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. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom