Pubdate: Fri, 04 Mar 2016
Source: Orange County Register, The (CA)
Column: Terri's Town
Copyright: 2016 The Orange County Register
Contact:  http://www.ocregister.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/321
Author: Terri Daxon
Note: Terri Daxon is a freelance writer and the owner of Daxon 
Marketing Communications.

PASSING ON THAT JOINT

At a recent meeting, the Brea City Council spent about an hour on the 
importance of passing a land-zoning ordinance amendment to prohibit 
the cultivation and delivery of medical marijuana in Brea.

The premise behind the move, they said, was to protect local control 
and close gaps in the present ordinance that were not specific enough 
regarding cannabis and not because one of the initiatives expected on 
our November ballot proposes to legalize the marijuana cultivation 
and sale to adults California. But I think that had a lot to do with it.

In 1996, voters passed the California Compassionate Use Act 
permitting people with serious or chronic illnesses, and their 
primary caregivers, to legally obtain medical marijuana prescribed by 
a licensed doctor. That's when the dispensaries started popping up, 
even in Brea. But, our civic leaders got rid of them in 2010.

Medical pot dispensaries and delivery services, however, abound in 
Orange County. Santa Ana has several, and will soon have Roseanne's 
Joint. Comedian and pot proponent Roseanne Barr is an investor.

Delivery services are just a click away on the Internet, as long as 
you have a medical marijuana card, but those seem quite easy to 
obtain. I bet my cat, Sammy, could get one.

Only two people spoke from the audience during the council's public 
hearing and were both against the amendment because it makes it more 
difficult for qualified medical patients. The only council member 
opposed to passing the ordinance amendment as presented was 
Councilman Steve Vargas.

Vargas wanted qualified patients and their caregivers to be able to 
grow up to six marijuana plants on their property but, strangely 
enough, he agreed with prohibiting delivery. He proposed two 
substitute motions for these points, but was shot down when no one 
seconded them.

One reason to prohibit medical marijuana delivery, we were told, is 
because the deliveries get robbed. It happened once in Brea.

"The only incident we can recall is June 22, 2011," City Manager Bill 
Gallardo said via email, "a robbery that resulted in the shooting 
death of one suspect by the deliveryman's armed security guard."

Gallardo added that the city does not keep records of medical 
marijuana cardholders, and doesn't believe the state does either, 
because to medical privacy laws.

I think people who suffer from cancer and other life-threatening or 
chronic illnesses relieved by medical marijuana should definitely 
have access. If it is prescribed by a California-licensed physician 
then the prescription should be filled by a pharmacist at Rite-Aid or 
CVS and not at a place that resembles the head shops from the 1960s and 1970s.

In my online research, I saw for sale, with a medical marijuana card, 
several consumable products including some that look like Gummy Bears 
candy. If toddlers are mistaking detergent pods for candy, they will 
dig into a bag of candy bears laced with pot.

Medical marijuana helps many people, and I think delivery of it 
should be allowed, just like some pharmacies that delivery prescribed 
drugs to residents. What do you think?
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom