Even without pun intended, it’s hard to ignore the driving business environment surrounding the production and sale of medical marijuana. With MMJ now legalized in 15 states and the District of Columbia, the market is expanding vigorously.
Treat a variety of foods
THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, has been shown to effectively treat a number of conditions. It can reduce nausea, insomnia, neurogenic pain and movement disorders, and glaucoma symptoms. It may be helpful in managing symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, migraines, and fibromyalgia. Recent studies have indicated that THC prevents the formation of plaque deposits associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
Of course, more research is essential to determine what conditions medical marijuana can help with, but even this short list is encouraging.
not just smoke
Opponents of medical marijuana strongly oppose the most common method of ingestion: smoking. However, there are many safer ways to ingest marijuana. Marijuana can be inhaled in a vaporized form and added to food after being processed into hemp oil. Both methods circumvent the potential risks involved in any form of smoking.
Who can grow it?
One of the challenges of obtaining medical marijuana is figuring out who can grow it and how big they can grow. States that have legalized marijuana for medical use have implemented rules on whether and how much marijuana can be grown or possessed by a person. Things are a bit more complicated for dispensaries.
California allows patients and caregivers to form cooperatives to grow the plants, but much of the produce that makes it to market is grown on small “farms” that still operate outside the law.
A large specialty information and supply store recently opened in Sacramento, CA. The store does not sell marijuana or plants. There are a few plants on display but they are owned by licensed individuals and will be removed before they sprout.
Authorized dispensaries
Opening a medical marijuana dispensary involves a bit of work. In each of the states where the sale of medical marijuana is legalized, the requirements are a little different. Businesses must apply for a license and provide proof that the store is owned by the business or that the lessee has approved the business. Some states require a security plan to be drawn up, or request tax documents, etc.
One of the biggest challenges these legal businesses face is obtaining the full range of merchant services, such as merchant accounts to process credit card sales or bank accounts, since marijuana is only legal at the state level, not the federal level.
Perhaps the strongest argument the government will respond to is the potential tax base that medical marijuana will generate. In tough economic times, it’s hard to turn down any much-needed source of income.
