Apart from their assigned mod courses, 1L students may only enroll in courses offered as 1L electives. A complete list of these courses can be found on the 1L Elective Listings page. 1L students must use the 1L class number listed on the course description when enrolling.
294.79 sec. 1 - Marijuana Law and Policy (Spring 2027)
Instructor: Tamar Lorraine Todd (view instructor's teaching evaluations - degree students only)
View all teaching evaluations for this course - degree students only
Units: 1
Grading Designation: Credit Only
Mode of Instruction: In-Person
Meeting:
Th 08:00 AM - 09:50 AM
Location: Law 244
From January 14, 2027
To February 25, 2027
Course End: February 25, 2027
Class Number: 33204
Enrollment info:
Enrolled: 0
Waitlisted: 0
Enroll Limit: 24
As of: 11/06 08:05 AM
In this marijuana law and policy seminar, students will engage with the wide variety of legal issues presented by one of the fastest-evolving fields in drug policy and grapple with the policy and practical legal issues that arise when an illicit market evolves into one that is quasi-legal and regulated by the state but still prohibited under federal law. The course will cover the history of marijuana prohibition, including its race-based origins and its continued racially disparate enforcement; the political movement and strategy to decriminalize marijuana and allow medical access; the international and federal constraints on state law reform; the legal and regulatory questions involving criminal sentencing, tax, consumer safety, labor law, environmental protection, and public health; social justice considerations prompted by the emergence of a new, quasi-legal industry for a product that was previously criminalized in a racially-disparate manner; and the continuing challenges of navigating a new industry that remains illegal under federal law.
The reading for the course will be an eclectic mix of case law, policy articles, government studies and reports, statutes, advocacy pieces, and political campaign materials.
Tamar Todd was the legal director for the world’s largest drug policy advocacy organization, and has specialized for the last twenty years in marijuana law and policy. She has been instrumental in the drafting of medical and recreational marijuana laws and voter initiatives in more than 18 states across the country; was a lead drafter of recreational marijuana laws in Colorado, Oregon, and California; and has testified in numerous legislative and government bodies in the United States and abroad on the issue of drug policy and the intersection of state and federal law.
Exam Notes: (None) Series of papers or assignments throughout the semester
(Subject to change by faculty member only through the first two weeks of instruction)
Course Category: Public Law and Policy
This course is listed in the following sub-categories:
Social Justice and Public Interest
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Class materials may also be available on bCourses.berkeley.edu
Readers:
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Books:
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