Mmm... the dispensary owners I've talked to support this bill, although with lukewarm enthusiasm. They all say it will give them some guidance from the state and believe the increased legitimacy and regulation will protect their businesses. I'm not very upset by the bill either. I think the 1000 foot restriction is sensible when applied to dispensaries. In fact, our town put that rule in place back in October. I also think it's fine for communities to issue moratoriums or ban dispensaries altogether.

All in all, I see the bill as a wash - it strengthens and legitimates the dispensary model, which is good but it also places some light restrictions on patients. One good thing about passing a regulatory bill now is that it puts the issue to rest before the November elections, at which time the legislature is going to become more conservative. I'd rather see a flawed bill now, than something truly draconian in eight months. I'm not sure 1284 is the bill I want, but it's definitely not all bad and could be worse.