Blog

City of Oakland Battles Obama Administration in Federal Court Over Medical Marijuana Dispensary

Paul Marini | January 30, 2013

San Francisco, CA -- The Obama Administration will argue for the dismissal of a lawsuit Thursday brought by the City of Oakland in an effort to halt the forfeiture of property currently being used by Harborside Health Center, one of...

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Medical Marijuana Patient Advocacy Group and Herbal Medicine Industry Collaborate to Enhance Product Safety

Paul Marini | January 24, 2013

Washington, DC -- The Cannabis Committee of the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), the only national trade association that is focused primarily on herbs and botanicals and herbal products, issued recommendations this week to regulators of dispensaries in California, Colorado,...

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Appellate decision puts the ball in your court

Paul Marini | January 22, 2013

The US appellate court in Washington, DC, denied our appeal to reschedule cannabis under federal law today, agreeing with the Drug Enforcement Administration's (DEA) position that "adequate and well-controlled studies" on the medical efficacy of medical cannabis do not exist....

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D.C. Circuit Denies Medical Marijuana Reclassification Challenge, Advocates Vow to Appeal

Paul Marini | January 22, 2013

Washington, DC -- The United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit issued a ruling today in the medical marijuana reclassification case, Americans for Safe Access v. Drug Enforcement Administration. In a 2-1 decision, the Court granted standing in...

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Another State Appellate Court Holds That the Police Must Return Medical Marijuana That Was Seized from a Qualified Patient

Paul Marini | January 18, 2013

Although the case of Arizona v. Okun arises out of Arizona, the patient whose marijuana was seized is from California.  While driving across the California-Arizona boarder at Yuma, qualified California medical marijuana patient Valerie Okun was stopped at a border...

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California Supreme Court Deems Legality of Storefront Medical Marijuana Dispensaries “Final”

Paul Marini | January 18, 2013

"The matter is now final," according to the California Supreme Court.  On Wednesday, the California Supreme Court denied requests from the League of California Cities, the San Diego District Attorney's Office, the Sacramento District Attorney's Office, the Sonoma District Attorney's...

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After Being Denied a Medical Marijuana Defense, Another Montana Cultivator was Convicted in Federal Court Yesterday

Paul Marini | January 18, 2013

Missoula, MT -- Montana medical marijuana patient, cultivator and former University of Montana Grizzlies quarterback Jason Washington was convicted yesterday in federal court of two felonies, "conspiracy to manufacture and distribute marijuana" and "possession with intent to distribute marijuana," but...

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LA City Council moves to write a third medical cannabis initiative

Paul Marini | January 17, 2013

Voters in Los Angeles will have three medical cannabis measures from which to choose when they go to the polls in May. The City Council approved a motion (11-1) by Council Member Paul Koretz on Wednesday instructing the City Attorney...

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California Supreme Court Denies Review of Landmark Medical Marijuana Case, Affirms Legality of Storefront Dispensaries

Paul Marini | January 17, 2013

San Diego, CA -- The California Supreme Court denied review yesterday of a landmark medical marijuana dispensary case, which drew widespread attention from prosecutors and policymakers across the state. The Fourth District Court of Appeal for California issued a unanimous...

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California Supreme Court picks February 5th for oral arguments to decide whether municipalities can ban local distribution of medical marijuana

Paul Marini | January 11, 2013

The California Supreme Court scheduled oral arguments this week in a case that has received widespread attention inside and outside of the medical marijuana community. The appellate court ruling in City of Riverside v. Inland Empire Patients Health and Wellness...

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