HEADLINE: San Jose outlines pot club guidelines
Copyright (c) 1997, U.P.I.

BODY:
A published report says San Jose has become the first city in the United
States to regulate medical marijuana vendors like other local
businesses. The San Francisco Chronicle says today (Wednesday) the San
Jose city council has voted unanimously to allow medical marijuana
dispensaries to open for business in commercial districts. Mayor Susan
Hammer says San Jose understands the mandate of the people of California
to support Proposition 215, which legalized medical marijuana in the
state. Hammer says, ''We are going to regulate the land use for this
activity just like we regulate the land use for other activities bars,
restaurants, gas stations.'' The ordinance allows medical marijuana
dispensaries to open for business as long as they are located 150 feet
from residences and 500 feet from schools, day care centers and
churches. Marijuana cultivation is allowed under the ordinance, but
smoking inside the dispensaries is banned, and people under age 18 are
not allowed to enter. The measure allows marijuana sales only to
registered patients and their designated caregivers, and no delivery of
marijuana is permitted, except by a designated caregiver to a patient.
The dispensaries must be closed between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m., and comply
with recordkeeping requirements. There are about 15 medical marijuana
clubs in California, but the clubs have operated in a legal limbo.
Marijuana for any use is still forbidden by federal law.