Berkeley, California orders free pot for poor patients

By Mary Papenfuss BERKELEY California (Reuters) – A California college town known for its liberal activism has voted to make medicinal marijuana dispensaries give away free a small amount of their pot to the poor. Berkeley City Council members voted unanimously late on Tuesday to instruct local outlets to provide marijuana equal to 2 percent of their sales to patients on low incomes. "It's an equity issue," Council member Darryl Moore told Reuters. "We want to ensure that those who are in need have access to the medication necessary to treat their condition." Under the law, which takes effect next month, the marijuana given away free must be of the same quality as that given to paying customers.