NUGGETRY News » Collectives http://news.nuggetry.com Fri, 24 May 2013 15:09:35 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Burglarized in Seattle http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/medical-marijuana-dispensaries-burglarized-in-seattle/ http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/medical-marijuana-dispensaries-burglarized-in-seattle/#comments Thu, 23 May 2013 14:41:00 +0000 lucy http://news.nuggetry.com/?p=4609 On Tuesday morning, a witness called 911 after hearing a dispensary's burglary alarm go off.  According to the witness, four people dressed in black with masks on were seen running from the building. When officers arrived the suspects had already fled the scene.  A door to the collective was found kicked in, but nothing was found missing. On Wednesday morning around 2:15 am, police received another report of a burglary at a dispensary.  The scene was similar to Tuesday's burglary-- the door of the collective was kicked in and the security alarm was going off. Soon after they arrived on the scene, officers saw a masked man running away from the dispensary.  As he ran away, the suspect was dropping cash and marijuana.  Officers chased the suspect, but he escaped into a greenbelt. In addition to the missing marijuana and cash, police noticed a flat screen TV was also missing from the collective. During a sweep of the area, police found a 16-year-old boy hiding in the back seat of a car nearby.  He said that he was just waiting for his brother, but police saw that there was a large TV in the car and the car smelled of marijuana. The boy was released to his father and the car was impounded. Detectives are now working to determine whether there is a connection between these two burglaries and the three that occurred in Seattle last month. [Source]]]> On Tuesday morning, a witness called 911 after hearing a dispensary's burglary alarm go off.  According to the witness, four people dressed in black with masks on were seen running from the building. When officers arrived the suspects had already fled the scene.  A door to the collective was found kicked in, but nothing was found missing. On Wednesday morning around 2:15 am, police received another report of a burglary at a dispensary.  The scene was similar to Tuesday's burglary-- the door of the collective was kicked in and the security alarm was going off. Soon after they arrived on the scene, officers saw a masked man running away from the dispensary.  As he ran away, the suspect was dropping cash and marijuana.  Officers chased the suspect, but he escaped into a greenbelt. In addition to the missing marijuana and cash, police noticed a flat screen TV was also missing from the collective. During a sweep of the area, police found a 16-year-old boy hiding in the back seat of a car nearby.  He said that he was just waiting for his brother, but police saw that there was a large TV in the car and the car smelled of marijuana. The boy was released to his father and the car was impounded. Detectives are now working to determine whether there is a connection between these two burglaries and the three that occurred in Seattle last month. [Source]]]> http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/medical-marijuana-dispensaries-burglarized-in-seattle/feed/ 6 New Medical Marijuana Regulation Bill Passes California Senate http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/new-medical-marijuana-regulation-bill-passes-california-senate/ http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/new-medical-marijuana-regulation-bill-passes-california-senate/#comments Tue, 21 May 2013 14:09:48 +0000 lucy http://news.nuggetry.com/?p=4594 The bill aims to rope in dispensaries and eliminate the aspects that have made California's medical marijuana program a target for federal raids.  The bill would eliminate the "for profit" aspect of collectives and instead require collectives to register under the state's Food and Agricultural Code.  Those operating within the guidelines set forth by SB439 could not be prosecuted under state law. According to Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, the bill "does seek to assure that patients who need medical cannabis have access to it.  It is intended to assure that drug cartels and other criminals do not benefit from the lack of regulation."  He added that the legislation "is intended to come to some sort of an understanding with the federal government." This legislation comes at a time where dozens of cities in California are forcing medical marijuana dispensaries to close, leaving patients without access to their medicine.  Senator Mark Leno said, "The idea that everyone has to have the wherewithal and the ability and the physical stamina as a patient to be able to grow their own is just unreasonable and unworkable.  This is a very sensible step." Higher levels of regulation for California's medical marijuana dispensaries could help to eliminate the gray area which has allowed hundreds of shops to be shut down and thousands of patients to be left without a safe place to get their medical marijuana. [Source]]]> The bill aims to rope in dispensaries and eliminate the aspects that have made California's medical marijuana program a target for federal raids.  The bill would eliminate the "for profit" aspect of collectives and instead require collectives to register under the state's Food and Agricultural Code.  Those operating within the guidelines set forth by SB439 could not be prosecuted under state law. According to Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, the bill "does seek to assure that patients who need medical cannabis have access to it.  It is intended to assure that drug cartels and other criminals do not benefit from the lack of regulation."  He added that the legislation "is intended to come to some sort of an understanding with the federal government." This legislation comes at a time where dozens of cities in California are forcing medical marijuana dispensaries to close, leaving patients without access to their medicine.  Senator Mark Leno said, "The idea that everyone has to have the wherewithal and the ability and the physical stamina as a patient to be able to grow their own is just unreasonable and unworkable.  This is a very sensible step." Higher levels of regulation for California's medical marijuana dispensaries could help to eliminate the gray area which has allowed hundreds of shops to be shut down and thousands of patients to be left without a safe place to get their medical marijuana. [Source]]]> http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/new-medical-marijuana-regulation-bill-passes-california-senate/feed/ 8 Haze of Confusion Surrounds Critical LA Ordinance Vote – JD Clears the Air http://news.nuggetry.com/southern-california-marijuana/haze-of-confusion-surrounds-critical-la-ordinance-vote-%e2%80%93-jd-clears-the-air/ http://news.nuggetry.com/southern-california-marijuana/haze-of-confusion-surrounds-critical-la-ordinance-vote-%e2%80%93-jd-clears-the-air/#comments Fri, 03 May 2013 15:18:14 +0000 Tokeahontas http://news.nuggetry.com/?p=4463 Welcome to your weekly installment of JackDanieL’s editorial column.  