Two men in suits sit at a wooden panel during a state hearing. One is speaking into a microphone, discussing the drought's impact on local agriculture, while the other listens attentively. Behind them is a large, detailed photo of farmland or garden plots on an easel. CA Norml

State Hearing Held on Drought and Illegal Marijuana Impacts to Fisheries

Senator McGuire and Assemblyman Wood at the hearing. Photo: Jennifer Savage/Lost Coast Outpost “Fish, Flow and Marijuana Grows: Drought and Illegal Marijuana Impacts to Fisheries” was the title of a hearing held July 1 in the California Assembly Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture, co-chaired by North Coast Senator Mike McGuire and his assembly counterpart …

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A circular logo features a walking bear and a cannabis leaf silhouette. The text reads "End Prohibition" and "Legalize It" in bold, with "reformca.com" below. Predominantly blue and orange, this 2016 design by ReformCA champions the call to legalize marijuana. CA Norml

ReformCA Coalition Storms the State to Legalize Marijuana in 2016

UPDATE: ReformCA will hold its final state roundtable on June 16, 2015 from 6pm – 8:30pm in the Grand Ballroom of the Marriott City Center, 1001 Broadway in Oakland. RSVP June 2015 – Plans are proceeding apace for a California unity initiative to legalize marijuana for adult use in November 2016. A statewide coalition of …

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A black-and-white illustration depicts a plant with a human-like face and leaves as arms, holding a jug. The plant, reminiscent of California's diverse flora, is positioned next to a sink with a water faucet, and the jug is being filled with water from the tap amid drought concerns. CA Norml

On Water and Weed: Is Marijuana Responsible for California’s Drought?

Also see: State Hearing Held on Drought and Illegal Marijuana Impacts to Fisheries Cal NORML Challenges Fish and Wildlife Figures on Marijuana and Water Consumption The press has been lapping it up like….well, water: the allegation that marijuana cultivation in California is contributing to the state’s drought crisis. The situation has led to local governments …

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A rectangular ad banner for Clark Neubert LLP. On the left, there's a black and white photo of two women smiling. Text on the right reads: "CA’s Premier Cannabis Business Attorneys. Trusted for Marijuana Law Compliance. Nor Cal (415) 779-0777. So Cal (818) 794-2170. greenfrontier.com". CA Norml

Opening the Door: DOJ Memorandum On Marijuana in Indian Country

By Ariel Clark and Nicole Howell Neubert, Clark Neubert LLP On October 28, 2014, the United States Department of Justice issued a Memorandum titled “Policy Statement Regarding Marijuana Issues in Indian Country,” which effectively opened the door to Indian nations growing and selling marijuana on their lands. In so doing, the government signaled how tribes …

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A group of nine people pose for a photo indoors, four women and five men, with an American flag and another flag in the background. One woman is in a wheelchair in the front row. The others, including several senators holding items like notebooks and ID badges, stand around her. CA Norml

Senators, Including Feinstein, Approve Amendment Allowing Vets to Use Medical Marijuana

Veterans who met with Sen. Feinstein’s staffers in March along with California NORML. On May 21, 2015, the Senate Appropriations committee voted 18-12 to approve the following amendment to HR 2029, the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016: Sec. 246. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available to …

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The image shows the California State Capitol building in Sacramento with a clear blue sky and a cloud shaped like a cannabis leaf above it. The bottom includes the text "California NORML" and the website "www.CaNORML.org" on a white background, reflecting their advocacy for medical marijuana bills. CA Norml

Medical Marijuana Bills By the Score in Sacramento

UPDATE: The Assembly Appropriations Committee approved a compromise medical marijuana bill combining the features of both AB 266 (Cooley) and AB 34 (Bonta and Jones-Sawyer). The bill would create a new Governor’s Office of MMJ Regulation to oversee and coordinate three new MMJ regulatory divisions in: (1) the Dept of Food and Agriculture for cultivation, …

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Two men in suits are standing indoors, holding up small objects to their mouths, possibly breathalyzers. The older man on the left is wearing glasses and a yellow tie, while the younger man on the right is wearing a black suit with a pink striped tie. Flags are visible in the background. CA Norml

Assemblyman Lackey Stages 4/20 “Breathalyzer” Demonstration

SACRAMENTO 4/20 – Assemblyman Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale) sponsored a demonstration of a new oral swab drug test in the State Capitol today. Lackey is sponsoring a bill, AB 1356, that would allow CA police to use the test as an alternative to urine or blood tests for DUI stops. The tests were misleadingly billed as …

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A federal judge's gavel in focus with a large cannabis leaf in the background. The image symbolizes the intersection of legal and marijuana-related issues, particularly descheduling debates. The tone remains neutral, without indicating a specific stance. CA Norml

Federal Judge Denies Marijuana Descheduling Motion

UPDATE 4/17 – Judge Mueller has issued her ruling in writing. UPDATE 4:36 PM – The motion is expected to be appealed to the 9th district appellate court. See a blog post form NORML’s Paul Armentano on the ruling. See an on-the-scene report from The Leaf Online April 15 – Judge Kimberly Mueller denied a …

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