Sometimes the end of a game can make you do crazy things. This is for both those who win or lose the game. This is what happened to Natrez Patrick, who was arrested for DUI. Patrick one of the two Georgia players who were arrested late Saturday night. The two were arrested on misdemeanor marijuana charges.

A Barrow County sheriff was the one who arrested Patrick and the reserve receiver Jayson Stanley. The two were arrested on Georgia Highway 316 late night at around 11:50 p.m. This was a few hours after the Bulldogs upset Auburn in the SEC Championship game that has been held at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium located in Atlanta.

Stanley was arrested for DUI, misdemeanor possession of marijuana just like Patrick, and speeding. The two were held at the Barrow County detention center overnight. The online jail records show that Patrick was later released on a $1,030 bond on Sunday morning.

Based on the reports issued by people who saw the incident, Stanley was the one driving the car when pulled over by the deputy. It is the speeding that cased the officer to pull them over. On further investigation, the officer smelled marijuana coming from the car. It is when the players tried to throw the bag with marijuana from their car. The officer was quite to react and that is how they were arrested.

This is not the first time Patrick has been arrested for possessing marijuana. This is the third time the player has been arrested with marijuana in two years. He had been arrested in October for possessing marijuana and had to serve a four-game suspension. We are not sure how many games it would cost him this time. He has been arrested before on the same marijuana charges while he was a freshman in 2015. Back then he was suspended for a game.

Patrick is really good as a player. According to stats, he is Georgia’s sixth-leading tackler with 35 stops. He also had three tackles in the last SEC championship game he played. Stanley on the other hand has three tackles with the special teams and has not been in 11 games so far.

The Georgia Athletic Association is strict when it comes to drug use. The policies of the board state that the student-athletes should be dismissed from the team after having a third drug-related charge. The coach and team spokesman of the team was unavailable to comment on the issue if Patrick would be dismissed.

For many people, the ban of marijuana dispensaries in Collier County back in July was a blow to their businesses. It seems that will still be the position as the medical marijuana dispensaries are still banned for another six months. This decision has been reached as there is a delay in the state lawmakers in changing some of the marijuana rules surrounding the dispensaries and their operation.

The country is looking to control the number of dispensaries that can be opened in the area. The legislators were worried about having too many dispensaries with their activities being uncontrolled. As much as voters approved the use of medical marijuana in 2016, it seems like the lawmakers are making it impossible for the residents to access the product.

According to the current law, the state law does not give the county the control over the dispensaries. For all the counties in the state, it is either they ban the dispensaries or treat them as pharmacies. This means that if the dispensaries are allowed in the county, there is no control on how many can be opened. The only thing the county can control is to make sure the store is at least 500 feet from a school.

The temporary ban of setting dispensaries in the county was expected to end on December 31. No one expected it, but now the ban will last for an additional time of 6 months. This means that the residents of the area would not access medical marijuana for more than a year. Bill McDaniel, who is a commissioner has voted against the ban. He claims that now it is less temporary as it had been suggested before during the first ban. He agrees that the legislation might have been poorly written, but it is a constitutional amendment that must be respected. More so, the voters approved and thus it shows the importance of letting the dispensaries exist.

According to the legislation on legalizing marijuana, the state has set the limits on how many dispensaries can be setup in certain state regions. This does not apply to any specific counties, but rather in general. The law has divided the state of Florida into five sections where medical marijuana can be sold.These sections were chosen based on the population in the area. The population also affects the number of dispensaries that can be in an area.

Since the lawmakers have less to show over the period when the dispensaries were banned, most people do not have faith in them doing anything over the next ban period. For those lawmakers opposed to opening the dispensaries claim that the law does not give them any control. The only control they have is the number of pharmacies.

There is a limit to the number of dispensaries as explain before by the state law. With more people living in Collier County and the neighboring counties, this could lead to many marijuana dispensaries in the area they cannot control. This could make the job of the regulators hard in the county.

