Pubdate: Wed, 25 Jun 2014
Source: East Bay Express (CA)
Column: Legalization Nation
Copyright: 2014 East Bay Express
Contact: http://posting.eastbayexpress.com/ebx/SubmitLetter/Page
Website: http://www.eastbayexpress.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1131
Author: David Downs

SANTA CLARA COUNTY BANS DISPENSARIES IT DOESN'T HAVE

The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors temporarily banned 
medical cannabis dispensaries from operating in the unincorporated 
area of the massive South Bay county, as a prelude to a total and 
permanent ban, reports state.

County officials said the moratorium came in response to the City of 
San Jose's new de facto ban posing as regulations. Santa Clara County 
feared San Jose's regulations would push dispensary operators into 
unincorporated areas. The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors 
will consider a total ban by August 5.

The board cited anecdotal reports that teens can get pot in San Jose. 
National statistics show teen pot use is flat despite years of 
medical marijuana availability.

"In 2013, 23.4 percent of American high-school-aged teens used 
marijuana one or more times in the 30 days before the survey, the 
data show. That's nearly even with 23.1 percent in 2011."

What's not in reports is Santa Clara County is the headquarters of 
California's drug war contingent. It houses the office of the 
California Narcotic Officers Association, a group that denies there 
is any such thing at medical marijuana and lobbies to continue 
persecuting pot patients.

Santa Clara County joins dozens of California jurisdictions that have 
banned medical cannabis activity since the state's Supreme Court 
ruled in 2013 that California medical marijuana patients have no real 
legal right to access the drug - just a defense in court against 
prosecution. Tens of thousands of Californians are thought to be 
without access to medical marijuana, which they use to treat 
debilitating pain, nausea, wasting, and other conditions.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom