Marijuana Legalization: Legal and Practical Issues in California |
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Dear friends,  Please join us on Friday, August 6th, 2010, at the Grand Hyatt San Francisco (345 Stockton Street) for a forum addressing the legal and practical implications of the California initiatve to tax and regulate marijuana, which will be on the ballot this fall. The forum will be held from 4-6pm followed by a special reception from 6-7pm.  |
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 Marijuana Legalization in California Initiative Certified for November Ballot An initiative to tax and regulate marijuana has been approved for the November ballot in California. This is a historical vote in what could be the first state to end the prohibition on marijuana in almost a century.  However, many people are wondering what the federal government will do if the ballot measure passes. Marijuana is still strictly prohibited under federal law but states have been implementing medical marijuana laws recently without much federal interference. The Attorney General's office issued a memo stating it would not interfere in states that enact medical marijuana laws. The federal government has been silent about what actions it would take if California approves the initiative fully legalizing marijuana.  The initiative's passage could certainly give rise to a major showdown between the federal government and the voters of California.  |
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 Marijuana and Federalism: California a Test Case VCL to Host Forum and Reception During American Bar Association Annual Meeting The VCL has been working through the American Bar Association to bring the issue of marijuana and federalism to the attention of its membership. At the Annual Meeting in August, the ABA's Standing Committee on Substance Abuse will host a presidential showcase: "Marijuana Regulation and Federalism: A Clash of State and Federal Policy." The forum will be an hour and a half on Saturday, August 7th, at 10:30am, and will feature Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse. You must be signed up for the ABA Annual Meeting in order to attend.  The VCL will host its own legal issues forum on the previous day, Friday, August 6th from 4-6pm at the Grand Hyatt San Francisco, 345 Stockton Street. The forum will be open to the public and will focus on the federal and state legal implications of the California marijuana initiative if it passes. The forum will be followed by a reception from 6-7pm to give you a chance to meet our guest speakers and to network with attorneys and others attending.  |
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 We need your help! Spread the Word and Donate The VCL wishes to engage bar associations and other organizations to support the legal forum in San Francisco in August and to help spread the word. Please contact us if you are in California or another state and want to work with your local or state bar association, or other professional organization, to help us advertise this event, or to work to stimulate drug policy discussions in the future.  We welcome your financial support to continue our mission. Please join us by contributing at the $50, $75 or $100 membership levels, or set up convenient monthly payments. You can also join our call for change by signing on to our Open Letter.  We look forward to seeing you at the San Francisco forum in August and to working with you in the future!   Sincerely,  
 Roger Goodman Executive Director |
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 Please visit our website at www.VCL.org. The Voluntary Committee of Lawyers is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. Â
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