By Aaron Bracamontes \ El Paso Times

Songwriter and Texas personality Kinky Friedman exhibited an unorthodox approach when discussing his campaign for Texas Agriculture Commissioner in the Democratic primary on Friday.
The 69-year-old leisurely chews on a cigar, cracks jokes, has no problem dropping an F-bomb and quotes Winston Churchill while clearly stating he supports the legalization and taxation of marijuana during an editorial board meeting at the El Paso Times.
Friedman said he doesn’t smoke pot, unless it is with country music legend Willie Nelson, “and that is just Texas etiquette.”
 
Full Article:
http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_24889981/kinky-friedman-supports-marijuana-legalization

by LORI GEARY – WSB-TV

 During a 2014 Legislative preview Ralston said, “I have some concerns about it quite frankly but I think, let’s take the politics out of it, and look at the science and hear the medical professionals.”
 
ATLANTA — One of the most powerful lawmakers in Georgia is giving parents of kids who suffer from severe seizure disorders hope.
House Speaker David Ralston told Channel 2’s Lori Geary that while he has some concerns, he’s open to the idea of legalizing medical marijuana.
 
Full Article:
http://www.times-herald.com/local/20140110-House-Speaker-Medical2014-01-10T13-04-42

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqIwaiMt08w

by Thomas Hendrick

 
DENVER — The Colorado Department of Transportation decided to change a mile marker sign in rural eastern Colorado because thieves kept stealing it.
 
Full Article:
http://kwgn.com/2014/01/10/cdot-replaced-420-mile-marker-sign-with-419-99-sign-because-of-thieves/

By David Iaconangelo

Here’s the link:
http://www.thedailyshow.com/full-episodes/tue-january-7-2014-steve-coogan#

By Rebecca Fishbein

 
 
NY State Assemblyman Steve Katz has turned over a new leaf since getting busted for pot possession last year; though he had previously made a name for himself as an anti-medical marijuana crusader, all thatMINDBLOWING, SOUL-CRUSHING HYPOCRISY has turned him pro-pot. So much so, in fact, that that he skipped out on Governor Cuomo’s State of State for a “research” trip to Colorado, replicating those “cultural studies” trips legions of study abroad students take to Amsterdam’s Red Light District instead of writing papers on Le Petit Prince.
According to the Journal News, the Republican Assemblyman headed over to the country’s newest Stoner State earlier this week in order to learn about its now-legal marijuana industry. Colorado has reportedly made over $5 million off pot sales since the legalization went into effect just a week ago. “Extrapolate that to New York, where we are so starving for revenue,” Katz told the Journal News. “It could be a real revenue generator for our state. How do you turn that away right now, when every single indicator shows that medical marijuana has compounds that absolutely can help people?”
 
Full Article:
http://gothamist.com/2014/01/10/medical_marijuana_hating_assemblyma.php

By HEALTH NEWS FLORIDA STAFF
 
Emotional pleas to help children who suffer constant seizures helped convince Florida lawmakers Thursday that a strain of marijuana should be legalized. State Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fort Walton Beach and chair of the House Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, said he will file a bill to legalize Charlotte’s Web, which studies find are effective in helping children at risk for seizures, according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
 
Full Article:
http://health.wusf.usf.edu/post/lawmakers-oil-based-marijuana

Sanaya Chavda  Follow @SanayaCee

 
Christopher Weidlich/Corbis
 
It may not be the first ingredient you would look for in your skin care product. But, cannabis is slowly becoming commonly used in beauty items. Over the years, hemp — the fatty acid-rich oil — has been a part of shampoos, conditioners and creams of well-known brands. Medical Marijuana Inc is taking cannabis to the next level with their new anti-ageing skin care line which utilises  cannabidiol-rich hemp oil as its star ingredient in its line of exfoliant, cleanser, eye cream, gel masque, moisturiser, and serum. Research shows that cannabis has antioxidant properties that can help soothe dry, irritable skin, is rich in omega 3, 6, and 9 oils and even has anti-cancer properties.
 
Full Article:
http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/report-cannabis-a-beauty-boon-1948480

Using state-level data for the period 1990 through 2007, we estimate the effect of legalizing medical marijuana on suicide rates. Our results suggest that the passage of a medical marijuana law is associated with an almost 5 percent reduction in the total suicide rate, an 11 percent reduction in the suicide rate of 20- through 29-year-old males, and a 9 percent reduction in the suicide rate of 30- through 39-year-old males. Estimates of the relationship between legalization and female suicides are less precise and are sensitive to functional form.
 
Abstract:
http://ftp.iza.org/dp6280.pdf