The governor of Kentucky announced on Friday that medical marijuana dispensaries are now open across all 11 licensing regions of the state following the opening of Sunnyside Dispensary in Floyd County this week. “Kentuckians suffering from PTSD, cancer, terminal illnesses, sickle cell anemia and more deserve a safe, non-addictive option for relief, and medical cannabis provides that,” Gov. Andy Beshear (D) said. “With this week’s opening of Sunnyside Dispensary, we now have dispensaries open in all 11 licensing regions throughout the commonwealth," he said. "Every step of this process has put patients first, and I’m proud of the progress we’ve made.”

As the nation heads into fall and winter, many of us are happy to leave the brutal heat of the past summer—the worst yet on record—behind. But for patients living with sickle cell disease, the onset of cooler weather is a specific relief.

Why hospital registries disagree on cancer rates in sickle cell patients, and what bone marrow research reveals about the real risks.

FDA-approved gene therapies for sickle cell disease offer a chance to help patients, but factors including cost and access have slowed their use.

“Most people are not the enemy. They are scared, proud, lonely, overworked, and trying to protect something they love with the only map they were handed.” —LHGrey on Substack

Living with the double burden as a Black man with sickle cell disease has made me feel overlooked by health-care professionals at times. What does it take to not be ignored?