People who have epilepsy could be treated with a marijuana-derived oil under a bill approved by the Indiana House.

The bill passed the chamber Tuesday on a 98-0 vote. The state Senate previously approved a similar measure.

Indiana’s legislature has long resisted efforts to allow the use of medicine derived from marijuana, but that appears to have changed this year. Supporters say the bill’s approval marks a significant shift after years of medical marijuana-related bills stalling.

The bill would allow the use of cannabidiol oil, which is commonly referred to as CBD. The measure is a far cry from legalizing a comprehensive medical marijuana program.

While Australia is increasingly pro-medical cannabis, it's still hard to get your hands on the stuff if you're in need (and have a prescription).

The government has indicated it's open to speeding things up, with Health Minister Greg Hunt announcing Wednesday that authorities will allow more rapid importation of the drug while a domestic supply is built. Medical cannabis is often used to alleviate pain associated with cancer as well as epilepsy. 

NSW Labor will push for the decriminalisation of cannabis for medical purposes in a move Opposition Leader Luke Foley says will return dignity to the terminally ill.

The push, which would decriminalise the possession of up to 15 grams for treatment of chronic and serious medical conditions, follows the unanimous findings of a parliamentary inquiry into the medical use of cannabis.

“If someone’s pain and suffering can be relieved by medicinal cannabis then I am in favour of its use to that end,” Mr Foley said.

The legislation requires the terminally or chronically ill and their carers to be certified by NSW Health before possessing cannabis.

The current laws make it a criminal penalty to possess cannabis regardless of illness.

A bill to legalize cannabis for medical purposes cleared a South Carolina House of Representatives subcommittee this week – even as the state’s leading law enforcement agency lobbied furiously against the measure.

A four-member House health care subcommittee advanced H. 3521 – the “Compassionate Care Act” – by a 3-0 vote.  One member of the panel abstained from voting.

Legal cannabis sales across the world totaled $150 billion last year, and sales in the United States alone are expected to reach $21.8 billion by 2020.

Israel is at the center of this huge growth because of its well-developed ecosystem of cannabis researchers, farmers, entrepreneurs, pharma and government policies.

“You can’t put cannabis into a category. It’s not just pharma and it’s not just agro-tech. It’s not just lifestyle or recreational,” Saul Kaye, a pharmacist and the chief executive of iCAN: Israel-Cannabis venture fund, tells ISRAEL21c.

Kaye says Israel is up to 10 years ahead of other countries in innovation in the cannabis industry.

As legalized marijuana spreads across the United States, most observers remain skeptical that recreational marijuana will be legal anytime soon in Alabama.

"We're the Bible Belt," said Gary Hetzel, a retired warden at Donaldson and Holman prisons and now executive director of the Alabama Therapeutic Education Facility. "We're too conservative."

Marijuana activists are hopeful, but realistic.

There might be something special about grandma’s latest batch of brownies.

A new monthly workshop north of Toronto is helping seniors navigate the world of medical marijuana.

“Our demographic is middle-aged to older people,” Rick Gillman of CanCann Consulting told CTV Barrie. “We do have lots of people in their 80s and even one I know in their 90s who are successfully using cannabis and having great results with it.”

Marijuana has been used to treat a diverse array of conditions, such as PTSD, epilepsy and arthritis. From general information about cannabis, as the plant is also called, to ways it can be turned into edibles, oils and tinctures, the workshop covered all aspects of using marijuana as a medicine.

Cross trainers? Check. Water bottle? Check. Headphones? Check. Tincture? Shit. Of all the things to forget.

The bitter winter wind whips my already-frozen cheeks, as I turn tail and trudge back to the end of the parking lot to fetch the little amber bottle from my trunk. It’s bro-dude rush hour at my gym and I just want to get my workout over with, but the walk is worth it – over the past 10 days, cannabis has become the most essential support element of my fitness routine.

The government has given the green light for the manufacture of cannabis for medicinal use – with the IFP hailing it a “major victory” and tribute to its late MP, Mario Oriani-Ambrosini who fought for the legalisation of the drug.

IFP MP Narend Singh said a letter sent to him by the Medical Control Council’s working group on cannabis – and seen by The Mercury – indicated it would publish its proposed guidelines on cannabis production for medicinal use following its presentation to the council last week. 

“This is a major breakthrough and fantastic news for freedom of choice,” said Singh. 

A medical marijuana initiative that had been in the works since 2015 won’t be on the ballot in 2018 after the Wyoming Secretary of State’s Office did not receive petitions by last Tuesday’s deadline.

Nonetheless, medical marijuana supporters said they will continue to push for legalization of medical marijuana in Wyoming.

The deadline for the petition was 18 months after the petition began in 2015.

While the Wyoming chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) helped with the signature drive, the organization was not the official sponsor of the petition.