cannabisnews.com: Oakland Pot Expansion a Step Closer
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Oakland Pot Expansion a Step Closer
Posted by CN Staff on July 14, 2010 at 04:53:13 PT
By Angela Woodall, Oakland Tribune
Source: Oakland Tribune
California -- Oakland inched toward a plan to allow industrial-scale production of medical marijuana, sparking a lively debate between supporters and opponents who filled the Public Safety Committee meeting Tuesday evening. The proposal crafted by City Councilmembers Larry Reid and Rebecca Kaplan would prompt the first major expansion six years after Oakland first authorized the distribution of medical marijuana in dispensaries.
The Committee voted 3-1 in favor of the plan to license large-scale indoor cultivation of medical marijuana generally grown by either small growers or in illicit warehouses. Both are poorly regulated, according to a staff report prepared for Kaplan and Reid. If approved by the committee and full City Council, four large growers would be permitted in the first year. Some opponents Tuesday argued that four is too few. One grower said he embraced regulation but argued that the plan would force medium- and small-scale cultivators to close down, move, or "go back underground into the dark ages."Others argued that the expansion goes too far, too fast.The ordinance doesn't yet set a limit on the size of the large cultivators. But it would take 45,000 square feet to produce the 6,000 pounds of cannabis consumed annually through Oakland medical dispensaries, according to Kaplan and Reid's report. Reid said the plan is only a start. Under their plan, the growers would have to be cooperatives, in keeping with California law. They would also have to pay $5,000 for a permit and a $210,000 regulatory fee. Along with a $60,000 dispensary permit fee, the revenue would be used to pay for the more than $1.2 million Kaplan and Reid estimated will be needed to run the expanded program, including Oakland police, tax auditors and other staff. The plan also would permit Oakland's four licensed dispensaries to sell to retailers across California. Those dispensaries generated $28 million in gross sales in 2009. The Public Safety Committee, however, postponed a proposal to increase the number of dispensaries to six. Elsewhere, cities have recognized the benefit of regulating and expanding the lucrative industry, which has generated new jobs and businesses.Berkeley recently took steps toward expanding the city's medical marijuana industry. The City Council voted to place two proposed laws on the November ballot allowing as many as 11 large-scale medical marijuana producers. Likewise, Mendocino County upped the limit on outdoor pot farms that have permits from 25 to 99 plants per land parcel.Source: Oakland Tribune (CA)Author: Angela Woodall, Oakland TribunePublished: July 13, 2010Copyright: 2010 MediaNews Group, Inc. Contact: triblet angnewspapers.com Website: http://www.oaklandtribune.com/URL: http://drugsense.org/url/2LfGZ3WdCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
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Comment #11 posted by FoM on July 15, 2010 at 03:57:35 PT
John Tyler
I agree. When I read of people putting lots of money into buildings etc. by the time they would recover the cost of the investment tobacco companies will come in and take over the large operations. Bigger in the long run won't necessarily be the ones that will survive in a captalistic society. My husband and I have been self employed since 86 first in satellite tv then video then trucking. That's just the way it is.
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Comment #10 posted by John Tyler on July 14, 2010 at 20:56:30 PT
big tobacco
You are correct. If the tobacco companies wanted to, they could do it. They have the farms all over the southeast at the ready, transportation, machinery for packaging, and infrastructure for distribution and retailing. If they see the chance they will go for it, because that is what business does. If a business doesn’t make money, it’s not a business. That said, I still think there will be lots of opportunity for smaller operators to make a good living.
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Comment #9 posted by FoM on July 14, 2010 at 20:07:49 PT
John Tyler
I was telling a friend we had visiting from out of state about all the hoopla about money. I said I don't know what everyone thinks is the big deal because when cannabis is legal the tobacco companies will move in and blow the doors off of even the biggest grower. He looked at me and said I was absolutely right. He said that is how captalism works.
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Comment #8 posted by John Tyler on July 14, 2010 at 19:50:09 PT
gonna happen
This is why I think full legalization is inevitable. The tipping point has been tipped in favor of legalization. The media is even calling it an industry. Politicians are thinking what used to be unthinkable. Look at the money they were talking about for just one operation in one town. The politicians and other city bureaucrats are lining up for their portion. It’s about the money. There is perceived to be money in the cannabis industry and everybody wants to get some of it. If it has to be legal to make it happen, then it will be made legal again.
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Comment #7 posted by FoM on July 14, 2010 at 12:29:19 PT
konagold
Thank you for the link.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #6 posted by FoM on July 14, 2010 at 12:28:46 PT
Weed Wars: Pot Legalization Ballot Statements
Weed Wars: Pot Legalization Ballot Statements Offer Starkly Different RealitiesJuly 17, 2010URL: http://www.modbee.com/2010/07/14/1251967/weed-wars-pot-legalization-ballot.html
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Comment #5 posted by konagold on July 14, 2010 at 12:01:35 PT
FoM; Berkeley’s plan found on Drudge
http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local-beat/Let-the-Marijuana-Money-Grab-Begin-98410309.html
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Comment #4 posted by runruff on July 14, 2010 at 11:58:12 PT
Oakland's police chief...
...does not understand the concept: "to render ones self irrelevant".
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #3 posted by Had Enough on July 14, 2010 at 09:43:37 PT
PUFMM needs your help!!!
Kurt K Wadsworth Jr. wrote: WE need petitioners at this event !!!!!
Sarasota 07/15-07/17 !Vinyl Music Festival The Vinyl Music Festival is the first electronic music festival on the gulf coast of Florida. The festival celebrates artists from around the world as well as local artists. The festival is a four day event that is held in multiple venues located in downtown Sarasota,... Florida. With over twenty artists performing, the Vinyl Music Festival will attract thousands of people throughout the region and bring a new excitement for electronic music. ***People United for Medical Marijuanahttp://www.pufmm.org/http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=127343055695
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Comment #2 posted by Had Enough on July 14, 2010 at 09:24:30 PT
Oakland’s Police layoffs & the 44 situations
Oakland's police chief is making some dire claims about what his force will and will not respond to if layoffs go as planned.Chief Anthony Batts listed exactly 44 situations that his officers will no longer respond to and they include grand theft, burglary, car wrecks, identity theft and vandalism. He says if you live and Oakland and one of the above happens to you, you need to let police know on-line.Some 80 officers were to be let go at midnight last night if a last-minute deal was not reached. That's about ten percent of the work force.and...Here's a partial list:burglarytheftembezzlementgrand theftgrand theft:dogidentity theftfalse information to peace officerrequired to register as sex or arson offenderdump waste or offensive matterdiscard appliance with lockloud musicpossess forged notespass fictitious checkobtain money by false voucherfraudulent use of access cardsstolen license plateembezzlement by an employee (over $ 400)extortionattempted extortionfalse personification of otherinjure telephone/ power lineinterfere with power lineunauthorized cable tv connectionvandalismadminister/expose poison to another'sNegotiations are going on at Oakland City Hall in the mayor's office. Batts said the 80 officers slated to be laid off - mostly new officers - are "pretty sad and pretty depressed," and those feelings are shared by the Police Department as a whole.Pretty stunning.. that list is the bulk of everyday police work.***Click to see the whole thing...with comments...http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local-beat/Suffer-These-Crimes-in-Oakland-Dont-Call-the-Cops-98266509.html
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on July 14, 2010 at 05:14:41 PT
Oakland OK's Plan To License Pot Growers
Tuesday, July 13, 2010URL: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2010/07/13/state/n155332D24.DTL
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