Advocates In California Urge Protection For Medical Cannabis Patients From Hyper-regulation, Over-taxation, & Corporate Takeover

The Bureau of Cannabis Control is slated to start issuing and processing applications on January 1, 2018.  Further regulations will be presented in November of this year, and the California Department of Consumer Affairs just seated the long-waited Cannabis Advisory Committee mandated by the state’s new cannabis rules.  

What is absent on this committee is any authentic patient voice or social justice advocates.  However, this has been the case in Sacramento during all medical cannabis policy discussions.  Patient advocates have had to demand to be heard or be ignored.  Now that the potential revenue from adult recreational cannabis sales and production is being projected, affordable access to medical cannabis for disabled and low-income patients is the furthest thing on the minds of the new Cannabis Bureaucracy.

Hopefully, the California Cannabis Bureaucracy realizes that we could find ourselves back in a federally hostile environment.  Who did they seat to tackle the possibility that our U.S. Attorney General and Department of Justice may decide to enforce the Controlled Substances Act, again?  Who will deal with the fallout and stand up for the political prisoners?

What is present on this committee is the Drug Policy Alliance.  Members of the Drug Policy Alliance are gaining seats on committees and commissions around the state.  Since DPA’s political action committee donated a significant amount of money to Prop. 64, this would seem to be a conflict.  However, this works out wonderfully for George Soros, who founded and funds DPA, and is heavily vested in Monsanto.   Monsanto stands to win the most from Prop. 64, by acquiring the largest permits and controlling the seeds for recreational, medical and hemp stains.  With Soros’ employees serving around the state the mega-corporate take over of California’s cannabis industry is moving right along.

Despite how the advisory or oversight bodies may be stacked, the regulations themselves equate impractical policy.  Many current businesses will find it burdensome and too expensive to comply.  This creates a monopoly for wealthy, elite players to saturate the marketplace.  True patients and their providers will be priced out and in jeopardy.  Some operations will go deep underground, adding to existing environmental concerns about unregulated cultivation.

Patients are urged to contact:

Department of Consumer Affairs – Bureau of Cannabis Control

Attn: Lori Ajax, Chief, Bureau of Cannabis Control;

Dean R. Grafilo, Director, California Department of Consumer Affairs;

And Members of the Cannabis Advisory Committee

bcc@dca.ca.gov

Or (800) 952-5210

Let them know that you are patient that relies on consistent and affordable access to medical cannabis, and you are concerned that over-regulation, permitting fees and taxes for medical cannabis are going to put your collective out of business or make it so you can no longer afford your medicine. 

Send your comments and concerns to your California state representatives as well:

Find Your California Representative

http://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov

*****

Some related links:

Department of Consumer Affairs Announces Appointments to Cannabis Advisory Committee

http://cannabis.ca.gov/2017/10/04/department-of-consumer-affairs-announces-appointments-to-cannabis-advisory-committee/

L.A. City Council approves new Cannabis Department head

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-la-marijuana-commission-20170815-story.html

George Soros And Big Agriculture Move The Marijuana Movement

http://katehon.com/837-george-soros-and-big-agriculture-move-the-marijuana-movement.html

How Monsanto & Bayer Are Trying To Take Over The Cannabis Industry

http://www.collective-evolution.com/2017/08/31/how-monsanto-bayer-are-trying-to-take-over-the-cannabis-industry/

The Corporate Billionaires’ Hostile Attempt To Take Over The California Cannabis Industry in 2016

http://panorg.blogspot.com/2016/06/the-corporate-billionaires-hostile.html

Legalization, 4 Years Later: What Happened In Washington State?

http://herb.co/2016/11/17/legalization-washington-state/

#####

Los Angeles City Councilmember Bill Rosendahl Ends Ban On Medical Cannabis Collectives, Presented Awards By Patient Advocates

10/8/12 – LOS ANGELES -  It’s been a bittersweet week for the Los Angeles medical cannabis community.  On the heels of Los Angeles City Councilmember Bill Rosendahl getting the City Council to repeal its ban on medical cannabis collectives, Rosendahl announced he will not seek re-election to focus on his own battle with cancer. 

“As most of you have heard, a few months back I received the difficult news that I have cancer.  It was a shock but, like every challenge I have faced during my lifetime, I decided to meet it head on,” Rosendahl said in a recent written statement announcing his intentions. 

On July 24, 2012, the Los Angeles City Council voted to replace its existing medical marijuana ordinance with a ‘gentle ban’ on any association of 3 patients or more.  The LA City Council took this vote while Councilmember Rosendahl was out on medical leave for chemotherapy treatments.  

