by Hayley Fox // LA Weekly Although the state of California has given adults the green light to smoke weed recreationally and approved a limited amount of home grow, Angelenos who rent their residence may still have one big hurdle to jump: landlords. Under Proposition 64 and reigning landlord-tenant policy, rental leases can ban smoking on the premises, tobacco or…
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DHS chief: ‘Marijuana is not a factor in the drug war’
By Olivia Beavers // The Hill Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly said Sunday marijuana is not “a factor in the drug war,” citing addictive drugs as the key border focus for fighting illegal drugs in the U.S. “Yeah, marijuana is not a factor in the drug war,” Kelly told host Chuck Todd on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “Drug consumption in the United…
Eight of 16 people indicted in Colorado marijuana trafficking operation listed as having state pot licenses
by Jesse Paul // The Denver Post Eight of the 16 people indicted on charges they ran a massive illicit marijuana operation that sold and shipped weed out of state are listed in Colorado records as having active or expired licenses to work in the legal pot business. Michael Alan Stonehouse, the alleged ringleader, has an active “key” license — for operating a…
Weed Wars: Will the Trump Administration Stymie Marijuana Legalization?
By Jedamiah Wolf // Planet Experts The White House recently made some not-so-subtle hints about a federal crackdown on marijuana. Could the feds roll back the rapidly blooming end to prohibition? And what does this mean for the budding industry in states that have established medical and recreational markets? Planet Experts spoke with marijuana attorney Michael Chernis to get the…
Jeff Sessions may hate pot, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be a total buzzkill
Michael Chernis opinion piece on CNN explaining why Jeff Sessions may not be total buzzkill. by Jesse Gessin and Michael Chernis hat does the nomination of US Sen. Jeff Sessions, now likely to be the next US attorney general pending Senate approval, mean for the fast-growing cannabis industry? Although his past comments about marijuana are, to be kind, “odd,” and give…
Killing the golden goose — don’t strangle the new cannabis industry with a big tax grab
Opinion by Michael Chernis as published on San Francisco Examiner (link below) One major attraction of Proposition 64, which legalized recreational marijuana, for many California policymakers was a potential $1 billion in tax revenues from a market estimated to grow to $7.6 billion by 2020. The tax revenue could be a big boon for youth, health, research, law-enforcement and environmental…
Michael Chernis quoted in Law360 regarding Marijuana Ballots
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Opinion: Will Los Angeles Be a Part of the New Cannabis Economy?
by Michael Chernis // MG Magazine Five states (plus about 50 Oregon local jurisdictions) are voting in November to legalize recreational marijuana use. If all five say yes, it will mean a quarter of the U.S. population will live in states where recreational cannabis is de facto legal despite continuing federal regulations. It could prove to be a pivotal moment…
Get science right before implementing different DUI law for marijuana
by Michael Chernis // SF Examiner Even as California and other states consider expanding the legal availability of marijuana for recreational as well as medicinal use, there has been a concerted push by some to create new laws criminalizing driving under the influence of marijuana’s active ingredient, THC. But those marijuana-specific proposals, while intended to prevent dangerous driving, are flawed…
Out of the “Weeds”: How Will Hollywood Portray the Marijuana Business in a Legalized World?
by Michael Chernis via Huffington Post Read this post here: Huffington Post In shows such as “Weeds” and “High Maintenance,” Hollywood has portrayed people illegally buying and selling marijuana in sometimes titillating, sometimes life-threatening situations. Of course, all those story lines in “Weeds” and “High Maintenance” are a long way from the days of “Reefer Madness” back in the 1950s.…