Morning Medical Update: Free medical marijuana certifications for Juneteenth; Patient catches fire and highlights need for prevention; Med-Cal lottery woman wins just in time

Free medical marijuana certifications for Juneteenth

A Texas dispensary called Goodblend will offer the first 75 eligible people free medical marijuana cards at this year’s Juneteenth celebration in Austin, Texas. Hopefuls will queue to speak with a physician virtually and be prescribed if they qualify. “We’re doing this event to help Texas residents offset the cost of medicine and introduce them to the Texas Medical Marijuana program,” Gene Tallman, president of Goodblend Texas said in a press release.

Patient catches fire and highlights need for prevention

Although surgical fire numbers are dropping, there is still a presence. In 2022, a patient caught fire and perished when a spark ignited his oxygen tank during a cardioversion. Surgical sites are full of ignition sources like electrical equipment. Gauze, sponges, and oxygen masks make for easy fuel. Experts say one of the easiest ways to mitigate risk is to reduce the amount of highly concentrated supplemental oxygen during sedation. Medical staff are also encouraged to give flammable prep solutions time to dry before beginning procedures.

Med-Cal lottery woman wins just in time

Annie Malloy is one of the first California residents to get housing assistance through the Med-Cal lottery. After nearly becoming homeless due to mounting medical debt, she received a $5,000 security deposit from the state and was linked to a social worker who found her an apartment she could afford. “When you don’t have housing, everything turns into a cascade effect. You can’t manage everything and stay healthy,” Malloy said in an article.