HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A state medical marijuana board is recommending that Pennsylvania allow the sale of marijuana in dry leaf form, in theory to allow users to vaporize and inhale it. The Medical Marijuana Advisory Board voted 11-0 Monday to send the recommendation to Health Secretary Rachel Levine to decide whether the Department of Health should create regulations allowing it.
The law still prevents dispensaries from selling marijuana that’s designed to be smoked. But cannabis consumer advocate Chris Goldstein says no state law would prevent certified medical marijuana users from buying the dry leaf product and smoking it legally, instead of vaporizing it. Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf’s administration says he’ll wait for the health secretary’s review. The law also permits the sale of pills, oils and liquids.
CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Cubs tried to play their home opener on Monday. It was just a snow-go. The Cubs’ game against the Pittsburgh Pirates was postponed a day because of snow that covered much of Wrigley Field, creating a scene more reminiscent of January than April.
“On the way out I had no idea if I was going to Cubs Convention or opening day,” Chicago manager Joe Maddon cracked. The winter wonderland at Wrigley caused the majors’ 11th postponement so far this season, adding another picture to a growing montage of snowballs, ski caps and puffy coats from ballparks across the frigid Midwest.
NORRISTOWN, Pa. (AP) — A topless protester who jumped a barricade and got within a few feet of Bill Cosby has been identified as a New Jersey woman who appeared on several episodes of “The Cosby Show.” Actress Nicolle Rochelle was charged with disorderly conduct for Monday’s protest. She ran in front of Cosby toward a bank of TV cameras as the comedian walked into a suburban Philadelphia courthouse for the start of his sexual assault retrial.
She says she wanted to make Cosby “uncomfortable.” Written on her body were the names of more than 50 Cosby accusers, along with “Women’s Lives Matter.” Rochelle was intercepted by sheriff’s deputies and led away in handcuffs. She was later released. The European feminist group Femen claims Rochelle as one of its own. Cosby has denied drugging and molesting a woman at his home several years ago.
DEPEW, N.Y. (AP) — An upstate New York police department fed up with lingering cold weather has placed winter under arrest. The Post-Standard reports the Depew Police Department wrote Friday in a humorous Facebook post that it had arrested the season. Police said any more snow winter produces would be held against it in court.
The department also called for groundhog Punxsutawney Phil to turn himself in for predicting six more weeks of winter. Police joke that they’re willing to look past winter’s “most recent transgressions” if it works with the department. New York has experienced wintry weather this month and high winds that caused power outages.