California medical marijuana patients should have an easier time getting their weed back if they are cleared of the charges that led police to seize it. The state Senate passed a bill May 23 that would require police to return marijuana and paraphernalia to MMJ patients who are acquitted of charges tied to the seizure of the drug. The same would apply if the charges were dismissed. If authorities destroy a patientamp;rsquo;s pot or paraphernalia, the bill provides that the patient may collect reasonable compensation for the loss. In addition, the bill allows drug defendants to examine their seized property before itamp;rsquo;s destroyed. amp;ldquo;Itamp;rsquo;s a pretty noncontroversial bill,amp;rdquo; said Dale Gieringer, director of the California branch of NORML. amp;ldquo;As long as medical marijuana users are taken care of, weamp;rsquo;re fine with the bill.amp;rdquo; Senator Noreen Evans, a Democrat from Santa Rosa, sponsored the legislation, S.B. 1193. Along with requiring return of seized cannabis, it reduces the holding requirement for police in drug cases. - California Marijuana Market
