Not all marijuana works in the same way. And understanding the differences between the two major strains — indica and sativa — could play a crucial role in advancing the medical uses of pot over the next few years.

“Cannabis is like a medicine cabinet,” says Roger Pertwee, who was instrumental in some of the early cannabis trials for multiple sclerosis. “It has a lot of compounds in it that are novel and unique to cannabis. We have discovered 104 so far, but there are others. There are many potential uses that we have to investigate.”

When the details of New York’s medical marijuana program were announced by the state Health Department they were met with hesitation. Dispensary locations, the scope of the program and the delivery methods were among the chief concerns as the rules were made public.

“The distribution of dispensaries around the state remains a major concern. Given the current proposed sites, there are huge areas of the state where patients will have to travel enormous distances to get medicine,” Julie Netherland, deputy state director at the Drug Policy Alliance, said when the state announced the five chosen medical marijuana producers in New York. “This is especially problematic given that many medical marijuana patients are sick and disabled and low income.”

J-Bo Wages of Dallas, Ga., kisses his 12-year-old daughter, Sydney, who suffers from intractable seizures and uses cannabis oil as a treatment, during her favorite activity riding on the family four-wheeler. The Wages family was among the very first to receive permission from the state to use low-dose cannabis oil without fear of prosecution.

As of last week, more than 130 patients have qualified for Georgia’s new medical marijuana registry after its first 50 days of business.

As medical and recreational marijuana use becomes increasingly accepted in the United States, one Petaluma company is carving a niche as southern Sonoma County and northern Marin County’s medical marijuana provider, operating with a business model that eschews the brick-and-mortar dispensary in favor of in-home service.

Trading on the city’s name, Cannaluma Health & Wellness — the moniker is a combination of “cannabis” and “Petaluma” — has added an average of 100 clients each month since launching in early 2014, said co-founder Nicoma Campbell. The company delivers marijuana and prepared cannabis products to individuals throughout the region, all of whom join as co-owners of the company.

While allowing the use of marijuana for the terminally ill, Catholic bishops in the Philippines deny supporting a proposed medical marijuana bill

MANILA, Philippines – While debates on the topic rage in Philippine Congress, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) issued a statement to explain why the Catholic Church allows the use of marijuana for terminally-ill patients.

At the same time, CBCP president Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas on Monday, August 17, denied a newspaper report that said the CBCP is backing a proposed medical marijuana law.

Villegas cited Catholic Church documents to explain their position on “the compassionate use of cannabis or marijuana.” 

MAPLE SHADE – The family of an autistic, epileptic Maple Shade teen say they’ll continue the legal battle to administer medical marijuana to their daughter on school grounds.

The Barbour family is expected to file an emergency order Monday in hopes of forcing the school district to allow Genny Barbour’s mother to give the teenager medical marijuana at school while the legal wrangling continues.

Last week, Administrative Law Judge John Kennedy denied the family’s appeal of an earlier ruling, again siding with the Larc School in Bellmawr and the Maple Shade School District, upholding their argument that state law does not allow the administration of medical marijuana on school grounds.

Mark Hauk, of the Saskatoon Compassion Club, is set to open up a new medical marijuana dispensary on Second Avenue.

A new medical marijuana dispensary will open its doors today on Second Avenue. The man behind the dispensary, Mark Hauk, will also be in front of council to ask for the city to regulate the industry.

Hauk is with the Saskatchewan Compassion Club, an organization that describes itself as assisting people in medical need to get a prescription for marijuana and to find a safe and quality supply of the drug.  

Hauk said the current rules on medical marijuana aren't working. 

"The federal system right now, is causing sick and dying people in our community to needlessly suffer," he saidSays wait times and prices are a factor

Self-medicating with cannabis is not going to harm you, says Jeanette Saxby. Getting arrested for having cannabis is far more damaging.

I have been using cannabis since I was 17. I was first prescribed anti-depressants after a bad spell of gloomy at 14. I am now nearly 50 and have spent several years at university to better understand marijuana use in New Zealand.

I had a bad fall from a horse in 2003 and damaged my pelvis, back and hip. I haven't had a day free from pain in over a decade.

At the time I had my accident I was working at Odyssey House in Christchurch as I am a qualified drug and alcohol counsellor with a degree in education.