By Chris Roberts

Wikimedia Commons

Free weed.

 
Healing can be had in today’s health system — modern drugs and the latest procedures can do wondrous things — but there are barriers to access. Usually, they are financial, in the form of high co-pays or treatments uncovered by insurance.

 Of late, more and more parents are turning to one particular cure to fix epileptic fits in their children. And this cure — marijuana rich in non-psychoactive cannabinoid CBD — is not only expensive. In many places, it’s illegal.

None of the above applies in Oakland. In Oakland, CBD-rich, marijuana-derived medicines are available free of charge at a Jack London Square marijuana dispensary. Starting today, kids suffering epilepsy can (with their parents) get free medicine from Magnolia Wellness.

Full Article:

http://blogs.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/2014/05/oakland_marijuana_club_hands_o.php

by Kristen Gwynne

A medical marijuana dispensary in Denver. (Jeffrey Beall)

Dr. Peter Fried, a psychology professor at Carleton University in Canada who has dedicated much of his career to studying the effects of prenatal marijuana exposure on infants, wrote:
Based on my 30 plus years of experience examining the newborn, infants, toddlers, children, adolescents and young adults born to women who used marihuana during pregnancy it is important to emphasize that to characterize an infant born to a woman who used marihuana during pregnancy as being ‘physically abused’ and/or ‘neglected’ is contrary to all scientific evidence (both mine and subsequent work by other researchers). The use of marijuana during pregnancy … has not been shown by any objective research to result in abuse or neglect.
 
Full Article:
http://rhrealitycheck.org/article/2014/05/12/marijuana-legalization-leaves-mothers-pregnant-women-behind/

Written by THOR BENSON

 
At the Illinois House committee meeting, Margaret Storey said her “daughter is stoned every single day” from traditional, FDA-approved medication prescribed by her doctor, the Chicago Tribune reported. “When they’re on these cocktails of pharma meds, they’re drug addicts,” said another advocate and parent, Adam Frederick.
 
Full Article:
http://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-rise-of-medical-marijuana-for-kids

Wynnie Chan life@scmp.com

By Rafael Castillo

 

Thanks to Uruguay’s recently approved legal marijuana regulations, access to pot will soon be as easy as visiting a corner pharmacy but Uruguayans may now face problems buying tobacco.

While the South American country passed laws to regulate the production, sale and consumption of marijuana, officials are moving forward with stricter regulations on the marketing of tobacco products.

On May 6, the Uruguayan Senate passed a law prohibiting the display of tobacco products in order to decrease consumer’s exposure. That same day, Uruguay President José Mújica, established a law to regulate the consumption of marijuana.

Full Article:

https://news.vice.com/article/uruguay-is-getting-high-as-officials-try-to-snuff-out-tobacco

Dan Haslan has terminal cancer and his family, and the town of Tamworth are battling to decriminalise cannabis for the terminally ill because it keeps the post chemo nausea at bay. Source: Supplied
 

The 24-year-old has terminal cancer, and despite the illegality of cannabis use for medicinal reasons, the entire community, including the police have his back.
“I’ll probably get into trouble but why should we, with people with a terminal illness, create a criminal act for accessing things that relive their pain,” Tamworth Super Intendent Clint Pheeney said.
 
Full Article:
http://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/dan-haslan-who-is-terminally-ill-says-he-will-keep-using-cannabis-to-relieve-his-pain-and-even-his-local-cop-supports-him/story-fnii5s3x-1226911590106

 
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (CBS 2/FOX 28) – A recent survey shows 81 percent of Iowa voters support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana for medical use. They remain hopeful as the governor decides whether he’ll sign the cannabis oil bill passed by both chambers of the legislature. Proponents are also thankful that the conversation has gotten this far in Iowa. But there’s a question being asked; should Iowa be growing its own marijuana and allowing it for conditions other than epilepsy?


Full Article:
http://www.cbs2iowa.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/medical-marijuana-stories-hope-part-2-26704.shtml

by Cassidy Brettler, KGW Staff

 
Full Article:
http://www.kgw.com/lifestyle/STUDY-Oregon-is-the-4-US-State-for-Hippies-258530051.html