North Dakota's cannabis plan creeping forward

South Dakota's more forward-looking neighbor to the north is already growing interest in cannabis as therapy.

North Dakota voters passed Measure 5 in 2016 and last year the legislature drafted rules then a Republican governor signed it into law.

The Health Department expects to announce an application period for medical marijuana manufacturers by the end of the week, said Jason Wahl, director of the Health Department’s Medical Marijuana Division. That will be followed by application periods for dispensaries, patients and caregivers. Wahl said North Dakota also is working to devise a system that will pass any federal government scrutiny.

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In South Dakota, Secretary of State Shantel Krebs’ office is moving through a cannabis ballot petition process at a stoner's pace.

Even the South Dakota State Medical Association contends that although "marijuana and dronabinol decreased pain" the fact that it is illegal makes it less effective as a therapy.

Although there are different schools of thought concerning the efficacy of marijuana to treat certain medical conditions and concerning whether its possession and use ought to be decriminalized altogether, the fact remains that it is a violation of federal law and South Dakota law to possess or distribute it for any purpose.

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South Dakota is among the worst states for opioid abuse.

Meth use is a symptom of South Dakota's statewide hopelessness as the state's residents stare down another punishing, relentless, and unforgiving winter.