Pubdate: Wed, 11 Nov 2009
Source: Long Beach Press-Telegram (CA)
Copyright: 2009 Los Angeles Newspaper Group
Contact:  http://www.presstelegram.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/244
Author: Paul Eakins
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/Dispensary
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?115 (Cannabis - California)

COUNCIL SUPPORTS MEDICAL POT RULES WITH SOME CHANGES

LONG BEACH - The City Council put its support behind much of City 
Attorney Bob Shannon's draft ordinance to regulate medical marijuana 
collectives Tuesday, but cut some of the more restrictive 
requirements from the law.

Council members have been urgently working to create a way to control 
the growth of the collectives, which are estimated at 50 to 60 in 
Long Beach, and resisted the urging Tuesday by some members of the 
public and by council members Rae Gabelich and Dee Andrews to return 
it to committee for more discussion.

The council voted unanimously to have Shannon make changes to the 
ordinance. The changes were suggested by Councilman Gary DeLong and 
echoed the views of several other council members.

However, several council members indicated they still had concerns 
and changes to make to the ordinance, which will return to the 
council again as a draft in the coming weeks.

"We've gone from a one size fits all to a one size fits none," DeLong 
said of Shannon's proposed ordinance.

The changes included, among others, allowing collectives in mixed-use 
areas; removing prohibitions against having collectives within 1,000 
feet of libraries and parks; improving patient privacy issues so as 
to not identify every member of a collective; giving a grace period 
for existing collectives to comply once the law goes into effect; and 
allowing collective patients to grow marijuana in their homes.

The law would still prohibit collectives in residential areas or 
within 1,000 feet of schools, licensed child-care facilities, 
playgrounds, youth centers or other collectives; limits hours of 
operation to between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.; and restrict marijuana 
distribution to collective members only.

Medical marijuana patients and collective members spoke out Tuesday 
against parts of the law initially proposed by Shannon, especially 
the requirement that all members be named and the 1,000-feet rule.

Attorney Rick Brizendine, who represents Belmont Shore Natural Care 
medical marijuana collective on Second Street, called the proposed 
requirements "onerous," especially the location restrictions.

"It would exclude so many areas as to make it nearly impossible for 
some patients to obtain their medicine," Brizendine said.

Neighbors of the collectives have raised safety concerns about that, 
noting the appearance of shady characters who appear to be acquiring 
medical marijuana for recreational use, rather than medicinal purposes.

"I have no problem with medical marijuana. It serves a good purpose," 
said California Heights resident Vernon Geiger. He added, however, 
that a collective next to his apartment building has created parking 
problems and said "having three dispensaries within a quarter of a 
mile of my residence is ridiculous."

The number of marijuana collectives has exploded in recent months 
after the federal government announced a policy that it won't 
prosecute collectives that are following state law, despite all 
marijuana being illegal at the federal level.

Long Beach's estimated 50 to 60 collectives are much fewer in number 
in comparison to the more than 800 in Los Angeles. California voters 
approved Proposition 215 in 1996 to allow the use of marijuana for 
medicinal purposes. Collectives must register with the state, but the 
law allows local governments to create their own regulations as well.

Numerous state, county and city officials in California - including 
Long Beach City Prosecutor Tom Reeves - have said they believe many 
collectives are selling the drug, which isn't permitted under the 
state's medical marijuana laws. Los Angeles County District Attorney 
Steve Cooley has said he plans to prosecute collectives that are 
violating state law.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom