MJ News for 04/23/2014

hMPp://rt.com/usa/puerto-rico-legalizing-marijuana-prostitution-892/

Puerto Rico considers legalizing marijuana and prostitution to jumpstart economy​

​After suffering eight years of recession, Puerto Rico is contemplating more than a hundred different proposals intended to jumpstart its sagging economy – including legal prostitution and marijuana use.

After suffering eight years of recession, Puerto Rico is contemplating more than a hundred different proposals intended to jumpstart its sagging economy – including legal prostitution and marijuana use.

Considering the commonwealth’s dire situation – according to Fusion.net, unemployment is at 15 percent, while 45 percent of the population is living in poverty – lawmakers have been accepting proposals from all comers, including the general public.

Nearly 370 different ideas to dig the government out of $70 billion in debt were submitted, and lawmakers have picked out 156 of them for further consideration. According to the Associated Press, the proposals range from eliminating various government agencies to cutting down the number of public holidays.

As for legalizing prostitution and marijuana, the government committee in charge of considering the proposals will also be taking a look at both of these options.

“We are studying all alternatives and all possibilities,” Sen. Maria Teresa Gonzalez said to the AP. “Change always brings inconvenience. I’m convinced that before we talk about something as dramatic and disastrous as layoffs, we have to consider other ideas.”

Whether or not the government will actually move forward with such action is up in the air, as doing so would require public hearings, approval by the commonwealth’s legislative branch, and the support of Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla.

In addition to sanctioning prostitution and marijuana, Gonzalez’s party has proposed cutting the number of public holidays from 20 to six, claiming that such a move would save $500 million a year.

Others, such as Rep. Ricardo Llerandi Cruz, have suggested doing away with 41 government agencies, some of which he claims are redundant. He stated his proposal would save $160 million just in administrative costs.

"Puerto Rico is facing the worst fiscal crisis in all of its history," Cruz said to the AP. "We need to refocus or revisit governmental priorities to face these problems."

Shrinking Puerto Rico’s debt has become the central goal for Gov. Padilla, who has assured investors and credit agencies that he’ll reduce a deficit of $820 million. Exactly how this will happen remains unclear, however, leaving some residents concerned the government will ignore the public’s proposals and resort to raising taxes, laying people off, and cutting public services.

Unconvinced that positive changes will occur, 450,000 Puerto Ricans have decided to pack up and move to the mainland United States as a result.

"It is very difficult to change the inertia of this island," attorney Manuel Lugo told the AP. "There has been no economic plan for decades. What they do here is repair and patch holes. That's not how you run a country.”

hMPp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/22/arizona-marijuana-dui_n_5194104.html

Arizona Court Overturns Marijuana DUI Ruling​

PHOENIX (AP) — Authorities can't prosecute Arizona motorists for driving under the influence of marijuana unless the person is impaired at the time of the stop, the state Supreme Court ruled Tuesday in the latest opinion on an issue that several states have grappled with across the nation.

The ruling overturned a state Court of Appeals decision last year that upheld the right of authorities to prosecute pot smokers for DUI even when there is no evidence of impairment.

The opinion focuses on two chemical compounds in marijuana that show up in blood and urine tests — one that causes impairment and one that doesn't but stays in a pot user's system for weeks.

Some prosecutors had warned that anyone in Arizona who used medical marijuana simply shouldn't drive or they would risk facing DUI charges, a contention that drew the ire of pot advocates who claimed this interpretation of the law criminalized their legal use of the drug after voters approved it in 2010.

Tuesday's state Supreme Court opinion removed that threat in explaining that while state statute makes it illegal for a driver to be impaired by marijuana, the presence of a non-psychoactive compound does not constitute impairment under the law.

Twenty-one states and the District of Columbia allow medical marijuana use, while two states — Washington and Colorado — have legalized the drug for recreational use by adults over 21. Five other states this year adopted laws that allow the use of non-psychoactive marijuana compounds for at least some conditions, such as epilepsy.

Some states require signs of impairment before someone can be charged with driving under the influence of marijuana. Others have zero tolerance for the presence of any marijuana in the blood, whether in the form of active compounds that cause impairment or inactive compounds that don't, while a few states have limits for how much active marijuana can be in the system, designed to be comparable to the .08-limit for drunken driving.

