CARMENA.TRUTANICH
CityAttorney
MedicalMarijuanaOrdinanceandBriefingMaterials
[SupplementalMaterials]
TransmittaltotheCityCouncilNovember16,2009
THISISANEWITEMTOBEADDEDTOYOURBRIEFINGMATERIALS:
November
11,
2009letter:TotheHonorableMembersoftheLosAngelesCityCouncilRe:SalesofMedicalMarijuana
CityHallEast200N.MainStreetRoom800LosAngeles,CA90012(213)978·8100Tel(213)978·8312FaxCTrutanich@lacity.orgwww.lacity.org/atty
November11,2009
CONFIDENTIALATTORNEY/CLIENTCOMMUNICATION
TotheHonorableMembersoftheLosAngelesCityCouncilRe:SalesofMedicalMarijuanaDearCityCouncilMembers:Thisisinresponsetotherequestforourlegalopinionregardingthelegalityofmedicalmarijuanasales.ThisOffice'spositionthatthesaleofmarijuanaisillegal,evenformedicalpurposes,isbaseduponbothstateandfederallaw.Specifically,underthefederalControlledSubstancesAct,marijuanaremainsaprohibitedScheduleIdrug.Assuch,virtuallyallactivityrelatedtomarijuana,includingcultivation,possessionandsale,isillegalunderfederallaw.Thus,theissuanceofmunicipalregulationsthatauthorizeanysalesactivityraisesthelegalrisksofaidingandabettingaviolationoffederallaw.InCalifornia,ourmarijuanaJawsarecodifiedintheHealthandSafetyCode,whichprohibitsthepossessionforsaleofmarijuana(§11359)andthesaleofmarijuana(§11360).TheseprohibitionscoexistalongsideourCompassionateUseAct(CUA),asenactedbythepassageofProposition215in1996.TheCUAstates:"Section11357,relatingtothepossessionofmarijuana,andSection11358,relatingtothecultivationofmarijuana,shallnotapplytoapatient,ortoapatient'sprimarycaregiver,whopossessesorcultivatesmarijuanaforthepersonalmedicalpurposesofthepatientuponthewrittenororalrecommendationorapprovalofaphysician."HealthandSafetyCodeSection11362.5(d)1.TheCUAthereforeprovidesanarrowaffirmativedefensetoindividualpatientsandtheirprimarycaregiverswhoarechargedwithcriminalprosecutionforthepossessionandcultivationofmedicalmarijuanaforapatient'spersonalmedicaluse.TheCUAprovidesnoaffirmativedefensefortheconductofsellingmarijuana,evenformedicalpurposes.AsnotedbyourstateSupremeCourtandnumerousappellatecourts,theballotmaterialsinsupportoftheCUAspecificallystatedthatit
1
AllfurtherstatutoryreferencesaretotheHealthandSafetyCode,unlessotherwisenoted.
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Carmen a. Trutanich
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| Upload Date: | 11/18/2009 |
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