Pubdate: Wed, 16 Nov 2005 Source: San Francisco Chronicle (CA) Page: B - 1 Contact: 2005 Hearst Communications Inc. Website: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/388 Author: Charlie Goodyear, Chronicle Staff Writer Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal) SUPERVISORS OK S.F.'S FIRST RULES ON MEDICAL POT Compromises Allow Neighbors' Input, Limits on Sales San Francisco's first-ever medical marijuana regulations, approved Tuesday by the Board of Supervisors, will allow most of the city's 33 dispensaries to stay open while limiting the amount of pot a patient can buy and giving residents a say in where the clubs can operate. The new rules, pushed through by Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, appeared stalled at City Hall just a few weeks ago. An earlier version of Mirkarimi's legislation would have forced the closure of many clubs. He faced criticism from pot club advocates and fellow Supervisor Chris Daly that the ordinances would have limited access for about 8,000 medical marijuana patients registered in San Francisco. At the same time, Mayor Gavin Newsom and his political allies expressed serious reservations about clubs' selling marijuana near schools. But after a flurry of amendments, Mirkarimi's critics changed their tune, and Tuesday supervisors voted unanimously to approve his legislation on a first reading of the ordinances. Medical marijuana advocates hailed the vote. "I think this is historic," said patient Michael Aldrich after the vote. "San Francisco is the place where the medical marijuana movement started. It's a landmark piece of legislation. I am very proud." Advocate Wayne Justmann, who had criticized earlier versions of Mirkarimi's bill, said, "Nothing is perfect, but I tell you, it's going to work for San Francisco. I think this is a giant step for San Francisco." Supervisors had debated for months a series of proposals to regulate pot clubs, including at one point a suggestion to cap the number of dispensaries at eight. City officials were concerned by the increased proliferation of clubs, with some operating just a few blocks of each other. The amendments to the legislation will give the city's Planning Department the right to hold public hearings on the location of all clubs, with residents encouraged to voice their opinions. Patients will be allowed to buy one ounce of marijuana per visit to a club, instead of a pound as previously proposed. Clubs will be required to include in any advertising a notice that patients need an identification card to purchase marijuana. And the number of marijuana plants that clubs, patients or their caregivers could grow will be restricted to 24, down from 99. Any new club will be prohibited from opening within 1,000 feet of a school, youth center or similar facility. Clubs in business before April 1 could stay within that boundary provided that marijuana is not smoked on the premises. Mirkarimi's legislation will also "grandfather" in about 16 clubs operating in the South of Market neighborhood as part of a compromise with Daly. Daly said Tuesday the new laws should keep open 31 of an estimated 33 clubs in San Francisco. Speaking to an audience crowded with activists in the board's City Hall chamber where the distinct odor of marijuana could be smelled, Mirkarimi said, "We should all be very, very proud -- you should all be very proud -- in what we were able to achieve today." Newsom spokesman Peter Ragone said the changes in Mirkarimi's legislation satisfied concerns the mayor had. "We look forward to taking action on this and making law as soon as we can," Ragone said. "We were pleased to work with Supervisor Mirkarimi to craft legislation that allows neighbors to have a say in where the (clubs) are located while also protecting people's access to medical marijuana here in the city." - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake