Medical Marijuana Safety Bill Introduced In Arizona

By Donald Loose

In November 2010, Arizona voters approved the use of marijuana for medical purposes. The law, known as the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act, went into effect a few years later. There are now more than 150,000 medical marijuana cardholders in Arizona, but no real legal protections for them regarding the product they spend millions of dollars each year to purchase. Senate Bill 1420, a proposal now being debated in the Arizona legislature, would add some consumer protections now lacking.

SB1420 would give agriculture inspectors the power to inspect the cultivation facilities where marijuana is grown, and to test for pesticides and other chemicals being used on the plants. Federal regulations prohibit the use of certain chemicals on agricultural products, but those rules do not apply to marijuana because it is outlawed under federal law. Nothing in the Arizona legislation would prohibit the use of any specific chemical, but it would require the medical marijuana product to include a written disclosure listing all chemical compounds used during product cultivation.

SB 1420 would also lower the cost of a medical marijuana card, from $150 per year to $50 for the first year and $25 for annual renewals. This would make getting the state-issued card more affordable for all Arizona residents registered in the medical marijuana program.

The measure still needs broad support in the House and Senate before it can go to Republican Governor Doug Ducey for signature. And a veto from the conservative governor is not out of the question, especially given his public skepticism about the effectiveness of marijuana to treat medical conditions.

Note: The information contained in this article was discussed by the author on The Buckmaster Show, KVOI, on 2/1/18. A podcast of the interview may be found at www.loosebrown.com

Donald Loose founded Loose, Brown & Hobkirk, P.C. in 1982. Loose practices in the areas of business law, trial practice, and estate planning, and has authored two books, “Arizona Laws 101: A Handbook for Non-Lawyers” and “Estate Planning in Arizona: What you Need to Know.” His first book won an award from the Arizona Book Publishing Association. Additionally, Loose serves on the boards of several non-profit organizations in both Phoenix and Tucson.

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Under the leadership of Editor in Chief Huey Freeman, the Editorial Board of the Arizona Daily Independent offers readers an opportunity to comment on current events and the pressing issues of the day. Occasionally, the Board weighs-in on issues of concern for the residents of Arizona and the US.