In April, the federal government moved cannabis to a less-restrictive drug category. This had the practical effect of making some cannabis legal when used at the recommendation of a doctor licensed to practice in a state-legal market.

This was the first time the federal government has acknowledged cannabis has currently accepted medical use. Since then, millions of Americans have been responsibly using federally legal, Schedule 3 cannabis. For these people, federal prohibition is now an artifact of the past.

While a related hearing scheduled to conclude Wednesday will decide the fate of cannabis that is not recommended by a doctor, the existing medical channel is not a part of that hearing. The gains above are real. The movement has changed the rules. Prohibitionists have lost territory they used to control.

In recognition of this important progress, NuggMD has pledged to donate 3% of its revenue booked this week to NORML in support of its excellent work fighting to end prohibition, expand cannabis access, and defend consumer rights.

“NORML has long defended patient rights and consumer access,” says NuggMD CEO Charlie Russell. “We’re excited to support the organization and the necessary work they continue to do for this industry and the millions of patients we serve.”

“Simply flipping the switch and saying cannabis is no longer prohibited doesn’t mean there isn’t work to be done to ensure these now legal consumers are treated respectfully and fairly. That’s where continued advocacy comes in,” says NORML deputy director Paul Armentano. “Political change doesn’t happen without advocacy. And political gains can be lost without continued advocacy… At the end of the day, the most effective advocates are patients and consumers. They have led the way and they need to continue to do so.”

NuggMD is the leading cannabis telehealth platform, connecting patients with licensed medical cannabis practitioners in most U.S. states, the United Kingdom, and Germany. It has facilitated more than 2.5 million medical cannabis evaluations since its founding in 2015.

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NuggMD, the leading telehealth platform for cannabis, today announced that it has launched in the United Kingdom and has integrated with Stripe to reduce friction at the point of sale for prescription-only medical cannabis patients in the United Kingdom.

This implementation is a core part of the company's approach to expanding into international markets. Stripe builds programmable financial services and simplifies online purchases to improve the customer experience.

“We are honored to be launching in the UK and working with Stripe has been a dream. The boundaries that they are pushing in the payments landscape are unmatched,” said NuggMD CEO Charlie Russell.

Seventy-nine percent of cannabis consumers expect the dispensaries they shop at to accept debit card payments, according to a poll by The Cannabis Consumer Poll, NuggMD's in-house pollster, from last June. This shows the value of digital payment options in the cannabis sector. 

Russell continued: “Consumers expect the ability to pay for cannabis as easily as they can pay for any other consumer product or service. Stripe’s ability to complete payments faster, more securely, and at a lower cost than traditional methods brings speed, confidence, and savings to the UK’s roughly 75,000 active patients and nearly 700,000 annual prescriptions processed online.”

NuggMD is the leading cannabis telehealth platform, connecting patients with licensed medical cannabis practitioners in most U.S. states, the United Kingdom, and Germany.

The company has facilitated more than 2 million medical cannabis evaluations since its founding in 2015. It also operates an in-house research and polling unit, The Cannabis Consumer Poll, which uses a representative sample of cannabis consumers who shop in the $47b state-legal, regulated cannabis markets.

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In honor of Veterans Day, NuggMD, the leading international platform for medical cannabis evaluations, is offering free evaluations to all U.S. veterans.

Last month, the company hit major growth milestones, expanding into Germany as well as two new U.S. states, increasing the number of prospective medical cannabis patients it can serve by nearly 20%. Now, NuggMD is doubling down on its annual effort to provide no-cost access to medical cannabis for past military service members. Their goal is to facilitate hundreds of free evaluations on Nov. 11 in partnership with like-minded organizations committed to helping those who have served.

“U.S. military veterans are more likely than other Americans to suffer from PTSD and chronic pain. We can’t fix the systems that are responsible for that, but we can do our part to help by making it free for U.S. veterans to get medical cannabis evaluations through our platform on Veterans Day,” said Robert Brock, vice president of marketing at NuggMD. “Every veteran, and indeed every U.S. adult, deserves the freedom to legally use cannabis if they choose to.”

