Medical marijuana website awarded federal trademark

Budtrader.com, an ancillary medical cannabis industry website that acts as an advertising platform for marijuana businesses, has won a federal trademark from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

The victory could be a significant landmark for the industry, given marijuana’s status as a Schedule 1 controlled substance and the resulting legal complications for cannabis-related businesses.

Budtrader.com was awarded a trademark after 15 months of “legal wrangling,” CEO Brad McLaughlin said in a news release.

“This decision by the feds to grant Budtrader its trademark sets a precedent, and this will hopefully make it easier for others in the cannabis space to do the same in the future,” McLaughlin said. “This decision means we have turned a corner as an industry.”

Over 1 million MMJ patients utilize the website, according to Budtrader.com.