The first numbers are in, and they point to a resounding success: the state of Colorado’s Department of Revenue announced that legal marijuana pulled in some $70 million in taxes last year- nearly double the amount made from alcohol taxes ($42 million)!

On Wednesday, September 16, the state celebrated its new, “higher” source of income by suspending marijuana taxes for one day.

The marijuana legalization experiments underway in Colorado, Oregon, Alaska, and Washington have attracted a lot of attention around the country as test sites for the effects of legalization and exploring pot’s potential as a source of tax revenue.

United Cannabis Corp. (OTCBB:CNAB) is an interesting story developing in small caps that currently sits a hair over all-time lows and proven support levels.

CNAB got everyone’s attention back in 2014 when it ran from pennies to well over $10 a share during the pot stock boom that swept up the bb’s.

United Cannabis Corp. (OTCBB:CNAB) was founded to provide leadership for the medical cannabis industry by offering patient-driven solutions intent on improving biomedical and pharmaceutical pursuits through the use of cannabis-based research, products and services.

After UFC champion Ronda Rousey criticized the 5-year suspension of fellow fighter Nick Diaz (#FreeNickDiaz) for testing positive for marijuana, controversial ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith took exception and gave his take on the issue.

Could it be possible that we have misinterpreted the health benefits of marijuana on diabetes risk?

A new study certainly intimates this, stating that it is quite possible those who use marijuana—even those who no longer use it—are at a higher risk for developing prediabetes.

According to Vanderbilt University assistant professor of medicine in the endocrinology department, Shichun Bao, MD, PhD, the study still needs more review but does provide, at least, a lot of caution.

CANTON — The owners of Salveo Health and Wellness hope to be dispensing medical marijuana within the next few weeks.

Scott Miller, CEO of Salveo, 3100 N. Main St., says he’s mainly waiting on two things before opening his doors to people who qualify to use medical marijuana for any of 38 diseases: for the State of Illinois to complete the verification system and for the first crop to be ready for cultivation.

Miller told a crowd of over 30 during an educational seminar Wednesday evening that the finishing touches on the dispensary, the only one of its kind in the region, were just finished a few hours earlier.

Is it time to give the sick access to this inexpensive cure?

Ira* has a condition called multiple sclerosis, which debilitates her brain, spinal cord, and nerves. Every attack is different: Sometimes, upper and lower extremities weaken. On some days, she goes blind. Often, Ira cannot stand, or walk, which for MS patients, can become extremely painful. Due to her illness, Ira has wrestled with bouts of depression and helpless agony. So when a cured epileptic patient told her his story about the miraculous effect of cannabis oil, she had to try it. She uses it sparingly: Two drops before sleep, and her tremors dwindle.

I receive the following legislative alert:

Yesterday, Rep. Jeff Irwin introduced HB 4877, a bill that would end marijuana prohibition in Michigan and treat cannabis similarly to alcohol. Marijuana prohibition is just as destructive, costly, and ineffective as alcohol prohibition, and it’s time for Michigan to choose a better path.

Please take a moment to encourage your representative and senator to support HB 4877.

Continued war on weed infringes on personal freedoms.

The end of the second prohibition era draws near. The disastrous consequences of the misbegotten “War on Drugs,” with its focus on marijuana, are now widely recognized. More humane approaches to drug use are being implemented as states ease restrictions.

But not if the bitter-enders prevail -- as witness Gov.Chris Christie's struggle with the issue in Wednesday night's GOP debate."

VANCOUVER – Vancouver’s police board has unanimously rejected a prominent advocate’s complaint that the city’s police department was failing to enforce the law against marijuana dispensaries.

Pamela McColl of the group Smart Approaches to Marijuana Canada had accused the department of not doing its duty “to maintain law and order” by not shutting down all pot shops in the city.

But deputy chief Doug LePard delivered a report to the board Thursday that stated criminal laws are less effective than municipal bylaws at closing illegal businesses.

The VPD must respect the City of Vancouver’s decision not to use its bylaw powers to shut down dispensaries and instead create a regulatory framework, he said.