This week, Jack tackles the important upcoming vote on three medical marijuana-related ordinances that are being put before Los Angeles voters.  This is a must read for any medical marijuana supporter, but especially those living in LA. Less than three weeks from today, on May 21st, registered voters in the city of Los Angeles will have a choice to make about how to regulate the storefront sale of medical marijuana. Actually they’ll have three choices, but two of them are sort of the same, and all three have support from MMJ advocacy groups, as well as critics…Confused? You’re probably not alone. The three ordinance initiatives on the city ballot at the end of the month may, or may not, be intentionally mind-boggling, but we’re going to clear it all up right here because there is a lot riding on this vote for our friends in the City of Angels, who have been operating in a dangerous grey-area since an ineffectual 2007 citywide ban on all storefront dispensaries. First, the ballot measures themselves. As I said, Los Angeles residents will have a choice between Measures D, E & F when they cast their vote on the 21st. I’m going to tackle them in the order that they were first introduced. Ordinance F was the first Measure to gather the 41,138 signatures required to get a proposal on the ballot, picking up over 67,000 signatures in January of this year.  Created by Angelenos for Safe Access, this proposal was written for medical marijuana patients and dispensaries, by patients and dispensaries. It calls for a true “Free market” approach which essentially lifts any cap on how many storefronts could potentially open, counting on new regulations and good ol’ supply & demand to weed out the weak and unprofessional. Here are the key highlights of Ordinance F:
  • Like Measures D and E, Ordinance F would allow all 135 dispensaries that were open prior to the 2007 ban to remain open, assuming they meet proximity restriction guidelines with respect to schools, churches, and residential neighborhoods. Ordinance F, though, goes further and allows for as many storefront dispensaries as the market will bear, as long as they meet all regulations and again, proximity restrictions.
  • Ordinance F calls for a 20% tax on all retail dispensary sales. After only 6 months of taxing medical marijuana shops at a far lower rate in 2011, the city of LA raked in over $2.5 million in revenues.
  •  Ordinance F would require that all MMJ dispensary employees be background checked, and those records be kept on file.
  • Ordinance F would require that all weed to hit the shelves in permitted dispensaries be lab tested for pesticides & toxins.
  • Ordinance F would require all permitted dispensaries to submit an annual CPA-prepared financial audit to the City Controller.
  • Ordinance F would require that all permitted dispensaries have designated parking for their patients.
  • Ordinance F would strictly deny access by children to any MMJ dispensary under any circumstance.
Ordinance E was written, more or less, in a knee-jerk response to the proposal outlined above. Originally backed by the powerful lobbying of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, who has claimed to have anywhere from 3000-5000 medical marijuana dispensary workers on its membership rolls over the years, it basically amounts to a ban on all but the 135 “grandfathered” dispensaries that existed pre-2007. Seriously, that’s it, no bullet points or lists. Ordinance E became a ballot-space-filler when the UFCW jumped ship and put its political muscle behind newly formed ordinance D. Ordinance D was born when the LA City Council saw that F was gaining momentum, and that E was an obvious turd. In an 8-4 vote, the Council showed a level of compassion that would be completely alien to the shills on my local San Diego City Council, by at least advancing a proposal that would:
  • Ordinance D would allow all 135 dispensaries that were open prior to the 2007 ban to remain open, like “F”, assuming they meet proximity restriction guidelines with respect to schools, churches and residential neighborhoods. Opponents say that 135 dispensaries are simply not enough to serve the tens of thousands of MMJ patients in Los Angeles.
  • Ordinance D would impose a $60 tax on every $1000 worth of weed sold. Though that is a higher rate that those previously experimented with in the city, it’s still well short of the 20% flat rate that Ordinance F proposes.
Here is my take on the debate going on in LA, prefaced with a reminder that I’m sitting a hundred miles south of the city, and these are just my opinions. I think that regulation and taxation are good for MMJ, and are both necessary in a state that has seen quasi-legal weed dispensaries’ profits soar while the state’s coffers have run dry. In 2012, city officials claimed that they sent out over 1000 letters to storefronts, regarding enforcement of the 2007 ban. UCLA’s Luskin School of Public Affairs got that list and physically visited every address. They concluded that the list was highly inflated, but they still found 472 active dispensaries within city limits. Are 472 even enough? I don’t know, but if 1000+ ever truly existed at one time, that’s a bit much. Ordinance F, from my perspective, adds more much-needed regulation to the industry, and will generate compounding tax revenue for the starving city, mandating higher tax rates and encouraging more shops to succeed, and in turn, pay more taxes. It seems to me that the Union players, who have been manipulating national politics - for better or worse - for the better part of a century, are no dummies and they saw those original 135 shops as a good base to set up shop when they targeted this industry as a fresh source of monthly-dues-payers. I am willing to bet that the majority of their LA-based cannabis-employed members work in 1 of those original 135. The power and spotlight that Union involvement brings to the issue of medical marijuana is not all nefarious in my opinion, and we can thank the struggles of Unions throughout American history for many of our rights as workers. But the fact that their “collective voice” has steered LA’s dispensary debate cannot be denied. The main source of confusion surrounding the May 21st vote is the similarity between Ordinances D and E. Low-info voters may split their support for the two, which could dilute the entire race into a 3-way heat. In fact, a recent Eyewitness News/SurveyUSA poll of “likely and actual voters” showed that voter support is indeed split between the three measures.

