Arizona Cannabis Clubs Sued by State AG
Four cannabis clubs in Arizona, where voters last year passed a law allowing medical marijuana use, were sued today by the state attorney general, who alleges that the groups’ actions run afoul of the new ordinance.
The lawsuit was filed in Maricopa County Superior Court. According to the state attorney general’s office, the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act does not extent protection to private marijuana clubs that are not registered as nonprofit medical marijuana dispensaries.
Also in Arizona, the U.S. Department of Justice last week asked a federal judge to throw out a case brought by Gov. Jan Brewer, who seeks a ruling about the legality of the state law. Deputy U.S. Attorney Scott Risner told the court that there’s no legal basis for the lawsuit, absent actual threat of prosecution, Capital Media Services reports. While that case proceeds the governor directed that no dispensaries be licensed, but patients are being certified as medical marijuana users.
“The law permits one card holder to give marijuana to another card holder. But is does not permit the activities of these defendants, who charge fees to members,” Attorney General Tom Horne said in a statement released today about the state court case. “These private entities and individuals are in no way permitted to legally transfer marijuana to anybody.”