However, only eight of those states have laws that allow a driver to be charged with being under the influence for having even marijuana compounds in their systems that don't cause impairment, according to the Marijuana Policy Project.

Last year, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled that medical marijuana users should have some protections and that police must show that a driver is actually "under the influence" of the drug — meaning impaired — to seek criminal charges.

Tuesday's ruling arises from the case of an Arizona man who was stopped by police for speeding and later acknowledged having smoked marijuana the night before. Blood tests revealed marijuana compounds in his system, however, not the form that causes impairment, according to court records.

He was charged with driving under the influence of a drug and operating a vehicle with the presence of the drug's metabolite in his system.

The state Supreme Court noted that the language of Arizona's statute is ambiguous and does not make a distinction between the marijuana metabolite that causes impairment and the one that does not when determining whether criminal charges are warranted. Prosecutors had argued that the statute's reference to "its metabolite" when referring to drug compounds detected in a driver's system covers all compounds related to drugs, not just those that cause impairment.

This interpretation "leads to absurd results," the high court panel wrote. "Most notably, this interpretation would create criminal liability regardless of how long the metabolite remains in the driver's system or whether it has any impairing effect."

In a dissenting opinion, Justice Ann A. Scott Timmer wrote that the law helps "enhance detection and prosecution of drugged driving" and should remain unchanged. She suggested any constitutional challenges would be better addressed on a case-by-case basis.

Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery expressed disappointment with the ruling, noting the court should have left such a decision up to the Legislature to clarify.

However, attorney Michael Alarid III, who represented the man charged in the case, said "we're very pleased, and we're very relieved that it's finally over."

"This does have far-reaching impacts on medical marijuana patients," he added. "And it basically corrects an error in the interpretation of the law."

hMPp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/22/this-article-sums-up-the-_n_5188301.html

Newspaper Article Accidentally Sums up the Marijuana Legalization Debate​

Is it time for Ohio to legalize marijuana?

That was the question posed by the Dayton City Paper, an independent alternative weekly in Dayton, Ohio, to its readers last week. As part of its coverage of the legalization issue, the paper set aside a page for a "debate forum," with one DCP staffer arguing for marijuana legalization on the left side of the page, and another staffer arguing the anti-legalization case on the right side.

That was the plan, anyway. Just one problem: Dayton City Paper's editors were unable to find anyone on their staff to argue against legalization. Instead, they went ahead and published half a blank page, the image of which quickly went viral:

"On behalf of the Dayton City Paper staff, we apologize, but we were unable to locate a debate writer who was able to submit a view opposed to the legalization of marijuana in Ohio at this time," reads an editor's note in the blank column.

"This entire edition was constructed around our cover story asking the rhetorical question, 'Is it time?,' in regard to marijuana legalization in Ohio," DCP's publisher and owner Paul Noah told The Huffington Post. "Dayton is a very conservative town, and I considered it our job to 'stir the soup.'"

Recreational and medical marijuana are illegal in Ohio, but Rep. Bob Hagan (D) has introduced legislation that would allow patients to grow marijuana for medicinal use, or designate a caregiver to grow it for them. Hagan's proposed law is similar to those in effect in the 21 states where medical marijuana is already legal.

The Dayton City Paper's half-blank page reflects the lopsidedness of public opinion in the state. Ohio voters are strongly in favor of medical marijuana, with a recent Quinnipiac poll showing that 87 percent of state voters support using the drug for medicinal purposes.

Nationally, a recent Gallup poll showed that, for the first time, a clear majority of Americans want to see marijuana legalized. Americans also want to see an end to the long-running war on drugs. A recent survey from Pew found that 67 percent of Americans say the government should provide treatment for people who use illegal drugs, while only 26 percent said the government should be prosecuting drug users.

Read the DCP debate online, which features a "pro" and "center" argument, but is still missing the "against" side.

hMPp://www.sacbee.com/2014/04/22/6344924/sacramento-county-supervisors.html

Sacramento County supervisors vote to ban outdoor marijuana gardens​

Sacramento County supervisors on Tuesday unanimously voted to ban outdoor marijuana crops, joining a growing number of California cities and counties that have prohibited cultivation in response to safety and nuisance complaints.

