Last month on election night, states across the country passed a wide variety of laws, easing restrictions for legal cannabis. In fact, Oregon, Alaska and the District of Columbia all passed voter initiatives allowing not only for medical cannabis use, but recreational use as well. The progress being made by the national legalization movement is undeniable, and new ground is being broken each day. The continued progress of the movement is evident on both a national and local level. For the first time ever, states that do not recognize medical cannabis are in the minority in this country, with four jurisdictions allowing for non-medical use by adults. In addition, in the absence of robust state regulation, many cities and municipalities are taking the lead by passing their own cannabis regulations. A great example of a city staying ahead of the curve by passing common-sense cannabis regulation is Santa Ana.
This past election, the voters of Santa Ana passed Measure BB, a council-referred amendment calling for the regulation of marijuana dispensaries within city limits. Under this new initiative, prospective dispensary operators will be required to undergo an in-depth permit application process that will require background checks for all employees, licensed security personnel at each location, and a local tax on all products sold. Although this bill is far from perfect, Measure BB represents an acknowledgment from the city of Santa Ana that safe access to medical cannabis is vital to the public health of its citizens, and that the cities old approach of banning and raiding dispensaries was not working.
We at MJ Legal are very excited by these developments. With each passing month, an increasing number of jurisdictions in California are recognizing that legal cannabis in their communities is here to stay and the best approach towards this issue for everyone involved is to create common-sense laws and regulations.
Interested in Applying for a Santa Ana Dispensary Permit?
Measure BB passed in Santa Ana on November 4th, 2014. On December 17th, the city of Santa Ana will begin accepting registration applications from prospective dispensary operators. Those applicants who are pre-qualified will then be entered into a lottery, where at least 20 applicants will be chosen to formally apply for a city Health and Safety Permit for a medical marijuana dispensary or collective.
The attorneys of MJ Legal, PC have years of experience assisting collectives to comply with state and local regulations, and are ready to assist you throughout the permit application process. If you are interested in learning more about applying for your own medical cannabis dispensary permit from the city of Santa Ana, please call and schedule an appointment today!
Thoughts on last week’s 2014 National Marijuana Business Conference: 11/16/14
Last week I had the opportunity to attend the 3rd annual National Marijuana Business Conference in Las Vegas. As a consultant and attorney working in this industry, I try my hardest to stay updated with the most current and relevant information available regarding the legal cannabis industry. Needless to say, I was very excited to see what this convention had in store, and what I could learn from my fellow attendees. My goals for this conference were simple. I wanted too learn new information, meet contacts, increase my firm’s exposure, and try and have some fun. Looking back on this year’s convention, I can safely say it was a success on all accounts.
Reflecting the overall growth of the legal cannabis industry, this year’s convention more than doubled in attendance from 2013. When I entered the convention room floor for the first time, it became immediately clear to me just how much progress the legal cannabis industry has made in the past 12 months. More than 200 exhibitors and companies representing every sector of the industry were in attendance. These exhibitors included dispensaries, commercial grow operations, security and consulting firms, infused cannabis product lines, agricultural equipment manufacturers, and numerous private equity firms. Despite the relaxed and friendly atmosphere of the conventions exhibitors and attendees, this convention was a true industry convention for business professionals. As an attorney and entrepreneur, I have attended a wide variety of professional conventions in the past. Unlike the majority of people I’ve met at past conventions, nearly every attendee I met last week was excited to be there, and taking advantage of that opportunity to aggressively network. It seemed that with everything we’ve had to overcome since the start of the legal cannabis industry, few people were taking this convention for granted.
After spending nearly 3 days learning and networking from the industry’s best and brightest, I am extremely excited for what the future holds. The legal cannabis industry in the US is continuing to mature, and its members are conducting themselves with a level of sophistication and professionalism that many wouldn’t have thought possible only a few years ago. In conclusion, I believe this year’s national marijuana conference will be remembered as a turning point in the industry, and as one of the first large-scale professional business conventions in the history of legal cannabis. I was proud to have been a part of it, and I’m grateful to every person who helped make this event such an incredible success!
Reflecting the overall growth of the legal cannabis industry, this year’s convention more than doubled in attendance from 2013. When I entered the convention room floor for the first time, it became immediately clear to me just how much progress the legal cannabis industry has made in the past 12 months. More than 200 exhibitors and companies representing every sector of the industry were in attendance. These exhibitors included dispensaries, commercial grow operations, security and consulting firms, infused cannabis product lines, agricultural equipment manufacturers, and numerous private equity firms. Despite the relaxed and friendly atmosphere of the conventions exhibitors and attendees, this convention was a true industry convention for business professionals. As an attorney and entrepreneur, I have attended a wide variety of professional conventions in the past. Unlike the majority of people I’ve met at past conventions, nearly every attendee I met last week was excited to be there, and taking advantage of that opportunity to aggressively network. It seemed that with everything we’ve had to overcome since the start of the legal cannabis industry, few people were taking this convention for granted.
After spending nearly 3 days learning and networking from the industry’s best and brightest, I am extremely excited for what the future holds. The legal cannabis industry in the US is continuing to mature, and its members are conducting themselves with a level of sophistication and professionalism that many wouldn’t have thought possible only a few years ago. In conclusion, I believe this year’s national marijuana conference will be remembered as a turning point in the industry, and as one of the first large-scale professional business conventions in the history of legal cannabis. I was proud to have been a part of it, and I’m grateful to every person who helped make this event such an incredible success!
