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Alliance for Responsible Medicinal Access
ARMA UPDATE

March 11, 2015                                                                  Volume 2, Issue 2

Regional Medical Cannabis News
Update on Progress of MMCC Permitting in San Diego

Three more medical marijuana consumer cooperatives - one each in Districts 2, 6, and 8 - are scheduled to go before the Planning Commission tomorrow, Thursday, March 12, at 9AM. All three were approved by the Hearing Officer in December but the decisions were appealed. The outcome of Thursday's meeting will determine the fate of several other applicants, particularly in District 2, as the city's ordinance prohibits approval of other MMCCs that are within 1000 feet of the approved cooperatives.

Eleven other projects are scheduled to go before the Hearing Officer on March 25th, after appeals to their CEQA determinations were denied in January. Six more projects whose CEQA determinations were appealed were heard by the city council on March 3, and all six appeals were denied, allowing the projects to move forward.

Because of the strict regulations in the ordinance that allow for only four permitted dispensaries per district, and the rule preventing other dispensaries within 1000 feet, competition to be among the first to receive conditional use permits is fierce and has caused much infighting among applicants.  

Meanwhile, the only cooperative to receive final approval so far, A Green Alternative, is scheduled to open its doors sometime this month. A Green Alternative is located in Otay Mesa (District 8) at 2335 Roll Drive.
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Also in San Diego:

San Diego Scientist: Every Medical Pot Study Showed A Benefit To The Patient

http://www.kpbs.org/news/2015/mar/03/san-diego-scientist-clears-haze-medical-marijuana/

SDPD helps new pot shop step up security
http://fox5sandiego.com/2015/03/05/sdpd-helps-pot-shop-beef-up-security-before-opening/
 

 
California Legislative Update
California Assembly Bill Prevents Legal Patients from Being Denied Organ Transplants
 
A bill introduced this year in the California Legislature is aimed at preventing legal medical cannabis patients from being denied organ transplants based solely on their used of medical marijuana. AB 258 will save lives by preventing discrimination against medical cannabis patients in the organ transplant process. Patients are routinely denied a place on the national organ transplant wait list if they test positive for cannabis use – even doctor-recommended medical cannabis. The California Medical Association (CMA) voted unanimously in December to urge transplant clinics in the state against removing patients from organ transplant lists based on their medical marijuana status or use. Legal patients have died after being denied a place on the list and others are in jeopardy right now. AB 258 will prevent unnecessary suffering and avoidable deaths by protecting legal patients. 

Help send a message to the California Legislature that denying organ transplants to medical cannabis patients is wrong. Show your support for the California Medical Marijuana Organ Transplant Act by signing the petition below:
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Several Medical Cannabis Bills Moving Through the State Legislature
 
The following is a breakdown of the bills currently being discussed by the California State Legislature:

AB 26 - This bill, authored by Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer, is aimed at setting up an overarching framework to regulate medical cannabis in the state. AB 26 would establish a new entity to oversee the industry as an arm of the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, and would regulate mmj "from seed to retail."

AB 243 - This bill, authored by Assemblymember Jim Wood, would regulate cultivation, requiring farmers to adhere to local and state agricultural rules. It also outlines best practices and addresses water and pollution issues.

AB 258 - This is the Organ Transplant Bill discussed above. It is authored by Assemblymember Marc Levine.

AB 266 - This bill, authored by Assemblymember Ken Cooley, is backed by the California Police Chiefs Association and the League of California Cities. It would set up a statewide regulatory scheme to supervise the state's medical marijuana industry by creating a Bureau of Medical Marijuana Regulation under the Department of Consumer Affairs. The language in this bill is very similar to last year's failed SB 1262.

SB 165 - This is another bill that addresses the environmental issues associated with cultivation. It is authored by State Senator William Monning.


 
National Legislative Update
Compassionate Access, Research Expansion, and Respect States (CARERS) Act Introduced in US Senate

On Tuesday, March 10th, three US senators from both sides of the aisle (Sen. Cory Booker - D, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand - D, Sen. Rand Paul - R) introduced a new, comprehensive medicinal cannabis bill which proposes sweeping legislative reforms that include: reclassification to Schedule 2, easing restrictions on inter-state transport, allowing banks to provide services to the cannabis industry, expanding access to cannabis for research, and permiting VA doctors to recommend medical marijuana for certain conditions in states where it is legal.

For more information, see: http://time.com/3738038/medical-marijuana-congress/

Watch the full CARERS Act Press Conference here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTPi5lpXqOE


 
Upcoming Events
Making Hemp History with International Cannabis University

Join the ICU Chancellor Dion Markgraaff with Hemp Historian Eric “Hempseed” Loitz presenting "Making Hemp History" tonight, March 11th, at 7PM. Come to a class to learn to become a better cannabis professor. This class will also cover the latest updates on global cannabis changes in Uruguay, Us Native nations, Canada, Oregon and California.

$5.00 donation requested, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds.
 
