California NORML is proud to have been on the forefront of marijuana reform in 2010, a year that marked a memorable turning point in the movement as legalization finally emerged as a serious political issue.
Dec. 15 – In the aftermath of Proposition 19, California NORML will host a statewide conference to discuss the future of marijuana reform efforts in California at the David Brower Center in Berkeley on Saturday, January 29, 2011.
Nov. 17 – California NORML director Dale Gieringer will receive the High Times Freedom Fighter of the Year Award next week at the magazine’s annual Cannabis Cup celebration in Amsterdam.
Nov. 3 – Voters rejected California’s path-breaking marijuana legalization initiative Proposition 19 by 46% – 54%, but Prop. 19 broke new ground in the marijuana debate. Regardless of Prop 19, it’s important to remember that marijuana remains firmly legal for medical purposes in California.
Nov. 3, 11 AM PDT – While Californians rejected Prop 19 to allow adult use of marijuana, they proved eager to approve measures to tax and regulate medical marijuana.
October 30 – California’s CAMP (Campaign Against Marijuana Planting) marijuana eradication reported 4,320,314 plant seizures in 2010, slightly less than last year’s all-time record of 4,463,917.
Oct. 18 – Several cities will be voting on marijuana business tax measures on this November’s ballot. In addition to applying to medical marijuana sales, some would apply to recreational marijuana in the event Prop 19 passes. Cal NORML opposes Albany Measure Q, La Puente Measure N, Rancho Cordova Measure O, San Jose Measure U, and the dispensary bans in Santa Barbara and Morro Bay. We support Berkeley’s Measure T and are neutral on the other tax measures.
Oct. 6 – The higher the vote for Prop 19 on November 2nd, the stronger the message for reform. For that reason, California NORML strongly urges a “yes” vote on Prop 19.
Sept. 30 – A bill to downgrade the possession of one ounce or less of marijuana from a misdemeanor to an infraction was signed into law by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Sept. 30 – Gov. Schwarzenegger signed bill AB 2650 (Buchanan), which prohibits medical marijuana collectives from operating within 600 feet of a school as of Jan 1, 2011.
Sept. 1 – According to data from the Bureau of Criminal Statistics, California reported nearly the same number of marijuana arrests in 2009 as in the previous, record year.
Aug. 30 – The California state Assembly voted 43-33 to approve Sen. Mark Leno’s bill SB 1449 downgrading petty marijuana possession from a misdemeanor to an infraction. Californians are urged to tell the Governor to sign SB 1449 into law
Aug 30 – In a disappointing display of legislative perversity, the California Assembly rejected State Senator Mark Leno’s medical marijuana resolution SJR14.
Aug. 25 – State Sen. Ron Calderon (D-Montebello) is seeking to push through a last-minute bill to establish a statewide BOE tax registration system for medical marijuana sellers, distributors, growers and transporters.
August 18 – In a long-awaited ruling, the California Court of Appeals ruled that the city of Anaheim could not use federal pre-emption as a grounds to ban medical marijuana dispensaries.
July 27 – A a careful review of the scientific evidence shows that fears about marijuana’s impact on road safety are unwarranted. There is no good scientific evidence that drug testing improves workplace safety.
July 21 – Citing the raid by DEA agents on Joy Greenfield, the first patient to register in Mendocino’s path-breaking licensing program for medical marijuana growers, Cal NORML joins a national coalition of groups calling on the administration to withdraw the re-appointment of Michele Leonhart to head the DEA.
July 12 – The Oakland City Council Public Safety Committee will be hearing an ordinance to regulate and license marijuana cultivation facilities at city hall Tuesday, July 13 at 6 PM.
July 7 – The DEA flouted Mendocino County’s newly enacted medical marijuana cultivation ordinance by raiding the first collective that had applied to the sheriff’s cultivation permit program
June 23 – The California Assembly Public Safety Committee approved Sen. Mark Leno’s bill SB 1449 to downgrade petty marijuana possession from a misdemeanor to an infraction.