Sheriff Scott Jones told supervisors that marijuana plants have increased throughout the county because of a lack of clarity in federal and state laws and inconsistent prosecution. County aides and law enforcement showed numerous aerial photos of reported grow sites, including open space near Rio Linda High School and the Cherry Island Soccer Complex.

“We’ve seen a profusion – an explosion – of marijuana grows,” Jones said.

The new restrictions would apply to unincorporated Sacramento County and likely take effect in mid-June. The city of Sacramento already bans outdoor cultivation in residential areas, while Elk Grove prohibits all outdoor marijuana growth.

Some advocates for medical marijuana said Tuesday that law enforcement overstated the risks associated with marijuana growth, though others were sympathetic with the county’s concerns about large grow sites. They asked supervisors to preserve the ability of patients to grow plants for personal use. Supervisors on Tuesday asked county staff to return May 28 with proposed restrictions for indoor marijuana grows specifically limited to medical use.

Local governments have moved quickly to regulate growth after a favorable state court ruling in November upheld their ability to ban cultivation despite the state’s 1996 initiative legalizing marijuana for medical use.

The ruling by the Sacramento-based 3rd District Court of Appeal, upholding a ban in the city of Live Oak, paved the way for similar ordinances across California. Most bans have focused on outdoor cultivation, while Fresno County has gone the furthest by prohibiting outdoor and indoor medical marijuana grows, according to the California chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

Sacramento County Supervisor Roberta MacGlashan introduced separate indoor and outdoor ordinances Tuesday to ban marijuana crops, saying she has received many complaints from residents. In addition to safety and quality of life issues, marijuana grows create undue demands on the environment, including high water use in a drought, she said.

Supervisors unanimously approved the ban on outdoor cultivation. But MacGlashan said she agreed to continue the indoor ordinance discussion because she thinks a majority of board members prefer regulation instead of an outright ban, even though she does not agree with that approach.

The board in 2011 effectively banned medical marijuana dispensaries after as many as 99 such establishments had opened in the unincorporated county.

The nebulous nature of state and federal laws makes prosecution of marijuana cultivation difficult, Jones said. The county will rely largely on code enforcement officers to police its new ordinance, citing growers for civil infractions with backup by sheriff’s deputies when needed.

Dozens of plants can be found in residential backyards as well as in more remote areas, law-enforcement officials said.

Lt. John Laughlin of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said many of the marijuana grows are run by organized crime, and it’s not hard to figure out why: A single plant can yield $1,500 worth of marijuana in California, and much more in other parts of the country. The drug trafficking task force he serves on found a cornfield in Sacramento County with $52 million in marijuana, he said.

Marijuana crops lead to violence as people try to steal and protect them, said Michael Neves, an assistant chief deputy district attorney. The District Attorney’s Office is actively prosecuting 10 people on homicide charges involving marijuana, he said.

“It’s out of control,” said Neves, who said in late summer some neighborhoods will be permeated with the skunk-like smell of freshly harvested marijuana.

Neves pointed to the case of Kelly McClurg, a 60-year-old Wilton man who was shot and killed when two men stole his indoor pot grow in 2012. Three men were convicted in the case.

Medical marijuana advocates told supervisors Tuesday the county should take action against large growers who engage in criminal enterprise but not restrict the ability of patients to cultivate plants for their own needs.

“We agree with pretty much everything you said today,” said Bob Bowerman of the Sacramento chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.

The debate on indoor growing will possibly hinge on how much marijuana is reasonable for a patient to have. Ron Mullins of Sacramento NORML told supervisors that prosecutor Neves’ assertion that 2 pounds was enough to last a patient a year was far off the mark. He estimated that he smoked 51/2 pounds of marijuana in a year.

“No way – that’s too much,” said Supervisor Susan Peters.

hMPp://news.yahoo.com/colorado-lawmakers-move-tighten-edible-marijuana-laws-224614354--finance.html

Colorado lawmakers move to tighten edible marijuana laws​

DENVER (Reuters) - Colorado lawmakers are moving to tighten laws governing the sale of marijuana-infused edibles, an issue that has gained attention following two deaths possibly linked to the ingestion of cannabis products, the measures' main sponsor said on Tuesday.

