While the federal government maintains a blanket ban on marijuana, recreational marijuana is already legal in four states and the District of Columbia. In addition, 23 states, as well as D.C., have legalized marijuana for medical purposes.

And with at least 10 more states expected to consider legalization in some form by 2016, the next president of the United States will almost certainly have to reckon with the disparity between state and federal law on marijuana.

After more than a year of legislative struggle, the Colorado legislature has finally passeda bill aimed at reforming the state’s loosely regulated medical marijuana caregiver system.

Proponents of SB 14 believe that it will add more structure and security to a system with little oversight, and those opposed to the measure believe that it will disrupt the lives of patients and limit access to medical marijuana.

Medicinal cannabis may become more readily available in New Zealand.

That comes as a ONE News/Colmar Brunton poll shows more Kiwis are open to the idea of greater use of medicinal marijuana for health purposes.

Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne is undertaking a review of the national drug policy and drug laws and says while there's been no relaxation of laws on recreational drug use, he's open to more medicinal products being available if they undergo a comprehensive testing regime.

The poll shows 47% of people think marijuana should be legal for medical cases, with nearly a quarter saying it should remain illegal.

AUSTIN, TEXAS (HEATHER FAZIO) The Texas State Senate approved a bill 26-5 on Thursday that is intended to allow qualifying patients with intractable seizure conditions to access a marijuana extract containing high levels of cannabidiol, or CBD, and only trace levels of THC. SB 339, introduced by Sen. Kevin Eltife (R-Tyler), will now be considered by the state House of Representatives.

Hawaii lawmakers on Thursday gave final passage to a bill that clears the way for medical marijuana dispensaries to open for business in the Islands as early as July 2016, but an expert says interested applicants will need a couple million dollars to become one of the state’s eight licensees.

GARLAND (CBSDFW.COM/AP) – The Texas Senate approved a limited medical marijuana bill Thursday, authorizing the sale to eligible patients of Cannabidiol oil, (CBD).

The upper chamber voted 26-5 to support the limited legalization.

CBD is isolated by extraction from marijuana, and does not contain Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the component that causes a high. Though the oil is used to help control seizures associated with intractable epilepsy, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not recognize CBD as being intended to treat any diseases.

Advocates say intractable epilepsy affects about 150,000 Texans.

Critics of the bill fear it could lead to an abuse of marijuana.

Big hair. Big barbecue. Big sky. Big guns. As the saying goes, everything’s bigger in Texas—but the state hardly has an outsize reputation for progressive marijuana reform.

If this legislative session is any indication, that could be changing. While previous sessions have seen one or two marijuana-related bills introduced, 11 bills taking on various facets of marijuana prohibition were introduced this session—including an effort to decriminalize—and on Wednesday the most comprehensive among them survived the Texas House of Representatives Criminal Jurisprudence Committee.

Roger and Lora Barbour have seen their daughter, Genny, make incredible strides since they started giving her physician-prescribed medical marijuana last September to ease her seizures.

For one thing, she can now say "I love momma!" and "I love dada!" Before, Genny could only manage a single word at a time, like "eat," "drink," or "bathroom."

"She blossomed into a child who, the other day, she walked into my office and said, 'I love you,' " Roger, 50, of Maple Shade, New Jersey, tells PEOPLE. "My wife and I looked at each other, and both started crying."

But Genny, 16, who has epilepsy and autism, needs a dose of medical marijuana oil four times a day to remain stable. If she misses a dose, she becomes agitated and even self-harming, her parents say.

A new study involving 213 children and adults suffering from the debilitating symptoms associated with epilepsy has been published.

This study set out to prove that medical marijuana contains properties able to fight against the extreme symptoms of epilepsy.

Seizures are scary for all involved; the patient themselves, their family and friends that witness the overpowering convulsions and unstoppable muscular spasms.

Grand Mal seizures originate from abnormal electrical activity throughout the brain. The Grand Mal is not specifically associated with epileptics however; extremely low blood pressure, head trauma, drug abuse, high fevers and strokes can also be triggers.