My 9-year-old daughter, Kalie, has Dravet syndrome, a rare epilepsy syndrome that causes frequent dangerous seizures with debilitating effects. She started having seizures when she was 6 months old, and since then has experienced hundreds of seizures and dozens of hospitalizations.

Despite this, Kalie is a beautiful, happy little girl who tries to keep her disability from defining her, but some days it seems impossible. Every day, twice a day, I give my 45-pound daughter seven different medications to try to suppress her seizures, but they don’t always work. Even when they do prevent her seizures, the medications take their toll with both temporary and persistent side effects, and I can see how she suffers.

Federal prosecutors in Manhattan Wednesday announced the biggest case to date on the latest drug scourge to hit the metropolitan area, charging 10 men with running a ring that sold more than a quarter million retail packets of so-called synthetic marijuana, a popular drug marketed in bodegas.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara called the case the start of "an aggressive assault on a dangerous new public health crisis reaching epidemic proportions." He said despite the name and the fact that they are not covered by state criminal laws, the drugs are "poison in a packet."

"This is not marijuana," Bharara said at a morning news conference attended by NYPD Commissioner William Bratton. "They are packaged like children's candy, but they are lethal."

A 19-year-old boy was on Monday arrested after police discovered a cannabis (bhang) farm in his home at Kiandai Village in Kirinyaga County.

The incident, which left residents of the village in Ndia Constituency and his family members shocked, took place after members of the public tipped the police about the presence of bhang in Cyru Wanjohi’s farm.

Confirming the arrest, Ndia OCPD Gasper makau said Cyrus Wanjohi is being held at Baricho Police Station as security officers conduct further investigations.

Comedian Steven Colbert made fun of ResponsibleOhio's marijuana mascot, Buddie, during a segment on The Late Show on Tuesday. ResponsibleOhio is the political action committee backing Issue 3, a constitutional amendment to legalize marijuana in Ohio. (ResponsibleOhio on Facebook)

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio's marijuana legalization ballot issue earned a few laughs Tuesday on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

In a four-minute segment on the show, Colbert mentioned smoking buckeyes, Willie Nelson, Columbus-based Wendy's, and Buddie, the mascot Issue 3 supporters created to pitch their plan to college-aged voters.

A criminal with a history of drug offences has been jailed for eight years for having ammunition and drug trafficking.

Joseph Hall was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court on Wednesday, September 16.

Judge Stuart Rafferty said he had heard about the better side of Hall, after letters to him told of his work for people in the community.

"One letter describes you as someone people will look up to," said he judge.

"I hope that is not so. Because the letters and your own letter only tell part of the story. That is the positive view.

"The negative view is of someone who, over and over and over again, has involved themselves in the trafficking of Class A drugs, and has used drugs himself over many years."

DES MOINES, Iowa -- A group of Iowans is hoping its questionnaire is a priority for potential presidential candidates.

Iowans 4 Medical Cannabis wants to know where the presidential candidates stand on medical marijuana.

“Moms and dads across the America want to know what presidential candidates are proposing to help the sick and suffering obtain medical cannabis,” says Maria La France of Des Moines.

The group released four questions they want every candidate to answer about their plans to help people get access to medical cannabis.

The Nevada State Athletic Commission gave Nick Diaz a five-year suspension after testing positive for marijuana use in January, which could end the 32-year-old fighter’s career (but is lighter than the lifetime ban the commission originally wanted). Diaz’s positive test was the third in his career, and after Diaz’s hearing he called the NSAC “a bunch of crooks.”

Kelvin Kuo/USA TODAY Sports

During a press conference for her upcoming bout with Holly Holm, Ronda Rousey defended Nick Diaz and destroyed the Nevada State Athletic Commission’s policy on drug use.

The controversial political action group California Cannabis Voice-Humboldt (CCVH) has been adorning their newsletters and press releases with “#SameTeam” for months now, and you’d be forgiven for dismissing the hashtag as yet more sunny propaganda from a groupprone to overstatement and declarations of its own historical import.

Nearly 20 years after voters legalized medical marijuana, California lawmakers have finally passed legislation to regulate the growth and distribution of cannabis for patients' use. In the final hours of their session last week, legislators passed three bills that together establish a system to license, test and track medical marijuana from "seed to sale." Gov. Jerry Brown, who helped craft the deal, should not only sign the bills into law, but he should stay focused on ensuring their smooth, effective implementation.

The Concerned Young People of South Africa (CYPSA) is not against medicinal dagga‚ does confess “to having major concerns surrounding the way the issue has been handled to date”.

In a statement on Tuesday‚ the CYPSA warned that “usual best practices should under no circumstances be ‘fast tracked’ or findings ignored due to public pressure and demand” before it could be registered with the Medicines Control Council.

“This is an issue that is firmly rooted in the realm of science‚ and the safety and suitability of cannabis and its derivatives for medicinal use is one that can be decided by scientific means alone‚” the CYPSA said.

The organisation said it is concerned that some see the Medical Innovation bill as a “Trojan horse”.