Here’s an interesting article about the quasi-legal status of medical marijuana. Even though California may often decline to prosecute marijuana possession and marijuana distribution, the DEA may have other ideas.
Take California. A lot of people think California is THE place to set up shop since it was the first to see the green light on medical marijuana, way back in 1996. These days you just go see “Doctor Green” on the Venice boardwalk, tell him about your occasional insomnia, and he writes a recommendation for some locally grown, relaxed-to-the-max, Cali Kush.
Los Angeles is pretty chill. But in other parts of the state, it’s not that cool. For instance, there are like a hundred pot shops in San Diego, but the city won’t license most of them. And the feds keep knocking down doors.
Source: Marijuana Rules