Are dispensing collectives legal under state law?
In an effort to clarify the voter initiative of 1996 and aid in its implementation across the state, the California legislature enacted Senate Bill 420 in 2004, which expressly states that qualified patients and primary caregivers may collectively or cooperatively cultivate cannabis for medical purposes (Cal. Health & Safety Code section 11362.775). This provision has been interpreted by the courts to mean that dispensing collectives, where patients may buy their medicine, are legal entities under state law. California’s Third District Court of Appeal affirmed the legality of collectives and cooperatives in 2005 in the case of People v. Urziceanu. (See http://www.safeaccessnow.
In an effort to clarify the voter initiative of 1996 and aid in its implementation across the state, the California legislature enacted Senate Bill 420 in 2004, which expressly states that qualified patients and primary caregivers may collectively or cooperatively cultivate cannabis for medical purposes (Cal. Health & Safety Code section 11362.775). This provision has been interpreted by the courts to mean that dispensing collectives, where patients may buy their medicine, are legal entities under state law. California’s Third District Court of Appeal affirmed the legality of collectives and cooperatives in 2005 in the case of People v. Urziceanu.
