• A judge has cleared the way for a class-action lawsuit involving veterans who were denied upgrades to “bad paper” discharges to move forward. A less than honorable discharge usually means no VA benefits. The lawsuit seeks fairer treatment of veterans seeking upgrades, especially those who have suffered from mental health issues.
• A recent audit of the Connecticut Port Authority that detailed a host of mismanagement problems, including lavish spending and questionable ethics, has prompted several lawmakers to call for another legislative hearing to bolster the public’s confidence in the quasi-public agency. That request was granted; the hearing is due to convene in early December.
• A change in New Hampshire’s residency rules has triggered accusations of voter suppression and a lawsuit. Out-of-state college students who drive now must obtain a New Hampshire driver’s license and register their cars in the state if they want to vote there. Opponents say the new requirement amounts to a poll tax; supporters counter that it clarifies voting rules and brings New Hampshire in line with other states.
• Connecticut is not alone in its concern over PFAS, a family of chemicals linked to health problems in humans and animals. New Hampshire is struggling with how to address PFAS levels in runoff water that goes from landfills to nearby wastewater treatment plants for processing.

Connecticut Study Seeks Scientific Answers To Myriad Questions About Medical Marijuana

The Yale School of Medicine and CT Pharma, a medical marijuana supplier, will team up for a human drug trial to test the effectiveness of marijuana-based medicine.

The study, approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration, will focus on the effectiveness of cannabinoid medicine at alleviating symptoms of stress and pain, said Dr. Rajita Sinha, the lead investigator for the clinical trial. 

Sinha said she hopes the results will provide scientific answers to numerous questions about medical marijuana, ranging from how it works to whom it works for to what conditions it will alleviate.

“There are so many questions,” Sinha said during a news conference.

CT Pharma board chair Michael Fedele said he hopes the study will result in the first FDA-approved marijuana-based medicine to be manufactured in the United States.

“Right now, a company in England has the only FDA-approved, plant-based medical marijuana product in our market,” he said. “That really shouldn’t be the case with respect to American companies.” MORE »

• Guns & America breaks down a new report that digs deep into targeted school violence, including school shootings. Among the findings: There is no blanket profile of student attackers.
• The state’s trucking industry says it’s no fan of Gov. Ned Lamont’s latest tolls proposal, the Hartford Business Journal reports. The Motor Transport Association of Connecticut says the tolls would represent a “fourth tax for the privilege of using what we have already paid for.”
• ProPublica examines allegations that a Mississippi food company refuses to do business with black farmers, accusations that the company denies.