Kharla Vezzetti Jan 1, 2013: This New Year marks the 100th anniversary of the war on cannabis in California. In 1913, the state Board of Pharmacy led the legislature to pass a bill outlawing possession of “Indian hemp.” The law was the opening shot in a century-long prohibitionist campaign that has cost the state millions of arrests …
December 14, 2012 – California NORML has announced an agenda for its upcoming conference marking the 100th anniversary of marijuana prohibition in California. This two-day event, held January 26 & 27 at Ft. Mason Conference Center in San Francisco, will explore the history, causes and costs of the war on cannabis, and strategies for ending …
California NORML Release — December 11, 2012 Reported marijuana arrests dropped sharply as California’s new decriminalization law took effect in 2011, but the apparent decline is deceptive because it doesn’t count thousands of minor possession offenses that are no longer reported under the new law. Newly released data from the state Criminal Justice Statistics Center …
December 7 – A California Appellate Court has reversed a trial court decision declaring a child to be a dependent of the court, as well as an order that the father undergo drug testing and parenting courses because of his medical marijuana use. In re Drake A. case# B236769, Division Three of the Second Appellate …
December 3, 2012 To: Mendocino County Board of Supervisors I implore you to instruct your county counsel to challenge the subpoena from the federal government regarding the 9.3.1. program, or at least ask for more time to fully vet and consider the matter. Our lawyers inform me that you are on good legal ground for …
November 20 – The Emerald Growers Association (EGA) and California NORML endorsed the City of Sacramento’s sensible compromise personal use medical cannabis cultivation ordinance, which allows for secure greenhouses. The ordinance, which passed 6-2 by city council, contains a reasonable square footage allowance for personal cultivation (400 square feet) and reasonable wattage for artificial light …
UPDATED NOVEMBER 8, 2012 November 7 – Election day started strong for marijuana reformers when Massachusetts became the 18th state to legalize medical marijuana, with 63% in favor and just 37% opposed. Arkansas nearly passed its own medical marijuana law, in a surprisingly close race from a state that went to Romney. As the polls …
November 1 – The California Medical Association House of Delegates has passed measures supporting marijuana rescheduling and decriminalization, and is considering another regarding medical marijuana use in hospital settings. Resolution 103-12 “Petition the Governor to Petition the DEA Reschedule Cannabis,” authored by Dr. Donald Abrams and Dr. Larry Bedard, passed unanimously at the 141st annual …
As 2012 began, no less than five different marijuana law reform measures were aiming for the November 2012 ballot. The plethora of proposals was due in part to the success of CalNORML’s “Next Steps” conference in early 2011. CalNORML was called on to navigate the public through the proposals. However, the funding ultimately went to …
Hal Pilotte and his wife Ann were raided by the DEA in their gated over-55 community Ocean Hills, after he was caught delivering baked goods to a collective he was a member of that was being surveilled by the DEA. The Pilottes were interviewed by host Lanny Swerdlow on KCAA 1050AM in Loma Linda on …