A new study involving 213 children and adults suffering from the debilitating symptoms associated with epilepsy has been published.

This study set out to prove that medical marijuana contains properties able to fight against the extreme symptoms of epilepsy.

Seizures are scary for all involved; the patient themselves, their family and friends that witness the overpowering convulsions and unstoppable muscular spasms.

Grand Mal seizures originate from abnormal electrical activity throughout the brain. The Grand Mal is not specifically associated with epileptics however; extremely low blood pressure, head trauma, drug abuse, high fevers and strokes can also be triggers.

Although shrouded in a little mist, Nimbin’s MardiGrass Parade on Sunday was held in perfect weather.  Thousands rolled into town for the annual Police Swab Fest and Mardi Grass.

The Ganja Faeries again stole the show and many hearts during the parade.​

Nimbin MardiGrass organisers have hailed this year’s event a success despite heavy policing on the roads in and out of the village.

As weary festival-goers prepare to leave this morning, police have once again set up drug-testing stations on the outskirts of the village.

Here in the United States, medical marijuana quickly went from something that was ridiculed to something that was accepted as having a potential basis in reality, and now, we have doctor after doctor coming out in favor of its widespread medical uses.

One of them is Dr. Sanjay Gupta, who you might’ve seen on CNN a few times and who recently started to endorse medical marijuana.

Dr. Gupta explained the journey to understand the plant’s medicinal properties in a 2014 article on CNN.com.

The Country Women's Association has thrown its support behind legalising medicinal cannabis at its annual conference in Tamworth.

The Association passed two motions, the first in support of the use of medicinal marijuana, and the second in support of the legalisation of growing, manufacturing and distributing marijuana for medicinal purposes.

State President, Tanya Cameron, said there was a fair bit of debate about the motions.

Ms Cameron said members had to think hard about their decision but a good majority were in favour of both motions.

MEDICAL cannabis was "unquestionably" the big issue at this year's MardiGrass festival.

Festival organiser Michael Balderstone said the issue helped attract large numbers to the event despite the terrible weather.

"Our online ticket sales were up a lot, about a third up," he said.

Nimbin celebrates cannabis at MardiGrass "protestival"

"Quite a few people didn't come (on Friday) because the roads got blocked. But it was lovely to wake up to the sun on Saturday and all the roads opened and people started turning up."

The Tasmanian Opposition has called on the Government to do more to ensure medicinal cannabis becomes available for patients.

About 50 people gathered at a Hobart rally calling for the legalisation of the drug.

Many of those attending had personal stories to tell about how the drug had helped them deal with the side effects of cancer treatment, the impact of seizures as well as chronic pain.

Natalie Daley, who was diagnosed with a rare cancer two years ago, said taking cannabis oil had significantly improved her health.

"Within an hour of taking cannabis oil my nausea started to lift and within a week I was up off the couch," she said.

"I was back to being myself, being a normal mother and housewife - it was amazing."

LILY Poulter vividly remembers the last time her shoulder popped out of its socket.

The nine-year-old was at school, engrossed in a test, when the slightest wrong movement caused the serious pain.

It wasn’t the first time it happened without warning and it will not be the last.

With her gap-toothed smile it would be easy to mistake Lily for a normal girl who adores learning and painting.

Yet she relies on opiate based medications every day to stay on top of her chronic pain caused by Ehlers-Danos Syndrome- a disorder which causes her points to regularly pop out of place.

She also suffers from Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, which overstimulates the nerves, making even the slightest touch painful.

The outlaw botanists who designed the marijuana Americans smoke and the money they didn't make doing it

Since almost everyone interviewed for this story is, or has been, a criminal, almost everyone long ago adopted pseudonyms. Some are no longer criminals, so don’t mind their real names being used. Some are no longer criminals, but still prefer to use their pseudonyms.

THE South Australian opposition has called on the state to join the national research effort on medicinal cannabis.

OPPOSITION Leader Steven Marshall said SA was the only state not engaged with the clinical trials being conducted in NSW.

The trials are looking at providing medical cannabis to children with severe, drug-resistant epilepsy, adults with a terminal illness and adults with chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.

"The tardiness of the government in joining this national effort to improve the lives of people suffering a range of severe afflictions is disappointing," Mr Marshall said on Tuesday.

Bali nine: Families arrive ahead of execution

Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran's friends and families head to Nusakambangan island to spend the last few days with the Australian pair ahead of their execution.

Myuran Sukumaran has painted what could be his last self-portrait: a torso with a palm-sized black hole over the heart dripping with blood.

The eerie painting, brought back from Nusakambangan by their lawyer Julian McMahon, is a portent of Bali nine pair's  ghastly fate –  death by firing squad.

ukumaran and Andrew Chan were officially given 72 hours warning of their executions on Saturday.