HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010-07-27; City Council; 20318; RESPONSE TO GRAND JURY REPORT ON MEDICAL MARIJUANACITY OF CARLSBAD - AGENDA BILL
AB#
MTG.
DEPT.
20,318
7-27-10
CA
CITY OF CARLSBAD'S RESPONSE TO
2009/2010 SAN DIEGO COUNTY GRAND JURY
REPORT ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA IN SAN
DIEGO
DEPT. HEAD
CITY ATTY.
CITY MGR.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Adopt Resolution No.2010-194 authorizing the Mayor to sign the letter on
behalf of the City Council of Carlsbad responding to the 2009/2010 San Diego County
Grand Jury Report on Medical Marijuana in San Diego.
ITEM EXPLANATION:
On June 7, 2010 the 2009/2010 San Diego County Grand Jury issued its report on
Medical Marijuana in San Diego. The report sought to balance the concerns of patients for
who the use of medical marijuana has been legally recommended with the concerns of
residents disturbed by the activities that surround marijuana stores opening in their
communities. It is the view of the Grand Jury that this balance can be achieved by the
adoption of enforceable ordinances for the licensing and monitoring of a limited number of
medical marijuana collectives and cooperatives in the eighteen cities and the
unincorporated areas of the County. The report acknowledges that the issues have been
compounded by a legislative/judicial quagmire of conflicting federal, State and local
regulations and recent court decisions.
The Grand Jury's report contains findings and recommendations in an effort to address
medical marijuana issues on a regional basis throughout the County. However, the City
retains its very broad and general police powers to regulate and define business
regulations, and land uses by local law, notwithstanding the Compassionate Use Act of
1996 and the Medical Marijuana Program Act. The City of Carlsbad views medical
marijuana collectives and cooperatives as an enterprise that is prohibited under the City's
zoning ordinance as a non-permitted use and non-permitted business under its licensing
ordinance.
California Penal Code section 933.05 requires a written response to the Presiding Judge
of the Superior Court addressing the Grand Jury's findings and recommendations
applicable to the responding agency, the City of Carlsbad.
DEPARTMENT CONTACT: Ronald R. Ball 760.434.2891 ron.ball@carlsbadca.gov
FOR CITY CLERKS USE ONLY.
COUNCIL ACTION: APPROVED
DENIED
CONTINUED
WITHDRAWN
AMENDED
«/
D
D
D
D
CONTINUED TO DATE SPECIFIC
CONTINUED TO DATE UNKNOWN
RETURNED TO STAFF
OTHER -SEE MINUTES
D
D
D
D
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact as the result of this action.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
Pursuant to Public Resources Code section 21065 and CEQA Guidelines section 15738,
this action does not constitute a "project" within the meaning of CEQA and therefore, does
not require additional environmental review.
EXHIBITS:
1. Resolution No. 2010-194 authorizing the Mayor to sign the letter on
behalf of the City Council of Carlsbad responding to the 2009/2010 San Diego County
Grand Jury Report on Medical Marijuana in San Diego.
2. Letter to Honorable Kevin Enright, Presiding Judge of the Superior Court.
3. Medical Marijuana in San Diego, a report from the 2009/2010 Grand Jury
1 RESOLUTION NO. 2010-194
2 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARLSBAD,
CALIFORNIA, RESPONDING TO THE 2009/2010 SAN DIEGO COUNTY GRAND
3 JURY REPORT ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA IN SAN DIEGO
4
5 WHEREAS, the City Council of Carlsbad, California received a copy of the
6 2009/2010 San Diego County Grand Jury report on Medical Marijuana in San Diego;
7 and
8 WHEREAS, the report sought to balance the concerns of patients for who the
9
use of medical marijuana has been legally recommended with the concerns of residents
10 disturbed by the activities that surround marijuana stores opening in their communities;
11
and
12
WHEREAS, it is the view of the Grand Jury that this balance can be achieved by
the adoption of enforceable ordinances for the licensing and monitoring of a limited
number of medical marijuana collectives and cooperatives in the eighteen cities and the
16 unincorporated areas of the County; and
17 WHEREAS, the report acknowledges that the issues have been compounded by
18 a legislative/judicial quagmire of conflicting federal, State and local regulations and
19 recent court decisions; and
20 WHEREAS, the Grand Jury's report contains findings and recommendations in
21
an effort to address medical marijuana issues on a regional basis throughout the
22
County; and
23
WHEREAS, the City retains its very broad and general police powers to regulate
and define business regulations, and land uses by local law, notwithstanding the
26 Compassionate Use Act of 1996 and the Medical Marijuana Program Act; and
27
28
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
WHEREAS, The City of Carlsbad views medical marijuana collectives and
cooperatives as an enterprise that is prohibited under the City's zoning ordinance as a
non-permitted use and non-permitted business under its licensing ordinance; and
WHEREAS, California Penal Code section 933.05 requires a written response to
the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court addressing the Grand Jury's findings and
recommendations applicable to the responding agency, the City of Carlsbad.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of
Carlsbad, California, as follows:
1.That the above recitations are true and correct.
2. That the City Council does hereby authorize the Mayor to sign the letter on
behalf of the City Council of Carlsbad responding to the 2009/2010 San Diego County
Grand Jury Report on Medical Marijuana in San Diego.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED at a Regular Meeting of the City Council
of the City of Carlsbad on the 27th day of juiv ,
2010, by the following vote to wit:
AYES: Council Members Lewis, Kulchin, Hall, Packard and Blackburn.
NOES: None.
ABSENT: None.
ATTEST:
NE MA/VOOD, City ClerQ
''. »•<*„'••-
City of Carlsbad
Office of the Mayor
July 27, 2010
The Honorable Kevin A. Enright
Presiding Judge
San Diego County Superior Court
330 W. Broadway
San Diego, CA 92101-3830
Re: 2009/2010 San Diego County Grand Jury Report on Medical Marijuana in San Diego
Dear Judge Enright:
This letter is written in response to the 2009/2010 San Diego County Grand Jury Report on
Medical Marijuana in San Diego ("Report") on behalf of the City Council of Carlsbad. This letter
responds to those finding and recommendations relevant to the City of Carlsbad and does not
address those findings and recommendation related to other jurisdictions within the County.
Response to Findings:
Finding 5 - "Adopting cost neutral zoning and land use ordinances is an effective method for
the licensing, regulation and periodic inspection of cooperatives and collectives distributing
medical marijuana in the unincorporated areas and eighteen cities of San Diego County." The
City of Carlsbad disagrees with this finding.
The City of Carlsbad views medical marijuana collectives and cooperatives as an enterprise that
are prohibited under the City's zoning ordinance as a non-permitted use and non-permitted
business under its licensing ordinance.
Neither the Compassionate Use Act ("CUA") of 1996 nor the Medical Marijuana Program Act,
("MMPA") Senate Bill 420 legalized marijuana. See, e.g., Cal. Health & Saf. Code § 11054 (d)(13)
(marijuana designated as Schedule I controlled substance); § 11158 (permitting use of
controlled substances under supervision of medical providers as to only Schedules II through V).
The CUA provides only a defense to charges of criminal use or possession, for instance, as to
medical marijuana. Ross v. RagingWire Telecommunications (2008) 42 Cal. 4th 920, 928-29
(emphasis added); Chavez v. Superior Court (2004) 123 Cal. App. 4th 104, 110 (CUA provides
"only limited immunity ... to raise the medical use defense to set aside an information,
indictment, or as a defense at trial"). Similarly, the MMPA provides protection against arrest for
12OO Carlsbad Village Drive • Carlsbad, CA 92008-1949 • (76O) 434-283O • FAX (76O) 72O-9461
certain criminal statutory provisions relating to marijuana, if voluntary identification and
statutory quantity limitations are followed. People v. Kelly (2010) 47 Cal. 4th 1008,1047.
Notably, neither the CUA nor the MMPA gave any person or business the right to obtain,
possess, distribute or otherwise use and possess medical marijuana. The California Court of
Appeal has recognized that the CUA, for instance, did "not [create] a constitutional right to
obtain marijuana." People v. Urziceanu (2005) 132 Cal. App, 4th 747, 774.
The City retains its very broad and general police powers to regulate and define business
regulations, and land uses by local law, notwithstanding the CUA and the MMPA. California
Constitution, Art. XI, § 5 ("city may make and enforce within its limits all local, police, sanitary,
and other ordinances and regulations not in conflict with general laws"). See also, California
Business & Professions Code § 16000 (a) (permits cities to license and regulate businesses);
California Government Code § 37101 (a) (cities may "license, for revenue and regulation, and fix
the license tax upon, every kind of lawful business transacted in the city"). See also, California
Government Code § 65851 (city authority to divide city into zones); Village of Euclid v. Ambler
Realty Company (1926) 272 U.S. 365, 388; Miller v. Board of Public Works (1925) 195 Cal. 477,
485 (broad police power authority is for protection of public health, welfare and safety and " 'to
promote the economic welfare, public convenience and general prosperity of the
community'"); Beverly Oil Co. v. Los Angeles (1953) 40 Cal. 2d 552, 557 (zoning authority is "one
of the most essential powers of the government, one that is the least limitable").
