New Push To Regulate Medical Marijuana In California

There’s a new push to regulate medical marijuana in California after similar legislation failed at the state Capitol last year. The debate centers on how much control cities and counties should have over local marijuana businesses.

There’s general agreement that medical marijuana should be regulated in California, with uniform health and public safety standards. The medical marijuana industry also wants a statewide licensing process. But local governments and police chiefs want cities and counties to have more control.

That’s what Democratic Assemblyman Ken Cooley’s bill would do. “It’s designed to let local governments have some say on where the businesses are placed, and how the business is conducted – give them some local control – while establishing that medical marijuana can be a good neighbor,” Cooley says.

Other Democratic lawmakers are proposing bills that would not give cities and counties as much control.

Any deal would only address the regulation of medical marijuana in California. The battle over recreational marijuana use is likely headed for the November 2016 ballot.