As a physician, I am amazed by the miracle of healing when I see people recover from injury and illness. I am also touched by the sadness and misery of pain that illness brings.

Medical use of marijuana plant as an appetite stimulant, muscle relaxant, anti-convulsant, and for relief of pain and vomiting was first discovered in 1839 by William O'Shaughnessy, an Irish physician working in India.

It is, however, a mind-altering substance with major psychotropic effects, especially on the developing and teenage brain.

It is also a gateway drug, leading to advanced drug use and addiction. Driving under its influence is hazardous.

MINNEAPOLIS– Keith Stroup, founder of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, or NORML, noted in an Oct. 30 article for Alternet that a majority of Americans support marijuana legalization. Quoting a recent Gallup poll, he reported:

“Among those poll respondents age 18 to 34, 71 percent endorse legalization. Among respondents age 35 to 49 years of age, 64 percent support legalizing marijuana. Among those age 65 and up, support fell to 35 percent, but this too reflected a sharp increase in support.”

TALLAHASSEE - State health officials announced Monday that five Florida nurseries have been chosen to cultivate and distribute the first legal marijuana in the state, opening the door to the sale and distribution of the non-euphoric strains next year.

While some modern weddings are dry — no alcohol served, not even for Uncle Larry — most receptions welcome intoxicants that inevitably pack the dance floor with flirty smiles and happy feet.

But what about that kinda new, kinda not, increasingly legal intoxicant marijuana? Cannabis Concierge Events owner Bec Koop knows that weed is no stranger to the after-wedding party.

“I sometimes joke: With every single wedding that we’ve been to, there’s probably been at least one person out in the car in the parking lot getting high,” Koop recently told The Cannabist. “So let’s be honest — it’s always been there, it’s been a part of almost every party and event scene, so why not incorporate it?”

By John Vibes

In the state of Oregon, where marijuana was recently legalized, a government agency has rejected food donations for the holidays because the donations came on the behalf of a marijuana-related organization. A group called Women Leaders in Cannabis was able to raise considerable food donations for people in need and initially their contributions were accepted by Oregon’s Department of Human Services.

However, the agency later changed their mind and decided that they did not want to accept the donations because they did not want to be associated with a substance that is now legal in the state.

The Florida Department of Health has approved Knox Nursery in Winter Garden as the medical marijuana dispensary of Central Florida.

The department on Nov. 23 released the names of five nurseries in Florida that have been approved as dispensing organizations of low-THC cannabis, or medical marijuana. The other four approved Florida nurseries include:

The Marijuana Control Board will meet again to take a look at Alaska residency requirements after an 11th-hour change to its rules was met with shock and concern by both the state and industry supporters.

On Dec. 1, the board “will discuss and may amend residency requirements” that were adopted last week, the board announced in an email. 

While marijuana businesses must be 100 percent Alaska-owned, on Friday the board changed the definition of what it takes to qualify as an Alaskan. 

Related: 

TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami/NSF) – A select group of sick patients will now have access to non-euphoric medical marijuana after Florida health officials selected five “dispensing organizations” on Monday that can grow, process and distribute the special pot.

But many in the industry believe that the biggest challenge in the drawn-out process is yet to come.

The five winners, who scored the highest of 28 applications, are Hackney Nursery in the Northwest region of the state; Chestnut Hill Tree Farm in the Northeast; Knox Nursery in the Central region; Alpha Foliage in the Southwest region; and Costa Nursery Farms in the Southeast region.

Members of a ring that smuggled more than $2 million in marijuana to San Antonio are to be sentenced today.

The case targeted Ramsey A. Cadena, who managed businesses that include Joint Venture Sandwich & Smoke Shop, a Corpus Christi restaurant that features hemp in its food. The business’ menu said the shop offers “sand-weed-ches” and “burr-weed-os.”

TRENTON - Nearly double the number of people were arrested for marijuana possession in a year in New Jersey compared to 20 years ago, according to the latest figures available.

The change runs counter to the nationwide trend as public acceptance of marijuana use grows in the United States, leading generally to a decline in arrests.

Udi Ofer, executive director of New Jersey’ ACLU chapter, said he’s especially concerned by the numbers because studies show African-Americans are charged with simple possession three times as much as whites despite both groups having the same usage rates for the drug.