Sacramento News & Review, 21 Feb 2013 – Do you think California will ever have a comprehensive statewide medical-cannabis law? – -Wonky Willie The short answer is yes. The long answer is no one knows what kind of legislation we will see. I was just talking to Don Duncan, the California director of Americans for Safe Access, and he told me that State Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg really wants to do something, but no one really knows what that something will be. Many of the bigger dispensaries have teamed up with the lobbying pros at California Strategies and are pushing for the state to take a stronger hand in regulation. But there are no serious proposals yet. Last year, Assemblyman Tom Ammiano introduced a bill that would have allowed statewide sales, but he withdrew the bill after it sat around for a few months.
US CA: U.S. Can Shut Down Oakland Pot Shop, Court Says
Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb 2013 – Judge Throws Out City’s Suit That Challenged Federal Attempts to Close the Dispensary. SAN FRANCISCO – A U.S. magistrate judge last week sided with federal prosecutors in dismissing a lawsuit by the city of Oakland that challenged as illegal federal attempts to close the nation’s largest medical marijuana dispensary.
US CA: Column: Marijuana – Medicine Or Recreation?
Record Searchlight, 17 Feb 2013 – The recent campaigns to legalize marijuana for recreational use are an interesting study in semantics. Now, when I think of "recreation," I envision people playing tennis, riding bicycles, or maybe boating on Lake Shasta. Even considering the broadest connotation of the word wouldn’t conjure images of somebody getting stupefied on a bowl of ganja weed. If smoking marijuana is recreation, then drinking a six-pack of Dos Equis must be the equivalent of a workout.
US CA: Groups Wants Redding To Ban Outdoor Pot Grows
Record Searchlight, 16 Feb 2013 – A group of Redding residents hopes to persuade the City Council to ban outdoor marijuana grows. For now, the group is circulating a missive in Redding and Shasta Lake neighborhoods urging residents to write letters to their local lawmakers.
US CA: Column: Pathway To Legalization
Sacramento News & Review, 14 Feb 2013 – Do you think the federal government will legalize marijuana in our lifetime? – -Choom Gang They are probably going to have to do something, seeing as we are a representative democracy. Don’t expect anything major to happen for a while. But all signs point to yes. Earlier this month, Congressional Representatives Jared Polis (D-Colorado) and Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon) introduced a bill to legalize marijuana and impose a federal excise tax, but all the real action is taking place on a statewide level.
