Pubdate: Sat, 31 Jan 2015
Source: Press-Enterprise (Riverside, CA)
Copyright: 2015 The Press-Enterprise Company
Contact: http://www.pe.com/localnews/opinion/letters_form.html
Website: http://www.pe.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/830

TIME TO END POT BATTLE

San Bernardino city officials late last year seemed set to consider 
permitting medical marijuana dispensaries. The city spends tens of 
thousands of dollars a year in legal action against several 
dispensaries, to date a failed effort more akin to high-cost 
whack-a-mole than sensible policy.

At any given time, the city has about 30 medical marijuana 
dispensaries operating without permission, with new dispensaries 
popping up whenever one is shut down.

In July, City Attorney Gary Saenz told the City Council of his 
intention to present a plan "which essentially acknowledges the 
futility and high cost of attempting to completely eradicate 
marijuana dispensaries with our current system."

As part of the prohibitionist effort, he said, the city "will 
continue to spend hundreds of thousands and, eventually, millions, 
but will never significantly achieve success."

The city was initially set to discuss dispensaries publicly Aug. 19, 
2014, but the issue was abruptly pulled from consideration. City 
officials say county and local law enforcement pledged greater 
resources, and the city decided to continue tackling dispensaries.

Rather than chase dispensary operators, the city decided to pressure 
commercial property owners who allow dispensaries to operate. "We've 
had more success than before at lesser expense," says Mr. Saenz. "But 
we still have the equivalent number of dispensaries as before."

While the city evidently considers it a "success" to have the same 
number of dispensaries as before, it really isn't a success.

Council members Jim Mulvihill and Henry Nickels note the failure of 
prohibition, generally and particularly, in the city's fruitless 
campaign against dispensaries.

"If you allow a certain number, things can be under control," said 
Mr. Mulvihill, who says he's interested in raising the issue again. 
"If you prohibit it, it's just like any criminal activity  it doesn't go away."

Mr. Nickels, meanwhile, is "agnostic" on the issue and would prefer a 
referendum to determine what happens next.

"We'd rather spend our money filling potholes and other things that 
benefit the community but we have to do this," says Mr. Saenz.

Hopefully the city ends the wasteful efforts against medical 
marijuana sooner than later, since the region, state and nation seem 
to be moving toward outright legalization.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom