Category: Features

To date, in Ohio’s Medical Marijuana Control Program, only 10 of the 19 Level 1 cultivator permittees, 10 of the 14 Level II cultivators and 19 of the 45 processor permittees have been deemed operational. Of the 57 dispensary permittees, 51 have been deemed operational and there are three laboratories…

New York, the fourth-most populous state, has one of the most restrictive medical cannabis programs in the country. Under the Compassionate Care Act, enacted in 2014 and administered by the state Department of Health, New York has licensed only 10 “registered organizations” to grow, process and sell medical cannabis to…

New Jersey, the 11th most populous state and the 14th state to legalize medical cannabis, has a medical cannabis program that is still in its infancy. Despite having been created more than a decade ago, the program is struggling to serve almost 80,000 registered medical patients with just 11 operational…

Hemp and CBD products have become increasingly popular, showing up in everything from dietary supplements to bedsheets. As the popularity of these products has grown, those seeking to build strong cannabis brands have been met with resistance at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). This brand building became more…

Nevada’s regulated marijuana industry has undergone significant changes since beginning commercial production in 2015. Yet, despite license expansion, continuous litigation and material changes to its regulatory oversight, Nevada’s entrepreneurs and visitors have enjoyed an ever-expanding and robust cannabis market.  There are six types of cannabis licenses in Nevada: cultivation facility; production facility; testing/laboratory; retail (recreational); medical dispensary; and distributor (recreational).  As of January…

The cannabis industry in Montana has a history as rich and colorful as the Wild West. It was one of the nation’s first medical states, passing medical legalization by ballot initiative in 2004. Despite having fewer than 1 million residents, the number of medical cardholders soared to 31,000 patients statewide…

In November 2018, 65% of Missouri voters approved a ballot measure to legalize medicinal cannabis. While many had hoped that sales would begin this summer, it appears medicinal marijuana will not be available in Missouri until late summer 2020, at the earliest. This is due to many factors, including a…

Michigan’s commercial cannabis industry is still young, but it’s well on its way to greatness. Michigan is second only to California in the number of registered medical patients, and it also recognizes out-of-state patient registration cards. The state’s adult-use cannabis market is even larger, because it draws from other states…

Massachusetts cannabis advocates rejoiced on November 8, 2016, when voters passed a ballot initiative to legalize recreational cannabis. But when the rejoicing was finished, the waiting began. Many legislators had vocally opposed legalization and remained highly skeptical of the relatively permissive terms of the ballot initiative. Others were supportive of…

Maryland legalized marijuana for medicinal purposes in 2014 and implemented its medical marijuana program in 2017. The law established the Natalie M. LaPrade Medical Cannabis Commission to regulate the Maryland industry and allows certified health-care providers to issue written certifications to patients suffering from certain chronic or debilitating diseases and…