Ellen Komp

Cover image of the report titled "Crime in California." The background features a textured blue-green design. The title "CRIME" is prominently displayed in bold white letters, with "IN CALIFORNIA" beneath it in smaller text. The publication year, CA 2018, appears at the bottom. CA Norml

Marijuana Arrests Decline Again in CA in 2018; Hispanics and Blacks continue to be disproportionately arrested

Cover image of the report titled "Crime in California." The background features a textured blue-green design. The title "CRIME" is prominently displayed in bold white letters, with "IN CALIFORNIA" beneath it in smaller text. The publication year, CA 2018, appears at the bottom. CA NormlJuly 5, 2019 – The number of marijuana arrests in California continued to decline toward new lows in 2018 according to data released by the Criminal Justice Statistics Center. The total number of felony arrests was 1,617, down 22% from 2017 and the lowest since the 1950s. Misdemeanor arrests totaled 3,835, down 4% since 2017. Total arrests numbered 5,452, the lowest since 1962.

Whites accounted for 25% of marijuana arrests, Hispanics 44% and blacks 16%.

DUI arrests rose slightly by 2% to 128,053, interrupting a decade-long decline, but still over 40% lower than their peak in 2007.…

A large group of people are seated in a meeting room, facing a panel of individuals at a long table. The panel appears to be conducting a formal meeting regarding the ban on hemp cultivation in Plumas County. An American flag is visible in the corner of the room, and papers and documents are spread out in front of the participants. CA Norml

Plumas County Declines to Ban Hemp Cultivation

A large group of people are seated in a meeting room, facing a panel of individuals at a long table. The panel appears to be conducting a formal meeting regarding the ban on hemp cultivation in Plumas County. An American flag is visible in the corner of the room, and papers and documents are spread out in front of the participants. CA NormlJune 9, 2019 – A 45-day emergency moratorium on hemp cultivation failed to carry by a narrow vote at a meeting of the in Plumas County Board of Supervisors on June 4. Cal NORML was contacted by members in the county and sent a letter to Supervisors asking them not to pass the moratorium. We also alerted supporters in the area about the meeting.

Plumas County residents voted 52% in favor of Prop. 64 to legalize marijuana in California, but the county has banned all commercial marijuana business in their borders.…

Several sheriffs in green uniforms and hats labeled "SHERIFF" are standing near and on a truck loaded with large green plants. Two individuals in camouflage gear, possibly from the National Guard, are on the truck bed. The scene of these Anza Raids unfolds against a mountainous landscape under a clear sky. CA Norml

National Guard Joins Local, Fed & State Agencies in Anza Raids

Several law enforcement officers in "SHERIFF" jackets stand by a truck filled with confiscated marijuana plants. Two soldiers in camo uniforms from the National Guard stand atop the truck, while mountainous terrain and clear blue sky are visible in the background, part of the extensive Anza Raids. CA Norml

June 6, 2019 – Yesterday, multijurisdictional force of more than 700 personnel from the Army National Guard, the FBI, US Drug Enforcement, and numerous other police and government agencies descended on the Anza Valley region in Riverside County at daybreak and worked throughout the day. Police and military helicopters, and trucks pulling trailers were spotted removing marijuana from the various alleged illegal grows.

Warrants were served 118 locations and eight people including one Mexican national were arrested for “related crimes,” according to the Riverside Sheriff’s Department.…

A vast field of green hemp plants stretches across rolling hills under a partly cloudy sky. In the background, trees and distant hills create a picturesque landscape, ideal for cultivating high-quality CBD products approved by the FDA. CA Norml

FDA Holds Hearing on CBD as CA Moves Forward on Hemp

A vast field of green hemp plants stretches across rolling hills under a partly cloudy sky. In the background, trees and distant hills create a picturesque landscape, ideal for cultivating high-quality CBD products approved by the FDA. CA NormlAbout 100 people testified at a public hearing held on May 31 by the FDA “in order to inform the regulatory path forward” on CBD. Manufacturers, researchers, doctors, laboratory representatives, lawyers and advocates (pro and con) were among those who spoke. Speakers expressed concern over the lack of uniformity and purity of available CBD preparations, and a lack of safety studies on vulnerable populations like children, seniors, pregnant women, and those taking other drugs.

NORML submitted comments to the FDA  asking the agency to “craft benchmark safety and quality standards for hemp-derived CBD products in order to increase consumer satisfaction and confidence as this nascent industry transitions and matures into a legal marketplace.”…

An infographic displays three circular diagrams against a green background. The diagrams represent data: 834 existing cannabis retailers, 1,195 potential new retailers under AB 1356, and a demand for 3,472 total supportable retailers for adult-use cannabis sales in CA. CA Norml

Report Estimates AB 1356 Could Lead to $2.1 Billion More in Cannabis Sales in CA

UPDATE 5/30 – Assemblyman Ting could not muster the two-thirds vote of the Assembly required to alter the voter-approved initiative to prevent cities and counties from banning pot shops. Read more. 

An infographic displays three circular diagrams against a green background. The diagrams represent data: 834 existing cannabis retailers, 1,195 potential new retailers under AB 1356, and a demand for 3,472 total supportable retailers for adult-use cannabis sales in CA. CA NormlA new report from Applied Development Economics (ADE) in Walnut Creek, CA estimates that the passage of AB 1356, a bill currently before the California Assembly, will allow between 1,195 and 3,472 additional cannabis retailers in the 392 incorporated cities and unincorporated county areas that voted in favor of Prop.…

A bright green sign with a cannabis leaf and the word "OPEN" is displayed in the window of a store. The background shows the interior of the store with various items and posters promoting regulated cannabis, indicative of its presence in local markets. CA Norml

Bill to Open Local Markets for Regulated Cannabis Fails

UPDATE 5/30 – Assemblyman Ting could not muster the two-thirds vote of the Assembly required to alter the voter-approved initiative to prevent cities and counties from banning pot shops. He plans to try again with the bill next year, a representative told the LA Times. 

A bright green sign with a cannabis leaf and the word "OPEN" is displayed in the window of a store. The background shows the interior of the store with various items and posters promoting regulated cannabis, indicative of its presence in local markets. CA NormlProposition 64, the Adult Use of Marijuana Act, earned more than 57% of the vote in the November 2016 election and passed in 2/3 of California counties. Yet 75% of California cities and counties have banned retail cannabis businesses within their borders.…

Bar chart showing the percentage of cities and counties that allow storefront retail cannabis (medical or adult use) in states where it is legal. Oregon leads with around 80%, followed by Washington, Nevada, Colorado, and CA, which has the lowest percentage. CA Norml

Study Shows CA Leads “Legal, Not Local” Status of Cannabis

Bar chart showing the percentage of cities and counties that allow storefront retail cannabis (medical or adult use) in states where it is legal. Oregon leads with around 80%, followed by Washington, Nevada, Colorado, and CA, which has the lowest percentage. CA NormlA review of 42 scientific studies conducted by Leafly.com has found that the broad body of published research suggests crime near licensed dispensaries has generally stayed flat or decreased, teen cannabis use in legalization states has fallen since legalization, and property values near cannabis outlets generally are not affected or even rise.

Leafly editors David Downs and Bruce Barcott worked with cannabis policy expert Dominic Corva, co-director of the Humboldt Institute for Interdisciplinary Marijuana Research (HIIMR) at Humboldt State University in Arcata, CA on the study.…

A man stands at a podium with a seal that says "Governor of the State of California." He is wearing a dark suit and tie, speaking into a microphone with his hands gesturing. Discussing statutory changes, the background is a blue curtain, and an American flag is partially visible on the side. CA Norml

Governor Releases Revised State Budget, Statutory Changes Affecting Cannabis in California

A man stands at a podium with a seal that says "Governor of the State of California." He is wearing a dark suit and tie, speaking into a microphone with his hands gesturing. Discussing statutory changes, the background is a blue curtain, and an American flag is partially visible on the side. CA NormlGovernor Gavin Newsom has issued a revised state budget with several cannabis provisions, according to the budget summary.

