POT CLINIC ORDINANCE CALLED FOR IN ANGELS

In what the city's attorney called a "prudent" move, the Angels Camp City
Council last night unanimously adopted an ordinance that would regulate
medical marijuana clinics.

"It's not because we're trying to lure dispensaries in our city. We don't
want people coming into town trying to make a profit off other people's
miseries," said Angels Camp Police Chief Tony Tacheira, who explained that
qualified patients and care givers should be able to purchase medical
cannabis for about 50 cents an ounce rather than the hundreds of dollars it
sells for on the street.

"People who use this here can know they're not getting ripped off and it's
legitimate."

Richard Matranga, the city attorney, said passage of Proposition 215 in
1996 -- which gives seriously ill people the right to obtain and use
medical cannabis -- left cities wondering how to regulate its sale. The new
Angels Camp ordinance should clear up any questions on the issue, he said.

Only one audience member -- Fred Haesche -- spoke up on the topic to ask,
"Do you think if you put this before the voters of this city that they
would vote it in? For a dope shop to open?"

But Councilman Lee Seaton explained he doesn't think "dope dealers" would
find Angels Camp's new regulations very appealing.

"It's the idea of being proactive," he said. "If someone's trying to get a
deal going, they're going to go somewhere where no regulations have been
established."

The ordinance, to take effect in 30 days, restricts the sale of medical
marijuana only to primary care givers, qualified patients or people with
identification cards that allow such purchases.

Clinics would have to be not-for-profit, be allowed only in commercial and
industrial areas and would have to obtain conditional use permits from the
city beforehand.

They would not be allowed in residential areas or within 1,000 feet of
another medical marijuana clinic. They would not be within 1,000 feet of
any youth-oriented establishment or any establishment frequented mainly by
minors.

Medical cannabis also would not be sold at health care clinics, residential
care facilities -- including those for the elderly -- or hospices.

And they would not be allowed to sell alcohol or distribute any other goods
or services.

"I don't think there's anybody at this table anticipating a dope
supermarket in Angels Camp," said Councilman Paul Raggio.

There are not currently any cannabis clinics within city limits or in
Calaveras County. Right now chronically ill patients in California with the
proper paperwork from their doctors are allowed to grow as many as six
mature marijuana plants or own up to a half-pound of processed marijuana.

Counties can also restrict how much marijuana a patient may possess at any
given time -- Calaveras County supervisors in 2000 adopted a six-plant,
2-pound limit.