Kannaway Training Headquarters, 4901 Morena Blvd. Suite 700, San Diego, CA 92117. Gate Code: 3535
 
For more information, please see
http://icuniv.com/blog/2015/02/23/making-hemp-history/ or contact Dion@icuniv.com, 760-879-0944.
 
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Unity for Medical Cannabis at the Planning Commission

Tomorrow, Thursday, March 12, the planning commission has the opportunity to approve three more MMCCs (Medical Marijuana Consumer Cooperatives) in the City of San Diego. Let's show the planning commission 'Unity in the Cannabis Community'! The hearing will start at 9AM at the San Diego City Administration Building, 202 C Street, 12th Floor .

Please join us & show your support for medical marijuana and safe access. We encourage everyone to speak on the benefits of having responsible access in the City of San Diego.

If you are unable to attend in person, the meeting will be streamed live online at: 

http://granicus.sandiego.gov/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=31
 
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ARMA Mixer

Join ARMA on Wednesday, March 25, from 6:00-8:00PM for a fun evening of wine tasting and socializing at San Diego Cellars in Little Italy (2215 Kettner Blvd. San Diego, CA 92101).

Meet, mingle and network with ARMA board members, staff, and stakeholders. In addition to a great night of networking, we will be discussing the latest developments in the City of San Diego's permitting process as well as medical cannabis developments from across the state and nation.

San Diego Cellars offers premium wines, local craft beers and delicious snacks. For more information about SD Cellars, please see 
http://sdcellars.com/.
 
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Women Grow: San Diego Chapter Kickoff Meeting

The legal cannabis and hemp industry is a captivating and ever-evolving space! Women Grow was started to highlight and empower women in this business and network us all together.  Jane West founded Women Grow so that women can network with other women in the marijuana industry. "Women Grow serves as a catalyst for women to influence and succeed in the cannabis industry as the end of marijuana prohibition occurs on a national scale."
 
We are now officially launching a San Diego chapter to grow this movement in our own region of the country and we invite anyone at all to come join us on Thursday, April 2nd, from 7-10PM to start the conversation on this exciting time in history!  
 
We are thrilled to have our first guest speaker as Ms. Sheila Hoyt as our first guest speaker. Sheila Hoyt is a founding partner in Herbalizer, a San Diego based company that has developed the world's first smartvape.  Ms. Hoyt raised the lion's portion of the company's funding and had direct influence over the final aesthetics -- driving design solutions for simplicity, such as the magnetically attached herbal chamber.

For more information, or to RSVP/buy tickets, please see: 

http://www.eventbrite.com/e/women-grow-san-diego-chapter-launch-tickets-15504877506
 
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Latino/Latina Community Outreach

ARMA is teaming up with Yami Bolanos from the Greater Los Angeles Collective Alliance (GLACA) to provide a unique educational opportunity for Spanish-speaking patients, caregivers, family members and other Spanish-speakers who are interested in learning more about available cannabis products and how they can be used to help treat a variety of symptoms and ailments. The discussion will also include a segment on legal rights. The presentation will be primarily in Spanish, but English speakers will be able to follow along and are welcome to attend.

Please join us on Saturday, April 11th, from 1-3PM, at the Kannaway Training Headquarters, 4901 Morena Blvd, Suite 700, San Diego 92117 (gate code 3535). This event is free and open to the public. Mmj recommendations are not required and no cannabis products will be available on-site as this is strictly an educational event. For more information, please contact
mgibert@responsibleaccess.org.

Es una platica in espanol para educar pacientes y sus cuidadores en el uso de Marijuana Medicinal y sus derechos legales. La education necesaria sobre la Marijuana Medicinal para poder hacer una difirencia en si comunidad. Por favor, únase a nosotros el sábado 11 de abril, de 1-3 pm, en el sede de Kannaway, Suite 700, 4901 Morena Blvd, San Diego, CA 92117 (puerta código
: 3535). Correo Electronico mgibert@responsibleaccess.org para poder obtener mas informacion. 


 
More MMJ News: Elsewhere Edition
Washington town opens first government-run marijuana store
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/03/09/washington-town-pot-shop/24660263/

D.C. employers find themselves on front line of new marijuana policies
http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/dc-employers-find-themselves-on-front-line-of-new-marijuana-policies/2015/03/08/7e5521c2-c39e-11e4-9ec2-b418f57a4a99_story.html

Colorado sheriffs file federal lawsuit to stop recreational marijuana sales
http://kdvr.com/2015/03/05/colorado-sheriffs-file-lawsuit-in-federal-court-to-stop-recreational-marijuana-sales/

Tribes from around US gather to discuss legal marijuana
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/native-american-tribes-converge-discuss-pot-legalization-29277561

How Medical Marijuana’s Chemicals May Protect Cells
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-medical-marijuana-s-chemicals-may-protect-cells/

Understanding and Managing Cannabis Legal Compliance: No Excuses
http://www.cannalawblog.com/understanding-managing-cannabis-legal-compliance-no-excuses/

Ben & Jerry's might make marijuana ice cream
http://fortune.com/2015/03/04/ben-jerrys-marijuana-ice-cream/


 
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