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Marijuana Legalization: 4 States To Watch In November

Mike Adams
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Marijuana Legalization: 4 States To Watch In November

The marijuana movement is expected to advance even further following the November election. Voters in a handful of states will decide on initiatives aimed at legalizing both medical and recreational marijuana. The outcome could have some interesting implications, as there is potential for legal weed to infiltrate more of the Midwestern states. Here are the four that will be determined in the midterm election next month.

Michigan

If this initiative is pushed through, which is expected, Michigan will become the first state in the Midwest to legalize marijuana for recreational use. The proposal would allow people 21 and older to purchase cannabis products from dispensaries in a manner similar to beer. Possession limits would be some of the highest in the country. Cannabis users would have the freedom to walk the streets with 2.5 ounces while keeping as much as 10 ounces at home. And when it comes to home cultivation, the offer is not too shabby – 12 plants for personal use. That’s a lot of weed!

Anyone under the age of 21 caught in possession of marijuana would be forced to pay a ticket. The only jail time possible in this situation is for those who continue to sell on the black market. But what about how pot will be taxed? All cannabis products will be subject to the state’s 6 percent sales tax. Another 10 percent would be imposed by retailers. This money will go to fund school and road projects.

Missouri

The Show-Me state has been working toward medical marijuana for some time. And when the voters finally get a chance to answer that question, three ballot measures make it to the final stretch, which could get confusing. Nevertheless, two of the medical marijuana proposals are designed to amend the state constitution. The third, also a medical marijuana offering, would provide a change to state law. Basically, the winning amendment will knock out all of the others – becoming the chosen medical marijuana law. What’s the difference in the proposals? It’s mostly an issue of taxes. One would apply a 4 percent tax to retail sales and distribute that money to military veterans. Another calls for a 15 percent tax, with funds being used for cancer research. The third indicates a 2 percent tax for veterans, addiction centers, and early childhood education.

North Dakota

The 701 is not messing around when it comes to marijuana reform. It was just two years ago that voters decided favorably on medical marijuana. Now, they are headed back to the polls next month to determine whether the state should end pot prohibition for adult use. It’s a fairly standard deal: The proposal would give people 21 and older the ability to possess, use and grow marijuana. There is also a provision calling for the immediate expungement of criminal records related to past marijuana crimes. Some 180,000 people stand to benefit from this inclusion. As far as taxes are concerned, cannabis products would be held to the state sales tax. No additional charges would be levied.

Utah

Voters will head to the polls in a matter of weeks to decide on medical marijuana. However, the outcome of the election may have little bearing. Last week, a “compromise” deal was hashed out between the Mormon church, lawmakers and cannabis advocates that is said to “guarantee” a medical marijuana program no matter how the election turns out. Some reports indicate the compromise was done to confuse the voting public and ultimately sabotage Proposition 2. If voters approved the language of the ballot measure, Governor Herbert would call a special session so the State Legislature can adopt the negotiated deal. If the voters reject it, legislative forces will start building a therapeutic cannabis program from scratch. But they are not legally bound to pass anything. If the compromise is put into place, it will create a completely state-run system.

Medical marijuana would be distributed by a handful of private companies and the health department. There would be bans on certain edible pot products, home cultivation, and smoking. The word on the street is that anyone in Utah who wants medical marijuana needs to vote in favor of Proposition 2. Otherwise, it all falls in the hands of lawmakers.

How High Can You Get? Space Weed Is On Its Way

Mary Schumacher
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How High Can You Get? Space Weed Is On Its Way

A microwave-sized box made by a company called Space Tango will soon be launched out of the atmosphere to become ground zero for cannabis experiments in space. The relatively small size is ideal, as there isn’t a lot of room to spare on the International Space Station, where the experiments will be conducted.

Space Tango’s CubeLab modules have already tested growing barley in zero gravity for Anheuser-Busch. The space barley results are still pending, but according to NASA the barley is being “evaluated for genetic alterations and morphological abnormalities.” Unlike the stress tests the barley seems to be going through, the science with the cannabis experiments is to see if growers can achieve greater control over cultivars if grown without the stress of gravity pulling down.

Kris Kimel of Space Tango said in an interview, “We’re trying to figure out here what’s the business now… For us, the model is looking at low earth orbit to actually develop and design applications for life on earth.” Could zero-gravity chambers here on Earth be the next wave of cannabis cultivation innovation? These space tests could lead almost anywhere.

