chocolate maker. The trademark infringement lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Denver this week against TinctureBelle and TinctureBelle Marijuanka.”
Colorado Passes Pot Banking Law
Time: “A new law signed by the governor offers a symbolic fix to a serious problem. Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper signed a bill Friday designed to create the world’s first state-level banking system for legal cannabis companies, which have complained that their lack of access to basic banking services creates difficult and dangerous risks.”
Will Humble May Require Regs for Marijuana Snacks
East Valley Tribune: “The state’s top health official is weighing new regulations to ensure that users of medical marijuana snacks and drinks know when to stop. Will Humble said he may require dispensaries to certify that an employee has discussed with the customer the effects of the product being bought. Humble, the state’s health director, said he exploring the use of what might be called “secret shoppers” to ensure that customers are being told what they need to know to remain safe.”
Arizona Department of Health Services Considers PTSD for Marijuana Card Holders
Arizona Republic: “Arizona’s top health official is considering whether people suffering from PTSD should be allowed to use medical marijuana, which could amount to a big win for veterans and medical marijuana advocates. . . . Will Humble’s consideration of the issue comes after an administrative law judge on Wednesday recommended state officials allow those with PTSD to use medical marijuana, reversing Humble’s earlier denial.”
Marijuana Infused Coffee for a Morning Buzz
Fox News: “A new product promises drinkers a jolt of something extra than your daily dose of caffeine. Washington state based Mirth Provisions plans to release a cannabis-infused cold-brew coffee called “Legal,” as the new product will only be available in markets where marijuana is legal.”
The Feds Won’t Legitimize Pot, But They’ll Still Tax The Hell Out Of It
Huffington Post: “Nearly half of U.S. states have legalized marijuana in some form, whether medical or recreational. But marijuana remains illegal under federal law, and as a result, the legitimate businesses selling the drug are subject to sky-high tax rates. Dispensaries can’t deduct traditional business expenses like advertising costs, employee payroll, rent and health insurance from their combined federal and state taxes. That means dispensary owners around the U.S. often face effective tax rates of 50 to 60 percent — and in some states, those rates soar to 80 percent or higher, according to members of the pot industry who spoke to The Huffington Post. In other words, the federal government rakes in tax revenue from pot shops while prohibiting them from accessing the same financial benefits afforded to non-cannabis businesses. ‘We now have thousands of basically small- and medium-sized businesses across the country in over 20 states that are perfectly legal, who are being discriminated against in terms of the tax system because they can’t deduct legitimate business expenses,’ Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.) told The Huffington Post. ‘Their effective tax rate is two, maybe three times higher depending on where they are in their business cycle’.”
GOP House Backs State Medical Marijuana Laws
Associated Press: “Libertarian-minded and moderate Republicans joined forces early Friday morning with Democrats in an early morning House vote to block the federal government from interfering with states that permit the use of medical marijuana. The unusual coalition produced a surprising 219-189 vote in the GOP-controlled House that reflects more permissive public attitudes toward medical pot use.”
Arizona DPS Busts Pot Dealers Posing as Medical Marijuana Merchants
The Daily Courier: “The Arizona Department of Public Safety Northern Narcotics Unit arrested three people in the Paulden area on a variety of charges May 21. Margaret Elizabeth Fullen, 31, John Hoyt Fullen 33, and Lester D. Jones, 32, were arrested . . . . A second May 21 search warrant in Prescott Valley resulted in the arrests of Kimberly S. Fox, 51, and Robert Thomas Fox, 64, . . . . They were medical marijuana delivery businesses. However they are not sanctioned and they are not licensed as dispensaries”
House Passes Pro Medical Marijuana Bill
Roll Call: “In a series of late-night votes that marijuana-rights advocates say reflect a nation’s changing attitudes, the Republican-controlled House moved early Friday to block the federal government from interfering with state laws on pot and hemp. The most far-reaching of the votes — a measure to cut funds for Drug Enforcement Agency raids on medical marijuana operations — passed 219-189 on the strength of an unusual coalition that cut across traditional partisan lines.