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Berkeley to provide free medical marijuana for low-income patients

City council on free weed for those in need: "This is the responsible thing to do."

By Matt Bradwell
The city of Berkeley, Calif. has passed a new law requiring local medical marijuana dispensaries to provide free pot for low-income patients. br/Bill Ross/UPI
The city of Berkeley, Calif. has passed a new law requiring local medical marijuana dispensaries to provide free pot for low-income patients. br/Bill Ross/UPI | License Photo

BERKELEY, Calif., July 3 (UPI) -- The city of Berkeley, Calif. has passed a new law requiring local medical marijuana dispensaries to provide free pot for low-income patients.

"We've found out over the years that one of the cruel realities is that when you do get sick and you have a serious illness is that it's often hard to keep a job, can be hard to keep your income up, so those people really need the help the most," Sean Luse of Berkeley Patients Group told CBS San Francisco.

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Prior to Thursday's unanimous vote, Berkeley Patients Group was already providing area low-income patients with free weed.

"Basically, the city council wants to make sure that low-income, homeless, indigent folks have access to their medical marijuana, their medicine," said Berkeley City Councilmember Darryl Moore.

Under the new law, Berkeley medical marijuana dispensaries will be required to give away two percent of the amount of cannabis they sell annually to those with a medical need whom cannot afford it.

"We think this is the responsible thing to do for those less fortunate in our community."

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