There are now 28 jurisdictions that allow patients to use medical marijuana. In addition, 24 states and the District of Columbia have authorized the operation of dispensaries that give citizens access to medical marijuana products. In those jurisdictions, various state departments are often responsible for developing and implementing the regulations for dispensaries. The regulations focusing on registration and licensing, the number of dispensaries allowed, their location, and operation are examined on this page.

As more states have continued to pass laws legalizing medical use of marijuana, the majority have also established product safety measures to protect consumers. These safety regulations vary from state to state. This dataset analyzes state guidelines for medical marijuana product preparation, testing, packaging, labeling, and advertising, all factors that contribute to overall product safety. This dataset includes states with comprehensive medical marijuana programs; it does not include state laws allowing the medical use of low-THC products in certain situations.

According to the CDC, since 1999 the number of opioid prescriptions have quadrupled. With a significant amount of those opioid prescriptions being written for acute pain or in emergency departments, some states have developed opioid prescribing guidelines for acute and emergency care to help avoid over prescribing. These guidelines are generally adopted by statutes, regulations, state department guidelines, and medical board guidelines.

This dataset examines statutes that authorize the prosecution of drug-related deaths as criminal killings. Oftentimes referred to as drug induced homicide laws, these laws establish criminal liability for individuals who furnish or deliver controlled substances to another individual who dies as a result. These laws vary from state to state in how they are classified, how they are sentenced, and what elements need to be proven. This dataset highlights these differences among state drug induced homicide laws.