MMJ Business Daily

Minnesota Considers Adding Intractable Pain to MMJ List

Some good news might be on the horizon for Minnesota’s two medical cannabis producers.

The state Department of Health is considering adding intractable pain to the relatively small list of qualifying conditions for MMJ.

That could mean a huge boost in the potential customer base for the two firms, as the number of registered patients right now stands at just 361, according to a Minneapolis TV station. Allowing individuals to get MMJ cards for intractable pain would likely boost patient numbers by thousands, or perhaps even tens of thousands.

The state will hold community meetings to

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Minnesota Considers Adding Intractable Pain to MMJ List is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Let States Regulate Marijuana, GOP Voters Say

Republicans generally don’t like the federal government telling them what they can and can’t do, and that ideology apparently carries over into the cannabis realm for many.

A new study released this week found that 64% of Republicans in Iowa and 67% in New Hampshire want the next president of the United States to respect state marijuana laws. Iowa and New Hampshire are generally considered bellwether states for how a given presidential contender is doing, so how local Republican voters feel about cannabis could help sway GOP candidates.

The survey was conducted by Public Policy Polling

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Let States Regulate Marijuana, GOP Voters Say is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

First Dispensary Registered in Illinois

The first medical cannabis dispensary in Illinois is now formally registered with the state.

The dispensary, called Harbory, is located in the southern Illinois town of Marion, closer to St. Louis and Nashville than Chicago. Although it has not announced an opening date – largely because cultivators are just starting to grow medical cannabis – the registration means the state inspection process is complete and Harbory can begin serving customers as soon as it obtains MMJ.

The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation will continue to register dispensaries on a rolling basis and post the

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First Dispensary Registered in Illinois is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Florida Recreational Marijuana Campaign Might Pose Threat to MMJ Legalization

By John Schroyer

The latest potential obstacle to medical cannabis legalization in Florida is coming from an unexpected source: marijuana advocates themselves.

A group is attempting to get a measure on the state’s ballot next year to legalize recreational marijuana, and one of its key executives is the deputy director of the Florida NORML chapter.

If the measure makes the ballot, it could derail MMJ legalization and cost Florida cannabis entrepreneurs a shot at an enormous new market. The fear is that neither measure would pass in such a scenario – effectively killing the state’s chances of legalizing medical

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Florida Recreational Marijuana Campaign Might Pose Threat to MMJ Legalization is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Michigan Legalization Group Shifting From Rec to Dispensaries

A group in Michigan that was originally aiming to get a measure on the 2016 ballot to legalize recreational cannabis has shifted gears.

The organization is now focusing on getting lawmakers to pass a bill to permit and regulate MMJ dispensaries in Michigan – something many cannabusiness leaders and advocates have tried to do for years without success.

The Michigan Responsibility Council (MRC) is pushing state legislators to put a regulatory system in place for medical marijuana businesses. If that falls through, the group will attempt to put the issue in front of voters next year.

The MRC

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Michigan Legalization Group Shifting From Rec to Dispensaries is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Mining Companies Transitioning to Marijuana Industry

Pressured by weakness in metals prices, a handful of international mining companies have pivoted and are now dipping their toes into the cannabis trade.

Two Canadian mining companies and a pair of Australian mining firms have already put resources into marijuana pursuits in Canada and may be eyeing opportunities in other countries as well, according to Reuters.

“With the downturn that the mining industry has suffered, I think the smart and innovative entrepreneurs in the sector are looking for other asset types that can rebuild businesses and restore lost value for shareholders,” John Fowler, CEO

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Mining Companies Transitioning to Marijuana Industry is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Oregon Dispensaries Could Ease Into Recreational Marijuana

By John Schroyer

Dispensaries in Oregon may not have to jump through many hoops to begin selling recreational cannabis this fall.

The state recently released proposed rules covering the early sale of adult-use marijuana, and it appears existing dispensaries will be able to make a smooth transition into the recreational market.

The draft regulations are fairly lax when it comes to new rules dispensaries will have to follow on top of the ones they’re already required to meet. William Simpson – the founder of Chalice Farms, which runs three dispensaries in Oregon – said most of the proposed

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Oregon Dispensaries Could Ease Into Recreational Marijuana is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Illinois MMJ Businesses Still Facing Obstacle With Reluctant Docs

A good number of physicians are still balking at recommending medical cannabis for patients in Illinois, which could contribute to an ongoing problem for MMJ businesses in the state: a small customer base.

So far, only about 2,800 patients have registered for the program, which is extremely worrisome to the scores of companies that won licenses to operate dispensaries and cultivation sites in the state.

Some health organizations in Illinois are prohibiting staff doctors from recommending MMJ because it’s still illegal federally, the Associated Press reported. That includes Southern Illinois Healthcare and Southern Illinois

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Illinois MMJ Businesses Still Facing Obstacle With Reluctant Docs is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Marijuana Trim Like ‘Gold’ in Oregon

Excess trim from marijuana leaves has become a precious commodity in Oregon, a rising marijuana market for both medical and recreational businesses. And one of the drivers behind the growing value of trim is the burgeoning market for cannabis concentrates, according to the Oregonian.

“Once considered garbage, trim has transformed into gold, fetching up to $400 a pound,” the paper reported.

Concentrates now comprise between 15-40% of the MMJ market in the state, boosting the need for trim. Companies that make concentrates convert trim into oils that can retail for between $25 and $50 a gram, with around

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Marijuana Trim Like ‘Gold’ in Oregon is a post from: Marijuana Business Daily: Financial, Legal & Cannabusiness news for cannabis entrepreneurs

Chart of the Week: MMJ Demand Booming in Washington DC, Creating Inventory Shortages

By Becky Olson
After a painfully slow start, Washington DC’s medical marijuana market is flourishing as more patients and physicians sign up to participate in the city’s MMJ program. Still, the spike in demand hasn’t necessarily translated into increas…