Medicinal cannabis: shipments.

Assembly Member Ahrens proposes expanding medicinal cannabis access in California through new direct shipping provisions and enhanced donation protocols. The legislation authorizes licensed microbusinesses with M-licenses to ship medicinal cannabis directly to patients statewide while establishing comprehensive verification and tracking requirements.

Under the proposed framework, qualifying microbusinesses must comply with daily possession limits, obtain advance payment, and ensure recipients are at least 21 years old. The bill requires detailed recordkeeping in the state's track and trace system and mandates that shipped cannabis originate solely from the microbusiness's licensed cultivation sites or up to five authorized outdoor growers. Commercial carriers receive protection from penalties when transporting compliant shipments.

The measure amends the Medicinal Cannabis Patients' Right of Access Act to prevent local jurisdictions from adopting regulations that would effectively prohibit medicinal cannabis delivery or shipment within their boundaries. While localities retain authority over reasonable zoning, security, licensing and tax requirements, they cannot restrict the number of businesses, operating hours, or types and quantities of medicinal cannabis available through delivery or shipment. The legislation preserves existing enforcement mechanisms while expanding standing to include microbusinesses seeking to provide shipping services.

Local jurisdictions that allowed medicinal cannabis retail sales before January 2022 and have at least one physical retail location may limit microbusinesses to shipping only. The bill requires state reimbursement of any costs incurred by local agencies in implementing these changes, subject to review by the Commission on State Mandates.