Do you support ?

Ordinance D

Ordinance E

Ordinance F

YES

40%

24%

54%

NO

24%

37%

17%

UNSURE

36%

40%

29%

 
As you can see, ordinance F has a sizeable advantage in its support column, but here is where the danger of this 3-measure ballot lies. If none of the three ordinance proposals manages to obtain at least 50% of the final vote, then all three will fail and LA will be back to square one, with no laws to enforce and no tax revenues to be collected. Those opposed to seeing any MMJ dispensaries in Los Angeles may try to seize this moment of confusion and deliberately swing the vote into a three-way draw by coming out in support of Ordinance E – which should have been shitcanned from the ballot altogether by now. Voters of Los Angeles, you cannot let that happen! An ordinance must pass! Maybe you support Ordinance F and its regulation and taxation in exchange for open market freedom, or maybe, like Dan Duncan the President of Americans for Safe Access, you prefer Ordinance D and its limited footprint, “see how it goes” compromised approach. Maybe you don’t have a dog in the fight for MMJ but you are sick of seeing hundreds of thousands of local taxpayer dollars being spent on DEA raids and their consequences while your kids’ school crumbles from lack of maintenance. Whatever the case may be, if you are registered to vote in the city of Los Angeles, you owe it to yourself and your neighbors to make sure that one way or the other, an ordinance gets passed. Tuesday May 21st, it’s time to toke the power back LA! On the web: YES on D - http://www.yesondla.org/ YES on F - http://voteyesonf.com/]]> Welcome to your weekly installment of JackDanieL’s editorial column.  This week, Jack tackles the important upcoming vote on three medical marijuana-related ordinances that are being put before Los Angeles voters.  This is a must read for any medical marijuana supporter, but especially those living in LA. Less than three weeks from today, on May 21st, registered voters in the city of Los Angeles will have a choice to make about how to regulate the storefront sale of medical marijuana. Actually they’ll have three choices, but two of them are sort of the same, and all three have support from MMJ advocacy groups, as well as critics…Confused? You’re probably not alone. The three ordinance initiatives on the city ballot at the end of the month may, or may not, be intentionally mind-boggling, but we’re going to clear it all up right here because there is a lot riding on this vote for our friends in the City of Angels, who have been operating in a dangerous grey-area since an ineffectual 2007 citywide ban on all storefront dispensaries. First, the ballot measures themselves. As I said, Los Angeles residents will have a choice between Measures D, E & F when they cast their vote on the 21st. I’m going to tackle them in the order that they were first introduced. Ordinance F was the first Measure to gather the 41,138 signatures required to get a proposal on the ballot, picking up over 67,000 signatures in January of this year.  Created by Angelenos for Safe Access, this proposal was written for medical marijuana patients and dispensaries, by patients and dispensaries. It calls for a true “Free market” approach which essentially lifts any cap on how many storefronts could potentially open, counting on new regulations and good ol’ supply & demand to weed out the weak and unprofessional. Here are the key highlights of Ordinance F:
  • Like Measures D and E, Ordinance F would allow all 135 dispensaries that were open prior to the 2007 ban to remain open, assuming they meet proximity restriction guidelines with respect to schools, churches, and residential neighborhoods. Ordinance F, though, goes further and allows for as many storefront dispensaries as the market will bear, as long as they meet all regulations and again, proximity restrictions.
  • Ordinance F calls for a 20% tax on all retail dispensary sales. After only 6 months of taxing medical marijuana shops at a far lower rate in 2011, the city of LA raked in over $2.5 million in revenues.
  •  Ordinance F would require that all MMJ dispensary employees be background checked, and those records be kept on file.
  • Ordinance F would require that all weed to hit the shelves in permitted dispensaries be lab tested for pesticides & toxins.
  • Ordinance F would require all permitted dispensaries to submit an annual CPA-prepared financial audit to the City Controller.
  • Ordinance F would require that all permitted dispensaries have designated parking for their patients.
  • Ordinance F would strictly deny access by children to any MMJ dispensary under any circumstance.
Ordinance E was written, more or less, in a knee-jerk response to the proposal outlined above. Originally backed by the powerful lobbying of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, who has claimed to have anywhere from 3000-5000 medical marijuana dispensary workers on its membership rolls over the years, it basically amounts to a ban on all but the 135 “grandfathered” dispensaries that existed pre-2007. Seriously, that’s it, no bullet points or lists. Ordinance E became a ballot-space-filler when the UFCW jumped ship and put its political muscle behind newly formed ordinance D. Ordinance D was born when the LA City Council saw that F was gaining momentum, and that E was an obvious turd. In an 8-4 vote, the Council showed a level of compassion that would be completely alien to the shills on my local San Diego City Council, by at least advancing a proposal that would:
  • Ordinance D would allow all 135 dispensaries that were open prior to the 2007 ban to remain open, like “F”, assuming they meet proximity restriction guidelines with respect to schools, churches and residential neighborhoods. Opponents say that 135 dispensaries are simply not enough to serve the tens of thousands of MMJ patients in Los Angeles.
  • Ordinance D would impose a $60 tax on every $1000 worth of weed sold. Though that is a higher rate that those previously experimented with in the city, it’s still well short of the 20% flat rate that Ordinance F proposes.
Here is my take on the debate going on in LA, prefaced with a reminder that I’m sitting a hundred miles south of the city, and these are just my opinions. I think that regulation and taxation are good for MMJ, and are both necessary in a state that has seen quasi-legal weed dispensaries’ profits soar while the state’s coffers have run dry. In 2012, city officials claimed that they sent out over 1000 letters to storefronts, regarding enforcement of the 2007 ban. UCLA’s Luskin School of Public Affairs got that list and physically visited every address. They concluded that the list was highly inflated, but they still found 472 active dispensaries within city limits. Are 472 even enough? I don’t know, but if 1000+ ever truly existed at one time, that’s a bit much. Ordinance F, from my perspective, adds more much-needed regulation to the industry, and will generate compounding tax revenue for the starving city, mandating higher tax rates and encouraging more shops to succeed, and in turn, pay more taxes. It seems to me that the Union players, who have been manipulating national politics - for better or worse - for the better part of a century, are no dummies and they saw those original 135 shops as a good base to set up shop when they targeted this industry as a fresh source of monthly-dues-payers. I am willing to bet that the majority of their LA-based cannabis-employed members work in 1 of those original 135. The power and spotlight that Union involvement brings to the issue of medical marijuana is not all nefarious in my opinion, and we can thank the struggles of Unions throughout American history for many of our rights as workers. But the fact that their “collective voice” has steered LA’s dispensary debate cannot be denied. The main source of confusion surrounding the May 21st vote is the similarity between Ordinances D and E. Low-info voters may split their support for the two, which could dilute the entire race into a 3-way heat. In fact, a recent Eyewitness News/SurveyUSA poll of “likely and actual voters” showed that voter support is indeed split between the three measures.

Do you support ?

