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High Hopes: PA's First Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Serve As Salve For Patients In Chronic Pain

Keith Srakocic
/
AP
Heather Shuker, whose daughter Hannah suffers from intractable epilepsy, is surrounded by the media as she shows the bag containing the medicine she purchased at CY+ Medical Marijuana Dispensary, Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018 in Butler, Pa.

It's been nearly two years since Pennsylvania legalized medical marijuana, and this week, a handful of dispensaries began selling it.

At and ahead of the openings, reporters Steve Twedt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Kate Malongowski with the Beaver County Times and  90.5 WESA's Sarah Boden talked to patients, business owners and others, who said they're casting a hopeful eye on the benefits of an open, if highly regulated, system.

Next on the program...

A Pittsburgh police officer filed suit this week claiming he was retaliated against for blowing the whistle on potential waste and wrongdoing at the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police. PublicSource's Jeffrey Benzing explains the underlying investigations and what former officers say the department needs to do a better job.

Coming up...

Seattle-based tech site GeekWire installed its own HQ2 in Pittsburgh this month, reporting on people, technologies and ideas transforming our "post-industrial city into an innovation powerhouse." Reporters Taylor Soper and Nat Levy tell us what they’ve learned so far from being embedded in the ‘Burgh. 

And finally...

Pittsburgh is celebrating the official start of the holy Lenten season. What are the traditions of Lent, how does the Diocese mark the occasion and is there opportunity to not only fundraise through fish fries, but also to build awareness and welcome Pittsburghers into the faith. Joining the discussion are Ann Rodgers with the Diocese and Pittsburgh Catholic, Peter Smith of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Rossilynne Culgan from The Incline.

The Confluence, where the news comes together, is 90.5 WESA’s weekly news program. Each week, reporters, editors and storytellers join veteran journalist and host Kevin Gavin to take an in-depth look at stories important to the Pittsburgh region. Find more episodes of The Confluence here.

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