Marijuana Bill Ballot — After the voters of California said “Yes” to Proposition 64 and the legalization of marijuana last November, enhanced regulation of the marijuana industry became a top priority. On March 7, 2017, Los Angeles is holding a special election for residents to repeal and replace Proposition D, which restricted the number of legal medical marijuana dispensaries, raised taxes on dispensaries, and failed to mandate testing of marijuana for pesticides sold at dispensaries. While there are two measures on the ballot, Measure M and Measure N, the backers of “N” abandoned their measure (at too late a date to remove from the ballot) and backed Measure M.

Measure M is sparse on details, but here’s what we know:

it would give the mayor and the City Council permission to repeal Prop D and replace it with a new and improved set of laws covering all aspects of the industry;
clarify where marijuana businesses can operate;
establish rules on hours of operation; and
determine how they may market their goods.

Measure M was written to be flexible, giving city leaders the tools to regulate LA’s newest industry–recreational marijuana.

For entrepreneurs trying to break into the marijuana business, Measure M will make things significantly easier. As of now, state regulators take previous marijuana arrests into consideration when awarding permits for dispensaries, but if Measure M passes that won’t be the case. Additionally, Measure M will increase the number of dispensaries allowed, making it easier for new cannabis shops to get the permits they need.

If you are looking to learn more about how Measure M will affect your business, feel free to email us at [email protected] or set up an appointment.