MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES HAVE THEIR PLACE

Woodland's City Council acted correctly in directing planners to
create the necessary zoning ordinances to accommodate medical
marijuana dispensaries.

The fact the city doesn't have such an ordinance only reflects the
problem of the city catching up with state law which provides for
medical use of marijuana to alleviate pain and suffering for those
with painful illnesses.

Many state law enforcement officers have had the good sense to leave
well enough alone and allow those growing marijuana for personal use
to live their lives unmolested. Just recently police in the area
learned of a "pot patch" growing in a backyard. Investigating, they
discovered the grower had cancer and was smoking marijuana to
alleviate the pain. No citation was issued.

As we see it, there is nothing wrong with a marijuana dispensary as
long as there is a true medical need that can be substantiated by
legitimate health-care providers. We would not want to be in a
position of denying a person with cancer, HIV or AIDS, the chance to
reduce their pain. That's cruel.

To our way of thinking, a medical marijuana dispensary is no different
than a pharmacist, or herbalist. We have those businesses located in
the downtown core as well as in city shopping plazas. Those firms
offer treatment for clients and pay taxes, so a dispensary should be
treated no differently.

We recognize that initially there will be problems primarily from
those people who are opposed to marijuana use in any form, or those
who simply want to be "cute" and try to score a joint or two even
though they have no medical need.

But we are confident that with time, the novelty will wear off and the
businesses will be treated no differently than any other
pharmaceutical firm.