The New York State Health Department plans to make medical marijuana available to more New Yorkers. Opioid use will be the newest addition to the list of qualifying conditions under the state’s medical marijuana program.

The health department characterized the decision as a step toward curbing the opioid epidemic, saying that medical marijuana treats the pain that opioids are meant to address while also reducing the chance of addiction and eliminating the risk of a fatal overdose.

RELATED: New York Bill Would Expand Uses for Medical Marijuana

Overdose deaths statewide involving opioids almost tripled from 2010 to 2016, and 109 people died from opioid overdoses in Monroe County in the 12 months from September 2016 to August 2017, the most recent full year of data available from the state.

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OTTAWA -- The government representative in the Senate is imploring his colleagues to accept the federal Liberals’ rejection of several substantive amendments to the marijuana legalization legislation, arguing the Upper Chamber has done its due diligence.

“The Senate has done a thorough job of conducting sober second thought in reviewing this legislation… on a social change of such significance, the Senate has been on the thorough end of thorough,” Sen. Peter Harder told his colleagues in the Senate Tuesday night.

Harder’s speech and motion to accept the government’s position, came as the Senate began debating the government’s message about accepting some, but not all, of the Senate’s proposed amendments to Bill C-45.

Earlier Monday MPs voted 205 to 82 to send the Cannabis Act back to the Senate.

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LANSING, MI (WNEM) - A local lawmaker is working to give hundreds of people a second chance if recreational marijuana is legalized come the November election.

Last week, State Rep. Sheldon Neeley introduced a bill that would make it easier for those convicted of misdemeanor marijuana crimes to have those records set aside.

“If marijuana becomes legal, I don’t believe that it should still be a burden on those individuals that have had these crimes placed on their permanent record,” Neeley said.

Neeley is working to pass new legislation that would remove non-violent misdemeanor marijuana charges from a person’s permanent record if voters make recreational marijuana legal in the November election.

“They should be expunged of that crime automatically, up on the legislation of marijuana,” Neeley said.

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June 15, 2018 – Seattle, WA – PRESS RELEASE – Dope Media Inc., a Delaware corporation, announced it has secured a $600,000 note from Denver-based General Cannabis Corp. (OTC:CANN), a leading provider of comprehensive ancillary services and investment to the cannabis industry.

George Jage, CEO of Dope Media, stated “We are excited about this investment by General Cannabis because it occurs at a key inflection point in the cannabis industry where the well-capitalized and well-managed companies will be making quantum gains in market share in the years to come. We are also pleased that General Cannabis is coming on as a true strategic partner in this investment, allowing for terms that are favorable to the market and designed with appropriate milestone incentives which will only serve to enhance that investment and make Dope even stronger.”

“We see many investment opportunities during the normal course of our business, and for each we apply a rigorous due diligence,” said Michael Feinsod, chairman of the board of General Cannabis. “With Dope we saw great potential for growth, coupled with strong brand equity in the media and events space. We are pleased to provide Dope with this working capital loan that reflects our confidence in the Dope team and business model.”