Los Angeles Medical Marijuana Providers Support State Ballot Measure to Regulate
The Greater Los Angeles Collective Alliance (GLACA) announced today that it will pledge $50,000 to support a proposed ballot initiative that will help regulate medical marijuana cooperatives and collectives statewide. Founded in 2006, GLACA is the nation’s oldest trade association for cannabis facilities. It represents only entities that are operating legally under state and local laws. “We see this voter initiative as a necessary step in protecting patients, local access to medicine, and our communities,” said GLACA President Yami Bolanos.
For over half a decade GLACA has been working with the City of Los Angeles to write and enact sensible regulations. Inconsistencies in local and state statutes have been the biggest impediment to fashioning workable laws. Ms. Bolanos believes the MMRCT will help resolve much of the confusion that has stymied progress at local levels. “Creating statewide rules will take the burden off municipalities and help assure our neighbors that cannabis facilities are operating uniformly, and following state law,” she added. The MMRCT was created by a broad coalition of patients, advocates, industry, and organized labor. The measure requires greater transparency from the nascent medical marijuana industry and imposes a 2.5% additional sales tax on medical marijuana. Americans for Safe Access has provided much of the leadership in this effort, and GLACA is pleased to be part of the coalition.
