After the results of the November election, more than half of U.S. states have now authorized medical marijuana. And eight of those states also allow recreational marijuana.

So if pot helps some humans feel better, then how about people’s best friends?

Northwest veterinarians are being asked about treating pets with cannabis and that puts these vets in a difficult spot legally.

Cornelia Wagner runs the Hawthorne Veterinary Clinic in Portland.

She said pet owners turn to hemp or medical marijuana for many of the same things humans take it for these days including cancer symptoms, pain, inflammation, seizures, nausea, anxiety, chronic skin allergies and loss of appetite.

Portland on Wednesday blessed "marijuana couriers" and other pot-related "micro" business types in a move to ease financial barriers for entrepreneurs.

The council voted unanimously to immediately adopt the additions and other changes to the city's marijuana code.

"Since the state regulations keep changing and the industry keep flourishing, we'll be coming back with multiple changes I'm sure," Commissioner Amanda Fritz said. "I look forward to that time."

Courier businesses can now produce marijuana and other cannabis products but they can sell it only through delivery.

When Jackson County, Oregon, tried to ban medical cannabis cultivation on some rural land last April, farmers there adopted an unexpected defense: They threatened to sue for lost income. According to state law, local governments can’t stop rural landowners from engaging in agricultural activity without compensating them for the lost value of the banned enterprise.

These property rights laws are commonly invoked by developers, mining companies and other big businesses to get around burdensome regulations. But Portland attorney Ross Day, who is representing more than a dozen Jackson County farmers, says the law is tailor-made for cannabis. 

Craft cannabis company Oregrown Industries has joined forces with US sustainable clothing manufacturer New Growth Clothing to develop a line of locally-manufactured, eco-conscious activewear and outdoor gear.

The collaboration will see the launch of knit beanies and performance hoodies for the autumn 2017 season, and is expected to grow to include backpacks and technical gear.

"New Growth is a natural partner for Oregrown as we continue to build out our lifestyle brand," says Oregrown co-founder Chrissy Hadar. "Both companies are committed to local sourcing, but more than that, to supporting community members, artists, athletes, and local businesses run by people who are passionate about what they do."

A study released this week shows that Oregon residents, by an overwhelming majority, feel working with the marijuana industry does not damage the reputation of financial institutions. The survey also indicates banks and credit unions might enhance their standing and attract new customers in Oregon by working with the cannabis industry.

The survey, conducted by LT Public Relations (LTPR) and DHM Research, suggests financial institutions could bolster their image by making loans to marijuana businesses in Oregon. LTPR works with financial, healthcare and professional services organizations. DHM is an opinion research company. Both are based in Portland, Ore.

Even as more states move to legalize marijuana use, the plant’s genetic makeup remains a relative mystery.

“It’s still quite an undeveloped species from the perspective of genetics,” Canadian botanist Jonathan Page told Vocativ. 

Page published the first paper with a draft sequence of a single cannabis strain, but federal laws against pot have long made academic research on the plant a challenge.

The Denver Post recently did a story on how cannabis businesses are having to pay sky-high rents nationwide. In Portland, for instance, commercial real estate that typically rents for five dollars per square foot goes for three times that amount for cannabis businesses. Though rents for cannabis businesses in Washington and Colorado are stable, they are considerably higher than the lease rates for any other business, and real estate investors looking to lease to cannabis businesses are mostly betting this trend will continue.

Thanks to voters who checked “yes” for recreational marijuana legalization on this year’s election ballot, gift-giving during the holidays is about to get a lot more dank. But just because recreational marijuana is legal in a state doesn’t necessarily mean you can just give it away willy nilly. Make sure your holiday good cheer doesn’t come with a side of incarceration by using this handy guide to cannabis gift giving, organized by state.

She's the Australian icon who dotes on her only daughter in private and public life.

But now Olivia Newton-John, 68, is allegedly feeling betrayed by Chloe Lattanzi, 30, because the loan she gave her to set up a new life is being used to fund a marijuana farm.

As DailyMail.com first reported, Chloe and her fiance James Driskill are building a cannabis business in Oregon using money Olivia gave them.

It was reported that the loan was to buy land to build a home on and Olivia allegedly feels betrayed her daughter is using it for a very different purpose, according to Australian magazine New Idea.

'Olivia's under the impression she's helping Chloe and James get a good start to their life, but growing weed is not what she had in mind,' a family insider said.

Cannabis dispensaries in Colorado have come a long way from dingy decor and green crosses. Some, in fact, have emerged into award-winning centers, in part thanks to trendy design. We’ve seen modern design takeover many industries over the years, so it’s no surprise to see the new demand in chic dispensaries across America. One cannabis company in particular has paved the way for the new generation of designed dispensaries.