AB2312: Sensible regulation for medical cannabis in California

Assemblymember Tom Ammiano (D-SF) has withdrawn AB 2312. The bill will not be adpted this year, but is likely to be back in an improved form in January of 2013.

Americans for Safe Access (ASA), the nation’s leading medical cannabis patients’ advocacy organization, supported California Assemblymember Tom Ammiano’s  AB 2312. Of course, we wanted to see some changes in the areas of taxation and local bans on patients' cooperatives and collectives.

AB 2312 would have established a regulatory body to develop and implement statewide standards for medical cannabis (marijuana) cultivation and provision. Many local governments are uncertain about the scope of state law and reluctant to move forward with sensible regulations. A statewide standard will help address this ambivalence.

Research conducted by Americans for Safe Access (ASA), the nation’s leading medical cannabis patients’ advocacy organization, and our experience to date show us that sensible regulations preserve safe access to medical cannabis, while reducing crime and complaints around storefront facilities maintained by legally organized and operated patients cooperatives and collectives. By establishing uniform standards and facilitating reasonable local regulations, AB 2312 would have helped propagate the proven benefits of regulation statewide. Additionally, the bill would have provided overdue clarity for local lawmakers, law enforcement, and patients who cultivate or provide medical cannabis.

When California voters approved Proposition 215 in 1996, they called on their elected officials “to implement a plan to provide for the safe and affordable distribution of marijuana to all patients.” Legislation like AB 2312 is an important step towards fulfilling that goal. Together with our coalition partners at Californians to Regulate Medical Marijuana, ASA is committed to adopting a bill like this.