Southern California Legal Growers

Zig Zag Zane

Well-Known Member
My daughter told me that in court, cops aren't required to know the law. What? Really? What planet do I live on?
seriously! I know exactly how you feel...it can be very frustrating that we have a state law in place, but still ..the state police hassle mmj patients, clubs, etc all the time...
 

superdave5

Active Member
This crap literally makes me so mad Im near speachless......... Fuckin cops go bust a meth lab and keep the real problems off the street... Let the hurting patients that benifit from cannibis and the smokers that smoke to relax ALONE.... Ill be supporting any and all future attemps to end this bullshit prohibition. Wish cops would realize that there budgets would be higher and pay checks would increase with the money they would save if they just left us alone and redirected there focus towards SERIOUS CRIMES......
 

Zig Zag Zane

Well-Known Member
Wish cops would realize that there budgets would be higher and pay checks would increase with the money they would save if they just left us alone and redirected there focus towards SERIOUS CRIMES......
That would mean that the cops actually have to do their jobs!:o.....:lol:
 

can.i.buz

Well-Known Member
more ridiculousness from the white papers

E. POISONINGS
Another social problem somewhat unique to marijuana dispensaries is poisonings, both intentional and
unintentional. On August 16, 2006, the Los Angeles Police Department received two such reports.
One involved a security guard who ate a piece of cake extended to him from an operator of a
marijuana clinic as a “gift,” and soon afterward felt dizzy and disoriented.66 The second incident
concerned a UPS driver who experienced similar symptoms after accepting and eating a cookie given
to him by an operator of a different marijuana clinic.
 

Zig Zag Zane

Well-Known Member
more ridiculousness from the white papers

E. POISONINGS
Another social problem somewhat unique to marijuana dispensaries is poisonings, both intentional and
unintentional. On August 16, 2006, the Los Angeles Police Department received two such reports.
One involved a security guard who ate a piece of cake extended to him from an operator of a
marijuana clinic as a “gift,” and soon afterward felt dizzy and disoriented.66 The second incident
concerned a UPS driver who experienced similar symptoms after accepting and eating a cookie given
to him by an operator of a different marijuana clinic.
jesus fucking christ...they used the word "poisoning"...what a crock of shit...so two people ate edibles and got stoned...it was probably just a misunderstanding...the polices wording in the document is pure propaganda
 

pabloesqobar

Well-Known Member
Interesting thread. I read the "white papers". Or most of it, anyway. Much of the legal analysis regarding the illegality of dispensaries appears to be correct. Neither prop 215, nor SB420 specifically allow the operation of dispensaries. Pretty good argument that they are illegal.

That being said, the reality of the situation requires they be allowed to operate. Fact: California MMJ patients are allowed to legally possess pot. Given that it is legal, why would a store that sells to them be illegal? I read the concerns cited in the report, and they are hogwash. It appears that the legislature needs to amend SB420, or propose a new bill that provides a bit more guidance. Californians deserve some type of certainty regarding the medical marijuana laws. I'm in San Diego, and have concerns about my personal grow.
 

can.i.buz

Well-Known Member
Interesting thread. I read the "white papers". Or most of it, anyway. Much of the legal analysis regarding the illegality of dispensaries appears to be correct. Neither prop 215, nor SB420 specifically allow the operation of dispensaries. Pretty good argument that they are illegal.

That being said, the reality of the situation requires they be allowed to operate. Fact: California MMJ patients are allowed to legally possess pot. Given that it is legal, why would a store that sells to them be illegal? I read the concerns cited in the report, and they are hogwash. It appears that the legislature needs to amend SB420, or propose a new bill that provides a bit more guidance. Californians deserve some type of certainty regarding the medical marijuana laws. I'm in San Diego, and have concerns about my personal grow.
I wouldn't want to live in SD. My daughter explained that the vagueness of the law was intentional because government agencies involved don't want to get sued.
 

pabloesqobar

Well-Known Member
SD is awesome. With the exception of their arguably ambiguous and legally unenforceable muni code. The muni code is a City code. The local COUNTY DA (Bonnie Dumanis) argued in court that SD city's muni code was unenforceable. That's because it allows patients and caregivers to have more plants and processed marijuana than the State law does. It's a good argument, the gist being that the City doesn't have the authority to expand State law. However, in that same muni code is the rule that you can't grow outdoors unless it's in a locked enclosed "greenhouse". I don't think the code contained a definition of greenhouse. And therein lies the rub. Did the county DA just toss the entire muni code? Or, just the portions that dealt with the amount of pot you can have? Who knows. It was never addressed.

