Pubdate: Wed, 04 Oct 2017
Source: Los Angeles Times (CA)
Copyright: 2017 Los Angeles Times
Contact:  http://www.latimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/248
Author: David Garrick

SAN DIEGO LEGALIZES SUPPLY CHAIN FOR MARIJUANA OPERATIONS

Making indoor pot farms and manufacturing sites for edible products
legal will boost the economy, create jobs and improve the quality and
safety of local marijuana, City Council members said before approving
the legislation in a 6-3 vote. (Oct. 4, 2017)

Making indoor pot farms and manufacturing sites for edible products
legal will boost the economy, create jobs and improve the quality and
safety of local marijuana, City Council members said before approving
the legislation in a 6-3 vote. (Oct. 4, 2017)

San Diego finalized its legalization of marijuana cultivation and
manufacturing Tuesday, becoming one of the few cities in California to
have a fully regulated supply chain for the drug.

Making indoor pot farms and manufacturing sites for edible products
legal will boost the economy, create jobs and improve the quality and
safety of local marijuana, City Council members said before approving
the legislation in a 6-3 vote.

Opponents also said city officials didn't solicit enough public input
when crafting the new legislation, contending the local marijuana
industry was allowed to have too much influence.

Councilman Mark Kersey, a Republican who joined the council's five
Democrats in support of the legislation, said it's important to
regulate the drug properly now that it's been legalized by state
voters, including 61.6 percent approval in San Diego.

"My focus now is on implementing the will of the voters in the
absolute safest way possible, while minimizing impacts to our
communities," said Kersey, noting that some pot farms and factories
have been operating locally in quasi-legal fashion without being
magnets for crime. "The ordinance before us is a logical and
responsible addition so that we can regulate these
facilities."

The council, which gave the city legislation the first of two
necessary approvals on Sept. 11, tweaked the regulations Tuesday to
require that marijuana production businesses have "odor-absorbing
ventilation and exhaust systems."

The goal is to prevent people passing by indoor pot farms or
manufacturing operations from being overwhelmed by the sometimes
pungent odor of marijuana, especially when many pounds of it are
together in the same place.

The council also took the less controversial step of allowing
marijuana testing facilities in the city.

The approvals complete a local supply chain. San Diego legalized sales
of medical marijuana at city-approved and tightly regulated
dispensaries in 2014 and agreed earlier this year to allow those
dispensaries to expand their sales to recreational customers when new
state laws take effect in January.

The city has approved 17 such businesses, and 11 have begun operating.
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MAP posted-by: Matt