Pubdate: Fri, 15 Jan 2016 Source: San Diego Union Tribune (CA) Copyright: 2016 Union-Tribune Publishing Co. Contact: http://www.utsandiego.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/386 Note: Seldom prints LTEs from outside it's circulation area. Author: J. Harry Jones MEDICAL POT RULES ADJUSTED IN POWAY, ESCONDIDO The Escondido and Poway city councils adopted rule changes this week designed to ensure that medical marijuana dispensaries and the cultivation of marijuana for such purposes won't be allowed in their jurisdictions. Both cities already had regulations banning dispensaries, but decided they needed to tighten those ordinances because of legislation passed in Sacramento late last year that established new rules for medical marijuana. The legislation allows the state to license dispensaries in cities that don't have laws that expressly prohibit them. Cities that don't have rules in place by March 1 will be subject to the state guidelines. In order to maintain local control, several cities in the county and across the state that don't want dispensaries have been rushing to amend their regulations. Escondido and Poway are among that group. In many cities, law enforcement authorities have discouraged allowing dispensaries, saying that they can become magnets for crime, including illegal drug sales nearby, robberies, driving under the influence of drugs, and misuse of medical marijuana by people looking to smoke it only for recreational purposes. Members of the Escondido and Poway councils said in separate meetings this week that they realized marijuana can be beneficial to certain types of patients, such as those looking for pain relief from cancer treatments and glaucoma. But they said those people can obtain medical pot by going to dispensaries elsewhere in the county. "Clearly the concern is that medical marijuana serves more than just the medical needy," Poway Councilman John Mullin said at the council's Tuesday night meeting. "I hate to be in the position of having any of our land-use authority usurped by the state, which was about to happen here had we not acted. "As to those that actually are in medical need, we don't have furniture stores in Poway either, but if you need a couch you can find one," he said. "I suspect they can also, if they have a legitimate legal need, satisfy that need." Both councils adopted the rule changes unanimously. However, Escondido Councilwoman Olga Diaz made a point to say that the rules should continue to be examined so that those citizens in great need of medical marijuana can get it. "I know people who are very sick feel this gives them some relief," she said Wednesday. "Some of them are terminal. And who am I to tell them they can't have this and who am I to make it harder for them to get it? I would like for us to figure out a way to humanely allow a dual licensing system that does service those ill people." - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom