WAIT FOR VOTERS ON POT DECISION

A move by Supervisor Mike Antonovich to ban medical marijuana
dispensaries to unincorporated areas of the county is premature, given
that California voters will be asked whether they want to legalize the
drug in a few months.

With the November ballot initiative to legalize and tax marijuana
sales looming large, many local governments have decided to put off
any final decisions. Right now, the verdict could tip either way. In
the latest poll from the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of
California, 49% of likely voters think marijuana use should be made
legal, 48% do not and 3% are undecided.

Given the down-to-the-wire vote, and possible legal challenges to
follow, it seems reasonable to put off any changes to local
regulations that will have major effects on law enforcement strategies
and personal choices until after the people and courts have decided
the issue.

After all, we're not just talking about recreational use here. As one
pot dispensary owner put it, some medical marijuana patients who have
difficulty traveling rely on nearby options, especially those who live
in more rural areas. That is, the unincorporated areas of our county.

In Glendale, city attorneys have been holding off as they evaluate the
ever-changing legal landscape. Meanwhile, a moratorium has deflected
several applications to open dispensaries inside city boundaries.

The county Board of Supervisors would do well to follow suit. If
voters reject the legalization bid, fine. But if they don't, it will
be much easier to adjust to all the legal ramifications without a now
legally dubious ban. Let's be sure we know the boundaries first before
committing to a strategy.