Over the course of The Future of Cannabis program, we've discussed the major opportunities this market presents to both businesses and investors that are able to establish their positions early. While the growing wave of legalization is the most significant catalyst of this generational opportunity, the market driver really stems from rapid organic expansion from passionate entrepreneurs. In fact, that's a distinct trait that the cannabis market shares with many of the disruptive industries we seen historically.

Last week the International Business Times ran a very interesting profile of Dan Riffle, who recently quit his position as federal policy director for the Marijuana Policy Project over his disquieting sense that the movement is becoming too centered on the interests of the businesses trying to make money in a slowly legalizing marijuana industry.

Illinois officials say the state's first medical marijuana patients have purchased nearly $801,000 worth of cannabis during the program's first month.

Program director Joseph Wright announced the figures Wednesday. The numbers indicate Illinois has collected roughly $56,550 in taxes from wholesale sales of medical marijuana during the month. Marijuana wholesalers pay a 7 percent tax to the state.

Wright says licensed dispensaries have served 1,713 unique patients. That's nearly half the 3,600 patients who have been approved for the program.

Legal marijuana sales began Nov. 9 in Illinois. There are now 16 licensed dispensaries operating in Illinois.

The state’s second Native American-owned pot shop, Agate Dreams, opened yesterday in a nondescript building on the Suquamish reservation. As I drove past a sign for the grave where Chief Sealth rolls over every time we say “Seattle,” I found myself wondering how big of a deal this really was, given that we’ve already got tons of retail pot shops in Washington.

An Australian company will grow medicinal cannabis on Christmas Island.

AusCann will begin planting trial crops of marijuana on the detention centre island ahead of its planned listing on the Australian Securities Exchange in early 2016.

Christmas Island is best known for its detention centre.

Cannabis remains an illegal substance in Australia, but the federal government has flagged introducing a bill next year to legalise growing the plants for their medicinal uses.

'Patients are at risk of falling between the cracks once again,' says marijuana dispensary owner

Five pot shops in Vernon have agreed to sell marijuana on a rotating basis, after RCMP said last week they may raid stores if the owners don't close up shop.

The warning in Vernon last week followed several similar police advisories in other jurisdictions, including Nanaiimo, Sechelt, and Mission. In all three cases, police moved in with search warrants to seize products and make arrests.

Growing pot is really easy, and it will make you filthy rich, rich beyond your wildest dreams! In fact, you should quit your job, move to California or Colorado and fill your house with lights! What could go wrong?

Does this sound a little naïve to you? It should, but unfortunately that has been the mentality of so many pot entrepreneurs since the Ogden Memo de facto “legalized” medical marijuana in 2009. The problem is that in order to live off of growing or selling pot you absolutely have to treat growing and selling pot, well, like an actual job. 

Members of face difficulties that shift in size and scope on a daily basis. Growers and ancillary business owners are forced to navigate through strict compliance guidelines, cultivators need to maintain plant health without much in the way of vetted technology, and business owners in all walks of life face legal ramifications for working with what is still classified as a Schedule 1 substance. Regardless of which component of the industry one works in, better oversight and data is almost always advantageous (and, unfortunately, hard to come by). It’s my goal to increase the ability of cannabis entrepreneurs and business owners, specifically those involved in the grows themselves, to build their businesses without fear of compliance or legal issues.

Twenty three states, plus the District of Columbia and Guam, have some form of law allowing patients to use medical marijuana. Florida is among those states, but so far, patients have not been able to access the drug. 

90.7 Health Reporter Abe Aboraya spoke with Intersection Host Matthew Peddie.

PEDDIE: I want to start with some background because there is a lot of confusion out there. Is medical marijuana legal in Florida?

ABE: Yes. Kinda. It’s complicated. So last summer Gov. Rick Scott signed Senate Bill 1030, the Compassionate Medical Use act. This became known as the Charlotte’s Web bill. Now what this did was legalize a very specific strain of medical marijuana.

The Maryland Farm Bureau has declined again to support efforts to grow marijuana for medical purposes in the Free State.

Officially, the powerful agricultural lobby is taking no position on the fledgling industry. For the second time in as many years, a county delegation's attempt to bring the state group on board failed to make it to a vote before the full delegation.

"It's something I think a lot of members are watching other states to see how it plays out," said Matt Teffeau, the farm bureau's assistant director of government relations. "A lot of our members are interested in it, but it doesn't have the support to move forward."