Access is central to Maryland medical marijuana program

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Plenty of states have rolled out medical marijuana operations before Maryland, but as the state prepares to announce its top candidates for licenses to grow and process the drug, it's determined not to repeat the mistakes of others.

Maryland takes one of the more liberal approaches toward medical marijuana access, and that's caught the notice of businesses that flooded regulators with more than 1,000 applications.

Patients with a chronic or debilitating medical condition that causes severe appetite loss, severe or chronic pain, severe nausea, seizures or severe muscle spasms also can have access, as well as people with glaucoma or post-traumatic stress disorder.

Even further, Maryland will allow not only physicians but nurse practitioners, dentists, podiatrists and nurse midwives to certify patients as eligible to receive marijuana.

[...] Minnesota's two licensed medical marijuana manufacturers each posted millions of dollars in losses in their first year of operations, according to financial documents obtained by The Associated Press.