On Friday, Jerry Brown, the governor of California, signed a law that had officially set regulations on medical marijuana twenty years after cannabis had been legalized for medical marijuana. The 70-page Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act noted all the details on illegal growing, the black market of marijuana, as well as how violators would be handled.
According to MSNBC, Brown’s proposal was advocated by various civilian rights groups that wished for marijuana to be legalized for recreational uses. The first time California allowed marijuana for medicinal purposes was in 1996. Gavin Newson, Lt. Gov., said that the law may have included recreational legalization and would overall help officials in the regulation of marijuana.
“Given the history and complexity of California’s market, achieving the people’s will and responsibly regulating marijuana will be a process that unfolds over many years, requiring sustained attention to implementation,” Newson stated.
According to the law, California allows people as well as companies to own at least one of the 17 licenses in growing and maintaining cannabis. One who wishes to apply is limited to a scarce number of licenses. Furthermore, California also has the right to ban or charge taxes for cannabis farmers or companies distributing medical marijuana. The American Medical Marijuana Association stated that the 10 by 10 feet restriction for marijuana cultivators is a violation of the legislation made in 1996.
Licenses will be handed out in 2018 yet Brown states that “state agencies will begin working immediately with experts and stakeholders on crafting clear guidelines, so local government, law enforcement, businesses, patients and health providers can prepare and adapt to the new regulated system.” California seeks to allocate $10 million for the startup. In addition to this, Russ Heimerich, Spokesman from the Department of Consumer Affairs, states that licensing will probably take longer than expected.
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