Medical marijuana industry rapidly grows mainstream

[kpete]

Source: McClatchy

Posted on Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Medical marijuana industry rapidly grows mainstream

By Tony Pugh | McClatchy Newspapers

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After humble California beginnings in 1996, 15 states and the District of Columbia now have legalized marijuana use for ill patients who have a doctor's recommendation.

Medical marijuana has been found to help with chronic pain, nausea and other symptoms of diseases including cancer, muscular dystrophy and AIDS. Nearly 25 million Americans are medically eligible to buy marijuana.

Sales are expected to hit $1.7 billion this year. Just last week, a San Francisco-based outfit, the ArcView Group, formed the industry's first investment network to link cannabis entrepreneurs to qualified investors with "seed" money.

"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that this industry is growing and that there are untold riches to be made here," said





Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2011/03/30/111304/medical-marijuana-industry-rapidly.html#ixzz1I8oQxfsH

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[Zorra]

1. It would be really nice if it remained a cottage industry.

But the carpetbaggers always move in and ruin everything.

[CountAllVotes]

2. +reality

:kick:

[Corruption Winz]

3. So, lemme get this straight..

Something that has very minor side effects and is relatively affordable to it's users that can also boost the economy?

Republicans won't stand for this!

[SoulSearcher]

4. Seriously?

You think they vote while straight? ;-)

[Corruption Winz]

15. Touche.. n/t

[Liberal Veteran]

5. I live in Washington State (the eastern, fairly GOP area) and it's fascinating to see.

Every time I turn around, it seems like a previously unoccupied retail building of a certain size is a Medical Marijuana place.

I have to admit, a failed payday loans place that was in one of them is a fairly good re-purposing a as medical marijuana shop. And much more welcome than loan sharks.

Most of the buildings are fairly attractive and the decor tends to be slightly hip in a unshowy way.

So far, so good.

[wordpix]

6. true story about how medical mj helped someone I know

Marijuana helped someone I know who was suffering with nausea/vomiting after an operation. It was the LEGALLY prescribed opiate pain killers that made him sick. A couple of puffs on a j helped him overcome the nausea and get back on the road to recovery. Pretty hard to do physical therapy when you're sick to your stomach all the time and pot was the cure. BTW, the patient was an 18 y.o. and the pot was supplied by his mom. Do the anti-medical mj wackos want people to keep going to the black market, or get the pot in a legal way to help themselves or loved ones while paying taxes and helping the economy?

[DiverDave]

7. I take pain killers

Have for years.
My big question is:
Will my insurance pay for it?
I work in a job that prohibits pot, but damn,
I'd rather take a bonger then this crap.
Once I retire tho...

[davidthegnome]

8. Hmm

One concern I have here, is that as marijuana becomes more widely available for medical use, (and I agree that it absolutely should be) we will have yet more corporate interests to contend with. Yes, there's huge money in it, there will continue to be huge money in it... I don't think the price will be anything resembling reasonable. I'm curious as to what patients using it are spending right now.

When I was younger I used it - certainly not for medical purposes, but I wonder about others who did. Who may have even occasionally shared it or sold it. Will they become targets for the drug companies? In a Nation where the corporate and government relationship is so cozy....

It will be regulated and taxed - which is all well and good. My concern is regarding those who will become involved because they see it as a gold mine - who will then be crushed by those who will not permit competition in the drug trade (I refer to the "legal" one). Drug companies with massive wealth and power and political influence... no need to hesitate when it's time to shut down some opposition, in fact I'm sure there will be various government agencies only too happy to lend a hand (or a gun, or a swat team).

[Fly by night]

9. It remains interesting (and pretty tiring) to see Tennessee omitted from the list of "probables".

Our Safe Access to Medical Cannabis bill passed through ALL House committees last year, including receiving a 20-4 vote in our House Health and Human Resources committee.

Maybe we're not getting mentioned because our goal is to provide high-quality, safe, reliable, taxed, regulated and organically grown medical cannabis for $60 an ounce.

$60 an ounce.

The greedy mofos who are still charging $400-$600 an ounce for beneficial medicine that costs a fraction of that to produce ought to just stay in the black market and allow others who have some concern for real sick and dying (and likely as a result flat-broke) patients to be served by others.

For more information, see this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=6889020

[Uncle Joe]

12. I agree, Fly by night.

I wish we could actually get in front of the curve.

[sarcasmo]

10. Legalize it now!

[Uncle Joe]

11. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, kpete.

[Le Taz Hot]

13. And yet, Obama continues his jihad

against MM. In CALIFORNIA no less:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4794719

Such a stupid git.

[felix_numinous]

14. K&R