Tea Party Patriots to hold discussion about pot ballot measures
Costa Mesa voters in November will decide the fate of three local ballot measures related to marijuana.
The Newport-Mesa Tea Party Patriots will host a panel discussion next week to talk about state and city ballot measures related to marijuana.
The discussion will begin at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Halecrest Park, 3107 Killybrooke Lane, in Costa Mesa, and is expected to last about two hours.
Panelists for the event are Costa Mesa Mayor Pro Tem Jim Righeimer; Aaron Lachant, a partner with the law firm Nelson Hardiman, LLP; and Lisa M. Renati, an advisor to state Board of Equalization Vice Chairwoman Diane Harkey.
Topics expected to be covered during the discussion include a state initiative that would legalize the recreational use of marijuana in California for those age 21 and older, as well as three different measures related to medical marijuana in Costa Mesa.
Two of those were sponsored by residents and would allow a small number of medical marijuana dispensaries — either four or eight — to operate in the city.
The third initiative, approved by the City Council to compete against the citizen-backed measures on Nov. 8, would maintain a ban on over-the-counter medical marijuana dispensaries.
Businesses that manufacture and test some marijuana products — such as oils for pharmaceutical purposes — would be allowed to open in the manufacturing zone north of South Coast Drive and west of Harbor Boulevard. They would be required to obtain permits from the city.
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Luke Money, lucas.money@latimes.com
Twitter: @LukeMMoney
