Laura H. Meyer
Cannabis policy writer
Laura H. Meyer writes on US cannabis program implementation, patient-access journalism, and the clinical evidence base for cannabis as a therapy for qualifying medical conditions. Her coverage emphasizes how statutory rules translate into real-world patient experience and where the evidence is (and isn't) strong enough to support program expansion.
Laura H. Meyer writes for mmjnow on cannabis program implementation and clinical evidence.
Her coverage focuses on:
- Patient-access reporting. Registration mechanics, caregiver frameworks, dispensary build-out, reciprocity gaps.
- Clinical evidence summaries. NASEM consensus framework, FDA-approved cannabinoid drug indications, specialty-society positions.
- Program implementation analysis. What works, what stalls, and why ballot-initiative legalization plays out differently in different states.
For corrections, source-substitution requests, or editorial inquiries, contact [email protected].
Articles
Federal employment and medical cannabis: what the April 2026 Schedule III order did not change
A long-form treatment of the federal-employment, security-clearance, military-service, and DOT-regulated transportation questions surrounding medical cannabis use. The April 2026 rescheduling did not unlock any of these for state-legal medical patients. UCMJ Article 112a, SEAD 4, federal civilian rules, and DOT 49 CFR Part 40 all remain in force.
How to get a medical marijuana card: the process every state has in common (and where they differ)
A master explainer of the medical marijuana card process across the ~38 states that operate medical programs. The five common steps (qualifying condition, certifying practitioner, state application, ID card, renewal), the cost ranges, and where each state diverges. Cross-links to all medical-state hubs.
Kentucky's medical cannabis program is finally selling product. The rollout has been slower than the statute promised.
Kentucky's SB 47 medical cannabis program went live on January 1, 2025 for patient registration; the first legal sale was January 16, 2026. As of May 2026, only eight of 48 licensed dispensaries are operating, and product variety remains constrained. The framework is functional. The supply chain is not yet.
Medical cannabis and pediatric patients: state-by-state rules and the evidence base
Most US medical cannabis programs allow minor patients under 18, with a designated parent or guardian caregiver. The rules vary substantially: some states require two-physician certification, some require a pediatric specialist, some impose product-form restrictions, and one (Epidiolex) is the only FDA-approved cannabis-derived medication for any pediatric indication.
Texas HB 46 ten months in: license rollout on track, patient enrollment trailing the headlines
HB 46 added chronic pain, Crohn's, TBI, and vaporized products to Texas's Compassionate Use Program in June 2025. Ten months on, DPS is on track to issue all 12 new dispensary licenses by April 2026. Patient enrollment growth is slower than legislators predicted, and the 1% THC cap remains the program's structural ceiling.
Florida's 2026 cannabis ballot collapsed at signature validation. Here's the math behind the failure.
Smart and Safe Florida's 2026 adult-use ballot effort missed certification by ~87,000 valid signatures. The gap was operational, not political. Floridians voted 56% yes in 2024 but the state requires 60%.
Georgia's SB 220 quietly broke the 'oil only' rule that defined its medical program for a decade
SB 220 authorizes vaporization in Georgia's medical cannabis program for the first time, breaking the 'oil only' identity Haleigh's Hope Act locked in for ten years. The 5% THC cap and dispensary bottleneck still constrain access.
Ohio's Issue 2 broke the speed record for state-to-store cannabis legalization. Then the legislature tried to break Issue 2.
Ohio went from ballot passage to first adult-use sale in seven and a half months (the fastest large-state rollout on record). A voter-initiated statute can be amended by simple majority, and the 2024-2026 General Assemblies have tried.