The free evaluations will be offered to all veterans who reside in the 31 markets that NuggMD serves. The applicable states are listed on NuggMD’s website, and veterans can secure appointments using NuggMD’s on-demand platform from 8 AM to 10 PM in their local time zone.

Since its launch in 2016, NuggMD's affiliated medical cannabis practitioners have helped over two million patients connect with qualified medical cannabis doctors.

About NuggMD

NuggMD is the leading international medical marijuana technology platform, serving patients in 31 state-legal U.S. markets and in Germany.

Since the company’s founding in 2015, it has connected more than 2m patients with medical marijuana doctors via a state-of-the-art telehealth platform. The company believes every human being has the right to explore the potential benefits of medical cannabis and is fully committed to helping each patient explore every option in their journey to wellness. For further information, visit https://www.nuggmd.com.

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NuggMD, the leading platform U.S. patients turn to for access to medical cannabis evaluations, today announced that it is now serving patients in Germany at https://nuggmd.de, marking the California-based company's first expansion into an international market and the first time a U.S.-based cannabis telehealth platform has expanded across borders.

NuggMD has a 10-year track record of serving patients in the United States, where cannabis is criminalised at the federal level but legal, to varying degrees, in many states. This contradiction impedes access for many patients who would otherwise stand to benefit.

Germany, by contrast, has taken a centralized approach to regulating medical cannabis access, which has quickly proven to be effective. According to a recent survey of more than 11,000 German cannabis consumers, nearly 90% of them get their cannabis from legal sources, and there is a near-universal preference to consume on personal property as opposed to in public spaces.

This data provides evidence that the country’s patient-centric approach is working for the stakeholders involved. That approach allows patients to purchase cannabis right away if the medical determination is affirmative, which provides a better patient experience.

“Operating as successfully as we have, for as long as we have, in the United States has given us the perspective and the institutional knowledge necessary to effectively operate in any medical cannabis market. We’re happy to be active in Germany and to be looking at other markets to expand into as well,” said Charlie Russell, CEO of NuggMD.

“Cannabis markets in the EU area are poised to grow rapidly, in large part because the policy approach is appropriate. Our expansion to Germany reflects our mission of helping as many people as possible have fast, reliable access to plant-based medicine where it’s legal. Everybody should have the freedom to make informed decisions about their own wellness options under the guidance of a doctor.”

About NuggMD

NuggMD is the leading international medical marijuana technology platform, serving patients in 31 state-legal U.S. markets and in Germany.

Since the company’s founding in 2015, it has connected more than 2m patients with medical marijuana doctors via a state-of-the-art telehealth platform. The company believes every human being has the right to explore the potential benefits of medical cannabis and is fully committed to helping each patient explore every option in their journey to wellness. For further information, visit https://www.nuggmd.com.

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After a recent law went into effect significantly expanding medical cannabis access in Hawaii, NuggMD, the leading telehealth platform for cannabis, today announced that it has expanded its industry-leading service to serve all adult Hawaiians.

While recreational cannabis use remains prohibited in Hawaii, landmark legislation (HB 302) that improves access to medical cannabis in the state went into effect last month. The law allows medical providers to use their own discretion when recommending cannabis, as opposed to a set of qualifying medical conditions, and authorized telehealth. It is the most comprehensive expansion of Hawaii’s medical cannabis program since it was instituted 25 years ago.

NuggMD estimates that approximately 115,000 Hawaiians use cannabis regularly. According to Marijuana Policy Project, just 241 out of more than 15,000 licensed physicians and APRNs in Hawaii currently certify patients for cannabis, meaning that telehealth is an essential ingredient for ensuring that the legislative intent of the medical cannabis statutes is met.

“Most cannabis consumers use the plant for wellness, and absent federal reform, telehealth is the best way to give more people more access. We welcome the expansion of Hawaii’s medical cannabis program and look forward to serving every Hawaiian who needs access,” said Robert Brock, VP of marketing, NuggMD.

