In the news this week, is our own, Alex Kreit, Associate Professor of Law and Director of the Center for Law & Social Justice. Professor Kreit is also chairperson of the city of San Diego’s Medical Marijuana Task Force. His remarks, quoted in San Diego CityBeat, suggest that the de facto ban on medical marijuana dispensaries for the next year is the most reasonable compromise that could be made with the current city council members (Lamb). However, in Professor Kreit’s opinion, based on extensive empirical research in the San Diego community, the majority of San Diego residents would likely prefer to have well-regulated and conveniently accessible dispensaries.
In a letter to the City Council, published in San Diego Citybeat, Professor Kreit, on behalf of the City of San Diego’s Medical Marijuana Task Force, urges Council members to reconsider the excessively restrictive zoning regulations that would prohibit medical marijuana collectives and cooperatives from operating in large portions of the City of San Diego, to include central areas where the presence of dispensaries is supported by the majority of the local residents. The letter asks that Council members take into consideration the needs of patients who rely on convenient legal access to doctor-prescribed medication. “Those who will be hurt most by the draft ordinance will be the sickest patients, including the elderly and the disabled, who cannot travel long distances for their medicine and are unable to undertake the time and labor intensive process of attempting to grow medical marijuana for themselves. Indeed, the California legislature adopted the Medical Marijuana Program Act in 2003, which makes medical marijuana collectives and cooperatives legal, in order to protect the rights of patients like these.” (Maass).
What do you think about the new regulations?
References
- Christopher Cadelago, San Diego approves sweeping medical pot limits, Union Tribune, March 28, 2011, available athttp://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/mar/28/sd-council-approves-sweeping-medical-pot-restricti/
- Christopher Cadelago, City weighs restrictions on pot dispensaries, Union Tribune, March 27, 2011, available at http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/mar/27/city-considers-restrictions-on-medical-marijuana/
- Christopher Cadelago, Legal challenges await medical marijuana rules¸ Union Tribune, April 1, 2011, available at http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/apr/01/legal-challenges-await-medical-marijuana-rules/
- Christopher Cadelago, Advocates seek late changes to medical pot rules: Some worry about supply during transition, Union Tribune, April 5, 2011, available athttp://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/apr/05/advocates-seek-late-changes-to-medical-pot/
- Mark Gabrish Conlan, San Diego Hammers Down on Medical Marijuana Dispensaries, Despite Public Support, Zenger’s Newsmagazine, April 3, 2011, available athttp://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/04/03/18676236.php
- John R. Lamb, Can the city do that?, San Diego CityBeat, Apr 06, 2011, available at http://www.sdcitybeat.com/sandiego/article-8919-can-the-city-do-that.html
- Dave Maass, Medical Marijuana Task Force opposes proposed ordinance, San Diego CityBeat, March 26, 2011, available at http://www.sdcitybeat.com/sandiego/blog-264-medical-marijuana-task-force-opposes-proposed-ordinance.html
- Gail Powell, Medical Marijuana Protesters Go to City Hall for Council Vote, San Diego Reader, Tuesday, March 29, 2011, available athttp://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2011/mar/29/stringers-medical-marijuana-protesters/
ThomChat 