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Medical marijuana trial pits state vs. federal laws

Paul Marini | March 01, 2015

Trevor Hughes, USA Today Federal prosecutors are trying to persuade a jury that a cancer-stricken man and his family were illegally growing and distributing marijuana in the forest outside their northeastern Washington home despite claims by the "Kettle Falls Five"...

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Patient Focused Certification Program Director Kristin Nevedal will speak Saturday in Redway and Sunday in Laytonville on importance of product safety

Paul Marini | February 27, 2015

Redway & Laytonville, CA -- Multiple medical marijuana businesses from northern California -- Sonoma Lab Works and Peace in Medicine, with dispensaries in Sebastopol and Santa Rosa -- were certified earlier this month by Patient Focused Certification (PFC), a nationwide...

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Department of Justice persists despite recently adopted Congressional measure curbing DOJ enforcement in medical marijuana states

Paul Marini | February 27, 2015

The trial of the Kettle Falls Five, a widely watched federal medical case against a family from eastern Washington, began on Wednesday with jury selection and opening arguments. After the second day and no end in sight for the prosecution,...

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Virginia Becomes 12th State to Add Patient Protections of CBD Extracts

Paul Marini | February 26, 2015

Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe (D) signed a cannabidiol (CBD) extract affirmative defense bill earlier today, making Virginia the 12th state in the country to pass legal protections for patients with a medical necessity for CBD extracts. Today's bill signing now brings...

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Trial Begins in Federal Court for Marijuana Grow Operation in Eastern Washington

Paul Marini | February 26, 2015

Steve Jackson, Northwest Public Radio The trial began Wednesday in federal court in Spokane for a group of people accused of growing marijuana near Kettle Falls in northeast Washington. The case is seen as a test of federal drug laws,...

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Three defendants now stand trial after dismissal of charges against cancer-stricken defendant, plea bargain by family friend

Paul Marini | February 26, 2015

Spokane, WA -- Trial began on Wednesday with jury selection and opening statements in a widely watched federal medical marijuana case against a family from eastern Washington State known as the Kettle Falls Five. Last week, amidst mounting pressure, the...

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New D.C. Adult-Use Marijuana Law Will Likely Have Minimal Impact on the District's Medical Program

Paul Marini | February 25, 2015

According to District government officials, the adult-use marijuana law,  Initiative 71, will go into effect at 12:01 am on February 26, 2015. While there is much attention surround the implementation of Initiative 71 regarding the District-Federal showdown, as some House Republicans...

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Federal Trial Begins Against Family That Grew Medical Marijuana

Paul Marini | February 25, 2015

Matt Ferner, Huffington Post A high-profile federal trial began Wednesday for three family members and a close family friend who have been charged with illegally possessing and distributing medical marijuana, among other offenses. If convicted, the defendants face minimum mandatory...

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Patient Focused Certification Program Director Kristin Nevedal will speak Thursday to the Coalition for Cannabis Standards and Ethics

Paul Marini | February 25, 2015

Seattle, WA -- Two Washington State-based laboratories -- The Werc Shop and Phytalab -- have recently been certified under a nationwide program that verifies quality control standards, calibration, and evaluation processes for labs that test medical marijuana products. These certificates...

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Government continues prosecution despite Congressional ban on interfering with implementation of state law

Paul Marini | February 24, 2015

Trial starts Wednesday in a widely watched federal medical marijuana case from eastern Washington State known as the Kettle Falls Five. The Obama Administration is aggressively pursuing marijuana trafficking charges against a family of patients who claim to have been growing for...

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