MMJ: Cannabis Legislation Continues

What’s up with the California Legislature and cannabis? Any news? - Willy Wonky

Glad you asked! There’s been a flurry of activity in Sacramento the past few weeks. I have bad news and good news.

The bad: AB 2069, which would’ve kept cannabis users from losing their jobs just because they failed a drug test has been held in committee, so it will not receive a vote this year. Dangit. No one should be fired for off-duty cannabis use, ever.

AB 3157, a bill to lower the taxes on cannabis, also didn’t make it out of committee. This is a shame. No one wants to pay almost 20 percent in taxes when they can just call the friendly neighborhood weedperson and get good weed for way cheaper. If the point of legalization is to get rid of the black market, lawmakers need to make “legit” cannabis more appealing. Lower prices would be a start.

SB 1302, which would have allowed delivery services to operate in cities and counties that still prohibit cannabis businesses, also died. Some people have to drive hundreds of miles to find a dispensary. It’s no wonder that cannabis tax revenues have fallen short of projections, what with more than half of all cities and counties in California keeping bans in place.

There is good news: SB 829, a bill to allow medical cannabis dispensaries to give away free pot to poor and indigent patients, is still in the game. The cannabis movement was founded in compassion.

Other good-news bills still up for consideration: SB 1127 would allow pediatric cannabis patients to take their medication at school; AB 1793 would automatically expunge or re-sentence past marijuana convictions; AB 2215 would allow veterinarians to talk about medical cannabis with pet owners; AB 2641 would allow the Bureau of Cannabis Control to grant temporary licenses for special events in jurisdictions hosting events.

Also still on the table: AB 2721 would allow labs to test homegrown cannabis, in addition to commercial; SB 1294 would create an equity program to help give a leg up to those who’ve been disproportionately harmed by cannabis criminalization; SB 930 would create charter banks for cannabusinesses, a big deal because of banking restrictions.

Call your elected officials! Let them know you support more legalization and not more prohibition. Weed is (somewhat) legal but the battle still rages.