However, on October 2, 2012, Rosendahl implored his colleagues to repeal the dispensary ban.  "This word, 'gentle ban,' is a bad word. It's not gentle. It stops me from being able to get my medicinal use," Rosendahl told his colleagues.  A Vietnam Veteran and openly gay politician, Rosendahl was open about using medical cannabis for neuropathy and to cope with chemotherapy.  “If I can’t get marijuana, and this is medically prescribed, what do I do?  What do all the people who have health issues, who have been relying on this do?”

Patient advocates argued that there was nothing gentle about the City’s ban.  The City Council argued that the ‘City is being sued at every turn’ over the original set of rules it put in place in January 2010.  Several dozen patient collectives sued the City and won a temporary restraining order preventing the City from enforcing what were called ‘unconstitutional provisions.’  Rosendahl’s move forces LA’s legislature to return to the table and create a workable set of guidelines. 

Degé Coutee, president of Patient Advocacy Network, a charitable education and advocacy organization fighting for patients’ rights, and one the original members of the LA’s Medical Marijuana Working Group has been advocating for sensible dispensary regulations for Los Angeles for nearly 8 years.  This past weekend Coutee and her organization honored Councilmember Rosendahl with 2 awards during an all-day event, Kushday LA – Celebrating Cannabis With Music & Education, featuring numerous speakers and entertainers.

“If it were not for your heroic efforts, we would still have a dispensary ban in Los Angeles. On behalf of all patients, thank you,” Coutee said to Rosendahl in front the Kushday audience.  Presenting him with the organization’s Spirit & Compassion Award, Coutee read, “For your endless courage and strength, for your boundless compassion and care for others, for your dedication to public service, for breaking stigma and bravely speaking out on civil rights and social justice issues including medical cannabis legalization, we are honored to present you with this award.”

Patient Advocacy Network board member Shona Gochenaur, also the executive director of Axis of Love SF Community Center in San Fransisco, a social service center for low-income, disabled medical cannabis patients presented Rosendahl with a certificate from the Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic Club.  Gochenaur read, “We wanted to reach out to personally thank you for taking a stand and helping to promote safe access to patients. By using your voice and personal story you have helped to challenge unproductive bans... Thank you for leading with a true voice and a brave heart,” the certificate ends.

Rosendahl states he is ‘passing the baton’ and has encouraged his deputy chief of staff, Mike Bonin, to run in the City election in March 2013.  However, Rosendahl states he will not completely leave public service, “Please know that I don’t plan to fade away.  On the contrary, once I have beaten this cancer I plan to return to public affairs broadcasting on television or radio.  I want to create a space for honest and open dialogue on the important issues facing our city, our state, and our country; a space where people can finish their sentences, share their thoughts, and contribute in a positive way to the public discourse.”

Councilman Bill Rosendahl greatest LA City Council Speech

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkGlsITL4ig&feature=youtu.be

Passing the Baton

http://billrosendahl.wordpress.com/2012/10/09/passing-the-baton/

Los Angeles City Council Repeals Its Ban On Medical Marijuana Shops

City Councilman Bill Rosendahl, who is a current cancer patient, implored his colleagues to repeal the ban

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/video/7793979-los-angeles-city-council-repeals-its-ban-on-medical-marijuana-shops/

LA repeals ban on storefront medical marijuana dispensaries

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/los_angeles&id=8832809

Patient Advocacy Network

http://www.cannabissaveslives.org/

Medical Cannabis Patient Advocates In Solidarity With San Francisco

 

-->

Medical Cannabis Patient Advocates In Solidarity With San Francisco

Please Act Nancy

Phone-in Action To Congressional Representative Nancy Pelosi

5/2/12

(415) 556-4862

US Attorneys have successfully shut down nearly half of the licensed dispensaries in San Francisco.  If federal authorities can shut down safe access in San Francisco, we are all at risk.

On Wednesday, May 2, 2012, patient advocates will deliver thousands of signatures to Representative Pelosi’s San Francisco office.  See full press release here: http://www.briefingwire.com/pr/san-francisco-medical-cannabis-patients-petition-congressional-representative-nancy-pelosi

Everyone who supports medical cannabis is urged to contact Congressional Representative Nancy Pelosi’s office at (415) 556-4862 on Wednesday, May 2, 2012, during business hours and leave a kind message with her staff stating:

*  You want to see an end to the federal crackdown on states with medical cannabis laws.

*  You want sensible federal cannabis laws that remove all of the criminal jeopardy under the Controlled Substances Act.

*  Remind her that she has the support of her constituents and the support of at least 80% of voting Americans on the issue of safe, legal medical cannabis. 

San Francisco is the birthplace of the medical cannabis legalization movement.  It is no accident that federal authorities are choosing to shut down all of the collectives there first.  Representative Pelosi has been silent for too, long.  She must speak up to President Obama, US Attorney General Eric Holder, US Attorney Melissa Haag and the rest of Congress.