EL CENTRO APPROVES MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES

It's official: Medical marijuana dispensaries will be allowed in a
Valley city.

After more than a year of discussion, the El Centro City Council
approved an ordinance Tuesday night to allow dispensaries within the
city limits.

Up to two dispensaries will be allowed in specified areas of the city.
The zones for medical marijuana are on two portions of Imperial Avenue
- - from Ocotillo Drive to Ross Avenue, and from Pico Avenue to the
northern city limits - and two portions of South Fourth Street - from
Interstate 8 to Ross Avenue, and from Heil to Olive avenues.

Two questions remained for the council from last month's discussion
having to do with dealing with edible medical marijuana products and
mobile dispensaries.

Food containing medical marijuana can be sold in dispensaries, but
there can't be a kitchen on site, said Planning Director Norma M.
Villicana. There were issues from the county Public Health
Department's perspective because groups like the Federal Drug
Administration don't recognize marijuana as a food additive, but
rather as a drug.

Mobile dispensaries will also be allowed, but only under specific
instances, Villicana said. Mobile dispensaries are required to be
lawful medical cannabis dispensaries in another jurisdiction and have
an El Centro business license. If a mobile dispensary wants to be in
El Centro it would have to be one of the two dispensaries allowed in
the city.

The ordinance to allow dispensaries was approved with a 5-0 vote.