cannabisnews.com: Newsom Proposes New Rules on Pot Dispensaries





Newsom Proposes New Rules on Pot Dispensaries
Posted by CN Staff on January 17, 2009 at 09:20:42 PT
By Joshua Sabatini, Examiner Staff Writer
Source: San Francisco Examiner
San Francisco, CA -- Newsom’s proposal comes in the wake of state Attorney General Jerry Brown’s recent issuance of medical marijuana guidelines and as the tensions between medical pot club operators and federal authorities remain strained.The use and distribution of medical marijuana is legal under state and city law, but illegal under federal law. Medicinal marijuana clinics in several Bay Area cities have been raided and shut down by federal authorities; Newsom’s proposal seeks to protect clinics from such raids by tightening up the rules they operate under.
Newsom’s proposal amends existing city regulations to require pot clubs to maintain some form of membership records. Newsom initially proposed requiring the clubs to keep a list of names and address of customers, but that ignited outrage among medical marijuana advocates and subsequently was abandoned.The legislation also requires dispensaries to operate on a “not for profit” basis and, when requested by city health officials, provide financial records detailing revenues and expenses. Such records would be requested if there is “reasonable suspicion” the dispensary is operating for profit.Nine medical dispensaries have received city permits to operate and 14 others are going through the permitting process, according to the Department of Public Health.Newsom’s legislation was supported Thursday by the Board of Supervisors Rules committee and sent to the full board for a vote on Jan. 27.Catherine Dodd, Newsom’s deputy chief of staff, said the changes are “intended to protect the access and not make medical cannabis a for-profit industry.”Medical marijuana activist Michelle Aldridge praised Newsom’s proposal. “It solves our problem with the [attorney general’s] office and brings us more line.”Medical marijuana activist Wayne Justmann worried the information would end up in federal authorities’ hands and be used against patients and operators. Justmann also said the regulations overall are “paralyzing.” “Long gone are the days that four patients with $16,700 can set up a medical cannabis dispensary,” Justmann said.Source: San Francisco Examiner (CA)Author: Joshua Sabatini, Examiner Staff Writer Published: January 18, 2009Copyright: 2009 San Francisco ExaminerContact: letters sfexaminer.comWebsite: http://www.sfexaminer.com/URL: http://drugsense.org/url/OCrn9vcaRelated Articles:California Govt. Offers Guidelines for Pot Smokershttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread24147.shtmlMayor Backs Pot Clubs in Dispute With Fedshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread23827.shtml
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Comment #6 posted by FoM on January 18, 2009 at 06:50:50 PT
OverwhelmSam
We have gone way overboard pushing drugs on people and kids. I turned my back on pharmaceuticals a number of years ago. People have gotten really bizarre on those drugs. 
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Comment #5 posted by OverwhelmSam on January 18, 2009 at 03:59:50 PT
God DamnThe Real Drug Pusher Man
These dangerous thugs need to be brought down. So far all they get is fines.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_iXApBeT5s
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Comment #4 posted by Sam Adams on January 17, 2009 at 11:09:23 PT
whining in mass
the BS is getting shoveled on by the truckload:http://www.wickedlocal.com/wakefield/town_info/government/x1621247424/Enforcement-of-Question-2-law-leaves-police-in-a-cloud-of-smokehttp://www.wickedlocal.com/wakefield/news/x512387306/Decriminalization-is-not-legalizationhttp://www.wickedlocal.com/melrose/news/x497794714/Police-chief-seeks-additional-marijuana-penaltieshttp://www.wickedlocal.com/danvers/news/x2009614513/Danvers-Police-set-to-enforce-marijuana-law
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Comment #3 posted by ekim on January 17, 2009 at 10:55:28 PT
CA Governor has vetoed Hemp bill 
Yesterday Dr Chu answered questions at his confirmation hearing in the Senate to become the Energy Sec..He was asked what impact biofuels will play --He said that at Berkley now yeasts are being used to make simple sugars out of ag waste and fast growing grasses, which are producing gasoline and diesel fuels now. next question is -- With CA. lawmakers calling for the farmers to be allowed to grow Cannabis Hemp will you DR. Chu ask for Hemp to be studied in Berkley as a fast-growing grass.
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Comment #2 posted by mykeyb420 on January 17, 2009 at 10:09:04 PT
pot clubs are kaput
With these new rules, ( That will do nothing to protect anyone from the DEA ), many smaller clubs are going to be forced out of existance,,leaving only " BIG BUD " stores to THRIVE.
 How horrible the situation is to get through the Bush admin,,just to be taken out by our own elected officials. (BTW- Michelle Aldirch is the wife of Mike Aldrich,,the person who closed down Cannabis Helping Aleviate Medical Problems,,or CHAMP for NO REASON,,the most successful cannabis club in SF's history) And now they are trying again to hurt the sick and dying patients
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Comment #1 posted by Sam Adams on January 17, 2009 at 09:39:24 PT
destroy the middle class!
You can see where this is going - soon only gigantic corporations with a staff of 12 lawyers will be able to operate in this industry.Look at what they did with gambling in this country - another "vice" - instead of small casinos owned by local businessmen in the city centers, the way gambling is done in Europe - they set the laws up such that only investors with massive amount of moneys & lawyers can open a casino.Then they place them out in the middle of nowhere, so everyone has to burn gas to get there.Or of course, the government just runs the gambing rackets itself with Lottery games.
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