** Ohio city reduces paramedics on ambulances
** Texas legislators looking to add PTSD to conditions that qualify for medical marijuana use
UNITED STATES NEWS
** In an effort to save money, Columbus EMS brass in Ohio have ordered a new crew configuration of only one paramedic per ambulance. That is the word from The Columbus Post Dispatch (Beth Burger/December 9) which said an EMT will fill each rig’s second slot. According to the newspaper, the move will also be more efficient, leaving the lesser trained medic to drive the prehospital unit. A press release put out by the city also noted that every firefighter in the city is trained to an EMT level.
** Texas legislators are attempting to include Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as one of the conditions that qualifies to legally use medical marijuana. Fox News (Casey Claiborne/December 9) said that is the intent of Senate Bill 269 sponsored by Democratic Senator Jose Menendez. According to the newspaper, Menendez is hoping to expand access to the drug under the Texas Compassionate Use program. Pundits say passage of the changes could be difficult. The current medical marijuana law was signed in June 2015 and is very limited as to what medical conditions qualify for use of the drug.
