Assemblymember Jim Wood was the first speaker at a rally and press conference to urge Governor Brown to sign AB 243 and AB 266 (Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act), a package that would regulate the medical cannabis industry in California. Joining Assemblymember Wood were Assembly members Rob Bonta and Tom Lackey, fellow authors of AB 266.
Assemblyman Wood thanked Arcata Councilmember Mark Wheetley, Humboldt County Supervisors Estelle Fennell, Ryan Sundberg and Mark Lovelace.
Referring to AB 243, Assemblyman Wood said, "For close to 20 years medical marijuana patients have lived in a murky area."
The package "provides protection for legal activities and provides a framework for regulatory structure," said Assemblyman Wood. It also establishes cannabis as an agricultural product.
"Regardless of whether marijuana is legalized for recreational use in 2016, medical marijuana has been legal in California."
"This is the beginning not the end" another reference by Assemblyman Woods on the future of cannabis legalization. He said the excise tax that did not make it in this package has been reintroduced and will go forward in January.
There are plans by Board of Equalization's member Fiona MA to create a bank that "allows for safety of cash" from the cannabis industry being worked out with the Board of Equalization. Most of the changes will not take effect until Jan 1, 2018 since time is needed to put regulations in place.
"The time to act is now," said Assemblyman Wood urging Governor Brown to sign the package.
Assemblyman Bonta thanked Assemblyman Wood for his "leadership and for having us in his district for the passage of these historic bills. For 20 years, medical marijuana has an unregulated free for all."
"The Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act will usher in a new era for California. If the Governor signs the Act, patients will have more assurances that their products are safe; law enforcement will have a foundation to identify drugged drivers and increased funding to protect the public; the environment will be protected from neglect and destruction, and water diversion and the medical marijuana industry itself will be able to come out of the shadows and receive the same protections under the law as other state-licensed businesses, creating jobs and contributing to the economy."
Assemblymember Tom Lackey is the only Republican to support this issue. "Republicans are nervous to talk about this issue. He talked about his 20 years in law enforcement on highway patrol and seeing stoned drivers. "I am not supportive of legalization of marijuana but this is a separate issue. Medical marijuana has been legal for 20 years." He said this package separates the legitimate users from illegal users.
Sheriff Downey opened with, "I think Assemblyman Lackey read my statement." He said he met with Assemblyman Woods and Senator Mike McGuire and said that "we need some type of legislation" for Humboldt County. Sheriff Downey said he was speaking as the Sheriff of Humboldt County and "not for the other 57 Sheriffs in California. We are not talking about legalization but about medical marijuana."
"The environmental impact by an unregulated industry is severe," said North Coast Environmental Center's Dan Ehresman. "This will reign in impacts of the green rush."
He thanked each Assemblymember by name for coming up to Humboldt and the Humboldt County Supervisors, County staff, EPIC and the Department of Fish and Life and all individuals involved in this effort.
About 60 people including Andy from California Cannabis Voice Humboldt, Ehresman from NEC, Natalynne DeLapp from EPIC, Arcata Counci lmembers Wheetley and Sofia Perreira, Eureka Council member Marian Brady, Supervisors Sundberg, Fennell, Lovelace, local attorneys Paul Hagen and Kathleen Bryson, Humboldt County Sheriff Mike Downey, John Driscoll and Undersheriff William Honsal and Harbor Commissioner Richard Marks. Supervisor Virginia Bass is out of town for a CSAC conference.
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