Kharla Vezzetti UPDATE 9/13 – Last-minute efforts to pass a medical marijuana regulation bill fell short as the California legislature wound up its session yesterday. Legislation proposed by Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (AB 604) and Sen. Darrell Steinberg ran into opposition from local governments and law enforcement. Similar legislation can be expected to be re-introduced next year. In …
September 4, 2013 Dear Sen. Feinstein: Here are some questions for Attorney General Holder which we hope you will ask at the upcoming Judiciary Committee hearings on federal policy with regards to state marijuana laws. Cal NORML welcomes the A.G.’s announcement that DOJ will not seek to overturn state marijuana laws. We strongly support his …
Cal NORML Backs Proposed Guidelines, Calls on State Legislature to Act August 29, 2013 – In a long-awaited announcement of federal marijuana enforcement policy, Attorney General Eric Holder announced that the Department of Justice won’t “make it a priority” to block marijuana legalization in Colorado or Washington. Cal NORML welcomed the AG’s announcement, while cautioning …
SACRAMENTO August 14, 2013 – The California legislature delivered good and bad news for marijuana advocates after activists walked the State Capitol for a medical marijuana lobbying day this Monday. On the plus side, Sen. Ellen Corbett withdrew a bill (SB 648) that would have banned e-cigarettes and vaporizers in non-smoking areas. After being informed …
UPDATED 8/14/2013 August 12 – US Attorney General Eric Holder was aware that coming to California’s Bay Area meant encountering drug policy reform advocates. His May appearance at UC Berkeley law school saw him greeted by medical marijuana advocates, including a banner in the sky saying, “Holder: End RX Cannabis War” In advance of his …
By Dale Gieringer, CalNORML director One hundred years ago, on August 10, 1913, an obscure law banning the possession of “Indian hemp” took effect in California. Also known as cannabis indica or hasheesh, Indian hemp had long been available in drugstores without causing any evident problems; hemp was also grown as a fiber crop in …
Angelinos awoke to art student Douglas Finegood’s interpretation of the Hollywood sign on January 1, 1976, the day marijuana was decriminalized in California. Another “vandal” altered the sign in the same way on January 1, 2017 to celebrate the passage of Prop. 64, legalizing adult recreational use. Los Angeles has had a remarkable relationship with …
The California Attorney General has released its 2012 Crime Report. According to the report, there were 13,434 felony marijuana arrests in California in 2012, continuing a downward trend from 14,082 in 2011. Hispanics were the most-arrested ethnic group, with 4953 felony arrests, followed by whites (4617), blacks (2745) and other races (1119). Juvenile felony arrests …
CalNORML Director Dale Gieringer with former Mexican President Vicente Fox at the Summit San Cristobal, Mexico, Jul 18-20. This past weekend former Mexican President Vicente Fox hosted a symposium at Centro Fox, where delegates from the US, Mexico and Europe discussed legalizing and regulating marijuana as an alternative to Mexico’s bloody drug war. The symposium …
Also see: Blowing smoke about e-cigarettes By Dale H. Gieringer Sacramento Bee Sunday, Jan. 26, 2014 UPDATE AUGUST 14: We’re happy to report that the author has pulled SB648 over concerns about its impact on medical marijuana patients. Thanks to the many NORML members who wrote or called their representatives. UPDATE 7/31/2013: The hearing on …