It sounds like even in Northern California there is conflict between state and federal laws. It's not clear to me what is going on with all the growers in Mendocino. As far as I can tell, it's not legal to grow anything more than for personal use.
States such as California and Oregon are more "mature" than in Canada when it comes to personal marijuana use. There is nothing at all legal about any kind of recreational consumption in Canada.
Medicinal marijiana is legal in Canada to a certain extent, you are allowed to possess a 30 day supply, and that supply is determined by your doctor. People carry licences which should keep them free of harrasment. I have seen people smoking on bar patios who say they can do it because of their license.
In any event there is a lot of red tape, and if you want medicinal marijuana legally you have to get it from the feds, or you can buy seeds from the feds. If you are interested in reading about medicinal marijuana in Canada, here is a link.
Medical Use of Marihuana - Main Page
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