HUNTINGTON BEACH: Medical marijuana raises questions

HUNTINGTON BEACH: Medical marijuana raises questions

Friday, July 27, 2007

Inside scoop: Medical marijuana

Two planning commissioners question mayor's motion to ban medical marijuana dispensaries, and a school board member's plea is finally heard.

By ANNIE BURRIS
The Orange County Register


Should Huntington Beach ban medical marijuana dispensaries?
Yes, the city should follow federal laws.
No, access to medical marijuana is a right of Californians.
[Vote]



Medical marijuana raises questions

Huntington Beach is the latest city to consider making medical marijuana dispensers illegal.

On Tuesday, the Planning Commissionheld a study session on the issue -- the city's first discussion on the topic in two years.

City Council voted in 2005 to permit medical marijuana dispensaries in specified locations to comply with the Compassionate Use Act, which allows people to use marijuana in California.

At the time, a U.S. Supreme Court decision was pending on the act's relationship to the Federal Controlled Substances Act. In June of that same year, the court decided to uphold the act.

In other words, possession of marijuana is still a federal crime.

A month after the court's decision, Mayor Gil Coerper asked the council to reverse the city's law. The council voted 4-3 to have staff consider deleting the city code. Council Jill Hardy, Keith Bohr and Debbie Cook opposed.

Why did it take so long to bring back it back?

Currently, there are no dispensaries in the city. An application for one in 2005 never panned out. Recently, however, the city has received requests for a dispensary from three Marina High School students.

City staff had labeled the deletion of the city code as a "house keeping'' item on the Planning Commission agenda, but commissioners Joe Shawand Devin Dwyer thought they were moving too fast.

"We should wait until the dust settles on this and it hasn't," said Dwyer. "I think it is a little ridiculous that we step into the fray."

The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on the issue at 7 p.m. on Aug. 14.

---non-marijuana items edited out---------------

"Inside Scoop" is an occasional feature/column about politics and interesting happenings in Huntington Beach. If you have any tips or suggestions, call 714-445-6696 or email aburris@ocregister.com.

Contact the writer: 714-445-6680 or aburris@ocregister.com


http://www.ocregister.com/news/medical-marijuana-huntington-1788948-beach


DaBronx