SURF CITY CONSIDERS MEDICAL MARIJUANA BAN

The Planning Commission on Tuesday Will Discuss a Proposal to Make
Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Illegal.

HUNTINGTON BEACH - Surf City is the latest city in Orange County to
consider a ban on medical marijuana dispensaries.

The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing Tuesday to discuss
the issue.

The city has no medical marijuana dispensaries. An application for
one in 2005 never panned out.

Recently, however, the city has received requests for a dispensary
permit from three Marina High School students, officials said.

At a July 24 study session, Planning Commission members Joe Shaw and
Devin Dwyer said they were concerned about federal and state
conflicts over the issue.

"We should wait until the dust settles on this and it hasn't," Dwyer
said. "I think it is a little ridiculous that we step into the fray."

Other cities considering a ban on the dispensaries include Fountain
Valley, Fullerton, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Seal Beach and Cypress.

The Huntington City Council voted in 2005 to permit medical marijuana
dispensaries in specified locations to comply with the state's
Compassionate Use Act, which allowed people to use marijuana in California.

At the time, a U.S. Supreme Court decision was pending on the state
act's relationship to the Federal Controlled Substances Act. In June
of that year, the court upheld the federal act.

A month after that decision, Mayor Gil Coerper asked the council to
reverse the city's law, but no action was taken.

A representative from Compassionate Caregivers on Behalf of Medical
Marijuana Patients told the commission last month that marijuana
dispensaries would bring the city more than $100,000 a month in revenues.

"This is for the betterment of the community and access for
legitimate patients," said Rob Wayman, 21, who is also trying to set
up a marijuana dispensary in Westminster.

The Planning Commission meets at 7 p.m. Tuesday in council chambers
at City Hall, 2000 Main St.