Kharla Vezzetti

Green and white graphic reads: “Cal NORML Anniversaries Specials. Celebrating the Past – Preparing for the Future. 30 Years PROP 215 medical. 10 Years PROP 64 adult-use. 2026 Anniversary Specials.” Decorated with cannabis leaf designs. Ca NORML

2026 Anniversary Specials

Banner with cannabis leaves marking “2026 California Cannabis Rights Anniversaries”: 30 years of Prop 215 (medical) and 10 years of Prop 64 (adult-use), plus related icons and text, celebrating with exclusive 2026 Anniversary Specials. Ca NORML

QUICK LINKS TO MEMBERSHIP SPECIALS:
RETAILERS | ATTORNEYS | VAPORIZERS | BUSINESS SERVICES

Celebrating the Past — Preparing for the Future

Cal NORML was proud to successfully spearhead last year’s excise tax fight. We’re now gearing up our tax fairness campaign to prevent the excise tax from increasing in 2028, and working towards more meaningful tax reforms for medical marijuana patients and other consumers and businesses.  

Last year we activated our engaged network in powerful ways:

  • Press conference and rally with Asm.
…
A close-up of a keyboard with a large black key labeled “Accessibility” in glowing blue letters, highlighting the importance of ADA compliance for any cannabis website. Ca NORML

ADA Compliance and Your Cannabis Website: What Every Operator Needs to Know

A close-up of a keyboard with a large black key labeled “Accessibility” in glowing blue letters, highlighting the importance of ADA compliance for any cannabis website. Ca NORML

A guest perspective from deeproots partners. And a quick disclaimer: We are not attorneys and are not complete experts in ADA Law. By following the advice in this article we do not guarantee, represent, or warrant that the changes are or will make your website ADA compliant. Please consult with experienced website/mobile app ADA accessibility attorneys that practice in this area. 

If you run a dispensary or cannabis brand website, you’ve likely already dealt with an ADA demand letter, or you’re wondering when one might land in your inbox.…

A judge’s gavel rests beside a nameplate labeled “Second Amendment.” Bold text at the bottom reads “July 2026 Update” on a wood surface, hinting at a Supreme Court decision on whether marijuana users can possess guns. Ca NORML

What the New US Supreme Court Decision Means for Marijuana Users Who Want to Possess Guns

By C.D. Michel, Michel & Associates, P.C.
Second Amendment

A judge’s gavel rests beside a nameplate labeled “Second Amendment.” Bold text at the bottom reads “July 2026 Update” on a wood surface, hinting at a Supreme Court decision on whether marijuana users can possess guns. Ca NORML

Introduction

In our prior articles for California NORML, we discussed how federal gun laws intersect with California’s legalization of recreational and medical marijuana use. We explained that, even though California law allows marijuana use, federal law continued to treat marijuana as a controlled substance and barred “unlawful users” of controlled substances from possessing firearms or ammunition.

That analysis has now changed in a big way. On June 18, 2026, the United States Supreme Court decided United States v.…

A warning sign with a cannabis leaf and exclamation point is labeled "CA." A large red stamp with the word "RECALLED" in green covers the sign, highlighting its status as public record information. Ca NORML

Reading DCC’s Recall and Enforcement Pages, and the Regulations Underneath Them

A warning sign with a cannabis leaf and exclamation point is labeled "CA." A large red stamp with the word "RECALLED" in green covers the sign, highlighting its status as public record information. Ca NORML

by Brandon Moore, Phenominal Consulting

The Department of Cannabis Control publishes every recall and every enforcement action it issues on two public web pages.1 No login, no records request, no fee. Anyone can read them, search them by license number, and walk the entire history. Almost nobody in the industry does.

That is the strange part. For the operator named in a recall, those pages are the worst day of the quarter. For everyone else, the same pages are the regulator quietly telling you, in advance, where it has been looking and what it has been finding.…

Banner with red and green text reads: "Join Us July 18th at the California State Fair! 215 Tribute ACTIVIST TRIBUTE." It features a green medical cross with a cannabis leaf and the California Cannabis Awards seal. Ca NORML

215 Tribute at California State Fair July 18th

The California Cannabis Awards Celebrates Prop 215

Seal for the California Cannabis Awards at the California State Fair, featuring a brown bear, a cannabis leaf, and text—a Cal 215 Tribute design. Ca NORML
Poster for the Cal 215 Tribute at the CA State Fair in Sacramento on July 18, 2026, featuring cannabis-themed logos. Join us as we celebrate the Compassionate Use Act’s 30th anniversary and honor Prop 215 activists!. Ca NORML

Join us on July 18, 2026 in Sacramento for a Special California Cannabis Awards an exciting event during the California Cannabis Experience exhibit at the California State Fair.

