Tobacco News

The Mendocino County board of supervisors changed their ground breaking medical marijuana regulation, the 9.31 Ordinance, to thwart off threats from federal officials. The changes roll back the amount a medical marijuana grower can cultivate, from 99 marijuana plants per parcel, down to 25 and it eliminates the Sheriff’s Office from issuing permits to growers.

“I feel comfortable that by eliminating the 99 plant exemption and the permitting process the county is in a better position,” Mendocino County Counsel, Jeanine Nadel told The Independent.
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The emergency legislation proposed by D.C. Council member Vincent B. Orange (D-at large) to limit the number of marijuana cultivation sites and dispensaries, as well as adult entertainment venues, in each ward is a fine example of lazy politicking trumping good policy. Mr. Orange seems to be playing on perceived Ward 5 fears that such establishments will turn Northeast into a sort of red-light quadrant riven with criminal activity. Ream more »

After much anticipation, the California Supreme Court agreed this week to review how cities and counties regulate medical marijuana.

The High Court issued an order indicating its intent to review two controversial medical marijuana cases, Pack v. City of Long Beach and City of Riverside v. Inland Empire Patient’s Health and Wellness Center., Inc. As a result of this week’s decision, both cases have been vacated in anticipation of the High Court’s ruling. Ream more »

A handful of governors have launched a new push for marijuana to be reclassified so that the drug is more widely accepted for medical treatment.

By mid-December 2011, three governors had signed a petition asking the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to conduct a new scientific review of cannabis research. Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin was the latest to add his signature to a petition started Nov. 30, 2011, by Washington state Gov. Chris Gregoire and Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee. Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper’s administration made a similar request to the DEA on Dec. 22, 2011, according to the governor’s spokesman. Ream more »

A measure that outlaws marijuana-cultivation farms in Plumsted in order to give the township time to plan where such a facility would be more appropriately located was adopted 3-2 by the Township Committee on Dec. 28.

Although the ordinance does not specifically mention medical marijuana, it prohibits any business whose activities violate federal law. Federal law classifies marijuana as an illegal drug with no exemptions for medical use.
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With California’s $1.5 billion medical marijuana industry under siege since a federal crackdown began earlier this year, some in the business feel that a pinch of good publicity might chill out the feds.

Might even make those who use, sell and grow medical cannabis appear more human to the folks who live in the 34 states where such medicine isn’t legal.
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Edwin Stickney’s guest opinion is ill-informed on both the law and the scientific facts regarding so-called “medical” marijuana. Stickney accuses the president of “reneging” on his pledge to support marijuana — but in reality the so-called “Ogden” memo was never the green light marijuana legalization advocates hoped for from the administration. The memo specifically acknowledges that federal law renders marijuana — for any use — illegal, Ream more »

The debate over medical marijuana is raging across the country right now and, in many ways, Washington is the epicenter, as there’s confusion between state and federal law when it comes to medical marijuana.
Medical marijuana is legal in Washington, but try telling that to the multiple patients busted in their homes for growing pot.
KXLY’s interest in the medical marijuana debate began in early October, when a group of hysterical medical marijuana patients called our newsroom as their own grow and their neighbor’s grow was raided by local police. Ream more »

A recent poll in Montana supporting stricter medical marijuana regulations follows on the heels of a tougher stance by the federal government in states that allow medical marijuana.
According to a poll of 411 adults taken by Montana State University-Billings, 62 percent of respondents supported the Montana Legislature’s recent overhaul of the state’s medical marijuana act. Ream more »

Legalizing medical marijuana doesn’t push more teens to light up, new research shows.

A study from Brown University compared rates of marijuana use in Massachusetts to those in Rhode Island – where medical use of the drug was legalized in 2006.

Findings suggested the legislation has no influence on teens’ drug habits.

Dr. Esther Choo, assistant professor of emergency medicine at the university’s medical school and a physician at Rhode Island Hospital, said researchers selected the liberal-leaning Northeastern spots based on their similarities. Ream more »