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SEPTEMBER 2014
Legal Focus
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this November to decide the fate of its proposed Control, Regulation, and Taxation of Marijuana Act. If passed, fully legal adult sales (over 21) will begin by July 2015.
on July 8, 2014 which allows doctors to prescribe non-smokable forms of cannabis to patients with serious ailments including cancer, AIDS, and Parkinson’s disease.
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Without doubt, more states will follow the trend of making the plant available for both medical and adult recreational use.
An initiative also coming up on the ballot this November in the predominantly red state of Alaska proposes legalizing possession of limited amounts to those 21 years old and older, and regulates cultivation and sales in ways similar to alcohol. In 1998 the state passed decriminalization and legalization of medical marijuana laws with 59% of the voters saying yes.
The most recent newcomers to legal medical marijuana include New York, Minnesota, and Florida. In the Empire State, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the Compassionate Care Act into law
Minnesota also passed medical marijuana laws this year. Restrictive by anyone’s standards, they are nonetheless a step forward, making cannabis available for a narrow range of serious conditions from only eight dispensaries statewide.
Florida exempted patients with cancer and other serious disorders from criminal laws pertaining to medical marijuana via a House vote in early May. The bill provides limited access to low THC (0.8%)/cannabidiol (CBD, 10% or higher) treatment, and was signed by Governor Rick Scott on June 16. THC is
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