Pinch
Well-Known Member
West Hollywood, CA- The West Hollywood has extended its moratorium on cannabis clubs for another 10 1/2 months to give City Attorney Mike Jenkins enough time to assess their impacts on neighborhoods and draft regulations on location, security and operation hours.
The proliferation of seven clubs within the past year in West Hollywood grabbed officials' attention after they began receiving complaints from residents about traffic, loitering and potential security risks posed by these clubs.
Since state voters passed Proposition 215 in 1996, legalizing the use of medicinal marijuana, West Hollywood has become home to more than seven of the state's over 120 dispensaries.
"We need to get standards for these establishments," said Councilman John Heilman
"I think it's the right thing for us to do," he later added.
Mayor John Duran said they would consider how other California municipalities that have regulated the clinics, including Oakland, which recently capped the number of medical marijuana clinics at four.
But Duran also cautioned club owners for "threading on thin ice" as federal drug laws – which classifies marijuana along with cocaine and heroin as class one narcotics – supersede state laws that have legalized medical marijuana.
"There is nothing the city can do to protect your operations," warned Duran, who had earlier made a reference to the Los Angeles Cannabis Resource Center that was raided and shut down by federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents in October 2001.
But Dwayne Williams, a manager of the Farmacy, a cannabis club, said he believed that city regulations would help protect patients and operators.
"In the long run, this only serves to help us to have regulations so we can have a sense of control over what is going on," he said.
At the Monday meeting, medical marijuana supporters emphasized the importance of patient safety and responsibility, and reminded officials of their main contribution to the community – serving patients who suffer from HIV/AIDS, cancer, glaucoma and other chronic illnesses.
"This is not a pot-slinging business," Williams added. "It's about compassion."
The slight opposition to the moratorium came primarily from those seeking to open new cannabis clubs in West Hollywood.
Currently, there are no city laws regulating the operation of marijuana dispensaries, some that are located near residential areas and day care centers.
West Hollywood zoning laws have allowed the start-up of these dispensaries as long as they meet minimum parking and development standards.
But some have complained about the negative impacts of cannabis clubs, including attracting crime to nearby residential areas.
James Anderson, who recently moved to West Hollywood, said he was disturbed by the worsened traffic and loitering problems along his street.
Roxanne McBryde, co-captain of the Formosa-Detroit-Lexington Neighborhood Watch, reiterated tales from neighbors who have allegedly seen people leaving the eastside marijuana clubs only to re-sell the drug to their friends waiting outside.
"Enough is enough," said McBryde. "I think nine [cannabis clubs] is overkill."
After the meeting, Scott Imler, who co-authored the state's medical marijuana laws, criticized the in-house policy of armed security by some clubs.
"I think it comes down to the guns – people with guns – what's that all about?" he asked.
"All it takes is for one kid to be shot over a bag of weed," said Imler, "and Prop 215 is gone."
Source: The Los Angeles Independent
Copyright: Copyright © 2005 The Los Angles Independent. All rights reserved.
Contact: Rosanna Mah, Independent Staff Writer
Website: LAIndependent.com
LAI - 4201 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 600 - Los Angeles - CA - 90010 - Phone: 323-556-5720 - Fax: 323-556-5704
The proliferation of seven clubs within the past year in West Hollywood grabbed officials' attention after they began receiving complaints from residents about traffic, loitering and potential security risks posed by these clubs.
Since state voters passed Proposition 215 in 1996, legalizing the use of medicinal marijuana, West Hollywood has become home to more than seven of the state's over 120 dispensaries.
"We need to get standards for these establishments," said Councilman John Heilman
"I think it's the right thing for us to do," he later added.
Mayor John Duran said they would consider how other California municipalities that have regulated the clinics, including Oakland, which recently capped the number of medical marijuana clinics at four.
But Duran also cautioned club owners for "threading on thin ice" as federal drug laws – which classifies marijuana along with cocaine and heroin as class one narcotics – supersede state laws that have legalized medical marijuana.
"There is nothing the city can do to protect your operations," warned Duran, who had earlier made a reference to the Los Angeles Cannabis Resource Center that was raided and shut down by federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents in October 2001.
But Dwayne Williams, a manager of the Farmacy, a cannabis club, said he believed that city regulations would help protect patients and operators.
"In the long run, this only serves to help us to have regulations so we can have a sense of control over what is going on," he said.
At the Monday meeting, medical marijuana supporters emphasized the importance of patient safety and responsibility, and reminded officials of their main contribution to the community – serving patients who suffer from HIV/AIDS, cancer, glaucoma and other chronic illnesses.
"This is not a pot-slinging business," Williams added. "It's about compassion."
The slight opposition to the moratorium came primarily from those seeking to open new cannabis clubs in West Hollywood.
Currently, there are no city laws regulating the operation of marijuana dispensaries, some that are located near residential areas and day care centers.
West Hollywood zoning laws have allowed the start-up of these dispensaries as long as they meet minimum parking and development standards.
But some have complained about the negative impacts of cannabis clubs, including attracting crime to nearby residential areas.
James Anderson, who recently moved to West Hollywood, said he was disturbed by the worsened traffic and loitering problems along his street.
Roxanne McBryde, co-captain of the Formosa-Detroit-Lexington Neighborhood Watch, reiterated tales from neighbors who have allegedly seen people leaving the eastside marijuana clubs only to re-sell the drug to their friends waiting outside.
"Enough is enough," said McBryde. "I think nine [cannabis clubs] is overkill."
After the meeting, Scott Imler, who co-authored the state's medical marijuana laws, criticized the in-house policy of armed security by some clubs.
"I think it comes down to the guns – people with guns – what's that all about?" he asked.
"All it takes is for one kid to be shot over a bag of weed," said Imler, "and Prop 215 is gone."
Source: The Los Angeles Independent
Copyright: Copyright © 2005 The Los Angles Independent. All rights reserved.
Contact: Rosanna Mah, Independent Staff Writer
Website: LAIndependent.com
LAI - 4201 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 600 - Los Angeles - CA - 90010 - Phone: 323-556-5720 - Fax: 323-556-5704
