Federal Amendment Announced to Allow Veterans to Use Medical Cannabis
“While there is no single approach to aiding our nation’s veterans, medical marijuana is proven to help in treating post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries frequently suffered by veterans,” said Congressman Blumenauer in a Monday press release. “States are listening to their residents on the benefits of medical marijuana, including veterans, and are changing their laws. It is unacceptable for our wounded warriors to be forced out of the VA system to simply seek a recommendation on whether or not medical marijuana is a good treatment option. We should not be preventing access to medicine that can help them deal with these injuries to survive and thrive. I encourage my colleagues to show compassion to our veterans and pass this amendment.”
Currently, the Veterans Administration (VA) specifically prohibits its medical providers from completing forms brought by their patients seeking recommendations or opinions regarding a Veteran’s participation in a state medical cannabis program. Congressman Blumenauer’s amendment ensures that no funds made available to the VA can be used to implement this prohibition, which would, in effect, strike it down.
A bill filed in February by Representative Blumenauer, the Veterans Equal Access Act, would allow VA physicians to recommend medical cannabis to patients. A separate bill filed earlier this month would reschedule cannabis on the federal level.
– TheJointBlog
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New York Opens Application Process for Medical Cannabis Producers and Dispensers
New York’s State Flag.
New York’s Department of Health announced it is accepting applications from those wanting to operate organizations that manufacture and dispense medical cannabis in the state.
The announcement comes over 9 months after Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation into law that allows those with certain medical conditions to possess and use cannabis medicines if they receive a recommendation from a physician. The law doesn’t allow patients to smoke cannabis, meaning they’ll be required to consume it through other means such as oils, tinctures, vaporizers and edibles.
“This represents an important step in implementing the medical marijuana program in New York State,” said New York Health Commissioner Howard Zucker in a Monday press release. “We have laid out an ambitious timeline in getting the program up and running and we are meeting our goals. Once the applications are in, we can begin our review and move to the next step of selecting the registered organizations this summer.”
Applicants are required to pay a $10,000 non-refundable application fee in addition to a $200,000 registration fee.
The state plans to have the companies registered by July.
– TheJointBlog
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Read MoreMayor candidate in dry, conservative Colorado city wants retail pot sales
Colorado Springs mayoral candidate Mary Lou Makepeace said Monday she supports the sale of recreational marijuana in the southern Colorado city, which currently allows only medical cannabis sales, and she suggests that proceeds could be used to address the city’s persistent and widespread pothole problem.
The post Mayor candidate in dry, conservative Colorado city wants retail pot sales appeared first on The Cannabist.
Read MoreWill Vancouver be Canada’s first to regulate pot shops?
Vancouver could become the first Canadian city to regulate the sale of medical marijuana this week, but the federal government’s none too happy about the British Columbia city’s news. Here’s how it’s going down.
The post Will Vancouver be Canada’s first to regulate pot shops? appeared first on The Cannabist.
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Initiative to Legalize Cannabis on Next Week’s Ballot in East Lansing, Michigan
The initiative, if passed into law by voters, would legalize the possession use and transfer of up to an ounce of cannabis for those 21 and older. Consuming cannabis in public, and cannabis distribution, would remain illegal.
According to polling released this week by Marketing Resource Group, 51% of likely Michigan voters support legalizing cannabis for recreational purposes. A separate poll released in January by SurveyUSA found even higher support, with 64% in favor of legalizing cannabis.
– TheJointBlog
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