There are two companies based out of Kentucky that focus on cannabis and hemp respectively that are conducting the experiments with Space Tango. Scientists on the ISS will grow and monitor the plants’ progress onboard. Who knows, perhaps growing in space is the ticket to our unlocking even more potential from the already miraculous plants.

In a statement, Kimel extrapolated, “Each time a new type of physics platform has been successfully harnessed such as electromagnetism, it has led to the exponential growth of new knowledge, benefits to humankind and capital formation. Using microgravity, we envision a future where many of the next breakthroughs in healthcare, plant biology and technology may well occur off the planet Earth.”

We knew we needed more cannabis research, but this is literally reaching for the stars. It will be interesting to see how hemp colas do without their branches being weighed down and with no tension against the flowers whatsoever. Perhaps granules of kief will encircle the plants, perhaps potency or fiber strength will occur, whatever the results, high minded individuals will be awaiting what happens with bated breath.

Jennifer Garner Moves On After Ben Affleck Divorce; Mariah Carey Accused Of Lip-Syncing Her Way Through AMAs

Naughty Gossip
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Jennifer Garner Moves On After Ben Affleck Divorce; Mariah Carey Accused Of Lip-Syncing Her Way Through AMAs

JENNIFER GARNER IS MOVING ON AFTER BEN AFFLECK DIVORCE

Though she finalized her divorce from Ben Affleck October 5, the Peppermint actress has already “started dating someone new,” a source says in the new issue of Us Weekly. “She’s ready to start the next phase of her life.” (She and Affleck announced their split in 2015 and officially filed for divorce in April 2017.)

Which, for the mom of Violet, 12, Seraphina, 9, and Samuel, 6, always means coparenting with her ex. “They’re on the same page with giving the kids the best possible life,” says the source. “They want to be the best coparents they can be.”

MARIAH CAREY ACCUSED OF LIP-SYNCING DURING AMERICAN MUSIC AWARDS PERFORMANCE

Mariah Carey graced the stage at the American Music Awards on Tuesday for the first time since 2008 – and while the accomplished vocalist looked to be in peak form, the buzz circulating on social media was whether or not she was actually singing.

Draped in a bright pink gown with black trim, the “Obsessed” singer belted out her new single “With You” with incredible precision and drew both scorn and praise from Twitter users who reacted to her performance.

“Stop lipsyncing Mariah,” one user wrote, while another echoed her sentiments saying, “Mariah looks great but why is she lip syncing?!”

A rep for Carey said, “Wow we can’t even get through five minutes without someone trying to tear her down.”

PRIYANKA CHOPRA & NICK JONAS’ ‘WEDDING IS COMING SOON’

“The wedding is coming soon and they really want to blend wedding traditions from both of their cultures that are important to them,” the insider tells Us. “Priyanka is having a really good time planning the wedding because it’s a mix of Indian and American styles and customs, which she knows so much about.”

Adds the source: “When [Priyanka] met Nick, she was so taken by him. She says she loves the way he looks at her, the way he smiles and that he listens so well. They really are a great match.”

Does Cracking Your Knuckles Lead To Arthritis?

Maria Loreto
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Does Cracking Your Knuckles Lead To Arthritis?

There are a lot of people in the world who crack their knuckles and most of them have heard that it’s a really bad habit. Myths regarding knuckle cracking claim that it may deform your fingers and lead to arthritis. But is this fact or friction, er, fiction?

Dr. Donald Unger has been studying knuckles for over 50 years, cracking the knuckles of his left hand twice a day and leaving the ones on his right hand uncracked. In 1998, he published his findings in a medical journal and concluded that there’s not a substantial relationship between cracking your knuckles and developing arthritis (If you think this is silly, brace yourself, because he won an Ig Nobel Prize for this discovery.)

While the study didn’t include other test subjects and is highly subjective, a lot of people still wonder why knuckle cracking has such a bad rep and have conducted studies involving more test subjects.

In 2010, a study was published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, surveying the hands of over 200 people. Twenty-percent claimed to crack their knuckles regularly and showed no difference from other participants. The study concluded that these subjects were not more likely to have arthritis when compared to the others.

According to Popular Science, the main reason why people believe that knuckle-cracking leads to arthritis is due to the sound your fingers make when you crack them. “Knuckle cracking is really annoying to the people who are not doing it. The people who are annoyed want it to stop, so they come up with a story that will dissuade the knuckle-cracker,” says doctor Kevin DeWeber, a sports and family medicine physician, who says he’s been cracking his knuckles his whole life.

