North American Cannabis Holdings Inc (USMJ)

[mfdesigner]

I happen to know intimately the entire process of applying for a patent.

USPTO maintains two patent databases: One containing the final approved patents and the other existing patent applications that are put into a queue for examination on a first come first serve basis.

The NaturesComfortMeds patent is in the later not the former, therefore, it has not yet been approved. (you can find it in the application database using advance search term APN/182631 and AAST/RI)

Unfortunately, any one who filed provisional patent application is almost always guaranteed a spot in the applications database.

It will take at least another 2-4 years to get the final approval and, this time, it is not 100% guaranteed. They won't get the final approval, IF they cannot prove no prior art exists.