Florida is not the only state to have issues with its marijuana legislation. In places such as Colorado, there has been a decline in the sale of marijuana. You might have thought that legalization of recreational marijuana would make the sales soar even higher. Well, the problem has nothing to do with the pot supply, but rather the taxes. The state is taxing highly on the recreational marijuana. This should make the price of marijuana on average high. As much as it is readily available, most people would find it expensive than when they used to buy it from their dealers. On the overall, the high taxes in various states are making marijuana unpopular. The industry has the potential of making the state a lot of money, but the high taxes are killing it.

It also seems like the legalization of marijuana has made it less valuable. Whenever something is prohibited for both growth and consumption, it is when its value soars. The reason is due to the rarity of the product. Now that recreational marijuana is easily available, its price is slowly coming down. It is not the same as when it was being introduced to the market.

The general problem with the marijuana laws is that sometimes they are rushed. Mostly it is because they were part of a political promise during the campaigns. If someone is elected on the basis of legalizing marijuana, then that becomes their first agenda. Right now, there is the need to have proper consultations to ensure the laws created do not have any gray areas. This is like in the case of Collier County. They feel like they do not have any control of the marijuana business in their county. This is something that should have been rectified in the law before it was even passed.

Maine is one of 8 states where recreational marijuana is legal, set to come into force next year. However, it has been slow off the mark with continual delays in procedure. Recreationalmarijuana was approved by Maine voters by a slim margin in November 2016 and was one of the first states on the East Coast to recognize recreational marijuana. Massachusetts and possibly Rhode Island are also set to legalize in 2018. Maine has a fantastic track record in terms of medical marijuana and was voted best in the country in 2014. Maine residents can now grow up to 6 plants in their own home but as for the sale of marijuana in outlets there is still a considerable amount of legislation that needs to be established. It is up to each county and city to decide on how they want to proceed, and like all counties facing this issue, it is a slow and piecemeal process with differing rules and requirements across the board that can be overly complex at times.

South Portland Marijuana Shops

The City Council of South Portland is set to take a final vote next week on proposed zoning and licensing regulations that would make this among the first municipalities in Maine to welcome marijuana businesses in the region. Officials have been working on the proposed ordinance amendments for nearly a year, after a majority of Maine voters approved recreational marijuana.

Most councilors have acknowledged the potential benefits of a “green economy” and the challenges of regulating a new market. The ordinance amendments are designed to both allow and control marijuana businesses in the city’s commercial and industrial districts.The regulations would prohibit marijuana social clubs and wouldn’t address marijuana cultivation as a home occupation – two businesses that some councilors wanted to allow. The council agreed to set those issues aside for now and revisit them in six months, according to City Manager Scott Morelli.

Public Enemy Number One

Public enemy number one in Maine at present is none other than Governor Paul Le Page, the Montgomery Burns of the marijuana industry and not the nuclear sector. According to LePage, he cannot support recreational expansion of marijuana as it is prohibited at the Federal level. This is a thin excuse often used by politicians who are against the legalization of marijuana but do not have a plausible explanation. They typically have 3 to choose from – That the scientific benefits of marijuana are not yet proven (a brazen lie), that it would lead to the degradation of society and increase in crime (it has not, and studies have proven that it leads to a decrease in crime) and the final excuse that it is illegal at the Federal level. While this may be true, this does not mean that individual states cannot pass the legalization of marijuana, as has been done previously in multiple states.

Governor LePage would continue to make up lies to cover over his vested interests in keeping marijuana prohibited. He stated that the bill failed to address shortcomings of the state’s medical marijuana program; would set up a confusing and costly dual-agency regulatory system; and might not collect enough taxes to cover the cost of implementing and regulating the new market. The same medical marijuana system that was voted the best in the country in 2014. The regulation does not have to be confusing or costly if it is done correctly, which is what politicians are paid for using taxpayer money. And in all states where recreational marijuana was passed, it has generated overwhelming profits. His statements can only be true if the situation is handled with a large degree of incompetency and gross negligence. He is clutching at straws while openly insulting the intelligence of the American people. All facts notwithstanding, The Maine House voted Monday to sustain Governor Paul LePage’s veto of a bill that would create the legal framework for retail sales of recreational marijuana.The 74-62 vote Monday fell 17 votes short of the two-thirds margin required to overturn LePage’s veto.

Meanwhile, in South Portland, there is much support for recreational marijuana. South Portland voters decided in 2014 that it was legal for adults in the city to possess small amounts of marijuana. A year ago, they voted 8,565 to 6,226 to legalize marijuana production, sales and use by adults statewide.

A Loss for the Little Guy

Last month, the Planning Board voted 4-2 to recommend the proposed zoning amendments which outline where marijuana growing, testing, processing and selling operations would be permitted or allowed by special exception. Marijuana businesses would be excluded from most residential districts; indoor growing operations would be allowed by special exception in the village residential and rural residential districts. Hopefully, Maine can implement recreational marijuana with as much success as they did with medical marijuana. A 2015 poll suggest that up to 65% of Maine residents are in favor of recreational marijuana. Unfortunately, with the house upholding the veto there is no clear path forward, and recreational marijuana has been left in limbo thanks to vested interests, which have clearly won this battle at the expense of the residents of Maine. It is up to independent organizations to get recreational marijuana back on the table, as the politicians are most certainly on the other side. In the meantime, black markets will flourish.

There are many competing issues when it comes to marijuana legalization and implementation. There are social, environmental, financial and health concerns and a balance needs to be struck between these areas. Washington is one of the most marijuana friendly states in the USA, sharing a border with Canada where recreational marijuana is soon to be legalized. But there are still many decisions to be made.

In terms of medical marijuana, it is more often the social stigma associated with the opening of a medical marijuana dispensary that turns many residents off of the idea. Many voters are ok with the idea of allowing patients to obtain medical marijuana to treat their condition, but when it comes to the opening of a medical dispensary next door, objections are swiftly raised.

Clark County and the Human Cost

Clark County councilors will soon consider whether to allow the sale of recreational marijuana in unincorporated Clark County. A council work session is planned for December the thirteenth.The risks and human costs of introducing pot sales at some 70 proposed store locations must be assessed along with the benefits of a tax boost and some new jobs according to the council.

If the Washougal City Council public hearing on Aug. 22, 2016, is a guide, testimony from interested citizens will be influential. In Washougal, council members heard students from Washougal High School describe the devastating impact pot has had on some of their classmates, family members, and themselves.Marijuana is psychologically addictive (and not chemically addictive, as many politicians will try to argue despite all the medical evidence) and there is a danger that people who are already mentally unwell in some way will use it as a crux to get better, often over indulging as opposed to being more active and purposeful. However, these very same arguments can be made of alcohol. Many people are alcoholics and it is more down to the individual that the substance itself. Of much more serious concern is the potential for young individuals to smoke marijuana. This can have detrimental effects on a crucial stage of development and will have a negative impact on test scores and academic (as well as athletic) performance.

A school administrator testified that pot sales would undermine student performance and send impressionable students the wrong message. The Washougal City Council eventually voted against pot sales. Camas has also decided against recreational pot sales.Washington projects it will receive $730 million in taxes from marijuana sales for 2017 through 2019. Only 4 percent — $30 million — goes to the local governments such as Vancouver and Battle Ground that permit sales. The city of Vancouver receives $500,000 per year, expected to rise to $2.1 million by 2020, funds it devotes primarily to the police department.

One argument put forward is that up to 20% of the cultivated marijuana makes its way underground, where it can go to children. However, this is not really an argument, as marijuana is already widely available and can be easily obtained anywhere in the USA. If marijuana was fully legalized then this issue would be lessened, as it would be regulated and cheaper, with rules on advertising and effectively putting the black market out of business altogether. Black market environments can technically only exist in prohibition or on high tax items, otherwise there would not be a market at all.

A Moot Point

There is truth in the statement that marijuana is not ideal for teenagers, who develop bad habits and become lazy and unmotivated. But putting a complete ban on marijuana on this basis is absurd. A percentage of marijuana will always get their hands on some marijuana as well as tobacco and alcohol. It does not make sense to banall of these items for everybody instead of simply managing the problem like adults. A balance needs to be found, but so far many cities are losing out heavily to others who allow marijuana businesses to settle in their areas. There are some social costs, but the combination of millions of dollars, as well as the mental, physical and emotional wellbeing of the residents, is enough to tip the balance in its favor. The fear of students all becoming addicts is overblown, as it is already readily available for those who seek it and recreational marijuana would not allow vendors to sell it to them. Surely $700 million is enough to compensate the students “affected” by marijuana who are getting lower test scores with some sort of program?

Banning marijuana because adolescents might smoke it is as sensible as banning cars because sometimes adolescents are involved in car crashes, or banning the sale of butter because people grow up to get heart disease. Recreational marijuana is legal in Washington and it is not in short supply, and it is definitely better to tax and regulate the market than to leave it to black market sellers, who will always show up when bans are put in place. The testimonies of those from Washougal City Council public hearing who said that pot had ruined the lives of their family members all obtained black market marijuana in an area where it was forbidden, so in a sense was not really applicable.

With the marijuana industry booming there are a huge number of innovations that are just beginning and a wide number of entrepreneurs and businesses who are entering the industry. 2018 will see a number of winners and losers but those who have niche businesses and those who are good at what they do are set to make a lot of money in a market that has been prohibited since 1937. North Michigan University recently announced that it is launching a new marijuana related degree and others will soon follow. Marijuana companies and research outlets are going to need plant chemistry specialists, which is what the degree is geared towards. And they are not the only university who is beginning to veer towards the new marijuana market, as seen bya project recently coming to fruition at the University of Virginia.

UVa Hemp Harvest

The University of Virginia has completed its first successful harvest of hemp plants in collaboration with a private plant biotechnology company, “22nd Century Group”. The harvest, coming after the first year of a three year, $1.1 million sponsored research agreement between UVa and the company, is one of a number of private-public partnerships across the USA investigating hemp and medical marijuana. Michael Timko wants to renew Virginia as a leading producer of hemp and to restore land depleted by tobacco and mining. According to the biology professor at the University of Virginia:

“The idea is, why should we be importing things from overseas when we could be growing it here…Plus, it creates new sources of revenue for farmers.”

Indeed, it makes lots of sense to produce and research hemp locally instead of importing it from overseas. And it will generate incredible amounts of revenue for local farmers. The danger with marijuana legalization as it stands is that big pharmaceutical complexes and other huge companies will come in, establish monopolies and could cause serious disruptions in the industry. Given the sheer amount of money to be made, it is only natural for these types of companies to establish themselves. This is what their aim is, and it is what they do. The pharmaceutical companies are not simply going to wrap up their operations and quit as marijuana steals all of their clients. They could possibly establish strains of marijuana with an additive thrown in, brand it as superior, get people addicted, patent it and make it incredibly expensive, as they have been doing for decades in the pharmaceutical industry. This is why it is so important that people always have the option of growing their own strain of marijuana from the comfort of their own home without any interference. This way, if the government or private marijuana strain is truly of a sufficient quality, people will purchase it.

Wonderful Hemp

22nd Century Groupis also working with the University of Virginia to develop medical marijuana and cannabinoid extraction processes for medical and therapeutic use.Industrial hemp, although the same species as marijuana, is a distinct strain that has lower concentrations of the psychoactive agent known as THC, making it less useful for patients but with qualities that make it suited for industrial purposes. Hemp is also used to make nutritional supplements, paper, rope and oils. Hemp is an easy plant to grow, but due to a century-long ban it is difficult to find varieties suited to the climate in Virginia. Hemp is one of the most versatile substances on the planet and has been used by all nations for centuries. The book written by Jack Herer “The Emperor Wears no Clothes” (1985) goes into the ban on hemp in detail, including its uses and importance. The use of hemp can also have a number of positive effects across the globe:

