Court says counties can ban dispensaries… US Attorney targets Berkeley Patients Group… New research: cannabis smoke doesn’t increase cancer risks… and more!
Mercury News // California counties have the right to ban cannabis dispensaries as a result of Monday’s unanimous decision by the State Supreme Court. The ruling seems to echo states that have “wet” and “dry” counties when it comes to alcohol sales. But do any other states regulate medicine this way?
MMJ Business Daily // Advocates are using this court decision as a focal point to get statewide regulations enacted, citing the Court’s statement that “nothing prevents future efforts … to adopt a different approach.”
Inside Bay Area // The US Attorney’s office for northern California seldom comments on their actions, but Melinda Haag herself cited “significant public health and safety problems” as reasons for targeting the landlord of the Berkeley Patients Group with a forfeiture letter last week. Berkeley elected officials say the US Attorney should find more useful things to do.
SFGate // Here’s how editorial cartoonist Tom Meyer sees the situation with banning dispensaries. (This may take a few seconds to load.)
Clinical Psychiatry News // Smoke a little? Smoke a lot? It doesn’t increase your risk of lung cancer either way, providing that what you’re smoking is cannabis and not tobacco. That was the message delivered at this year’s meeting of the American Association of Cancer Research.
Westword // Regulations in Colorado continue to advance. Legislation that allows farmers to plant hemp, SB 241, has passed the legislature. It needs the governor’s signature to become law, which is a likelihood. Hemp is lumped with cannabis under federal law; both are classified as Schedule 1 drugs…
Denver Post // …Colorado also passed laws Wednesday that regulate recreational marijuana sales and use – a first in the U.S. Legislators have been working on the provisions since November, when voters approved the concept.
No one at the federal level has commented on these decisions.
Daily Cal // US Attorney General Eric Holder is not likely to comment on these topics when he addresses the UC-Berkeley Law School graduates tomorrow, but the renewed threats to California dispensaries will be noted outside of the event.
Protestors from Americans for Safe Access (ASA) are expected to distribute leaflets outside the Greek Theater “to point out the absurdity of the war on medical cannabis.” Participants are advised to “Dress nicely if you can.”
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