Ordinance D

Ordinance E

Ordinance F

YES

40%

24%

54%

NO

24%

37%

17%

UNSURE

36%

40%

29%

 
As you can see, ordinance F has a sizeable advantage in its support column, but here is where the danger of this 3-measure ballot lies. If none of the three ordinance proposals manages to obtain at least 50% of the final vote, then all three will fail and LA will be back to square one, with no laws to enforce and no tax revenues to be collected. Those opposed to seeing any MMJ dispensaries in Los Angeles may try to seize this moment of confusion and deliberately swing the vote into a three-way draw by coming out in support of Ordinance E – which should have been shitcanned from the ballot altogether by now. Voters of Los Angeles, you cannot let that happen! An ordinance must pass! Maybe you support Ordinance F and its regulation and taxation in exchange for open market freedom, or maybe, like Dan Duncan the President of Americans for Safe Access, you prefer Ordinance D and its limited footprint, “see how it goes” compromised approach. Maybe you don’t have a dog in the fight for MMJ but you are sick of seeing hundreds of thousands of local taxpayer dollars being spent on DEA raids and their consequences while your kids’ school crumbles from lack of maintenance. Whatever the case may be, if you are registered to vote in the city of Los Angeles, you owe it to yourself and your neighbors to make sure that one way or the other, an ordinance gets passed. Tuesday May 21st, it’s time to toke the power back LA! On the web: YES on D - http://www.yesondla.org/ YES on F - http://voteyesonf.com/]]> http://news.nuggetry.com/southern-california-marijuana/haze-of-confusion-surrounds-critical-la-ordinance-vote-%e2%80%93-jd-clears-the-air/feed/ 5 San Diego City Council Scheduled to Discuss Medical Marijuana Dispensaries http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/san-diego-city-council-scheduled-to-discuss-medical-marijuana-dispensaries/ http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/san-diego-city-council-scheduled-to-discuss-medical-marijuana-dispensaries/#comments Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:27:33 +0000 lucy http://news.nuggetry.com/?p=4371 On Monday, the San Diego City Council will hear a proposed law that would allow medical marijuana dispensaries to return to the city. Since 2011, two ordinances have been in place that regulate where medical marijuana collectives can be located and how they must be operated.  However, marijuana advocates thought the ordinances were too limiting and collected signatures to have them rescinded. Without those ordinances in place, San Diego shut down almost all collectives in the city.  A number were also targeted by raids by the federal government. Mayor Bob Filner has pushed for the re-inclusion of collectives in the city limits since he was elected last December.  In January of this year, Filner, along with City Attorney Jan Goldsmith and the San Diego City Council,  agreed to continue enforcing zoning violations while they work to build a new ordinance to allow dispensaries. The goals of the new law would be to allow medical marijuana collectives to open in "permissible zones" with limited competition.  Dispensaries would be kept away from residential areas as well.  Additional goals of the bill are to protect patients, public safety, and children. Goldsmith has recommended that the City Council postpone the hearing again, until the state Supreme Court rules on a case that involves whether or not cities are allowed to regulated medical marijuana collectives.  Hearings on the proposed law have been pushed back already, and medical marijuana advocates are anxious for easy access to return to their city.   [Source]]]> On Monday, the San Diego City Council will hear a proposed law that would allow medical marijuana dispensaries to return to the city. Since 2011, two ordinances have been in place that regulate where medical marijuana collectives can be located and how they must be operated.  However, marijuana advocates thought the ordinances were too limiting and collected signatures to have them rescinded. Without those ordinances in place, San Diego shut down almost all collectives in the city.  A number were also targeted by raids by the federal government. Mayor Bob Filner has pushed for the re-inclusion of collectives in the city limits since he was elected last December.  In January of this year, Filner, along with City Attorney Jan Goldsmith and the San Diego City Council,  agreed to continue enforcing zoning violations while they work to build a new ordinance to allow dispensaries. The goals of the new law would be to allow medical marijuana collectives to open in "permissible zones" with limited competition.  Dispensaries would be kept away from residential areas as well.  Additional goals of the bill are to protect patients, public safety, and children. Goldsmith has recommended that the City Council postpone the hearing again, until the state Supreme Court rules on a case that involves whether or not cities are allowed to regulated medical marijuana collectives.  Hearings on the proposed law have been pushed back already, and medical marijuana advocates are anxious for easy access to return to their city.   [Source]]]> http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/san-diego-city-council-scheduled-to-discuss-medical-marijuana-dispensaries/feed/ 0 Delaware Looks to Move Forward with Medical Marijuana http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/delaware-looks-to-move-forward-with-medcial-marijuana/ http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/delaware-looks-to-move-forward-with-medcial-marijuana/#comments Mon, 15 Apr 2013 14:28:48 +0000 lucy http://news.nuggetry.com/?p=4317 The bill allows patients with certain qualifying conditions, including MS, cancer, and HIV, to purchase up to six ounces of marijuana from the three compassion centers located throughout the state.  The regulations were largely based on a 2009 memorandum released by the federal government, which said that prosecuting medical marijuana patients and caregivers was not a priority. However, in June 2011 the federal government released another memorandum from new US Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole, stating that the federal government could prosecute medical marijuana growers, patients and providers, as well as those "who knowingly facilitate such activities ... regardless of state law." This new statement led Governor Markell to bring Delaware's medical marijuana system to a screeching halt, for fear of state employees being subject to criminal charges for implementing the medical marijuana program. Governor Markell is hoping that clarity will be brought to the subject in the next legislative session so that Delaware can figure out how to move forward without putting residents or state employees at risk of federal prosecution. Markell's team has begun brainstorming new plans for the state's medical marijuana program, by looking at the successes and shortcomings of other states, including New Jersey, Maryland, and Rhode Island.  The governor explained, "Right now we are looking at the other states.  We are currently reviewing steps they have taken.  We wanted to move forward [in 2011] and we would still like to move forward." There are currently about 20 patients in Delaware who have received their medical marijuana cards after receiving a recommendation from their physician.  Thom May, the Delaware Division of Public Health's Health Systems Protection Chief, says that he feels confident in the direction the program is going.  He explained, "We've implemented the program as it has been passed taking into consideration the governor's plans.  At this time the program is in good shape.  Our focus is basically on issuing the medical marijuana cards." May says that he receives a number of inquiries about the program each month, and that residents of Delaware are anxious for the medical marijuana program to be fully established.  "We have a lot of folks interested in maintaining the medical marijuana card given the suspension," he explained.  "We continue to review our regulations and monitor medical marijuana issues that are ongoing throughout the country."   [Source]]]> The bill allows patients with certain qualifying conditions, including MS, cancer, and HIV, to purchase up to six ounces of marijuana from the three compassion centers located throughout the state.  The regulations were largely based on a 2009 memorandum released by the federal government, which said that prosecuting medical marijuana patients and caregivers was not a priority. However, in June 2011 the federal government released another memorandum from new US Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole, stating that the federal government could prosecute medical marijuana growers, patients and providers, as well as those "who knowingly facilitate such activities ... regardless of state law." This new statement led Governor Markell to bring Delaware's medical marijuana system to a screeching halt, for fear of state employees being subject to criminal charges for implementing the medical marijuana program. Governor Markell is hoping that clarity will be brought to the subject in the next legislative session so that Delaware can figure out how to move forward without putting residents or state employees at risk of federal prosecution. Markell's team has begun brainstorming new plans for the state's medical marijuana program, by looking at the successes and shortcomings of other states, including New Jersey, Maryland, and Rhode Island.  The governor explained, "Right now we are looking at the other states.  