Pubdate: Sat, 14 Feb 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

END PROHIBITIONS ON MEDICAL POT DISPENSARIES

In 1996, California voters approved Proposition 215, which authorized 
the use of marijuana for medical purposes.

While the initiative permits the prescribing and use of marijuana, it 
allows local governments to implement aspects of the law in ways they 
see fit. For the most part, Inland cities have been quite slow in 
permitting the establishment of medical marijuana dispensaries.

This trend has seen cracks in recent years, with cities like Palm 
Springs, Desert Hot Springs and Cathedral City authorizing the 
establishment of medical marijuana dispensaries.

The city of San Bernardino considered moving forward on permitting 
dispensaries last summer, while residents in Riverside will vote on 
an initiative in June to do the same.

The latest city to consider permitting dispensaries is the city of 
Upland. The public has begun to push an initiative on the matter, 
while the city council is sorting out how to proceed.

"I am concerned with the amount of financial resources Upland has 
utilized in dealing with medical marijuana dispensaries operating in 
the city, when funds are needed for the operation of vital general 
services, public safety and public works that the city provides to 
residents and businesses," says city councilman Gino Filippi.

At least $600,000 has been spent chasing medical marijuana 
dispensaries in the city in recent years, according to the councilman.

As cities across the region are beginning to realize, chasing 
dispensaries is a costly game of whack-a-mole. Since 2007, the city 
of Riverside has spent over $800,000 on legal fees taking on 
dispensaries. Likewise, the city of San Bernardino reports spending 
upwards of $15,000 in legal fees taking on each dispensary.

"We'd rather spend our money filling potholes and other things that 
benefit the community but we have to do this," says San Bernardino 
city attorney Gary Saenz. Mr. Saenz and San Bernardino Councilman Jim 
Mulvihill have indicated that the city may return to the issue in the 
near future.

Adding to the basic costs involved, local officials seem increasingly 
aware of the prospect of full legalization of marijuana in the coming years.

Taking into consideration the large expenditures on failed 
prohibitions and the trends toward legalizing marijuana, we believe 
that cities should end their doomed prohibitions on medical marijuana 
dispensaries. Tax dollars are better spent on more practical, 
tangible and beneficial matters.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom