SUPERVISORS VOTE TO BAN MARIJUANA COLLECTIVES, BUT NOT
IMMEDIATELY

Kern County supervisors took the first step toward banning the sale of
medical marijuana though organized, nonprofit collectives and
cooperatives in county areas Tuesday over the objections of a crowd
that filled their chambers and marched down Truxtun Avenue.

The Board of Supervisors could have slammed the plan into place
immediately.

But it chose to wait one week and take more input from staff about the
impact on patients.

Supervisors voted unanimously to approve a first reading of an
ordinance that would create the ban on collectives, limit the number
of plants that could be grown outside on a piece of property to 99 and
outlaw the sale of marijuana-laced food products.

A second reading of the ordinance is scheduled for next Tuesday,
allowing for more debate on the issue.

If supervisors support the ordinance again that day, the rule would
become law 30 days later.

Lawyers for medical marijuana cooperatives promised the county would
face legal action.

"You are going to get sued," said attorney Phil Ganong. "We've got the
money. We will do it."

Debate among supervisors was diverse.

Supervisor Ray Watson made a motion to refer the ordinance back to
staff, which got initial support from Supervisor Karen Goh.

But when Supervisors Mike Maggard and Jon McQuiston criticized the
idea, Goh said she misunderstood the motion and Watson backpedaled as
well.

Maggard said sending the question back to staff would open up a can of
worms, allowing the heated debate over the issue of medical marijuana
collectives to drag on and on.

Watson said there are illegal operations out there and there are fake
patients, but there has to be a way to deal with those directly
without trying to wipe out the troublemakers with a sweeping ordinance.

"I don't think we have really talked about how we actually want this
to work," Watson said.

He pointed to the testimony of Jane Prewett, who told the story of how
marijuana baked into a cake helped her husband enjoy more peace in the
final months of his life.

"When you're facing death, you will take whatever help you can get,"
she said. "I usually agree with the sheriff, but on this he is very
wrong."

"I was struck by Jane Prewett's comments. I don't think that Jane
Prewett is capable of growing marijuana," Watson said. "I don't care
what anyone takes, whether it's legal or not, if it makes it easier
for them as they are dying."

Staff said they will try to develop more information for Watson that
would explain how people can still acquire medical marijuana when
storefront dispensaries are gone.

Planning Director Lorelei Oviatt told the board that if the formal
storefronts go away, the cooperative relationship -- where growers
with cards grow more than they can use and give the excess to other
members of the group -- could continue informally.

Long-time marijuana advocate Doug McAfee said he was frustrated but
not surprised by the decision.

He said there isn't a problem with the way collectives and
cooperatives work currently and the supervisors didn't have evidence
about the secondary crime and problems created by the operations --
just the word of Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood, who he said has
it out for medical marijuana.

"There will be a backlash against the Board of Supervisors, a
referendum, a recall," McAfee said.