The Citizens’ Voice asked legislators in Luzerne and Lackawanna counties for their positions on medical marijuana, industrial hemp, decriminalization and legal marijuana. Here is what they said:

REPRESENTATIVES

Karen Boback R-Harveys Lake

Medical marijuana: “I believe cannabis deserves the opportunity to be properly vetted by the medical community. Scientific research accompanied by valid trials should be conducted to determine its value as a medical option. Doing so would provide the legislature with the opportunity to determine the level of legality for medical cannabis. Our goal should be to develop a medically responsible solution.”

A SEASONED cannabis cultivator was jailed for six years and three months after police discovered three growths of the class B drug in a 16-month period.

Neville Dargue was on bail after two “home grows” were found last year, when a third “professional set up” was found after the fire brigade responded to a call to his home on the evening of July 14 this year.

Durham Crown Court heard that a crew responded to a report of a suspected fire at the address in Surtees Street, Bishop Auckland.

Liam O’Brien, prosecuting, said when firefighters checked the exterior of the property everything seemed “in order”, but there was no response to a knock at the door.

They forced entry and found cannabis being grown across two bedrooms.

MORE Illinois State Senate passes bill decriminalizing small amounts of marijuana, making possession of up to 15 grams a civil law violation without jail time; bill is awaiting signature of Republican Gov Bruce Rauner. A state activist has filed the explanation for a medical marijuana initiative with the state attorney general’s office. Marijuana Legalization … There, he spends his time and becomes friends with many other delinquents. Marijuana is the most popular and easily accessible illegal drug in the United States today.

If voters across Ohio next month approve a proposal to ease criminal sanctions on marijuana, the law’s changes would fall short of a recently enacted and legally challenged Toledo ordinance.

The amendment to the Ohio Constitution would allow a resident of at least 21 years old to possess up to an ounce of marijuana for recreational use and grow up to 8 ounces of the drug if licensed by the state. Retail sale of recreational marijuana also would begin.

On Sept. 15, Toledo voters supported reducing penalties in the Toledo Municipal Code to no fines or jail time for marijuana-related offenses. The law went into effect a week ago.

Nearly 20 years ago, California led the nation in legalizing cannabis for medical use with the enactment of the Compassionate Use Act (Proposition 215). However, the Act offered little guidance on how patients should obtain medical cannabis or how the industry should be monitored. This uncertainty has created a hodgepodge of local rules and ordinances and some very disturbing environmental and safety issues, but that’s all about to change.

A legislative package signed into law Friday by the governor establishes a regulatory framework for the statewide cultivation, transportation and sale of medical marijuana, providing exemptions and sanctions that Riverside County officials were busy analyzing to determine their impact.

“The Office of County Counsel has all the content, and we’re waiting to hear back from them on what this could mean,” Supervisor Kevin Jeffries told City News Service. “I have felt for a number of years that the state Legislature failed to address significant issues concerning medical marijuana across California. It might be a good thing to establish a framework that all counties can work within.”

California has implemented a series of regulations aimed at one of the state's booming agricultural products—medical marijuana—and far from balking at government interference, producers seem pleased that lawmakers are ready to treat them as a real industry.

The Los Angeles Times reports that three bills, creating a system of oversight for the production of marijuana for medical purposes, were signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday:

I received the following action alert:

Dear Johnny:

Next week, the Marijuana Control Board will hear public comments on all rules it has proposed this year. If you haven’t already, we urge supporters to review the latest draft. If you would like to speak with members of the board, consider attending and making your voice heard.

A Linden couple, accused of being found in possession of cannabis at a Mackenzie marketplace stall, was yesterday denied bail by a city court.

The defendants were accused of having 64 grammes of cannabis in their possession for trafficking, on October 7th, at Central Amelia’s Ward.

Pollydore and Alexander, who were represented by Eusi Anderson, both pleaded not guilty to the charge.

In Anderson’s petition for bail, he informed the court that Alexander, who shares a nine-year-old child with the co-defendant, is a father of 14, two of whom are minors and depend on him for support. He related as well that although Pollydore has had no prior run-ins with the law, Alexander has had a previous assault conviction.