Golden Rain Foundation Trying to Weed out California Medical Marijuana Card Holders from Growing Their Own Medicine Onsite

Forbes reports that valid holders of California Medical Marijuana Cards living in Laguna Woods Village retirement community are now being forced to grow their medicine offsite after the home owner’s association banned growing in community.

A recent article that was published by Forbes tells the saga of a 2-year old medical marijuana collective of senior citizens who live in the middle of the Laguna Woods Village retirement community in one of the most affluent and conservative areas of Southern California. Collective members are encouraged to grow medical marijuana from some 40 varieties of experimental designer-seeds, such as “Sour Tsunami,” which purportedly posses anti-inflammatory properties designed to better meet the medical needs of seniors.

The 150 seniors who belong to the collective (each of whom has a state issued California medical marijuana card) represent a tiny minority (less than 1% (0.8333%)) of the total 18,000 senior citizens living in Laguna Woods Village – one of the largest retirement communities in the country.

While the federal government poses a constant threat to the collective, the collective’s president says that their biggest problems come from the members of the volunteer board of the Golden Rain Foundation (GRF), which governs the retirement community and maintains all of the community property, facilities, and amenities within the 3 square-mile area of Laguna Woods Village.

Although community residents with California medical marijuana cards are still permitted to grow the state legal limit of 6 seedlings or mature marijuana plants per person in their private residence, GRF adopted a new policy last year banning cultivation of marijuana on all community property in Laguna Woods Village, including the community garden.

The vote empowered GRF’s Community Activities Committee's Garden Center Advisory Group to shut down the public pot-plots operated by resident members of the collective – forcing the collective’s resident-growers to rip out dozens of over-6-foot-high pot plants they had been growing on their 800-square-foot plot in the Laguna Woods Village community garden.

After several disastrous attempts to find an alternative growing site, one resident member of the collective has reportedly started an organic growing operation in two off-site greenhouses to supply the medical marijuana needed by collective members. Cost is on a sliding scale: members pay between $35 and $200 per ounce, depending on need and financial ability.

Read Full Forbes Article Here

Long Beach City Council to Be Raided by Medical Marijuana Activists

Patient and caregivers who have been continuously harassed by police in Long Beach over collectives and dispensaries plant to pay back the raiding with one of their own.

If you have been approved for a California medical marijuana card and you happen to reside in Long Beach, chances are that you are planning to do a little bit of protesting this week. Activists have organized a planned city council demonstration to protest police harassment of lawfully biding medicinal cannabis users in this city.

The city banned dispensaries and collectives in 2009, and began raiding many without a warrant.

The main goal is to stop the harassment and illegal activity by the city, which picks and chooses dispensaries and collectives that it raids at will, yet issues permits and allows others to operate at its discretion.

All dispensaries in the state of California have been legally allowed per the passage of the 2003 law, SB420, which decriminalized medical marijuana statewide.

The most notable raid took place on May 10^th, when 562 Collective, owned and operated by Katherine Aldridge, was illegally raided by police offers who did not have a search warrant. The officers arrested a few people for operating a collective without proper permits and demanded to gain access to Aldridge’s safe without a warrant, something that she refused to permit and the officers left, not arresting her, the owner, for some reason.

“They were trying to railroad me into opening my safe and I said if you don’t have a warrant, I'm not doing it," Aldridge told the press. “Give me a search warrant and I’ll open it; if you don’t get one, go get a blowtorch and do your thing.”

Another instance occurred when undercover police offers posed as medical marijuana patients and presented legitimate marijuana doctor recommendations to Joe Byron and Joe Grumbine, who owned a dispensary, and then who legally sold them medical marijuana.

Both have been charged with trafficking and sale of a Schedule 1 Drug, even though what they did was in par with state law. If convicted they could face up to seven years in prison.

Activists have gathered to protest these matters and many more related ones to city council this week in Long Beach.

San Bernardino Shuts Down 7 Medical Marijuana Dispensaries & Collectives

Medical marijuana dispensaries and collectives are being shut down by police in San Bernardino, preventing California medical marijuana cards holders from accessing their medicine legally.  

In San Bernardino, holders of California medical marijuana cards are currently pitted in a battle with the city over it’s non-issuance of the necessary permits for medical marijuana collectives and dispensaries to operate within the borders of the city. Earlier in the month, the police served seven different dispensaries and collective with warrants, citing them for violating the city’s municipal codes.

In 2010, the city banned collectives and dispensaries due to complaints from citizens, effectively rejecting all active permits and refusing to issue new ones.

“Our own citizens are calling and are concerned about their neighborhood.” City Attorney, Jolena Grider, told The Sun.

 Of the seven that have been cited by police, one has already been closed.

The passage of Proposition 215 in 2003 effectively decriminalized medical marijuana in the state of California and created the medical marijuana program, managed by the California Department of Public Health, which is tasked with managing and regulating California medical marijuana cards.

