Cannabis Law Group’s Medical Marijuana Legal Blog

The “War on Drugs” has been an epic failure by many standards, particularly with regard to marijuana. The harm that has been inflicted in the course of this “war” – the gang fights over the black market, the sky-high incarceration levels of minorities, police killings and more – has far outweighed any sliver of benefit…

Last year, when Congress was mulling a provision to an appropriations bill for medical marijuana, the U.S. Department of Justice interceded. Don’t do it, the DOJ warned, unless you are willing to strip this agency of all ability to enforce federal law in recreational marijuana cases too. The goal of this message, relayed through “informal…

Marijuana was known as medicine centuries before lawmakers in the U.S. sought to stamp it out. But in the last two decades, it seems Americans are finally coming around, as 23 states plus the District of Columbia have passed laws that make it legal to use marijuana for medicinal treatments. Another four states have given…

The Michigan Supreme Court recently issued its ninth ruling relative to the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act, a move that prompted prosecutors to drop at least five pending criminal cases for alleged unlawful distribution of the drug. The civil forfeiture cases connected to those five cases will also be dismissed, and the items seized will be…

Marijuana is still classified by federal guidelines as highly dangerous, addictive and having little to no redeeming value. And yet, 23 states plus D.C. have legalized the drug for medicinal purposes, with four of those going so far as to allow access to the drug for recreational use. Many more have decriminalized minor possession of…

Male teens who use marijuana almost daily – identified as chronic users – are not at higher risk for developing physical or mental health issues – including depression and psychosis – later in life than their non-drug user counterparts. That finding comes from researchers with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and Rutgers University. The…

For years, marijuana has been classified by the federal government as a Schedule I narcotic. That has put it in the same class with heroin and other dangerous drugs that have no medicinal benefit and are highly addictive. This classification was a big part of the reason state and federal authorities came down so hard…

A panel headed by Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsome has released a report urging California legislators and voters to proceed cautiously with legalization of marijuana for recreation. The Blue Ribbon Commission on Marijuana Policy, which was founded two years ago, outlines a total of 58 strategies, goals and recommendations for marijuana legalization that focus on limiting…

Ever since the beginning of medical marijuana legalization, a central issue has vexed the industry: Banking. Because the drug remains illegal under federal law, federally-insured banks (pretty much all of them) could not open accounts for marijuana dispensaries or businesses without the risk of violating federal money laundering statutes. This is true even though many…

Although possession, use and distribution of marijuana has been made legal in various forms throughout the country, many employers have policies that do not reflect this. Take for example the television news anchor in Oregon who was fired after testing positive for the drug. A new report indicates the morning weekend anchor at a smaller…