California Marijuana

April 22, 2016

Rescheduling Marijuana Could Help Researchers

For entirely political reasons that do not make very much sense in reality, marijuana is classified as a Schedule I controlled substance. While marijuana has been illegal since the time of Prohibition, it was not until the United States Controlled Substances Act of 1970 (USCSA) that there was an official schedule that listed controlled substances in a particular order.

medicalmarijuanajars The highest schedule on the USCA is known as “Schedule I” and is reserved for the most allegedly dangerous drugs available. These drugs are supposed to have no known medical use and be highly addictive and dangerous to be listed as a Schedule I controlled substance. To get an idea of the type of drugs on Schedule I, we can look at a list of what is included. Congress has chosen to classify heroin, Quaaludes, GHB, and many other dangerous hallucinogens, as well as marijuana, at the highest schedule. Continue reading

February 9, 2016

What Will Legalization Mean for Medical Marijuana Doctors?

By Cannabis Law Group

The medical community has had a tumultuous relationship with marijuana.

Decades ago, they warned of the many supposed dangers, particularly when it came to consumption by younger people. The failed War on Drugs was fueled at least partially by claims the drug was a “killer narcotic.”

There has been a significant shift in recent years as doctors and other health care workers have seen first-hand the positive effects of medicinal use. Legislative changes followed. Now in California, the very first state to pass medical marijuana laws, there are questions about how the introduction of legal marijuana for recreation might affect those doctors who have carved out an important niche in their respective field.

A ballot initiative slated for a vote in November will ask whether we should legalize a drug which, up until now, has required a prescription from a legitimate doctor. And there were physicians who rose to meet that challenge, recognizing that many sick Californians who desperately needed the relief that cannabis provided. Some have been here since the beginning, despite threats of government prosecution, medical license sanctioning and more. But for all that, where will they be left if the recreational marijuana ballot measure passes?

If patrons can simply walk into a store and plunk down there money, as opposed to checking into a doctor’s office and requesting a medical marijuana card, will the profession of medical marijuana doctor simply go up in smoke?
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January 27, 2016

NAACP Supports California Marijuana Initiative after Changes are Made

By Cannabis Law Group

In all likelihood, there will be enough signatures on the petition to get the Adult Use of Marijuana (AUMA) on the ballot for the next election, so California voters can decide if they want to follow two other states and the District of Columbia and legalize marijuana for recreational use. Technically, this will not interfere with the already established medical marijuana programs, but it will clearly have a significant effect on the industry.

While the majority of Americans now support legalization of medical marijuana, and it is legal in 23 states so far, there is not as much widespread support for full legalization of marijuana. In order to the get the ballot measure pass, organizers would like as much support from as many organizations and interest groups as possible. One of the groups with the potential to bring a lot of voters is the NAACP. Until recently, the NAACP said it could not support the proposed ballot measure, because nobody spoke with their organization and sought their input in drafting the measure according to a recent news feature from Associations Now.
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December 13, 2015

Marijuana “Breathalyzer” in the Works in California

By Cannabis Law Group

With medical marijuana being legal in California and many other states and recreational marijuana use becoming legal in a few progressive areas, it should come as no surprise that people are becoming concerned about driving under the influence of marijuana. The first thing that is important to understand is that, regardless of whether or not you have a prescription for medical marijuana, it is never legal to driver a motor vehicle under the influence of marijuana.

This makes sense when look at it in the context of other prescription medications. It is legal to have Vicodin if you have a valid prescription for the opioid-based medication, and it is legal to take the medication, but is illegal to drive under the influence of it. It also makes sense when we think of how alcohol is legal for any one over the age of 21, but it is illegal to drink and drive.
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December 6, 2015

How Many Federal Prisoners Are In Prison Due to Cannabis

By Cannabis Law Group

For 20 years, medical cannabis has been providing relief to patients throughout California, even as the federal government and most other states have been slow to recognize the health benefits of marijuana. Now, states are finally moving forward towards legalization, and some politicians are even talking about making changes to the federal law. Public opinion has shifted in favor of legalization, at least for medicinal purposes, and states have even made recreational cannabis legal (and California may be the next state to take this action in 2016.)

All of this news is good news, but decades of bad drug policy in the United States have led to countless lives ruined and billions of dollars being wasted in a futile effort to stop people from using cannabis products. One new report published by the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics demonstrates the extent of the prosecutions against those within the marijuana industry and against users of marijuana.
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December 4, 2015

Legalizing Medical Marijuana May Reduce Obesity

By Cannabis Law Group

Obesity is an epidemic in the United States, and it is causing significant public and personal health problems. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report more than a third of adults in the United States are currently classified as obese, and the total cost of treating obesity and related conditions is $147 billion. The medical expenditures for people who are obese are $1,429 per year higher than people who are of a normal or standard weight.

With obesity such a major problem within the United States, it is good news to find that medical marijuana may have a positive impact on bringing down obesity rates. A recent study showing medical marijuana laws reduces the probability of obesity significantly. Cannabis lawyers https://www.los-angeles-marijuana-lawyer.com/contact-us.html know this study is yet one more reason why states should push forward with legalization and why the federal government should change its outdated stance on marijuana as a controlled substance.
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December 2, 2015

Mailing Marijuana Ads May Not be Legal

By Cannabis Law Group

Marketing for medical or recreational marijuana businesses can be a challenge for company owners. Marijuana television commercials have been found to violate federal broadcast regulations, and social media platforms have shut down pages and posts related to medical marijuana. The United States Postal Service has also recently taken a stance, letting postal workers and those in the marijuana business know that it is illegal under federal law to send advertisements that promote marijuana use through the mail.

Patients and other individuals deserve to be informed of their access to different marijuana products and business owners deserve to be able to exercise their speech rights to advertise their products. Unfortunately, as long as the federal government persists in failing to recognize the benefits of marijuana and remove it from the list of Schedule I controlled substances, marketing efforts will continue to be significantly curtailed.
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November 24, 2015

Legalization Could Put an End to the Marijuana Drug Cartel Business

By Cannabis Law Group

The war on drugs has had a profound impact in not just the United States, but in countries throughout the world. As California and other states throughout the U.S. finally move towards legalization, however, there is a major shift going on. Reuters reported on the impact legalization is having, and could continue to have.
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November 20, 2015

Marijuana Energy Consumption Increasingly Becoming an Issue

By Cannabis Law Group

As more locations move towards legalizing marijuana for medical or recreational use, demand is expanding for cannabis growth. This demand for more cannabis growth is, in turn, driving demand for more electricity. Indoor growers of cannabis often use tremendous amounts of energy, but utility companies are not working with growers to encourage more efficiency. Unfortunately, this is not likely to change until the federal government changes its official position on cannabis and removes it from the list of Schedule I drugs.
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November 12, 2015

Are California Law Enforcement Officers Shaking Down Marijuana Farmers?

By Cannabis Law Group

Dozens of farmers who grow and harvest medical marijuana are claiming they have been the victims of abusive law enforcement raids without justification. CBS Local reported on the claims being made by the farmers, as well as legal loopholes that are being used to conduct searches and raids without search warrants.
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