“All diseases run into one, old age.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson

A recent study in mice sparked eye-catching headlines like, “Memory Loss From Old Age Could Be Reversed By Smoking Marijuana.” The idea is alluring, especially given the toll cognitive decline takes as we age: instead of leaving you dazed and confused, THC might actually help restore cognitive function in older individuals.

Gov. Jerry Brown and Democratic legislative leaders said Tuesday they have agreed to a $125 billion budget that would expand a tax credit for the working poor, increase spending on safety net programs and boost payments for doctors and dentists.

The budget agreement sets up votes in the state Senate and Assembly on Thursday, the last day for lawmakers to approve a budget without losing pay under a voter-approved ballot measure that withholds lawmakers' paychecks if they don't meet budget deadlines.

The spending plan, which Brown called "balanced and progressive," also includes a one-time payment to the state's largest public-employee pension fund and more money for higher education. It does not reverse spending agreed to last year, as Brown had proposed.

iAnthus Capital has agreed to buy Valley Agriceuticals for $17.3 million. ValleyAg has just received one of ten medical marijuana licenses issued by the state of New York. The deal is expected to close during the third quarter of this year.

The cannabis industry is booming, and the cannabis tech sector is no exception.There’s the “Tinder for Tokers,” the “Uber for Weed” and the “Amazon of Cannabis.” As Sheena Shiravi, head of public relations for cannabis delivery app Eaze, says, “Cannabis is a brand-new industry, and every single part of the supply chain provides opportunities for an app.” Here are five digital tools that are helping enthusiasts and amateurs cultivate a deeper relationship with marijuana.

As legalization gains momentum more women are using marijuana and more are entering the cannabis industry.

Marijuana, for the most part, is characterized as a guy thing.

Movies certainly bolster that stereotype. When it comes to iconic images of people who use marijuana, it’s mostly a Boy’s Club. The two Jeffs – Spicoli and Lebowski. Those guys in “Pineapple Express.” And, of course, Cheech and Chong.

But the number of female cannabis users is growing, according to research from the California marijuana delivery company, Eaze. And the number of female entrepreneurs in marijuana continues to grow, as well.

PotCoin, a crypto currency for the legalized cannabis industry, jumped in value on Tuesday after ex-basketball star Dennis Rodman arrived in North Korea wearing a t-shirt and baseball cap emblazoned with the digital payment system's logo.

PotCoin, which hopes to become the of the marijuana industry, is sponsoring the former National Basketball Association player's trip to North Korea to meet with the leader of the reclusive state, Kim Jong Un.

PotCoin, like Bitcoin, is a virtual currency that can be moved like money around the world anonymously without the need for a central authority.

Cannabis consumers make more money, spend more time outdoors, volunteer more and are generally more happy about life, according to a study released Thursday. Is smoking marijuana the key to happiness?

According to BDS Analytics, the “well-adjusted lifestyles seen among cannabis consumers serve as a common theme in the findings in the series of reports called ‘Public Attitudes and Actions Towards Legal Cannabis.’ "The data firm conducted the study in California and Colorado. Research is underway in Oregon and Washington.

Orlando attorney John Morgan is getting ready to sue the state after legislators failed to come up with regulations to allow patients to smoke medical marijuana.

Even though medical marijuana is legal, smoking it is not an option, at least for now.  Legislators passed a bill regulating medical marijuana last week, but it excludes smoking.

"I'm gonna sue the state, because in my amendment, it was mentioned four separate times that smoke would be allowed," Morgan said.

Not everyone agrees. 

"All the scientific literature out there indicates smoking does as much harm as it does benefits. We believe all the benefits of marijuana can be done with vaping without any of the physical harm," said Florida Rep. Ray Rodrigues, R-Fort Myers.

Some get in the pot business to do good. Some get into it hoping to do good and do well.

This is not your father’s marijuana industry. In a couple of decades we’ve gone from a completely black market in marijuana to a legal market valued at $4 billion a year — and projected to increase rapidly — and from tie-dyed Northern California pot farmers hiding from helicopters to people in suits and ties with dollar signs in their eyes.

The Herbal Compliance Co. announces the launch of its compliance consulting services for legal medical cannabis and hemp businesses. This unique company will also be partnering with GrowthFountain to raise $1 million in funds through a unique form of investor funding called Regulation Crowdfunding.

Interested investors can see the offering and make an investment by visiting Growth Fountain at https://growthfountain.com/herbal-compliance .