The prop also allowed for dispensaries and collectives to operate throughout the state to provide patients with medicinal marijuana, operating as nonprofit entities.

Several cities still refuse to allow dispensaries or collectives, and cite the federal Controlled Substances Act, which places marijuana as a Schedule 1 controlled substance.

The collectives and dispensaries in question are planning to file a suit with state supreme court in the near future to get an official ruling.

Holders of California medical marijuana cards are still protected under state laws, they just have to travel further now to get their medicine.

Arizona Medical Marijuana Dispensaries on Hold Pending Federal Ruling

The state of Arizona has been rejecting applications for permits to open Arizona medical marijuana dispensaries, pending a ruling by a federal judge regarding legality.

The director of the Arizona Department of Public Health, Will Humble, who is responsible for regulating and managing Arizona’s Medical Marijuana Program, which issues Arizona medical marijuana cards for patients, and permits for Arizona medical marijuana dispensaries, recently rejected an application from respected Arizona physicians to gain a permit so they could open a nonprofit medical marijuana dispensary.

Voter approved law that took effect in mid-April (2011) approved up to 125 medical marijuana dispensaries, a number that was proportionate to 10% of the pharmacies in the state, so that patients who hold Arizona medical marijuana cards could gain access to the medication they need without having to grow it themselves or purchase it illegally from pot dealers.

The state governor, Jan Brewer, has filed a federal suit to get a ruling on any possible federal legal repercussions that could stem from AZ employees issuing Arizona medical marijuana cards or dispensary permits to ensure that they are protected from federal prosecution.

While the state will still be issuing Arizona medical marijuana cards until a ruling is passed down, they have refrained from issuing dispensary permits until such time.

Marijuana is still classified as a Schedule 1 Drug by federal law, and the state fears employees will be prosecuted for trafficking a controlled substance. So the governor has filed suit to get a ruling, really advice, from a federal circuit judge regarding the matter.

Humble told the East Valley Tribune on Wednesday that, “I’m a public health official. I’m not a lawyer. So I have to rely on the lawyers to provide me with good advice on actions we should take where public health issues intersect with the law,” he said

Ryan Hurley, attorney for the Virtue Center, which is the physician group that was denied a permit, told the East Valley Tribune on Wednesday that, “At the end of the day, what’s happening is the law voters enacted is not going into place. Patients are going to suffer,” he said.

Dr. Richard Strand, one of the physicians who has invested money in the Virtue Center and its planned dispensaries, said that, “We want to allow patients in need and their caregivers not to have to go to the dark streets and back alleys to find medical marijuana.”

The Virtue Center plans on filing a suit against the state in the near future.

Currently there are about 4,000 approved holders of Arizona medical marijuana cards and 100 registered caregivers. Until the dispensaries are open, they will have to find another means of procuring their medicine.

When and if dispensaries open, patients can legally buy up to 2 ½ ounces every two weeks. If they live 25 miles or more away from the dispensaries, they can grow their own cannabis for medicine.

Read Full News Article Here

Press Release: Cannabis Doctors Network Now Connecting Patients to Verified & Prescreened California Medical Marijuana Doctors in Nine Different Cities

The leader in prequalifying patients for medicinal cannabis & matching them to verified & prescreened California medical marijuana doctors announces nine new locations.

LOS ANGELES, CA – (JUNE 3rd, 2011) – Cannabis Doctors Network – an online service that prequalifies patients for California medical marijuana cards and matches them to prescreened and verified California medical marijuana doctors – is pleased to announce they now have nine locations to offer patients who are seeking to get approved for their marijuana card in California.

“We are constantly adding new California medical marijuana doctor locations every day to better assist patients who are seeking to get a medical marijuana evaluation,” said Srii Srinivasan, company spokesperson. “We are very pleased to announce that we now have nine convenient locations in this state to better serve the needs of our patients.”

As of June, 2011, the network is now offering doctor referrals to patients who reside in these following cities: Los Angeles, North Hollywood, Pasadena, Venice Beach, Victorville, Santa Monica, Riverside, Temecula and City of Industry.

“Our goal is to connect patients in need to the medicine that they require in order to find effective, natural relief,” Srinivasan says. “By vigilantly prescreening doctors and ensuring that they meet the very highest standards of medical practitioners, we can more expeditiously expand our locations and better serve patients who live in this region that could benefit from using medicinal cannabis.”

According to NORML estimates, as of June 1st there were currently more than 1.1 million approved holders of California medical marijuana cards. The medical marijuana industry in California generates an estimated $4.5 billion in taxable annual revenue for the state. Doctor and state approved medical marijuana users only account for fewer than 3% of the population.

About: Cannabis Doctors Network is the leader in providing a reliable and trusted source for medical marijuana recommendations. Excellence in service is our #1 priority. Our expert call center associates and friendly staff provide you with a convenient means of connecting with trustworthy, knowledgeable and respected doctors that can evaluate and approve you for a medical marijuana card.

