The Malibu Planning Commission will hold a hearing at City Council Chambers tomorrow evening on a proposed ordinance that would prohibit medical cannabis collectives within the city limits.
One of the organizers at Americans for Safe Access - Don Duncan - informed me that there will be a rally at Malibu City Hall to protest the action.
Mr. Duncan who is an attorney for ASA is urging residents to attend for a number of reasons.
"It is important for the Malibu Planning Commission to know that people who live and work in Malibu and the surrounding neighborhoods are opposed to the ban."
For this reason, concerned individuals are asked to attend the rally with the specific aim of partaking in a meaningful dialogue during the decision-making process.
California voters passed "The Compassionate Use Act" to ensure that seriously ill Californians have the right to obtain and use marijuana for medical purposes. To advance the will of the California voters, the Legislature enacted SB 420 which established cooperatives and collectives as the recognized forms of medical marijuana cultivation and distribution to those who are too sick or otherwise unable to cultivate it for themselves.
According to Duncan and others at Americans for Safe Access, Municipalities considering outright bans on patient access to medical marijuana should be warned that these actions will have very real consequences.
For example, Americans for Safe Access filed a lawsuit against the city of Fresno for restricting medical marijuana dispensing collectives from operating as enumerated under California law.
Also, State Attorney General Bill Lockyer recently issued an opinion affirming that municipalities may not restrict the protections afforded by "The Compassionate Use Act" and SB420 to qualified medical marijuana patients.
Therefore, municipalities debating ordinances that curtail the right of seriously ill Californians to obtain the medicine they need ought to be aware that such regulation conflicts with the general rule of California law.
"There are a number of patient issues at stake," added Duncan.
"A rigid policy that bans medical marijuana collectives deprives qualified medical marijuana patients of the medicine promised them by the Compassionate Use Act. Banning or limiting the number of dispensing collectives allowed to operate places unnecessary hardship on patients with limited mobility and financial security. It is crucial that medical cannabis dispensing collectives be readily accessible to patients throughout and across our community."
Medical cannabis dispensaries provide support and healing for patients. Dispensing collectives have positive psychosocial health benefits for chronically ill people who are otherwise isolated. The type of support and services offered by many dispensaries improves the quality of life and in some cases may even prolong life, according to researchers in the field.
The organizers of the rally also stressed that Medical cannabis dispensaries are necessary for patients who are financially, physically, or otherwise restricted from producing their own medicine - particularly for those patients who reside in Section 8 or other restrictive housing arrangements.
Notwithstanding, Medical cannabis dispensaries are wellness facilities where individuals suffering from serious illnesses can find safe access to medicine, support, and healing.
The organizers scorn elected officials - like those in Malibu - who are actively trying to prevent safe and legal access for patients.
Contrary to what the City Officials in Malibu may think, Medical cannabis dispensaries can be a positive part of our community, said Duncan.
"When properly permitted, regulated and operated, dispensing collectives will prevent lawful patients from unnecessary and potentially harmful entanglements with illicit markets or law enforcement. Therefore, the Council ought to be supporting efforts to develop regulations that provide safe and legal access to medical cannabis so patients are not forced to access medicine in illegitimate places."
The ASA team also stress that research confirms that support services are effective for patients with a variety of cancers and other terminal illnesses. For example, participants active in support services are less anxious and depressed, make better use of their time, and are more likely to return to work than patients who receive only standardized care.
In view of the foregoing, volunteers are urged to attend the Malibu rally in a bold-faced effort to convince City Council in Malibu that they should be supporting efforts to improve the health, welfare, and quality of life of patients in the community - not harm it.
In the final analysis, ASA contends there is no evidence to date that a well-run dispensing collective leads to crime.
Consequently, they argue that it is - ultimately - unfair to stigmatize legal patients by treating their collective like a criminal or nuisance activity that warrants outright closure.
Rally Info:
Malibu Planning Commission Meeting
City Council Chambers, City Hall, 23815 Stuart Ranch Road, Malibu
June 3rd, 2008 / 6:30 pm
Info: don@safeaccessnow.org