More and more Danes self-medicate with pot
The lack of laws allowing for the legal medicinal use of cannabis is turning some residents into reluctant criminals who purchase and use cannabis to self medicate. Marijuana is currently only approved for use by multiple sclerosis and terminal cancer patients in Denmark, so those suffering from other ailments who say that they are helped by cannabis are forced to grow it themselves or buy it illegally. Both can result in prosecution. Sufferers say that while many places are moving forward on the medical marijuana front, it has been more than a decade since the subject was seriously debated by parliament. – Information
Funen sex assaulter worked with children
The 40-year-old man behind a series of sexual assaults on Funen was at one time employed to take care of children. According to Fyens Stiftstidende newspaper, the man worked as a teacher’s assistant at two different schools from 1994 until 1996 and again from 2000 until 2002. School officials on Funen said that they had no reason to suspect the man of wrongdoing while he was in their employ. – Jyllands – Posten
Daddy’s not home
More and more single women are breaking with centuries of social practice and starting a family without a male partner. Since 1997, the law has allowed both single women and lesbian couples to be inseminated using donor sperm. The treatment has been paid for by the public medical system since 2007. This year, up to 400 children will be born into homes where the mother opted to go it alone. – Berlingske
Greater transparency on political donations
At least one party is calling for a change in how political funding is reported. A spokesperson for Socialdemokraterne, Lars Midtiby, said that the current rules are outdated and more light needed to be let in to the political donation process. He told Berlingske newspaper that there is a “growing mistrust” among voters and that more transparency is needed. Under the current rules, parties are not required to disclose how much money they receive from businesses, special interest groups or private donors. – Berlingske
Councils failing foster care
Half of the families that have taken children into foster care are not getting the support from their local councils that professionals say is required to care for the children. A report from education union Socialpædagogernes Landsforeningen said that half of the 755 families surveyed reported that councils had rejected their requests for support. Union head Benny Andersen said that politicians do not take foster care seriously and that once a child is in the system, it is a case of “out of sight, out of mind”. – DR News
