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Herb Ninja

Newsom declares moratorium on medical marijuana clubs

3-21-2005 | Suzanne Herel | San Francisco Chronicle

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom called for a moratorium today on medical marijuana clubs in the city after learning that one such clinic planned to open on the ground floor of a city-funded welfare hotel that is home to a number of recovering drug addicts.

"That obviously raised some concern, not just from the community, not just from our Departments of Human Services, but from the residents within the building themselves, who appropriately said, ‘Hey, I'm just trying to get away from drugs and alcohol and here you have a pot club downstairs,' " Newsom said.

"It was at that moment that our office started looking at a way we could amend all of our contracts with the Department of Human Services to restrict the ability to purchase ... units under the Care Not Cash program and restrict the use of medicinal marijuana clubs in those facilities."

The pot club that grabbed Newsom's attention was the Holistic Center, which plans to open this week on the ground floor of the All-Star Hotel in the Mission District. The hotel is among a dozen that serve welfare tenants under Newsom's Care Not Cash program.

Since state voters passed Proposition 215 in 1996, legalizing the use of medicinal marijuana, San Francisco has become home to more than 30 percent of the state's 125-plus dispensaries, Newsom said. However, it's difficult to pinpoint exactly how many such clinics operate in the city, he said, because they are not regulated.

There are no legal requirements in San Francisco to show an identification card when purchasing marijuana, no licensing or permitting necessary for clubs, and no restrictions on prices or client age.

"We have frankly -- let me be straight and honest -- been lax on this," Newsom said. "I will take personal criticism to the extent that I am the mayor of San Francisco, that I have not been diligent, and nor has the elected family been diligent, in the oversight.

"I believe in the core of my cores that medicinal marijuana is appropriate and right," Newsom said. "That being said, I also think there needs to be some common sense and grounding as it relates to the proliferation of these clubs in San Francisco."

"We're on a path -- this is hyperbole -- but we are conceivably walking down a path that would allow for a club on every street corner in San Francisco," Newsom said.

He pointed to other California municipalities that have regulated the clinics, including Oakland, which recently capped the number of medical marijuana clinics at four.

"What may be appropriate for Oakland may not be appropriate for San Francisco, but clearly there's some precedent," Newsom said.

Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier plans to introduce an emergency ordinance for a moratorium at Tuesday's Board of Supervisors meeting that could be passed as early as next week. It will require approval from nine of the 11 supervisors for passage.

Board President Aaron Peskin said that he would support the mayor's initiative.

"It seems reasonable," he said. "Right now, it is the only manner of land use that's not regulated. It's not a matter of, are you for or against them. They should be subject to the same rules we use for everything from restaurants to adult theaters."

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Buzzby

Would the mayor object to having a pharmacy stocked with morphine, oxycodone, Percodan, six kinds of amphetamines, and eight kinds of barbiturates on the ground floor of this welfare hotel? What's the difference?

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Rothschild1133

I can stand this type of bull****!,Weed is a great medicine ask the easterners

killer12382

OMG......we got to have some common sense when attempting to set these things up. Setting up a marijuana distribution point next to a drug rehab home for the poor is STUPID......JACKA$$ STUPID. To the people who plan these things, one bit of advice.....put down the pipe and sober up before attempting to think these things out.

Cassius

The difference between the MMJ operation and a pharmacy is that, all those drugs you listed require a doctor's prescription and proof of such before they will hand over the drugs, whereas they said in the article that the way things are no you don't have to show ID or proof of medical necessity, let alone AGE, when purchasing the marijuana.

I'm all for MMJ outfits -- hell, I'm all for unregulated MMJ outlets (except for age, probably) -- but I think this was asking to become an issue if people that open such places are stupid enough to do it on the ground floor of a hotel with rehab patients in it. Of course, I'd like to know (and the article doesn't mention) how big this hotel is, and what percentage of it are rehab patients, and on which floor they reside.

I also have to say that, I'm very impressed with how Newsom seems to be considering both sides. He said several things that shows that he's clearly not anti-pot, and it's good to see that for a change from an in-office politician (even if he's probably only doing it because of the local political climate and how much support there is for MMJ there). But it's still rare to hear... I wish I lived there =(

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{ Cassius, Your Humble Narrator }
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Stephanie S.

Cassius, yout took the words right off my fingertips!

peace

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"See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda." —George W. Bush, Greece, N.Y., May 24, 2005 (Listen to audio)

killer12382

If it was next door then it was too close. We all need to understand that this is a battle for the hearts and minds of the average Joe. The drug warriors will run with this. I can hear them now....drug addicts don't need to be near dope....the drug addicts are using medpot.......medpot is harming the addicts attempts to get better. You see where I'm going with this.

Unregistered

so can anyone buy pot there? it sounds like it

Herb Ninja

MAYOR PROHIBITS OPERATION OF MARIJUANA CLUBS IN SOBRIETY FACILITIES

3-22-2005 | CBS

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom announced today that the city will prohibit medicinal marijuana clubs from operating in facilities that house city-funded substance abuse programs.

The policy changes are effective immediately, the mayor said in a written statement.

Newsom's action comes after reports that a medicinal marijuana club has located in a Mission District-based supportive-housing facility. The facility houses formerly homeless people who aim to overcome substance abuse.

The city has a responsibility to provide a clean, healthy environment for people who are trying to get back on their feet, the mayor said in his statement.

Newsom also announced today that a city group will complete a comprehensive examination of existing medicinal marijuana clubs. The group will include city Treasurer Jose Cisneros, officials from the city attorney's office, and people from the public health, human services and planning departments.

Newsom asked that the task force report back to policy makers within 30 days.

Today's announcement comes a day after the mayor declared a de facto moratorium on new medicinal marijuana clubs in the city.

deltron4263

i am a mmj patient and live in the san francisco area. the article states that you dont need to show identification to purchase marijuana. that is false. every heard of a cannabis club card? they dont just let you anybody walk into these clubs as they please. along with showing your card most clubs also require you to show your california state id. just thought you all should know that.