So, now you know. Cracking your knuckles may really annoy your friends and worry your mom, but it’s a relatively safe activity. You no longer have to listen to their made up excuses.

Silicon Valley Wants To Invest In Marijuana, Not Juuls And Nicotine

Brendan Bures
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Silicon Valley Wants To Invest In Marijuana, Not Juuls And Nicotine

We don’t need to tell you that companies are investing in the cannabis industry. The topic has practically consumed all other cannabis-related news stories outside legalization efforts over the past few months. Stories like the rise and fall of various cannabis stocks, as well as companies like Coca-Cola and Pepsi Co. flirting with the cannabis industry, have dominated the news cycle.

So you may not be surprised to hear a new investment sector is circling the cannabis industry — Silicon Valley. A New York Times feature broke down why Silicon Valley has drawn a moral line in the sand against Juul and other nicotine companies, and it basically has to do with  their advertising practices and a belief they target teenagers.

Via New York Times:

Some of those same investors, though, were open-minded about investing in start-ups focused on cannabis, which is now legal in California for recreational use. Many companies are positioning marijuana and CBD, a related compound that does not have psychoactive effect, as a wellness product for relaxation, anxiety relief, and even post-workout recovery. Cannabis start-ups have raised $1.1 billion in funding so far this year, nearly double last year’s total, according to CB Insights.

The Times cites Tusk Ventures investing in Eaze, the Uber-like start-up dedicated to cannabis deliveries. Another investor admitted he’s been evaluating CBD companies because he believes their product has clinical benefits.

Again, it isn’t that surprising that smart people want to invest in cannabis. Projections indicate the cannabis revenue will dramatically rise in the coming years. But it is interesting why they’re investing from these public statements. Silicon Valley wants to feel good in what it invests in. We guess cannabis seems like an obvious choice then.

Treating Pneumonia Symptoms And Side Effects With Medical Marijuana

Nicole Skrobin
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Treating Pneumonia Symptoms And Side Effects With Medical Marijuana

Have you ever felt healthy and on track, and then you get hit with a common cold, virus, or infection? This has likely happened to almost all of us, and at that point, we wish we could feel like our healthy selves again. One common infection that can creep up after having a cold or the flu is pneumonia. Although there are more than 30 causes of pneumonia, in most instances, pneumonia occurs as a result of having the flu or another sickness. When this infection sets in, there are different traditional treatment methods available. However, several traditional methods don’t relieve all pneumonia-causing symptoms that can negatively impact one’s quality of life. What if there was another treatment method that could help naturally alleviate the severity and painfulness of pneumonia? Fortunately for us, one natural method for relieving pneumonia-causing symptoms is medical cannabis and its many cannabinoids. 

What to Know About Pneumonia

Pneumonia is known as a lung infection that can be caused by a virus, fungi, or bacteria. This infection can affect one or both lungs, and in most cases, pneumonia is spread from one person to another via coughing, sneezing, breathing, and/or touching. How does pneumonia affect one’s body though? It starts when germs and bacteria seep into the lungs, and once the germs that cause pneumonia get into the lungs, inflammation occurs within the lungs’ air sacs. At this point, fluid fills up in the lungs, which can lead to breathing difficulties, coughs, fevers, and the chills.

In addition, thousands of people die from pneumonia every year, and even more are hospitalized due to this infection. How can pneumonia diagnoses result in deaths though? According to the American Lung Association, deaths from pneumonia occur after oxygen has a tough time reaching the blood. When the blood doesn’t have enough oxygen, the body’s cells struggle to function properly. From here, the risk of pneumonia spreading increases, which could then lead to death. Although pneumonia can be life-threatening, in most cases, it’s just temporarily life-altering.

The Growing Prevalence of Pneumonia

Despite increasing medical advancements in the U.S. and in other countries, pneumonia diagnoses are quite common. However, since 1999, the mortality rates due to pneumonia have gone down by close to 4 percent. Despite this decrease, pneumonia is still prevalent to this day. In particular, according to the American Thoracic Society, a whopping one million American adults are hospitalized for pneumonia yearly. Out of this number, roughly 50,000 of these affected individuals die from pneumonia.

Even though anyone can develop pneumonia, certain people are more at risk than others. These people include infants, young children, and adults aged 65 and older. When it comes to children though, those younger than five years old fit into the category of 120 million yearly pneumonia cases. Unfortunately, more than ten percent of these cases become severe. Also, individuals who have chronic diseases like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are more likely to develop pneumonia.

