New York moves to OK medical marijuana
ALBANY, N.Y. – New York is set to become the 23rd state to legalize medical marijuana under an agreement announced by legislative leaders Thursday afternoon.
The so-called Compassionate Care Act would legalize certain forms of marijuana for severely ill patients. The legislation does not allow the drug to be sold in plant form or smoked, but it can be administered through a vaporizer or in an oil-base.
Earlier in the negotiations, Gov. Andrew Cuomo sought to ban smoking the drug, saying it was wrong for the state to promote smoking.
If approved by the Legislature, the bill would allow the program to start in as soon as 18 months and would allow a governor to terminate it under advice from the health department or law enforcement.
Pro-Russian forces ask for help in Ukraine
MOSCOW – Intense fighting raged Thursday in eastern Ukraine, where pro-Russia insurgents said they were losing the battle with government forces and begged the Kremlin for military help.
NATO’s chief, meanwhile, accused Russia of resuming a military buildup along the border designed to intimidate Ukraine.
Both the Ukrainian government and the rebels said heavy fighting took place Thursday near Krasnyi Liman, just east of the rebel stronghold of Slovyansk, a city in the Donetsk region that has been the epicenter of the insurgency against the government in Kiev.
Rebel chief Igor Strelkov, however, said in a statement on YouTube that his men were far outnumbered and outgunned by Ukrainian forces and were likely to retreat from their positions in Yampol and Seversk near Krasnyi Liman. He said the Ukrainian military advance would completely cut rebel supply lines to Slovyansk and issued a desperate plea to the Kremlin for military assistance.
Associated Press
