The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee voted on and approved Thursday an amendment designed to stop the federal government from interfering with state medical marijuana laws. The 20-10 vote mirrors an amendment in the House, which passed 242-186 in a vote last week. 

Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md., introduced the amendment -- which blocks the Justice Department and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) from using funds to interfere with the implementation of state laws allowing for the cultivation, distribution and use of medical marijuana -- to the Senate version of the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. The amendment is nearly identical to the one that passed the House of Representatives, which was introduced by Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif. 

The Senate Appropriations Committee approved a provision Thursday that would protect medical marijuana operations from federal crackdown in states where the substance is legal.

The committee passed the measure, by a vote of 22-8, as an amendment to the Commerce, Justice and Science appropriations bill for fiscal year 2016. The amendment blocks the Department of Justice, which includes the Drug Enforcement Administration, from using appropriated funds to interfere with medical marijuana programs in the states that have legalized the drug for medical purposes.

This week New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie reiterated his intention to crack down on marijuana in states that have legalized it if he is elected president. In an interview on Face the Nation last Sunday, Christie answered “yes” when asked whether he would “return the federal prosecutions in these states,” “yes” when asked if he would “go after” marijuana, and “correct” when asked if legalization would be “turned off.”

MedReleaf Corp. a leading Canadian manufacturer of medical-grade cannabis has announced that it has entered into an exclusive partnership in New York State with Compassionate Care Center of New YorkTM (CCCNYTM) a leading biopharmaceutical company applying to become one of five Registered Organizations authorized in New York State to serve the condition-specific palliative needs of qualifying patients with safe and accessible pharmaceutical-grade therapeutics derived from the cannabis plant.

Rastafari: What comes to mind when you see the word? Jamaica? Dreadlocks? Bob Marley? Chances are one of the first things that comes to mind is marijuana. Culturally entrenched with the Rastafari movement since it began in the 1930s, marijuana – or ganja, as it’s more commonly called by Rastas – is considered sacred and is often referred to as the wisdom weed or holy herb.

The ‘Healing Herb’ of the Nations

Synthetic cannabinoids have been marketed as safe, legal, herbal alternatives to marijuana, but the data from U.S. poison control centers say otherwise. Poison center calls linked to synthetic cannabinoids have spiked roughly fourfold in just the first few months of 2015, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The sudden rise shows that tighter regulation of such substances is sorely needed, according to the authors of the CDC report.

Kinex Pharmaceuticals LLC is hoping to add medical marijuana to its product mix.

Company officials have confirmed its wholly-owned subsidiary, Kinex Supportive Pharmaceuticals LLC, is among 43 companies applying for a medical marijuana license as part of New York’s new medical marijuana program under the Compassionate Care Act signed last summer.

That makes Kinex among at least half a dozen Western New York-based companies competing with more than three dozen firms vying for the five licenses set to be awarded by the State Department of Health this summer.

DENVER (CBS4) – Colorado is spending $9 million to study the role of marijuana as a medication. The state Board of Health approved the grants, and on Saturday researchers will come together to talk about their studies.

There are many topics. People want to know if pot can help with things like Parkinson’s, post-traumatic stress disorder, and even sleep.

We rush around by day, but at night we can’t sleep. Thirty percent of Americans suffer from insomnia. Some turn to pills, while others turn to pot.

“There are studies that suggest that many marijuana users use marijuana for sleep,” Dr. Russell Bowler of National Jewish Health said.

Bowler said it makes sense.

Sipp Industries, Inc. has announced the formation of a new business unit dedicated to serving the growing hemp industry. The new Sipp Industries Hemp unit will have large-volume hemp ingredients available, including toasted hemp seeds, hulled hemp seeds, hemp protein powder, cold-pressed hemp oil, and purely refined hemp oil. Each ingredient will be available in both organic and natural forms. These hemp ingredients can be used in various applications from packaged hemp products, nutritional bars, smoothies, salad dressings, body creams and moisturizers.

SENECA, NY -- There's a push to get the medical marijuana industry up and running on Indian territories. Leaders of the National Tribal Cannabis Association expect to see the industry in full swing on some reservations within the next year.

Former president of the Seneca Nation, Robert Porter, helped organize meetings that about 75 tribal leaders from across the country have attended.

Last week Porter met with tribes within the Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan region.

Porter say most tribes are showing interest in the medical marijuana industry and regulations are starting to be drafted.

Porter said, "I don't see many leaders talk about adult recreational use at this time."