Despite all that garbage, I don't think local law enforcement would give a medical marijuana patient a hassle for growing 1 plant on a balcony, that is concealed from the public, and cannot be accessed but through entry thru the front door of my apartment.
 

can.i.buz

Well-Known Member
Share This Article

Oakland, CA: Municipal voters on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved the nation's first ever business tax on retail marijuana sales.

Approximately 80 percent of Oakland voters approved the new tax (which appeared on the ballot as Measure F), which imposes an additional tax for "cannabis businesses" of $18 for every $1,000 of gross receipts beginning January 1, 2010.

Presently, Oakland's medicinal cannabis dispensaries are taxed at the same rate as other retail sales businesses ($60 per year for the $50,000 of gross receipts, plus $1.20 for each additional $100,000).

Four dispensaries are licensed by the Oakland City Council to sell and dispense medical marijuana.

According to a financial analysis by the Oakland City Auditor, Oakland's new cannabis business tax will generate an estimated $300,000 in additional annual tax revenue. Other proponents have estimated that the new tax could yield up to a million dollars yearly.

Representatives from the Oakland City Council, the California Nurses Association, and the dispensary community publicly advocated for the new tax, which had no formal opposition.

"The passage of this first-in-the-nation tax further legitimizes cannabis-based enterprises in Oakland and elsewhere," NORML Executive Director Allen St. Pierre said. These outlets are contributing to the health and welfare of their local communities, both socially and now economically. At a time when many municipalities are strapped for tax revenues and cutting public services it is likely that public officials in other cities will begin considering similar proposals."

City officials in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Berkeley may also impose a cannabis-business tax on certain retail dispensaries.

For more information, please contact either Allen St. Pierre, NORML Executive Director, at (202) 483-5500, or Dale Gieringer, California NORML Coordinator at: (415) 563-5858.
 

Zig Zag Zane

Well-Known Member
A lot has been happening, the tax in Oakland is a big victory...even though its only a local tax...its a good sign for things to come....
and marijuana legalization has been getting much media attention...im sorta stoked :)
 

can.i.buz

Well-Known Member
Thursday, September 10, 2009

SAN DIEGO (CNS) - Thirty-one people were arrested during raids at 14 medical marijuana dispensaries in San Diego County, effectively shutting down the storefronts, authorities announced Thursday.

The raids culminated a five-month state and federal undercover operation that targeted people illegally selling the drug at the so-called medical marijuana collaboratives, said District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis. No medical marijuana patients were arrested in the undercover sting on Wednesday, Dumanis said.

“Let me be clear from the start. This investigation has nothing to do with legitimate medical marijuana patients or their caregivers,” Dumanis told reporters.

“The investigation to date shows these so-called businesses are not legal. They appear to be run by drug dealers who see an opening in the market in a way to make a fast buck.”

Twenty-three people were taken into custody in the city of San Diego, and eight in North County, authorities said.


Dumanis said most of those arrested will be prosecuted in state court, with two people charged in federal court.

An estimated 60 medical marijuana dispensaries are now operating in San Diego County, under the guise of helping people who are sick, Dumanis said.

“We’re not fooled and the public shouldn’t be fooled either,” the county’s top prosecutor said. “The state’s medical marijuana law and the Attorney General’s written guidelines about medical marijuana do not allow the selling of marijuana for profit … to anyone.”

More than $70,000 in cash was seized during the raids, according to Dumanis, who said more than $700,000 worth of marijuana was sold over the last six months at one San Diego location alone.

People who need medical marijuana in the city of San Diego can grow up to 24 plants legally or have their caregiver grow up to 48 plants for them, said San Diego police Chief William Lansdowne.

Patients must have a recommendation from their physician to use marijuana to treat their ailments, authorities said.

“You don’t need a cooperative. You can grow it,” Dumanis said, adding patients have a legitimate concern because the drug is difficult to get.

In one small Pacific Beach neighborhood, there are five medical marijuana storefronts within a few blocks of each other, Dumanis said.

“In fact, in that particular neighborhood of Pacific Beach, it’s easier to find some place to buy marijuana than it is to find a Starbucks to buy a latte,” she said.

The number of medical marijuana dispensaries went up recently, in the wake of San Diego County’s failed attempt to overturn the state’s 1996 medical marijuana law and U.S. Attorney Eric Holder’s directive that federal agents will only target medical marijuana storefronts when operators violate both state and federal laws.


