California marijuana legalization

September 14, 2016

False Argument Used by Marijuana Opponents Could Thwart California Legalization

California voters are going to be asked in November to decide whether they support the legalization of marijuana for recreational – not just medicinal – purposes. Polls indicate public support for this is at an all-time high of 60 percent, so the measure has a good shot of winning. But opponents haven’t given up just yet, and they’ve seized on something they hope will sway voters who might otherwise be on-the-fence. Problem is, it’s not actually true. television

The argument: That if you vote for legalization of recreational marijuana, the television and radio airwaves are going to be flooded with marijuana advertising.

For 45 years, there has been a ban on the advertisement of tobacco and smoke-related products. Now, some lawmakers are arguing that Prop. 64, the marijuana legislation, is going to undo all that. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Ca.) argued that if California voters approve Prop. 64, they’ll be opening the door to marijuana smoking advertisements during prime time, when millions of teens and children will be tuning in. Continue reading

August 22, 2016

Obama Frees Record 214 Federal Drug War Prisoners, More Work Left to Do

By Cannabis Law Group

Recently, President Obama commuted the sentences of a record 214 federal inmates, which was the largest single-day commutations grant in our national history. It means the total number of presidential commutations the president has issued is now at 562, which is more than any other president who actually granted federal prisoner commutations since Calvin Coolidge. In fact, it’s more than the last nine presidents combined. handcuffs6

Most of these commutations have occurred in this, Obama’s last year in office. Undoubtedly, they are part of a larger state Obama is making about the existing failures in our criminal drug system. Of those whose sentences were commuted on this recent round, 197 were serving life sentences for non-violent drug crimes. Almost every one of the total 214 were serving sentences for non-violent crimes that were in some way connected to drugs. They will all be freed by December 1st.

“The extraordinary rate of incarcerations of non-violent drug offenders has created its own set of problems,” Obama said at a news conference announcing the commutations. These consequences include:

Stressed communities
Families forever broken
Huge swaths of people – most lower-income minorities – locked out of legal economic opportunity.

August 8, 2016

Poll: Marijuana Use Among U.S. Adults On The Rise

By Cannabis Law Group

A growing percentage of U.S. adults are using marijuana, according to a new Gallup poll on marijuana use. marijuana1

At this time, approximately 1 in every 8 adults in the U.S. is smoking marijuana. That’s about 13 percent, and it’s almost double the number who answered in similarly in the affirmative just three years ago. In 2013, it was 7 percent of U.S. adults who reported being current marijuana users.

Overall, 43 percent of Americans say they have tried marijuana at some point, though the percentage of experimentation and regular use varied by respondents’ religion and age.

This is, of course, despite the fact that marijuana remains illegal under federal law. As it now stands, four states have legalized the drug for recreational purposes and half have some variation of medicinal marijuana law on the books. Continue reading

July 24, 2016

The End of Federal Marijuana Prohibition Near?

By Cannabis Law Group

One of the ongoing threats to California marijuana dispensaries, growers and users is the ongoing federal prohibition on the drug. marijuana2

To this day, despite the increasing research findings proving the medicinal and societal benefits of the drug, it remains under a Schedule I narcotic designation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). This is true even as lawmakers in four states plus Washington, D.C. have approved the cultivation, sale and possession of recreational use. This prohibition is what has forced marijuana dispensaries to operate in cash, because banks won’t handle their money. It’s the reason marijuana cultivators and distributors have faced criminal prosecution, even when carefully following state laws.

The good news is that there are many signs this could be on the verge of changing. For one thing, national polls show 89 percent of Americans support medical cannabis – and that includes 81 percent of Republicans. Continue reading

June 15, 2016

Marijuana Legalization Has Not Increased Teen Use

By Cannabis Law Group

In 1996, California made history with its passage of a law that legalized marijuana as medicine. Today, almost half of all states have joined our ranks and a few have even legalized the drug for recreational purposes. This November, voters in more than a half a dozen states – including California – are being asked whether they wish to further expand access to marijuana where they live. And of course, as always, there are those voices of dissent. teens

Inevitably, one of the top arguments that start making its way to the headlines is the risk that legalization poses to our nation’s youth. Teens in particular, it is argued, are impressionable, vulnerable and will be led down a dark path if the drug is more readily available to adults.

