Pubdate: Fri, 28 Sep 2012
Source: Tribune, The (San Luis Obispo, CA)
Copyright: 2012 The Tribune
Contact:  http://www.sanluisobispo.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/391
Author: Cynthia Lambert

MOBILE MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES MAY BE BANNED IN ARROYO GRANDE

In response to a report issued by the county's civil grand jury
earlier this year, the Arroyo Grande City Council has taken the first
step toward prohibiting mobile medical marijuana dispensaries from
operating within the city.

The city has had rules in place since 2008 prohibiting the
establishment of medical marijuana dispensaries. But its ordinance did
not explicitly refer to mobile dispensaries, such as a delivery service.

The council voted 4-1 on Tuesday, with Councilwoman Caren Ray
dissenting, to add that language to its existing rules, said City
Clerk Kelly Wetmore.

The ordinance will come back for final approval Oct. 9, and will
likely be placed on the consent agenda, where items are not usually
discussed and are approved in a group. However, any council member can
pull an item for additional discussion or comment.

In June, the county grand jury released a report stating that the
county had effectively stopped "brick and mortar" medical marijuana
dispensaries from operating locally, but it has done little to
regulate the mobile services that sprang up to deliver the medication
to suffering patients.

In San Luis Obispo County, jurors noted, there is an ordinance
approved in 2007 that would in theory allow a medical marijuana
dispensary to open and serve patients.

But applicants have tried three times to open such a business in the
past five years, and each time they have been shot down. The seven
cities in the county all prohibit storefront medical marijuana
dispensaries, but they "are simply not aware of the number of medical
marijuana mobile collective delivery services operating in their
jurisdictions and make no attempt to regulate these businesses," grand
jurors wrote in the report .

The "unknown number" of mobile delivery services has "created a 'gray'
market the local government is ignoring," according to the report.
Grand jurors said they learned the number may be as high as 40.

The grand jury recommended cities should develop ordinances regulating
mobile medical marijuana collective delivery services, require such
businesses to possess a business license and seller's permit, and
compile lists of all such businesses operating within their respective
cities. Grand jury recommendations are not binding.
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