Global Ganja Report

On July 25, following extensive testimony from medical cannabis advocates, the San Diego City Council voted to repeal an ordinance passed in April that would have restricted dispensaries to a few remote industrial areas of the city. Only a couple of collectives would have been allowed to open after they came into compliance with one of the most strict ordinances in the state of California. The City Council must now consider the recommendations of its own Medical Marijuana Task Force, which came up with a less restrictive set of rules—although still keeping dispensaries 1,000 feet away from schools, playgrounds, libraries, childcare facilities.

Before the April ordinance took effect, medical cannabis advocates Patient Care Association and California Cannabis Coalition successfully gathered enough signatures to force a referendum on the new law. The signatures were submitted to the City Clerk for verification, and on July 18 were officially confirmed as valid. The City Council chose to repeal the law rather than hold a costly referendum. (San Diego City Beat, July 27; The Weed Blog, July 25)