GARDEN GROVE BANS MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES

City Council Members Say They Are Concerned About Regulating These
Businesses and Their Negative Effect on Neighborhoods

GARDEN GROVE - City Council members voted to pass an ordinance
banning medical marijuana dispensaries.

Several people spoke against the proposed ordinance on dispensaries
at Tuesday night's council meeting. No one spoke in favor of the ban.

Council members voted 4-1 for the ordinance prohibiting the
dispensaries, with Councilman Mark Rosen casting the sole dissenting vote.

Rosen said he would like more information from police about an
existing unauthorized medical marijuana clinic in Garden Grove.

"I'd like to find out if this facility has had any negative impacts
on the community," he said.

Police officials said no incidents were reported at or near the
dispensary on Brookhurst Street in the seven months it has operated.
Several speakers at the meeting also said they have been buying their
marijuana from this business popularly known among users as "Unit D.".

Police officials confirmed that the business at that location was
licensed as a dance studio but operating as a medical marijuana
dispensary. No children were seen there taking dance lessons, officials said.

Joe Byron, the owner of the dispensary in question, told the council
that he was not operating covertly and in fact has a general retail
license from the city to do business. He said the business at the
location before his was a dance studio.

"We weren't trying to be covert or sneaky," he said. "In fact, we do
quite a bit of Internet marketing."

But the rest of the council was firmly in support of the ban.

Councilwoman Dina Nguyen said she sympathizes with patients who need
marijuana to ease their pain but believes the clinics would put more
strain on the city's Police Department, which is already short-staffed.

Councilman Steve Jones said the city should not be made to decide on
an issue the state and the federal governments have yet to agree on.
Mayor Bill Dalton said he doesn't support it because it is not
"regulated right."

"I just don't think this is the way marijuana should be dispensed," he said.

Users of medical marijuana who spoke at the meeting said they'd
rather buy their medication from an authorized dispensary.

"It's a much safer environment than trying to get it from a dealer on
the street," said Jason Andrews.

Others said they would have to drive as far as Lake Forest to get
their medication if Garden Grove bans the dispensaries.

The city considered the ban based on the Police Department's
recommendation. Police Chief Joseph Polisar in his report said other
communities have seen adverse affects ranging from burglaries and
robberies to assaults and murders in and around the dispensaries.

Some Orange County cities with moratoriums or permanent bans on pot
dispensaries include Buena Park, Fullerton, Mission Viejo, Santa Ana,
Tustin, Huntington Beach and Placentia. Laguna Woods last week became
the first local city to pass an ordinance allowing medical marijuana
dispensaries.