Pubdate: Wed, 04 Aug 2010
Source: Union, The (Grass Valley, CA)
Copyright: 2010 The Union
Contact: http://apps.theunion.com/utils/forms/lettertoeditor/
Website: http://www.theunion.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/957
Author: Annie Flanzraich

POT SHOP BAN PANNED BY SOUTH TAHOE RESIDENTS

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE -- The majority of the 45-minute public comment
period at Tuesday's city council meeting was carried by people
speaking against a proposed ban on medical marijuana
dispensiaries.

"This is the beginning of a group that will be here for every meeting
for eternity if this ban goes through," said Shelly Arnold, a Tahoe
Wellness Collective employee. "This movement is here to stay and we
are not going away. You are dreaming if you think this is just going
to blow off the map and we are not going to be here to address this."

At a special meeting July 27, the South Lake Tahoe City Council voted
to pursue a ban on medical marijuana dispensaries. Mayor Kathay
Lovell, Councilman Jerry Birdwell and Councilman Bruce Grego voted in
favor of pursuing a ban. Councilmembers Bill Crawford and Hal Cole
voted against.

Because the comments made at Tuesday's meeting were during the public
comment period, the city council did not have an item agendized to
address those comments.

City staff are expected to develop the wording of the ban prior to a
subsequent South Lake Tahoe Planning Commission meeting. The planning
commission must review the ban and the city council will need to make
first and second readings of the ordinance prior to its possible enactment.

The planning comission's next scheduled meeting is for Aug. 12. An
agenda for the meeting has not been released yet.

Patients, owners of the local collectives and other individuals stood
up Tuesday to address what they said was an unjust ban.

"The fact that these illnesses and ailments are not observable does
not make them illegitimate," said Jennifer Goerirg, who works at Tahoe
Wellness Collective.

"Contrary to your beliefs, these collectives are doing everything they
can to a responsible alternative to pharmaceuticals."

Others argued emotionally for their own medical needs.

"I have a heart condition I was born with, congenital heart disease,"
said Mike Arnold, a medical marijuana patient. "I am about to have a
heart transplant. Medical cannabis helps me keep my weight on. If it
isn't for cannabis I probably won't make it through the
transplant."

Another plea came from Carmen Crowley, an 18-year-old medical
marijuana patient.

"Stand in our shoes -- you have a condition and someone is trying to
take your medicine away," she said. "I just come to you ask you to)
please not ban the medicine that is the only way to make life
bearable, and to walk and to drive and be normal. You're trying to
take away our sanity."

Three medical marijuana dispensaries -- Patient to Patient Collective
(also known as MJ Consultants), Tahoe Wellness Collective and City of
Angels 2 -- have opened during the past two years.

In November, the City Council enacted a moratorium on new medical
marijuana dispensaries to allow staff to develop options regarding
possible regulation. The City Council extended the moratorium to
November 2010 in January and could extend the moratorium until
November 2011.

Some attendees said that the dispensiaries provide patients with a
safe place to buy medical marijuana.

"You need collectives to help you decide what you need for your
illness," said Stuart Katz, another patient.

In response to some questions about the connection of marijuana
dispensiaries to local crimes, City of Angels 2 owner Gino DiMatteo
asked what good banning the shops would do.

"I understand that we want to worry about the crime in our city, but
how is making what we do illegal going to prevent crime from
spreading?" Dimatteo asked. 
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D