Pubdate: Tue, 07 May 2013
Source: Inland Valley Daily Bulletin (Ontario, CA)
Copyright: 2013 Los Angeles Newspaper Group
Contact:  http://www.dailybulletin.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/871
Author: Andrew Edwards

Medical Marijuana

DECISION: INLAND EMPIRE PATIENTS MOURN LIKELY CLOSING OF DISPENSARIES

Effects: Patients Say Ruling Will Limit Access to Treatment, Increase 
Illegal Sales

RIVERSIDE -- Medical marijuana patient Gilbert Aguilar, who used the 
local collective at the center of Monday's landmark court ruling 
affirming cities' ability to ban cannabis dispensaries, did not hide 
his disappointment when he found it closed.

"I think it sucks. They fought the good fight," Aguilar, 49, of Temecula said.

"They ran a good establishment. I was proud to be a patient here," 
added Aguilar, who said he uses marijuana to alleviate back pain.

Although the unmistakable smell of marijuana hung in the air outside 
the dispensary's doorway, a sign declared that no patients would be 
able to obtain marijuana from Inland Empire Patients Health and 
Wellness Center on Monday.

And perhaps, never again.

"Effective immediately: The Health & Wellness Center is now closed 
for business," announced a simple sign printed in black ink on a 
plain piece of paper. "It has been our pleasure to serve you for the 
last 3 years. "

The Health & Wellness Center, led by medical marijuana advocate Lanny 
Swerdlow, was in a legal dispute with the city of Riverside over the 
municipality's zoning ordinance that bans dispensaries. Marijuana 
remains illegal under federal law while Riverside, San Bernardino, 
Ontario, Redlands and Fontana and many others beyond ban 
dispensaries. Such establishments often operate openly, and the 
Compassionate Use Act, the 1996 referendum that opened the door to 
medical marijuana, remains state law.

The state Supreme Court ruled Monday that just because the state law 
says people who use marijuana for medical reasons can avoid 
punishment, marijuana is not 100 percent legal in the state and local 
governments have an absolute right to ban dispensaries if they so choose.

The decision gave city officials who oppose dispensaries just about 
anything they could want while leaving nothing for medical marijuana 
supporters, save the possibility that a future law could expand 
access to cannabis.

A volunteer at Kush Concepts West, a San Bernardino dispensary on 
Arrowhead Avenue, said he was surprised by Monday's ruling and that 
the dispensary's operators would stay open as long as possible. San 
Bernardino City Attorney James F. Penman, however, said during a 
council meeting that he will move quickly to push all dispensaries 
out of the city.

"It will take us several weeks to close all of them down. I'm going 
to ask the people of San Bernardino to be patient," Penman said. 
"However, their days are numbered, and we are going after them. "

Aguilar and another patient, who declined to give his name, said the 
court's decision will not stop cannabis use. Instead, patients who 
cannot find a dispensary in jurisdictions where the establishments 
are allowed may simply turn to street dealers.

"I really wonder if the court realizes what they've done, because all 
they've done is force it back underground again," said the other patient.

The man said he uses medical marijuana to treat lingering pain from a 
hernia and an injury that took most of the fingers from his right hand.

"I've got legitimate causes. I'm a senior citizen and I don't have 
medical," he said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom