STATE
Title: Here are the rules for legal marijuana in California once law goes into effect Jan. 1
Author: OC Register
Date: 16 November 2017
Extract: Those regulations are in the new rule book for California’s cannabis industry, which state regulators released Thursday.
“I feel a big sigh of relief. It’s a big milestone for us to release these regulations,” said Lori Ajax, chief of the state’s Bureau of Cannabis Control. “But there’s still a lot of work to be done. No rest for the weary.”
The rulebook gives aspiring and established marijuana businesses their first look at 276 pages of regulations they must abide by come Jan. 1, when the state will start issuing licenses for the multibillion-dollar industry and allowing recreational pot sales to start for the first time.
- Bureau of Cannabis Control regulations (PDF)
- CA Department of Food and Agriculture regulations (PDF)
- CA Department of Public Health regulations (PDF)
Title: California issues emergency marijuana rules with 45 days to go to recreational sales. The emergency rules will allow the state to begin issuing temporary licenses for growers, distributors and sellers next year
Author: The Cannabist
Date: 16 November 2017
URL: http://www.thecannabist.co/2017/11/16/california-marijuana-laws-recreational-2018/92529/
Extract: Preliminary information from the state indicated a maximum 1-acre (0.4-hectare) cap would be set on most cultivators. In what would be a major shift, the regulations did not include that language, placing limits on only certain growers’ licenses. However, the state must also ensure it doesn’t violate any local rules. Hezekiah Allen, executive director of the California Growers Association, an industry group, said the rules appeared to allow large businesses to obtain “as many licenses as they could afford,” opening the way for vast grows that could threaten the success of smaller cannabis farmers.
Title: California releases cannabis regulations, with no limit on farm size
Author: Press Democrat
Date: 16 November 2017
URL: http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/7650062-181/california-releases-cannabis-regulations-with
Extract: California’s headlong race to write its rules for the legal cannabis marketplace before Jan. 1, when recreational business can commence, took a leap Thursday with the release of a comprehensive set of temporary regulations for the emerging industry.
The long-awaited guidelines cover everything from dosage amounts of psychoactive THC in marijuana products to facility inspections and authorized businesses, ranging from delivery services to small manufacturers with shared facilities.
The regulations will enable the state to begin issuing temporary licenses for cannabis businesses in January, when recreational sales become legal.
California Regulators Propose Capping Cannabis Grows at 1 Acre
MERCED
Title: Time for Merced to figure out its rules for marijuana
Author: Merced Sun Star
Date: 16 November 2017
URL: http://www.mercedsunstar.com/opinion/article184879133.html
Extract: The council will also consider a draft ordinance for public comment that allows:
▪ Marijuana to be sold for recreational purposes at three retail shops in shopping centers and/or professional office areas;
▪ Sales of medicinal marijuana at one retail shop in a shopping center or professional office area;
▪ Marijuana cultivation in large greenhouses in industrial areas;
▪ Marijuana processing and packaging for sale in manufacturing areas;
▪ Testing laboratories and trucking companies for marijuana products.
Local rules must be in place before the state starts processing local applications or the state’s rules would take precedence, and the state is also required to contact the county to determine if an applicant is complying with local regulations.
On Tuesday, the supervisors set a Dec. 5 public hearing to consider the ordinance amendments that would allow adult use operators to apply for the same permits and business licenses that medical cannabis operators are currently required to have. The board is also expected to consider proposed amendments to the county’s coastal and inland zoning ordinances as recommended by the Planning Commission on Wednesday.
Under the proposed ordinance amendments, the county would strike the term “medical,” thus incorporating both medical and adult use, create type M and A permits for medical and adult use, and substitute the term “dispensary” with “retailer,” among other changes.
Meanwhile, the commission agreed this week to recommend incorporating adult use into the county’s existing zoning rules governing medical cannabis, with the notable exceptions of allowing all properly licensed cannabis operators to transport and distribute their own product under certain conditions and limits, and to eliminate the 600-foot public park setback for cannabis operations under the rationale that the state has eliminated that provision. Setbacks would still apply to schools and drug recovery facilities.
NIPTON
Title: Small Town Vies To Be California’s Pot Mecca But Something Is In Their Way
Author: CBS Los Angeles
Date: 16 November 2017
URL: http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2017/11/16/small-town-vies-to-be-californias-pot-mecca-but-something-is-in-their-way/
Extract: The small town of Nipton wants to be California’s pot mecca but one thing is standing in their way. Trains run between Los Angeles and Salt Lake City every day. There isn’t much reason for the trains to stop in Nipton.
PLUMAS
Title: City adopts cannabis ordinance
Author: Plumas News
Date: 17 November 2017
URL: http://www.plumasnews.com/city-adopts-cannabis-ordinance/
Extract: It’s final, no commercial marijuana grows or dispensaries are permitted in Portola.
That was the final decision as the Portola City Council met Nov. 8 to discuss the adoption of the finalized cannabis ordinance, along with a review of the 2016-17 end-of-year financial update.
PORT HUENEME
Title: Port Hueneme embracing new ‘Pot Hueneme’ moniker
Author: VC Star
Date: 16 November 2017
Extract: Medical marijuana-friendly Port Hueneme has a new nickname — Pot Hueneme.
But rather than being embarrassed by it, most of the City Council welcomes it, City Manager Rod Butler said this week.
“Our City Council is actually embracing the ‘Pot Hueneme’ moniker, as long as it is used in a good-natured way,” he said.
The city has thus far approved two medical marijuana dispensaries that should be opening early next year, with at least two or three more moving through the approval process, Butler said.
The businesses will bring needed revenue to the city and will reduce commercial/retail vacancy rates. Butler said the two approved dispensaries will pay 5 percent of gross sales to the city’s General Fund each year.
RIDGECREST CITY
Title: Ridgecrest Council approves commercial cannabis restrictions in city
Author: The Daily Independent
Date: 17 November 2017
URL: http://www.ridgecrestca.com/news/20171117/council-approves-commercial-cannabis-restrictions-in-city
Extract: The Ridgecrest City Council at its meeting Nov. 15 approved an ordinance amending the Ridgecrest Municipal Code to prohibit and restrict medical and non-medical cannabis and commercial cannabis activities to the fullest extent allowed under California law.
The municipal code amendment extends the previous prohibition of medicinal cannabis dispensaries and cultivation facilities to a similar prohibition for non-medical, adult use commercial cannabis dispensaries and cultivation within city limits.
SANTA BARBARA
Supervisors Janet Wolf and Peter Adam dissented in the split decision.
Staff is expected to return with findings on Dec. 14 during a special meeting when the supervisors are slated to discuss an ordinance regulating recreational and medicinal marijuana operations in the county.
The board could take action on the proposal at that time.
Local marijuana growers have voiced support for the county providing them with authorization letters for submission to the state to gain a temporary business license.
SAN JOSE
San Jose, California City Council Approves Adult-Use Rules; Sales Expected Jan. 1
THOUSAND OAKS
Title: Thousand Oaks will allow one medical marijuana retailer, one testing facility
Author: VC Star
Date: 16 November 2017
Extract: The Thousand Oaks City Council this week introduced an ordinance that will allow one medical marijuana retailer and one marijuana testing facility in an industrial-zoned part of town.
The ordinance is scheduled to be adopted at the council’s Nov. 28 meeting and will become effective 31 days after that.
