SANTA CLARA VS. MEDICAL MARIJUANA : PART 3

While the City of Santa Clara continues fining Angel's Care Collective
for zoning violations, and a preliminary injunction hearing is slated
for January 24 (after press time), Angel's Care has filed an
initiative petition to regulate and allow medical marijuana
dispensaries in the City.

Angel's Care Files an Initiative to Adopt an Ordinance Permitting
Medical Marijuana Dispensaries in Santa Clara

Angel's Care recently filed an initiative that would add Chapter 5.46,
entitled 'Medical Marijuana,' to the City Code of the City of Santa
Clara. It "would allow medical marijuana dispensaries to operate in
the commercial, agricultural and light industrial zoning districts of
the City without permit and would allow dispensaries in all other
non-residential district[s] within 1,000 feet of an existing retail
use." The initiative's purpose is "implementing the Compassionate Use
Act of 1996 and the Medical marijuana Program Act."

The initiative states that the "City of Santa Clara should implement a
plan to provide for and regulate the safe distribution of marijuana to
all patients in medical need of marijuana within the City of Santa
Clara as directed by the Companionate Use Act of 1996," adding "the
safe and lawful distribution of medical marijuana reduces crime and
allows for law enforcement resources to be more efficiently
implemented, and that the inhibition of allowing for reasonable and
safe access to marijuana for medical purposes within the City of Santa
Clara at once fosters a black market in marijuana and prevents medical
treatment."

The initiative would establish standards for medical marijuana
dispensaries including requiring dispensaries to meet the criteria
required by the State Medical Marijuana Program Act. In addition, all
marijuana sold or distributed would be required to be grown,
manufactured or processed in California. The initiative boasts a
number of other regulations, including the amount of marijuana that
can be dispensed per patient per visit, and regulations regarding age,
location, and security requirements.

The initiative also states that the City Council could "limit the
number of dispensaries within the City to not less than three nor more
than five dispensaries."

It's unknown as of press time when petitions will begin circulating
for signatures.

Angel's Care in the Community

According to Executive Director Douglas Carter, above sales taxes,
Angel's Care is donating two percent of its annual gross to the city
of Santa Clara "to use as they see fit and another two percent to
Stanford Medical Center to use as they feel fit."

Having donated thousands to Stanford Children's Hospital and supported
many local organizations, Angel's Care believes it is an asset to the
community.

Angel's Care stepped up to sponsor Santa Clara native Jimmy Corwin's
racing career something no other business would do. Corwin states the
door had been shut on him by dozens of businesses prior to finally
receiving sponsorship from Carter.

"We want to prove to the world that a medical cannabis collective is
an asset in any community and economic structure," states Carter.

Santa Clara County Raids Angel's Care

Agents from the Santa Clara County Special Enforcement Team raided
Angel's Care Collective on Friday, October 15, 2010, seizing an
estimated 100 pounds of marijuana and freezers full of marijuana
edibles such as cookies, candy, and drinks, stating that Angel's Care
was suspected of making illegal profits. State law mandates that
medical marijuana dispensaries be nonprofit. It's not clear what
evidence agents had to suspect Angel's Care was making money.

Next In Part 4: More details on the Medical Marijuana Initiative,
Update on Injunction Hearing & Are There Other Dispensaries Secretly
Operating in the City