The state House of Representatives this week unanimously passed a bill limiting the amount of concentrated marijuana that can be sold, and another bill requiring more specific labeling of pot-laced products, such as candies and baked goods.

Rep. Frank McNulty, a Republican from suburban Denver, said the measures are needed to protect the public and assure that edibles are not mistakenly consumed by children.

"The packages of edibles are labeled that they contain marijuana, but once they're out of the package, they're indistinguishable from a brownie or lollipop bought at a grocery store," he said.

The bills will next be heard by the state Senate, where they appear to also have bipartisan support, McNulty said, adding that Democratic Governor John Hickenlooper has not indicated if he will sign the measures into law should they reach his desk.

Voters in Colorado legalized the possession and use of cannabis by adults in 2012, and the first retail pot shops opened in the state this January.

McNulty said the need for the legislation is punctuated by two recent deaths in Denver that have possible connections to edible marijuana.

Last month, Levi Thamba Pongi, a student from the Republic of Congo who attended college in Wyoming, leaped to his death from a hotel balcony after ingesting six times the suggested amount of marijuana cookies, according to the Denver medical examiner's office.

Pongi had come to Colorado on spring break along with several friends to sample marijuana. Investigators noted that the clerk at the store who sold the group the pot warned them not to eat an entire cookie at once.

However, Pongi ingested an entire cookie after he did not immediately feel the effects of marijuana. Hours later, he began behaving violently, culminating with his leap off the fourth-story balcony.

The Denver coroner's office listed "marijuana intoxication" as a contributing factor in Pongi's death.

In the other incident, a 47-year-old Denver man is accused of shooting his wife to death as she was on the phone with a 911 dispatcher, saying that her husband had used marijuana, was hallucinating and was frightening her and the couple's three children.

A search warrant affidavit filed in the case by a Denver police sergeant said Richard Kirk had recently purchased a joint and pot-infused candy from a marijuana shop, although he noted that Kirk may have been under the influence of prescription painkillers.

Kirk has been charged with first-degree murder for his wife's slaying and what, if any, substances he had in his system has not been publicly released.

Mike Elliot, executive director of the Medical Marijuana Industry Group, said his organization asked lawmakers to clarify the current law on concentrated marijuana, such as hash oil, months before the publicized deaths.

hMPp://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/22/dc-marijuana-decriminalization_n_5194109.html?utm_hp_ref=politics

GOP Lawmakers Target D.C.'s Effort To Decriminalize Marijuana​

WASHINGTON -- A Republican-led House subcommittee will hold a hearing next month to examine the District of Columbia's decision to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana.

The decriminalization bill was passed by the D.C. Council in February and signed by D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray late last month. Before the law can go into effect, Congress has 60 days to disapprove it.

Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) said in a statement that she was surprised the subcommittee would single out the D.C. measure. But she said she appreciated the fact that Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.), who chairs the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee’s Subcommittee on Government Operations, is allowing her to testify and question witnesses even though she is not a member of the subcommittee.

"It is inappropriate to hold a hearing on the local marijuana laws of only one jurisdiction, the District of Columbia, when 18 states have decriminalized marijuana, 21 states have legalized medical marijuana and two states have legalized marijuana," Norton said in her statement.

"There is nothing that distinguishes the District from these states except for Congress’s illegitimate power to overturn the democratically enacted local laws of the District," Norton continued. "What is clear is that the enforcement of marijuana laws here and throughout the country has a disproportionately unfair effect on African American men and boys, leaving them with criminal records that often cripple them for the rest of their lives."

A spokeswoman for the House Oversight Committee said the hearing would be part of an ongoing examination of the tension between federal marijuana law and state and local marijuana laws, pointing to a previous hearing on legalization in Colorado and Washington state. At the earlier event, a top Drug Enforcement Administration official proclaimed that legalizing marijuana "insults" the common values of Americans and that "every single parent out there" opposes it.

Committee spokeswoman Becca Glover Watkins also pointed to differences in how criminal laws are enforced in the District and the states. "Though there are many parallels to the situation in states like Colorado, the District of Columbia utilizes the Federal Court systems for prosecuting many offenses and an array of law enforcement agencies maintain a significant presence due to the foot print of the Federal government in our nation's capital," Watkins said in her statement to The Huffington Post.

