Administration for California is backing Senate Bill (SB) 1262, which would license medical marijuana dispensaries and cultivators while ensuring that healthcare providers are regulated in their medicinal marijuana recommendations. This is the first marijuana bill to be supported by police and state legislation.

SB 1262 was introduced by State Senator Lou Correa on Feb. 21, and supported by the California Police Chiefs Association in a joint effort with the League of California Cities. Additionally, nine law enforcement associations and over 5,000 churches in California are amenable to passing this piece of legislation.

“This bill is an example of California coming late to the game trying to marry a currently illegal marijuana industry to a changing public attitude,” said Allen St. Pierre, executive director for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML). “It would be presumed that California would have allowed a regulatory scheme for medical marijuana 10 years ago”.

Currently, the standing laws in California regarding marijuana and medical marijuana usage are outlined in the Health and Safety Codes 11357-11362.9, the Compassionate Use Act of 1996 and SB 420 in 2003.

According to Landy Black, police chief of the City of Davis Police Department, the Davis police force has dealt with regulatory chaos, piecemeal legislation and perpetual litigation since the passage of Proposition 215, the Compassionate Use Act.

“This legislation is not an endorsement of the legalization of recreational marijuana. Rather, SB 1262 provides a much needed and long overdue framework to effectively implement Prop. 215,” Black said. “None of the aforementioned consequences serve law enforcement, local governments or patients well. I see this piece of legislation as a more pragmatic approach adopted by Cal Chiefs when acting as an information source for legislators and the Governor, and as a legislative lobbying group.”

Marijuana, also known scientifically as cannabis, is a preparation of the cannabis plant used as a psychoactive drug and for its medicinal properties. It may come in several forms including dried flower or “nug”, kief, hash, butter and pipe resin. Intake varies by individual, but it is frequently taken orally by either edibles or by inhaling its vaporized form through glassware or a rolled vessel.

According to the United Nations, cannabis is the most-used illicit drug in the world.

Earlier generations may notice that the potency of marijuana has increased over time. Since the 1980s, the average marijuana sample concentration has increased from 4 percent to 15 percent of the active ingredient, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). This is a result of cultivation and genetic variations.

According to Dr. Barth Wisley, a UC Davis Medical Center pain medicine specialist, medical marijuana is widely used to treat pain. This can be in the form of headaches, cancer, glaucoma, nerve disorder, HIV or Crohn’s disease among other long term medical conditions.

Should a licensed physician in a state with legalized medical marijuana usage feel that marijuana would improve the health of a patient, the patient is issued an official card with which to purchase from an authorized dispensary.

“This bill seems to direct attention toward the doctors themselves”, St. Pierre said. “Arguably, the fulcrum to the medical marijuana industry is the recommendation by the doctor to the patient on medical marijuana. In some respects, this bill could be thought of as progressive by putting all the responsibility on the doctor.”

There is, however, much opposition to this bill on logistical grounds.

“This bill addresses our primary concern that if medical marijuana is medicine, it should be treated as medicine,” said Carla Lowe, the founder and northern chair of Citizens Against the Legalization of Marijuana (CALM). “We made a test study using a decoy patient, and found that a doctor can talk to somebody over Skype and issue a pot card after 40 seconds”.

Several associations would, with greater amendments to the current bill text, support the legislation.

“The restrictions on physicians will not just be an unreasonable burden for the medical community, but more pointedly for the patients who rely on them,” said Kris Hermes, the media specialist of the Americans for Safe Access (ASA). “In addition, while the bill enshrines the right of local governments to ban dispensaries, it provides no incentives for them to opt-in and adopt regulations that would enable legal access for patients in their communities.”

As this bill may be seen as progressive, several see this as a possible shift to even further marijuana legalization in California, following in the footsteps of Colorado and Washington.

“If marijuana were legalized in California, I think that all my customers would turn to marijuana stores for their product instead and leave me without a clientele,” said an anonymous UC Davis cannabis dealer, identified as “Mighty Whitey.” “There is less risk in buying from marijuana dispensaries because it is legal, whereas selling without a license would still not be legal.”

General manager of the Davis Food Co-op, Eric Stromberg, was asked to resign by the board of directors and will take a permanent leave starting March 22. This will end Stromberg’s 14 years of employment at the Davis Food Co-op.

“[The Board of Directors for the Davis Food Co-Op] decided to exercise an option under the General Manager contract for separation without cause,” said a memo issued to the Davis Food Co-op members and shoppers by Stacie Frerichs, board president and the entire Davis Food Co-op Board of Directors.

The board made this decision following closed meetings.

“[This was a] very deliberate process and [we] thoroughly considered all information available to [them] before making a decision. We feel our decision was made in the best interest of … the Co-op members … However, for legal reasons, we cannot discuss personnel matters publicly,” Frerichs said.

The management team at the Davis Food Co-op is expecting a smooth transition according to Julie Cross, marketing and education director for the Davis Food Co-op.

