| Americans for Safe Access |
| California Governor Jerry Brown wants to leave medical marijuana dispensary regulation up to cities and counties |
California Governor Jerry Brown on Wednesday handed a defeat to anti-medical marijuana forces, vetoing a bill barring dispensaries from within 600 feet of homes in the state. Gov. Brown said the bill infringed on the powers of cities and counties that already have the authority to regulate the pot shops.
Brown noted he had already signed AB 1300, which gives cities and counties clearer authority to regulate the location and operation of marijuana dispensaries, reports Patrick McGreevey at the Los Angeles Times.
“This bill goes in the opposite direction by preempting local control and prescribing the precise locations where dispensaries may not be located,” the governor wrote in his veto message. “Decisions of this kind are best made in cities and counties, not the state Capitol.”
| Cal NORML |
| Dale Gieringer: “California NORML thanks the Governor for standing firm against excessive and heavy-handed state interference in local government” |
”California NORML thanks the Governor for standing firm against excessive and heavy-handed state interference in local government,” said Dale Gieringer. “Congratulations to the many medical marijuana advocates who spoke out against SB 847.”
“Over 300 of you wrote to the governor to express your concern about the bill; I think he got the message,” said Robert J. Capecchi of the Marijuana Policy Project.
“Gov. Brown agreed with the Marijuana Policy Projecte and our allies that zoning ‘[d]ecisions of this kind are best made in cities and counties, not the state Capitol,’ ” Capecchi said. “The governor also stated that by signing AB 1300 — a bill MPP opposed because it lacked any clear recognition of state regulated dispensaries — cities and counties were already given the green light to regulate the location and operation of dispensaries.”
“A hearty ‘thank you kindly’ goes out to the other reform organizations who worked to defeat this bill and to all of you who made your opposition to SB 847 heard at every step,” Capecchi said.
“The Governor’s veto comes after a groundswell of opposition from members of Americans for Safe Access (ASA) and other medical cannabis advocates,” said Don Duncan of ASA. “I want to say a special thank you to everyone who visited legislative offices, made phone calls, wrote letters, and sent emails. Well done!”
The bill, SB 847, was introduced at the request of city officials in Anaheim, according to Senator Lou Correa (D-Santa Ana). One dispensary opened on the ground floor of a building in that city that had apartments above, according to Correa (I know, it’s kind of a big “so what”).
“I’m disappointed for the community,” Correa said. “All we were talking about is taking a buffer zone already in the law to keep second-hand pot smoke away from children at schools and extending it to keeping it away from residences.”
Correa disputed Gov. Brown’s contention that the bill would preempt city powers, claiming he wrote the bill to allow cities to choose their own regulations if they don’t like the 600-foot buffer.