"How will these agencies enforce the law? The Committee continues to examine these unique factors as part of its broader examination of tension between federal and local marijuana laws in many jurisdictions. The Committee will release more information as its efforts move forward," Watkins continued.

In D.C., prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia enforce both federal and local laws. U.S. Attorney Ron Machen hasn't formally weighed in on the new law, but said last year there were "a lot of problems" with decriminalizing marijuana.

About 3,000 people were arrested for misdemeanor possession of marijuana in the District in 2012, and roughly 2,000 were charged. Most of them entered diversion programs or had their cases dismissed, and only 5 percent of those arrested served any jail time, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Asked about the District's decriminalization of marijuana earlier this month, Attorney General Eric Holder told The Huffington Post that as a former D.C. judge, he didn't think it made sense to send people to jail on possession charges, but he avoided directly endorsing the law.

"We'll see how it works in Washington, D.C.," Holder, a District resident, said.

hMPp://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/04/marijuana_news_alaskas_legaliz.html

Alaska's legalized pot measure expected to land on fall ballot​

A proposal to tax and regulate marijuana like alcohol is headed to the ballot in November, when voter turnout is expected to be strong, reports Politico and Alaska Public Media.

The citizens' petition was expected to go to voters in August, but an extended special session in the legislature means it's likely to wait until the fall, Alaska Public Media reports.

Alaska already allows medical marijuana; Under the proposal headed to voters this fall, it would be legal for anyone older than 21 to buy, grow and possess marijuana for recreational purposes.

Quinnipiac University pollsters say a majority of Coloradans have tried marijuana, reports The Washington Post political site, The Fix. The Connecticut university put out a nifty chart of pot use in seven states. (Oregon wasn't among them.) Colorado tops the list when it comes to residents who've tried cannabis.

The Daily Beast digs into what's being done with the federal government's research-grade cannabis. Writer Steven Wishnia's conclusion: not much. (Are the feds hoarding pot?)

Writes Wishnia:

Still, although the number of NIDA-funded studies involving cannabis has increased dramatically over last decade, from 22 for $6 million in 2003 to 69 for $30.2 million in 2012, the overwhelming majority are concerned with it as a drug of abuse, such as studying its possible links to schizophrenia or treatments for “cannabis dependence.”

While only a handful are exploring its potential medical uses. “It’s a very slow trickle,” says Kris Hermes of Americans for Safe Access, a medical-marijuana advocacy group.

NIDA’s Web site, revised this year, lists “potential therapeutic uses of THC and other cannabinoids in treatment of pain, HIV, and addiction” as one of the eight categories of marijuana research it funds. As of January 31, it was funding 28 such studies, including one that explores whether the endogenous cannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) could be used to treat arthritis pain in guinea pigs and whether THC inhibits the spread of an HIV-like virus in apes.

A drug bust in Philadelphia has revealed a coast-to-coast ring moving marijuana into some of the city's poshest prep schools, The Washington Post reports. Eleven people were arrested, including ringleaders Timothy Brooks, 18, and Neil Scott, 25. Both attended the tony Haverford School, the Post reports. (Philly preppies accused in ‘Main Line take over’ drug operation aimed at cornering supply to fancy schools)
Staff writer Terrence McCoy writes:

Each dealer allegedly had a quota: moving at least one pound of marijuana per week. Police say Brooks, whom Scott allegedly coached on drug economics, was a driving supervisor. Prosecutors say he wanted them to “efficiently distribute drugs.” He allegedly even added incentives, including lowering the purchase price for marijuana “to increase their profit margin.”


He allegedly wanted supply high. “Brooks instructed the high school sub-dealers to make certain there was always a constant supply of marijuana in their assigned schools,” investigators charge. “Brooks said this was important to him because he remembered not always being able to buy marijuana when he was in high school.”

Brooks’s high school experience comes into sharper focus on social media. On Facebook, he and the accused sub-dealers’ play lacrosse, pose for family photos, hug cats, fence and wear lots of button-downs. In all, they look like everyday, if wealthy, teens and 20-somethings — perhaps characters out of “The Social Network,” the movie about Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook’s birth. Not the sort to be caught with what investigators say they found: eight pounds of marijuana, 23 grams of cocaine, 11 grams of ecstasy, three grams of hash oil, $11,000 in cash, two AR-15 rifles, one handgun and loads of ammo.

