Surf City considers medical marijuana ban

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Surf City considers medical marijuana ban

The Planning Commission on Tuesday will discuss a proposal to make medical marijuana dispensaries illegal.


By ANNIE BURRIS
The Orange County Register



HUNTINGTON BEACH Surf City is the latest city in Orange County to consider a ban on medical marijuana dispensaries.

The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing Tuesday to discuss the issue.

The city has no medical marijuana dispensaries. An application for one in 2005 never panned out.

Recently, however, the city has received requests for a dispensary permit from three Marina High School students, officials said.

At a July 24 study session, Planning Commission members Joe Shaw and Devin Dwyer said they were concerned about federal and state conflicts over the issue.

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

Other cities considering a ban on the dispensaries include Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Seal Beach and Cypress.

The Huntington City Council voted in 2005 to permit medical marijuana dispensaries in specified locations to comply with the state's Compassionate Use Act, which allowed people to use marijuana in California.

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

A month after that decision, Mayor Gil Coerper asked the council to reverse the city's law, but no action was taken.

A representative from Compassionate Caregivers on Behalf of Medical Marijuana Patients told the commission last month that marijuana dispensaries would bring the city more than $100,000 a month in revenues.

"This is for the betterment of the community and access for legitimate patients," said Rob Wayman, 21, who is also trying to set up a marijuana dispensary in Westminster.

The Planning Commission meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday in council chambers at City Hall, 2000 Main St.

Contact the writer: 714-445-6696 or aburris@ocregister.com

http://www.ocregister.com/news/city-marijuana-dispensaries-1805847-medical-commission



DaBronx