PLACER COUNTY (CBS13) — Recreational marijuana becomes legal in California in January. Voters approved Proposition 64 last November, giving those over 21 the right to smoke marijuana or ingest cannabis products.
For years, Placer County has welcomed conventional retail stores for the bonanza of tax dollars, but county leaders want nothing to do with purveyors of Marijuana. The Medical Cannabis community calls that unfortunate.
“There is no storefront where patients can purchase that medicine, so it is very important that we get some dispensing mechanism up in that county.” says Richard Miller, a counselor at Sacramento’s “A Therapeutic Alternative.”
Supervisor Kirk Uhler, says it’s a moral matter, “I view the proliferation of Marijuana, especially the ability of students to get their hands on it as a societal ill.”
The Placer supervisors have refused to green light medicinal cannabis shops, skeptical about how much Cannabis can cure or relieve a variety of conditions, despite the scientific studies that prove the medical benefits to many, including those with Cancer. They’ve also been mindful of Proposition 64’s provision allowing medicinal marijuana cardholders can share their cache of cannabis with non-cardholders. With those in mind, Placer supervisors are playing a “prevent” zone defense. “What we have in the county is land use jurisdiction, so using our zoning codes we can say where certain activities can take place. So using that authority we can regulate dispensaries”, explained Uhler.
Uhler says tfederal law, which prohibits marijuana use would be a legal backstop, should the cannabis coalition try to sue the county.
Placer isn’t alone. Pockets of California are protesting pot in their backyard, including San Diego, Fresno and San Jose.
Placer Supervisors could bend on medicinal Marijuana. If the Federal Government approves experimental Cannabis for medical use, but would only allow hospitals to dispense Medical Marijuana.
credit:sacramento.cbslocal.com
