HLG News
Apple Valley Town Council approves ban on marijuana with glimmer of hope for activists
Attorney Pamela Epstein, who represents the High Desert Cannabis Association, told the Daily Press she was pleased by the Council’s decision, calling the consideration to allow cannabis delivery “baby steps” in the right direction.
“I am cautiously optimistic about what happened this evening and I think every first step is shaky, just like your first step when you are a child,” Epstein said. “We really made some progress with the Council members. And really, all you need is three.”
New York Aims for Reform
New York may be famous for a lot of things. But within the cannabis industry, it’s not considered a poster child for savvy MMJ regulation.
That was the takeaway from New York City attorney Noah Potter, a lawyer who works in conjunction with Colorado-based cannabis law firm Hoban & Feola.
“Every last bit of it is strange,” Potter said. “Everything they’re recommending was foreseeable from the outset. It’s an implicit admission that the program was deficient from the beginning.”
He agrees the changes will probably help make the New York MMJ program more viable in the long term by expanding the patient pool. But Potter the expects the state will drag its feet on implementing the reforms, and that it’ll be months before many of them will be implemented.
Canna Business 101: Pa. Grow/Processor Regulations
With Arizona recently receiving 750 applications for 31 medical marijuana dispensary licenses, Pennsylvania's Department of Health is bracing for the tidal wave of medical marijuana program applications for the 25 grow/processor and 50 dispensary permits.
On Aug. 18, Pennsylvania's Department of Health issued two sets of temporary regulations under its Medical Marijuana Act, 35 P.S. Sections 10231.101-10231.2110: Article IX. Medical Marijuana Program "Chapter Section 1141 General" and "Chapter Section 115 Growers/Processors and Medical Marijuana Organizations," (temporary regulations).
Offering few surprises, the temporary regulations provide staggering application requirements, emphasize the program's deep diversity commitment, but fail to provide any "residency requirements" barring out-of-state investment or ownership.