Cannabis for all (in Berkeley)

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Medical marijuana dispensaries in Berkeley will be required to donate at least 2 percent of their cannabis to low-income residents under a city mandate set to go into effect next August.

The Berkeley City Council voted unanimously to pass the law in July, hoping to make the drug—which costs up to $400 an ounce at dispensaries—more affordable for everyone, according to The New York Times. Only Berkeley residents will be eligible for free cannabis, and individuals will be required to provide proof of an income less than $32,000 a year, or $46,000 for a family of four.

Mayor Tom Bates emphasized marijuana’s medicinal applications, particularly for cancer patients or those with chronic pain. Insurance companies refuse to cover such treatments, however, since marijuana remains illegal under federal law.

“There are some truly compassionate cases that need to have medical marijuana,” Bates said. “But it’s expensive.”