THE STATE
Weedmaps bought by Costa Mesa firm that’s the first publicly-traded canna-business
A Costa Mesa company is hoping to capitalize on the expanding medical marijuana market, becoming the first publicly-traded firm specializing in support services for the $14 billion-a-year cash crop, the Orange County Register reports.
General Cannabis is planning to buy up small firms and has already purchased Weedmaps, a website (the “Yelp of pot”) with 50,000 subscribers, a management firm and a credit card billing firm.
Judge says L.A. dispensary provision is unconstitutional
A Superior Court judge issued a preliminary injunction last month that bars Los Angeles from enforcing provisions of a six-month-old law limiting dispensaries.
The ruling found unconstitutional a provision that outlawed all dispensaries in the cities except those that registered under a moratorium, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Lake Elsinore’s moratorium gets extended another year
The City of Lake Elsinore has extended for another year a moratorium on dispensaries, The Press-Enterprise reports.
Councilman Bob Magee cited voters’ rejection of Prop.19 and a local group’s inability to qualify a local measure to legalize dispensaries in the city as an example of where voters stand on the issue.
Riverside County officials back off from dispensary regulations
Riverside County is pulling back from its efforts to draft regulations for medical marijuana dispensaries, The Press-Enterprise reports.
Supervisors John Benoit and Jeff Stone had asked for a proposal—reversing a four-year ban on such operations—in September, but three months later Benoit said he changed his mind and wanted to keep the ban in place. He and Stone said they were concerned that bans in nearby counties could mean the exponential growth of such operations in Riverside County.
Oakland’s large-scale grow plans put on hold
Oakland’s plans for large-scale cannabis cultivation are on hold after the City Council voted to suspend permits that would have allowed applicants to set up four industrial-size indoor marijuana farms, the Washington Post reports. Alameda County District Attorney Nancy O’Malley had warned that such operations could be illegal and those connected to them, including city officials who approve them, could face prosecution. Last July, Oakland became the first city in the country to legally allow the licensing of marijuana growing operations.
THE NATION
Colorado town shoots down law allowing a dispensary, grow operation
Orchard City, Colorado’s town board defeated an ordinance that would have allowed a single medical marijuana dispensary and commercial growing operation, the Delta County Independent reports.
Public sentiment was against the proposal at a December hearing, leading the six-member board to unanimously oppose the measure. Mayor Don Suppes said an ordinance banning all such operations will be introduced at a meeting later this month.
Teens smoking more cannabis than tobacco
A federal government survey found that more teenagers smoke marijuana than cigarettes, the first time that cannabis use has exceeded tobacco use since 1981, the Los Angeles Times reports.
The survey by the National Institute on Drug Abuse found that 21.4 percent of high school seniors reported marijuana smoking in the last 30 days while 19.2 percent smoked cigarettes during the same time period.
The change is believed to be a result of increased public health campaigns about the ill effects of smoking cigarettes, but drug czar Gil Kerlikowski also blamed failed measures like Prop. 19 for making pot smoking seem less dangerous—something advocates and activists cited as patently ridiculous.
New Jersey governor’s medical proposal too restrictive
The New Jersey Senate has rejected a medical marijuana proposal by Gov. Chris Christie that critics say would be too restrictive.
The state approved a law early last year allowing for medical use, but has yet to draft regulations governing the program. State legislators said Christie’s proposal was not in line with the intent of the law and would not have allowed for patients to get access soon to marijuana.
Biotech firm launches plans for dispensary products
A U.S. biotech company developing pharmaceutical cannabis products has signed a lease for a new corporate headquarters in Denver, Colorado.
Cannabis Science, Inc. announced the new facility as a milestone in its plans of conducting research to develop products for the dispensary market.
ACLU sues Michigan cities over their bans
The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan is suing several cities that have banned the use of medical marijuana.
The group is suing on behalf of a 61-year-old multiple sclerosis patient who says her rights have been violated by the ordinances in Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills and Livonia. The woman has a license to use medical marijuana under a 2008 law but local jurisdictions have prevented her from exercising that right, the group says.
University study shows overwhelming support for medical use
Most Americans overwhelmingly support legalizing marijuana for medical use, but not for recreation, a national University of Iowa poll finds.
The poll found two-thirds support for legal medical use but only 30 percent favored allowing it for recreational use.
THE WORLD
Dutch officials can ban tourists from coffee shops
A European Union Court has ruled that Dutch authorities can ban coffee shops from selling marijuana to tourists, the BBC News reports.
The city of Maastricht had passed a 2005 law barring foreigners from entering such cafés in an attempt to curb “drug tourists.” A local coffee shop had challenged the law as a restriction on the free movement of goods and services, but the European court said the ban was justified.
Canadian research shows alcohol’s dangers should make it pricey
A Canadian researcher says that alcohol should be more expensive because of health problems, car accidents and crimes associated with its use.
Dr. Robert Mann of the Centre of Addiction and Mental Health said increasing the price of alcohol can cause people to drink less. Alcohol is the third-leading cause of death in Canada compared to 8th place for illegal drugs.
