Mettrum Health Corp. ("Mettrum" or the "Company") (TSXV:MT), a vertically integrated licensed producer (LP) of cannabis products, this week launched the Mettrum Registry Research Program (MRRP) to systematically gather data on up to six thousand Canadian patients who have been prescribed medical cannabis.

The goal of this observational study is to provide information to prescribing physicians and the wider medical community to help determine if and how cannabis should be prescribed – focusing on which strains best suit a particular patient's needs. It also considers the impact of intercurrent illness or potential interactions with other medications. The study will run for one year, with results anticipated to be published by March 2017. 

During his campaign to become Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau campaigned on a pro-marijuana platform. One of the first things that he did after getting elected was to task federal officials in Canada with the goal of implementing a legal, regulated system for recreational marijuana in Canada. The process has been slow for various reasons, but I still believe that legal marijuana is on it’s way to Canada sooner than later. That would be a move that would have overwhelming support in Canada according to a recent poll. Per The Globe and Mail:

Canada's medical marijuana growers say a jump in the number of illegal marijuana dispensaries as the federal government decides how to regulate the drug is costing them customers.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised during last year's election campaign that his Liberals would legalize recreational marijuana, following Washington and Colorado in the United States.

While there are no official figures, industry experts say the pledge has encouraged illegal store fronts that compete with licensed producers to provide marijuana to Canadians with a medical prescription.

It’s time for some weed studies. Today’s lesson in marijuana 101 zooms in on the sticky, THC-based substance called cannabis oil. Scientifically, cannabis oil is a thick, sticky substance made up of cannabinoids, such as THC and CBD, extracted from cannabis plants.

But, what exactly are its uses and how does it affect the way we view marijuana?

Well, let’s start with the basics.

Canada’s new pot-friendly prime minister has signaled police should continue to arrest people for marijuana possession despite Ottawa having already taken its first steps towards legalizing the drug.

“The laws haven’t changed yet,” Justin Trudeau said during an interview with News 1130 this morning (March 1). “Pot is still illegal in this country and will be until we bring in a strong regulatory framework.”

A News 1130 journalist subsequently asked what Trudeau would say to a teenager stuck for life with a marijuana charge on their record, and whether marijuana could be decriminalized on an interim basis, until a regulatory framework allows for full legalization.

One of the most appealing parts of cannabis is the scents and flavors associated with the various varieties of the plant. Organic compounds known as terpenes are produced by most plants as a defense against herbivores, who otherwise would consume them, and as semiochemicals that serve to communicate chemically with other living things. There are over 120 different types of terpenes that can be expressed by the cannabis plant, although some are only found in trace amounts.

Terpenes make up between five and 10 percent of the total oils that are produced in the trichrome glands. Although they are constantly being produced, they’re easily vaporized by heat and daylight throughout the day, making the morning an ideal time to harvest.

WINNIPEG—The chief of the Mathias Colomb First Nation says he is filing a complaint after being accused by a security screener at the Winnipeg airport of having marijuana in a sacred medicine pouch.

Chief Arlen Dumas says he flies a lot and usually doesn’t have any problem, adding he understands how difficult the job can be.

But he says in this recent incident, the screener was aggressive and insulting.

Dumas had been travelling home with his 16-year-old son, who was born with cystic fibrosis and was having a medical check for a recent double-lung transplant.

The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority is already investigating a similar complaint involving another Manitoba indigenous leader.

Medical cannabis is becoming a more common treatment option. Employees who require it may never need to use during work hours. However, some employees, like those with a motion disorder, may need to use cannabis during their workday to manage their symptoms. If you need to use cannabis in the workplace, keep these tips in mind.

Ribelle's Timothy Maslow is having an strange weekend

One of Boston's top chefs is out on bail this weekend after being arrested at the Canadian border. According to the Boston Globe, Timothy Maslow of Ribelle was allegedly caught reentering the United States at 4:44 a.m. on Friday with 22.5 pounds of THC edibles and a pipe in his vehicle.

Earlier today I posed a question on my Facebook page – “What do you think are the best investment areas in the cannabis industry right now?” I made sure to state ahead of time that I wasn’t talking about any particular companies, because ‘invest in this company’ blah blah blah, it gets old. I was talking about areas or sectors of the marijuana industry that present good investment opportunities. To be very clear, I am in NO WAY an investor in anything, other than retro arcade games and consumable cannabis, and even then only on a personal level (up to 8 ounces legally in Oregon!). So take my opinion for what you will.