Legislation

Move To Shut Marijuana Dispensaries Inches Forward In WA

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on July 26, 2011 Dispensaries, Legislation

Photo: Steve Elliott ~alapoet~

Pre-rolled joints at Rainier Wellness Center in Tacoma, one of the dispensaries targeted by the city for shutdown

Tacoma, Washington’s push to shutter more than 30 medical marijuana dispensaries inched forward on Monday, as cannabis outlets in unincorporated Pierce County also received letters from the Sheriff’s Department putting them on notice.

Sheriff Paul Pastor said his office sent letters to about 15 dispensaries late last week to tell them about the county’s interpretation of a state law that took effect Friday, reports Jordan Schrader at the Tacoma News Tribune. The law is what remains of SB 5073, which would have legalized dispensaries in the state but was instead gutted by a line-item veto from hen-hearted Governor Christine Gregoire.

New Zealand Party Guarantees Access To Marijuana If Elected

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on July 25, 2011 Global, Legislation, Medical

Graphic: ALCP

A political party in New Zealand has guaranteed patients access to medical marijuana if elected to office in November.

The Aotearoa Legalise Cannabis Party (ALCP) said it will disband Medsafe if elected to ensure that cannabis and other natural medicines are freely available to patients who need them, reports Scoop.

According to the group, Medsafe in 2007 began a “modern day witch hunt” against the natural health industry in New Zealand, prosecuting merchants and seizing stock from producers of natural remedies who say their products have therapeutic benefits.

Confusion Reigns In Washington Medical Marijuana Dispensaries

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on July 22, 2011 Dispensaries, Growing, Legislation

Graphic: Sodahead

Changes to Washington state’s medical marijuana laws kick in today, Friday, July 22. But cities, counties, providers and patients are still trying to make sense of the new guidelines, a patchwork of confusing and often contradictory rules left by Governor Christine Gregoire’s hen-hearted line-item veto of legislation which would have regulated the shops.

The dispensaries have popped up all over the state in the past couple years, reports Liz Jones at KUOW. But the changes in Washington’s medical marijuana law make dispensaries illegal, while authorizing “collective gardens” of up to 45 plants for up to 10 patients.

2011 CA Atty. Gen. Marijuana Guidelines Leaked; Read ‘Em Here

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on July 22, 2011 Growing, Legislation, Medical

Photo: Office of the Attorney General

California Attorney General Kamala Harris

A draft copy of the new 2011 California Attorney General’s guidelines on medical marijuana have been leaked. They are reproduced below in their entirety.

An official release of these guidelines is expected sometime between now and the end of August.

The section on collectives and dispensaries, among others, doesn’t seem to be good news for patients as far as affordable access is concerned; the section seems to limit individual patient options.

“While many advocates argue for ‘safe access’ I want not only ‘safe access’ but ‘affordable access’ and at times I get the impression that ‘affordable access’ is lost in the discussion among many,” commented Brett Stone, who manages the Medical Marijuana News group on Yahoo!, through which he released the draft guidelines.

“A special thanks to Shona Gochenaur of San Francisco’s Axis of Love for uncovering and forwarding this copy to me,” Stone said.

Medical Marijuana Supporters Get 2,000 Signatures In One Week

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on July 20, 2011 Dispensaries, Legislation, Medical

Photo: Eliza Wiley/Helena Independent Record

Senator Dave Wanzenreid (D-Missoula) spoke Tuesday in the secretary of state’s office to announce the Initiative Referendum 124 petition campaign by Patients For Reform – Not Repeal.

It only took a week to get 2,000 Montanans to sign petitions to let voters in 2012 decide the fate of the restrictive medical marijuana law passed by their state Legislature this year, backers of the referendum said on Tuesday.

A group called Patients For Reform – Not Repeal has launched a statewide campaign trying to get enough voter signatures to place Senate Bill 423 on the ballot next year, reports Charles S. Johnson at the Billings Gazette.

If the group reaches an additional level of signatures by September 30, the law will be suspended until voters decide in November 2012 whether to keep or reject it.

The referendum is part of a three-pronged attack by medical marijuana supporters and patients. On another front, the Montana Cannabis Industry Association, along with other groups, has mounted a court challenge to the law’s constitutionality.