Welcome to the MJ Legal Blog Post: 09/15/14
This first post is a long time coming, but I'm glad we're finally off to a start! My name is Ajay Scott Narayan. I am an entrepreneur and attorney that has been serving California’s medical cannabis community since 2011. I have also been a strong proponent of cannabis legalization and decriminalization throughout my entire adult life. From this point on, I will also be the primary contributor and moderator for the MJ Legal Blog Post. I started this blog because I wanted to create a destination on the web where an informed discussion could take place regarding the legal cannabis industry, particularly in California. Each week we will analyze and discuss any major developments affecting California’s medical cannabis community, as well as the national legalization movement. Over time, I hope that this blog will serve as a valuable resource for individuals to learn more about this growing national movement, and to share their own insights and experiences. All viewpoints are welcome, and I will try my best to keep the dialogue on this blog respectful and constructive.
The Legal Status of Marijuana in the United States:
American views on marijuana are changing fast. In 2013, for the first time since polling began to track public opinion on this issue, a majority of Americans are now in favor of legalizing marijuana. More than four decades of failed drug policy on a local, state, and national level have caused the American public to reevaluate their views with regards to the legality of Cannabis. Furthermore, the numerous medicinal benefits of marijuana are becoming increasingly accepted within the broader medical community. As of this writing, more than half of our nation’s states have adopted or are in the process of passing laws permitting the medicinal or even recreational use of marijuana. Our nation is on the verge of reaching a political tipping point with regards to its cannabis policy. With each passing month, the anti-prohibition movement grows stronger, and it is my professional opinion that it is only a matter of time until cannabis is legalized nationwide. However, despite the incredible progress we as a country have made on this issue, Federal marijuana prohibition remains in effect, and the struggle for patient’s rights and safe access to cannabis continues on.
Why I created the professional services firm of MJ Legal, and what we hope to accomplish:
I began providing legal services to California’s legal cannabis community in 2011. At the time, federal raids on lawful dispensaries were commonplace and the future of legal cannabis was uncertain. I have always been a strong supporter of legalization and decriminalization of marijuana, and have always had numerous friends and acquaintances involved this space. It wasn't long after I earned my law license that I had the opportunity to serve California’s Prop 215 community by providing legal advice and representation to legal cannabis businesses serving the needs of Prop 215 patients.
The more I learned about the legal landscape of medical marijuana in California, the more I realized that experienced legal counsel from attorneys who actually cared was badly needed. Medical cannabis law was and remains essentially a brand new field. In addition, most mainstream attorneys simply did not understand the culture of this movement, and in many cases were unwilling to participate in this type of work. To make matters worse, California state laws on medical marijuana were often unclear, and remain subject to multiple interpretations. To put it another way, at a time when sound industry-specific legal counsel and business consulting services were needed the most, it was nearly impossible to find. That was what gave me the inspiration for MJ Legal.
Launching this month, MJ Legal aims to become an industry leader in providing a complete slate of professional services to California’s legal cannabis community. By creating a team of the most qualified, experienced, and passionate professionals working in California’s legal cannabis industry, and focusing their time and resources exclusively on the needs of our clients involved in this industry, we will provide our clients with a level of quality and professionalism that until now was nearly impossible to find.
Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for more MJ Legal Blog Posts each week!
The Legal Status of Marijuana in the United States:
American views on marijuana are changing fast. In 2013, for the first time since polling began to track public opinion on this issue, a majority of Americans are now in favor of legalizing marijuana. More than four decades of failed drug policy on a local, state, and national level have caused the American public to reevaluate their views with regards to the legality of Cannabis. Furthermore, the numerous medicinal benefits of marijuana are becoming increasingly accepted within the broader medical community. As of this writing, more than half of our nation’s states have adopted or are in the process of passing laws permitting the medicinal or even recreational use of marijuana. Our nation is on the verge of reaching a political tipping point with regards to its cannabis policy. With each passing month, the anti-prohibition movement grows stronger, and it is my professional opinion that it is only a matter of time until cannabis is legalized nationwide. However, despite the incredible progress we as a country have made on this issue, Federal marijuana prohibition remains in effect, and the struggle for patient’s rights and safe access to cannabis continues on.
Why I created the professional services firm of MJ Legal, and what we hope to accomplish:
I began providing legal services to California’s legal cannabis community in 2011. At the time, federal raids on lawful dispensaries were commonplace and the future of legal cannabis was uncertain. I have always been a strong supporter of legalization and decriminalization of marijuana, and have always had numerous friends and acquaintances involved this space. It wasn't long after I earned my law license that I had the opportunity to serve California’s Prop 215 community by providing legal advice and representation to legal cannabis businesses serving the needs of Prop 215 patients.
The more I learned about the legal landscape of medical marijuana in California, the more I realized that experienced legal counsel from attorneys who actually cared was badly needed. Medical cannabis law was and remains essentially a brand new field. In addition, most mainstream attorneys simply did not understand the culture of this movement, and in many cases were unwilling to participate in this type of work. To make matters worse, California state laws on medical marijuana were often unclear, and remain subject to multiple interpretations. To put it another way, at a time when sound industry-specific legal counsel and business consulting services were needed the most, it was nearly impossible to find. That was what gave me the inspiration for MJ Legal.
Launching this month, MJ Legal aims to become an industry leader in providing a complete slate of professional services to California’s legal cannabis community. By creating a team of the most qualified, experienced, and passionate professionals working in California’s legal cannabis industry, and focusing their time and resources exclusively on the needs of our clients involved in this industry, we will provide our clients with a level of quality and professionalism that until now was nearly impossible to find.
Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for more MJ Legal Blog Posts each week!
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