It costs $98 to get a medical cannabis evaluation in Hawaii through NuggMD. The platform is available from 8 am to 10 pm seven days a week. No appointment is needed, and patients who don't qualify for their state's medical cannabis program won't be charged for their evaluation.

About NuggMD

NuggMD is the leading medical marijuana technology platform in the United States, serving patients in 30 state-legal markets. Since the company’s founding in 2015, it has connected more than 2m patients with medical marijuana doctors via a state-of-the-art telehealth platform.

The company believes every human being has the right to explore the potential benefits of medical cannabis and is fully committed to helping each patient explore every option in their journey to wellness. For further information, visit https://www.nuggmd.com/hawaii.

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More than 3,500 medical cannabis patients made their voices heard by voting for their favorite brands, products, and technologies in the 2025 NuggMD Patient Choice Awards.

NuggMD, the country’s leading telehealth platform for cannabis, today announced the winners and the runners-up across the 36 geographic regions and five base categories—products, brands, dispensaries, technologies, and creators—that were a part of the program. Entrants were sourced directly from cannabis consumers. There was no fee to enter or vote, removing unnecessary bias from the award process.

Trulieve, RISE, Rhythm, and Jeeter were among the brands that took home the top spot in multiple regional categories. Nationally, GravLabs won the Best Glassware category, while G Pen won for Best Vaporizer Hardware. Content creators @dope.as.yola, @dope_kitchen, and @pothead.princess won Gold, Silver, and Bronze, respectively, in the Best Content Creator category.

In total, patients selected winners and two runners-up for more than 350 categories.

“We set up the Patient Choice Awards to shine a spotlight on which brands and products are most popular regionally because, to cannabis consumers, that’s really all there is: a bunch of regional markets that operate relatively autonomously,” said Robert Brock, VP of marketing, NuggMD. “Despite the persistent torment of federal prohibition, entrepreneurship and grit is as alive as it’s ever been in the cannabis sector. Our awards program is, first and foremost, an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate that.”

He continued: “Every cannabis business, from the largest multi-state operators to the smallest regional dispensaries and the most upstart brands, has a meaningful role to play in the industry’s development and maturation. We congratulate the winners, and we are grateful that so many patients participated.”

Voting took place from Feb. 25 to March 31. For a searchable directory of the winners, visit the Patient Choice Awards website.

About NuggMD

NuggMD is the leading medical marijuana technology platform in the United States, serving patients in 29 state-legal markets. Since the company’s founding in 2015, it has connected more than 2m patients with medical marijuana doctors via a state-of-the-art telehealth platform.

The company believes every human being has the right to explore the potential benefits of medical cannabis and is fully committed to helping each patient explore every option in their journey to wellness. For further information, visit http://www.nuggmd.com.

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Cannabis brands have a new platform on which to promote their products and obtain valuable feedback from their customers in the NuggMD Patient Choice Awards, a new, consumer-driven awards program announced today by the country’s leading telehealth platform for cannabis.

The 2025 Patient Choice Awards will take place digitally. Cannabis consumers will cast votes across five categories: cannabis products, cannabis brands, cannabis dispensaries, cannabis technology, and cannabis creators. NuggMD will validate those votes to ensure integrity and accuracy.

Voting will take place from Feb. 25 to March 31, and the winners will be recognized by NuggMD and its affiliates on April 11.

NuggMD’s representative sample of 1.2m frequent cannabis consumers, which it uses to conduct the NuggMD Cannabis Consumer Poll, will be one primary channel used to drive consumer participation in the awards. Brands that wish to compete can activate their audiences however they wish. The winners will receive recognition and other promotional assets.

“The worn-out stereotypes of cannabis consumers are no longer anywhere close to the reality on the ground. One of the more important trends we’re seeing in our polling is that most people who use cannabis today do so for wellness, not indulgence. They are also much more likely to trust a friend’s product recommendation over a brand’s or budtender’s. It’s time to give patients a real voice in establishing which brands and products serve them the best,” said Robert Brock, VP of marketing, NuggMD.