Missouri Group Works To Legalize Marijuana

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on July 20, 2011 Legislation, News

Graphic: Show-Me Cannabis

Petitions have been filed with the Missouri secretary of state’s office, and it could be the first step toward the legalization of marijuana — if it attracts enough support.

Show-Me Cannabis, an initiative organized by Missourians and businesses that believe marijuana prohibition is a failed policy, filed two petitions with the secretary of state this month, reports Kim Norvell at the St. Joseph News-Press. One of the petitions would amend Missouri’s constitution, while the other would involve a change in statutes.

Seattle City Council Votes 8-0 To Allow Marijuana Dispensaries

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on July 18, 2011 Dispensaries, Legislation, News

Photo: Steve Elliott ~alapoet~

Cass Stewart mans the counter at Apothecary Seattle on Capitol Hill. The Seattle City Council on Monday voted to license the city’s dispensaries.

Medical marijuana dispensaries are alive in Seattle, at least for now. The Seattle City Council, on a unanimous 8-0 vote Monday, approved an ordinance which licenses and taxes dispensaries in the city.

The ordinance now heads for the desk of Mayor Mike McGinn for his signature, reports Philip Dawdy at 4Evergreen Group. The mayor is expected to sign the ordinance.

The ordinance requires that medical cannabis dispensaries have city business licenses, pay business and occupation (B&O) taxes and be at least 1,000 feet away from schools.

Medical Marijuana Clubs Open As Arizona Law Is Debated

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on July 18, 2011 Dispensaries, Legislation, Medical

Photo: Howard Fischer/Capitol Media Services

Mike Miller of the Arizona Compassion Association presides over the counter at The 2811 Club.

Medical marijuana dispensaries aren’t yet allowed to open in Arizona, pending a judge’s ruling on Proposition 203, the ballot initiative approved by voters last November. But that’s not keeping some patients from finding cannabis.

At least a few clubs providing patients with medical marijuana have opened to fill that need, reports Emily Holden at The Arizona Republic.

The new state law allows medical marijuana cardholders to grow their own cannabis and to share it with each other, as long as there are no dispensaries within 25 miles. Since no dispensaries are yet allowed, all patients are currently eligible to grow. These clubs have developed as go-between.

The new law was meant to create a regulated industry of dispensaries, said Joe Yuhas, spokesman for the Arizona Medical Marijuana Association, which led the campaign for Prop 203. Instead, the pot clubs are an unintended consequence of the dispute between state and federal laws regarding pot.

“We’re going to see more and more developments like this,” Yuhas said.

Alabama Medical Marijuana Coalition Takes It To The People

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on July 18, 2011 Legislation, Medical, News

Photo: AMMJC

Alabama Medical Marijuana Coalition Co-President Ron Crumpton, right, is interviewed by newspaper reporter Jason Bacaj of The Anniston Star.

State Lawmaker: ‘Good Possibility’ He Will Sponsor A Medical Marijuana Bill In Alabama Legislature

Did you know that the Heart of Dixie stands an excellent chance to become the first medical marijuana state in the Deep South?

The newest Alabama group working to allow marijuana as medicine is taking its message to the people with a series of picnic-style meetings across the state. The Alabama Medical Marijuana Coalition (AMMJC) group’s second event, was held Saturday in Jacksonville at Germania Springs Park.

A crowd that grew to close to 70 people was on hand for the picnic, including a state lawmaker who said there is a “good possibility” that he will sponsor a medical marijuana bill in the Alabama Legislature next year.

Israel: Government Debates Future of Medical Marijuana

By Steve Elliott ~alapoet~ on July 15, 2011 Global, Legislation, Medical

Photo: The Jerusalem Post

The government of Israel is expected to decide on establishing a state agency which would be responsible for authorizing and processing requests for medical cannabis.

Currently, about 6,000 patients receive medical marijuana in Israel, reports Judy Siegel Itzkovich at the The Jerusalem Post. But the number of authorizations could reach 40,000 in five years, according to Dr. Yehuda Baruch, a psychiatrist at the Abarbanel Mental Health Center in Bat Yam who has, for the last two years, single-handedly been responsible for the matter.

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