Hey I heard a club got raided the other day? They’re not a thing of the past? – Blue Steele
Close. It wasn’t a cannabis club that got raided, but a cannabis processing facility. Med West in San Diego was raided by by the local cops, apparently acting on an “anonymous tip.” Two people were arrested and charged with manufacturing an illegal substance and intent to sell. Local advocates were surprised, considering that Med West has been operating at the same spot in San Diego for a few years, and officials had toured the facility.
This is a huge drag. However, California law is very clear: Making cannabis concentrates with butane or CO2 or anything other than water is against the law. The law was originally aimed at the folks that make meth, but the cops use this law against concentrate manufacturers all the time. Usually they go after whatever dumbass set their house on fire by filling an unventilated room with butane, not established industrial producers, but the law is the law. Fortunately, there is language in the new medical marijuana laws that allow for the production of things like wax and shatter. I am not sure if the AUMA initiative has similar language, but I bet it does.
Any news from the legislature? You think these bans will end soon? – Wonk A. Tania
The California legislature has done a decent job of trying to fix their mistake. We will see if it does any good. The House and Senate just passed AB21, which removes the deadline for cities and counties to have regulations or bans by March 1. Governor Brown is expected to sign the bill. Cities can still ban anything cannabis related, but now they can do it slowly and after great deliberation. Let’s talk about this for a minute. Why should cities and counties be allowed to ban medical cannabis? If Prop. 215 is supposed to guarantee safe access to everyone, shouldn’t all the cities and counties have to allow it? Bud Green, Fresno based activist and all-around good person, has a good idea: We have to convince the legislature that cannabis is a statewide concern. California needs to set default regulations that the cities and counties must follow. Sure, they can have more liberal rules, like Oakland’s 99 plant limit. (The default is 6.) It would be unfair for the state to have to share cannabis money – Colorado just hit 900 million is sales, think what Cali can do – with ungrateful NIMBYS.