And finally, more than 100 Oregon cities and towns aren't rolling out the welcome mat for medical marijuana dispensaries. Local governments have until May 1 to impose moratoriums on the establishments. Those bans can remain in place through May 2015.

hMPp://www.foxnews.com/health/2014/04/23/introducing-american-cannabis-nurses-association/

Introducing the American Cannabis Nurses Association​

As cannabis use becomes more widely accepted by various sectors of U.S. society, health care practitioners are moving way past the belief that there’s no evidence to support cannabis as medicine. That position, once adopted by the federal government, is now old news as evidenced by a patent on medical uses of pot filed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Cannabis, both as a recreational agent and as a medicine, is thoroughly upon us, and now health officials are responding.

One such response can be seen in the formation of the American Cannabis Nurses Association. If you’ve been to a hospital, you know that even though medical doctors rank highest on the caregiver food chain, nurses are the ones who provide the most patient care and develop the closest relationships with patients. Nurses understand that, like it or not, cannabis use is widespread. Additionally, a fast-growing body of science is developing as researchers plumb the complexities of cannabis, probing into the nature and activity of the various cannabinoids

Started by a small group of nurses and other health care practitioners, the American Cannabis Nurses Association formed to better understand “endocannabinoid therapeutics.” This refers to cannabinoids from outside of our bodies, as we manufacture our own cannabinoids internally. The source of endocannabinoids is cannabis, aka marijuana.

With as many as 20 million U.S. citizens utilizing cannabis for one purpose or another, nurses need to understand what their patients are using, what effects may be expected, and what interactions may occur with other drugs. And with the science of cannabis rapidly growing, nurses need a resource to train them in this emerging body of knowledge.

In May, the American Cannabis Nurses Association will co-host a Cannabis as Medicine Conference, also dubbed The Eighth National Clinical Conference on Cannabis Therapeutics, in conjunction with The American Academy of Cannabinoid Medicine (AACM). The conference, to be held May 8 – 10 in Portland Oregon, will focus on the science of cannabis for treating health disorders of various kinds, from pain to neurological disorders. The course will offer continuing education credits through The University of California at San Francisco Medical School. Other conferences on cannabis therapeutics are scheduled.

What started years ago as a small and fringe movement is now exploding into a national one, involving doctors, nurses, chemists, pharmacists, and researchers who are investigating the therapeutic uses of cannabis and assessing its long-term future in health care.

Just this week, the Florida House Judiciary Committee endorsed a plan to allow doctors to prescribe cannabis extract to some patients suffering seizures or pain. Remarkably, this endorsement completely circumvents standard drug approval processes. This move follows right on the heels of a worrisome Harvard and Northwestern University study showing that casual use of cannabis can lead to changes in the nucleus accumbens and the amygdala in the brain. This, the researchers say, may adversely affect motivation.

There is unquestionably still a lot to learn about cannabis, and most researchers believe that despite a great deal of scrutiny of this plant over time, the body of science on cannabis is still a young study. And uses for cannabis are expanding. Oncologist Dr. Wai Liu, at London’s St George’s University, recently found that some compounds in cannabis can kill cancer cells in people with leukemia, a disease that kills an estimated 24,000 Americans every year. Cannabis may help to save some of those lives.

In other news, the first cannabis beauty line, Cannabis Basics, was recently launched by Seattle resident Ah Aimee Warner. The line features balms, butters, creams, lotions, and even a cannabis-based pain stick. Will cannabis prove a beauty secret as well as a valuable medicine? It just might, grasshopper. It just might.


Chris Kilham is a medicine hunter who researches natural remedies all over the world, from the Amazon to Siberia. He teaches ethnobotany at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he is Explorer In Residence. Chris advises herbal, cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies and is a regular guest on radio and TV programs worldwide. His field research is largely sponsored by Naturex of Avignon, France. Read more at MedicineHunter . com.

hMPp://www.kmov.com/news/local/Missouri-House-Oks-use-of-cannabis-extract-for-epilepsy-256346971.html

Missouri House Oks use of cannabis extract for epilepsy​

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri House has endorsed legislation allowing use of a cannabis extract by people whose epilepsy is not relieved by other treatments.

