recreational cannabis are legal in the state, the fight is not yet over. What can you do to help further marijuana legalization? As it turns out, quite a lot.

The passage of Proposition 64 and its predecessor, The Compassionate Use Act of 1996, were both clear examples of how civic participation could change the narrative for marijuana in California and the rest of the country. Many thought after those laws were passed, their work would be done. After all, California now has some of the most robust marijuana legalization efforts in the whole country.

For many in the state, however, it might barely feel like it’s legal at all. As our skilled attorneys can explain, that is because of parameters built into state law that allow local jurisdictions to enforce their own regulations or bans. Cities are not allowed to ban personal use or small personal grows in residents’ own homes, but everything else is pretty much fair game. Many cities have no sales and no cultivation … they won’t even allow testing labs or processing facilities within city lines. In fact, 40 percent of Californians have to drive at least 60 miles to find a legal dispensary. This simply is not a reflection of the will of the people.As we enter election season, this is an opportune time to talk to your representatives at every level. Even those who are politically engaged often forget how much impact their city councilors and county officials can have on their lives. Do a little homework on who your officials are in your precinct, especially those who are up for re-election this year.

If you live in a city where there are still strict cannabis bans in place, talk to your councilor or local representative about their stance on marijuana. Remain civil, calm, and open to listen to your councilor’s point of view. If they are against marijuana legalization, listen to their reasons why. This is an excellent opportunity to use the plentiful resources on all the benefits of cannabis to help educate and work around some of the many emotion-based hurdles that exist around the issue of marijuana.

Maybe you live in an area with ample cannabis liberties. This is a chance to set your sites on national representatives. Cannabis Voter Project offers a list of all of your representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate and where they stand on the issues most important to the cannabis industry. Remember, even the staunchest anti-marijuana politicians, such as John Boehner, have flipped over time when presented with the best information. For Boehner, it was the discovery of how many veterans preferred medical marijuana treatment over the many other options they had at their disposal. Taking time to understand where there are still misconceptions about marijuana is the key to bridging the gap.

Our experienced Riverside marijuana attorneys know how important it is to have strong advocates fighting for your rights as a cannabis user or business owner. We work hard every day to strengthen the cannabis business community in Southern California and defend people just like you in court. We need that same strong support in our city councils, state offices and federal government branches.

The Los Angeles CANNABIS LAW Group represents growers, dispensaries, collectives, patients, defendants, workers and those facing criminal marijuana charges. Call us at 949-375-4734.

Additional Resources:

California’s ‘Pot Desert’ Problem, May 18, 2018, Green Entrepreneur

More Blog Entries:

Marijuana Wins Big on Election Night, Nov. 10, 2016, Cannabis Law Group

change the landscape of marijuana in the United States, possibly within the next month. Epidiolex contains an active ingredient of CBD found in marijuana, and was approved to treat severe forms of epilepsy in children. According to a report from The Philadelphia Inquirer, the CEO of the company responsible for Epidiolex said before the drug can be prescribed, it must be reclassified to be lower than it’s current Schedule I status, Controlled Substances Act, 21 U.S.C. Section 812. He said he expects this to happen within 90 days of the FDA approval. This means marijuana could very well be reclassified by late September. It doesn’t mean that there will be a total free-for-all on cannabis use, but a lower scheduling will mean that the federal government will finally acknowledge the plant has medicinal benefits, and medical marijuana programs across the country can be released from the grips of the federal ban.

As our trusted Orange County marijuana attorneys can explain, there are several reasons it has taken federal leaders so long to release their grip on cannabis prohibition. First of all, anti-marijuana propaganda has been deeply ingrained in the American psyche for decades through drug prevention programs and public service campaigns. The campaigns themselves have their own nefarious roots, as marijuana has a history of being used as a tool to target minority groups and political activists. Law enforcement agencies have legitimized their questionable arrest practices by exaggerating the effects of cannabis to a naive nation.

Second, these same law enforcement agencies soon learned this practice also meant extra funding for their departments. “War on Drugs” quickly became a buzz term that got people worked up into a fervor over scary drug lords and sketchy dealers preying on our children. While those things certainly exist, it’s much more difficult to crack down on meth houses and massive cartels than it is to round up average marijuana users. On paper, though, incarcerating someone with a personal bag of marijuana looks the same as the arrest of a cocaine trafficker, and racking up big numbers of drug-related arrests keeps “War on Drugs” funding flowing into police departments.

Third, and this is perhaps the biggest factor, is massive lobbying money coming in from pharmaceutical companies. We are learning more and more each day how many potential health benefits cannabis holds. So why wouldn’t pharmaceutical companies want to capitalize off of this miracle drug? The answer is shockingly simple and terribly sad: cannabis is fairly inexpensive to cultivate and can even be grown at home. Many treatments involving cannabis require little processing. Education and medical assistance can help patients learn the difference between indica and sativa strains and also understand how the right balance of THC and CBD will help their ailments. There is certainly room for pharmaceutical companies to get involved with crafting precise balances of cannabis oils, lotions, and pills to treat specific conditions. For example, Epidiolex will cost $32,500 per year before insurance, leaving little room to imagine why there is the sudden interest in legalization. The fact is, though, with the right medical guidance many people can skip the middle man of the drug companies all together and have been doing so for years.

The Los Angeles CANNABIS LAW Group represents growers, dispensaries, collectives, patients, defendants, workers and those facing criminal marijuana charges. Call us at 949-375-4734.

Additional Resources:

FDA Approves First Drug Comprised of an Active Ingredient Derived from Marijuana to Treat Rare, Severe Forms of Epilepsy, June 25, 2018, U.S. Food & Drug Administration

More Blog Entries:

FDA Approval Could Change Everything for Medical Marijuana, July 1, 2018, Cannabis Law Group