At city council Monday night, the impression from the city was that having a medical cannabis dispensary in town (however humane) would be a low priority and a money loser. So, setting human compassion aside, why do some cities make a profit on medical cannabis dispensaries, or do they? San Mateo County Times/Julia Scott, 9/14/11. "For 25 days in August, Pacifica had a medical marijuana dispensary. The city thought it was a flower shop. That not-too-subtle discrepancy cost owner Ruben Salvatierra his business license Tuesday night when the City Council voted to deny his appeal and close down the Wellness Solutions Group, the "flower shop" he opened August 1.
Salvatierra said he would have applied for a business license as a pot dispensary, but the city's tax code doesn't recognize that category. That means pot dispensaries are de facto outlawed, and Pacifica police shut down the dispensary Aug. 25. Salvatierra lost his appeal Tuesday night. "It's what I expected," he said after the meeting. "We'll discuss with our attorney about that to do next."
Locals lined up to profess their support for a carefully regulated, well-run medical cannabis shop in town. From high-heeled professionals to retirees in their 70s, they used the case to urge the city to craft a detailed legal strategy that would allow pot clubs to operate under certain restrictions. "This is not a fringe issue. This is a mainstream issue in the eyes of Pacifica voters," said Ian Butler, who uses medical marijuana to treat his joint pain and has been urging the City Council to take a stance on the issue long before the recent controversy.
Marijuana dispensaries are banned in many cities on the
Peninsula, and there is only one currently operating in San
Mateo County in East Palo Alto. There are also delivery
services that provide medical marijuana. Some
of the Pacifica audience members turned the hearing into a
referendum on the merits of medical marijuana. They saw
hypocrisy in the fact that the Pacifica has dozens of places
to purchase alcohol. More...
Posted by Kathy Meeh
17 comments:
I saw some hemp cereal at Fresh & Easy (end of the cereal aisle near the bread,) in case people really need their hemp.
I voted to legalize medical marijuana in '96, but feel the law's been abused. These places are not medical establishments. They're places where people take advantage of a legal loophole to get high.
"Ooooh, I have an ingrown toenail. I need my medical marijuana!"
Steve,
We have gone over this 100 times.
It is puff puff pass
not
puff puff bogart that joint.
Have you been blazing with Ian?
Your comment is offensive. For many people, cannabis is a medicine.
Medicinal marijuana is no more a medicine than medicinal whiskey.
I'm offended at the way people come up with bogus illnesses in order to get high. It's an abuse of the honorable intentions of those who voted to approve medicinal marijuana.
Whatever. I'm against the state having any voice in what we do at home, but if we're going to have a prohibition, it should be on alcohol rather than cannabis. I don't smoke pot, but in my experience pot heads just want to lay around and watch TV, whereas drunks are often belligerent and violent.
Banning either is a silly thing to even have to consider, particularly here in Pacifica. This entire discussion sounds like something you'd hear at some ignorant Bible belt tea party rally.
You're simply wrong. And you're ignorant of the extensive science testing marijuana as a medicine in clinical trials.
Actually, there hasn't been much scientific testing, and for those cases where evidence supports the use of medical marijuana, there are already existing medicines that do the job.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/19/health/policy/19marijuana.html
I don't believe California is considered part of the Bible Belt, but that didn't stop California voters from voting down a proposal to legalize weed last year.
http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/California_Proposition_19,_the_Marijuana_Legalization_Initiative_%282010%29
Even that NYT article, which is not a good summary of the literature, says: "Studies have shown convincingly that marijuana can relieve nausea and improve appetite among cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Studies also prove that marijuana can alleviate the aching and numbness that patients with H.I.V. and AIDS suffer," and "There are strong hints that marijuana may ameliorate some of the neurological problems associated with such degenerative diseases as multiple sclerosis."
A good place to get unbiased information is: http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org which looks at both sides of an issue.
One useful page compared marijuana deaths vs. death from 17 FDA approved drugs used for the same conditions. The total: 0 direct deaths from marijuana vs. over 10,000 for the other drugs.
So if I can smoke a flower or take a prescription drug for the same condition, I know which one I prefer!
Based upon the prop 8 voting, I guess you could make a case that California is a state full of homophobes too. I'd argue that you're wrong and that a bunch of fired-up religious fanatics in the central valley and Orange County with tons of funding from the LDS church defeated the apathetic masses. I don't have any proof of that, but I'm pretty comfortable with my gut feeling.
I also don't have any proof that a fired-up and well-organized band of hippies have hijacked Pacifica's policies from an apathetic majority, but I'm pretty comfortable with my gut feeling there too. I'm also pretty confident that locally, people don't care about pot bans. In this case, though, the stats that Ian frequently quotes on Pacifica's votes on prop 19 back that up.
What is the reason you smoke?
To get stoned? For a real medical reason.
Or are you just a stoner?
I agree with the other anonymous, although at this hour I had to read his or her post twice to figure it out. There is a poll on patch asking if we are in favor of medical pot in pacifica and it's winning 2 to 1. Based on my experience I'm surprised it's not winning by more than that!
Fair question, happy to oblige. I've been a professional tree trimmer for 30 years, and like many physically active middle aged folks pain management is becoming a balancing act. I use a combination of epsom salts, massage, nutritional supplements, hot baths, yoga, ibuprofin, vicodin and medical cannabis to get through the week. The cannabis primarily allows me to use less ibubrofin and vicodin, which are hard on my stomach and bad for the liver.
I am hardly the ideal spokesperson for the importance of medical cannabis because I could do ok without it, whereas there are many patients who absolutely need it to get by. But I can personally attest that it is a safe and effective treatment and and important tool to have in the mix.
Until recently, the lobby against medical cannabis and other alternative remedies, such as homeopathic medicines, has probably been more about pharmaceutical company competition and profits. Whereas, pharmaceutical research and marketing seems to be incorporating more of these remedies and herbs.
People with aches and pains, such as those described by Ian's example either suffer with them and become more debilitated, or seek relief with whatever works.
Anyhow, here's an article with some research considerations from Medicine Net". The side panel includes a "marijuana" category listing facts, such as: "Marijuana is the most commonly abused illegal substance worldwide." And, "The history of marijuana goes back for thousands of years. It was only made illegal in many countries during the 20th century."
I haven't said anything publically yet about this issue but can't hold my tounge anymore. Being a product of the 60s I am certainly very familiar with the full compliment of legal and illegal drugs and many folks who use them. All I can say is I've never known anyone to OD or behave poorly using pot, silly maybe but not belligerent or violent. However, I've known and know of plenty of folks who OD'd using prescription drugs or behave poorly under the influence of alcohol or drugs like vicodin. Just my observation. So I really don't care if folks use pot for medical needs or mental health care needs. After all, we all do need some relief from the "FOX News" world we wake up to everyday.
Nicely said Sharon
Sharon
Drive by Linda Mar Beach, You have 3 generations of slacker youth, who get stoned and surf and allow their parents or significant others to support them.
I do believe people with a real medical issue benefit from pot, but I do not believe some stoner doctor who approves everyone who walks into the pot store, get a card.
The Pacifica hippies are mad cause they did not get their way.
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