The Mormon Church is currently opposing a ballot initiative in Utah that would legalize medical marijuana due to moral reasons. But it turns out they may have a financial reason for preventing the expansion of medicinal cannabis as well, writes Joseph Misulonas. 

A pair of advocacy groups in Utah sued Thursday to block a compromise agreement legalizing medical marijuana, accusing the LDS Church of unconstitutional domination and interference involving a process that lead to the gutting of a measure approved by voters.

The lawsuit alleges the revised initiative creates overwhelming obstacles for suffering patients who want to obtain the drug. It also asks a judge to set aside the revision passed by lawmakers and keep the original version that won with 53 percent of the vote in November.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints didn’t immediately have comment.

Liberty Health Sciences Inc. is the next cannabis company in the sights of short sellers Hindenberg Research, which says in a new report that the Florida-focused company is part of the same “web of highly questionable deals,” that led it to short Aphria Inc.

More than a dozen Vermonters who are proponents of a legal marijuana market urged state officials on Thursday to not overregulate a potential industry and keep it true to Vermont’s values.

Their comments came at a public meeting that followed the recent release of three reports by the Governor’s Marijuana Advisory Commission, which examined roadway safety, education and prevention, and taxation and regulation of a legal market.

The Great Dane in Madison has brewed a pale ale with CBD.

Great Dane brewpubs will launch CBD-infused beer, cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages starting Dec. 13 at all five of the brewpub's locations — in Madison, Fitchburg and Wausau. 

It's likely the first brewer in Wisconsin to add cannabidiol to beer. 

The launch includes a celebration from 4:30 to 6 p.m. that day hosted by The Great Dane Pub & Brewing Co., and its CBD partner, Madison-based GreenRX, at the The Great Dane Pub, 123 E. Doty St., in Madison.

CBD is cannabidiol, which is extracted from the flowers of hemp plants and is considered non-psychoactive. Marijuana, hemp and hops are related agriculture products.

Let's start with the good news. Recreational marijuana sales in Oregon are far outpacing projections by state economists. In a recent economic report, the state’s Office of Economist Analysis noted the rapid changes in Oregon's marijuana business. They are now revising their tax revenue projections up to $26.8 million for the 2017-2019 period and up to $20.3 million for the 2019-2021 period. They also noted that further upward revisions are anticipated if current trends hold.

However, despite the growth in sales, the cost of marijuana itself has dropped 50 percent. Oregon takes in tax revenue as a percentage of the cost of the product. As prices have dropped, the state is taking in less revenue per item sold.

Starting Thursday, the medical use of marijuana in Missouri is legal. The measure approved by voters to allow patients with cancer, PTSD and other ailments to use marijuana takes effect Thursday, but it will be months before that can actually happen.

The state has until June 4th of next year to make applications available for patients to talk to a physician. Then it will be another 30 days before they start accepting those applications and another 30 days after that before they start issuing patient cards.

With the year coming to a close, a new Democrat-controlled legislature will soon take over the state. This means a few laws that have struggled in previous sessions could finally get moving.

Many speculate that marijuana legislation will play a big part in the upcoming session, including one idea that was voted down in early 2018: a pilot program to allow certain Colorado cities from testing out a marijuana delivery service.

It failed to pass with a Republican majority senate but now with a Democratic majority and a Governor-elect who is open to expanding the industry that may change.

The Garden State’s slow slog toward the legalization of recreational marijuana appears to have a final bill set for a vote that heavily addresses social justice issues, and the legislation could have some significant benefits for four of the state’s largest cities.