Sometimes I can't believe how Californian California is. Women walk around half-naked, waiters call patrons "dude," and medical marijuana is legal. But I wondered just how legal. Could anyone buy it? Even me, who doesn't have cancer, AIDS, arthritis, glaucoma or even any previous pot-smoking experience?

With Santa Barbara County facing a budget disaster, with developers constantly threatening to take over the Gaviota Coast — most immediately the 485-acre Naples parcel — with the state forcing housing mandates on the county, and with the Board of Supervisors scheduled to begin a redistricting process in 2011 that could forever change the political landscape, five candidates for 3rd District Supervisor are running to win an understandably hot seat. In fact, this could be the most important county election ever.

ORANGE – The owner of a medical marijuana dispensary has filed a lawsuit against the city, asking the courts to allow the dispensary to remain in business.

Bob Adams, the owner of Nature's Wellness Collective, said the city knew the nature of his establishment when his business license was approved in January. Adams said he wasn't told about the ordinances the city passed to discourage dispensaries from opening in Orange.

Malibu city officials will attempt to ban medical marijuana dispensaries by amending the municipality’s code. The planning commission is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the matter on Tuesday, June 3.
The city has dealt with the pot pharmacy issue by calling a moratorium on new facilities. There are several outlets in town. City officials say there are no regulations governing their operation.

Re: Dr. Michael T. Jamison's April 27 commentary, "Medicinal marijuana at what cost?":

I don't care how many letters Jamison has following his name, he is flat wrong in his commentary about medical marijuana. He speaks with the authority of a doctor on a subject that he obviously knows nothing about.

As Jamison is a doctor, I would expect he would know that marijuana is not a narcotic, yet he still uses that terminology.

Sandy Banks is buying pot??? Well, yeah, for journalistic purposes. And then flushing it, for legal reasons. And then, because you're a very vocal group, getting all kinds of e-mail from readers about the escapade. More from her column:

I've taken plenty of heat from readers about my column last week describing how easy it was for me to legally buy marijuana.

Most chastised me for flushing my pot down the toilet before trying it, calling it a cowardly cop-out, a threat to the safety of the region's water supply and a missed opportunity to let others know what kind of pain relief marijuana actually provides.

A San Luis Obispo County man says he has won a battle against the Sheriff's Department.

Craig Steffens is a medical marijuana patient. Last October, San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's deputies seized a small amount of marijuana and a glass pipe from him.

The Manhattan Beach Planning Commission recently made an official recommendation to ban medical marijuana retail establishments within the city.

The City Council passed a moratorium in 2006 prohibiting marijuana dispensaries and the commission’s April 23 deliberations are part of the due process to amend the zoning land use to prohibit dispensaries in Manhattan Beach as part of the municipal code.

LOS ANGELES -- The former manager of a West Hollywood medical marijuana dispensary that sold millions of dollars worth of the drug and related products was sentenced Wednesday to five years probation.

James John Carberry, 56, could have been sentenced to as much as 20 years in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Manuel Real, who ordered him to perform 1,500 hours of community service.