The French Quarter in New Orleans could be buzzing with more than jazz and joie de vivre if a Baton Rouge lawmaker gets his way.
(Photo courtesy of the Louisiana Office of Tourism)

ATLANTA — Patients who have to go out of state to get cannabis oil say they will face risks and hurdles even after medical marijuana becomes legal in Georgia on Thursday.

Gov. Nathan Deal will sign a law that makes it legal to possess up to 20 ounces of cannabis oil in Georgia. But patients who need the oil still have to go out of state to get it, because it remains illegal to produce at home.

That means families have to travel out-of-state to get the oil, and it is unclear whether the federal government will tolerate that.

A year of debate, a slew of labeling regulations and multiple educational campaigns have not been effective in answering a critical question surrounding marijuana-infused edible products: How do you stop a consumer from eating too much?

Smaller industrial buildings that are home to warehouses and distribution centers might lack gee-whiz architectural appeal, and they're often in nondescript parts of town where restaurants and other amenities are few and far between.

But they're perfect for the medical marijuana industry, whose appetite for smaller industrial buildings has made them a hot commodity.

Unlike Denver and Pueblo, Colorado Springs and El Paso County have banned recreational marijuana grow operations and sales, but they allow medical marijuana sales, cultivation and manufacturing.

TRENTON — The co-founder of the medical marijuana dispensary in Egg Harbor Township will appear in court Wednesday to dispute claims he blocked his employees' attempts to join a union in a case that is being watched across the nation.

And this isn't even David Knowlton's biggest problem.

Denver, the Mile High City, has seen a spike in tourists booking flights and hotels as it prepares for the annual "420" celebration. In part April 20 celebrates marijuana becoming legal in Colorado in 2014.

April 20 has become a red later day for marijuana smokers primarily in North America. Some events on that day promote the legalization of cannabis.  

Last year was Denver's first 420 celebration. Even though it occurred on Easter Sunday, tens of thousands of tourists helped to create a cloud of marijuana smoke above the city.

Medical marijuana law modified

Gov. Doug Ducey signed legislation Friday that could make it a bit more difficult for some patients to get a recommendation for medical marijuana.

The law requires doctors who write most of the recommendations to document how they know the patient and their medical needs.

A 2010 voter-approved Arizona law allows anyone with certain medical conditions to get a doctor’s certification to obtain up to 2 1/2 ounces of marijuana every two weeks.

At last count nearly 66,000 Arizonans had state-issued cards allowing them to make purchases from state-licensed marijuana dispensaries.

Sen. Floyd Prozanski (D-Eugene) & Sen. Ginny Burdick (D-Portland) are pushing a bill that will close a loophole for Oregon marijuana users looking to buy firearms.

The bill, SB 941, will expand background checks required for most personal sales of firearms. The bill requires people selling a gun to go to a gun dealer and request a background check on the person they want to sell the gun to. As part of that background check, the person wanting to buy the gun will fill out ATF Form 4473.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — It would no longer be a crime to possess marijuana-related paraphernalia in Maryland, under a bill approved by the Maryland General Assembly.

The House of Delegates voted 84-52 on Saturday for the Senate bill, sending it to Gov. Larry Hogan.

Maryland decriminalized possession of less than 10 grams of marijuana last year. That made it a civil offense rather than a criminal one.

However, lawmakers didn’t do the same thing for paraphernalia like pipes, so the bill was introduced this session.

The measure also makes smoking marijuana in public a civil offense, punishable by a fine of up to $500.

The UpTake: Legalizing marijuana could result in a $4.1 billion Ohio industry by 2020. Those are serious numbers for those advocating for the state to join the ranks of those that already permit pot.

I an James, architect of a proposal to legalize pot in Ohio, said it stemmed from a simple notion: "Let's take this from the tie-dye to the suit-and-tie approach to marijuana."

James, CEO of the Strategy Network, a Columbus political consulting firm, turned to Cincinnati lawyer Chris Stock for help. Would Stock draft a proposed amendment to the Ohio Constitution that would outline how pot would be regulated for personal and medical use? "I've never used marijuana in my life," Stock told James. "I'm not sure I want to be involved." But he relented.