420 News: CT Medical Marijuana Facilities Ease Pain Through Legal Weed

Today is 4/20, also know as "Weed Day," and has become so mainstream, it's currently trending on Twitter.

Bob Marley was way ahead of his time when in 1976 he pushed for the legalization marijuana in the song written by his former Wailers band mate Peter Tosh called Legalize It.

"Dem say it cure glaucoma yeah, I'm an a de bush doctor yeah, so there'll be no more smokin' and feeling tense when I see dem a come I don't have to jump no fence....Legalize marijuana. Down here in Jamaica, only cure for asthma....it can build up a failing economy...eliminate the slavish mentality."

Ever wonder what the origins of "420" are? Wikipedia says it came from a group of teenagers from San Rafael, California nicknamed "The Waldos" who met daily at 4:20 p.m. outside of school to smoke pot.

In the United States, 24 states currently have laws that allow for legal, medical use of marijuana, according to Governing. Those states include Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington and the the District of Columbia.

Alaska, Colorado, Oregon and Washington have legalized the recreational use of marijuana.

Connecticut medical marijuana dispensaries have close to 10,000 patients as of April 16, 2016, according to the Connecticut Department of Public Health. Of those 9,905 patients, 2,212 of them reside in Fairfield County and 618 live in Litchfield County.

As of April 20, the DPH shows that Connecticut has six operational alternative treatment centers licensed to dispense marijuana.

• Arrow Alternative Care, Inc. located at 2 Weston Street, Unit #16, Hartford.

• Bluepoint Wellness of Connecticut, 469 East Main Street, Branford
• Compassionate Care Center of Connecticut/D&B Wellness, LLC, 4 Garella Road, Bethel
• Prime Wellness of Connecticut, LLC, 5 John Fitch Boulevard, South Windsor
• Thames Valley Alternative Relief, LLC, 1100 Norwich-New London Turnpike, Uncasville
• The Healing Corner, Inc., 159 East Main Street, Bristol

According to state officials, Connecticut patients are allowed to receive medical marijuana cards if they have any one of the following conditions:

• Cancer

• Glaucoma

• Positive Status for Human Immunodeficiency Virus or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

• Parkinson's Disease

• Multiple Sclerosis

• Damage to the Nervous Tissue of the Spinal Cord with Objective Neurological Indication of Intractable Spasticity

• Epilepsy

• Cachexia

• Wasting Syndrome

• Crohn's Disease

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

New Debilitating Medical Conditions Added:

• Sickle Cell Disease

• Post Laminectomy Syndrome with Chronic Radiculopathy

• Severe Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis

• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

• Ulcerative Colitis

• Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

If you suffer from any of the above listed conditions, you may qualify for a medical marijuana card. Click the links below to find out more information.

• Connecticut Medical Marijuana Registry System
• Patient/Caregiver Quick Reference Card
• How to Register for a Medical Marijuana Registration Certificate

Photo via flickr creative commons