Medical Marijuana user losing jobs

For many patients around the nation like Joseph Casias, medical marijuana is a very inportant part of his life for fighting cancer. Casias has been working for Wal-Mart for the past 5 years and was awarded in 2008 for Accociate of the year. But in November 2009, he was fired after testing positive for marijuana, which he was legally able to take for treament of his nasal cancer. Even though laws defending the right for medical marijuana users to legally use the drug, the laws don't protect them from employment decisions to fire the workers. This is where the users are complaining and fighting for a new law which protects them from losing their jobs due to a failed drug test. Casias told CNN that he never went to work high, and that he always tried his best while working for Wal-Mart. Some attorneys say that every situation like this can be made into a discrimination suit. Just in Califonia alone, 37,000 medical marijuana cards have be issued since 2004 according to the Department of Community Health. This set back for Joseph has put him jobless and in debt up to 10,000 with medical bills. He has a family to support and he tells CNN reporter, "I just want my job back." Lawsuits against employers has been on the rise with similar cases. For example, the case with Mike Babbitt. A former Loaf-N-Jug employee, is sueing the company for $500,000, after being fired from the company. He had told the company while being interviewed for the job that he carried a medical marijuana card, and they said it was not a problem.

I could see where Wal-Mart was sticking to thier code of conduct, but if the employee was in Joseph's situation where he was able to use marijuana legally, then they should have tried to work something out. If he was preforming fine and no issue regarding problem with accociates and customers were even made against Josheph, then I dont see why he would have to be fired. He obviously was doing a good job, getting the Accociate of the year in 2008.

Death toll at 795 in Chile

The 8.8 magnitude earthquake that hit Chile last Saturday has left 1.5 million without power and water. This earthquake was much bigger that he recent one that hit Haiti. Many locals from Chile have yet to see any aid from government, but President Michelle Bachellet tells media that they are working hard to get the aid out to everyone. Michelle has order a curfew for everyone at 6 p.m. today (Tuesday) until noon Wednesday. This was due to the increase in violence and looting that has been going on all over the disaster zones. I think this is a good idea to get people off the streets and keep the looting on a decrease. 13,000 military solders are standing guard at many stores and out to restore order, but CNN has still witnessed looters getting away.

In the past 24 hours there has been 12 after shocks that have ranged between 4.8 to 5.3. The thing that shocks me is how many total after shocks Chile has actually had, and that number had reached over 90 since the main quake! The strongest of the more than 90 after shocks registered at 6.2. With more and more after shocks the effort on saving survivors is being cut short. The more after shocks that occur, the harder it is to get to those who are injured and trapped. The 795 death toll is of course more than likely to keep on raising as the days go on and more rescuers find more bodies in the rubble.


I personally had a connection with this earthquake in the reason that after the earthquake hit Chile, it cause a tsunami wave to travel thousands of miles away towards Hawaii. I talked to my family and friends, and they said many people were evacuaded from the beaches. Businesses were shut down and the sirens for the tsunami woke everyone up sunday morning before 6 a.m. With all of the preperation of tsunamis in the past, the state of hawaii was ready and prepaired. I was thankful to hear that the tsunami missed Hawaii, but high surf was in effect on the shores of Hawaii.