Dive Brief:
- California legislators have passed a package of bills that would regulate the state's medical marijuana industry for the first time since it began under the 1996 Compassionate Use Act.
- Assembly Bills 266 and 243 and Senate Bill 643 were passed by the state's Senate and Assembly late last Friday and are expected to receive the signature of Governor Jerry Brown.
- Under the package of bills, patients will still require a doctor’s recommendation to legally purchase medical cannabis, but will have access to tested products from licensed stores.
Dive Insight:
The legislation package marks the first time California law will legalize medical marijuana in clear language. Until now, those involved in the use and the industry have only had a defense in court against prosecution, notes SFGate.
The system would replace today's collectives and cooperatives with commercial growers, distributors and sellers that are licensed, background checked and allowed to show a profit.
The bills do not limit doctor’s recommendations of cannabis or patient or caregiver rights. At the same time, there is no process for insurance coverage on the horizon, reports Canna Law Blog. This is because cannabis has not been approved by the FDA. In addition, federally illegal controlled substances are not a tax-deductible medical expense and physicians issue recommendations, not prescriptions, for medical marijuana.