PORTLAND, Ore., June 24, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sacred, an industry leading manufacturer of a revolutionary new line of cannabis-infused products that include bath salts, massage oils, and personal lubricants and PotLocator.com, the nation’s leading provider of access to services and products in the marijuana industry, are pleased to announce the release of Sacred’s products in Oregon, making the state the first in the nation to sell Sacred’s organic, cannabis-infused products.

“Medical marijuana patients in Oregon will now have another natural choice when it comes to the ways they relax or medicate themselves in the privacy of their own homes,” says Luc Nelson, Director of Business Development.

Last Thursday in New York, pioneer venture capital known as Viridian Capital Advisors conducted its first ever cannabis-investment conference, known as the Viridian Capital Cannabis Investor Conference.  Viridian is blazing all sorts of trails when it comes to the intersection between venture capital and the cannabis industry, serving as a central hub for companies in need of financing, as well as eager investors looking to cash in on such a burgeoning market.  A self-described ‘boutique banking and strategic advisory firm’, Viridian seeks to efficiently funnel resources to help capital-hungry cannabis companies get from the seed to the weed.

On June 14, more than 200 people gathered at the Sebastopol Grange for a fundraiser and organizing meeting of  local pot growers, the Sonoma County Growers Association. They were being mentored by their northern neighbors from Humboldt, Mendocino, and Trinity counties, the Emerald Growers Association, which already has lobbyists in Sacramento and is in the middle of the effort to legalize weed in California next year. The Emerald Triangle is the largest marijuana growing area in the country's largest marijuana producing state.

One small step for lawyers, one somewhat bigger step for cannabis legitimacy.

Marijuana at a medical marijuana dispensary in Los Angeles. Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia have legalized medical marijuana.

People who buy medical marijuana products might not be getting what they paid for, a study finds. And evidence remains elusive on benefits for most medical conditions, even though almost half the states have legalized medical marijuana.

If you're looking to strike it rich with pot stocks, you need some patience.

The industry – while showing huge growth potential – is still limited in what it offers investors.

"Barring probably a couple of exceptions, the publicly traded space is probably one to avoid at this point," 4Front Ventures Co-Founder and Managing Partner Kris Krane toldMoney Morning. "It's just too volatile. There are too many shell games and reverse merger games, and it's not a great space to look at right now."

There just aren't a lot of legitimate investments in what is largely an over-the-counter market for pot stocks.

TORONTO – For five years, the biggest challenge in United States Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Mike Whiter’s life was simply finding the will to step out his front door.

Medically discharged from the Marines in 2006 as a result of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), he says nothing prepared him for life back home, or for how “messed up” he would become as a result of his PTSD – or the many medications he was prescribed by Veteran’s Affairs (VA).

“I sat on the chair, and watched TV. I showered, once in a while,” Whiter told Global News from his home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. “I was just depressed. I wanted to die.”

A new federal study has answers

A rigorous federal research study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse offers new data on the effects of marijuana on driving performance.

The exact impact of marijuana on driving ability is a controversial subject—and it’s become more important states continue to loosen their drug laws. And, while drunk driving is on the decline in the U.S., driving after having smoked or otherwise consumer marijuana has become more common. According to the most recent national roadside survey from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of weekend nighttime drivers, 8.3 percent had some alcohol in their system and 12.6 percent tested positive for THC—up from 8.6 percent in 2007.

The Internet makes it easy to compare prices for a lot of things -- you can shop around for the best deal on shoes, or research what salary you should be asking for in a job interview. Now, it's also helping people make sure they're not getting ripped off on the black market.

PriceofWeed.com, a website that asks people to anonymously submit the cost of marijuana they purchase in their area, has collected a lot of data on the street price of both legal and illegal marijuana around the U.S. over the last few years. We took that data and created a map of state prices and a graph of city prices below.