Pubdate: Thu, 08 Oct 2015
Source: Ukiah Daily Journal, The (CA)
Copyright: 2015 The Ukiah Daily Journal
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Website: http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/581

GOV. BROWN BEING URGED TO SIGN MEDICAL MARIJUANA REGULATION PACKAGE

California Assemblyman Jim Wood, D-Healdsburg, held a support 
gathering Tuesday at Humboldt County Superior Court in Eureka to urge 
California Gov. Jerry Brown to sign the Medical Marijuana Safety and 
Regulation Act, with Sunday's deadline looming.

Joining Wood were Assembly members Rob Bonta, D-Oakland, and Tom 
Lackey, R-Palmdale, all of whom authored a bill that was used to 
complement Sen. Mike McGuire's Senate Bill 643, or the Medical 
Marijuana Safety and Regulation Act.

The package together creates a framework for the cultivation, 
transportation, distribution and sale of medical marijuana within the state.

Marijuana would be considered an agricultural product, and subjected 
to the same environmental standards that other agricultural products 
currently follow.

Also, a track-and-trace program would be established to make sure 
medical marijuana products aren't illegally shipped out of state, 
while creating a Watershed Enforcement Team as a statewide program to 
establish environmental protections for natural resources.

"The medical marijuana industry has expanded rapidly and without 
check in my district because direction from the state has been 
absent," Wood said in a statement. "I am thrilled that AB 243, which 
is focused specifically on the needs of the North Coast, will serve 
as the foundation of the cultivation language in this year's 
marijuana package."

Assembly Bill 243 by Wood aims to provide increased oversight, and 
the necessary accompanying funding, to ensure that the medical 
marijuana industry complies with state standards and regulations with 
regard to water use, water discharge and pesticide and insecticide 
use  whereas AB 266, co-authored by Bonta and Lackey, aims to ensure 
patient access, environmental protection and promotion of public 
safety and public health.
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