Read more: http://www.sdnn.com/sandiego/2009-09-10/news/authorities-arrest-31-people-in-san-diego-marijuana-dispenseries#ixzz0QqUV7MLE
 

can.i.buz

Well-Known Member
ASA is calling on patients and advocates to attend and speak at the Planning and Land Use Management (PLUM) Committee meeting on Tuesday afternoon. The committee will be discussing an alternative ordinance to regulate medical cannabis collectives in the city. This is an important meeting, because the City Attorney and law enforcement will be giving their feedback, too. We need to make a strong show of support to be sure the patients' perspective is heard!

Please dress in a professional manner and arrive early to complete a public speaker’s card for Agenda items 3(A,B,C, and D). ASA volunteers and I will be on hand with talking points to help you frame your comments.

What: LA PLUM Committee

When: 1:30 PM * Tuesday, September 22

Where: Room 350, LA City Hall, 200 N. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90012

Public Transit Info: http://www.mta.net/riding_metro/default.htm

More Info: [email protected]

(We are also speaking at the City Council meeting at 10:00 AM on Tuesday, just across the rotunda in City Council Chambers, Room 340.)

---

You can download some relevant documents from the ASA website:

Latest draft ordinance - http://safeaccessnow.org/downloads/reye … -15-09.pdf

My letter to the PLUM Committee - http://safeaccessnow.org/downloads/plum … -22-09.pdf

Suggested changes to ordinance - http://safeaccessnow.org/downloads/reyescha.pdf

---

It is important that we support the committee members in moving forward with the regulatory process. Our opponents may be asking them to ban collectives and cooperatives altogether! Be ready with talking points like these:

1. Patients count on medical cannabis collectives for safe and reliable access to medicine they need to treat the symptoms of serious conditions.
2. Medical cannabis collectives are legal under our state law and regulated in other cities.
3. Regulations are proven to reduce crime and complaints around medical cannabis collectives.
4. Regulations must respect patients' privacy and anonymity, especially those patients that grow medicine for the collective.
5. Buffer zones around sensitive uses must be small enough to reasonably accommodate legal collectives.

---

You may want to send brief and polite comments to our allies on the PLUM Committee in advance of Tuesday's meeting. Remember that they are working to help us adopt sensible regulations.

Chairman Ed Reyes - <[email protected]>
Jose Huizar - <[email protected]>
Dennis Zine - <[email protected]>

See you on Tuesday!
Don Duncan
ASA California Campaign Director
Americans for Safe Access (ASA) is the largest national member-based organization of patients, medical professionals, scientists and concerned citizens promoting safe and legal access to cannabis for therapeutic use and research.
 

can.i.buz

Well-Known Member
September 22, 2009


City hall 1:12. We just got the word that the city attorney just issued a new draft of the agenda.*
 

can.i.buz

Well-Known Member
September 22, 2009


City hall 1:12. We just got the word that the city attorney just issued a new draft of the agenda.*

We just got word that the meeting isn't starting untill 3. This place is jammed. There must be 350 people in here. I can tell that most everyone is here for our cause. There are a lot of suits and lots of dispensary owners. I wish I had a video camera.
 

can.i.buz

Well-Known Member
That meeting was the biggest cluster fuck I've seen in a long time. The city attorney not only didn't show up but his rep ran us through all sorts of ambiguities and reefer madness (one of the buzz phrases of the day. more later) that basically made all cash/" over the counter"(<--------don't ever do this) transactions a felony. Also, for the first time, a quality issue was raised (for the patient's sake). Everyone liked that issue. We can't have pesticides. What shall we do? Also, how do we measure strength? Where's the FDA? Oh fuck, this is a class one drug. The FDA can't get involved. What shall we do? Thank god a chief of police got up and brought a little sanity into the conversation. He agreed that money had to exchange hands to make sure that medicine was provided to patients. How else would the electricity, the "products", etc. be paid for? It's just that in his mind, this exchange couldn't be an "over the counter" transaction. What would it be then, pray tell. The Long Beach city attorney got up to tell us that his city is fucked because they didn't understand that they could only extend a moratorium so many times and for so long, so even though he usually doesn't speak up when he isn't invited in, "don't do what we didi LA....I'm just sayin'" Then all the advocates got up, said what needed to be said, and turned things around. History is being made here guys. You should be here. Thank you Don Duncan and all the advocates that showed up and made a difference.


can.i.buz
 
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