“If all fossil fuels and their derivatives, as well as trees for paper and construction were banned in order to save the planet, reverse the Greenhouse Effect and stop deforestation; then there is only one known annually renewable natural resource that is capable of providing the overall majority of the world’s paper and textiles; meet all of the world’s transportation, industrial and home energy needs, while simultaneously reducing pollution, rebuilding the soil, and cleaning the atmosphere all at the same time… and that substance is — the same one that did it all before-Cannabis Hemp”( Jack Herer, The Emperor Wears no Clothes)

A Ban on Sanity

Unfortunately, hemp is still banned in the USA, the only nation in the world where hemp is classified as a schedule 1 drug. This means that it is under high levels of regulation despite the possible capability of all the above; supplying the planet with all of its resources and removing the need for deforestation and oil, as well as pretty much solving many of the world’s medical problems including addiction to opiates. Thankfully, as evidenced by this recent project in UVa, it seems that companies and institutions are once again looking into the uses of hemp. Many have speculated that the reason that the Federal government refuse to declassify marijuana is because of its strong relationship with the oil industry. Were hemp to do all that it is supposed to do, it would result in a sharp decline in the price of oil, which the American Empire has based its infrastructure on.

In addition to UVa, the department currently has agreements with James Madison University, Virginia State University and Virginia Tech to conduct research in industrial hemp, including into the use of hemp seed oil in the production of biodiesel.While the department won’t be adding to its industrial hemp research program in 2018, UVasaid some varieties are showing promise. Hopefully hemp will see industrial applications before the end of the 22^nd Century.

The question for many states is whether or not to legalize recreational and medical marijuana. A balance has to be struck between societal implications and the financial benefits. There is also the very real matter of administrative burdens. It is no easy matter regulating a multibillion-dollar industry. Florida has strict requirements on the regulation of marijuana and it is not easy to obtain medical marijuana in the region. It is not like other states where obtaining medical marijuana is more of a formality. Potential patients have to have a qualifying condition and obtain a recommendation from a doctor they have been with for a minimum of three months. This can be contrasted to some other states where obtaining a medical marijuana card can be done online in under an hour.

Obtaining a Medical Marijuana License in Florida

In order to obtain a medical marijuana permit in Florida, it is first necessary to have a qualifying condition. After this, applicants go to their doctors who gives them a recommendation (The doctor has to have a permit in order to give out recommendations to applicants).All applicants must be over the age of 18, have a recommendation from their primary care physician, must have registered with the department of health and must have tried other treatments without success. This last clause is the killer for those who really want access to the benefits of medical marijuana. It means they must go down the horrendous chemical route before going down the organic and holistic marijuana avenue. This approach is exactly backwards and puts harmful treatments on a pedestal before the less invasive plant substance.

A doctor cannot give applicants a prescription for marijuana, as this is illegal.Doctors do not have this authority, but they can certify via a recommendation that the applicant is suitable for marijuana as a form of treatment for their illness. After you get your recommendation, you have to wait a minimum of 30 days to get the medical marijuana card, which usually takes 60 days.

Medical Marijuana in Lynn Haven

Last year, Florida voted to allow medical marijuana, albeit with strict requirements. Now it is up to each individual region as to whether they want to adopt this vote or not. Lynn Haven officials have voted to allow the medical marijuana dispensaries. With the closest medical dispensaries in Pensacola and Tallahassee, locals who use marijuana for medical conditions are finding this vote to be a gift that will make their lives much easier.

Dispensaries must follow specific guidelines. They must look like a pharmacy and operate like a pharmacy. The dispensaries and people who use the marijuana will be heavily regulated. Even if you have a medical marijuana card, action will be taken against you if you use the drug and drive.Also, you still can’t use marijuana in public. The law surrounding medical marijuana in Florida is still very immature and leaves much to be desired, but it is getting there, along with many other states in the USA. There have been nearly 100 years of misinformation and stigma surrounding marijuana, and it will take a while to get over. There is also the massive matter of regulation and certification of marijuana, which is not to be taken lightly. Any progress is good progress and as years go by people will grow more familiar with marijuana and the requirements will lessen. According to Lynn Haven mayor Margo Andersen:

“We basically had two choices based on Florida law: that is to ban them from the city limits, not to allow them at all, or we could draft an ordinance or resolution to allow them in any part of town where a regular pharmacy is allowed,…Florida overwhelmingly with 71 percent voted to allow medical marijuana for these debilitating and painful diseases because people can find pain relief, many times those with cancer who are undergoing chemotherapy or radiation, it improves their appetite, it improves their overall quality of life,”

Slow but Steady Progress

There is not any word as of yet with regard to any dispensaries opening up but it is only a matter of time. Comprehensive rules and guidelines surrounding the opening of dispensaries have yet to be established as Lynn Haven has only recently opened its doors to medical marijuana dispensaries. In the meantime, recreational marijuana in Florida remains illegal, and patients have many hurdles to overcome before they can gain access to a medicinal herb with the rigid guidelines surrounding medical marijuana. And if they do get their card, the nearest dispensary is going to be Pensacola and Tallahassee. Bur progress is being made and time will see a wider acceptance of marijuana in general.

The onslaught of medical marijuana is taking over the USA as states and local counties clamber to take advantage of the much sought-after cannabis plant. In recent years the astounding benefits of marijuana has been brought to the public attention and each state has to decide whether or not it wants to embrace the benefits of cannabis.

Medical Marijuana in Florida

Florida has just embarked on a huge project in medical marijuana, and it is estimated to be a $1 billion industry. Sales have only started this year but interest is increasing in a rather lucrative industry. In the year since medical marijuana has been approved in the state, over 1000 additional doctors have applied for registration to prescribe cannabis to patients. This was always going to happen, as patients are simply going to ask their doctors for marijuana prescriptions and if they cannot provide this simple service, they will take their business elsewhere. An official state list shows that more than 1,200 doctors have been authorized to prescribe medical marijuana. When voters approved legalized medical marijuana in November 2016, that number stood at fewer than 300. The State Office of Medical Marijuana is granting licenses to doctors at the rate of about 18 per day.

There are a number of reasons as to why Florida is a hotspot for medical marijuana and for the marijuana industry in general. Firstly, it has nearly 21 million inhabitants, making it the third most populous country in the state. Nearly 20% of the population is over the age of 65. This age group are very prominent in terms of medical marijuana, suffering from all the typical ailments that marijuana is generally prescribed for – arthritis, chronic pain, glaucoma, insomnia etc. This elderly demographic is projected to grow in Florida in the coming years.

Potential Issues

The main area of growth in marijuana sales has been in South Florida, but medical dispensaries are emerging all over the state, as are clinics that help people to obtain a medical marijuana card. Getting a medical marijuana card in Florida is not the same as obtaining one in New Jersey. It has been made very difficult to get a medical marijuana card in Florida, and they are not easily prescribed. In places like California, all that was needed was a state ID from any state along with an online application. You could have it in 40 minutes. This is not the case in Florida, where the rules stipulated that you have to obtain from in person from a doctor you have been with for 2 months. These restrictions are expected to be lessened in future but presently it is quite difficult to obtain medical marijuana unless you have a genuine illness.

One potential issue is that Florida is having trouble keeping up with the demand for medical marijuana. This can again be contrasted with California, which is estimated to have in the region of 8 times as much supply as demand when recreational marijuana finally becomes legal in 2018. Prescriptions in Florida are having a tough time getting filled. A large part of the problem is that the current number of 30,000 medical marijuana card holders is expected to grow to 500,000 in the next 5 years.

The state advises that now it will take about 30 days to get a card. A patient must first get a diagnosis of certain allowable conditions and then a prescription from a doctor. That information must be put into a registry with a state, which will then review the application and grant the card if all criteria are met.In Florida, these are called Compassionate Use Registry Identification cards.Residents of Florida are not allowed to grow their own medical marijuana. Also, only certain illnesses and conditions allow for the use of cannabis. They include cancer, ALS, Crohn’s Disease, epilepsy, glaucoma, HIV/AIDS, chronic muscle spasm, seizures, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease.

