Health Minister Rona Ambrose sends letter to mayor, warning dispensaries are illegal. 

OTTAWA -- The federal government drew battle lines with the City of Vancouver Thursday over the city’s plans to regulate marijuana dispensaries, saying they are dangerously close to legitimizing an illegal substance.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government said municipal governments have no authority to regulate and license businesses that sell pot.

“I am deeply concerned by reports that the City of Vancouver intends to discuss a proposal to regulate illegal drug dispensaries at an upcoming council meeting,” Health Minister Rona Ambrose told Mayor Gregor Robertson in a letter.

NEW YORK (MainStreet) — One of the strongest new upstarts to establish itself as a separate vertical within the greater marijuana industry is the part of the market known loosely as "concentrates and oils." This can refer, technically, to anything from CBD tinctures fed to epileptic children to highly concentrated THC waxes that are ingested orally or vaped.

ONTARIO — Marijuana took up most of the discussion at this morning’s Legislative Hotline, with state Sen. Ted Ferrioli expressing frustration with the slow pace of rule-making.

Legislative Hotline is a monthly video conference with Ferrioli, District 30, and state Rep. Cliff Bentz, District 60, and local residents. It is hosted at the Ontario School District administrative office by the Ontario Area Chamber of Commerce.

Addressing issues raised by Ontario Mayor Ron Verini, Ferrioli said one of likely results of Measure 91 and the implementation measures being established is that Oregon medical marijuana cards will no longer be available to out-of-state residents.

Sixty per cent of Vancouver’s marijuana businesses violate city hall’s proposed rules that they not be located within 300 metres of each other, and more than a third are too close to a school or community centre, an analysis by The Sun shows.

The proposed rules could eliminate 25 per cent of Vancouver’s 80 marijuana-related businesses, predicts the city, and will not “grandfather in” the existing shops. While many of the owners are grateful the city is trying to regulate the industry, nearly all are worried about the future of their locations and hope the rules will be tweaked after some consultation.

Economists predict $18 million in Oregon's first two years.

SALEM, Ore. (KOIN 6) — On Thursday, Oregon lawmakers asked for $10 million to get recreational marijuana sales underway in the state, following in the footsteps of Colorado and Washington. But KOIN 6 News learned the tax money generated by pot sales is expected to be much slimmer in Oregon.

As the first state with a full year of recreational marijuana sales, Colorado is the poster child for legal pot. Just last year, the state generated $700 million in marijuana sales — about half recreational and have medicinal.

MAKING cannabis treatment more readily available to patients for medicinal relief would be the first step to regulate and control marijuana use in Guernsey, a campaign group has said.

About 20 islanders behind the Guernsey Drug Strategy Campaign have put forward proposals that would eventually legalise and regulate the use of both ‘medicinal and recreational’ marijuana for over-21s using an ID system, but they insist their motives are not driven by encouraging or promoting cannabis use.

Queensland has woken up — or at least arched its eyebrow and propped one lid open.

We can only hope that it will continue to emerge into consciousness.

Signing up to be part of NSW’s medical cannabis trial for suffering children and dying adults is a sign it is at least willing to listen to the people.

We should be grateful for small mercies.

But nagging concerns about this whole positive medical movement linger.

It is concerning that NSW Health Minister Jillian Skinner said the trials would not include crude cannabis, but a derivative — presumably in a pill.

This is presumably to head off any chance that the public might envisage children puffing on a plant and getting high.

A former Health Canada manager who helped Canadians navigate the sometimes hazy world of medical marijuana access has been appointed CEO of an emerging company that educates patients on its use.

Gulwant Bajwa, 53, has taken on the lead role at National Access Cannabis (NAC), an alternative treatment care centre that first opened in Victoria with new locations slated to open across the country this year. The company will open its first Ottawa location in Hintonburg in June.

During Bajwa’s four years working with Health Canada’s medical marijuana program, he investigated its impact on patients suffering with ailments such as fibromyalgia, arthritis and cancer.

The Oregon Liquor Control Commission, which will oversee the regulated marijuana industry, is already laying the groundwork for security improvements and an upgrade of its entry area in anticipation of the influx of cash from the marijuana industry.

Steven Marks, the agency's executive director, said Wednesday he expects to add a dedicated window where marijuana business owners can pay their cannabis sales taxes. Marijuana's prohibition under federal law has kept traditional banking generally off-limits to state-licensed growers and retailers.

"It's more of a public safety issue than people think about," said Marks. "There is a lot of cash floating around in this system and that cash is a source of problems."