How California Re-criminalized Cannabis
So I am sick and tired of sell out capitalists and liars are selling you the idea of "Legal Weed" in California. That is not the case, as its not truly legal anywhere as long as it is Federally illegal and Jeff Sessions is chomping at the bit waiting for a shot at us. In fact the bill we passed does not mention recreational once but it does mention crime 17 times, and criminal 25 times...
People want to talk about Colorado or other states, the difference between them and us, is the majority of their fund go to the general fund to help out the entire state. Prop 64 explicitly states in Section 2 part C: (yes link has notes in it, written by an attorney who specializes in legal research on a federal level)
"The Adult Use of Marijuana Act will tax both the growth and sale of marijuana to generate hundreds of millions of dollars annually. The revenues will cover the cost of administering the new law and will provide funds to: invest in public health programs that educate youth to prevent and treat serious substance abuse; train local law enforcement to enforce the new law with a focus on DUI enforcement; invest in communities to reduce the illicit market and create job opportunities; and provide for environmental cleanup and restoration of public lands damaged by illegal marijuana cultivation. "
So not only do they plan on funding more cops and agencies to bust growers, they plan on giving you DUI's and sending you to rehab. THAT's WHERE THE MAJORITY OF TAXES ARE GOING, TO CRIMINALIZE PEOPLE.
Sure some money is going to the University of San Diego for their new study, which seems odd to me, until I started looking at their clinical trials. One is specifically about which way to give you a DUI, Saliva or Blood and they are currently recruiting. The problem with this is you truly can't gauge intoxication in this manner as a dose which would lay a lightweight out, isn't even medically useful to people like myself as an example who's baseline dose is 300MG to feel the effects. So it also leads me to ask, how are they going to do his study when there are such a wide range of people, and the simple fact that everyone reacts differently as there are a ton of factors to weigh in on, from body fat percentage, to activity levels, past use, regular use, chronic pain conditions, the point is the amount of variables are endless and even with research just beginning, they are already enforcngi the new laws despite lack of evidence.
I keep getting attacked by the capitalists sell outs who support 64 online, the loudest of which are the must scummy as well. They are spreading the disinformation channels far and wide, and are getting paid to do so. As I write this, unless you up vote it, I don't get shit. One of the biggest bullshitter tactics is claiming this made no changes to medical cannabis, and that is simply untrue. First of all, under the new law you are not a medical cannabis patient, and are afforded no rights unless you register with the state for a card. They did us the favor of cappping it at $100 but that's because you have to pay that on top of your rec.
" To be clear, in order to realize the sales tax exemption described above, a medical cannabis patient must obtain a state-issued patient ID card. The state card application requires a patient’s primary doctor’s recommendation, proof of residency and related paperwork. The state process generally requires more effort than for cards issued by private cannabis card outlets, which have doctors on site to review and approve all patients’ applications. Only about 6,000 Californians currently possess the state ID cards needed for the Prop 64 sales tax exemption, but until now there has been little incentive to obtain the state card. "
This is further backed up in Section 3 Part K of prop 64:
"by January 1, 2018, a new recommendation from their physician that meets the strict standards signed into law by the Governor in 2015, and by providing new privacy protections for patients who obtain medical marijuana identification cards as set forth in this Act. "
This section actually was talking about AB-2385 Medical Cannabis Regulation and Safety Act aka MCRSA... which doesn't matter as they have combined the application process for medical and adult use, in AB-1700 Adult-use cannabis and medicinal cannabis: license application: OSHA training which outlines a bit of the permitting process to operate, but no longer allows medical cannabis collectives to employ patient volunteers. In fact based on the way it is written, legal counsel told me all employees of the operation will have to not only submit to department of justice background checks, which will lead many out of luck when it comes to the cannabis industry.
On top of it, I really seemed to overlook something initially when I fought against it during the campaign. Apparently the war on headshops and glassblowers is about to be renewed:
"
SEC. 151.
Section 11364.5 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:
11364.5.
(a) Except as authorized by law, no person shall maintain or operate any place of business in which drug paraphernalia is kept, displayed or offered in any manner, sold, furnished, transferred or given away unless such drug paraphernalia is completely and wholly kept, displayed or offered within a separate room or enclosure to which persons under the age of 18 years not accompanied by a parent or legal guardian are excluded. Each entrance to such a room or enclosure shall be signposted in reasonably visible and legible words to the effect that drug paraphernalia is kept, displayed or offered in such room or enclosure and that minors, unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, are excluded. ... (click to read the full law, use ctrl f to search document) ...Notwithstanding any other provision of law, including Section 11374, violation of this section shall not constitute a criminal offense, but operation of a business in violation of the provisions of this section shall be grounds for revocation or nonrenewal of any license, permit, or other entitlement previously issued by a city, county, or city and county for the privilege of engaging in such business and shall be grounds for denial of any future license, permit, or other entitlement authorizing the conduct of such business or any other business, if the business includes the sale of drug paraphernalia. "
So unless you have a licence to sell this stuff (a Tobacco Licence will cover this in most cases) you are committing a CRIME. How many glassblowers do you know who have a tobacco licence, unless they own a head shop? Well... Section 26054 of the Business and Professions Code is amended to read:
"26054.
(a) A licensee shall not sell alcoholic beverages or tobacco products on or at any premises licensed under this division. "
Since all "paraphernalia" is technically tobacco products, what exactly does this mean? Are all shops that offer means to use cannabis breaking the law? Is this another gray area? Again if it was "recreational" wouldn't they want to promote these mostly small businesses to help our economy? I mean 15 years ago Tommy Chong got sent to prison for allowing a bong company to use his name and likeness, are we going to see a repeat of that?
This most terrifying part;
"SEC. 149.
Section 11362.85 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:
11362.85.
Upon a determination by the California Attorney General that the federal schedule of controlled substances has been amended to reclassify or declassify cannabis, the Legislature may amend or repeal the provisions of this code, as necessary, to conform state law to such changes in federal law. "
Why is this terrifying? Because unlike other laws we have passed in the state, because of the way it was written we handed over all changes to cannabis law to the state. Because of the referendum process usually changes to a law have to go back before the people to vote on, but because folks didn't want to read 62 pages of legalese and extremely hard to understand language for the common person, not many read it, and just voted on it because they thought it made recreational cannabis legal.
We already have bans on all cannabis production and use in many cities and counties across the state. That includes medical use, as there is no longer a gray area, it can be banned. The only positive to that is the cities that banned do not get ANY law enforcement revenue, the bad part is that means we are further funding criminal enterprises like LAPD who get nearly 3 billion dollars a year to murder and harass residents, and mark my words, this will only further criminalize black and brown youth across the state, as we also created new laws for minors about cannabis, when frankly we should be more worried about the heroin epidemic and how many of these minors get started via their own doctors.
So instead of trying to correct me about how "weed is legal now" get your head outta your ass and read something. I know what I am talking about, I do the research. I don't just parrot what other people have to say, especially people who's sole goal is to profit.
Here in the Philippines, Marijuana is still illegal. There was an actor seen to have bunch of kilos of it loaded in his car and now, he is still in jail. He claimed that since his father died of cancer, he is just securing his health by taking marijuana. He hopes marijuana will be legalized in our country.
Whats his name I am sure folks would love to hear more about the story. Medical Cannabis states here in the US have seen a tremendous drop in opioid-related deaths from heroin, and prescription pills. Right now this is an epidemic across our country that is fairly ignored because the products are "FDA APPROVED". Big Pharma is buying up cannabis patients as we speak, actually sequencing plants genes and getting patents for them. It's exactly what Monsanto did with seeds, and they already have a hand in this too, don't them fool you. They own hydroponics product lines for growing, and its all poison.