But here’s the truth of the matter: As we start to collect data about teen marijuana use and legalization, we begin to see the correlation – if any – is that legalization actually drive down teen use. Continue reading

June 10, 2016

AAA: Per Se Limits for Marijuana DUI Not Scientific

By Cannabis Law Group

A recent study released by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety underscored what our L.A. marijuana lawyers have been saying for years: Per se limits of THC in a driver’s blood stream are not an accurate indicator of a person’s impairment level. policelights

Both proponents and opponents of greater marijuana access laws generally agree on the fact that those who are under the influence of the drug shouldn’t be operating a motor vehicle. It’s well-established that THC, the psychoactive substance in marijuana, has the potential to negatively impact driver performance (i.e., cognitive and motor abilities) and thus traffic safety. Where these two groups diverge is how we address this issue.

Understandably, lawmakers and traffic safety advocates want a solution that will keep marijuana-impaired individuals off the road. But the solution they reached is one that doesn’t make the roads safer and unfortunately may ensnare innocent people in criminal cases. Continue reading

June 5, 2016

Prison Guards and Police Fighting Passage of AUMA in California

By Cannabis Law Group

This November, voters will be presented with a ballot measure at the polls known as the Adult Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA) which if passed, will legalize marijuana in the state of California for recreational purposes, as opposed to just medical marijuana which was legalized back in 1996.

policeline1 It is interesting to consider that in 1996, legalizing medical marijuana made California the most progressive state in the nation in terms of helping patients get access to a drug they desperately needed. This was also done at a time when the federal government, and especially the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) made it very clear they would be not looking the other way. There were cultivators, dispensaries, and even patients that were arrested and prosecuted for violating federal laws as marijuana is on Schedule I of the United States Controlled Substances Act (USCSA) of 1970. Continue reading

June 1, 2016

Driver Allegedly High on Medical Marijuana Caused Crash Resulting in Trooper’s Death

By Cannabis Law Group

According to a recent news story from Daily Mail, a 30-year-old medical marijuana patient in Massachusetts has been charged in connection with a motor vehicle accident that resulted in the death of a state trooper.

police-on-the-scene-1172422-m Authorities say defendant driver was high on medical marijuana at the time of the deadly crash. During the crash, defendant allegedly crashed into a parked state police cruiser that was occupied by the Massachusetts State Police (MSP) trooper. Continue reading

May 14, 2016

California Voters to Decide on Full Marijuana Legalization in November

By Cannabis Law Group

A recreational marijuana ballot measure this November is one step closer to reality for California voters. A coalition driven by former Facebook president Sean Parker has garnered 600,000 signatures in favor of putting the issue to a vote – a number that far exceeded the obligatory 365,880 that were needed. voterinformation

The “Adult Use of Marijuana Act” would legalize possession of small increments of the drug for those over the age of 21. It would also set a tax rate for sales and a structure for farmers who cultivate the drug. It would also establish a framework for streamlined distribution across the state. Although it still needs the certification of state elections officials, that is not expected to be an issue.

Already, the proposed measure has the support of Democratic Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who called this move, “A game-changer.” Continue reading

May 12, 2016

Legal Medical Cannabis Lowers Opioid Abuse Rates

By Cannabis Law Group

In states that allow citizens access to marijuana as medicine, the rates of opioid abuse are significantly lower. That’s according to a recent study conducted by Castlight Health, a workers’ health benefits provider. pillswhite

Researchers dove into five years’ worth of prescription abuse information reported anonymously by employees.

What they found was this:

In states that did not allow workers to have access to medical marijuana, 5.4 percent of those who were taking opioid medications were deemed “abusers” of that drug.
In states that did allow workers access to medicinal cannabis, just 2.8 percent of those taking opioid drugs were deemed “abusers.”