Common Pneumonia-Causing Symptoms and Side Effects

Moreover, the symptoms of pneumonia vary, but they can be anywhere from mild to extremely severe. Generally, the infection’s symptoms can be draining and overwhelming, especially for those who haven’t had pneumonia before, have weak immune systems, and/or struggle with other medical issues. It’s important to know that there are four types of pneumonia that can develop, which include viral, bacterial, fungal, and mycoplasma pneumonia. These four types fit into a classification based on the infection’s cause, where the infection was transmitted, and how pneumonia was developed.

It’s possible to develop community-acquired pneumonia, which means that the infection was acquired from somewhere outside of a medical setting. However, hospital-acquired pneumonia can develop too, which is a bacterial form that can be acquired while staying at a hospital. Normally, pneumonia’s symptoms are similar to those of colds or the flu. However, pneumonia’s symptoms last for much longer than that of a traditional cold. The most common signs of pneumonia include the following:

  • Breathing difficulties
  • Fatigue or weakness
  • Diarrhea, nausea, and/or vomiting
  • Coughing up phlegm regularly
  • Fever, body shakes, sweating, and the chills
  • Chest pain when breathing and/or when coughing
  • Mental awareness changes or confusion (more common in adults aged 65 or older)
  • An abnormally low body temperature

Although most pneumonia-causing symptoms go away after a few weeks, in some cases, they can last for a month or more. On top of this, individuals who have pneumonia are close to twice as likely to develop depression or another mental health issue

Traditional and Non-Traditional Pneumonia Treatment Options

The cause of pneumonia, the severity of its symptoms, one’s age, and one’s current state of health all dictate which treatment method will be most suitable. The primary intention of treating pneumonia is to cure it and prevent additional complications from occurring. Severe pneumonia cases often require hospitalization, whereas, other cases require taking antibiotics and resting until the infection is killed. The most common treatment methods for curing pneumonia include antibiotics and other medications that relieve fevers, reduce pain, and suppress coughs.

Aside from these treatment options, medical cannabis and CBD are alternative forms of medicine that can help relieve many of pneumonia’s symptoms and side effects. In most instances, medical cannabis can help relieve many symptoms caused by pneumonia including the following: anxiety, depression, fatigue, inflammation, nausea, vomiting, and chest pain due to coughing. Thus far, various studies, clinical trials, and anecdotal evidence support cannabis’s ability to help treat the unwanted health issues listed above while having pneumonia.

Additionally, it has been found that cannabidiol (CBD) contains powerful anti-inflammatory properties. One main symptom of pneumonia is inflammation, which occurs within the small air sacs in our lungs. Therefore, since cannabis and CBD are anti-inflammatory agents, this medical benefit could be of much use to those with pneumonia. Also, cannabis and CBD are known to be effective analgesic, anti-nausea, and anti-emetic agents, which can significantly help pneumonia patients. On top of this, different studies have been released regarding cannabis’s anti-anxiety and anti-depressant properties. Although cannabis cannot cure pneumonia, it can certainly help relieve and reduce many of the infection’s symptoms.

Best Marijuana Practices & Strains for Relieving Pneumonia-Causing Symptoms

Lastly, since smoking cannabis can irritate our lungs and cause inflammation, it’s strongly recommended to stay away from smoking if you have pneumonia. If you experience any lung related issues at all, it’s advised to stay away from smoking entirely. Fortunately, vaping is a much healthier option that doesn’t play havoc on our lungs. The other cannabis consumption methods to utilize while having pneumonia include the following: oral ingestion via infused edibles, sublingual administration via sprays, suppositories, and/or topical products depending on where relief is needed.

Several cannabis strains that can be consumed for treating pneumonia’s symptoms include ACDC, Cannatonic, Harlequin, Charlotte’s Web, and Sour Tsunami. It’s suggested to consume high CBD strains to reap the cannabinoid’s many medicinal and therapeutic benefits, especially when one has pneumonia and their immune system is weaker than usual.

Overall, even though pneumonia is a treatable infection, it can still be life-threatening, and people can die if pneumonia is left undiagnosed or untreated for too long. If you have any reason to believe that you have pneumonia, get checked by a doctor right away. In the meantime, consider consuming different cannabis-based products to help relieve many of pneumonia’s symptoms while improving your quality of life during this difficult time.

This Bride Is Freaking Out Over Her New Last Name For Good Reason

Amy Hansen
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This Bride Is Freaking Out Over Her New Last Name For Good Reason

There are a lot of things to be stressed out about when you’re planning your wedding. Venue, photographer, bridal party, and guest list alone can keep a bride-to-be up at night. But a last name? That shouldn’t be among the things that get you spinning.

