RCRC Addresses California Cannabis Industry Association 2016 Policy Conference

Earlier this week, RCRC Senior Legislative Advocate Paul A. Smith served on a Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act (MMRSA) panel discussion at the California Cannabis Industry Association’s (CCIA) 2016 Policy Conference in Sacramento.  Smith provided background on the MMRSA, and served as the local government representative on the panel.  

Highlights from the presentation included RCRC’s cornerstones of importance related to any effort to construct a medical marijuana regulatory program:  maintaining local control; the ending of the collective model in favor of a strict licensing scheme; providing explicit county taxing authority; and mitigating the environmental damage from cultivation.  In addition to articulating these points, Paul also focused on the next steps being taken in the implementation of the new regulatory approach, and the concerns RCRC member counties have.

Moderated by CCIA Executive Director Nate Bradley, other panel participants included Lori Ajax, Chief of the Bureau of Medical Marijuana Regulation, Amy Jenkins, Legislative Advocate with Platinum Advisors, and Janus Norman, Vice President of Government Relations with the California Medical Association.