After over 150 applications for trademarks under the U.S. Patent Office’s proposed “Processed plant matter for medicinal purposes, namely medical marijuana” category, the agency has closed the category due to the, shall we say, ridiculous response.  The official reason is because the category was redundant with others, such as business names and manufacturing processes.

Many of the applications for trademarks fall under that former category, such as Colorado’s ReLeaf Center and Total Health Concepts, while some were for specific service names, like Nug Source (an ad company).  Foods incorporating marijuana were also a big item for trademark patent, including the now infamous “Dr. Canna Cola.”

The well-known Meyer Keegan from Colorado Springs might take the award for largest number of trademarks and patents applied for by a single individual in the now-defunct medical marijuana category.  Keegan applied for trademarks on many terms, such as “ganja,” “Maui Waui,” “Bubblegum,” “Island Sweet Skunk,” and other common strains and smoker terms.

Although the category has been stricken, businesses in the medical marijuana and related fields can still apply for patents and trademarks on their business names, proprietary product names, brands, etc. just as any other business does.  The removal of the controversial “medical marijuana” category from the Trademark and Patent Office does not preclude these businesses from operating as would any other business in any other industry.

The so-far undecided patents that were filed with the TPO before closure of the category are still being vetted.  Most agree that while it was a nice try, most of Keegan’s attempts at claiming ownership of common names will probably fail.  So you won’t have to change your business or product names to avoid a lawsuit for using words like “ganja.”

http://www.uspto.gov/

United States Patent and Trademark Office

!!!Montana Biotech is NOW ACCEPTING PATIENTS!!!

If you have a qualifying medical condition, but cant afford the cost of MMJ registration, we may be able to help.

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