To learn how you can get California medical marijuana card today by prequalifying online in minutes and getting matched with caring and knowledgeable California medical marijuana doctors in your location. To get started today, please visit: http://www.cannabisdoctorsnetwork.com.

Press Contact:

Company Spokesperson

Srii Srinivasan

Email: PR@cannabisdoctorsnetwork.com

Online: http://www.cannabisdoctorsnetwork.com  

Phone: (800) 568-9333

Big Box Medical Cannabis Grow Store, weGrow, “The Wal-Mart of Weed,” Opens in Phoenix for Arizona Medical Marijuana Cards Holders

The large superstore that supplies everything that Arizona medical marijuana cards holders need to grow weed, weGrow, has opened a store in Phoenix, Arizona for patients.

A new superstore has opened its doors in Phoenix, Arizona to aid patients who have been approved for Arizona medical marijuana cards so they can purchase the tools that they will require in order to grow their own medicine.

The state approved the legalization of medicinal cannabis at the end of 2010, and the law took effect in mid-April, 2011. Since that time, the public health department – which manages and regulates the Arizona medical marijuana program – has been issuing Arizona medical marijuana cards to patients who have been recommended to use cannabis by a doctor.

Dhar Mann, the Founder of weGrow, says that his store is in business to provide valid Arizona medical marijuana cards holders with the tools that they will need in order to responsibly cultivate their own medicinal cannabis.

“We sell everything but the plant itself,” he told Reuters. “We sell the products and the services for people to safely and responsibly cultivate their medicine.”

Similar to other big box stores in size and amenities – like Best Buy or Target – the 21,000 sq ft facility will be selling all sorts of hydroponic grow aids, food, soil, trays, lamps and just about anything related to cultivating cannabis. In the press materials, the store has actually compared itself to other well known big box stores, often calling itself “The Wal-Mart of Weed” or “Home DePot.”

Since the store only sells grow aids and tools, you don’t need to have an Arizona medical marijuana card to gain entrance. But the only way that you can legally grow marijuana in AZ for personal usage is by first being approved and issued an Arizona medical marijuana card.

In early June, the state headed to federal court to ensure that its employees and citizens were protected from federal prosecution for issuing Arizona medical marijuana cards and using medicinal cannabis.

Marijuana is still federally prohibited and is listed as a Schedule 1 Drug.

Arizona is the 16^th state in the union to decriminalize medicinal cannabis.

Currently there are more than 3,700 patients who have been approved and issued Arizona medical marijuana cards.

Read Full News Article Here

New Zealand Takes Next Step Towards Medical Marijuana Cards with Medicinal Cannabis Trials

New Zealand has signed off on new clinical trials for testing the medicinal benefits of marijuana. In the future they plan in issuing medical marijuana cards to qualified patients.

In an unusual turn of events, New Zealand, which has generally been opposed to legalizing medical marijuana, has actually taken the first steps towards making it legal. On June 1^st (2011), NZ signed off on approval for clinical trials of medicinal cannabis with Auckland Greencross.

Unlike in the United States, where only the federal government can allow research on marijuana, as it is considered somehow to be a Schedule 1 drug, in NZ they allow marijuana research in order to better determine its medicinal benefits to patients.

Stephen McIntyre, the spokesman for the medical cannabis users, said in a statement to the press that, “Sixty five percent of submissions to this report – a figure consistent with online polling – favored the establishment of a scheme allowing people suffering from chronic, debilitating or terminal conditions to legally access and use herbal cannabis.”

He further added, “Most medical users of cannabis, alongside the serious condition they’re forced to cope with on a daily basis, have the added stress of finding reliable access to quality medicine from a trustworthy source, compounded by fear of being caught by the police.”

 “Auckland Greencross wants to see an exemption for both arrest and prosecution given to all bona fide patients once they have been given the approval of their doctor or specialist to use cannabis therapeutically,” McIntyre said.

Once the program is in place it will be managed by Auckland Greencross, New Zealand’s equivalent to a Public Health Department. Much like in, say, Los Angeles, where a person must receive a doctor examination to get approved for California Medical Marijuana Cards, the same will be true in the future in NZ.

“A national database could be established along similar lines allowing patients to possess ID that proving that they legitimately possess cannabis for their own use and are accordingly free from criminalization,” McIntyre said.

The country anticipates positive results from the clinical trials, which will further speed along passage of laws in US states that don’t currently allow medicinal cannabis.

“We know that for our members, cannabis is the best medicine around – preferable in both efficacy and absence of unwanted side-effects to the opiates and other drugs they’re prescribed – and that many of them would be willing to participate in trials to establish that,” McIntyre said.

He concluded that, “Ultimately Auckland Greencross welcomes the day when cannabis is available on prescription in New Zealand and medical grade crops are licensed and regulated in the same way as other controlled drugs.”

Read Full News Article Here