We are currently reviewing steps they have taken.  We wanted to move forward [in 2011] and we would still like to move forward." There are currently about 20 patients in Delaware who have received their medical marijuana cards after receiving a recommendation from their physician.  Thom May, the Delaware Division of Public Health's Health Systems Protection Chief, says that he feels confident in the direction the program is going.  He explained, "We've implemented the program as it has been passed taking into consideration the governor's plans.  At this time the program is in good shape.  Our focus is basically on issuing the medical marijuana cards." May says that he receives a number of inquiries about the program each month, and that residents of Delaware are anxious for the medical marijuana program to be fully established.  "We have a lot of folks interested in maintaining the medical marijuana card given the suspension," he explained.  "We continue to review our regulations and monitor medical marijuana issues that are ongoing throughout the country."   [Source]]]> http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/delaware-looks-to-move-forward-with-medcial-marijuana/feed/ 2 Washington DC’s First Medical Marijuana Dispensary Plans to Open http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/washington-dcs-first-medical-marijuana-dispensary-plans-to-open/ http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/washington-dcs-first-medical-marijuana-dispensary-plans-to-open/#comments Sat, 23 Mar 2013 14:33:08 +0000 lucy http://news.nuggetry.com/?p=4142 Washington DC's first medical marijuana dispensary is planning to open next month.  Metropolitan Wellness Center will be located at 409 8th Street SE.  This location is only a few blocks away from the Capitol building. Medical marijuana was legalized in Washington in 2010.  Under the law, patients suffering from AIDS, Glaucoma, Multiple Sclerosis, and other debilitating diseases are able to receive a doctor's recommendation to obtain medical marijuana. The opening of MWC will allow medical marijuana patients a new, safe, simple way to access their medicine.  They will be allowed to purchase up to 2 ounces of medical marijuana each month. Some are concerned about the conflict between federal and local laws leading to shut downs of dispensaries in DC.  Advocates have speculated that federal officials would target DC dispensaries so that their authority would not be undermined.  To allow dispensaries right under the noses of the administration could lessen the credibility of the War on Drugs, some believe. Regardless of concerns and speculation, MWC is set to open its doors to patients this April.   [Source]  ]]> Washington DC's first medical marijuana dispensary is planning to open next month.  Metropolitan Wellness Center will be located at 409 8th Street SE.  This location is only a few blocks away from the Capitol building. Medical marijuana was legalized in Washington in 2010.  Under the law, patients suffering from AIDS, Glaucoma, Multiple Sclerosis, and other debilitating diseases are able to receive a doctor's recommendation to obtain medical marijuana. The opening of MWC will allow medical marijuana patients a new, safe, simple way to access their medicine.  They will be allowed to purchase up to 2 ounces of medical marijuana each month. Some are concerned about the conflict between federal and local laws leading to shut downs of dispensaries in DC.  Advocates have speculated that federal officials would target DC dispensaries so that their authority would not be undermined.  To allow dispensaries right under the noses of the administration could lessen the credibility of the War on Drugs, some believe. Regardless of concerns and speculation, MWC is set to open its doors to patients this April.   [Source]  ]]> http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/washington-dcs-first-medical-marijuana-dispensary-plans-to-open/feed/ 1 San Diego Mayor Bob Filner Proposing New Law to Allow Medical Marijuana Collectives http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/san-diego-mayor-bob-filner-proposing-new-law-to-allow-medical-marijuana-collectives/ http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/san-diego-mayor-bob-filner-proposing-new-law-to-allow-medical-marijuana-collectives/#comments Tue, 19 Mar 2013 15:28:34 +0000 lucy http://news.nuggetry.com/?p=4109 Filner's law would allow medical marijuana dispensaries to open up shop in a broad area as long as they are located at least 600 feet from schools, parks, playgrounds, and other dispensaries. Under the proposed plan, each collective would be required to pay a $5,000 annual fee to receive a permit from the city.  Additionally, each collective would pay a 2% sales tax. The plan does not allow for medical marijuana vending machines, which are currently infiltrating the industry. San Diego has struggled with finding a medical marijuana collective system that works for the city.  The medical marijuana scene in San Diego has taken significant blows as dozens of shops have been forced to shut down. Filner's proposed law is expected to go before the City Council next month.   [Source]]]> Filner's law would allow medical marijuana dispensaries to open up shop in a broad area as long as they are located at least 600 feet from schools, parks, playgrounds, and other dispensaries. Under the proposed plan, each collective would be required to pay a $5,000 annual fee to receive a permit from the city.  Additionally, each collective would pay a 2% sales tax. The plan does not allow for medical marijuana vending machines, which are currently infiltrating the industry. San Diego has struggled with finding a medical marijuana collective system that works for the city.  The medical marijuana scene in San Diego has taken significant blows as dozens of shops have been forced to shut down. Filner's proposed law is expected to go before the City Council next month.   [Source]]]> http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/san-diego-mayor-bob-filner-proposing-new-law-to-allow-medical-marijuana-collectives/feed/ 3 Massachusetts Attorney General Says Cities Cannot Ban Medical Marijuana Collectives http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/massachusetts-attorney-general-says-cities-cannot-ban-medical-marijuana-collectives/ http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/massachusetts-attorney-general-says-cities-cannot-ban-medical-marijuana-collectives/#comments Thu, 14 Mar 2013 14:11:55 +0000 lucy http://news.nuggetry.com/?p=4068 A number of towns had already begun to discuss banning dispensaries outright.  The city of Wakefield's decision to ban dispensaries in the town is what incited Coakley's response. The decision was written by Assistant Attorney General Margaret Hurley.  She says that the law's purpose "could not be served if a municipality could prohibit treatment centers within its borders, for if one municipality could do so, presumably all could do so." In a separate decision in response to a  bylaw passed in the town of Burlington, Hurley said that towns may pass moratoriums on dispensaries in order to have time to plan properly, but they must be temporary. Additionally, towns are allowed to regulate where medical marijuana dispensaries can be located via zoning laws. Aside from Wakefield, the towns of Reading and Melrose have both recently approved medical marijuana dispensary bans.  Their Health Director, Ruth Clay, has said that she is disappointed with Coakley's decision.  She explained, "The towns will look at the variety of options that include potentially having a moratorium... or having restrictions." Coakley's decision may turn out to have a lesser impact than the would hope, as she only has statutory authority over town bylaws, not ordinances passed by cities.  That means that some cities may be able to skirt the decision and ban medical marijuana collectives by passing an ordinance if they are really intent on doing so.  However, if those ordinances were ever challenged in court, Coakley's statement could be used in a legal defense. Massachusetts' medical marijuana law took effect on January 1st.  The state Department of Public Health has until May 1st to issue regulations on how the program will be run. [Source]]]> A number of towns had already begun to discuss banning dispensaries outright.  The city of Wakefield's decision to ban dispensaries in the town is what incited Coakley's response. The decision was written by Assistant Attorney General Margaret Hurley.  She says that the law's purpose "could not be served if a municipality could prohibit treatment centers within its borders, for if one municipality could do so, presumably all could do so." In a separate decision in response to a  bylaw passed in the town of Burlington, Hurley said that towns may pass moratoriums on dispensaries in order to have time to plan properly, but they must be temporary. Additionally, towns are allowed to regulate where medical marijuana dispensaries can be located via zoning laws. Aside from Wakefield, the towns of Reading and Melrose have both recently approved medical marijuana dispensary bans.  Their Health Director, Ruth Clay, has said that she is disappointed with Coakley's decision.  She explained, "The towns will look at the variety of options that include potentially having a moratorium... or having restrictions." Coakley's decision may turn out to have a lesser impact than the would hope, as she only has statutory authority over town bylaws, not ordinances passed by cities.  That means that some cities may be able to skirt the decision and ban medical marijuana collectives by passing an ordinance if they are really intent on doing so.  However, if those ordinances were ever challenged in court, Coakley's statement could be used in a legal defense. Massachusetts' medical marijuana law took effect on January 1st.  The state Department of Public Health has until May 1st to issue regulations on how the program will be run. [Source]]]> http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/massachusetts-attorney-general-says-cities-cannot-ban-medical-marijuana-collectives/feed/ 1 Michigan Supreme Court Rules Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Not Legal http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/michigan-supreme-court-rules-medical-marijuana-dispensaries-not-legal/ http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/michigan-supreme-court-rules-medical-marijuana-dispensaries-not-legal/#comments Sat, 09 Feb 2013 16:52:40 +0000 lucy http://news.nuggetry.com/?p=3805 Chief Justice Robert P. Young Jr. and justices Stephen J. Markman, Mary Beth Kelly and Brian Zahra upheld the opinion of the Michigan Court of Appeals, which ruled on the case after then-prosecutor Larry Burdick filed an appeal following Isabella County Trial Judge Paul Chamberlain’s ruling that the dispensary, which facilitated patient-to-patient sales, was legal. The justice's opinion explained that collectives are not included in the law, "Because the MMMA's immunity provision clearly contemplates that a registered qualifying patient's medical use of marijuana only occur for the purpose of alleviating his own debilitating medical condition or symptoms associated with his debilitating medical condition, and not another patient's condition or symptoms." Caregivers are still protected from prosecution, as long as they only provide marijuana to a qualifying patient who they are connected with via the state's registration process. Justice Cavanagh submitted a dissenting opinion, stating "The majority’s view is inconsistent with the purpose of the MMMA—to promote the “health and welfare of [Michigan] citizens”—because qualified patients who are in need of marijuana for medical use, yet do not have the ability to either cultivate marijuana or find a trustworthy primary caregiver, are, for all practical purposes, deprived of an additional route to obtain marijuana for that use—another qualified patient’s transfer. MCL 333.26422(c)." As a result of the ruling, Michigan Attorney Bill Schuette has now announced that he is telling county prosecutors to force the closure of all dispensaries in the state.  He said, “Dispensaries will have to close their doors. Sales or transfers between patients or between caregivers and patients other than their own are not permitted under the Medical Marijuana Act.” Schuette continued to explain that, based on the ruling, he would “send a letter to Michigan’s 83 county prosecutors explaining that the ruling clearly empowers them to close dispensaries and include instructions on how to file similar nuisance actions to close dispensaries in their own counties."     [Source]  ]]> Chief Justice Robert P. Young Jr. and justices Stephen J. Markman, Mary Beth Kelly and Brian Zahra upheld the opinion of the Michigan Court of Appeals, which ruled on the case after then-prosecutor Larry Burdick filed an appeal following Isabella County Trial Judge Paul Chamberlain’s ruling that the dispensary, which facilitated patient-to-patient sales, was legal. The justice's opinion explained that collectives are not included in the law, "Because the MMMA's immunity provision clearly contemplates that a registered qualifying patient's medical use of marijuana only occur for the purpose of alleviating his own debilitating medical condition or symptoms associated with his debilitating medical condition, and not another patient's condition or symptoms." Caregivers are still protected from prosecution, as long as they only provide marijuana to a qualifying patient who they are connected with via the state's registration process. Justice Cavanagh submitted a dissenting opinion, stating "The majority’s view is inconsistent with the purpose of the MMMA—to promote the “health and welfare of [Michigan] citizens”—because qualified patients who are in need of marijuana for medical use, yet do not have the ability to either cultivate marijuana or find a trustworthy primary caregiver, are, for all practical purposes, deprived of an additional route to obtain marijuana for that use—another qualified patient’s transfer. MCL 333.26422(c)." As a result of the ruling, Michigan Attorney Bill Schuette has now announced that he is telling county prosecutors to force the closure of all dispensaries in the state.  He said, “Dispensaries will have to close their doors. Sales or transfers between patients or between caregivers and patients other than their own are not permitted under the Medical Marijuana Act.” Schuette continued to explain that, based on the ruling, he would “send a letter to Michigan’s 83 county prosecutors explaining that the ruling clearly empowers them to close dispensaries and include instructions on how to file similar nuisance actions to close dispensaries in their own counties."     [Source]  ]]> http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/michigan-supreme-court-rules-medical-marijuana-dispensaries-not-legal/feed/ 13 Yet Another Medical Marijuana Measure Proposed for the Los Angeles Ballot http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/yet-another-medical-marijuana-measure-proposed-for-the-los-angeles-ballot/ http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/yet-another-medical-marijuana-measure-proposed-for-the-los-angeles-ballot/#comments Tue, 15 Jan 2013 13:34:12 +0000 lucy http://news.nuggetry.com/?p=3590 Two measures have already been proposed for the Los Angeles ballot for the May election, and now another is joining them.  Each of the measures aims to let marijuana dispensaries stay open in the city, but they all have different small details that could make or break their approval. This could become confusing for voters, who will be forced to sift through the nuance between extremely similar proposals.  Having so many measures on the same topic could also split voters, leading any of the measures to not garner much support because voters are too divided. The newest option for voters has been proposed by a number of City Council members who believe that Los Angeles needs strict regulations on medical marijuana collectives.  The council-backed measure would likely require collectives to remain 1,000 feet apart and include an increase in the tax on medical marijuana. The city council will vote on Wednesday to determine whether they want this measure to appear on the ballot. The other two measures were added to the ballot by petitioning and signature collecting.  The first would allow all marijuana shops that opened before the city's 2007 moratorium to remain open, which would reduce marijuana dispensaries to approximately 100.  The second would allow all collectives that meet certain guidelines, such as limited hours and being more than 1,000 feet from schools, to remain in operation.  The second measure would also raise taxes on medical marijuana sales.   [Source]  ]]> Two measures have already been proposed for the Los Angeles ballot for the May election, and now another is joining them.  Each of the measures aims to let marijuana dispensaries stay open in the city, but they all have different small details that could make or break their approval. This could become confusing for voters, who will be forced to sift through the nuance between extremely similar proposals.  Having so many measures on the same topic could also split voters, leading any of the measures to not garner much support because voters are too divided. The newest option for voters has been proposed by a number of City Council members who believe that Los Angeles needs strict regulations on medical marijuana collectives.  The council-backed measure would likely require collectives to remain 1,000 feet apart and include an increase in the tax on medical marijuana. The city council will vote on Wednesday to determine whether they want this measure to appear on the ballot. The other two measures were added to the ballot by petitioning and signature collecting.  The first would allow all marijuana shops that opened before the city's 2007 moratorium to remain open, which would reduce marijuana dispensaries to approximately 100.  The second would allow all collectives that meet certain guidelines, such as limited hours and being more than 1,000 feet from schools, to remain in operation.  The second measure would also raise taxes on medical marijuana sales.   [Source]  ]]> http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/yet-another-medical-marijuana-measure-proposed-for-the-los-angeles-ballot/feed/ 4 Second Marijuana Initiative Qualifies for Los Angeles Ballot http://news.nuggetry.com/southern-california-marijuana/second-marijuana-initiative-qualifies-for-los-angeles-ballot/ http://news.nuggetry.com/southern-california-marijuana/second-marijuana-initiative-qualifies-for-los-angeles-ballot/#comments Thu, 03 Jan 2013 15:19:24 +0000 lucy http://news.nuggetry.com/?p=3502 The Initiative would allow only about 100 medical marijuana collectives-- those that were open before the city's 2007 moratorium was enacted-- to remain open in LA. The thought process behind this initiative is that it would reward the collectives that have been compliant since the very beginning and eliminate the over saturation of medical marijuana dispensaries in certain parts of the city.  This initiative is seen by many as the best compromise for patients, dispensary owners, law enforcement officials, and citizens of Los Angeles neighborhoods. Rick Icaza, President of UFCW Local 770, said, "Our initiative will guarantee safe access to medical cannabis for those suffering from debilitating and painful diseases and conditions, while at the same time enforcing the rule of law and protecting neighborhoods." Campaign sponsors gathered the necessary 41,138 signatures to appear on the ballot and have the initiative put to a vote of the people.  Aside from UFCW Local 770, sponsors include the Greater Los Angeles Collective Alliance and Americans for Safe Access.  Together, the sponsors have formed the Committee to Protect Patients and Neighborhoods. The CPPN urged the Los Angeles city council to pass the initiative themselves, but they refused.  That's when the group took up signature gathering to get the initiative onto the ballot and to a vote of the people. The other initiative which had already been approved for the ballot would allow the vast majority of medical marijuana collectives to remain open in Los Angeles as long as they follow certain regulations.  Those regulations would include staying a certain distance away from parks and schools, as well as requiring collective owners to pass background checks.  It is estimated that there are currently over 1,000 medical marijuana dispensaries in the city of Los Angeles. Los Angeles has long struggled with how to best manage medical marijuana dispensaries.  Last year they resorted to banning all collectives, but that ban was later lifted.   [Source]]]> The Initiative would allow only about 100 medical marijuana collectives-- those that were open before the city's 2007 moratorium was enacted-- to remain open in LA. The thought process behind this initiative is that it would reward the collectives that have been compliant since the very beginning and eliminate the over saturation of medical marijuana dispensaries in certain parts of the city.  This initiative is seen by many as the best compromise for patients, dispensary owners, law enforcement officials, and citizens of Los Angeles neighborhoods. Rick Icaza, President of UFCW Local 770, said, "Our initiative will guarantee safe access to medical cannabis for those suffering from debilitating and painful diseases and conditions, while at the same time enforcing the rule of law and protecting neighborhoods." Campaign sponsors gathered the necessary 41,138 signatures to appear on the ballot and have the initiative put to a vote of the people.  Aside from UFCW Local 770, sponsors include the Greater Los Angeles Collective Alliance and Americans for Safe Access.  Together, the sponsors have formed the Committee to Protect Patients and Neighborhoods. The CPPN urged the Los Angeles city council to pass the initiative themselves, but they refused.  That's when the group took up signature gathering to get the initiative onto the ballot and to a vote of the people. The other initiative which had already been approved for the ballot would allow the vast majority of medical marijuana collectives to remain open in Los Angeles as long as they follow certain regulations.  Those regulations would include staying a certain distance away from parks and schools, as well as requiring collective owners to pass background checks.  It is estimated that there are currently over 1,000 medical marijuana dispensaries in the city of Los Angeles. Los Angeles has long struggled with how to best manage medical marijuana dispensaries.  Last year they resorted to banning all collectives, but that ban was later lifted.   [Source]]]> http://news.nuggetry.com/southern-california-marijuana/second-marijuana-initiative-qualifies-for-los-angeles-ballot/feed/ 0 Los Angeles Medical Marijuana Dispensary Initiative Signatures Submitted to City Clerk http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/los-angeles-medical-marijuana-dispensary-initiative-signatures-submitted-to-city-clerk/ http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/los-angeles-medical-marijuana-dispensary-initiative-signatures-submitted-to-city-clerk/#comments Mon, 10 Dec 2012 15:52:29 +0000 lucy http://news.nuggetry.com/?p=3331 The initiative, which is also sponsored by the Greater Los Angeles Collective Alliance, Americans For Safe Access LA and UFCW Local 770, would force all medical marijuana shops in Los Angeles to close, with the exception of approximately 128 that have operated as of September 14, 2007. The limited-immunity ordinance would mandate that the city issue permits to the 128 shops, legitimizing medical marijuana in the city and limiting the over saturation and lack of quality control that have led to complaints and efforts to eradicate all collectives from Los Angeles. In order to get the initiative onto the May 21st ballot, the groups needed to collect 41,138 signatures.  Last night they submitted over 72,000 signatures to the City Clerk's office. A statement from the initiative's organizers explained, "The City of Los Angeles is working on its own version of a Limited Immunity Ordinance, but five months have passed since they City's ban was overturned, and the proposed ordinance has not come to the Council for a vote."  By having the initiative placed on the ballot, medical marijuana dispensary supporters are assuring a time frame for the matter to be addressed. Yami Bolanos, president of Greater Los Angeles Collective Alliance, also released a statement about the initiative.  She explained, "We will continue to work with the City in the hopes of overcoming this impasse, but it has been nearly half a year since the ban was overturned.  We need to ensure patients have the access mandated by state law and that all citizens have the protection an ordinance provides." An organization is trying to get another dispensary initiative on the ballot, called the Medical Marijuana Collectives Initiative Ordinance, which would allow more dispensaries to remain open by providing limited immunity from law enforcement for collectives that register with the City and comply with a new set of operation regulations.  This ordinance would allow an unlimited number of collectives to be permitted by the city.   [Source]]]> The initiative, which is also sponsored by the Greater Los Angeles Collective Alliance, Americans For Safe Access LA and UFCW Local 770, would force all medical marijuana shops in Los Angeles to close, with the exception of approximately 128 that have operated as of September 14, 2007. The limited-immunity ordinance would mandate that the city issue permits to the 128 shops, legitimizing medical marijuana in the city and limiting the over saturation and lack of quality control that have led to complaints and efforts to eradicate all collectives from Los Angeles. In order to get the initiative onto the May 21st ballot, the groups needed to collect 41,138 signatures.  Last night they submitted over 72,000 signatures to the City Clerk's office. A statement from the initiative's organizers explained, "The City of Los Angeles is working on its own version of a Limited Immunity Ordinance, but five months have passed since they City's ban was overturned, and the proposed ordinance has not come to the Council for a vote."  By having the initiative placed on the ballot, medical marijuana dispensary supporters are assuring a time frame for the matter to be addressed. Yami Bolanos, president of Greater Los Angeles Collective Alliance, also released a statement about the initiative.  She explained, "We will continue to work with the City in the hopes of overcoming this impasse, but it has been nearly half a year since the ban was overturned.  We need to ensure patients have the access mandated by state law and that all citizens have the protection an ordinance provides." An organization is trying to get another dispensary initiative on the ballot, called the Medical Marijuana Collectives Initiative Ordinance, which would allow more dispensaries to remain open by providing limited immunity from law enforcement for collectives that register with the City and comply with a new set of operation regulations.  This ordinance would allow an unlimited number of collectives to be permitted by the city.   [Source]]]> http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/los-angeles-medical-marijuana-dispensary-initiative-signatures-submitted-to-city-clerk/feed/ 2 First Legal Medical Marijuana Dispensaries to Open in New Jersey, Arizona http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/first-legal-medical-marijuana-dispensaries-to-open-in-new-jersey-arizona/ http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/first-legal-medical-marijuana-dispensaries-to-open-in-new-jersey-arizona/#comments Thu, 06 Dec 2012 15:10:26 +0000 lucy http://news.nuggetry.com/?p=3309 In New Jersey, the Greenleaf Compassion Center in Montclair will begin serving patients today.  Twenty patients are registered to go to the collective and each will be able to bring home a half ounce of marijuana. Greenleaf received its operating permit in October, but waited to hear back about the state's stance on levying a sales tax on medical marijuana before their opened.  Last week, Governor Christie's administration announced that the state's 7% sales tax will apply to medical marijuana. Arizona's first legal medical marijuana collective will also open today.  Arizona Organix in Glendale will open this morning, which is bittersweet news for many in the Phoenix area. Arizona's medical marijuana law only allows patients to grow their own marijuana if they live further than 25 miles from a dispensary.  Now that Arizona Organix is opening, that means that everyone in a 25 mile radius will be forced to stop growing their own medicine.  So for those who prefer to grow for themselves, the opening of the shop is nothing to celebrate.  Others, however, who do not have the resources to grow for themselves, are thankful to finally have safe and legal access to medical marijuana nearby. The opening of Arizona Organix comes after Maricopa County Court Judge Michael Gordon ruled that Arizona's medical marijuana law is not preempted by federal law. Both New Jersey and Arizona's medical marijuana laws were passed in 2010.   [Source]]]> In New Jersey, the Greenleaf Compassion Center in Montclair will begin serving patients today.  Twenty patients are registered to go to the collective and each will be able to bring home a half ounce of marijuana. Greenleaf received its operating permit in October, but waited to hear back about the state's stance on levying a sales tax on medical marijuana before their opened.  Last week, Governor Christie's administration announced that the state's 7% sales tax will apply to medical marijuana. Arizona's first legal medical marijuana collective will also open today.  Arizona Organix in Glendale will open this morning, which is bittersweet news for many in the Phoenix area. Arizona's medical marijuana law only allows patients to grow their own marijuana if they live further than 25 miles from a dispensary.  Now that Arizona Organix is opening, that means that everyone in a 25 mile radius will be forced to stop growing their own medicine.  So for those who prefer to grow for themselves, the opening of the shop is nothing to celebrate.  Others, however, who do not have the resources to grow for themselves, are thankful to finally have safe and legal access to medical marijuana nearby. The opening of Arizona Organix comes after Maricopa County Court Judge Michael Gordon ruled that Arizona's medical marijuana law is not preempted by federal law. Both New Jersey and Arizona's medical marijuana laws were passed in 2010.   [Source]]]> http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/first-legal-medical-marijuana-dispensaries-to-open-in-new-jersey-arizona/feed/ 2 Lowell, MA Makes Zoning Amendments to Control Medical Marijuana Dispensaries http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/lowell-ma-makes-zoning-amendments-to-control-medical-marijuana-dispensaries/ http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/lowell-ma-makes-zoning-amendments-to-control-medical-marijuana-dispensaries/#comments Tue, 04 Dec 2012 15:45:41 +0000 lucy http://news.nuggetry.com/?p=3289 The city of Lowell, Massachusetts is making zoning restrictions to help control where medical marijuana dispensaries will be allowed to operate.  Unlike other towns in Massachusetts, Lowell is not looking to completely ban collectives, but they want to control where they open in order to ensure they are received well by community members. Assistant City Manager Adam Baacke explained that the intent is to keep dispensaries from over-saturating one area of the city and to keep them away from residential areas, schools, and public libraries. The new zoning amendment could be finished as soon as this week.  It is being drafted with contributions from the city's law, planning, health, and police departments.  Once completed, the amendment will be reviewed by the Planning Board and City Council, who must both approve it in order for it to take effect. Similar restrictions on where collectives can be located are being established in Boston, Framingham, and Quincy.  Cities such as Reading and Wakefield have already moved to completely ban collectives. Officials from other cities are not so concerned.  Only 35 dispensaries will be able to open throughout the state, and there are over ten times as many communities that they could potentially choose to set up shop. Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella does not think his community of just over 40,000 residents will be a target for someone wanting to open a dispensary.  "How many can there be?" he asked.  "Is there going to be one on every corner?  I just think enough of the bigger areas will have them, the bigger cities." Tewksbury selectman Douglas Sears has expressed that he thinks the city would be a good place to open a dispensary.  He has recommended opening one in the city's hospital.  He explained, "It has a pharmacy.  It's already run by the state.  And it has the safeguards of its own campus police, plus we have the Tewksbury police.  The state is already heavily involved in the administration of controlled substances at that location."   [Source]]]> The city of Lowell, Massachusetts is making zoning restrictions to help control where medical marijuana dispensaries will be allowed to operate.  Unlike other towns in Massachusetts, Lowell is not looking to completely ban collectives, but they want to control where they open in order to ensure they are received well by community members. Assistant City Manager Adam Baacke explained that the intent is to keep dispensaries from over-saturating one area of the city and to keep them away from residential areas, schools, and public libraries. The new zoning amendment could be finished as soon as this week.  It is being drafted with contributions from the city's law, planning, health, and police departments.  Once completed, the amendment will be reviewed by the Planning Board and City Council, who must both approve it in order for it to take effect. Similar restrictions on where collectives can be located are being established in Boston, Framingham, and Quincy.  Cities such as Reading and Wakefield have already moved to completely ban collectives. Officials from other cities are not so concerned.  Only 35 dispensaries will be able to open throughout the state, and there are over ten times as many communities that they could potentially choose to set up shop. Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella does not think his community of just over 40,000 residents will be a target for someone wanting to open a dispensary.  "How many can there be?" he asked.  "Is there going to be one on every corner?  I just think enough of the bigger areas will have them, the bigger cities." Tewksbury selectman Douglas Sears has expressed that he thinks the city would be a good place to open a dispensary.  He has recommended opening one in the city's hospital.  He explained, "It has a pharmacy.  It's already run by the state.  And it has the safeguards of its own campus police, plus we have the Tewksbury police.  The state is already heavily involved in the administration of controlled substances at that location."   [Source]]]> http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/lowell-ma-makes-zoning-amendments-to-control-medical-marijuana-dispensaries/feed/ 1 New Jersey’s First Medical Marijuana Dispensary Allowed to Open http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/new-jerseys-first-medical-marijuana-dispensary-allowed-to-open/ http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/new-jerseys-first-medical-marijuana-dispensary-allowed-to-open/#comments Tue, 16 Oct 2012 19:17:00 +0000 lucy http://news.nuggetry.com/?p=2960 The State Health Department announced on Monday that the collective has cleared all of its regulatory obligations and has been granted an operating license, meaning that it can open its doors as soon as the owners are ready. Since NJ's medical marijuana law was put into place, prospective collective owners have struggled to find cities that will allow them to operate.  Greenleaf was fortunate enough to be allowed to open in downtown Montclair. The only location mishap the collective has encountered was a delayed certificate of occupancy due to a malfunctioning air conditioner.  The problem has since been fixed and the collective is now able to open for business whenever they choose to. Despite the fact that they are allowed to open, there is no definitive timeline for when they will open their doors. So far, 320 people in New Jersey have registered as medical marijuana patients.  Those who have selected Greenleaf to be their dispensary will receive registration cards in the mail this week. There are five other organizations currently working to open collectives in the state.  Two have selected locations, and three are still looking for a place to set up shop.   [Source]]]> The State Health Department announced on Monday that the collective has cleared all of its regulatory obligations and has been granted an operating license, meaning that it can open its doors as soon as the owners are ready. Since NJ's medical marijuana law was put into place, prospective collective owners have struggled to find cities that will allow them to operate.  Greenleaf was fortunate enough to be allowed to open in downtown Montclair. The only location mishap the collective has encountered was a delayed certificate of occupancy due to a malfunctioning air conditioner.  The problem has since been fixed and the collective is now able to open for business whenever they choose to. Despite the fact that they are allowed to open, there is no definitive timeline for when they will open their doors. So far, 320 people in New Jersey have registered as medical marijuana patients.  Those who have selected Greenleaf to be their dispensary will receive registration cards in the mail this week. There are five other organizations currently working to open collectives in the state.  Two have selected locations, and three are still looking for a place to set up shop.   [Source]]]> http://news.nuggetry.com/medical-marijuana/new-jerseys-first-medical-marijuana-dispensary-allowed-to-open/feed/ 5