SOUNDING OFF:Pot dispensaries needed

Question: Should medical marijuana dispensaries be allowed in Laguna? Answer: Yes

The state of California does not provide any method for qualifying patients to receive medical cannabis. There is no place in the state to legally purchase medical cannabis. The state does not supply starter plants, nor will give advice on how to grow medical cannabis.

Pressure should be put on the state to allow for collective and cooperative operations. A recent California Appellate Court decision in People v. Urziceanu marked the rare occasion when California courts eked out further protection for patient collectives/ cooperatives as well as dispensing collectives/cooperatives.

On Sept. 12, 2005, the Third District Court of Appeal issued a positive decision affirming the legality of collectives and cooperatives. In People v. Urziceanu, the Court of Appeal held that the Medical Marijuana Program Act — which is what it called SB 420 — provides for a defense to marijuana distribution for collectives and cooperatives.

Americans for Safe Access (www.safeaccessnow.org) and I strongly believe that, for your safety, you should not purchase medical marijuana from “drug dealers.” Instead, we recommend you purchase medical cannabis from a reputable dispensary/ collective and cooperative operation until the state resolves this issue.

There are now eight counties (Kern, Alameda, Calaveras, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Santa Clara) and 23 cities (Atascadero, Angels Camp, Berkeley, Citrus Heights, Dixon, Elk Grove, Fort Bragg, Hayward, Jackson, Martinez, Oakland, Placerville, Plymouth, Ripon, San Jose, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, Selma, Sutter Creek, Tulare, Visalia, West Hollywood and Whittier) implementing state ID cards and medical marijuana dispensary ordinances.

In May, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors passed a progressive medical marijuana ordinance to regulate medical cannabis dispensaries.

The following is what they passed:

We believe the burden falls back to the Laguna Beach City Council to allow for collective and cooperative operations or dispensaries to exist for patients and caregivers to go and obtain medical marijuana in a safe haven.

We also believe that the burden falls back to the Orange County Board of Supervisors to implement a medical marijuana identification system to provide continuity for local law enforcement to identify legitimate patients and caregivers.

It is time for the City Council and local officials to find compassion, pull their heads out of the sand and start making sensible, responsible policy decisions.