Kharla Vezzetti

Marijuana Legalization and the Opioid Crisis
California NORML
November 1, 2017

The evidence is mounting that allowing access to marijuana, used medicinally or recreationally, could be an answer to the opioid crisis. On almost a weekly basis, a new study emerges confirming the pain-killing properties of cannabis, or finding that states with medical cannabis laws have lower rates of opioid use and abuse or opioid-related overdose deaths, as well as hospitalizations, traffic fatalities, and drug treatment admissions related to opioids.

Cal NORML has heard from innumerable patients and physicians who report having substantially reduced or eliminated their use of prescription opioids by substituting cannabis instead.…

October 30, 2017 – The evidence is mounting that allowing access to marijuana, used medicinally or recreationally, could be an answer to the opioid crisis. On almost a weekly basis, a new study emerges confirming the pain-killing properties of cannabis, or finding that states with medical cannabis laws have lower rates of opiate use and abuse or opioid-related overdose deaths, as well as hospitalizations, traffic fatalities, and drug treatment admissions related to opiates.

Cal NORML has heard from innumerable patients and physicians who report having substantially reduced or eliminated their use of prescription opioids by substituting cannabis instead.…

Updated 10/9/17 – The Governor vetoed bills banning smoking on the beach, regulating edibles (AB350) and the sale of butane (AB1120). He signed AB-1159 clarifying that legal services on marijuana issues is protected under existing laws.

SACRAMENTO September 18 – The California legislature has approved SJR-5 (Stone), a joint resolution calling for Congress “to pass a law to reschedule marijuana or cannabis and its derivatives from a Schedule I drug to an alternative schedule, therefore allowing the legal research and development of marijuana or cannabis for medical use.”…

UPDATE 10/6/17 – Gov. Brown has vetoed the bills. See veto messages here and here. Thanks to all the NORML supporters who contacted the Governor.

SACRAMENTO, September 15 — The California legislature is reaching for a new low in nanny-state legislation.

Two bills passed by the legislature would not only ban smoking marijuana and tobacco outdoors at the beach, they also ban smokeless e-cigarettes. E-cigs pose none of the alleged hazards of cigarettes (i.e. harmful smoke and beach litter).

Californians should be free to inhale what they wish at the beach.…

July 2017 – Legislation to improve the state’s cannabis regulations in time for the January 2018 deadline has moved forward expeditiously in Sacramento, with the legislature approving the Governor’s comprehensive budget trailer bill to unify the regulation of medical and adult-use cannabis. The bill, SB 94, entitled the Medical and Adult-Use Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act (MAUCRSA), took effect immediately upon the Governor’s signature after receiving well more than the required 2/3 vote.

MAUCRSA melds the state’s medical-only regulations passed by the legislature (a.k.a.…

July 11 – The State Water Resources Control Board will accept public comments on a Draft Cannabis Cultivation Policy – Principles and Guidelines for Cannabis Cultivation (Cannabis Policy), a Draft Cannabis Cultivation Policy Staff Report, and Draft General Waste Discharge Requirements for Discharges of Waste Associated with Cannabis Cultivation Activities (General Order).

The Notice, draft documents, and other information are available on the State Water Board’s Cannabis Cultivation webpage.

The Board will hold two staff informational workshops (July 20, 2017 – Eureka and July 27, 2017 – Sacramento) to present information and answer questions.…

June 14 – The California Department of Food and Agriculture CalCannabis Licensing Program has issued a Cultivation Licensing Draft Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) for public review and comment. California is the first state to conduct a full Environmental Impact Report on cannabis cultivation.

The Draft PEIR provides information about the potential environmental effects associated with the adoption and implementation of statewide cannabis cultivation regulations. Additional information on the PEIR can be found by reading the Frequently Asked Questions handout on the environmental review process.…

SACRAMENTO – The state Assembly voted 41-33 to approve a bill by Asm. Reggie Jones-Sawyer (AB 1578) barring California law enforcement officials from cooperating with federal officials seeking to interfere with California’s marijuana laws. The bill’s sponsor Asm. Reggie Jones-Sawyer spoke at the ASA / Cal NORML lobby day on June 5 and enjoined the crowd to contact their state Senators to support the bill. Take action on AB 1578

With the deadline for passing bills out of their house of origin at hand, two other measures backed by cannabis advocates passed the Assembly: AB 64, Asm.…

Sign a Petition To Protect Patient Access from Burdensome Manufacturing Regulations

California’s Bureau of Medical Cannabis Regulation has released a notice of rule making with hearing dates starting June 1 and draft regulations for retailers and distributors as well as laboratories.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture has proposed regulations for cultivation, nurseries, and processing.

The Department of Public Health has proposed rules for manufacturing, including extraction, processing and infusion.

Download a petition regarding manufacturing regulations

Public Comment Info • Public Hearing Schedule

CAL NORML REPORTS, May 2017 – California is racing to enact new rules to regulate marijuana before January 1, 2018, when state licensing and taxation of the industry is set to begin, along with adult-use sales in localities that permit it.…