WHITTIER MAY BAN MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES

WHITTIER - City officials here appear poised to reverse ground and ban
medical marijuana dispensaries.

The action could come after nearly 2 1/2 years ago when the Whittier
City Council voted 3-2 to allow such businesses with a limited area in
the city.

But the council voted 3-2 earlier this week to direct staff to draft
an ordinance prohibiting them.

"I went for it the last time because they were proposing an honest
legitimate business," said Councilman Greg Nordbak who in 2006 had
voted for the ordinance restricting, but allowing the
dispensaries.

"They were anything but," he said. "For all those reasons until they
clean up their act, I won't support it a second time."

Nordbak is referring to a now-closed Whittier Collective medical
marijuana dispensary in the Washington-Whittier Medical Center.

He was joined by Councilwoman Cathy Warner, who had opposed the
ordinance in 2006 and Councilman Joe Vinatieri, who wasn't on the
council at the time.

Warner said there were problems about the Whittier
Collective.

"The dispensary happened to be next door to a dental office that I
visit," she said. "That dental office would complain that the smell of
marijuana was coming into their office through the heating and
ventilation system.

Mayor Bob Henderson, who had supported the ordinance in 2006, and
Councilman Owen Newcomer, who had opposed it, this time opposed making
any changes.

Henderson said that to his knowledge the previous dispensary always
followed all of the city rules.

"The police never had an incident at that location," he
said.

This new direction could affect a Pico Rivera-based non-profit group,
Seventh and Hope, that has a lease to to open a dispensary at 8116
Byron Road, Suite D.

The group filed an application with the city and is now doing minor
revisions.

"It's really disappointing news," said Katherine Clifton, attorney for
the group that is made up of Dolores Enriquez, her son, Robert Ortiz,
and friend, Sandra Newby.

Clifton said she just found out Thursday and hadn't had a chance to
get reaction from her clients.

But she called the decision disillusioning.

"They're welcoming new businesses on one hand and at the same time
unrealistically proscribing a business that the California state
Legislature and public has put their stamp approval on," Clifton said.

Clifton also said that her clients were not involved with the Whittier
Collective.

Newcomer said he changed his mind because the federal government now
is saying they will enforce the law in states where medical marijuana
is legal.

"We have an ordinance and applications," Newcomer said. "If we try to
revoke them, what we'll end up with is a lawsuit and the cost to deal
with this situation. The federal government has changed its position.
I've changed my position."

Vinatier said he isn't as worried because a number of cities,
including La Mirada and Pico Rivera, have banned them and not been
sued.