Minnesota doctors are slow to accept medical cannabis as a treatment option for lack of scientific evidence, fear of addiction and lack of educational programs, according to a new survey released to a state task force Tuesday.

Dr. Charles Reznikoff, a member of the Task Force on Medical Cannabis Therapeutic Research, the group responsible for gathering information about the program, conducted the survey. Reznikoff is an addiction specialist who practices at Hennepin County Medical Center. He sought opinions of 262 doctors from four institutions who practice all across the state.

It's been more than two years since the Illinois Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program went into effect, but legally distributed pot has only recently become a reality in the state. As of November 9 of last year, more than a dozen dispensaries were open statewide, and patients with one of 39 approved medical conditions and a doctor's recommendation became free to find relief by way of some sweet, sweet cheeba. But Illinois' medical marijuana bill is one of the most restrictive in the nation, and the Illinois Department of Health (IDPH) had approved just 4,000 patients as of January 6, which isn't exactly enough to sustain an industry.

By Anne Wallace

Kieran Doyle, partner at the New York firm of Cowan, Liebowitz & Latman, recently shared insights with MJINews about the particular challenge of securing trademark protection for cannabis products.

By Anthony Johnson

"It's like I am talking to a bunch of horse-dealers about where they can purchase a unicorn. Nobody believes it, but everyone wants to see it."

This is the story of Joshua Haupt, Denver's own fun-loving, charismatic, low-stress father, gardener and entrepreneur. Haupt's line of business? Marijuana. Specifically speaking, the growing process... and he is revolutionizing the act of doing so.

Dear Mr. President:

A State of the Union speech is a unique opportunity to address Congress and the nation about priorities and accomplishments, as well as to highlight critical issues.

I remember another speech in May 2008 when you spoke to over 70,000 Portlanders. The overwhelming feeling of hope coming from the crowd was palpable.

While arguing in court that marijuana has no medical value and is a dangerous drug on the one hand, the federal government is patenting marijuana extracts for health-related uses on the other. And now it is set to grant a license to GW Pharmaceuticals for treating patients with multiple sclerosis with a cannabinoid-based drug called Epidiolex.

We have discussed police power and assault on our person and property. But especially we have noted ongoing assault upon our psyche that twists our minds and makes us prisoners of conscience.

Over the last year or so, the level of innovation within the cannabis industry has reached staggering heights, showing that the industry is ready to take itself to the world stage.

While we can’t yet review any of these things for quality assurance, we can comment on the innovation factor!

#1) CBD Chewing Gum

CBD gum could potentially be a much more efficient delivery system than regular edibles.

DENVER — Two years into Colorado’s experiment with legalized cannabis, marijuana has become a bit passé. Marijuana stores have lost their novelty, and no one remarks anymore when there’s the tell-tale aroma in the air. People puff on portable vaporizers everywhere you look: in bars, on the sidewalk, or while stuck in traffic on the way home from work. It’s impossible to know whether they’re inhaling tobacco or cannabis — nor does it matter, legally. Decades of social stigma have evaporated; all signs indicate legal marijuana is here to stay.

Despite national news reports of controversy, marijuana growers, legislators and Pueblo residents seem largely supportive of the city's marijuana scholarship tax.

College-bound students in Pueblo, Colorado will have access to almost $2 million in additional scholarship funds, thanks to marijuana. 

Sixty percent of voters in Pueblo approved a measure in November that added an additional five percent excise tax on Colorado’s marijuana suppliers, and each year 50 percent of the tax’s proceeds will be set aside for college scholarships. Starting in 2017, the pot tax will gradually phase in until it reaches 5 percent, about $3.5 million, in 2020.