Council supports medical pot rules with some changes

The City Council put its support behind much of City Attorney Bob Shannon's draft ordinance to regulate medical marijuana collectives Tuesday, but cut some of the more restrictive requirements from the law.

[Watch Dog LB]

It's about time, finally some common sense from The City Council. Safe, legal and accessible. I am glad to here they are taking patient privacy seriously. Steve Cooley's plans were like a police state for something almost as harmless as cough syrup. I could get prescription drugs from Rite Aid that are 10 times more dangerous without anyone blinking an eye. Yet, when you mention marijuana, some people go ballistic. Remember, it’s just a plant, and it’s never killed anyone. Can’t exactly say the same for prescription drugs.

Spread evenly among districts so no one gets saturated...good idea. Allowing patients to buy eatable forms of medication as long as it’s by a certified kitchen...good idea. No patients names given without a court order...good idea. A plan to devise a method to fairly cap the number of dispensaries so we don’t end up with one on every block, also a good idea.

Change is difficult and many people don’t want to change. The people of California have spoken and it’s time to face the music instead of hide in the sand. I sincerely hope the city council holds fast to moving forward with fair laws for people who need access and don’t buckle in the 11th hour to fear and ignorance from a handfull of residents.

[Wilson Students]

My WIlson student talked at dinner last night about some of his friends that received prescriptions for their headaches. All it takes is an excuse (provided from a list at the clinics), a willing doctor (provided by a list at the clinic)and the cash (provided by the parents) and the kids have their medicine.

[Ricardo in Long Beach]

My questions

1. How they are going to prevent medical marijuana users from selling their daily doses?

2. How they are going to trace the marijuana that comes out from the legal dispensers?

3. Where are the collectives buying the marijuana?

4. will the smoke regulations apply to marijuana smokers?

5. Anyway to restrict users of marijuana sharing their dose with minors?

6. What about appartament building regulations for marijuana smokers to keep minors and none smokers free from those fumes?

[CHS]

I think marijuana is safer than booze. Let's think about it. Dope smokers can barely get off the couch, much less get into a car or a fight!

[Robert J G Jackson Sr]

Of course the collectives are selling the drug. Why else would these businesses be popping up all over the place? Surely no one really thinks that these businesses are operating out of good will? Whether they are collecting a "suggested donation" or some other euphemism, they are collecting money from marijuana users. Note I said users, not patients. This entire construct is a sham, and anyone with a lick of common sense knows it. If we want to make marijuana a part of pharmacology, then we should do so. As it is, we are allowing falsity, deceit, and illegality to propagate in our midst. A great lesson for our children.

[Sergeant Stedanko]

Along with SWAT, I will raid every weed dispensary in LB. No one can stop me.

[Ricardo in Long Beach]

CHS wrote:

I think marijuana is safer than booze. Let's think about it. Dope smokers can barely get off the couch, much less get into a car or a fight!

That will rise the SSI claims, people needs to exercise to stay healthy

[tessa]

time to say this far and no farther - Long Beach should follow other cities who have taken the protection and quality of life issues of ALL their citizens into consideration with sensible oversight on these "collectives". There are places where we now have one on each corner - agreeing with Robert Jackson (above) let's get serious - there is money to be made here. Let's follow the money! Further, if we don't put a cap on these (contrary to Mssrs DeLong and Garcia who seem to be advocating a free for all) our neighborhoods are going to be overrun.

[Larry King]

I was the dispensary manager that responded to Neighbor Vernon's issues with Final Cut Collective last night at City Hall. The one with the sick Mom.
Everything he says is either an outright fabrication or is greatly embellished. He had blocked off his single parking spot in front of his garage long before we "snuck in" due to his ongoing complaint campaign with the bars across the street, primarily Lona's Wardlow Station, which he actually had caused to be previously closed due to excessive noise one night. I approached all neighbors, business and residential, when we moved in, and told them we would do everything to avoid parking issues, and we have had zero problems except for his perception of an ongoing situation that just doesn't exist. I have given him my personal cell# and asked him to call me or our security people regarding any problems and we would immediately have it taken care of(not one call). I have had 5 retail cell phone stores in Long Beach (30 all together) including one in the same building for many years so I know most of the residential and business owners. The business owners have embraced us because any increase in traffic benefits them as well as the whole neighborhood. Many have offered use of their parking lots including the Green Dog Tavern and the giant Restaurant Supply place around the corner on Cerritos that has a large parking lot besides it. I live about 4 blocks away and own a home in Cal Heights and care about my neighborhood as much as anyone living here. Besides outdoor signage prohibiting parking in resident spots in our ally where Vernon resides, I have done everything that he has asked for including a GIANT sign in our waiting area and a long detailed memo to all our patients on our web ads Weedtracker.com and Weedmaps.com ) regarding respect to our neighbors and not parking in the alley (he monitors those ads and requested the additional verbiage). Those were done the same day he requested them. We have a camera in the alley and security has been successful at getting people moved immediately on the very rare occasions. Vernon is a nice man and we have hung out discussing the weather and Long Beach and whatever. However, he is using these trumped-up charges to hide the fact that he is against people using medical marijuana. He publically stated that we "snuck in" and made the shop look like a barber shop. In reality it was a barbershop previously and we made it not look like a barbershop/salon so people would not mistakenly come in for a haircut. We have large illuminated signs that say Final Cut Collective and are void of anything offensive to families and neighbors. We average less than 30 patients in a 10hr business day. Probably less traffic than when it was a barbershop. There are many more important components involving the changing world regarding medical marijuana and its benefits to society, especially the horrific pain and suffering good people, such as my parents, have had to endure. This man is wasting everyone's time including his own. He is the only seemingly-sensible resident speaking out against the program so he gets plenty of face time in neighborhood and city hall meetings, and apparently now in the media.
His complaint that there are 3 dispensaries inundating the Orange/Wardlow area is a falsehood also. We are the only visible one of the 3 so it is not like we are a blight on the community. The other 2 are hidden and I did not even know they were there when I opened because they are hidden. And I live in the neighborhood. Our small shop is clean, safe, attractive, and some say fun. I have given private tours to Councilpeople, activists, neighbors, and city officials and they have walked away with a different and better view of what goes on inside a collective and the people who run them (all compassionate volunteers). Parking is not a problem at our place and it should not be used as a tool against unfairly villanized medical marijuana.

[mr walker]

if maryjuana collectives were outlawd Melody Ross wud still be alive!!

[Ronald]

Rather than doing their duty by closing down drug pushers operating in the city under the guise of providing "medicine" for mentally ill potheads, the corrupt politicians act to give them protection "in accordance with" "law", including providing the cloak of secrecy to those victims upon whom the dealers prey. Who would have guessed?(Yeah. Right!)

Now these corrupt thieves can get down to the REAL business, which is getting the $ big bucks $ by appointing one another to "Medical" marijuana dispensary "control" commissions".

Although these corrupt politicians propose to protect themselves and their city hall haunt from secondhand pot smoke through their "no drug dealers can be located within 1000 feet of the library" provision, no such protection is offered to those living in residential areas, where children, and others, will be exposed to secondhand pot smoke. Is it any wonder why the few "normals" who have not yet fled the city have so much contempt for these corrupt gangsters?

Ronald

[tomtom]

legalyze weed

[Jon - onehumanbeing]

I watched the whole council proceedings and the stated headline is a misleading untruth. The council did not support Shannon's proposal one bit, in fact, it's getting a complete redo. How about reporting what really happened.
Vice Mayor Val Lerch made a powerful statement stating in part: " ...But to me the fact that we're going through this is ludicrous to me...I can't believe we're sitting here going through three hours on a legitimate medicine...."
Try a little harder, and get it right...

[Jon - onehumanbeing]

mr walker wrote:

if maryjuana collectives were outlawd Melody Ross wud still be alive!!

I don't see a logical connection here. That tragedy had nothing to do with either marijuana or medical marijuana...

[Jon - onehumanbeing]

Wilson Students wrote:

My WIlson student talked at dinner last night about some of his friends that received prescriptions for their headaches. All it takes is an excuse (provided from a list at the clinics), a willing doctor (provided by a list at the clinic)and the cash (provided by the parents) and the kids have their medicine.

And the same doesn't apply to prescription drugs (finding a doctor to prescribe your drug of choice) that fill the medicine cabinets of many homes which many kids have extremely easy access too those dangerous drugs at any time...

Try and think clearly about this and put it in perspective.

There are a lot of people's comments here that are based on fear, not reality.

Don't let your fear prevent others from doing what they need for their health.

As for any comments from just straight out "Marijuana haters" - I hope people don't judge you as harshly as you judge them. Long Beach is so much better than these voices of hate...

[Jon - onehumanbeing]

Sergeant Stedanko wrote:

Along with SWAT, I will raid every weed dispensary in LB. No one can stop me.

Sergeant Stedanko

If you really were a police officer, I believe the California Constitution that you are sworn to uphold would prevent that... of course, if you feel like disregarding our state's Constitution I don't understand how you could be a police officer - and you won't be for long with that attitude...

[Ronald]

Jon - onehumanbeing wrote:

<quoted text>
I don't see a logical connection here. That tragedy had nothing to do with either marijuana or medical marijuana...

Jon - onehumanbeing.

Both events are interconnected, inasmuch as both are indicative of the moral decline of post 60s era society.

Ronald

[Concerned]

For those who want a poliferation of marijuana dispenseries in Long Beach, go to www.weedmap.com . If anyone looks at the concentration of dispenseries in certain areas, especially close to freeways, you couldn't help thinking these dispenseries are set up for recreational use; not medical.

Why are so many sick people concentrated in certain areas and not others?

By the way, Councilman Learch took his opportunity, again, to pontificate; it was a political speech only.

[Ronald]

Jon - onehumanbeing wrote:

<quoted text>
And the same doesn't apply to prescription drugs (finding a doctor to prescribe your drug of choice) that fill the medicine cabinets of many homes which many kids have extremely easy access too those dangerous drugs at any time...
Try and think clearly about this and put it in perspective.
There are a lot of people's comments here that are based on fear, not reality.
Don't let your fear prevent others from doing what they need for their health.
As for any comments from just straight out "Marijuana haters" - I hope people don't judge you as harshly as you judge them. Long Beach is so much better than these voices of hate...

Jon - onehumanbeing.

Your point is exactly right. Government licensed and controlled "doctor" prescribed "Government approved" drugs is one of the leading causes of death among Americans. Their "side effects" are probably THE leading cause of debilities that lead to even greater dependency on even more potent Government drugs.

Just as we cannot justify the effect of zonked out potheads killing children because of their lessened ability to operate motor vehicles by using the excuse that drunks kill them too, so too, we cannot justify dangerous pot use just because Big Government is the world's biggest pusher of "legal" drugs.

Ronald

[Concerned]

Sorry for the misprint. The website is www.weedmaps.com