EVENTS February 6 Medical Marijuana Benefit Concert Gramps, Miami medicalmarijuanabenefitconcert.org February 13–14 International Cannabis Business Conf. Hyatt Regency, San Francisco internationalcbc.com February 18–20
hundreds of similar lawsuits unless legislative reform is enacted. If the court rules four more times in a similar manner, it will effectively legalize marijuana for Mexico’s 125 million citizens. Mexico is moving to legalize medical marijuana, as well; Senator Cristina Diaz has sponsored a bill that she expects will pass by the summer. South of Mexico, in Central America, another landmark court ruling was delivered in Costa Rica on Jan. 19 when a local criminal court acquitted lawyer Mario Alberto Cerdas Salazar, who was arrested for growing 170 marijuana plants in a rooftop garden. The ruling affirmed that specifics of prohibition laws only apply to those who sell or traffic in cannabis, not grow it for personal use. The ruling could have wider implications in Costa Rica because it affirms that consuming cannabis is not a crime. Another surprise came in December when Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos signed a decree legalizing medical cannabis. The South American country is considering several new approaches to drug policy, after being a haven for violent cartels for decades. Further South, in Chile, the world’s largest medical cannabis garden was unveiled in January. More than 1.5 tons of government-grown cannabis is expected to be supplied to 4,000 patients this year. Chile is also considering decriminalization for personal-use amounts.
CannaCon Smith Cove Cruise Terminal, Seattle cannacon.org February 27 9 Mile Music Festival Virginia Key Beach, Miami 9milemusicfestival.com February 27–28 Southwest Cannabis Conference + Expo Fort Worth Convention Center SWCCExpo.com March 3–5 Marijuana Investor Summit Hilton Union Square, San Francisco marijuanainvestorsummit.com March 7–9 CannaTech Summit Sheva, Tel Aviv, Israel canna-tech.co March 11–13 Spannabis Barcelona, Spain spannabis.com/Barcelona March 19 Cannabis Grand Cru Fremont Foundry, Seattle cannabisgrandcru.com
january / february 2016
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