La Cañada Flintridge bans sales, cultivation and delivery of medical marijuana
Marijuana plants grow at a dispensary in Oakland in 2012. La Canada Flintridge has banned the drug’s sale, cultivation and delivery.
The La Cañada Flintridge City Council has adopted regulations prohibiting medical marijuana dispensaries, cultivation and delivery inside the city limits.
California cities and towns have until March 1 to maintain local regulatory authority over medical marijuana. After that, the state’s Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act allows potential marijuana growers to apply for and receive licenses from the state. La Cañada Flintridge took action this month.
Councilwoman Terry Walker took issue with the outright banning of marijuana delivery services.
“If someone in our town is in a lot of pain and is using marijuana legally for the treatment of pain, and say they are bedridden, is there any way in this code marijuana can be delivered to them?” she asked.
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Susan Koleda, the city’s deputy director of community development, replied that as the regulations are currently written, that would not be allowed, but a patient’s caregiver or relative could go out and legally purchase marijuana from a city where sales are allowed, such as Pasadena, and bring it back.
“If you need OxyContin and your doctor prescribes it, and you get it from a pharmacy, they can deliver it to you,” Walker said. “I just hope that we’re not getting overzealous in prohibiting our citizens from obtaining legal medication legally without a lot of inconvenience.”
Councilman Jon Curtis concurred that he received a call from a resident with the same concern about delivery.
City Atty. Mark Steres noted there can be an opportunity to revisit the mobile delivery portion of the ordinance in the future.
“Staff believed this was the most prudent action to take at this time,” Steres said. “As time goes on we will see how mobile delivery works.”
Sanderson writes for Times Community News.
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