“While change is always difficult, the Co-op has a very strong management team. We expect to carry on business as usual during this transition,” Cross said.

Beth Tausczik, the current store manager will fill the role of interim general manager while the search for a new general manager takes place.

“The board is confident in Beth’s ability to lead the Davis Food Co-op during this transition and is confident in all our staff’s ability to maintain great customer service and efficient operations,” Frerichs said.

The Co-op has not expressed any concerns with Tausczik filling this position. According to Cross, Tausczik has been with the Co-op for over 25 years, and has been their store manager for the last 12 years.

The board has formed a task force to conduct a national search for a new general manager. Frerichs said this search will be a topic of discussion at upcoming meetings.

According to Cross, the search will be a lengthy process and done nationwide.

A few members of the Food Co-op expressed their disbelief at the request issued for Stromberg’s resignation.

Bruce Walters, a member of the Food Co-op since 1995 said he liked the direction the Co-op had taken under Stromberg.

“I can’t believe that the board would want to get rid of him, I just hope that I still receive the same great service now that he is gone,” Walters said.

An employee at the Food Co-op who wished to remain anonymous had a similar line of thinking.

“I feel that what happened to Eric [Stromberg] wasn’t fair, I think he was a really great person to be around and made working at the Co-op a fun place to be … I just don’t know why they would get rid of him like that,” the employee said.

The next meeting of the Food Co-op Board of Directors will be April 7 at 7 p.m. in the Co-op Teaching Kitchen.

Gov. Jerry Brown signed emergency drought legislation on March 1. The bill allocated $687.4 million to aid workers with food and housing that have been directly impacted by the drought and technologies that will assist communities in using less water. Additionally, it will fund security emergency drinking water supplies for drought-impacted communities, according to a press release from Gov. Brown’s office.

Many of the proposals included in the package were proposed earlier this year in Gov. Brown’s budget proposal; however, they are now being expedited due to the dire need of California’s water situation.

“These targeted responses will have tangible results, but the solution requires more than legislation and investment. Every Californian needs to be a part of the solution, and we strongly urge every person in our state to take action to conserve water,” California State Assembly Speaker John A. Perez said.

One piece of the bill that California State Representative John Garamendi highlighted as particularly important was the funding for farmers in the Sacramento region to update their irrigation systems so that they can be more conservative about their water use.

“Conservation is everybody’s responsibility, for homeowners it is about saving water wherever you can,” Garamendi said.

According to Brad Alexander, chief of media relations at the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, this legislation is going to have far-reaching positive consequences all over the state, specifically food, water and housing relief for farm workers during these lean times when water demanding crops aren’t coming in.

The bill provides $46.3 million in funding for workers and their families who have been severely impacted by this drought.

“The emergency situation called for an emergency piece of legislation to address it,” Alexander said.

However, according to Alexander, just because this piece of legislation has passed doesn’t mean that there isn’t more work to be done. Because California is technically still in its wet season many of the negative consequences of the drought haven’t come to fruition yet. More specifically, all the needs of workers need to be assessed as do the statues of drinking water programs around the state and the condition of the water storage systems.

“The losses due to the drought will be in the billions of dollars and so while relief is welcome, it cannot begin to cover the serious impacts,” said Daniel Sumner, director of the UC Agricultural Issues Center, in an email.

According to Sumner, the people that will feel the worst effects of this drought are Central Valley workers. These workers are in an area with some of the lowest wages and one of the highest rates of unemployment.

“The more we can do to keep whatever water we have flowing is crucial for employment,” Sumner said.

Although the bill provides aid in the form of state funding, it also calls upon Californians to do what they can to save water.

According to Alexander, people can save gallons of water by taking shorter showers, only running dishwashers and washing machines when on a full load and sticking to the good old ‘if it’s yellow let it mellow, if it’s brown flush it down.’

Although there is more to be done as California enters the end of its wet season, Alexander said that this legislation will make significant changes to aid those bearing the brunt of this drought.

Wednesday 3/5

Firebolt
A car was driving down Faro Drive dropping fireworks out the window into the middle of the roadway.

Friday 3/7

Trash-talking
On Anderson Road, several people were hitting the garbage cans in front of the pool yelling “F you” over and over again.

Throwing a party
Several loud subjects on the balcony of the apartments above the Olive Drive Market were dropping things on people as they walked by.

Saturday 3/8

Know-it-all
On Sycamore Lane, someone received a phone call and text saying,“I know where you are.”

Sunday 3/9

Cut to the chase
Someone on L Street was approached by a guy who accused the reporter of stealing a bike, then stated he wanted to cut the reporter up and pulled out a knife.

Monday 3/10

Ball was in their court
Someone reported two juniors at the tennis court on J Street for horsing around and making too much noise for the reporter to tolerate.

Police briefs are compiled from the City of Davis daily crime bulletins. Contact EINAT GILBOA at city@theaggie.org.