BEVERLY DELAYS MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARY VOTE

Joining a host of other communities around Michigan, the Beverly Hills
Council voted Tuesday to place a 180-day moratorium on the
establishment of any medical marijuana dispensaries within the village.

"This resolution will protect the village until this matter is fully
vetted by the planning board and council," Village Attorney Tom Ryan
told the council. "I recommend that you approve it."

Ryan noted the moratorium has a reasonable limitation of six months
and an appeal measure for commercial property owners who feel the
action has a negative economic impact on the use of their land.

Voters in the state of Michigan approved a ballot measure in November
2008 that legalized medical marijuana. Since then, local communities
have been grappling over the bill's language and other compliance issues.

"It's pretty wide open," Councilwoman Rosanne Koss said about the
language. "I don't think when people went to the polls they were
thinking, 'Dispensary near you soon.' For myself, personally, I
thought it was like CVS where you go in there like you do with a
prescription."

Ryan agreed, describing the bill as a "broad brush proposal that
allowed the Legislature to fill in the blanks."

He also added the moratorium will not affect anyone who was issued a
medical marijuana card and using it in their own residence.

The moratorium took effect on July 21 and will remain in effect until
midnight on Jan. 16, 2011.