Blog

Los Angeles Voters Overwhelmingly Adopt Medical Marijuana Dispensary Regulations at the Ballot Box

Paul Marini | May 22, 2013

Los Angeles, CA -- An overwhelming sixty-three percent of Los Angeles voters passed Measure D yesterday, bringing long-awaited regulations to the city's medical marijuana dispensaries. Measure D, which was placed on the ballot earlier this year by the Los Angeles...

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CA Senate approves regulation bill

Paul Marini | May 20, 2013

Sen. Darrell SteinbergThe California Senate approved SB 439 on Monday. The bill, which is co-authored by Senate President Pro-Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) and Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) clarifies the scope of protections offered by the state’s medical cannabis laws...

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After Senate Vote, Illinois Now Waits on Governor Quinn to Become the 19th Medical Marijuana State

Paul Marini | May 17, 2013

Springfield, IL -- The Illinois Senate voted 35-21 today to pass HB1, the "Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act," which creates a framework to protect physicians and certain qualified medical marijuana patients from arrest and prosecution. Today's vote...

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Medical Marijuana Advocates Protest U.S. Attorney General Holder's Speech in Berkeley

Paul Marini | May 11, 2013

Berkeley, CA -- As U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder delivered a commencement speech this morning for UC Berkeley law school graduates, a plane flew overhead with a banner that read "Holder: End Rx Cannabis War. #Peace4Patients," in protest against recent...

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CA Supreme Court ruling puts the ball in our court

Paul Marini | May 10, 2013

The California Supreme Court ruled on Monday that medical cannabis dispensaries are legal under state law, but cities and counties can still ban them. The decision in City of Riverside v. Inland Empire Patients Health and Wellness Center is disappointing,...

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Activist Spotlight: Bunny Hethcox, Columbus, Wisconsin

Paul Marini | May 08, 2013

Bunny Hethcox is a 54-year-old mother of two and grandmother of six. A real estate broker for 17 years, Bunny taught her kids drugs were bad. But Bunny also suffers from fibromyalgia, PTSD, depression and anxiety, and one day while...

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Massachusetts Public Health Council Votes to Approve Regulations for Medical Marijuana

Paul Marini | May 08, 2013

Boston, MA -- The Massachusetts Public Health Council voted today to approve final regulations issued by the Department of Public Health (DPH) for the implementation of the state's first medical marijuana program. Today's approved regulations are the work of weeks...

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DOJ Files Forfeiture Lawsuit Against One of California's Oldest Medical Marijuana Dispensaries

Paul Marini | May 08, 2013

Berkeley, CA -- One of California's oldest medical marijuana dispensaries, Berkeley Patients Group (BPG), was served with a lawsuit Friday in an attempt to seize the property in which it operates and to ultimately shut the facility down. In the...

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California Supreme Court Recognizes Legality of Medical Marijuana Dispensaries, But Says Localities May Ban Them

Paul Marini | May 06, 2013

Sacramento, CA -- The California Supreme Court ruled today in the case City of Riverside v. Inland Empire Patients Health and Wellness Center that local governments may ban the distribution of medical marijuana and are not preempted by state law...

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Kal Penn of "Harold & Kumar" off-base for defending Obama attacks in medical marijuana states

Paul Marini | May 03, 2013

Last week, Kal Penn, who plays Kumar in the “stoner” film franchise Harold & Kumar, spoke to Huffington Post Live about President Obama’s marijuana policies. During the April 26th interview, Penn defended recent Justice Department attacks on dispensaries in medical...

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