Sacramento Capitol with leaf cloud

Coming Events: Inaugural Meeting of Medical Use Subcommittee of CAC on 2/13/23, and more

SIGN UP FOR CAL NORML’S WEEKLY E-NEWSLETTER FOR UPDATED LISTS OF CANNABIS EVENTS IN CALIFORNIA.  The DCC Cannabis Advisory Committee (CAC) will be holding the inaugural meeting of its Medicinal Use subcommittee on Monday, February 13th at 1 pm. The public is invited to testify at the meeting, which will be held virtually. The meeting will be …

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A man with a shaved head and a beard is smiling at the camera. Next to him, a young woman with long, dark hair and braces is also smiling. They appear to be taking a selfie against a background featuring abstract, natural patterns. This moment captures Luke Scarmazzo, a former Federal Medical Marijuana Prisoner from California, enjoying life after his release. CA Norml

Luke Scarmazzo, California’s Last Known Federal Medical Marijuana Prisoner, Is Released

 UPDATE 2/3/2023: A judge has ordered Luke’s compassionate release! He was freed today, The Weldon Project and Mission Green announced.  Read more. Read the judge’s order.  Luke posted on Facebook, “Today, after serving nearly 15 years in prison for operating a cannabis dispensary, I was granted my freedom. The feeling is surreal. We’ve worked …

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Cal NORML 2023 Priorities Survey Results

Results from Cal NORML’s 2023 Priorities Survey are in! Thanks to all who took the time to answer the survey and let us know what cannabis reform issues are important to you. Your answers will inform our decisions about where to put our energies on behalf of California’s cannabis consumers’ rights and safety in 2023. …

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A grand, white, neoclassical government building stands under a clear blue sky with some clouds. Unusually, a large cloud shaped like a cannabis leaf floats prominently in the sky above the California Legislature. Trees and greenery surround the building. CA Norml

California Legislature, Governor Issue Budget Proposals

Budget proposals from the California legislature and Governor spend cannabis tax money, and up enforcement against illegal operations Last week, the California Assembly and Senate released budget bills for FY2023-24, including several items being funded by taxes paid by California’s cannabis consumers, including: $163 million for the Department of Cannabis Control $10 million to the …

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A dropper with yellow liquid is held over an open bottle labeled "THC-O Acetate" with a chemical structure in the background. The image, featuring a green leafy backdrop, suggests a natural or plant-based product. CA Norml

Cal NORML Safety Warning: THC-O Acetate and Psychoactive Hemp Products 

UPDATE 2/15/23: DEA Classifies Novel Cannabinoids Delta-8 And -9 THCO As Controlled Substances, Even When Synthesized From Legal Hemp  NORML has always warned that delta-9-THCO is illegal under the Synthetic Analogues Act.  This DEA decision also applies to delta-8-THCO, which shouldn’t be confused with the more popular delta-8 THC. A new study by Benowitz et …

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An illustration features "2023" in large gold numbers, with a cannabis leaf replacing the "0". Gold confetti sprinkles from the top, and "Happy New Year" is written below in gold text. The background is black, creating a festive atmosphere that nods to California cannabis laws. CA Norml

New California Cannabis Laws for 2023

  TAKE THE 2023 CAL NORML SURVEY. WE WANT TO HEAR FROM OUR SUPPORTERS ABOUT YOUR PRIORITIES FOR NEXT YEAR. PLEASE SUPPORT CAL NORML IN 2023 Now is the time to build on the progress we made in 2022. Please support Cal NORML with a membership donation. Click Here to Donate or see our Cal NORML store and become …

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A bus stop advertisement shows large text reading, "ALL SECONDHAND SMOKE IS HARMFUL," with "HARMFUL" in red. Below, smaller text lists "Vape Hazards, Marijuana, Cigarillos, Hookah, Cigarettes." The background features smoke, and the website "SecondhandDangers.org" appears at the bottom. CA Norml

CA DPH Misrepresents Cannabis Smoke & Vape Hazards Using Anti-Tobacco Funds

UPDATE 5/23 – States That Legalize Marijuana See Reduced Tobacco Use, Study Finds The California Department of Public Health has undertaken a busboard campaign claiming that marijuana and vapes produce similar second-hand smoking dangers as tobacco. The ads reference a TobaccoFreeCA webpage  warning that secondhand marijuana smoke is cancer-causing and harmful to the brain, lungs, …

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Vapor_Room

2023 California Cannabis Regulations Update: 6 Big Changes for Dispensaries

By David Hua, Meadow   As of January 1, 2023, the state of California will require several changes from its cannabis supply chain in response to the adoption of the Department of Cannabis Control’s (DCC) new consolidated regulations and passage of AB-195. These changes include updates to the calculation and point of excise tax collection, …

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A map of California displaying city and county cannabis ballot measures for 2022. Different colored dots indicate cities and counties with local cannabis measures: red for regulatory & tax, teal for regulatory, and blue for other measures. Key cities are labeled on the map to guide CA voters. CA Norml

CA Voters Pass Local Cannabis Measures, Reject Others

Thirty-seven local ballot measures in 31 California cities or counties addressing cannabis licensing and/or taxation appeared on November 8, 2022 ballots (or the 10/19 ballot – Redondo Beach). Of those, 24 cities or counties passed a total of 26 cannabis measures, and 10 cities or counties failed to pass 11 measures, including Sacramento County where …

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