LET THE VOTERS DECIDE

Some members of the San Diego City Council seem confused by the
successful referendum drive challenging the new land-use restrictions
on storefront collectives that sell medical marijuana. One council
member wants to repeal the ordinance because it's not strong enough.
Another wants to repeal it because it's too strong. Council member
Marti Emerald has it right: Let the people decide.

The ordinance, adopted by the council in April, requires medical
marijuana dispensaries to shut down and apply for a permit to reopen.
New dispensaries would be limited to certain commercial and industrial
zones and would have to be at least 600 feet from any schools,
playgrounds, libraries, child-care and youth centers, parks, churches
or other dispensaries.

Opponents launched a referendum campaign and officials reported this
week that sufficient valid signatures had been collected to force the
council to either repeal the ordinance or put it before voters on the
June 5, 2012, ballot.

The matter is likely to be on the council's agenda July 25 or
26.

It was voters who decided in the first place back in 1996 that they
wanted to have legal access to marijuana for medical purposes. San
Diego voters should be the ones to now decide whether the resulting
mess should be cleaned up with these sensible restrictions.