Is Cannabis the Best Weapon in the Opioid Epidemic?
Medical marijuana could be be an effective way to counter the opioid epidemic, and to help make the case, a Chicago lawmaker has come out publicly as a marijuana user.
A Cook County commissioner, John Fritchey, said in an interview Tuesday with Cheddar that he got his [medical marijuana card](https://cheddar.com/videos/cook-county-commissioner-john-fritchey-on-his-medical-marijuana-usage) six months ago. Though he didn't say what health issue he was being treated for, he said he wanted to be open about his use of the drug to help fight the stigma that might be associated with medical pot.
“Why would we continue, in light of the crisis that we have, to prescribe opioids for pain relief when we have something that’s so much more effective?” he said.
Fritchey has been on a years-long mission to gain legal acceptance for marijuana. In 2004, when Fritchey was a state lawmaker, he backed a bill legalizing medical marijuana. It eventually passed in 2013. He also supported decriminalizing pot in Chicago in 2011.
“Given that I got a card, I figured that I had a pulpit,” said Fritchey. “It would be hypocritical on my part to be the vocal advocate that I am but not be willing to admit that I’m a cardholder myself.”
In January, the state’s Department of Health rejected intractable pain as a qualifying condition for a marijuana card until a Cook County judge ordered the agency to accept the condition. The health department has said it will challenge the order in court.
Fritchey is also pushing for a referendum in Cook County, the second most populous county in the U.S., on whether the state should legalize recreational marijuana.
The vote is non-binding, but Fritchey told the [Chicago Tribune](http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-met-cook-county-recreational-marijuana-20171212-story.html) the referendum would let the state legislature know where people stand on the issue.
For full article, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/barriers-facing-cannabis-legalization-in-illinois).
A big-screen adaptation of the anime “Chainsaw Man” has topped the North American box office, beating a Springsteen biopic and “Black Phone 2.” The movie earned $17.25 million in the U.S. and Canada this weekend. “Black Phone 2” fell to second place with $13 million. Two new releases, the rom-com “Regretting You” and “Springsteen — Deliver Me From Nowhere,” earned $12.85 million and $9.1 million, respectively. “Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc” is based on the manga series about a demon hunter. It's another win for Sony-owned Crunchyroll, which also released a “Demon Slayer” film last month that debuted to a record $70 million.
The Federal Aviation Administration says flights departing for Los Angeles International Airport were halted briefly due to a staffing shortage at a Southern California air traffic facility. The FAA issued a temporary ground stop at one of the world’s busiest airports on Sunday morning soon after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy predicted that travelers would see more flights delayed as the nation’s air traffic controllers work without pay during the federal government shutdown. The hold on planes taking off for LAX lasted an hour and 45 minutes and didn't appear to cause continued problems. The FAA said staffing shortages also delayed planes headed to Washington, Chicago and Newark, New Jersey on Sunday.
Boeing workers at three Midwest plants where military aircraft and weapons are developed have voted to reject the company’s latest contract offer and to continue a strike that started almost three months ago. The strike by about 3,200 machinists at the plants in the Missouri cities of St. Louis and St. Charles, and in Mascoutah, Illinois, is smaller in scale than a walkout last year by 33,000 Boeing workers who assemble commercial jetliners. The president of the International Association of Machinists says Sunday's outcome shows Boeing hasn't adequately addressed wages and retirement benefits. Boeing says Sunday's vote was close with 51% of union members opposing the revised offer.
The stunning indictment that led to the arrest of more than 30 people — including Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and other NBA figures — has drawn new scrutiny of the booming business of sports betting in the U.S. The multibillion-dollar industry has made it easy for sports fans — and even some players — to wager on everything from the outcome of games to that of a single play with just a few taps of a cellphone. But regulating the rapidly-growing industry has proven to be a challenge. Professional sports leagues’ own role in promoting gambling has also raised eyebrows.
Tesla, the car company run by Elon Musk, reported Wednesday that it sold more vehicles in the past three months after boycotts hit hard earlier this year, but profits still fell sharply. Third-quarter earnings fell to $1.4 billion, from $2.2 billion a year earlier. Excluding charges, per share profit of 50 cents came in below analysts' estimate. Tesla shares fell 3.5% in after-hours trading. Musk said the company's robotaxi service, which is available in Austin, Texas, and San Francisco, will roll out to as many as 10 other metro areas by the end of the year.
Starbucks’ AI barista aims to speed service and improve experience. Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune Business Editor, explains its impact on workers and customers.
As Big Tech reports Q3 earnings, investors await proof that massive AI and cloud investments from Meta, Apple, Microsoft, and Alphabet are driving real growth.
