Pubdate: Tue, 12 Jul 2011
Source: Union, The (Grass Valley, CA)
Copyright: 2011 The Union
Contact: http://apps.theunion.com/utils/forms/lettertoeditor/
Website: http://www.theunion.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/957
Author: Kyle Magin, Staff Writer

SUPES VOTE 4-1 IN FAVOR OF DISPENSARY BAN

Dispensaries Cannot Build Anywhere in Nevada County With Tuesday
Decision

Medical marijuana dispensaries are banned from operating in Nevada
County.

County Supervisors voted 4-1 Tuesday to ban dispensaries from opening
up in the unincorporated county, following the lead of Grass Valley
and Nevada City, which have banned dispensaries, and the Town of
Truckee, which doesn't allow for dispensaries in its zoning.

District 3 Supervisor Terry Lamphier opposed the ban.

""We cannot make decisions based upon the welfare of a small number of
people," said District 1 Supervisor Nate Beason, in reference to
advocates for medical marijuana who were present at Tuesday's meeting.
"My constituents have no interests whatsoever in a medical marijuana
dispensary."

Dispensary advocates spoke to the difficulty of driving to the closest
dispensary in Colfax as one of the reasons they were opposing the ban,
a point not lost on Lamphier.

"I am concerned that folks in our community with a legitimate need for
medical marijuana are put at an unnecessary personal risk and hardship
due to the lack of safe, regulated sources of marijuana," Lamphier
said. Public safety issues surrounding marijuana are present with and
without dispensaries, he added. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.