For five years, the California Cannabis Awards has honored the growers, makers, innovators, and visionaries shaping the Golden State’s cannabis culture. 

This year brings a new category of “Home Grow – Personal Use” where hobby growers from across the State will win recognition, medals, and, for one, the coveted Golden Bear trophy for “Best in California.”

…
A book open to a page titled "Federal and State Marijuana Laws" sits on a desk beside a judge's gavel and references to Federal Legal Compliance for California M-License Operators. Ca NORML

California M-License Operators in a Bifurcated Federal World: A Legal Deep Dive on DOJ’s April 2026 Rescheduling Order

A book open to a page titled "Federal and State Marijuana Laws" sits on a desk beside a judge's gavel and references to Federal Legal Compliance for California M-License Operators. Ca NORML

by  The Law Office of Shay Aaron Gilmore

On April 22, 2026, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche signed the most consequential federal cannabis order in more than five decades. The order immediately moves both FDA-approved cannabis products and state-regulated medical cannabis products from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). At the same time, it launches an expedited administrative hearing — beginning June 29, 2026 — to determine whether broader rescheduling of all marijuana, including adult-use products, should follow.…

Ed Rosenthal holding a metal cup sits on the floor of a rustic, weathered room next to a man in orange robes and a turban. The room has peeling paint, shelves, and various items scattered around. Ca NORML

Why Cannabis (Ganja) Should Be Re-Legalized in India

By Ed Rosenthal

Introduction: Returning To India With Purpose

 When I first visited India in 1981, cannabis cultivation was still legal in certain regions. During that trip, I photographed a large, government-regulated ganja farm—an experience that left a lasting impression. The plants were grown openly, harvested responsibly, and taxed by the state.

Today, cultivation is no longer legal anywhere in India. Yet cannabis remains widely available throughout the country—typically of poor quality, harvested prematurely before flowering, and sold through unregulated channels.…

Storefront sign with the word "STORE" in bold white letters and two green cannabis leaf symbols in circles on either side, highlighting a licensed cannabis business above a window reflecting nearby buildings. Ca NORML

You Won a Cannabis License. The Next Decision Will Determine Its Real Value.

by Green Life Business Group®, Inc.

Storefront sign with the word "STORE" in bold white letters and two green cannabis leaf symbols in circles on either side, highlighting a licensed cannabis business above a window reflecting nearby buildings. Ca NORML

Winning a cannabis license can feel like the hardest part: months (sometimes years) of applications, capital outlays, community positioning, and regulatory scrutiny distilled into a single approval. In limited-license states, that approval is scarce by design. It carries value the moment it’s issued.

But a license is not yet a business. It’s a permission slip with a timeline, and the next choice you make (build it out or sell it now) will largely determine whether you capture a quick premium or create a larger, more durable asset.…

A poster celebrating 50 years of cannabis reform and progress by California NORML, featuring achievements like decriminalization, medical marijuana, related images, a QR code, and a photo of the iconic "HOLLYWEED" sign. CA Norml

50 Years of Progress in Cannabis Reform, Brought to You by Cal NORML

Since 1972, Cal NORML has advocated for the rights of cannabis users in California, using sound science, public education, grass roots organizing and effective lobbying to pass better laws and fight against bad ones. Along with putting out election guides, newsletters, state and local legislative action alerts, and other information for cannabis consumers, as well as planning Lobby Days and educational events. Below are high-lights of our accomplishments over the decades.

Join us as we march forward to greater awareness and sensible reforms that benefit both consumers and the legal cannabis industry.

…
A downward arrow points across two globe models, a cannabis leaf, and stacks of coins. Text reads: "Q3 Tariffs & Trends: How global policy and tariffs are hitting California cannabis. CA Norml

Q3 Tariffs & Trends: How Global Policy Is Hitting California Cannabis

By Thomas Andersen, BTA Cannabis CPA Tax

A downward arrow points across two globe models, a cannabis leaf, and stacks of coins. Text reads: "Q3 Tariffs & Trends: How global policy and tariffs are hitting California cannabis. CA Norml

The new tariffs have undoubtedly hurt the cannabis industry when it comes to manufacturing, packaging materials, and finished goods. However, as Q3 unfolds, we’re also seeing how tariffs have, perhaps surprisingly, been beneficial to other aspects of the cannabis industry — namely, the infused-beverage sector. Other developments include ever-evolving consumer tastes — and as always, state policies are keeping many in the industry guessing.

