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Statement from Senator Borrelli on the House Democrats decision to block medical marijuana financial


"When Arizonans approved the Medical Marijuana Act in 2010, they believed it would bring a new treatment for their pain and other medical issues. Voters also expected the marijuana to be free from dangerous chemicals, and for the finances from the dispensaries to be clear and honest. Sadly, because of the poorly written initiative, those issues weren't detailed. I sponsored two bills this session to fix the problems.

SB 1137 would have prevented harmful chemicals from being used in medical marijuana. In a February Senate vote, Democrats killed that measure. I also sponsored SB 1024, which would have required, upon request, the Department of Health Services to share sales data from dispensaries with the Department of Revenue. Believe it or not, our State is not doing that right now. We're just taking the word of the dispensaries on their volume of sales. SB 1024 passed out of the Senate 30-0, but last week House Democrats killed that bill as well.

It's clear to see what's going on here. Democrats in the Legislature are enabling an industry to allow harmful bacteria and chemicals into medicine. They're running cover for potential criminal activity. They're always talking about closing tax loopholes, but they're turning their heads from what could be massive tax fraud and money laundering in this largely all-cash industry.

Everything related to medical marijuana dispensaries is confidential. We don't know the names of the directors of their corporations. We don't know their sales data. We don't even know what's in their products. A dispensary license should be treated the same as every other retail business in the state that collects taxes. But time and time again, when bills are brought forward to bring accountability, transparency and safety, Democrats protect the dispensaries' interests. This is wrong.

I will continue to fight for those patients who need medical marijuana, but also expect it to be free from dangerous chemicals. And I will continue to fight for all taxpayers, who expect this business to play by the same rules as other Arizona businesses."


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© 2025 by the Arizona State Senate Republican Caucus.

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