Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 5651 Syndrome, a rare and severe form of epilepsy. Char- lotte was placed on seven medications a day, and had up to 300 grand mal seizures per week. During some seizures, her heart would stop, requiring her mother to perform CPR until paramedics arrived. Charlotte’s frequent hospitalizations forced her father to retire from the military. When Charlotte was five, Colorado approved medical marijuana use, and though Char- lotte would be the youngest person to ever use medi- cal marijuana, her mother would try anything. Today, Charlotte is happy and thriving, and receives two dos- es of cannabis oil per day. Her seizures have decreased from up to 300 to only four per week. The results have been stunning, as Charlotte – and her family – re- turned to a more normal way of life. (http://www.cnn. com/2013/08/07/health/charlotte-child-medical-marijuana/) Nearly everyone in the country knows someone who has battled cancer. Scientists report THC and other cannabinoids such as CBD slow growth or kill certain types of cancer cells. When dealing with cancer and the negative side-effects of chemotherapy, a growing number of patients and oncologists view marijua- na as a viable alternative for managing nausea, bone pain, anxiety and depression. After Jeff Moroso began chemotherapy to treat his intestinal cancer, he was prescribed more than a dozen prescription and over- the-counter drugs and supplements to treat his symp- toms. After three miserable rounds of chemotherapy, Jeff opted for a medical marijuana prescription; by his seventh round of chemo, he quit his prescriptions altogether, relying solely on the medical marijuana to keep his symptoms at bay. (http://www.newsweek. com/2015/07/31/keep-toke-alive-356032.html). People are more understanding of medical marijuana for symptom management of physical ailments. But marijuana is also helpful for mental conditions. Mari- juana improves the mood and eases paranoia of people suffering from depression, anxiety, schizophrenia and other mental health disorders. Most recently, medical marijuana research has led to additional treatment op- tions for patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, especially members of the U.S. military re- turning from war. It is difficult to shift the mindset on marijuana, which for most, has been a bad drug for most of our lives. But the medical ben- efits of marijuana should not be ignored and warrant consid- eration. Even for states which have legalized the use of medical marijuana, there are still federal hurdles to overcome. And as the debate continues, many are hailing the gradual legalization as a milestone comparable to ending Prohibition, plus a boon for state economies. Still others remain worried about the con- sequences of legalizing pot, even for medical use, or how laws will be enforced.