During the Obama administration, eight states, plus the District of Columbia, legalized marijuana for recreational purposes. Dozens more passed laws regarding marijuana use for medicinal purposes. Obama's DOJ generally agreed to a hands off policy regarding states that have voted to legalize recreational marijuana. With the new administration, there is considerable stress about whether or not these policies will still be in place. This is true both for medical marijuana patients as well as for people whose livelihoods are in the cannabis industry.

Most Americans believe that cannabis legalization is good for the economy, according to the latest statistics from New Frontier Data.

The data firm's most recent nationwide Cannabis Attitude Survey asked 1,671 people in January 2017 about their opinions on various facets of legalization.  

Surveyors found that 69 percent of respondents believe legalizing and taxing cannabis will raise valuable revenue for the government.

Federal rules effectively barring marijuana businesses from using banks stymie the medical marijuana industry.

An official in Illinois has asked President Donald Trump for guidance on his administration’s policy on the banking industry offering services to the cannabis industry.

In a statement released in January, State Treasurer Michael Frerichs said the president’s approach to the issue could impact the future of medical marijuana in the state of Illinois. He has sent a letter to the president, asking for his guidance on the issue.

With only five months left to implement regulations regarding Amendment 2, the Florida Department of Health has begun rule development workshops this week in Duval County.

The not-so-subtle undertone of the workshops, thus far, has been to avoid modeling impending legal definitions after preexisting ones.

The first of five workshops were held on Monday afternoon at the Duval County Health Department in Jacksonville. Every seat in the room was filled with men and women of all ages and nationalities, by the time the session began. 

In uneasy news for medical marijuana users, UC Davis researchers have identified potentially lethal bacteria and mold on samples from 20 Northern California pot dispensaries, leading them to warn patients with weakened immune systems to avoid smoking, vaping or inhaling aerosolized cannabis. 

“For the vast majority of cannabis users, this is not of great concern,” said Dr. George Thompson, professor in the UC Davis Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology. But those with weakened immune systems – such as from leukemia, lymphoma, AIDS or cancer treatments – could unwittingly be exposing themselves to serious lung infections when they smoke or vape medical marijuana. “We strongly advise them to avoid it,” Thompson said.

GB Sciences is seeking a patent for marijuana-based mixtures capable of preventing and treating several inflammatory disorders, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

The patent application involves using cannabinoid-containing complex mixtures (CCCM) to disrupt the signaling pathways of  immune cells that play a role in inflammatory diseases starting and continuing. It the second application for a life-sciences invention by GB Sciences’s subsidiary, Growblox Life Sciences.

The Colorado Department of Health and Environment released a comprehensive guide for worker safety guide for the marijuana industry Tuesday.

The guide took about two years to complete and is likely the first of its kind compiled by a state agency, said Roberta Smith, Occupational Health Program Manager at CDHE.

Part of the purpose of the guide, Smith said, is to remind the industry that though the federal government has not sanctioned the legalization medical and recreational marijuana, businesses in the industry are still required to follow rules from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The first participant in a clinical trial designed to evaluate the effectiveness of smoking marijuana to treat PTSD in veterans was given cannabis on Monday, according to the organization conducting the study. 

The study is the first such trial to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of using marijuana to manage symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder in U.S. veterans, officials with the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies said in a releaseon Tuesday. 

The Utah House overwhelmingly approved a proposal Tuesday that would allow universities to study medical marijuana.

Lawmakers said research showing benefits of cannabis extracts on people may lead the state in the future to allow careful, controlled use of the drug by those with debilitating conditions.

HB130, sponsored by Rep. Brad Daw, R-Orem, has been endorsed by the Utah Medical Association, which says more study needs to be done on the drug before the state approves its broader use as a medicine.

The bill advances to the Senate for consideration.

The U.S. cannabis industry is projected to reach $50 billion in size by 2026, according to Cowen & Co., with over half of the population living in a state where the drug is legal.

Surprisingly, many cannabis business must operate completely in cash since the federal government exerts significant influence on financial institutions through the FDIC. The government’s confusing stance on the matter has led nearly all banks to avoid providing banking services to the sector.