PORTLAND, Maine (AP) -- A wave of marijuana legalization laws has the medical marijuana industry bracing for competition it never expected to have to deal with.
Legalization of recreational marijuana is on the ballot in five states this November. All five states currently allow some form of medical marijuana use.
Growers and users of medical marijuana say they are concerned about the possibility of the recreational marijuana business subsuming medical cannabis programs in the states.
Some pro-legalization forces say they suspect that the hand-wringing over legal pot is really just concern about market share. NORML spokesman Paul Armentano says some users and advocacy groups also worry about potential corporatization of marijuana.
The recreational legalization measures are on ballots in Maine, Arizona, California, Massachusetts and Nevada.
