Sacramento – Senator Scott Weiner (D-San Francisco Democrat), Senate Bill 1186, which is restoring voter access to medical cannabis across the state by requiring cities to provide patient access to purchase medical cannabis by delivery, passed the Senate Committee on Governance and Finance by a vote of 4- 1. Now heading to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Cannabis is an important and lifesaving drug for many people, including those with cancer, HIV/AIDS, chronic pain, arthritis, neurodegenerative disorders, and many other diseases. Everyone deserves access to medicine, including medicinal cannabis. SB 1186 restores this access to all Californians.
“Medical cannabis saves so many lives, and it is unacceptable for 62% of California cities to stop people from actually buying it,” he said. Senator Winner “Everyone needs and deserves access — as guaranteed by California voters who passed Prop 215 nearly 30 years ago. When cities ban the purchase of medical cannabis, they block access and fuel the illegal market. SB 1186 restores access to medical cannabis to those who need it.” .
SB 1186 is sponsored by the California Cannabis Industry Association, and California NORML supports the legislation.
Under current California law — which allows cities to ban any and all sales of cannabis — 62% of cities have banned all sales of cannabis, including sales of medical cannabis. As a result, residents of those cities, including people with HIV, cancer, arthritis, insomnia, and other conditions, often have no choice but to buy from the illicit market. The burgeoning and growing illicit cannabis market in California is undermining the legal and regulated market and risking acquiring contaminated cannabis.
To address this significant medical access issue, SB 1186 requires cities to allow access to medical cannabis. Cities must, at a minimum, authorize the delivery of medical cannabis.
To clarify, SB 1186 does that not Changing the ability of cities in any way to restrict or ban adult sales of cannabis. Pillar 64, passed by voters in 2016, gives cities that local control. But Proposition 64 made no mention of medicinal cannabis — which voters legalized in 1996 via Parad 215 — and the legislature’s decision to grant cities that local control was not required by any voting procedure. Indeed, granting city legislatures to ban medical cannabis undermined the intent of voters to pass Prop 215. The primary goal of Prop 215 was to establish legal access to cannabis as a drug.
California was the first state in the country to allow the medical use of cannabis with the 1996 approval of Proposition 215. This voter initiative, led largely by caregivers and activists seeking palliative treatments for AIDS and cancer patients, led to a series of government medical cannabis legalization efforts nationwide. national, as well as recognizing that cannabis is an essential medicine.
SB 1186 prioritizes patient health by allowing patients access torefrigerated deliveries in their area and by prohibiting jurisdictions from imposing restrictions on these companies having the effect of banning retail by delivery. Under SB 1186, local jurisdictions retain full local control over the adult (non-medical) cannabis use business. This law simply prevents jurisdictions from banning the delivery of medical cannabis and thus prevents patients from accessing the medicines they need.
By doing so, SB 1186 respects voter intent and ensures that Californians across the state have adequate and timely access to safe, effective, and affordable cannabis and medicinal products.
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