TEHAMA BARS MEDICAL POT DISPENSARIES; PERMANENT BAN GOES INTO EFFECT IN JULY

RED BLUFF - Those looking to get medical marijuana from a dispensary
in Tehama County will have to look elsewhere.

Some 18 months after it held its first study session on the issue,
the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously this week to ban the shops
in the unincorporated area of the county.

The ordinance goes into effect 30 days from Tuesday's adoption,
Assistant County Counsel Arthur Wylene said, replacing a temporary
prohibition due to expire.

In May, after several study sessions, the board sent two ordinances
to the county Planning Commission for review. The second draft
stopped short of a ban, but limited the number of dispensaries to one
and required a licensed medical professional to be on site at all times.

The commission met twice on the proposals, recommending June 9 that
the board adopt the ban and not the regulatory ordinance.

Supervisor George Russell has argued the second option was tantamount
to a ban, given the unlikelihood anyone would risk a medical license
to dispense cannabis.

"They can end up in jail," he said Wednesday. He favored the ban for
other reasons as well, including the increased burden dispensaries
would load on the sheriff's office and the apparent lack of interest.

"I have not had one call from people saying, 'I can't get my medical
marijuana,' " Russell said, noting that people could drive to
Redding, where there are numerous dispensaries. The cultivation law
the board passed last year drew more interest, he added.

In a telephone message Wednesday, board Chairman Gregg Avilla also
noted there had been "very few public comments" regarding the
dispensary proposals.

"I think everybody had their say," he said.

In voting with his colleagues, Supervisor Ron Warner held the
position he's maintained all along that abuse is rampant.

"I know people who use it and need it, but this medical marijuana
thing has been so misused that it's a farce," he said Wednesday.
"It's ruined it for the people that really need it."

Contacted Wednesday, Sheriff Dave Hencratt said he supported the
dispensary ban in part because "they're illegal. There's no provision
in the state law that says you can have a dispensary. I think the
board was wise in their choice because they're listening to their
constituents."

In addition, he's not disappointed his already strapped department
won't have to start policing medical marijuana outlets on top of its
other law enforcement responsibilities.

"From a professional standpoint, we really do have enough to do
without having to deal with something else," he said.