THE FACTS ABOUT POT DISPENSARY

Regarding your story last week, "Westlake City Council nixes medical
marijuana dispensary," these are the facts.

To open a medical marijuana collective in Los Angeles County you must
have a state seller's permit, a nonprofit mutual benefit corporation
set up, liability insurance for a collective and a lease from a
building owner spelling out medical marijuana collective operations.

In some cases, a conditional use permit is needed as different cities
require additional business licenses to operate.

In the city of Westlake Village, no business license is required, no
conditional use permit is available for a medical marijuana
collective, there is no moratorium prohibiting this type of business,
there is no operating ordinance to follow for a collective, and there
is nothing in the zoning codes of the city of Westlake Village which
is either for or against a collective.

Amazing Healing Supply had offered the City Council help in developing
an ordinance prior to opening, its request ignored.

AHS believes that if a business such as a collective is not currently
covered in a code it is permissable and that all new business types
cannot reasonably be included in a city code.

AHS had approached the city to inquire about opening, but the response
was negative although AHS had not found a location as yet, an
exhibition of bias before the facts.

Messages were left with the mayor's office several times and there
were no return calls.

AHS found a sound location and went above and beyond its obligations
to be a good neighbor to the community. A fulltime security was hired
to patrol both inside and out, including surrounding businesses.

The surrounding businesses were contacted in hopes of arriving at a
workable plan to satisfy all parties, but at the local homeowner's
meeting, AHS was not granted any time for discussion.

AHS has offered, although it would be at great cost to the owner, to
move to another site within the city of Westlake Village that would be
acceptable

It would seem that for the millions of people who voted to have
medicinal marijuana legalized in California, and the many thousands of
patients in need of their medicine, Westlake Village has shown that it
really doesn't matter what we do. Unless we actually make a stand for
what we believe to be right, our voices aren't always heard.

Closing Amazing Healing Supply and other collectives only serves to
deny patients in this and all surrounding communities safe access and
a secure feeling while trying to obtain their medicine.

Guess it's back to dark alleys. What a shame.

Ron Glantz

Agoura Hills