In 1996 Prop 215 in the
state of California created the Compassionate Use of marijuana law, which
allowed Californians who could get a Doctor’s recommendation to use marijuana
for medical purposes. In 2003 the legislature passed SB420 to set up a
medical Identification Card system to help protect medical marijuana users from
arrest. The id cards are voluntary. In 2009 the Obama Administration made it
clear that the DEA would not raid or prosecute people who used medicinal
marijuana or doctors who recommended it under the guidelines adopted by states
with laws permitting medicinal use of marijuana. In 2009 the Supreme Court
refused to hear the County of San
Diego’s appeal of their suit refusing to issue medical marijuana
identification cards. In
July of 2009 the County of San Diego started to issue these cards and has
issued around 100 so far. Cities in the county also started to pass moratoriums
on medical marijuana dispensaries in 2009 because they wanted time to study how
they should be regulated. AB390 or
some similar bill may come to a vote in the California legislature sometime in
2010, which would legalize recreational use of marijuana and clear up some of
the confusion about cultivation and purity.
On July 21, 2009 the Chula Vista
city council passed an emergency ordinance. Click
here and go to 50:25 to see the discussion about an Emergency Ordinance to
adopt a 45-day moratorium on Medical Marijuana Dispensaries in Chula Vista.
On August 10 at Salt
Creek Park Community Center Councilman Rudy Ramirez held his normal monthly
office hours. The meeting was about Medicinal Marijuana. Over 20 people
attended and discussed their opinions about medicinal marijuana. Many of the
people there related experiences with pain and nausea from cancer and
chemotherapy. They explained how marijuana provided some relief from pain and
the ability to keep food down. They welcomed regulation, but asked for the
chance to have safe local access.
On August 24, 2009 the Southwest Chula Vista Civic Association hosted
a presentation on Medicinal Marijuana that was attended by 71 people. The
purpose of the presentation was to present facts so that the community could begin
to have a thoughtful dialogue over what regulations should be considered for
adoption by the city of Chula Vista. The person who prepared the PowerPoint
talked with city officials, doctors, and police officers state wide in order to
provide an unemotional resource for citizens wanting to know more. THIS IS THE PRESENTATION PRESENTED.
On August 27, 2009 the Northwest
Civic Association, Southbay Forum
and the Southwest Civic Chula Vista
Association will host a forum where the two sides will debate the issue. Introductory
remarks by the two young men who want to open a dispensary in CV: part one, part two. Introductory
remarks by Steve Walters,
SD County Deputy District Attorney. Response by Anakka Hartwell, licensed Social
Worker & answer by DDA. Two exchanges between another patient advocate
and DDA where the patient Advocate from Escondido tries to get the DDA to take
some responsibility or to at least acknowledge some of what is occurring in the
County. Exchange one. Exchange Two. Closing remarks by panelists.
On September 1, 2009 the Chula Vista city council will consider
extending the moratorium to ten months and 15 days to give them more time to
work on possible ordinances and to wait for the final decision on the Anaheim
case, which will determine if cities can refuse to permit dispensaries. The Agenda packet
for this item (14) includes the analysis of the CV City Attorney, the
Attorney General’s Guidelines, sample ordinances from Clovis, San Francisco,
West Hollywood, and Anaheim, and a White Paper from the Police Chief’s Association
in California.