However, one woman is in turmoil about her future last name, something she’s had nearly a decade to consider. You see, her first name is the same as her fiancé’s last name: Shannon. And while Shannon Shannon may have a ring to it, it’s not ideal for anyone.

Last week, she posted on wedding forum Weddingbee to ask for help.

The post reads:

My first name (Shannon) is my fiance’s last name. We have dated for 9 years and will be getting married next year, so I guess I need to finally face the decision of what I will do. Honestly it never bothered me even when people made jokes. His last name didnt matter to me because I love him.

I am not sure if I want to change my last name or hyphenate or something else. My last name is longer than his, but its only two syllables, so its not too much of a mouthful. Others have suggested changing my first name or going by my middle name, but I couldnt imagine being called by another name and I like my first name.

I would like to have the same last name as my future children, but I am not against keeping my last name. We don’t have any family or religious restrictions, so the choice is mine.

Has anyone else been in this situation? Also would love some thoughts on how to navigate this in the ceremony. Is it okay for them to announce my name then his followed by our last?

Several commenters suggested he keep her married name.

I know this isn’t traditional, but considering the circumstances, have you two considered your maiden name becoming the family name? My mom has a month name as her first and last name (not the same month, luckily!) but she has always hated being the butt end of jokes about it, and has said before she wished she had kept her maiden name. Mainly beause people make so many comments on it. Would he be against changing his name?

If it were me I’d keep my maiden name and name my children his last name.  It’s a unique situation.  Unless he wanted to change to mine.

Hey! This is your opportunity yo necome like Cher or Madonna…. just be Shannon! LOL On a serious note.. I would kuat keep my maiden name.. or if he wants to switch to your last name that is cool too.

Just as many chimed in telling Shannon she should have her husband take her last name, especially in this age of feminism. Others suggested she just embrace the double name:

I don’t personally see a problem with being “Shannon Shannon” – I think it’s kinda cool and would jump at it.

In the end, Shannon seems relieved to have received so many suggestions, thanking everyone for their opinions on the topic, saying, “Never thought it would get this much attention. I have so many options and I appreciate everyone offering so many different opinions and opening my eyes to lots of options. I have some time to think on what I will do.”

Did she just say “I do?” We’re already half way there!

[h/t Honey]

Study: Just One Alcoholic Drink A Day Increases Risk Of Early Death

Brendan Bures
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Study: Just One Alcoholic Drink A Day Increases Risk Of Early Death

An apple a day keeps the doctor away, as the saying goes, but what about a beer a day? Many are more in favor of practicing the latter, not surprisingly. In fact, general health guidelines dictate that women can safely consume one alcoholic beverage a day while men can drink two. Now scientists are saying that “healthy” amount of alcohol could raise your risk of dying by 20 percent.

A study published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research concludes that drinking daily isn’t good for your long-term health. Consuming at least one to two drinks four times a week exposed humans to a higher chance of dying earlier than those who consumed alcohol three days a week or less.

“We should no longer tell ourselves that a glass of wine daily is good for us,” Dr. Sarah Hantz, the first author on the study, told Newsweek. “There are many things that we chose to do that are unhealthy, and drinking should be considered one of them.”

“This study is the first to show that daily drinking is dangerous,” she added.

This new study stands in stark contrast to the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture. This is where you’ll find the above recommendation for the “healthy” amount of drinking for men and women.

Drinking in excess claimed around 88,000 deaths per year between 2006 and 2010, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Their lives were shortened by an average of three decades.

How, exactly, the excess drinking directly impacts your life isn’t as clear. Researchers did point to increased consumption patterns of alcohol leading to an increased risk of cancer. Otherwise, pinpointing the exact way extra drinking causes premature death is difficult to pin down because of so many variables, says researchers.

“Despite these limitations, because of the large samples and that the same result was seen in such different groups, we are fairly confident that the results are correct,” Hantz said.

Maybe just stick to an apple a day to keep the doctor away for now.

What Do Canadian Doctors Think Of Marijuana As Medicine?

Mary Schumacher
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What Do Canadian Doctors Think Of Marijuana As Medicine?

One Ontario doctor is trying to backpedal her way out of a disparaging comment she made about cannabis mere days before legalization goes into effect. President of the Ontario Medical Association, Dr. Nadia Alam, walked back her suggestion that cannabis is a gateway to harder drugs, saying “What I would say is that I misspoke, I misunderstood,” to CBC News.

