A California lawmaker has introduced a bill to regulate medical marijuana businesses in the state, hoping to finally bring some order to the most turbulent MMJ market in the country.
And unlike similar bills that fizzled out in the past, this one has some high-level support: The League of California Cities and the California Police Chiefs Organization are both backing the measure. These two influential groups have previously “unconditionally” opposed all efforts to regulate the state’s cannabis industry.
The latest measure – SB 1262, introduced by State Sen. Lou Correa – would require dispensaries and cultivation sites to obtain licenses from California’s health department and also secure operating permits from local officials.
The state would also develop procedures for testing marijuana and impose significant new restrictions on doctors who recommend medical marijuana.
Patients could only receive MMJ recommendations from their primary physician or a licensed specialist they have been referred to by their main doctor.
Physicians would have to complete a certification course and provide specific consumption instructions when recommending medical marijuana, including dosage and even strain. They would also have to issue frequent reports to the state about the number of MMJ recommendations they have made and the reasons for each one.