PARENTS OF PRESCHOOLERS DON'T WANT MEDICAL POT SHOPS NEXT DOOR

Soquel Preschool Is Next Door to Store That Specializes in Ice Cream-Laced Pot

SOQUEL - Cathy LaTorre, who runs a preschool just off Paul Sweet
Road, was shocked this summer when she discovered that the business
opening next door to her was a medical marijuana dispensary.

"I saw it in the newspaper, and then a parent came in and said what
are you going to do about this," said LaTorre, whose school and
toddler care program serves 128 families, some of whom are concerned
their kid might be exposed to the drug. "Parents want to go to work
knowing their child is in a safe place. They don't want to worry
about medical marijuana."

The Secret Garden Too is not the only place where young children are
in close proximity to marijuana dispensaries. And to the dismay of
LaTorre and others, plans by the county to regulate the sale of
medical pot don't include restrictions around preschools.

The concern is one of several that surfaced Tuesday when the county
Board of Supervisors publicly unveiled its draft regulations for
medical marijuana dispensaries. The proposed rules, which cover the
county's unincorporated communities, are an effort to rein in an
industry that until now has gone largely unchecked.

While not addressing preschools, the draft regulation makes sure
marijuana sales are kept at a distance from older children, banning
dispensaries within 600 feet of all kindergarten-through-grade 12
schools. Many believe this is more than sufficient.

"I don't think that we should perpetuate the myth that people who use
(medical marijuana) are criminals," said Santa Cruz resident and
parent Martha Montelongo. "I can't believe we have the restrictions
that we do in a community that's supposed to be open-minded like Santa Cruz."

The proposed ordinance is modeled largely after state guidelines,
which do not call for limiting medical marijuana dispensaries around
preschools.

Jonathan Kolodinski, founder of the dispensary Creme De Canna - next
door to Secret Garden Too - says there's a reason for this.

"There's really no evidence to suggest that we're putting the
children at risk," Kolodinski said, noting that not only is there no
safety problem but preschool children aren't of age to understand marijuana.

LaTorre, however, remains concerned about Creme De Canna's signature
product, marijuana-laced ice cream, and the possibility of it getting
into the hands of the kids she's responsible for.

"I just want to make sure that as someone is driving out of there,
they don't toss an ice cream cup over the fence," she said.

The preschool has been operating on Salisbury Drive for four years.

The Board of Supervisors, which expects to consider the public
testimony offered Tuesday and return with a final ordinance within 10
months, is divided on whether to allow dispensaries near preschools.

Similar concern about the sale of pot around children emerged in
Boulder Creek earlier this year. A medical marijuana storefront
opened across the street from the Boulder Creek Recreation and Park
District, where a playground and community center cater to young kids.

No problems have been reported there.

Beyond the location of dispensaries, the county's proposed ordinance
outlines how the dispensary managers should do business. The
dispensaries must run as cooperatives, where cultivation and sale of
the drug is done by members, and none can operate for profit.

Responding to questions raised Tuesday by the dozens attending the
supervisors meeting, the board promised more specifics on how the
dispensaries will be held financially accountability, what kind of
advertising would be permitted and whether or not safety testing
would be required of the drug.

Supervisors also continued a moratorium on the opening of new
dispensaries until a final ordinance is in place.

And there's still the question about preschools.

"Having an ice cream (marijuana) dispensary near preschools," said
Meghan Kinney, whose two children attend the Secret Garden Too, "I
think we can all agree is not the way we should proceed."

Proposed rules for pot dispensaries

The county has drafted an ordinance to regulate the growing number of
medical marijuana outlets in unincorporated communities. Among the
tenets of the draft regulations are:

* Dispensaries must technically be 'cooperatives,' where members grow
and sell the drug.

* Cooperatives can operate only in areas zoned for commercial use.
They can't open within 600 feet of a grade school and must get county
approval to open within 300 feet of a home.

* Hours of operation are limited to 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. if the co-op is
within 50 feet of a home.

* No marijuana can be ingested on site.

* Co-ops are limited to one identifying sign.

* All marijuana must be labeled as grown indoors or outdoors and
whether pesticides were used to cultivate the crop.

* Advertising of the sale of marijuana is prohibited, though limited
advertising of the co-op is allowed.