By DANIKA WORTHINGTON

Human Rights Commission

 
An independent human rights board of inquiry has ruled that Gordon (Wayne) Skinner’s medical marijuana expenses are to be covered by his employee insurance plan.
Mr. Skinner, of Head of Chezzetcook, Halifax Regional Municipality, argued that he faced discrimination in accessing insurance coverage based on his disability.
Benjamin Perryman, the board chair, issued his decision on Jan. 30.
 
Full Article: 
http://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20170202003

CHARLOTTE JANSEN
Photography by YAELI GABRIELY
 
Nestled on a quiet hillside looking out on the Mediterranean Sea, you’d never guess this house is made of cannabis.
Israel’s first ever marijuana house, in the rural village of Ein Hod, is a 250-square-metre private villa built without cement: instead, the 35cm thick external walls are made of hempcrete, an innovative bio-composite material comprised of hemp hurds extracted from the heart of the cannabis plant and mixed with lime. It’s not only environmentally friendly, but it provides optimal thermal insulation all year round too.
 
Full Article: 
https://amuse-i-d.vice.com/step-inside-a-house-made-of-weed/
 

SARAH ZHANG

Can marijuana help solve the opioid epidemic?
 

James Feeney, a surgeon in Connecticut, heard it from his patients. A few actually turned down his prescription for oxycodone, the popular opioid painkiller that has also gained notoriety with the opioid epidemic. His patients, Feeney recalls, would say, “Listen, don’t give me any of that oxycodone garbage. … I’m just going to smoke weed.”

“And you know what?” says Feeney. “Every single one of those patients doesn’t have a lot of pain, and they do pretty well.”

Full Article: 

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2017/02/marijuana-cannabinoids-opioids/515358/

Dennis Romboy

Adobe stock photo 
 
Utah researchers would be able study cannabis for medicinal use without federal approval under a bill that unanimously cleared a House committee Monday.
“This is the first step in what I think is the right policy direction for this state,” said Rep. Brad Daw, R-Orem, sponsor of HB130.
 
Full Article: 
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865672191/House-panel-passes-medical-marijuana-research-bill.html
 
 
 
 

DAN HERNANDEZ

Tick Segerblom told us the story of his own strain, smoking weed on the White House roof, and more.

 
By now, Tick Segerblom has attended a lot of conferences where careful politicians frame their support for recreational marijuana use with a boilerplate disclaimer.
I’ve never smoked marijuana, but… 
Segerblom is different. A state senator who hails from downtown Las Vegas, he is the rare politician who will say, “I  have smoked marijuana, and I loved it.” That helps explain why he’s also the rare politician—at least in the United States—who has a pot strain named after him: Segerblom Haze.
 
Full Article: 
https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/meet-the-nevada-politician-with-a-pot-strain-named-after-him
 

By Chris Kudialis

CHRISTOPHER DEVARGAS

Country music legend Willie Nelson speaks to fans during an event celebrating the collaboration between Willie’s Reserve and Redwood Cultivation at Exile in downtown Las Vegas, Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017.

With burning joints raised high, about 200 marijuana industry employees and representatives celebrated the arrival of country music legend and marijuana advocate Willie Nelson on Tuesday in downtown Las Vegas, commemorating the debut of Nelson’s brand of cannabis products in the Las Vegas Valley.

Full Article: 

https://lasvegassun.com/news/2017/feb/01/las-vegas-welcomes-willie-nelsons-pot-products/#.WJIZHvdGUV4.facebook

By Mike D. Smith

Ex-NFL quarterback Jim McMahon now smokes medical marijuana. (AP file photo)
 
Former Chicago Bears quarterback Jim McMahon, former New Orleans Saints offensive lineman Kyle Turley, former Denver Broncos tight end Nate Jackson and former Chicago Bears lineman Eben Britton are scheduled to make appearances.
 
Full Article: 
http://www.chron.com/business/bizfeed/article/Medical-marijuana-gets-spotlight-in-pre-Super-10855643.php
 

Kyle Clark, KUSA , KUSA

 
How do you like your turkey?
Oven roasted? Fried? Baked? How about weed-smoked?
Cook’s Fresh Market in downtown Denver has two new items on their menu this week: a weed-roasted natural turkey sandwich or the Mile High club sandwich.
 
Full Article: 
http://www.kgw.com/life/marijuana-smoked-turkey-now-served-in-denver-at-cooks-fresh-market/393829491