Portland Daily Sun, 03 Sep 2012 – When proponents and users of medical marijuana gathered in Deering Oaks Park Saturday for the Atlantic CannaFest medical cannabis festival, it wasn’t the last word in Maine or the Northeast about a form of medicine that advocates say is gaining acceptance. "It’s such a big change in just the past few years even, seeing the wide mix of people openly talking about this and not being afraid of a plant, the communication; more and more people are growing and seeing the actual therapeutic benefits," said Hillary Lister, an advocate for medical marijuana use through Medical Marijuana Caregivers of Maine, a trade association.

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Kennebec Journal, 01 Sep 2012 – PORTLAND – About 200 people showed up Deering Oaks Park Saturday for the Atlantic CannaFEST. A reggae band from the Boston area, High Hopes, were performing at the bandstand. People were lined at the sole food vendor in the park. People were also lined up in front of the booth for High Tech Grower Supply store, picking up free samples of equipment used to grow marijuana hydroponically.

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Kennebec Journal, 30 Aug 2012 – Adolescent pot use can literally be a dumb idea. A formal study has shown that heavy use can produce permanent loss of critical IQ points. In a report released online this week by the prestigious Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a team of U.S. and British researchers has found that heavy use of marijuana by teenagers and young adults can reduce their IQ scores by as much as 8 points in later life.

Morning Sentinel, 30 Aug 2012 – Festival Will Run From 1 to 5 P.M. Saturday and Is Expected to Draw 200 to 300 People, but Pot Smoking Will Not Be Allowed PORTLAND — Visitors to Deering Oaks on Saturday may take in a little more than fresh air.

Portland Daily Sun, 30 Aug 2012 – The organizer of a Portland event billed as a benefit for low-income and terminal medical marijuana patients will still be required to pay city fees, in spite of an expectation of a First Amendment exemption deferring these fees, officials confirmed Wednesday. Dismayed, the organizer vowed Wednesday to forge ahead with the festival, saying it’s too late to call off the live music, speakers and food offerings.

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Portland Daily Sun, 28 Aug 2012 – There was a time when it didn’t look like enough donors would step forward for Charlie Wynott to meet the city’s financial requirements to use Deering Oaks Park for Saturday’s Atlantic CannaFEST. The educational medical marijuana event is being run on a shoestring budget. "They were asking for a deposit and insurance and whatnot," Wynott recalled.

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