The revised budget forecasts the state cannabis excise tax will generate $288 million in 2018-19 and $359 million in 2019-20, a reduction of $67 million and $156 million, respectively, from the original Governor’s Budget forecast. It states, “The forecast assumes continued growth of more than 15 percent annually as new businesses continue to enter the marketplace and local jurisdictions adjust to the state’s legal framework.

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A logo composed of an abstract human figure with outstretched arms in white, set against a yellow semi-circle at the top. Below, green and teal shapes curve around the figure, resembling leaves, forming a circular design that subtly hints at Prop 65 Warnings related to reproductive effects. CA Norml

Cal NORML Opposes Prop 65 Warnings on Reproductive Effects of Marijuana as Unwarranted

A logo composed of an abstract human figure with outstretched arms in white, set against a yellow semi-circle at the top. Below, green and teal shapes curve around the figure, resembling leaves, forming a circular design that subtly hints at Prop 65 Warnings related to reproductive effects. CA NormlMay 8, 2019 – California NORML has submitted testimony to the state Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) opposing the inclusion of cannabis on the state’s Prop 65 list of known reproductive hazards.   Prop 65 requires businesses to post warning signs regarding the presence of substances known to pose a risk of reproductive harm or cancer. Marijuana smoke has already been classified as a carcinogen by OEHHA in spite of human studies showing it doesn’t cause respiratory cancer.

In written testimony, Cal NORML argued that existing scientific evidence on the risks of prenatal cannabis use is unclear, and that warnings are unnecessary in any case because they are already required by current Dept.
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A large group of people in formal attire pose for a photo in a well-lit room with round tables and striped curtains in the background. There is a mix of males and females of various ages, some wearing name tags, gathered for Lobby Day organized by Cal NORML in Sacramento. CA Norml

Cal NORML Holds Lobby Day in Sacramento

Around 100 citizen lobbyists from across California visited scores of legislative offices in Sacramento as part of the Third Annual Cal NORML / ASA Lobby Day on Monday, May 6, 2019.
 
NORML chapter members from Orange County, the Central Valley, the Inland Empire, and Contra Costa county joined Americans for Safe Access chapter members from Sonoma and San Diego, along with other supporters from the North Coast and the Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay areas to lobby in their elected officials’ offices. 
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The image shows a large white classical-style building with a prominent dome, decorated with a small flag on top, and flanked by two wings. The building, where locals once banned cannabis deliveries, is surrounded by lush green trees and set against a clear blue sky. CA Norml

Cannabis Café Bill Advances on Close Vote

The image shows the California State Capitol building in bright daylight. Above the building, a cloud in the shape of a cannabis leaf stands out against the blue sky. The California NORML logo and website URL, www.CaNORML.org, are displayed at the bottom, reminiscent of an activist's bill. CA Norml

UPDATE 5/27/19 – AB 1465 has stalled in the Assembly appropriations committee for the year, after an incomplete analysis by committee staff looked only at the cost to produce a new license, instead of also examining potential revenues that could be generated by the bill. We hope to see it reintroduced next year. 

SACRAMENTO, Apr 23 – A bill to create a new state license type for cannabis consumption café/lounges was approved by the Assembly Business and Professions Committee. The bill, AB 1465  by Asm.

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A diverse group of people pose for a group photo indoors in Sacramento, in front of a brick wall with large windows. Some are seated while most are standing. They are all smiling, and a few are holding awards or certificates from the Annual Lobby Day on May 6. Tables with place settings are visible in the foreground. CA Norml

Join Us on May 6 at Our Annual Lobby Day in Sacramento

UPDATE 5/7/19 – Thanks to all who participated in Lobby Day! We visited hundreds of legislative offices and had a productive day. A special thanks to all of our sponsors who made the day possible.  

A large group of people standing and posing for a picture indoors. The individuals vary in age, gender, and attire. They seem to be gathered for a formal or semi-formal event, Annual Lobby Day in Sacramento, with some wearing name tags. The setting appears to be a spacious room with brick walls. CA Norml

California NORML is once again teaming up with Americans for Safe Access to co-sponsor a Citizens Lobby Day in Sacramento on May 6, 2019.

Last year’s event was a success, with more than 200 patients, advocates, providers, industry workers, and others attending and lobbying their elected officials for marijuana reform bills.

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