Hemp-Derived Beverages Surge as Alcohol Tariffs Bite

A defining trend this quarter is the rapid growth of hemp-derived beverages, propelled by steep tariffs on imported alcohol.…

Logo of California NORML with a green, upward-pointing arrow representing a tree above the word "California" in green, and the acronym "NORML" in black, capital letters below. Perfect for promoting events like the Policy Webinar on August 25 discussing California Cannabis Law. CA Norml

Cal NORML Board of Directors

A person with shoulder-length brown hair and a warm smile is looking at the camera. They are wearing a dark shirt and a green jacket. The background is blurred but contains some shelves with books, hinting at their involvement in the Cal NORML Board of Directors, and a television screen. CA Norml

Valerie Corral

Valerie Corral is the co-founder and the director of the Wo/Men’s Alliance for Medical Marijuana, the longest running medical marijuana collective in the US, founded in 1993 in Santa Cruz, California and now operating as . Valerie is also acting director of WAMM’s sister non-profit hospice team, Raha Kudo, Design for Dying Project.…

Read Full Bio »
Dale Gieringer headshot

Dale Gieringer

Dale Gieringer (President) has been the director of California NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) since 1987. He is also Vice-Chair of the national NORML board of directors, director of the California Drug Policy Forum (DPFCA) and was treasurer of the Oakland Civil Liberties Alliance.

Dr. Gieringer has published research on

Read Full Bio »
Shay Aaron Gilmore, a man with short dark hair, wears a gray suit, light blue shirt, and green and navy striped tie while posing in front of a plain dark background. CA Norml

Shay Aaron Gilmore

Shay Aaron Gilmore is a cannabis business attorney based in San Francisco who works exclusively with operators and investors throughout the legal California cannabis and hemp supply chains. With over 20 years of experience as a California attorney, Shay advises cannabis and hemp businesses through the complexities of California’s legal markets with a commitment to expanding access to legal, reliably tested, environmentally sustainable, and socially equitable cannabis throughout every corner of California.

Shay’s law practice at The Law Office of Shay Aaron Gilmore includes outside general counsel services for cannabis and hemp operators and investors spanning business formation, financing and governance, commercial transactions, local permitting, state licensing, land use, intellectual property, and regulatory compliance across the cannabis and hemp supply chains.…

Read Full Bio »
A close-up photo of a man smiling at the camera with a scenic background of the ocean and blue sky. He is wearing a white shirt and appears to be outdoors, embodying the relaxed spirit of Cal NORML's Board of Directors. CA Norml

David Goldman 

David Goldman served as President of the San Francisco chapter of the Brownie Mary Democratic Club from 2014 to 2026. In 2010 – 2011, he served as a patient advocate on the San Francisco Medical Cannabis Task Force, and from 2008–2013, he was the leader of the San Francisco Chapter of Americans for Safe

Read Full Bio »
A middle-aged woman with short, light brown hair and blue eyes gazes at the camera. She rests her chin on her fist, wearing a neutral expression. Dressed in a light shirt with a brownish outer layer, she seems deep in thought. The plain white background adds to the focus on her contemplative demeanor, perhaps pondering about her team of employees. CA Norml

Ellen Komp

Ellen Komp has been a hemp/marijuana activist since 1991. She began in Los Angeles where she helped plan quarterly hemp rallies and volunteered for LA NORML after being elected to the California NORML board of directors in 1992. She edited the 9th edition of The Emperor Wears No Clothes by Jack Herer and was

Read Full Bio »
An older man with a neatly trimmed white beard and short hair, wearing a gray suit, white shirt, and patterned tie, looks confidently at the camera against a dark background. CA Norml

Bruce Margolin

Bruce Margolin is a longtime criminal defense attorney who specializes in marijuana and drug laws. He is the director of the Los Angeles chapter of NORML and author of The Margolin Guide to Marijuana Law.

Among Bruce’s famous clients are Timothy Leary, Tony Serra, and Linda Lovelace, along with members of the band Guns n’

WordPress › Error

There has been a critical error on this website.

Learn more about troubleshooting WordPress.