For more information, to register to vote, or to nominate a brand, please visit the NuggMD Patient Choice Awards website.

About NuggMD

NuggMD is the nation’s leading medical marijuana technology platform, serving patients in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia. They’ve connected over 2,000,000 patients face-to-face with their new medical marijuana doctors via their state-of-the-art telemedicine platform. They believe every human being has the right to explore the potential benefits of medical cannabis and are fully committed to helping each patient explore every option in their journey to wellness. For further information, visit https://www.nuggmd.com.

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Roughly one in three (32%) cannabis consumers nationwide would revert to the black market if cannabis were rescheduled in a way that did not preserve state-legal marketplaces, according to a new consumer poll from NuggMD.com, the largest telehealth platform for cannabis.

Last year, federal health regulators recommended that the Drug Enforcement Administration move cannabis from a Schedule I controlled substance to a Schedule III controlled substance under the Controlled Substances Act, an action that in isolation may cause consumers to need prescriptions and to have to shop at pharmacies to purchase federally legal cannabis.

Nobody knows for sure whether, under rescheduling, Congress would need to pass new laws to preserve the existing state-legal marketplaces for both medical and recreational cannabis. What is known is that, in 2023, Congress was the least productive it has been in modern U.S. history.

The NuggMD.com poll is the first one to examine how regular, active cannabis consumers would behave if cannabis were regulated like other Schedule III substances. These substances generally have prescription requirements and need to be purchased at pharmacies or used under the strict supervision of a doctor. Codeine, ketamine, anabolic steroids, and testosterone are examples of Schedule III drugs.

According to the poll, 69% of cannabis users would prefer for states to control separate cannabis markets and 77% prefer to use botanical products sold at traditional dispensaries, as opposed to FDA-approved cannabis products sold at pharmacies. More than 80% say they trust existing state testing controls to provide clean cannabis that’s safe to consume and accurately labeled.

The full poll is available on the company’s website.

Policy analysis

Deb Tharp, head of legal and policy research for NuggMD who recently authored an op-ed expressing concerns about rescheduling, issued the following comments about the poll’s findings.

“There is a lot of speculation and conjecture about the fate of state-legal marketplaces, but no real guidance from regulators. Some observers believe that states could simply continue to run their markets as they please, without Congressional action, in light of rescheduling. Others speculate an executive order could preserve those markets.

“I don't think it will be that easy. If and when cannabis is moved to Schedule III, pharmaceutical companies will have a lot of power to lay pressure on what would become their competition. There would be lawsuits over orphan drug status and attempts to steer patients toward FDA-approved single-compound drugs instead of whole-herb products that have worked for consumers for years. The pharma sector will use many tactics, including regulatory capture, to siphon market share. But, as the polling shows, many consumers would resist them because consumers prefer the botanical form of cannabis.

“I believe that if regulators do move to Schedule III instead of descheduling, then Congress will need to pass something, like the STATES Act, or MORE Act, to preserve the state markets. Most don't realize that only FDA-approved products will be allowed for interstate trade. Traditional cannabis products won't get this approval. Some view the lack of interstate trade as good because they wish to preserve state equity efforts, as do I, but will those efforts survive the onslaught of pharmaceutical lawsuits and regulatory pressures?

“Really, almost anything could happen if regulators and elected officials don’t get together and decide to listen to what consumers want.”

Methodology

NuggMD.com conducted the poll from Dec. 11 to Dec. 18 using first-party data. The company contacted 19,335 cannabis consumers and 795 responded, resulting in a margin of error of 3.5% at a confidence level of 95%. The full data set is available upon request.

About NuggMD

NuggMD is the nation's leading medical marijuana technology platform, serving patients in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia. They've connected over 1,000,000 patients face-to-face with their new medical marijuana doctors via their state-of-the-art telemedicine platform. They believe every human being has the right to explore the potential benefits of medical cannabis and are fully committed to helping each patient explore every option in their journey to wellness. For further information, visit https://www.nuggmd.com.

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