Lancaster City survey: Medipot welcome

[Galaxy]

City survey: Medipot welcome
Lancaster residents give OK to dispensaries, 64% to 36%
This story appeared in the Antelope Valley Press
Wednesday, June 3, 2009.

By JAMES RUFUS KOREN
Valley Press Staff Writer
LANCASTER - Most Lancaster residents who responded to an e-mail survey by Mayor R. Rex Parris believe medical marijuana dispensaries should be permitted to operate in the city, the mayor said Tuesday.

Parris said he was surprised by the results of the survey, which was sent via e-mail to 10,000 Lancaster residents during the weekend. Of the roughly 1,000 who responded, 64% said they are for having dispensaries in the city, and 36% said they are against.

"The whole community response has surprised me," Parris said. "It doesn't seem to be a very divisive issue."

California's law legalizing medical marijuana, approved by voters in 1996, has sparked heated debate because using marijuana is still illegal under federal law. That puts cities in an awkward position.

"We, as a staff, are looking at what we are required to do as a city to meet California state and federal law," City Manager Mark Bozigian said. "Those two things are in conflict."

The city has no mechanism for dealing with medical marijuana dispensaries, Bozigian said. In absence of city rules, he said the city would fall back on state and federal law, which, in this case, "makes it very complicated.

Vice Mayor Ron Smith said Lancaster officials need to move forward cautiously if they decide to permit dispensaries in the city.

"It's not going to be easy," he said. "It's still illegal by federal law. I want to see how the courts are coming down on it before we make a decision and decide what way our city should go."

Parris said the city's attorney is crafting an opinion about how the city can navigate both laws, but he said the city might ultimately have to permit dispensaries or risk becoming a legal target.

"If we don't permit these things, (medical marijuana proponents) are going to start filing lawsuits, and that's just a waste of taxpayers' money," he said.

Parris' survey reads:

"California State Law provides for non-profit cooperatives to dispense marijuana to seriously ill patients who can benefit from using medical marijuana. Should the City of Lancaster allow these cooperatives to operate in Lancaster and sell marijuana to patients who have been issued California State Medical Marijuana registration cards?"

Respondents could answer "yes," "no" or "I don't know."

Parris said the key issue in permitting marijuana dispensaries is proper regulation.

"The biggest problem I see is that the cities that have allowed it haven't controlled it," he said. "If you enforce the rules, I think it's not such a bad thing.

"The law talks about seriously ill people. I have difficulty denying seriously ill people anything that would help their suffering."

California's medical marijuana law allows doctors to prescribe the drug for people suffering from AIDS, cancer, glaucoma, migraines, seizures and other serious conditions.

[email protected]

Galaxy Reviewed by Galaxy on 06-03-2009. Lancaster City survey: Medipot welcome City survey: Medipot welcome Lancaster residents give OK to dispensaries, 64% to 36% This story appeared in the Antelope Valley Press Wednesday, June 3, 2009. By JAMES RUFUS KOREN Valley Press Staff Writer LANCASTER - Most Lancaster residents who responded to an e-mail survey by Mayor R. Rex Parris believe medical marijuana dispensaries should be permitted to operate in the city, the mayor said Tuesday. Parris said he was surprised by the results of the survey, which was sent via Rating: 5

[Stoner46]

So if they have one, they should be able to open more.