An Unfortunate Side Effect

An unfortunate side effect of the current situation in Florida is that it may be a while before any other diseases get on this list. The logistical fact of a lack of marijuana supply means that the last thing administrative officials are considering is to add more conditions to the list which would put more strain on an already overheated system. But they have no one but themselves to blame for making it so very difficult to obtain marijuana. They are now in a logistical nightmare that will continueas long as the medical marijuana industry is overly regulated, which simply slows down the whole system and angers residents who have to wait months before being granted access.

With the ongoing marijuana legalization, there is much debate as to where and in what instances it is legal to obtain marijuana. In California, medical marijuana has recently been legalized. On Nov 8 2016, Marijuana was made legal in California for those over the age of 21. However, it was not just a free for all license to buy as much as you wish.
There are actually a number of caveats to the legalization. First, it means that marijuana is legal for those who are entitled to and obtain a medical marijuana card California (MMJ). Second, it does not mean that it can be grown and dispensed by anyone. The state will license and regulate the sale and distribution of cannabis. Cannabis is now subject to taxation, regulation and licensing.

Medical Marijuana Card California

You can buy marijuana online, provided you have a medical marijuana card (MMJ) and that you only buy from a medical dispensary. You are not permitted to buy marijuana from anywhere else. Even with the medical marijuana card you can only obtain marijuana from recognized outlets.

The upside of this is that it is pretty easy to get a medical marijuana card. Far easier than you may think. You can possibly obtain a medical marijuana card online and get approved within 30 minutes. All you need to do is say that you are suffering from a number of symptoms which marijuana could help alleviate. You will also need a state ID or driver’s license from any state to get approval. All you need is a doctor’s recommendation to get a card.

Alternatively, you can go to your doctor, tell him or her your symptoms and tell him or her that a marijuana license may be appropriate. This may be a little daunting but if you actually do have a condition that you feel that marijuana may alleviate be sure to tell your doctor. And if you don’t then you can always try and suggest some symptoms. This should not really be your first option, as there are many horror stories from doctors who are not compassionate or charge prohibitive rates for approving you for a medical marijuana card. Online evaluation services are far better and much cheaper and easier.

Can I buy Marijuana in Shops?

Recreational pot is now legal in California, once you have the card. And recreational shops are not permitted to start serving marijuana. Unfortunately, due to the time it takes to implement legislation, until January 2018 it will not be possible to get marijuana from vendors in California. But vendors may be able to start applying for licenses before then, January 2018 being the latest date. Licenses for marijuana will be distributed by the bureau of marijuana control, a newly created governmental department.

Why Marijuana Legalization is Wonderful?

The governmental oversight might seem like a pain but will also have a number of benefits. It ensures that the quality of the marijuana is high and free of toxins and fillers. And it will also generate tax revenue which could be used to pay for social programs.

One of the biggest advantages of legalization is that the price will come down, as it was prohibition that made the cost of marijuana so high in the past. This is debated by some, who argue that the licenses, taxation and regulation will contribute to a rise in the cost. But even factoring in all taxes the price can only come down, as marijuana is actually quite cheap and easy to grow compared to what it was historically sold for on the black market.

The California Marijuana Conclusion

You cannot buy Marijuana online unless you have a medical marijuana card, and even then, you can only buy from medical dispensaries. However, the medical marijuana card is quite easy to obtain and afterwards, it is very simple to buy online marijuana from a medical dispensary.

From January 2018 onwards some business outlets will have licenses to sell cannabis and from then on everyone will be able to purchase cannabis provided they are over the age of 21, as per the Adult Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA) passed in 2016.

The Future of Marijuana Legalization

With regard to the selling and distribution of marijuana the legislation is still not fully developed. Cannabis growers will have to apply for licenses and there will be much state intervention in the taxation and regulation of cannabis production and distribution. That said, it is an important step in the distribution of a plant that has a host of proven health benefits. And any type of access to these plants is positive for the growth of society as a whole. Other states are following suit, including Nevada, who have recently legalized recreational marijuana use. Pot legalization in the states that will follow is sure to generate revenue and enhance the wellbeing of local communities.