Washington (AFP) - Legal marijuana is becoming more and more entrenched in the United States each year, and 2016 looks to be no exception. 

In fact, some observers say it could be a "tipping point" for an ever-growing industry already worth billions of dollars.

By the end of the year, nearly a dozen states will decide whether to legalize pot -- with seven to determine whether they will allow recreational use.

Already 23 out of 50 states, plus the nation's capital, allow pot in some form, whether for medical or recreational purposes. 

At the beginning of 2016, 86 percent of Americans lived in a state permitting cannabis use in some form.

Montel Williams, a TV and radio talk show host and advocate for medical marijuana as a treatment for multiple sclerosis and other chronic illnesses, has joined the board of KIND Financial, a technology solutions company, as a key advisor in efforts to support and expand the drug’s use.

Alexis Bortell speaks to a crowd of marijuana advocates and concerned parents on Sunday at the Southwest Cannabis Conference & Expo in downtown Fort Worth.

Alexis Bortell stands behind the podium, atop a stepping stool, addressing a packed house at the Southwest Cannabis Conference & Expo in downtown Fort Worth. She doesn’t look like the face of decriminalization. She’s not even old enough to buy the glass pipes being sold just a few aisles over. But she’s the star in the fight for a new marijuana policy in Texas, and the seats filled quickly at the convention center as she made her way to the podium. 

New medical marijuana dispensaries could be coming to Arizona with the health department set to approve new applications for only the second time.

Right now there are 99 dispensaries in Arizona, but there could be about two dozen more approved this summer. Tom Salow is with the Arizona Department of Health Services, which runs the state’s medical marijuana program. He said the department will give preference to applications for dispensaries in counties that don’t have one, as well as dispensaries that can serve the greatest number of patients in a 10-mile radius.

"This isn’t a merit-based application process," he said. "If you’re in compliance, you go on to the next step."

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Medical cannabis is becoming a more common treatment option. Employees who require it may never need to use during work hours. However, some employees, like those with a motion disorder, may need to use cannabis during their workday to manage their symptoms. If you need to use cannabis in the workplace, keep these tips in mind.

In states that have already legalized medical marijuana, patients come in all shapes and sizes, and they seek relief for a host of physical and psychological disorders. To gain insight into patients in California, a new report from HelloMD — a digital healthcare platform — compiled a comprehensive profile of their cannabis use, preferences and perspectives.

GIPHY - GIPHY.COM

The Las Vegas Paiute Indian Tribe is moving ahead with plans to build one of the largest medical marijuana facilities in Nevada.

The plans include at least two dispensaries and three huge greenhouses needed to grow the marijuana.

Once built, their facilities, which will include greenhouses larger than a couple of football fields. They will be bigger than any medical marijuana facility in Nevada, Arizona or Colorado.

Calling it an economic development plan, the Paiute plan to open two medical marijuana dispensaries. One will be near their existing Las Vegas smoke shop on Main Street.

New research from Columbia University suggests a link may exist between marijuana and a variety of substance abuse disorders.

At the moment, the expansion of marijuana throughout the United States looks almost unstoppable.

Marijuana's rapid expansion
Since 1996, 23 states have approved the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes, opening up new pathways of treatment options for patients with chronic illnesses like glaucoma or terminal types of cancers. We've also witnessed residents in four states (along with Washington, D.C.) approve the legalization of recreational marijuana, which a decade ago would have seemed unfathomable.

Ribelle's Timothy Maslow is having an strange weekend

One of Boston's top chefs is out on bail this weekend after being arrested at the Canadian border. According to the Boston Globe, Timothy Maslow of Ribelle was allegedly caught reentering the United States at 4:44 a.m. on Friday with 22.5 pounds of THC edibles and a pipe in his vehicle.