GROWERS REACT TO CITY MORATORIUM ON MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES

The City Council on Tuesday unanimously passed a temporary ordinance
that prevents the establishment and operation of medical marijuana
dispensaries.

The moratorium lasts for 45 days, but can be extended for up to two
years.

Dixon passed a similar moratorium last month. Sacramento and San
Francisco have been more friendly, allowing dispensaries and cannabis
clubs.

The staff report sited many reasons for the moratorium, including
studies that show a rise in crime surrounding marijuana dispensaries.
In the City Council meeting, City Attorney Andrew Morris said the
moratorium will buy the city some time to decide how to regulate
medical cannabis.

There was one alteration to the original ordinance after Morris and
local medical marijuana activist Bobby Harris had a long talk about
the bill. Harris pointed out the wording of the ordinance was too
narrow, limiting distribution in dispensaries to only primary caregivers.

Morris changed the ordinance to expand the definition of medical
marijuana dispensary to any facility or location where a primary
caregiver, qualified patient or identification card holder, provides
medical marijuana to anyone, even if they are qualified with a doctor
recommendation.

Harris works with a medical marijuana collective and said he sees the
ordinance as a possible threat, although he's for limiting storefront
dispensing operations, which he says drive prices high, "gouging" patients.

Harris advocates a $200-an-ounce price cap to keep the drug affordable
for patients and protect them from black market dealers.

Harris utilizes medical marijuana for his post-traumatic stress
disorder and alcoholism. He was arrested in 1990 for cultivation, the
case was dismissed in 2008.

Doug and Cheri Barr spoke out against the moratorium in the public
forum. Doug was diagnosed with cancer in 2006 and cannabis helped
relieve symptoms of the treatment. Cheri said they couldn't afford the
high cost of marijuana and decided to start growing the plant.

"The State of California gave us guidelines, I abide by those
guidelines," Cheri said. She opened her dispensary, City and County of
Trees Patient Care Center, shortly after they started growing.

At that point, the city moratorium on dispensaries had lapsed.

Cheri said they will continue business, although they no longer have a
physical location. She said she is a state-licensed seller and to her
knowledge did everything according to state law.

Cheri and Doug have multiple felony charges against them, including
maintaining a place where drugs are sold, possession of drugs for
sale, and child endangerment (because of the proximity of drugs to
children in the Barrs' care) in 2008. Doug is charged with alleged
possession and transportation of methamphetamines in 2007.

Cheri is suing the City of Woodland and UC Davis regarding this
issue.

The prosecuting attorney, Deputy District Attorney Rob Gorman, said,
"(The Barrs are) certainly charged with a number of offenses related
to an ongoing drug operation."

The couple is out on bail with a trial set for January 11, 2010.