Photo at left: Sherri Lightner
San Diego city councilmembers repealed an ordinance today that aimed at regulating marijuana dispensaries.
Opponents of the ordinance, which prohibited dispensaries from residential, and many commercial areas of the City, and provided a 600-foot-buffer from churches, schools, playgrounds, and other dispensaries, felt the law essentially banned shops from opening, and impeded access for the City's residents with marijuana prescriptions. Those opponents managed to gather more than 44,000 signatures, forcing councilmembers to either repeal the ordinance or pay for it to be placed on a future ballot.
The councilmembers agreed that the latter would be a waste of cash. And while, they were left with few options, many did not pass up a chance to express their frustration with the issue. Some, indicating that they would favor enacting a two-year moratorium on dispensaries.
"I find this whole situation frustrating, "said Sherri Lightner. "I worry that this is less about safe access for those that truly need medical marijuana and more about a big growing business that wants to be unfettered by common sense rules. Given the cost of the election it would be like sending close to a million dollars up in smoke."
At the end of discussion, only councilmembers Tony Young and Marti Emerald voted against repealing the ordinance.
Photo at left: Sherri Lightner
San Diego city councilmembers repealed an ordinance today that aimed at regulating marijuana dispensaries.
Opponents of the ordinance, which prohibited dispensaries from residential, and many commercial areas of the City, and provided a 600-foot-buffer from churches, schools, playgrounds, and other dispensaries, felt the law essentially banned shops from opening, and impeded access for the City's residents with marijuana prescriptions. Those opponents managed to gather more than 44,000 signatures, forcing councilmembers to either repeal the ordinance or pay for it to be placed on a future ballot.
The councilmembers agreed that the latter would be a waste of cash. And while, they were left with few options, many did not pass up a chance to express their frustration with the issue. Some, indicating that they would favor enacting a two-year moratorium on dispensaries.
"I find this whole situation frustrating, "said Sherri Lightner. "I worry that this is less about safe access for those that truly need medical marijuana and more about a big growing business that wants to be unfettered by common sense rules. Given the cost of the election it would be like sending close to a million dollars up in smoke."
At the end of discussion, only councilmembers Tony Young and Marti Emerald voted against repealing the ordinance.