As we barrel headlong into 2016, one issue that promises to take center stage, especially with elections just 10 months away, is marijuana.

Marijuana expands, but roadblocks remain
Over the previous two decades marijuana has been practically unstoppable. With the exception of a few notable defeats -- the defeat two months ago of Issue 3 in Ohio, which attempted to approve medical and recreational marijuana at the same time, and Florida's medical marijuana defeat in 2014 -- marijuana's expansion continues.

Florida-based BiotrackTHC has been selected to implement Hawaii's first medical marijuana seed-to-sale tracking system, the state health department confirmed Wednesday.

Nicholas Vita and Michael Abbott aren’t just opening New York City’s first medical marijuana dispensary, they are trying to steer the industry to a more data-focused way of matching patients with the strains of medical marijuana to help their specific conditions.

Located near Union Square in New York City, Columbia Care is collaborating with its famous neighbor, Mount Sinai Hospital, analyzing de-identified patient registry data that Columbia Care has collected from more than 100,000 interactions with patients in the states where it operates.   While the first step is a retrospective analysis of this data, in time they hope to work together on clinical studies

The licensed producers must be getting desperate if a recent op-ed appearing in the Toronto Star is any indication.

In it, the same boring, groundless accusations are once again levelled at dispensaries and compassion clubs.

Only this time, with a level of hysteria bordering on the absurd.

Oregon’s license application process for recreational marijuana opened Jan. 4, building on a year of public meetings and an early recreational sale last October. 

The state’s licensing process runs differently than others like Florida, where licenses are limited to a specific number of players in the market. In Oregon, anyone is able to apply for a recreational license.

North Coast Regional Water Board Cannabis Cultivation Program

The North Coast Regional Water Board’s Cannabis Cultivation Regulatory Program (Order R1-2015-0023) seeks to address water quality impacts from cannabis cultivation on private property in the North Coast Region.

In recent years, work has become infinitely more complex.

Technological innovations have led to round-the-clock work schedules and mounting expectations. Our assignments have grown more collaborative, requiring more coordination, conference calls, and meetings. We now face an endless barrage of distractions, from the vibrations and alerts on our smartphones to the breaking news stories and viral videos awaiting us at our desks.

Now, more than ever, we need strategies for being productive. But where do we start?

Cannabis cultural icon Tommy Chong has had his ups and downs over the years, in many ways his journey is very fitting for the cannabis community. Getting his big breaks in standup comedy and movie roles that centered on cannabis culture, Tommy was an entrepreneur during more “gray market” days that landed him anunjust stint in federal prison and now he has launched his own brand of cannabis that is now sold legally in Washington State.

From Celebstoner:

New York City's first medical marijuana dispensary opened in Manhattan today at 212 East 14th Street, though it's unclear when it will actually start serving patients, as none had an appointment today. Thus far there are 150 doctors registered to provide patient certification in the state's medical marijuana program, and 51 patients have been certified, according to the Department of Health. There's no word yet on how many of those doctors or patients are in the New York City area.

Ryan Smith, co-founder of LeafLink, is the first member of the cannabis industry to make annual list of young leaders.

Forbes named Ryan Smith, CEO and co-founder of Leaflink, one of its “30 Under 30” for Enterprise Tech on Monday.  The 25 year old is the first cannabis-focused entrepreneur to make the publication’s annual list, which names the “brightest young entrepreneurs, leaders, [and] stars”.