A University of Minnesota research group, led by chief researcher Kalpna Gupta, has found that the cannabinoids in marijuana can help treat pain caused by sickle cell disease, reports Minnesota Daily. The group has been running tests on mice and it has yielded good outcomes from those tests. The study says the next step is to move onto human trials; however, it is running into issues with Minnesota’s laws. In order to take this next step, the research will be moved to California, where medical marijuana…

On Tuesday, Democratic primary voters in South Carolina approved a non-binding medical marijuana question. With all counties having reported, the unofficial results show the question was supported by an overwhelming 75%-25% margin! The question asked voters if “medical marijuana [should] be legalized for use in cases of severe, chronic illnesses when documented by a physician.” While this was a non-binding question, meaning it does not change the law at all, the overwhelming support sends a clear…

On Tuesday, MPP and allied advocates launched a ballot referendum committee to make marijuana legal, taxed, and regulated for adults in Massachusetts. The committee is called the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol in Massachusetts and will allow MPP to begin raising money within Massachusetts. Massachusetts voters have shown a desire to reform their marijuana laws, first by decriminalizing simple possession in 2008, and then by approving a medical marijuana ballot initiative in 2012. In…

Voters going to the polls in Maine on Tuesday may be asked to sign a petition for a ballot initiative that would decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana on private property, reports Portland’s NBC affiliate WCSH. The group responsible for the petition, Citizens for a Safer Maine, believes that marijuana should be regulated and taxed similarly to alcohol: Only allowing those over 21 to consume marijuana. MPP’s David Boyer, the political director in Maine, commented on the situation,…

[caption id="attachment_7716" align="alignright" width="225"] President Enrique Peña Nieto[/caption] Mexico’s president is hinting that he is considering making marijuana legal south of the border, San Francisco Weekly reports. In an interview published Sunday in El Pais, President Enrique Peña Nieto said that the drug war is a failed policy and that it does not make sense for Mexico to continue its marijuana policy when the United States is becoming increasingly lenient. The current policy in Mexico…

Last week, an article by columnist Maureen Dowd highlighted the need for educating marijuana consumers, particularly those who are inexperienced with the substance. In the legal marijuana market, edible products are heavily regulated and labeled, but consumers occasionally ignore the warnings on the packaging, sometimes with dangerous results. MPP's Mason Tvert discusses the issue further here on MSNBC:

[caption id="attachment_7705" align="alignright" width="268"] Judge Thomas Shedden[/caption] An Arizona judge issued a decision Friday claiming that State Health Director Will Humble acted illegally by denying PTSD patients access to medical marijuana, reports the Arizona Daily Sun. According to Judge Thomas Shedden, Humble utilized the dearth of scientific studies regarding PTSD and marijuana usage as grounds for denying medical marijuana to patients, many of whom are veterans. Shedden claims that…

You read that correctly — Congress just voted to end the federal government’s war on medical marijuana! During a debate regarding a Justice Department funding bill, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), a longtime MPP ally, offered an amendment intended to block DEA raids on medical marijuana dispensaries. It passed by a surprisingly wide margin — 219-189. The amendment will not become law until it is signed by the president, but we’re well on our way. MPP played a key role in building support for this measure,…

The Marijuana Policy Project launched two hard-hitting television ads Thursday that urge New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and State Senate Majority Co-Leader Dean Skelos to support the Compassionate Care Act, a bill that would allow seriously ill people to access medical marijuana if their doctors recommend it. The New York State Assembly approved the Compassionate Care Act Tuesday (91-34) for the fifth time since 2007. Gov. Cuomo has not expressed support for the measure, and in previous years, Senate…

Gov. Mark Dayton has signed SB 2470, making Minnesota the 22nd state with a compassionate medical marijuana law. While the new law contains unnecessary restrictions, it will bring needed relief to some very deserving patients and their families. Passage of this law was never certain, and, at times, political pundits dismissed the idea that the legislature could agree to any kind of program; but patients, families, and advocates prevailed. While lawmakers had the pleasure of actually casting the votes,…