Medical marijuana action was concentrated in state legislatures this week, although there was also news from the Massachusetts attorney general's office.

[image:1 align:left]California

On Tuesday, Rep. Tom Ammiano introduced a bill to regulate dispensaries. The San Francisco Democrat filed Assembly Bill 473, which would create comprehensive state-level regulations for dispensaries. It would create a Division of Medical Cannabis Regulation within the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to set standards and rules and set fees and would require dispensaries to have state-issued permits.

Massachusetts

Last Wednesday, the state attorney general's office struck down a local ban on dispensaries. The office nixed a ban in the town of Wakefield, ruling that towns can regulate, but not prohibit dispensaries under the state law. Such bans would frustrate the purpose of the medical marijuana law that allows patients with certain medical conditions to obtain marijuana for medical use, the ruling said. But in a separate decision, the office upheld a temporary moratorium on dispensaries in the town of Burlington.

New Hampshire

On Wednesday, a medical marijuana bill passed the House. The bill, House Bill 573, was approved by an overwhelming 286-64 vote. The bill would allow qualifying patients to cultivate up to three mature plants or obtain cannabis from one of five non-profit, state-regulated alternative treatment centers. It will next be considered by the Senate, which passed similar legislation in 2009 and 2012. Gov. Maggie Hassan (D) previously expressed support for making medical marijuana legal in the Granite State.

Oregon

Last Friday, a bill to license and regulate dispensaries was introduced by Rep. Peter Buckley (D) and Sen. Floyd Prozanski (D). The bill, House Bill 3460, would require medical marijuana facilities to seek a license from the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program similar to the license that patients and registered growers are required to obtain under current law. The bill sets out a series of regulations the medical marijuana facilities must meet and allows the Oregon Health Authority to draft additional rules and regulations to ensure patients are protected.