Pubdate: Tue, 09 Oct 2012
Source: Sacramento Bee (CA)
Copyright: 2012 The Sacramento Bee
Contact: http://mapinc.org/url/0n4cG7L1
Website: http://www.sacbee.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/376

SACRAMENTO SHOULD STICK WITH POT POLICY

Sacramento's stance on medical marijuana  preserving access for 
patients through a limited number of dispensaries, while keeping pot 
shops away from residential areas  is making the best of a chaotic 
legal minefield.

There's no reason to change now.

The City Council should stand firm on restrictions on where 
dispensaries can operate, and move toward banning outdoor grows in 
residential areas. The issue had been on the agenda for tonight's 
council meeting but was postponed a week.

Sacramento has a moratorium on any new dispensaries until at least 
November 2013, waiting on the state Supreme Court or the Legislature 
to clear up how local governments can regulate the medical marijuana industry.

Because of a year-old federal crackdown, half of the 34 dispensaries 
that had opened in Sacramento have closed. Some of those still in 
business have received warning letters from the U.S. attorney and are 
seeking new locations. To open up more areas to move, they want some 
leeway from the city's restrictions.

Now, dispensaries aren't allowed within 1,000 feet of one another, 
within 300 feet of residential areas, or within 600 feet of schools 
or parks. The city is likely to increase that last buffer to 1,000 
feet, in line with what federal prosecutors are enforcing.

As city staffers point out, there's no compelling reason to weaken 
those rules, which were put in place after much research and lengthy 
debate. Council members need to reaffirm the limits.

They also need to take on outdoor cultivation of marijuana, which is 
becoming a problem in some neighborhoods. Residents complain of the 
stench during harvesting and also fear that criminals will target 
outdoor grows.

City staffers are recommending that the council direct the drafting 
of a ban on outdoor cultivation of pot, even for personal use, in 
residential areas. It would not take effect until January, giving 
growers a chance to harvest their current crop. That makes sense.

Elk Grove is among local governments in California that have already 
limited the growing of marijuana to indoor locations.

Local officials up and down the state are in a very difficult 
position. They're under pressure from federal prosecutors who 
concluded last year that medical marijuana had been hijacked by 
profiteers. U.S. attorneys reversed their hands-off attitude that had 
allowed an explosion of pot shops that catered to recreational, as 
well as medical, users.

But local governments also hear from advocates and ill patients, who 
voters believed would benefit when they passed Proposition 215 in 1996.

Nearly 180 cities have taken an easy way out and prohibited 
dispensaries altogether.

Sacramento's approach is more humane. It's also far preferable, for 
example, to the big mess in Los Angeles. The City Council there has 
whipsawed from voting in July to completely ban dispensaries to 
reversing itself last week after vehement protests from the industry.

Allowing some dispensaries while also protecting neighborhoods is the 
best option for now  one that Sacramento ought to continue.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom