For years, marijuana has been labeled a so-called “gateway” drug, blamed for leading drug users down the path toward harder, more destructive drug use.

A review of studies in the journal Trends in Neuroscience, however, indicates that not only is cannabis unlikely to lead to harder drug use, it shows signs of being useful in the treatment of opioid addiction.

People who have epilepsy could be treated with a marijuana-derived oil under a bill approved by the Indiana House.

The bill passed the chamber Tuesday on a 98-0 vote. The state Senate previously approved a similar measure.

Indiana’s legislature has long resisted efforts to allow the use of medicine derived from marijuana, but that appears to have changed this year. Supporters say the bill’s approval marks a significant shift after years of medical marijuana-related bills stalling.

The bill would allow the use of cannabidiol oil, which is commonly referred to as CBD. The measure is a far cry from legalizing a comprehensive medical marijuana program.

An investment company is making plans to launch what could be the first exchange-traded fund to profit on marijuana.

The Emerging AgroSphere ETF would give investors an opportunity to buy a group of companies making prescription drugs using cannabis extracts, selling hemp derivatives and other related stocks, fund backer ETF Managers Group LLC said in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission last week.

More than two dozen U.S. states have legalized some form of marijuana for medical or recreational use, though the drug remains illegal at the federal level.

When Massachusetts voters overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure in November to legalize recreational marijuana, Josh Miller saw this as a sign that his time had finally arrived. 

The Rhode Island state senator has a reputation among colleagues as a cannabis crusader — a battle that, so far, he’s lost. For the last three years, Miller introduced legislation to legalize recreational pot, and for the last three years, his efforts have died in committee hearing rooms.

But now, in a turnaround, some of Miller’s colleagues are signaling an interest in legalized weed — and raking in the tax dollars that come with it.

A bill to legalize cannabis for medical purposes cleared a South Carolina House of Representatives subcommittee this week – even as the state’s leading law enforcement agency lobbied furiously against the measure.

A four-member House health care subcommittee advanced H. 3521 – the “Compassionate Care Act” – by a 3-0 vote.  One member of the panel abstained from voting.

As legalized marijuana spreads across the United States, most observers remain skeptical that recreational marijuana will be legal anytime soon in Alabama.

"We're the Bible Belt," said Gary Hetzel, a retired warden at Donaldson and Holman prisons and now executive director of the Alabama Therapeutic Education Facility. "We're too conservative."

Marijuana activists are hopeful, but realistic.

Marijuana workers generally aren’t worried about the safety of their jobs selling joints, cultivating plants and testing edibles, according to a new study from Colorado researchers.

However, nearly a quarter (23 percent) of those working at Colorado’s cannabis companies never receive health and safety training and education varies widely for those that do, according to the “Work and Well-Being in the Colorado Cannabis Industry” report.

The report recommends cannabis businesses develop, implement and repeatedly evaluate formal health and safety training programs for all industry workers.

Cross trainers? Check. Water bottle? Check. Headphones? Check. Tincture? Shit. Of all the things to forget.

The bitter winter wind whips my already-frozen cheeks, as I turn tail and trudge back to the end of the parking lot to fetch the little amber bottle from my trunk. It’s bro-dude rush hour at my gym and I just want to get my workout over with, but the walk is worth it – over the past 10 days, cannabis has become the most essential support element of my fitness routine.

“Mr. President, I’ve been with you for two years, you’ve probably heard this.”

Donald Trump devotee Gene Huber’s gushing CNN interview about the president has been given an Eminem twist.

Marijuana companies have a marketing problem. Whether they sell bespoke edibles, laboriously refined concentrates or weed with a celebrity’s name on the box, they are all selling products that deliver THC. When most customers can’t tell the difference between one product and the next, it’s difficult for companies to develop brand loyalty. 

In most consumer industries, this is a solvable problem: Brands can spend lots of money promoting their product. Yet this approach isn’t an option for cannabis companies, which don’t have marketing budgets anywhere near that of a giant multinational company. In addition, most legal states restrict where and how marijuana companies can advertise.