California Cannabis Association

CCA President George Mull is interviewed by FoxNews at an October protest outside the federal court building in Sacramento.

STATEWIDE RESPONSE NEEDED TO COUNTER FEDERAL ENFORCEMENT THREATS

Reneging on a pledge by the Obama Administration to respect state medical cannabis laws, the U.S. Attorneys’ Office has begun targeting dispensaries and cultivators in California. Some of those arrested have allegedly violated both the spirit and the letter of Proposition 215, the Compassionate Use Act. But some of the state’s best medical cannabis providers are in trouble, too, which means in effect that all Prop. 215 patients and growers are at risk.

While some cities and counties have come up with practical approaches to cannabis regulations and taxes, most do what the Legislature has done for years: Pretend Proposition 215 never happened. The state’s chronic failure to provide clear guidance for dispensaries, cultivators and law enforcement makes California an easy target for federal prosecutors. So too does our tacit acceptance of profiteering within the medical cannabis industry; nothing can be accomplished by defending such conduct, apart from inviting more raids.

It’s time for a new approach. The California Cannabis Association proposes a legislative ballot initiative for 2012 focused on reforming and improving our medical cannabis distribution system. The Legislature won’t do it without public pressure, but we can do it by banding together. Please join CCA today to support this important and timely work.

I'M ALREADY ACTIVE LOCALLY ... WHY SHOULD I JOIN CCA?

Let's face it; medical cannabis access is endangered throughout most of California. Dispensaries are banned in most cities and counties, and the federal crackdown is casting doubt even on those cannabis regulations and taxes that have already passed. While applauding local efforts to support dispensary access, the California Cannabis Association is committed to providing a united voice for all sectors of the medical cannabis community. CCA advocates state-level solutions to the challenges faced by CCA members, local government, law enforcement and the general public.

Looking ahead to brighter times, the California Cannabis Association will offer a wide range of benefits and services to its members. These benefits include excellent business contacts and networking opportunities, professional camaraderie and a prominent voice in the political arena. We believe building a green, safe and sustainable medical cannabis industry serves all Californians, and we believe urgent action is needed to counter federal and local threats. To that end, we stand ready to work on a statewide strategy with all advocacy groups, lawmakers, CCA members and industry stakeholders. But we can't even start that important work until we hear from more people like you, people who are willing to invest a few dollars to launch a statewide movement.

We know times are tough, but won't you please join the California Cannabis Association today? You'll help CCA become a more effective voice for Prop. 215 patients in Sacramento, and you'll get a cool lapel pin and sticker, too.

CCA SUPPORTS FAIR TAXES AND 280E REFORM

If the DOJ crackdown weren't bad enough, the IRS has begun using an obscure section of the Internal Revenue Code to levy multimillion-dollar back tax bills on medical cannabis providers. Passed by Congress in the 1980s to apply to drug-traffickers, Section 280E now prevents medical cannabis providers from taking the normal and usual deductions allowed for all other businesses. Thousands of medical cannabis providers may be forced to close if they are unable to file and pay reasonable federal taxes, leading to a dramatic reduction in safe access for qualified patients.

The 280E Reform campaign was launched to achieve tax equity and fairness for medical cannabis patients and the collective-dispensaries that serve them. CCA is proud to be an early supporter of this effort. Click here to learn more about 280E Reform.