Medical Marijuana

The latest research is proving that cannabinoids play a mitigating role in breast cancer. An urgent issue for Breast Cancer Awareness Month: the clock is ticking for the 207,000 women expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer this year alone. Mary Jane Borden, a former marketing analyst for largest U.S. marketer of cancer chemotherapy drugs in the U.S. during the 1980s, opines on the issue.

The Colorado State Board of Health approved a program through which poor medical marijuana patients can apply to the state registry for free and not have to pay sales tax on their cannabis purchases. But the standard the board approved for determining who is poor enough to qualify for the program upset medical marijuana advocates, who said some indigent patients will still be stuck with a bill. And even some board members expressed frustration that the health department — which has received millions of dollars in application fees since the medical marijuana program began — couldn't put together a program that includes more patients.

Oakland County Sheriff's deputies used phony Michigan medical marijuana cards -- created on a county computer -- to trick state-approved medical marijuana providers into selling the drug to the police. Days after the drug buys, county narcotics agents raided two medical marijuana dispensaries. Defense attorneys for more than two dozen people arrested in the raids are crying foul, saying their clients were trapped into lawbreaking while trying to stay within the state law.

The Las Vegas chapter of NORML says keeping marijuana illegal hurts patients in the long run because many are forced to acquire the drug illegally. They are seeking to raise awareness about the medicinal benefits of marijuana.

A sponsor of the state’s medical marijuana law introduced a resolution that would repeal what he called “restrictive” proposed rules for the program if Governor Chris Christie does not make them resemble the original legislation. The action spurred angry words between Christie and State Senator Nicholas Scutari (D-Union), the sponsor.

Maryland Senator David Brinkley said that if re-elected, he plans to introduce a bill that would legalize the use of marijuana for medical purposes. A similar bill passed the Senate during the last session, but the House version failed.

Sen. Nick Scutari said the Health Department's draft regulations for growing, distributing and buying medical marijuana set up too many roadblocks for people the law was designed to help. He wants to force the state to rewrite what he says are overly restrictive rules that make the program unworkable. Scutari said he'll introduce a resolution Monday challenging the proposed regulations.

Arizonans appear to be ready to approve medical marijuana for the third time. A new statewide poll shows 52 percent of likely voters in support of Proposition 203. Only 33 percent are opposed, with the balance undecided.