FruityBud
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City Council members voted to pass an ordinance banning medical marijuana dispensaries.
Several people spoke against the proposed ordinance on dispensaries at Tuesday night's council meeting. No one spoke in favor of the ban.
Council members voted 4-1 for the ordinance prohibiting the dispensaries, with Councilman Mark Rosen casting the sole dissenting vote.
Rosen said he would like more information from police about an existing unauthorized medical marijuana clinic in Garden Grove.
"I'd like to find out if this facility has had any negative impacts on the community," he said.
Police officials said no incidents were reported at or near the dispensary on Brookhurst Street in the seven months it has operated. Several speakers at the meeting also said they have been buying their marijuana from this business popularly known among users as "Unit D.".
Police officials confirmed that the business at that location was licensed as a dance studio but operating as a medical marijuana dispensary. No children were seen there taking dance lessons, officials said.
Joe Byron, the owner of the dispensary in question, told the council that he was not operating covertly and in fact has a general retail license from the city to do business. He said the business at the location before his was a dance studio.
"We weren't trying to be covert or sneaky," he said. "In fact, we do quite a bit of Internet marketing."
But the rest of the council was firmly in support of the ban.
Councilwoman Dina Nguyen said she sympathizes with patients who need marijuana to ease their pain but believes the clinics would put more strain on the city's Police Department, which is already short-staffed.
Councilman Steve Jones said the city should not be made to decide on an issue the state and the federal governments have yet to agree on. Mayor Bill Dalton said he doesn't support it because it is not "regulated right."
"I just don't think this is the way marijuana should be dispensed," he said.
Users of medical marijuana who spoke at the meeting said they'd rather buy their medication from an authorized dispensary.
"It's a much safer environment than trying to get it from a dealer on the street," said Jason Andrews.
Others said they would have to drive as far as Lake Forest to get their medication if Garden Grove bans the dispensaries.
The city considered the ban based on the Police Department's recommendation. Police Chief Joseph Polisar in his report said other communities have seen adverse affects ranging from burglaries and robberies to assaults and murders in and around the dispensaries.
Some Orange County cities with moratoriums or permanent bans on pot dispensaries include Buena Park, Fullerton, Mission Viejo, Santa Ana, Tustin, Huntington Beach and Placentia. Laguna Woods last week became the first local city to pass an ordinance allowing medical marijuana dispensaries.
hxxp://tinyurl.com/4h6572
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Several people spoke against the proposed ordinance on dispensaries at Tuesday night's council meeting. No one spoke in favor of the ban.
Council members voted 4-1 for the ordinance prohibiting the dispensaries, with Councilman Mark Rosen casting the sole dissenting vote.
Rosen said he would like more information from police about an existing unauthorized medical marijuana clinic in Garden Grove.
"I'd like to find out if this facility has had any negative impacts on the community," he said.
Police officials said no incidents were reported at or near the dispensary on Brookhurst Street in the seven months it has operated. Several speakers at the meeting also said they have been buying their marijuana from this business popularly known among users as "Unit D.".
Police officials confirmed that the business at that location was licensed as a dance studio but operating as a medical marijuana dispensary. No children were seen there taking dance lessons, officials said.
Joe Byron, the owner of the dispensary in question, told the council that he was not operating covertly and in fact has a general retail license from the city to do business. He said the business at the location before his was a dance studio.
"We weren't trying to be covert or sneaky," he said. "In fact, we do quite a bit of Internet marketing."
But the rest of the council was firmly in support of the ban.
Councilwoman Dina Nguyen said she sympathizes with patients who need marijuana to ease their pain but believes the clinics would put more strain on the city's Police Department, which is already short-staffed.
Councilman Steve Jones said the city should not be made to decide on an issue the state and the federal governments have yet to agree on. Mayor Bill Dalton said he doesn't support it because it is not "regulated right."
"I just don't think this is the way marijuana should be dispensed," he said.
Users of medical marijuana who spoke at the meeting said they'd rather buy their medication from an authorized dispensary.
"It's a much safer environment than trying to get it from a dealer on the street," said Jason Andrews.
Others said they would have to drive as far as Lake Forest to get their medication if Garden Grove bans the dispensaries.
The city considered the ban based on the Police Department's recommendation. Police Chief Joseph Polisar in his report said other communities have seen adverse affects ranging from burglaries and robberies to assaults and murders in and around the dispensaries.
Some Orange County cities with moratoriums or permanent bans on pot dispensaries include Buena Park, Fullerton, Mission Viejo, Santa Ana, Tustin, Huntington Beach and Placentia. Laguna Woods last week became the first local city to pass an ordinance allowing medical marijuana dispensaries.
hxxp://tinyurl.com/4h6572
javascript:__doPostBack('ctl00$bodycontent$ArticleDisplay$lnkByLine','')
can't say i've ever seen that for any other business.
