California’s Assembly Gears to Legalize Medical Marijuana

The future of medical marijuana program in California awaits its fate amidst the two decade- long ongoing efforts to enact statewide controls on medical marijuana cultivation and sales. The future prospects seem brighter as the political will is backing a 2016 legislation to legalize Medical marijuana.

The regulation of this recreational weed is an indispensible need to eliminate dangers of its misuse. The two-decade long contesting views surely reflect the gravity of undertaking such legislation.

Under the recent developments, medical pot bill has been accepted by the dispensaries. Rob Bonta, an assemblyman, asserted in the legislature, "We think that a regulatory regime is necessary today. It was necessary yesterday, and many years before. And it's time that we do it".

The present compromise bill, 'Assembly Bill 266' once passed will centralize the framework by granting regulation under one agency, which would then consult with other expert divisions to take a final call on Marijuana.

Previously, the 'Senate Bill 1262', has been contested by medical marijuana groups backed by an Assemblyman, Tom Ammiano as being restrictive and controlling because it proposed the setting up of an oversight division to monitor marijuana production.

The idea of oversight division, named the Bureau of Medical Marijuana Regulation within the Department of Consumer Affairs was drafted by assemblyman, Ken Cooley and D-Rancho Cordova.

Robert Raich, Oakland-based attorney warned that if California joins Colorado, Washington, Alaska and Oregon in legalizing the recreational weed, it will only complicate the issues further as marijuana possession and sales still remain illegal under federal law.