Pubdate: Wed, 03 Aug 2016
Source: Orange County Register, The (CA)
Copyright: 2016 The Orange County Register
Contact:  http://www.ocregister.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/321

PONDERING A POT INITIATIVE

Laguna Beach residents will have the option of deciding whether or 
not to undo the city's ban on medical marijuana dispensaries in 
November. Still to be determined is exactly what an end to the city's 
2009 ban could look like.

In April, the council decided to place a citizen initiative on the 
ballot which would allow up to two dispensaries to operate in the 
city. This prompted Laguna Beach Police Chief Laura Farinella to 
author a countermeasure which would allow only one dispensary to 
operate under tighter restrictions.

On July 26, the council was surprised when an attorney for the 
proponents of the citizen's initiative offered to work with the city 
on its initiative. "If you're willing to work with us on making the 
changes, we actually would back down from our ordinance and either 
help defeat it or help to get it removed off the ballot," attorney 
Charnel James told the council.

On August 8, the council will hold a special meeting to revisit the 
matter, despite the clear opposition from most of the council. "If 
somebody needs medical marijuana, that's great - I don't want it in 
Laguna," said Councilman Rob Zur Schmiede.

We encourage the council to at least keep an open mind about working 
with the proponents, if only for the possibility of developing a 
proposal that better balances the interests of public safety and safe 
access to medical marijuana. Ultimately, any move away from a ban is 
a step in the right direction so long as the resulting policies are 
practical enough to be implemented and reasonable enough to encourage 
compliance.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom