A pair of bills that would enhance the legal standing of medical marijuana providers have advanced in the Legislature following this month's landmark court ruling that affirmed the rights of local governments to ban dispensaries. The bills are two components of the ongoing and often passionate arguments between Californians who support brick-and-mortar marijuana dispensaries and those who oppose such storefront operations as "pot shops" that often provide marijuana to people lacking serious medical problems. On one side, two of the Legislature's leading Democrats are backing the bills in the face of opposition from Republicans and law enforcement leaders. The California Police Chief's Association has pledged to oppose the bills, which would create new regulations and protections for medical marijuana providers within state law. The federal government's ban on marijuana would remain in force. [continues 712 words]
DIAMOND BAR -- Many California that have taken a stand on the medical marijuana question have given firm "no" answers to those wishing to operate cannabis dispensaries, but this suburb has been an exception. Diamond Bar, in contrast to many of its neighbors, has an ordinance that allows a single medical marijuana dispensary to operate within city limits. That privileged position is currently occupied by a dispensary calling itself Farm Assist Caregivers, which did not make anyone available to comment for this article. [continues 586 words]
Effects: Patients Say Ruling Will Limit Access to Treatment, Increase Illegal Sales RIVERSIDE -- Medical marijuana patient Gilbert Aguilar, who used the local collective at the center of Monday's landmark court ruling affirming cities' ability to ban cannabis dispensaries, did not hide his disappointment when he found it closed. "I think it sucks. They fought the good fight," Aguilar, 49, of Temecula said. "They ran a good establishment. I was proud to be a patient here," added Aguilar, who said he uses marijuana to alleviate back pain. [continues 443 words]
Medical Marijuana Backers Claim Officials Are Stalling Medical marijuana advocates say they are frustrated with what they see as San Bernardino County's refusal to pass a law defining how cannabis providers should operate. "They're making up their own rules as they go," said Abel Chapa, a self-described volunteer for San Bernardino Patients Association, a Chino-area collective that sheriff's deputies raided in late March. In the eyes of Chapa and Inland Empire cannabis advocate Lanny Swerdlow, county law enforcement is willfully ignoring California's medical marijuana laws and is presently using all means at its disposal to keep prevent patients from obtaining medical marijuana. [continues 837 words]
San Bernardino City Councilman Chas Kelley is unambiguous about his opposition to allowing medical marijuana to be distributed in his city. "I just don't want to be a regional magnet," said Kelley, noting that nearby cities had prohibitions on the books before San Bernardino followed their lead last month. The nearly 13 years since California voters asked their government to legalize medical marijuana has not been enough time to settle debate on the proper use of the much loved and hated herb. [continues 587 words]
New York City Health Commissioner Thomas R. Frieden recently published an article in the New England Journal of Medicine advocating a penny-per-ounce tax on sodas and sports drinks that contain sugar. Frieden argues such a tax would be instrumental in increasing public health and curbing America's obesity epidemic, as well as raise $1.2 billion a year in state revenue. Given the state of the economy and the recent rash of proposed goods-tax increases, I'd say the latter is likely a stronger motivational force than Frieden has admitted. [continues 778 words]
The scene: A young man with a shaved head laughs heartily while an off-camera voice declares, "He won't be able to hold it." The young man's laughter fades into anxiety in a matter of seconds. Within moments, the observer's prediction holds true as all traces of humor vanish from the man's face. He places his hands beneath his thighs and begins to rock back and forth as if in the grips of extreme stress. Things get worse. He rises from his chair and staggers around, stricken with an expression that suggests confusion and fear. Realizing something's wrong, one of the young man's friends helps him sit down. [continues 537 words]
YUCAIPA - Another inland town moved closer to snuffing out medicinal marijuana Monday when the City Council approved staffers' plans to craft an ordinance prohibiting medical cannabis dispensaries. Yucaipa's not the only East Valley city addressing the marijuana issue this week. In Redlands on Tuesday the Planning Commission voted unanimously to pass along a recommendation to the City Council to put an anti-cannabis law on the books. California cities face a contradiction between state and federal laws governing marijuana. The state's voters cast ballots to allow the use of medical cannabis when they passed Proposition 215 in 1996, but Uncle Sam has since maintained federal policy that classifies marijuana as an illegal, controlled substance. [continues 264 words]