June 22 – A California bill to tax medical marijuana like tobacco is has been withdrawn by its sponsor.
June 7 – In a lawsuit supported by California NORML, Tehama County patients have filed suit against a county ordinance that limits their right to grow marijuana at home.
June 4 – The California Assembly has passed a bill, AB 2650, that bans dispensaries within 600 feet of schools.
The California Board of Equalization reports that the state is collecting $50 – $100 million in sales taxes from medical marijuana, confirming the estimate previously published in an economic analysis by California NORML.
May 4 – A medical marijuana raid by the Naval Criminal Intelligence Service has led to the arrest of five defendants on federal charges.
Legislative committees considered a pair of marijuana bills on April 20, approving Mark Leno’s bill SB 1449 to make petty pot offenses an infraction, and narrowly passing a much watered-down version of Assemblywoman Buchanan’s bill AB 2650 to limit dispensary siting.
April 15 – A bill that would drastically limit medical marijuana dispensary siting is scheduled for hearing in the Assembly Public Safety Committee on April 20th.
March 28 – After a two-week trial, a jury has fully acquitted Eugene Davidovich on four counts of possession and sales of marijuana. Davidovich’s San Diego-based medical marijuana delivery service was targeted in a sting operation called Operation Green Rx that worked from CalNORML’s online list of collectives.
March 17 – As federal DEA pressure subsides in California, opponents of medical marijuana are pushing to impose new and unprecedented restrictions on medical marijuana cultivation through local ordinances of dubious constitutionality.
March 14 – State Sen. Mark Leno (D-SF) has announced the introduction of a bill (SB1449) to downgrade possession of one ounce or less of marijuana to an infraction instead of a misdemeanor.
March 10 – A bill to legalize medical marijuana paraphernalia has been introduced by Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-SF). The bill, AB 1811, modifies the existing drug paraphernalia law to exempt items designed or marketed for lawful purposes, notably medical use of marijuana.
Assemblyman Tom Ammiano has re-submitted his bill to legalize, tax and regulate marijuana in California. The new bill, AB 2254, is identical to its predecessor AB 390, which was approved by the Public Safety Committee in January.
Feb. 17 – In a landmark report to the state legislature, the UCSD-based California Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research announced that its studies have shown marijuana to have therapeutic value.
Jan. 28 – California voters will have the opportunity to vote for marijuana reform this November. The Tax and Regulate Cannabis Initiative or “TC2010” has submitted more than enough signatures to qualify for the ballot.
Jan. 26 – President Obama has signaled more of the same in drug policy by nominating Bush appointee Michele Leonhart as DEA administrator.
January 21 – As expected, the court struck down the so-called SB 420 quantity limits in Ca Health & Safety code 11362.77 as applied to patients’ right to grow, but upheld their application for other purposes, e.g. as a “safe harbor” guideline for protecting patients from arrest.
January 20 – By an 11-3 preliminary vote, the Los Angeles City Council moved to adopt a medical marijuana ordinance requiring collectives to locate outside a 1000-foot buffer from sensitive use properties.
January 12 – The Assembly Public Safety Committee voted 4-3 to approve Tom Ammmiano’s bill to legalize and regulate marijuana, the first time a legislative body has ever voted to repeal MJ prohibition.
January 12 – The California Assembly Public Safety Committee will be voting on Tom Ammiano’s landmark bill to legalize, tax and regulate marijuana (AB390) this Tuesday, Jan 12th. The bill is expected to be heard when the committee convenes at 9 am.
We are kicking off 2010 with a major legalization blitz in Sacramento. The California legislature will be hearing Tom Ammiano’s landmark legalization bill AB 390 on Jan. 12th. We are asking all California activists to start the new year by contacting their Assembly members in support of AB 390. The legislature is returning into session on Jan 4th, so we have just one week to do this.
