Vote Could Lift Ban on VHA Doctors Recommending Medical Marijuana Paul Marini | April 30, 2014 Washington, D.C. -- Veterans will be able to get recommendations to use medical cannabis from Veterans Health Administration (VHA) physicians if an amendment expected to be offered this evening passes. The VHA currently prohibits its medical providers from issuing the... Read more
Prosecutions contradict Obama Administration statements, policy against targeting sick patients Paul Marini | April 21, 2014 Spokane, WA -- Family members from a rural area of eastern Washington are expected to go to trial next month on federal marijuana charges, despite the Obama Administration's repeated claims that it does not target seriously ill patients. The federal... Read more
HB 881 will protect patients from arrest and prosecution, approve physicians, license growers and distributors Paul Marini | April 14, 2014 Annapolis, MD -- Governor Martin O'Malley signed HB 881 into law today, making Maryland the 21st medical marijuana state. The Maryland House of Delegates voted 125-11 last week to adopt HB 881, a medical marijuana bill that protect patients with... Read more
Patient advocates worked with Council member Yvette Alexander to improve lagging enrollment in the program Paul Marini | April 09, 2014 Washington, D.C. -- District of Columbia Council member Yvette Alexander (D-Ward 7) introduced legislation yesterday that would lift restrictions on physicians that currently prevent them from recommending medical marijuana to any patient who might benefit from it. If signed into... Read more
HB 881 will protect patients from arrest and prosecution, approve physicians, license growers and distributors Paul Marini | April 08, 2014 Annapolis, MD -- The Maryland House of Delegates voted 125-11 yesterday to adopt HB 881, a medical marijuana bill that improves upon the law that was adopted by the state last year. If signed by Governor Martin O'Malley, HB 881... Read more
Monday Hill briefing and citizen lobby day come as AG Holder says Administration ready to work on rescheduling Paul Marini | April 07, 2014 Washington, D.C. -- More than 200 medical marijuana advocates, including patients, doctors, scientists, lawyers, and policymakers, will lobby their Members of Congress today in an effort to pass legislation that would reclassify marijuana for medical use. Medical marijuana advocates from... Read more
New Patient Focused Certification program brings quality, safety standards to medical marijuana industry Paul Marini | March 20, 2014 Seattle, WA -- The first medical marijuana dispensary in Washington State was certified today under a recently launched nationwide program that verifies the quality and reliability of products sold at licensed medical marijuana businesses. Today's certificate awarded to Dockside Co-op... Read more
Scientists, patients, doctors, advocates, lawyers, policymakers unite to advance public health policy reforms Paul Marini | March 14, 2014 Washington, D.C. -- The country's leading medical marijuana advocacy group, Americans for Safe Access (ASA), formally announced today its second annual Unity Conference, "Navigating Medical Cannabis in the Mainstream," to be held in Washington, D.C. on April 5-7, 2014. The... Read more
"Cannabis in the Treatment of Epilepsy" comes as demand grows for using the plant to treat intractable seizure disorders Paul Marini | March 12, 2014 Washington, D.C. -- The medical research group American Herbal Pharmacopoeia (AHP) issued a new scientific review today entitled, "Cannabis in the Treatment of Epilepsy," which it is offering for free to the public. The review compiles much of the leading... Read more
House Del. Cheryl Glenn (D-Baltimore) holds press conference Friday before committee hearing on bill Paul Marini | February 26, 2014 Annapolis, MD -- A medical marijuana bill introduced earlier this month by Maryland House Delegate Cheryl Glenn (D-Baltimore) and co-sponsored by nearly half of the House will be heard Friday at 1pm in the Health and Government Operations Committee. HB... Read more