Medical Marijuana: personal cultivation.

Existing law, the Compassionate Use Act of 1996, an initiative measure enacted by the approval of Proposition 215 at the November 5, 1996, statewide general election, authorizes the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Existing law, enacted by the Legislature, provides for the licensing and regulation by both state and local entities of medical marijuana and its cultivation. Existing law requires the Department of Food and Agriculture to establish a Medical Cannabis Cultivation Program. The program prohibits a person from cultivating medical marijuana without first obtaining a state license issued by the department and a license, permit, or other entitlement specifically permitting cultivation pursuant to the program from the city, county, or city and county in which the cultivation will occur, as specified. Existing law exempts certain persons from these licensure requirements under specified conditions, but authorizes a city, county, or city and county to regulate or ban the cultivation, storage, manufacture, transport, provision, or other activity by the exempt person. This bill would instead provide that an exemption from these licensure requirements does not limit or prevent a city, county, or city and county from exercising its police power authority under a specified provision of the California Constitution.