Maine Committee Passes Bill to Expand Health Freedom

AUGUSTA, Maine (May 11, 2017) – On Tuesday, an important Maine committee passed a bill that would help facilitate healthcare freedom in the state. Sen. Rod Whittemore (R-Somerset) introduced Senate Bill 1385 (LD1385)  on April 11. The legislation specifies that direct primary care agreements (sometimes called medical retainer agreements) do not constitute insurance, thereby freeing…

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Missouri Committee Approves Bill to Prohibit Warrantless Stingray Spying

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (May 10, 2017) – Today, a final Missouri House committee passed a bill that would ban the use of “stingrays” to track the location of phones and sweep up electronic communications without a warrant in most situations. The proposed law would not only protect privacy in the Show Me State, but would…

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To the Governor: Vermont Passes Marijuana Legalization Bill

MONTPELIER, Vt. (May 10, 2017) – Today, the Vermont House gave final approval to a bill that would legalize possession and cultivation of small amounts of marijuana. If signed by Gov. Phil Scott the legislation would help further nullify the unconstitutional federal prohibition on cannabis in the state. Senate Bill 22 (S,22) originally set up a…

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This Kid Was Suspended for 10 Days Because He ‘Liked’ a Picture of a Gun on Instagram

"Middle-school student Zachary Bowlin didn't bring a gun to school. He didn't say the word gun. He didn't do anything wrong, or dangerous, to merit a 10-day suspension from Edgewood Middle School in Trenton, Ohio. Bowlin 'liked' a picture of a gun on Instagram. That's it. He didn't do this during school hours, with school resources, or on school property." Continue reading

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Trump’s Medical Marijuana Threat Contradicts the Law and His Own Position

"Trump is not only trying to usurp the congressional power to decide how taxpayers' money will be spent; he is threatening to interfere with the autonomy that states are supposed to have under the 10th Amendment. He is also contradicting his own position both before and after his election." Continue reading

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Foreign Policy Wisdom from a Foreign-Born Uber Driver

My Armenian Uber driver today – who only spoke passable English – went into a tirade about U.S. foreign policy since the 1950’s. He told me about the Shah of Iran, the Iraq/Iran war, Libya, funding the Taliban, and how all the destabilization has lead to the growth of ISIS. I told him that maybe…

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Smoking Pot Kicks You Off Transplant Lists — Even In States Where It’s Legal

"More than half the states in the country have legalized medical marijuana, but some hospitals still bar users from life-saving organ transplants. The policy delayed the late Riley Hancey's lung transplant for months." Continue reading

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Two pints of beer better for pain relief than Tylenol: study

"By elevating your blood alcohol content to approximately 0.08 per cent, you’ll give your body 'a small elevation of pain threshold' and thus a 'moderate to large reduction in pain intensity ratings'. The researchers explained: 'Findings suggest that alcohol is an effective analgesic that delivers clinically-relevant reductions in ratings of pain intensity, which could explain alcohol misuse in those with persistent pain, despite its potential consequences for long-term health.'" Continue reading

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Patented insulin prices spike 10x, but black market keeps kids alive

"Sanofi's proprietary Apidra brand insulin has increased in price by 1,123% since 1996. So they've turned to the black market, trading the insulin that Corely's insurer will buy with other diabetic people they meet on the internet, who are covered on plans that buy the kind of insulin Corely needs to not slip into a coma and die before her tenth birthday." Continue reading

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