What is it about healthcare marijuana that tends to make it such a volatile subject? Why are the same states that originally decriminalized the sale of cannabis to doctor authorized patients now trying to impose so many restrictions? For supporters of full-scale legalization and the companies which sell the product, there seems to be a continual dance in between what is permitted and what isn’t.
LA Lottery Over
After California decriminalized the sale of health-related marijuana nearly 800 storefronts opened under the guise of becoming dispensaries. In Could of 2010 the owners of 439 of them were told to close by June 7 in order to comply with ordinances. Distance from areas in which children congregate, such as schools and parks as well as registration deadlines that had been exceeded had been cited as causes for the closures.
The subsequent step involved a citywide lottery for the remaining dispensaries. Only collectives and dispensaries which had been in operation from Sept. 14, 2007 and have retained at least one original owner certified for the lottery. LA has given that informed the owners of 140 other stores they have to close their doors as effectively, leaving the city one hundred dispensaries.
How did points change so significantly, even as California debates collecting sales tax from health-related marijuana dispensaries and increasing cooperatives?
New Mexico: No Measure But
Governor Susana Martinez – R, made an challenge of repealing the healthcare marijuana legislation in New Mexico, and has tried to bring a measure to the voters this year to do so. This position follows party lines. Having said that, Rep. James Smith – R, the bill’s sponsor pulled the bill, replacing it with Residence Memorial 53 for a Department of Health influence study of health-related marijuana acts. For now residents of New Mexico will still be capable to acquire medical marijuana legally.
Business enterprise Restrictions
Even though healthcare marijuana dispensaries have been decriminalized, it hasn’t brought them any closer to a answer regarding their enterprise transactions. Unless the dispensary is willing to function on a “money only” basis, it may have difficulty obtaining necessary industrial accounts, merchant accounts and insurance coverage. Creatively worded medical marijuana dispensaries citing the sale of “supplements” and “well being care accessories” are becoming red flagged.
Banks and other economic institutions are in a quandary as nicely. This is a potentially big industry, but with fears about federal prosecution over drug related crimes, getting required accounts can be particularly difficult.
One particular clear issue is emerging from this tiny waltz: standards need to have to be set not only relating to who has legal jurisdiction more than the sale of marijuana for health-related purposes, but irrespective of whether or not companies performing company with the actual purveyors will be protected from unjust reprisals.