The bill would permit use of “hemp extract” with little of the substance that makes marijuana users feel high and greater amounts of a chemical called cannabidiol, or CBD. Patients would need to have epilepsy that a neurologist has determined is not responding to at least three treatment options. Patients or their parents would need a state-issued registration card.

Growers would have to be nonprofit organizations and have a license from the Missouri Department of Agriculture.

House members gave the measure first-round approval Tuesday by voice vote. It needs another affirmative vote to move to the Senate.

hMPp://www.cnbc.com/id/101603415

Cramer: This 'cannabis' stock will quickly double​

Jim Cramer strongly endorsed an analyst's bullish call on GW Pharma (GWPH) in his "Stop Trading" segment on CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" today.

The UK-based company is working on prescription medicines based on cannabis to treat a number of medical conditions.

Its stock soared as much as 43 percent to $65.97 after Morgan Stanley started coverage of the stock with an "overweight" rating and a price target of $103.

Cramer called Morgan's recommendation "timely" and "bold," predicting the stock will quickly reach the target.

"It's not a medical marijuana stock. They have a novel platform. It is an epilepsy company."

Cramer warned investors to stay away from other marijuana-related penny stocks. "Forget it! If you like cannabis, and I'm not necessarily speaking about 'liking' cannabis, it's GW Pharma."

hMPp://www.benzinga.com/general/politics/14/04/4484425/a-look-at-2014s-leading-cannabis-stocks-part-i

A Look At 2014's Leading Cannabis Stocks (Part I)​

Even though cannabis-sector stocks have dropped more than 50 percent since the March peak, the Benzinga 420 Marijuana Index is still up 244 percent YTD.

The burst at the beginning of the year came after widespread media coverage of Colorado's recreational legalization, but along with NASDAQ, the MJ market has recently corrected.

Heightened scrutiny by FINRA and the SEC (which has now suspended five cannabis-related stocks) has made the cannabis sector more volitile.

With the big "420" celebration behind us, investors will be paying attention to several catalysts over the remainder of the year, including the implementation of Canada's new medical marijuana program, the roll-out of retail marijuana in Washington this summer, and the November elections, where Alaska (recreational) and Florida (medical) are both expected to legalize marijuana.

Not all stocks in the sector move with the rest of the group, with performances varying. Investors have become wary of some names and enamored by others.

With the market beginning to bounce from oversold conditions, let's take a look at some of the largest names in the sector...


Advanced Cannabis Solutions (OTC: CANN [FREE Stock Trend Analysis]):
Despite their recent SEC suspension, Advanced Cannabis Solutions (OTC: CANN) is still trading up 589 percent in 2014.

The company’s March halting appears to be the result of restricted shares being traded by a non-insider. Investors seem encouraged by the innocence of the company’s insider-holders, as well as their expansion into Canada.

See also: 14 Cannabis Stocks To Watch In 2014

CANN has a powerful business model that is based on leasing their facilities to cultivators, providing consulting and ancillary products to their clients, while supporting them with access to capital.


CannaVest (OTC: CANV):
CannaVest (OTC: CANV) has gained less than one percent in 2014 after giving up the massive gains from the beginning of the year. After a large insider trade, negative publicity from Forbes, and an earnings restatement, investor confidence has plummeted. The company's business model appears to be at risk, as the barriers to entry for hemp production seem likely to fall.


Tranzbyte (OTC: ERBB):
Tranzbyte (OTC: ERBB) is trading up over 1800 percent this year, with investors focused on a marijuana based vending machine known as ZaZZZ. The pink-sheet company is yet to disclose that the first ZaZZZ customer is simply the result of a consulting contract with a related firm.


Creative Edge Nutrition (OTC: FITX):
Creative Edge Nutrition (OTC: FITX) has rallied over 1400 percent since the turn of the calendar. The company, which is in the process of building a large new growth facility in Canada, has also expanded through the acquisition of Hemp Technologies.

FITX, which also trades on pink-sheets, expects to complete two years of audits by the end of April, which will allow them to up-list to a more respectable market.

This move, as well as the recent addition of an independent Chairman to their board, seems to raise the company’s odds for success.

