ASA is telling all California cities and counties to lift bans on medical cannabis dispensing collectives. In a letter sent to all 143 California localities that have bans in place, ASA Chief Council Joe Elford, demands that bans be replaced with reasonable regulations that protect patient access.
For the first time, a California Court of Appeal has ruled that state-compliant distribution of medical marijuana is not preempted by federal law. This means that local officials can no longer hide behind federal law when prohibiting dispensaries in their communities. It also affirms the validity of existing state law and cites the Attorney General's guidelines in bolstering the legality of dispensing collectives.