Blog

Los Angeles' finance office says 457 pot shops have filed renewals to pay taxes this year, but more than 1,100 medical marijuana collectives are actively registered.

Paul Marini | April 02, 2014

Emily Alpert Reyes, Los Angeles Times More than 450 medical marijuana shops have filed renewals to pay Los Angeles business taxes this year — more than three times as many as are allowed to stay open under Proposition D.

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Saying Arizona should only use money from the state’s medical marijuana program to fund drug abuse prevention programs, a state senator blocks PTSD-medical marijuana research.

Paul Marini | April 02, 2014

Katie Rucke, MintPress News Lawmakers blocking medical marijuana legalization due to a lack of research, then blocking said research, is a cycle that continues to thrive throughout the U.S. political realm, even though the American public’s support for medical marijuana...

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Navigating Medical Marijuana in the Mainstream: Advocates Return to D.C. This Weekend

Paul Marini | April 01, 2014

Steph Sherer, Huffington Post (Op-ed) Plotting a course forward for state and federal policy on medical cannabis is the agenda for patients, parents, medical professionals and other stakeholders gathering in Washington, D.C., this weekend at Americans for Safe Access’ second...

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A California resident is closer to getting back medical marijuana seized in 2011.

Paul Marini | March 31, 2014

Steven Nelson, U.S. News & World Report California resident Valerie Okun is one step closer to reclaiming medical marijuana seized by Arizona police near the Mexican border in 2011.

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ASA California Roundup: March 31, 2014

Paul Marini | March 31, 2014

Contents:Message from the CA Director - Maral v. Live Oak – Local Politics MatterCalifornia News Crime Reduces at Steeper Rate in States Allowing Medical Marijuana, Study Says (National) Medical marijuana eases some MS symptoms, neurologists report (National) California Supreme Court...

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Maral v. Live Oak – Local Politics Matter

Paul Marini | March 30, 2014

A local ban on all medical cannabis cultivation stands after the California Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal on Wednesday in Maral v. Live Oak, an appellate decision permitting cities and counties to prevent patients from growing their own...

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MD Senate Passes a More Patient-Friendly Medical Cannabis Bill

Paul Marini | March 27, 2014

Today the Maryland Senate passed SB 923, which would authorize the Natalie M. LaPrade Medical Marijuana Commission ("Commission") to license and regulate medical cannabis growers and "medical marijuana treatment centers" where patients may purchase their medicine. The law passed by a...

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ACTION ALERT: Ask your Member of Congress to sign Rohrabacher and Farr's letter to defund DOJ attacks on medical cannabis

Paul Marini | March 26, 2014

As the federal Department of Justice (DOJ) continues to crack down on the implementation of state-authorized medical cannabis programs, Congressmen Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) and Sam Farr (D-CA) are leading an effort to defund the DOJ’s anti-medical cannabis efforts.  These two Members of...

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Proposed legislation would clamp down hard on medical cannabis, but weed activists are pushing for saner reforms.

Paul Marini | March 26, 2014

David Downs, East Bay Express In a recent interview for a Culture magazine cover story, CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta, the one-time US Surgeon General candidate, told me he believes that FDA-approved medical marijuana products should be available in every pharmacy...

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Alabama's High-CBD Seizure Disorder Treatment Bill Contains Technical and Practical Flaws

Paul Marini | March 24, 2014

Note: updated 3.25.14 Last week Alabama passed SB 174, also known as Carly's Law, which is designed to create limited access to high-CBD cannabis preparations. While this bill can be viewed a some measure of progress to come out of...

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