CA: Medical marijuana forum planned for San Lorenzo

[ITG]

Medical marijuana forum planned for San Lorenzo
06/30/09 | The Daily Review | Jason Sweeney

SAN LORENZO — Local resident Brenda Carr thought an April 22 community forum on
medical marijuana was informative. But she sensed that the audience wanted even more information, she said.

So Carr has organized another forum, to be held 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday in the Community Center Auditorium, 377 Paseo Grande.

Panelists will discuss social, economic, political and legal issues related to the operation of marijuana dispensaries in unincorporated communities, Carr said.

"This forum is not to promote the usage of medical marijuana," she said. "The objective is to build bridges by providing information to our elected officials, local law enforcement and community members. We want community members to come. Please bring tough questions."

At the April forum, four Alameda County supervisors discussed proposed revisions to the county's medical marijuana ordinance and concerns surrounding medical marijuana dispensaries in the unincorporated areas.

"It's very understandable that people will have questions about dispensaries when they come into a community," said Dr. Amanda E. Reiman, an administrator and lecturer at the School of Social Welfare at UC Berkeley.

Reiman, who researched marijuana dispensaries in San Francisco and Berkeley for her doctoral dissertation, will be one of the panelists at Thursday's forum.

"One of my findings is that the clientele is going to reflect the composition of the community," she said.

"I really want to open the dialogue as far as what some of the options are for a community like San Lorenzo and what kind of model works best."

Carr, whose son operates a medical marijuana dispensary in San Mateo County, said San Lorenzo community members need to better understand medical marijuana and the public policy that regulates it.

"I don't want pot clubs in my neighborhood," she said. "I want medical marijuana clinics that provide a range of medical support services."

# If you're going What: Community forum on medical marijuana
# When: 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday
# Where: Community Center Auditorium, 377 Paseo Grande, San Lorenzo

Panelists:
# James Anthony, of Harborside Management Associates, a medical marijuana consulting firm
# Becky DeKeuster, community liaison for Berkeley Patients Group and the Berkeley Medical Cannabis Commission
# Matt Kumin, a civil rights attorney
# George Pappas, field coordinator for Americans for Safe Access
# Dr. Amanda E. Reiman, administrator and lecturer at the School of Social Welfare at UC Berkeley