Medical Marijuana Update (2014.08.06)

Medical marijuana bills pick up some support in Congress, Maryland and Minnesota issue draft rules, California continues to be a battleground, and more. Let’s get to it:

National
Last Thursday, the National Bureau of Economic Research reported that medical marijuana has not led to more teen use. The finding comes in the working paper Medical Marijuana Laws and Teen Marijuana Use. “Our results are not consistent with the hypothesis that the legalization of medical marijuana caused an increase in the use of marijuana among high school students. In fact, estimates from our preferred specification are small, consistently negative, and are never statistically distinguishable from zero,” the authors said.

Last Friday, the Legitimate Use of Medicinal Marijuana Act picked up a new cosponsor. House Resolution 4498, the Legitimate Use of Medical Marijuana Act, has picked up a fourth cosponsor, Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR). The bill, sponsored by Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA), would move marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule II of the Controlled Substances Act and block the act from being used against medical marijuana in states where it is legal.

On Monday, the Charlotte’s Web Medical Hemp Act picked up cosponsors. The bill, House Resolution 5226, would exclude low-THC therapeutic cannabis oil from the definition of marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act. It was filed with three cosponsors, and picked up seven more through Monday. There are five Democrats and five Republicans now sponsoring it.

California
Last Monday, Mendocino County activists announced the formation of a new marijuana lobby. More than a hundred people met at the Laytonville Grange to form a cannabis coalition to lobby for local interests as marijuana legalization looms on the horizon and a bill to regulate medical marijuana in the state moves closer to passage. Present were some stalwarts of the Mendo scene, including Pebbles Trippet, California Cannabis Voice, and the Emerald Growers Association.

On Tuesday, the Costa Mesa city council rejected an initiative to regulate dispensaries and grows. The last-minute proposal introduced by Councilman Gary Monahan was designed as an alternative to two different citizen initiatives currently in the signature-gathering process. The two groups said they would drop their initiatives if the city placed its own alternative on the ballot. But the city has decided not to.

Also on Tuesday, Santa Clara County supervisors voted to ban dispensaries. In doing so, the board killed a late 1990s ordinance allowing cultivation in a handful of locations. The board did order staff to monitor the situation in San Jose, where there are currently about 70 dispensaries, but most are expected to be forced to close under new city rules. If the number drops below 10, the board may reconsider.

Also on Tuesday, Santa Cruz County supervisors voted to put a dispensary tax before the voters. The board said it would ask voters to approve a 7% tax on dispensary receipts. Both medical marijuana industry representatives and patients objected strongly, saying the rate was too high. There are only a handful of local governments statewide that tax medical marijuana.

Maryland
Last Friday, the Maryland medical marijuana commission issued draft regulations. The Marijuana Policy Project has some problems with them, including calls for an “unnecessary” training course on medical marijuana for all certifying physicians, mandatory drug testing for patients, and a requirement that doctors specify dosage and strain type. These are draft regulations, but the period for comment on the draft ends Tuesday. Interested parties can email the commission to register their comments.

Minnesota
On Monday, the state Health Department issued draft regulations for medical marijuana. The department issued draft rules for applications and oversight for medical marijuana manufacturers. Public comment can be made by going here. The department will also host a public meeting for people interested in the manufacturing process.

New Mexico
On Wednesday, a veteran who is a medical marijuana patient sued her employer for wrongful firing. A veteran and licensed physician’s assistant who is enrolled in the state’s medical marijuana program is suing Presbyterian Health Care Services after being fired for testing positive for marijuana. When she provided them with her state-issued medical marijuana card, they informed her that they did not recognize it and that her termination would stand. The lawsuit has just been filed in state court for violation of the New Mexico Human Rights Act (NM Statute § 28-1-7).

Article republished from Stop the Drug War under Creative Commons Licensing