As another year draws to a close, and I turn another year older, I am reminded how nicely marijuana  compliments the aging process. And yet, because of the fears and misconceptions from the decades-long “reefer madness” government propaganda campaign, most seniors today remain unaware of the benefits and pleasures of cannabis. Those over 65 years of age remain the only demographic in the country who do not yet support marijuana legalization. We need to change that.

Marijuana and Health

America's deadliest drug problem grew even deadlier last year, as overdose deaths from opioids hit a record 28,647, or 78 people a day.

This epidemic is fueled as much by well-meaning doctors as it is by dope pushers. Overdoses of the most popularly prescribed legal painkillers, such as oxycodone and hydrocodone, accounted for more deaths last year than heroin, according to numbers released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

President Obama extended a federal “cease fire” in the 20-year war on state medical cannabis programs on Friday evening, when he signed theFY 2016 omnibus appropriations bill. The bill contains the Rohrabacher-Farr Amendment which prohibits the Department of Justice from interfering with state medical cannabis laws (Sec. 542, page 223).

BEN OAKLEY is a young Aussie who unapologetically breaks the law twice a day to fight an illness so fearsome that it almost destroyed him.

At 17, he fell victim to a one-­in-­a-­million disease that strikes the nervous system, known as Stiff Person Syndrome.

It relentlessly shocks the body with “Taser-­like” pain and progressively stiffens the muscles in the spine and legs.

Oakley, from Wollongong south of Sydney, had just finished year 10 at a Catholic high school when his life’s trajectory was thrown violently off course. Up until then the go-­getter teen thought nothing of running half­ marathons or taking part in charity bike rides.

The Canadian Pediatric Society released a statement on the therapeutic treatment of children with cannabis this week which reads, in part, "There is little evidence supporting the use of medical cannabis in children and most front-line doctors should not be prescribing the drug to young people." But many parents across Canada say that cannabis has been a huge help to their children - in particular, it's been used to treat children who suffer severe epileptic seizures. Brent spoke to Dr. Michael Rieder, author of the CPS statement, and Mandy McKnight, the mother of a Liam, a 7-year-old boy living with a severe form of epilepsy.

Amid a rash of medical marijuana cultivation bans, patients are cheering one potent legal victory this winter. Growing medical marijuana is not a crime, a California appeals court ruled earlier this month in a precedent-setting case. 

Cities and counties can cite patients in civil court for what amounts to nuisance violations, but the Health and Safety Code of California is clear: Qualified patients growing medical cannabis are not committing crimes.

Green Medicine is a new documentary film that gives an insight into the medical cannabis scene in Chile. It follows the story of Daya Foundation, a non-profit organisation, that was granted a licence by the Chilean government to begin Latin America's first legal cannabis grow in 2014.

Does cannabis make a difference to the quality of life of medical patients suffering from a range of illnesses, including epilepsy and cancer?

The documentary team behind Green Medicine: Chile's medical cannabis Revolution spent 6 months following the progress of the medical marihuana debate in the country. The film features numerous interviews and highlights the arguments for and against the legalization of cannabis, for use by medical patients. 

CHICAGO (AP) - Edible medical marijuana made its Illinois debut Saturday, ending a wait for patients who prefer eating to inhaling. To some, cannabis-infused foods seem milder than smoke or vapor, but the products carry their own risks.

It takes longer to feel the effects when marijuana is eaten, so it's easy to eat too much with unpleasant - or even dangerous - results.

"As exciting as bringing edibles to market is, we want to make sure that every patient takes small portions, and wait at least an hour before taking more, until you understand and get comfortable with consuming medical cannabis in its edible forms," said Ross Morreale, owner of Ataraxia, an Illinois company with marijuana chocolates hitting the market.

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A cancer patient in New Hampshire who took her home state to court to get a medical marijuana card got her medicine in Maine on Friday.

New Hampshire approved use of marijuana by people suffering from certain conditions more than two years ago, but the first dispensaries aren't open yet. Linda Horan, who has late-stage terminal lung cancer, successfully argued in court that she might not live long enough to see them open.

A judge had ruled last month she could seek to buy in Maine.

The war on medical marijuana is over - that’s what some are saying following a decision Friday by the federal government to ease its stance on the drug.

But the fight continues in Georgia.

Patients can have it, but they can’t get it in the state.

Despite overwhelming support from voters to grow medical marijuana in our state, the Georgia commission on medical cannabis recently said no thanks.

For the first time Allen Peake, the Macon representative behind the medical cannabis effort is speaking out about what he believes caused this massive setback.