Medical cannabis news, events, and more from all over the state

NEWS      

National

Medical Marijuana Seller Faces Prison in Washington, Where Pot Is Legal

California

Openness act targets backroom deals

Jim Wood closes in on removing March 1 marijuana deadline

Local

More pot dispensaries on county land coming (San Diego County)

Supes to hold two meetings on marijuana ordinance (Humboldt County)

Armed robbers shoot clerk at a medical marijuana dispensary in Littlerock area of northern Los Angeles County (Palmdale)

Berkeley marijuana dispensary robbed at gunpoint (Berkeley)

Local Bans in the News

Water rate increase, medical marijuana on Vacaville city council agenda (Vacaville)

Suisun council approves tighter marijuana laws (Suisun)

Council to consider ordinance on pot growers (Davis)

Coalinga Moves Forward with Medical Marijuana Plan (Coalinga)

Modesto bans medical marijuana grows (Modesto)

Grass Valley Planning Commission to discuss medical marijuana ordinance Jan. 19 (Grass Valley)

O.C. cities scramble to ban pot (Orange County)

Brentwood bans medical marijuana delivery by out-of-town dispensaries (Brentwood)

Glendale works to keep medical marijuana dispensary ban in place (Glendale)

Arroyo Grande, Morro Bay move to ban medical marijuana cultivation (Arroyo Grande, Morro Bay)

County tightens pot restrictions (Kings County)

Lemon Grove takes deeper look at marijuana shops (Lemon Grove)

Santa Cruz County medical marijuana dispensaries ring up more than $32.3M in sales (Santa Cruz County)

St. Helena council endorses marijuana regulations (St. Helena)

Nevada County supervisors ban outdoor marijuana grows (Nevada County)

Growing, delivering medical marijuana prohibited in Dixon (Dixon)

Council supports ban on pot industry (Simi Valley)

City Council tightens medical marijuana rules more (Laguna Beach)

Valley Springs dispensary shuts down (Valley Springs)

SH City Council prohibits marijuana cultivation, mobile dispensaries (Signal Hill)

Ventura County cities scramble to further formalize their medical marijuana bans (Ventura County)

Ventura joins other cities with ban on medical marijuana cultivation, delivery (Ventura)

PUBLIC MEETINGS & EVENTS 

January 19, 2016 - Joint Hearing of the Assembly Business and Professions, Agriculture, and Health Committees (Sacramento)
1:30 PM in room 4202 in the State Capitol Building. The committees will be discussing implementation of the Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act. You can listen to the hearing online here: http://assembly.ca.gov/listen/4202-audio

January 19, 2016 – Brea City Council Meeting (Brea)
7:00 PM in Council Chambers, 1 Civic Center Circle, Brea, CA 92821. The city council will consider a permanent bans on medical cannabis activity. Arrive early to complete a public speakers card to oppose item 22. Find the agenda online. Use the “Resources for Local Organizers” in the Local Access Project to help.

January 19, 2016 – Santa Rosa City Council Meeting (Santa Rosa)
After 4:00 PM at City Hall, 100 Santa Rosa Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95404. The City Council will hold a public hearing on a ban on medical cannabis cultivation. Arrive early to complete a public speaker’s card to oppose item 15.1.  Ask the City Council to license and regulate, instead. Use the “Resources for Local Organizers” in the Local Access Project to help.

January 19, 2016 - CCIA and Cal Heritage Roundtable Discussion, Lunch and Benefit Concert (Sacramento)
9:00AM - 9:30 PM at the Crest Theatre, 1013 K Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. Experts will discuss new medical cannabis laws and adult use legalization in California. Get Tickets: http://www.calheritage.com/events/ Details: Call (916) 910-9769 or visit http://www.calheritage.com/events/

January 20, 2016 – Senate Health Committee Hearing on AB 21 (Sacramento)
1:30 PM in room 4203 in the State Capitol Building. The committee will be discussing AB 21 (Wood), which will remove the March 1, 2016, deadline for cities and counties to regulate or ban medical cannabis cultivation. ASA is asking for additional amendments to protect patient cultivation rights. You should comment in advance of the hearing. Find contact information for committee members here: http://shea.senate.ca.gov/ Visit http://www.safeaccessnow.org/2016_legislation for more information, including ASA’s position letter.

January 23, 2016 – Conference: Cannabis for Autism (Rancho Cucamonga)
8:30 AM – 1:00 PM at the Victoria Gardens Cultural Center at 12505 Cultural Center Drive, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91739. The keynote speaker is Dr. Lester Grinspoon, Associate Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and medical cannabis expert. $10 at the door (no credit/debit). Refreshments served. RSVP in advance at [email protected] or call (760) 244-1053.

January 27, 2016 - Protecting Access in Your Community: California Local Access Project (Online)
Live at 8:00 PM PT at https://plus.google.com/u/1/b/109193897924528499034/events/ceuqac5qrafph57fkrjd1tuql84  Log in early to install software, if this is your first live Google Hangout event. Cities and counties are rushing to ban commercial medical cannabis activity all over the state. ASA California Director Don Duncan will talk about what you can do to stop or overturn a ban in your community. Other topics include proposed changes to state licensing and regulation, other bills on the table this year, and building local support. Use the Google Hangout link above to ask questions and make comments. You can watch live without interactive features at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9bpBwavBQ8 Be sure to invite friends and loved ones who care about medical cannabis in California.

March 18-22, 2016 – National Medical Cannabis Unity Conference (Washington, DC)
All day at the Loews Madison Hotel, 1177 15th St NW, Washington, DC 20005, and the US Capitol Building. The theme this year’s conference is “Our Medicine, Our Safety, Our Rights.” Our goal is to connect advocates, industry workers and leaders, researchers, doctors and others to effect real change for medical cannabis. Get signed up today so that you can be a part of it all. Here is the link to book your hotel: https://www.loewshotels.com/madison/Americans-for-Safe-Access?corpcode=NUC316 or call 1-855-325-6397 and use Reservation ID NUC316 to make your reservations. Be sure to mention the ASA Unity Conference to get the best rate. Make your reservation ASAP!

TAKE ACTION NOW 

Support AB 26 in California: Training for the Medical Cannabis Industry
AB 26 by Assembly Member Jones-Sawyer (D-LA) will require that medical cannabis businesses seeking a license to operate under the Medical marijuana Regulation and Safety Act provide compliance training for employees. ASA strongly supports robust training for the professionals serving legal medical cannabis patients in California. Sign this petition to support quality and service in the medical cannabis industry. Read more about AB 26 at http://www.safeaccessnow.org/2016_legislation

COURT SUPPORT 

What is Court Support and how do I get involved? 

January 21, 2016 – Court Support for Alex Lyons (Oroville)
8:30 AM in Butte County Superior Court at 1 Court St, Oroville , CA 95965. Pretrial hearing. Dress in an appropriate manner and obey all courtroom rules to best help the defendant. 

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Find more information and additional listings on The Human Solution Calendar: http://www.thsintl.org/calendar

ASA WEBSITE SPOTLIGHT 

2016 Legislation
Americans for Safe Access (ASA) tracks legislation related to medical cannabis in California. We work with lawmakers, staff, and other stakeholders to support beneficial bills and amendments and stop legislation and amendments that erode patients' rights. Use the links on this page to locate the most up-to-date versions of bills, ASA position letters, and related documents. Bookmark this page and check back often.

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The “California Weekly Roundup” is a once-a-week email for ASA Members and Friends that focuses on relevant news and important updates, action alerts, meetings and special events. Send items for the California Weekly Roundup to [email protected] before 12:00 PM on Friday to be included in Monday's distribution.