Because of a typo in the new medical marijuana regulations (MMRSA), over 200 cities and counties in California immediately partially or fully banned medical marijuana. Today some of them are replacing them with ordinances from sensible to strict. Find out how to navigate your local laws with the people that are in the trenches.
Keep track of California City and County bans by joining the Facebook group formed to gather as much data as possible about city and county medical marijuana bans in California. The group is managed by Jackie McGowan.
In the below panel discussion, panelists include:
Don Saylor – Yolo County Superviser, District 2 | Yolo County Board of Supervisors
Jeannine Pearce – Councilmember | District 2, City of Long Beach
Paul Koretz – Councilmember 5th District | City of Los Angeles
Nathan Vosburg – Councilman | City of Coalinga
Yamileth Bolanos – Founder & President | Greater Los Angeles Cannabis Alliance (GLACA)
Jackie McGowan – Owner | Ban Aid Consulting
Part 01 – Panel Introduction
Part 02 – Panel Discussion
Part 03 – Audience Q&A
About the speakers
Yamileth Bolanos is a 19-year liver transplant survivor and 30+ year cancer survivor whose patient story has been a cornerstone narrative not just for the opening of respected Los Angeles collective PureLife Alternative Wellness Center but also the continuing expansion of state legislation to protect the rights of cannabis patients. She was successful in lobbying for the passage of California’s Medical Cannabis Organ Transplant Act, AB 258, adopted in 2015 by the California legislature and signed by Governor Jerry Brown. She is also the founder and president of the Greater Los Angeles Collective Alliance (GLACA), the oldest and most respected trade organization for medical cannabis facility owner-operators in the country.
Yami brings with her an extensive list of personal connections at all levels of political, activist and industry engagement. From her nearly ten years of dispensary operations she contributes extensive product knowledge derived from personal experience and patient consultation as well as highly developed sales ability. Through GLACA Ms. Bolanos has successfully advocated on behalf of patients and their right to consume the medicine that improves their quality of life. She has staunchly supported the desire of the local community to clearly regulate cannabis-dispensing activities in Los Angeles. A proud immigrant from Costa Rica, in 2015 she also launched a Spanish-language outreach program in coordination with the national nonprofit Americans For Safe Access. The program is called El Remedio and seeks to improve the legal and medical knowledge of the Latina/o on cannabis-related issues.
Coalinga Council Member Nathan Vosburg:
Nathan is a 38 year-old Network Software Specialist, with over 15 years of computer, networking, and communications experience. He was born in Lincoln, NE and moved to Coalinga, CA about 20 years ago. He lives in Coalinga with his lovely wife of 11 years and two sons. His passions are surrounded by Politics, Electronics, and Networking with People.
Nathan first started researching cannabis as a medicine when he found out that his mother was sick with Small Cell Terminal Lung Cancer back in 2012, and the research that he did made him believe in cannabis as a medicine and started him off on the journey that brings him here today.
About 8 months ago Coalinga’s Council was given a chance to vote on whether or not to bring cannabis opportunities and regulations to the City of Coalinga and we voted 5-0 in favor. Since that vote they have kept a steady 4-1 in favor of Cannabis regulation. He would like to share that journey with you.
Yolo County Supervisor Don Saylor:
Don Saylor is a County Supervisor in Yolo County, just west of the California state Capitol. He represents District 2, including the cities of Davis and Winters, the campus of the University of California at Davis, and the farm land of southwestern Yolo County.
YOLO County has implemented an interim ordinance permitting medical marijuana cultivation and is working with residents, patients and growers to develop a comprehensive marijuana ordinance.
LA Council Member Paul Koretz:
The Honorable Paul Koretz represents the 5th council district in Los Angeles. Mr. Koretz, who is running for re-election to a third term in March 2017, is a pioneer on the City Council with regard to medical marijuana issues and is one of several council members actively working to update the City’s marijuana laws in response to MCRSA and the likelihood of the passage of Proposition 64.
Mr. Koretz served six years in the State Assembly and was the principal co-author of SB 420, the first bill to provide guidance to local cities on implementation of medical marijuana. He was also a member of the West Hollywood City Council.
Long Beach Council Member Jeanine Pearce:
For Jeannine, building a Long Beach that works for everyone starts with engaging families, small business owners, nonprofits, environmentalists, regional leaders, entrepreneurs, and other community members to create a thriving local business climate with more job opportunities for residents, increase local investment, establish safer neighborhoods, and work with the school board to continue improving our schools.