(16:35) SANTA CRUZ- At a meeting on Tuesday, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors will discuss licensing commercial medical cannabis production in Santa Cruz County. In August, the Board directed a 13-member ad hoc committee to develop recommendations for local commercial cannabis regulations. The move came after prior efforts to find a balance that protected neighborhoods, protected the environment and assured an adequate supply of medical marijuana for patients failed to reach community consensus. In the meantime, Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law a trio of bills that, for the first time, sanction and regulate medical cannabis production in California. The California Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act also preserves local control over cannabis operations by establishing a tiered licensing system allowing local governments to establish rules for cannabis production that reflect the best interests of the community. However, local governments must have regulations in effect by March 1, 2016. On December 3rd, the Cannabis Cultivation Choices Committee voted unanimously to recommend an interim ordinance that would establish a local licensing system for commercial medical marijuana cultivation.
pmd