On Saturday Alam woke up to a whole lotta haters after a London Morning segment aired on Thursday, touting Alam’s said stance on recreational cannabis. The doctor apologized in a Tweet, saying, “I apologize. I misspoke. Recreational cannabis is NOT a gateway drug. I thank my colleagues for correcting me. Decriminalization & harm reduction create safer, healthier communities. Illness should be treated without stigma.”

The doctor patient relationship in Canada is still on shaky ground when it comes to cannabis. In a Nanos study commissioned by OMA, a whopping 53 percent of Canadians said that they weren’t comfortable bringing up cannabis to their doctors. That’s a lot of people, considering that Canada has had legal medical marijuana since 2001 and is now legalizing period.

Canadian cannabis activist Jodie Emery said that misinformation like the gateway theory can only hurt her fellow citizens. “When doctors spread this kind of fear about cannabis being a gateway drug to harder drugs, they’re perpetuating the ‘reefer madness’ we’re supposed to be moving away from,” she stated.

Emery also believes that the stigma will fall away with the passage of time. “The stigma will start to break down and that is a net benefit, but people still need to be aware there is still a lot of stigma, still a lot of discrimination.”

The cannabis-focused Dr. Michael Verbora said that Alam was working off of out of date information. He said there was a common reticence about cannabis in the medical realm. “Cannabis is so stigmatized and that’s just because in the medical community, the way we talk about it, the way we educate on it, we only talk about the harms and we don’t talk about the benefits.”

In the way of example, Verbora pointed out that there is now 20 years worth of research on the endocannabinoid system, but the information still isn’t being taught at medical schools. The endocannabinoid system is a sweeping set of receptors that allow cannabis to do whatever job needs doing, from being an anti-inflammatory to stimulating the appetite, and it’s another reason why the latest education needs to become common knowledge, and the sooner the better.

Why Republicans Fear ‘De Facto’ Marijuana Legalization

Mike Adams
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Why Republicans Fear ‘De Facto’ Marijuana Legalization

Republicans are starting to panic when it comes to the legalization of marijuana. They are seeing the big push to pass medical marijuana laws in many states as a way for interested parties to eventually weasel into entirely legal markets. And for a good reason. Nine states and District of Columbia have all jumped into their version of recreational marijuana over the years after first legalizing for medical use. This method is considered a gateway to “de facto” legalization, according to Politico.

This has been the move for the past two decades, with California serving as the best model the United States has for turning a free medical marijuana program into a taxed and regulated market that mimics the alcohol trade. Now with states like New York and New Jersey on the verge of passing similar laws, the country could soon be in a position where legal weed is available in some of the most influential parts of the country. Still, the federal government hasn’t budged. It still considers the cannabis plant a Schedule I dangerous drug. And it only provides special medical permission to Big Pharma.

The concept of medical marijuana has been a solid move for turning states into entirely legal markets. Some of the latest polls show that in upwards of 90 percent of the population is in favor of giving people the freedom to use cannabis for therapeutic purposes. Considering the transition to from patients to prohibition’s end in states like California and Colorado, pot advocates are now strengthening their position by pushing for some level of reform in conservative states or through the expansion of existing therapeutic programs. It’s a situation that is making it difficult for naysayers to swallow the argument that medical marijuana is all about defending the needs of patients.

“This doesn’t have anything to do with cancer patients, or folks with epilepsy, this is about the expansion of the marijuana industry,” said Kevin Sabet of Smart Approaches to Marijuana, which opposes recreational marijuana laws. “The worst kept secret about most medical marijuana programs is that they often act as de facto legalization. With the expansion of programs in New Jersey or other states, this is often tied to the marijuana industry’s interest to expand the user pool and make money.”

Although there are obviously people who benefit from statewide medical marijuana programs, to suggest that the idea of providing people with “medicine” hasn’t helped forward the whole of the marijuana movement would be misaligned. By showing skeptics that marijuana isn’t the boogeyman, it has made it easier to gain their support when it comes time to pushing medical laws into all legal territory.

This is perhaps the reason lawmakers are starting to take a proactive position when it comes to their states implementing medical marijuana programs. In Utah, for example, where the voters are slated to decide on a medical marijuana program next month, state lawmakers, the Governor and other influential powers recently got together on a “compromise” to create a more palatable plan. And medical marijuana advocates have accepted the deal to prevent hassles if and when legalization goes through.

Now, if advocates could just find a way to influence Congress to take some kind of action concerning legalization, the nation would finally see some real progress.

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