PERRIS PASSES EMERGENCY ORDINANCE TO BAN POT DISPENSARIES

The Perris City Council took the first step Tuesday night to quash
any medical marijuana dispensaries that might be budding in town.

Four out of five council members voted to pass an urgency ordinance
prohibiting any medical marijuana dispensary from setting up shop in
the next 45 days. Councilman Mark Yarbrough was absent.

City Attorney Eric Dunn said the moratorium would give city staff and
officials the time needed to research state and federal laws before
creating a more permanent municipal code to address the sale of
medical marijuana.

California voters legalized marijuana for medical use in 1996.
Federal law prohibits the possession of marijuana.

Dunn wrote in a report that the city's lack of regulation on medical
marijuana could allow a dispensary to open that would "conflict with
the requirements of the General Plan, be inconsistent with
surrounding uses, or be detrimental to the public health, safety and welfare."

Recent inquiries to the city about opening a medical pot shop
triggered the city's emergency prohibition.

"Some people might be aware that the person who applied for this kind
of business was the same person who had an operation in Corona, and
on that license they didn't even indicate they would be selling
medical marijuana," said Mayor Daryl Busch. "It brought to light some
things we need cover in our ordinances.

"Our public safety is first and foremost. Someone could be held up at
one of these facilities for the marijuana. We definitely don't want
to encourage criminal activity like that in our city."

Drug Enforcement Administration agents raided and shut down the
Healing Nations Collective in Corona on July 17, and the next day
raided the Perris Tree of Life Collective, a dispensary that was
getting ready to open in Perris. Both operations were run by Ronald
Naulls, who was arrested on drug-trafficking charges.