Pubdate: Sun, 17 Sep 2006 Source: North County Times (Escondido, CA) Copyright: 2006 North County Times Contact: http://www.nctimes.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1080 Author: Joe Carter Note: Gives LTE priority to North San Diego County and Southwest Riverside County residents MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES NOT GOOD FOR CITIES Regarding the Sept. 8 article, "Pot dispensaries good for cities, too, group says." I would like to add some missing information. There are a few California cities that have regulated dispensaries. However, there are over 50 cities that have banned them outright, and at least another 20 that have moratoriums in place until they can write their ordinances. This is because dispensaries are illegal and a magnet for crime. The state laws regarding marijuana indicated that there should exist a caregiver, the euphemistic marijuana grower, for every patient, not a retail storefront where all the business is done in cash, lots of cash, just ripe for the many armed robberies we have seen. I thought it was ironic that one of the patients quoted couldn't grow it on her own because it wasn't safe. Was that because she knew that this cash crop made her a target for burglary? Where are all the caregivers over the last 10 years since Proposition 215 and before dispensaries came to San Diego this year that assured the public that they would carefully take care of their patients? Perhaps these caregivers decided there was a whole lot more money in going retail. I for one am grateful that San Diego County sees this hoax for what it is. Joe Carter San Marcos - --- MAP posted-by: Elaine