Medical Marijuana Update

The Kettle Falls 5 will have to face federal trial, a bill to fold the Washington state medical market into the recreational one has passed the Senate, there's movement toward dispensaries in Hawaii and Michigan, and much more. Let's get to it:

On Tuesday, a bill to end organ transplant denials for medical marijuana patients was referred to the Assembly Health Committee. Assemblymember Marc Levine (D-San Rafael) earlier this month introduced Assembly Bill 258, the Medical Cannabis Organ Transplant Act, a bill aimed at preventing medical marijuana patients from being denied organ transplants. The Medical Cannabis Organ Transplant Act is sponsored by Americans for Safe Access( ASA), which has long advocated for patients seeking organ transplants, including Norman B. Smith, a medical marijuana patient who died in 2012 after being denied a liver transplant at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Also on Tuesday, the Santa Ana city council approved spending $880,000 to shut down unpermitted dispensaries. The move comes as the city is poised to become the first in Orange County to allow permitted dispensaries. The enforcement costs -- including hiring five new police officers and a sergeant -- will be borne by the legal dispensaries, which are set to open on July 1.

Also on Tuesday, the Long Beach city council voted to create a special task force to offer input on a new medical marijuana ordinance. The ordinance, which would allow 18 dispensaries citywide, has been approved once by the council but needs to go back for a second approval in April. If the task force recommends any changes, they will be taken up then.

Also on Tuesday, the Pismo Beach city council banned medical marijuana delivery services. The city already banned dispensaries, but the council voted unanimously to update the ban and include mobile delivery services because they create "the same adverse impacts" as brick and mortar stores.

Colorado

On Tuesday, the Colorado Cannabis Chamber said it supported tightening restrictions on caregivers. The chamber, which represents recreational marijuana business interests, has come out in support of Senate Bill 14, which would require medical marijuana caregivers to be licensed and registered with the state. The measure would help law enforcement maintain a tighter control on who is growing how much marijuana for whom. The chamber said the "caregivers system is being abused" by people who don't want to abide by the same regulations as the rest of the industry. The bill awaits a hearing in the House Public Health Care and Human Services Committee.

Hawaii

On Tuesday, a bill that would allow for dispensaries won a House committee vote. Fourteen years after the legislature approved medical marijuana, it may finally get around to approving dispensaries. A bill that would do that, House Bill 321, was approved by the House Committee on Health and the Judiciary Tuesday. It now goes before the House Committee on Finance. A similar proposal in the Senate was slated for a decision in a joint committee hearing today.

Iowa

On Monday, Iowans pleaded for the expansion of the state's medical marijuana program. A small number of Iowa patients and family members appeared before state legislators to ask for expansion of the state's medical marijuana program, which they say is effectively useless as is. Each speaker called on legislators to expand the law to allow them to legally produce and obtain the high-CBD cannabis oils that could aid them. A law passed last year allows Iowans to use the cannabis oils, but not to produce or import them.

Michigan

Last Thursday, the legislature began preparing to take up a bill that would explicitly allow dispensaries. Supporters of medical marijuana are readying themselves to push a dispensary bill through the legislature. Rep. Mike Callton (R-Nashville) announced that he would sponsor a new bill to regulate "provisioning centers." The bill is not yet available on the legislative website. Similar measures were expected to pass last year, but stalled at session's end.

New Mexico

Last Thursday, the state proposed revisions in its medical marijuana program. The Health Department's hearing officer charged with making recommendations for changes in the state's medical marijuana program issued her report and she is recommending increasing the allowable concentrations of THC in marijuana products from 60% to 70% and scrapping a rule requiring patients to submit biometric information when applying for registry cards. The department is now "in the process of reviewing" the recommendations. Click on the link for more detail and more recommendations.

North Carolina

Last Wednesday, a medical marijuana bill was filed. A group of legislators has filed a full-blown medical marijuana bill, House Bill 78. The state approved a CBD cannabis oil bill last year.

Oklahoma

Last Wednesday, a CBD cannabis oil bill passed the House.The House approved House Bill 2154, on a 98-2 vote. The bill would authorize an investigation into the use of cannabis oil for children with epilepsy. The bill now heads to the Senate.

Washington

Last Thursday, a federal judge rejected a request from the Kettle Falls 5 to throw out their charges. Five Washington state medical marijuana patients being prosecuted by federal authorities will have to go to trial. A federal judge refused to dismiss the criminal case against them, even though the prosecution appears to violate Justice Department guidelines for medical marijuana prosecutions and even though marijuana is now legal in their state.

Last Friday, a Republican-sponsored bill to combine the recreational and medical markets passed the Senate. The state Senate has passed Senate Bill 5052, sponsored by Sen. Ann Rivers (R-La Center). It would combine medical and recreational in a single market, require medical marijuana users to enter their names on a state registry, reduce the number of plants patients could grow from 15 to six, and allow cultivation co-ops only if they are at least 15 miles from a retail store and everyone is on the registry. The bill was opposed by patient advocates. Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles (D-Seattle) had offered a competing bill, Senate Bill 5519, but that has not been voted on, and all of her amendments to the Republican bill were voted down.

[For extensive information about the medical marijuana debate, presented in a neutral format, visit MedicalMarijuana.ProCon.org.]