Pubdate: Fri, 29 Dec 2006
Source: Press-Enterprise (Riverside, CA)
Copyright: 2006 The Press-Enterprise Company
Contact:  http://www.pe.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/830
Author: Laura Rico, The Press-Enterprise
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Marijuana - Medicinal)

MARIJUANA OUTLET, NORCO SQUARING OFF

Dispensary: The City Says It Violates Land-Use Ordinances; the Owners 
Plan to Fight the Ruling.

NORCO - Owners of a medical marijuana collective have vowed to keep 
the dispensary open despite a legal challenge from the city.

Collective Solution opened Dec. 1 on a stretch of Sixth Street known 
for veterinary clinics and animal feed stores. Owner Ken Andersen 
said he and his partners opened the dispensary after a 45-day 
moratorium on the businesses ended.

"When the moratorium expired, we rented this building, applied for a 
business license and started signing up patients," Andersen said.

City Manager Jeff Allred said Norco denied Andersen's application for 
a business license on the grounds that a medical marijuana dispensary 
violated land-use provisions for the area.

"Basically, they thumbed their noses at the city of Norco and opened 
it anyway," he said.

The city has since sent the collective a cease-and-desist order.

Andersen and his partners say they hope to work with city officials 
to keep the collective open in the community.

"We have every intention to address the council in a respectful 
manner," Andersen said. "We are putting together our presentation to the city."

Andersen said the group has consulted with lawyers who specialize in 
land-use issues related to medical marijuana.

State and federal laws differ on the legality of the use and 
distribution of medical marijuana, complicating the issue for local 
governments.

In October, Riverside County supervisors approved a ban on marijuana 
dispensaries in unincorporated areas, joining San Bernardino, Merced 
and San Diego in challenging California's medical marijuana laws.

On Dec. 13 a Riverside County Superior Court ruling granted the city 
of Corona a preliminary injunction needed to close a medical 
marijuana dispensary that had opened in the city in May. The 
collective remains open pending an appeal.

California voters passed Prop. 215 in 1996 to decriminalize the use 
of marijuana for medicinal purposes.

Andersen and his partners say the collective provides a safe place 
for ailing patients to obtain medical marijuana.

"The alternative to safe access is to do it the illicit way, that is 
your back alleys and everything else," Andersen said. "Can you 
imagine sending your grandma out to who knows where?" 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake