City Council Refers Medical Marijuana Recommendations to Land Use and Housing

Today the San Diego City Council voted to in favor of passing the recommendations of the San Diego Medical Marijuana Task force to the Land Use and Housing Committee for their input. The vote was 7-1 in favor of the issue.

At the start of today’s council session, representatives from Americans for Safe Access were at the city council meeting and spoke during public comment to encourage the task force to pass the regulations.

When the item was called in the afternoon, there were dozens of medical cannabis patients and concerned citizens from a variety of local organizations including NORML, the DPA and others in the council chambers to show their support for the recommendations and sensible regulations.

Unfortunately the community was not able to give the council any input on the issue since public comment on the item was already heard at the previous meeting. There were even people wearing “Target” stickers to symbolize that patients feel targeted without sensible regulations.

Some in the media quickly after the meeting have reported that the Task Force rejected the recommendations, this however is not entirely accurate. It is not uncommon that Zoning issues are referred to the Land Use and Housing Committee for input. By March the committee will provide feedback to the City Council on the proposed recommendations, and hopefully propose to amend the Zoning Code to allow for medical cannabis collectives.

A complete ordinance regulating medical marijuana collectives will more than likely go up for vote before the end of 2010. It is our hope and the hope of many in the community that this issue will not be stalled or placed on a back burner. Patients need clarity and Safe Access.

Write the city San Diego City council members and thank them for their hard work on the issue and urge them to quickly bring the issue out of the Land Use and Housing Committee and back to the council for vote.

kevinfaulconer@sandiego.gov
toddgloria@sandiego.gov
anthonyyoung@sandiego.gov
carldemaio@sandiego.gov
donnafrye@sandiego.gov
martiemerald@sandiego.gov
benhueso@sandiego.gov
sherrilightner@sandiego.gov

Eugene Davidovich
San Diego Americans for Safe Access
www.safeaccesssd.com