Two LA Committees Vote for Medical Marijuana

UPDATE: On November 18, after a four-hour session, the full City Council declined to introduce the ordinance without amendments that would allow sales. The proposed regulations are expected to be presented next week for a vote by the full council. All of the amending motions to the 5th draft ordinance regulating medical marijuana collectives in …

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CaNORML Opposes Red Bluff Cultivation Ban

UPDATE: Red Bluff backs off strict medical marijuana prohibitions; dispensary ban remains in effect Nov. 10 – Medical marijuana supporters met today to oppose Red Bluff’s proposed ban on MMJ cultivation, collectives and dispensaries. Speaking to a packed house of over 150, California NORML attorney James Silva explained via telephone/microphone how the ordinance violates state …

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AMA, CMA Call for Medical Marijuana Research, Policy Change

November 11 – The California Medical Association has adopted a resolution declaring criminalization of marijuana to be a “failed public health policy”: Resolution 704a-09 CRIMINALIZATION OF MARIJUANA RESOLVED: That CMA consider the criminalization of marijuana to be a failed public health policy; and be it further RESOLVED: That CMA encourage and participate in debate and …

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Cal NORML Testifies at historic hearings on marijuana legalization

SACRAMENTO, Oct. 28th. The state Assembly Public Safety Committee held historic hearings on the legalization of marijuana, the first since “Indian hemp” was prohibited in 1913. The hearings were chaired by Tom Ammiano (D-SF), who has proposed a legalization bill, AB390, which will be heard early next year. “I speak on behalf of California’s millions …

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Kelly Case Sees Oral Argument

Berkeley, Nov. 3rd – In a remarkable turn of events, both sides at today’s California Supreme Court Hearing on the Kelly case agreed that the so-called SB 420 quantity limits in Health and Safety Code 11362.77 are unconstitutional when applied to limit patients’ right to a compassionate use defense under Prop. 215. Instead, they discussed …

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Ill-Conceived L.A. Medical Marijuana Proposal Would Cost $36 – $74 Million In Tax Revenues

California NORML Release – Oct 26, 2009 A medical marijuana regulation ordinance proposed to the L.A. City Council by City Attorney Carmen Trutanich would cost $36 – $74 million in lost tax revenues plus untold additional enforcement costs, according to an analysis by California NORML. The hastily written ordinance, which is being rushed for an …

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Marijuana Arrests Up Again in California

October 19 – Marijuana arrests in 2008 rose to their highest level in California since the state’s 1976 decriminalization law, according to the latest data from the Cal DOJ Bureau of Criminal Statistics. The state reported 17,126 felony marijuana arrests in 2008, up from 16,124 in 2007, while misdemeanor possession arrests rose to 61,366 from …

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Mendo Measure B Blamed for Increased Arrests

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE “““““““““““““““` Cal NORML Release – Oct 17, 2009 Mendocino reported a record number of marijuana arrests in 2008, according to data from the Cal DOJ Bureau of Criminal Statistics. Felony arrests soared to an all-time record of 238, up 42% from 167 in 2007. Misdemeanors increased to 169, up from 129 last …

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Will They Really? Feds Finally Accept State Laws on Med MJ

October 19 – While it is certainly encouraging that the Obama administration has committed to writing the AG’s declared policy of respecting state medical marijuana laws, the proof will be in the pudding. Just a week ago, federal prosecutors in San Diego appeared to violate the policy by filing charges against a pair of San …

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LA District Attorney Targets Cannabis Collectives

LA’s District Attorney Steve Cooley is threatening a citywide crackdown on the city’s medical cannabis dispensaries. Speaking on Oct 8th, Cooley told reporters that “about 100%” of the dispensaries are illegal, and that he intends to close them. Cooley and City Attorney Carmen Trutanich have been erroneously claiming that sales of medical marijuana are illegal, …

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