See also: 1st Annual Cannabis Investor Conference In June 2014


FusionPharm (OTC: FSPM):
Shares of FusionPharm (OTC: FSPM) (which is also traded via pink-sheets) have increased almost 600 percent. The company (and investors) have benefit from cultivation expansion in Colorado and Canada.

While the company’s fundamentals appear to be strong, investors should be wary of a large block of convertible preferred stock that was issued to the CEO and his brother. This preferred stock could boost the shares outstanding to 155mm.


GW Pharma (NASDAQ: GWPH):
GW Pharma (NASDAQ: GWPH) is up 11 percent despite NASDAQ’s very weak bio-tech sector. The company’s shares dropped at the beginning of the year due to the the issue of additional shares at $36 in January.

From there, the stock exloded up to almost $87, but has sharply corrected in the last month.

Investors are excited about upcoming P3 trials for GWPH’s leading drug, Sativex.

Along with that drug, there is potential for an anti-seizure medicine, Epidiolex, to obtain orphan status with the FDA (which would protect them from the emerging competition). GW Pharma appears to be one of the strongest plays in the sector.

A Look At 2014's Leading Cannabis Stocks (Part II)​

Hemp, Inc. (OTC: HEMP [FREE Stock Trend Analysis]) has gained about 320 percent this year.

This fellow pink-sheet has engaged in several transactions with other penny-stock companies as part of a "consulting service," and has pre-announced sales of over $5 million for Q1 in mid-April.

The market appears to discount the report, as it is likely that the sales are not tied to cash flow. In 2013, the company reported stock received from an affiliate as revenue, later dumping the depressed shares into a spin-off.

mCig (OTC: MCIG) has jumped 522 percent thus far, and has become the largest vaporizor accessories company in terms of market capitalization.

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mCig's CEO Paul Rosenberg cleverly donated his stake in spin-off VitaCig, a move that will allow the company to show positive equity on the balance sheet (while retaining the shares). With funding from the CEO, mCig also recently acquired a table-top vaporizer company, Vapolution.

Though Medbox (OTC: MDBX) shares have only increased 18 percent so far, the company issued a 100 percent dividend in January that consisted of restricted stock.

Assuming that the value of the restricted stock is $5.00, (which is the level the stock traded at in 2013) the gain is about 45 percent.

The company's founder has stepped down from the Board of Directors, which spurred the appointment of a couple of independent board members, as well as a new employee.

MDBX recently up-listed from pink-sheets to the OTCQB market.

Medical Marijuana, Inc. (OTC: MJNA) is up almost 37 percent YTD. The company is yet to resolve litigation related to its Red Dice Holdings subsidiary.

The company has little cash on hand, and the plunge in the value of their investment in CANV has likely weighed on the stock. MJNA also has no ability to issue more shares unless management is willing to remove its "management-imposed cap" of 950 million authorized shares.

The company has embraced a multi-level marketing strategy by partnering with a new multi-level-marketing firm, Kannaway.

Nuvilex (OTC: NVLX) has gained 250 percent this year.

While the company has other aspects to its business beyond cannabis, the enhancement of its Scientific Advisory Board for its Medical Marijuana Sciences unit has played a role in attracting investor interest.

See also: 7 Companies Capitalizing On Canadian Cannabis

Dr. Mark Rabe presented at the Americans for Safe Access meeting in Washington, D.C. earlier this month.

GrowLife (OTC: PHOT), which is currently suspended until April 25, is (or was) up 233 percent as of April 9.

The company is probably the most widely held security in the sector in terms of market cap, most likely due to a strong positive perception of their management team, easy access to capital, and the "picks and shovels" business model that is tied to the build out of cultivation facilities.

The SEC notice was somewhat vague, pointing to "concerns regarding the accuracy and adequacy of information in the marketplace and potentially manipulative transactions in GrowLife's common stock."

PHOT management issued a press release that failed to add clarity to the situation.

Terra Tech (OTC: TRTC) has increased 436 percent so far this year, with investors appreciating their balanced business model.

The Edible Gardens brand (a branch of TRTC), which is sold in the NYC metropolitan area as well as in Florida and Indiana, offers consumers very high quality hydroponically-grown produce, but investors are likely more interested in the company's plans to pursue a medical marijuana license in Nevada.