Maine Medical Cannabis Business & Marijuana Legal News

By Bart Schaneman, John Schroyer and Omar Sacirbey

A new legal interpretation says marijuana consumption lounges don’t violate Nevada law, U.S. senators are calling for national cannabis testing protocols, and Maine releases draft rules for its recreational MJ industry.

Here’s a closer look at some notable developments in the marijuana industry over the past week.

A recreational marijuana draft bill crafted by Maine lawmakers would permit the state’s eight licensed medical marijuana dispensaries to apply for a license to sell adult-use cannabis, but they couldn’t sell medical and recreational products at the same counter.

Rather, Maine would require retailers that sell both medical and adult-use cannabis to

By John Schroyer and Bart Schaneman

The launch of Maine’s recreational marijuana industry is delayed, a deadline passes for Maryland’s licensed medical cannabis growers, and the Department of Justice nixes a DEA decision on MJ research.

Here’s a closer look at some notable developments in the marijuana industry over the past week.

Maine officials say the state won’t be able to meet its February deadline to allow recreational marijuana sales.

Republican State Sen. Roger Katz said the agencies responsible for the recreational market rollout don’t have sufficient time before the deadline to perform such tasks as licensing growers, writing departmental rules and hiring new inspectors, the Portland Press Herald …

Medical marijuana patients in Maine spent $2 million on edibles products in dispensaries in 2016, making it the fastest-growing segment of the state’s MMJ industry.

The tally represents about 7.4% of the overall $26.8 million spent at Maine’s eight dispensaries last year, according to the Portland Press Herald.

By contrast, Mainers spent $1.2 …

Medical marijuana sales in Maine continued to rise last year, but the pace of gains slowed considerably from previous years for what could be a variety of reasons – including a jump in the number of caregivers who grow marijuana for patients.

Figures from the state’s revenue department show that Mainers spent $24.8 …

By Eli McVey

Maine’s medical marijuana program is on fire, with the number of MMJ patients surging in the past year.

While this can be said for many MMJ programs across the country, such a dramatic increase in a market as mature as Maine’s suggests something more may be at play.

By Eli McVey

Get ready for the next iteration of the green rush.

The marijuana industry is poised to grow by leaps and bounds in 2018, when at least eight of the 11 states that passed significant medical or recreational cannabis measures last year are expected to start sales.

By Bart Schaneman

From Alaska to Massachusetts, a number of states are weighing measures to allow people to consume cannabis in public places such as clubs and other venues.

Legalizing cannabis clubs and other venues for public consumption could spur MJ sales and create new business opportunities, said industry officials.

By John Schroyer

Despite ominous overtones from the White House, the eight states that have legalized recreational cannabis are proceeding full-bore, whether it’s with running their existing programs or preparing to launch new ones.

Governors and attorneys general responded in unison: They’ll honor voters’ wishes and conduct business as usual while awaiting specific policies.

The number of registered caregivers licensed to grow medical marijuana for patients in Maine increased by 42% in 2016, a sign to some that people are hoping to gain experience in the MMJ industry to gain “a leg up” once permits become available for the state’s new adult-use program.

The jump also is a …