Since Gov Jerry Brown appointed Lori Ajax as his marijuana mogul, the rules for California medical cannabis are fleshing out. Lori brings an impressive profile to the party. She has a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice and ten years commercial experience before entering the administration in 1995. Before assuming her current position, she was Chief Deputy Director (yep these things exist) since January 2014.
The primary purpose of the rules, due to implement in 2018 when regulations are in place, is to protect patients, the public and the environment, according to Lori Ajax. “If you are engaged in commercial medical cannabis, you need a license,” she told a meeting hosted by the Bureau of Medical Cannabis Regulation.
The Current Situation Largely Speaking
The industry has been pretty much frontier country since Proposition 215 appeared in 1996. This “Compassionate Care Act” exempted patients and defined caregivers who possess or cultivate marijuana for medical treatment, recommended by a physician, from criminal prosecution, but had not much else to say about how the industry was supposed to behave. This opened the door to the good, the bad, and the ugly who did things their own way.
Lori has the somewhat unenviable task of implementing order in chaos characterized by stories of dubious extraction methods, and ‘slave labor wages’ in the backwoods. The new system plans to crack down on this, and implement a quality-driven regime that makes alcohol control look like a tea party.
How the State is Moving Ahead with Regulations
The Bureau of Medical Cannabis Regulation is currently having road shows across the state, explaining the theory of how this should work, and soliciting ideas for practical implementation. The federal government seems unlikely to prosecute the medical marijuana supply chain if it sticks to these, and remains within the borders of California. It is thus in everybody’s interests to participate in the process, and create something workable that achieves its goals.
We are probably observing a precursor to how recreational marijuana will regulate, when it almost inevitably becomes legal in the future. Like most all the things that government does, there is a sting in the tail. This is upwards of 300 pages of regulations. Hardly what freewheeling small-time operators had in mind when they entered the business.
Will there be Turbulent Times for Lori Ajax?
The industry will follow the path of alcohol. While there will still be moonshiners in the countryside, city trade will fall in the hands of corporates who already have their lawyers. Many small traders are accustomed to working outside the law. Lori Ajax may have a rough ride ahead as she attempts to balance patient rights against much needed control.