The City of Carlsbad prohibits any business, operation or use that cannot be conducted or
carried out if in violation of state or federal laws. See, Carlsbad Municipal Code, §
5.04.160. California Government Code § 37100, which provides that the legislative body of a
city may enact ordinances "not in conflict with the Constitution and laws of the State or the
United States." (Emphasis added.) The United States Supreme Court has clearly stated that the
use of marijuana is illegal; thereby affirming that there is no exception for medicinal use under
California law." Furthermore, "our Supreme Court has recognized this principle in Ross when it
stated that despite the passage of California's Compassionate Use Act, marijuana was not a
legal prescription drug ...." Ross v. RagingWire Telecommunications, Inc., supra 42 Cal.4th 920,
926.
The MMPA cannot reasonably be interpreted so broadly as to disturb longstanding and broad
police power authority that cities have to regulate businesses and land uses generally. In fact,
the Second Appellate District of the California Court of Appeal has held that neither the CUA
nor the MMPA preempt a city from regulating medical marijuana dispensaries by business
license requirements as well as zoning requirements. See City ofClaremont v. Kruse (2009) 177
Cal. App. 4th 1153.
Specifically, the Kruse Court found that a medical marijuana dispensary was properly enjoined
as a nuisance per se, since it was conducted without the city's approval, as required by business
license regulations, and that such use was in violation of the city's zoning code as to permitted
uses. Id. 1163-1167. Furthermore, the city's business license and zoning regulations were not
preempted by either the CUA or the MMPA. Id. at 1168-1177.
Finding 6 - "The recommendations of the City of San Diego's Medical Marijuana Task Force for
zoning and land use ordinances for cooperatives and collectives may serve as a model for
adoption by other cities in the County. The City of Carlsbad agrees with this finding that the City
of San Diego's Medical Marijuana Task Force for zoning and land use ordinances for
cooperatives and collectives may serve as a model for jurisdictions, other than the City of
Carlsbad, to adopt.
Finding 9 - "The lack of zoning and land use ordinances for the licensing, regulation and
periodic inspection of cooperatives and collectives distributing medical marijuana in the cities
of Carlsbad, Coronado, Del Mar, Encinitas, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, Poway and Solana Beach
deprives some qualified medical marijuana patients of access to marijuana in their
communities." The City of Carlsbad disagrees with this finding as it relates to the City of
Carlsbad.
The Report does not indicate that it examined the availability of or access to medical marijuana
in the City of Carlsbad. The Report does not state that any qualified medical marijuana patient
living in Carlsbad has been unable to obtain medical marijuana from another location(s).
Finding 11 - "The imposition of regulatory fees and associated costs could create a financial
hardship for the smaller medical marijuana cooperatives and collectives." The City of Carlsbad
disagrees with this finding as it relates to the City of Carlsbad.
The Report is silent related to any comparison between medical marijuana cooperatives and
collectives' revenue and the burden of paying regulatory fees imposed by a local jurisdiction
charged with regulating medical marijuana cooperatives and collectives. The City of Carlsbad
has no reason to believe that legitimate medical marijuana cooperatives and collectives would
have any difficulty in paying reasonable regulatory fees.
The City of Carlsbad thanks the Grand Jury for its reports and recommendations.
Kabljj
Mayor, City of Carl'st
cc: City Council
City Attorney
City Manager
MEDICAL MARIJUANA IN SAN DIEGO
INTRODUCTION
The 2009/2010 San Diego County Grand Jury received more complaints on the subject of
medical marijuana than on any other subject. The common thread of these complaints is
the lack of clear and uniform guidelines under which qualified medical marijuana patients
can obtain marijuana. The threat of reprisals against these patients and their suppliers by
law enforcement agents was also a common concern. The collateral issue is the
proliferation of storefront medical marijuana "dispensaries" in the City of San Diego,
many of which community members allege are operating illegally. These issues have
been compounded by a legislative/judicial quagmire of conflicting federal, State and local
regulations and court decisions. The 2009 California Police Chiefs Association "white
paper" refers to the catch-22 in which local public entities are ensnared in trying to
reconcile California's medical marijuana laws on one hand and federal regulations on the
other.
This report seeks to balance the concerns of patients for whom the use of medical
marijuana has legally and legitimately been recommended with the concerns of residents •
disturbed by the activities that surround marijuana stores opening in their communities.
This balance can be achieved by the adoption of enforceable ordinances for the licensing
and monitoring of a limited number of medical marijuana collectives and cooperatives in
the eighteen cities and the unincorporated areas of the County. These collectives and
cooperatives should be operated in strict accordance with the regulations in Senate Bill
420 (in effect as of January 1, 2004) and the guidelines set forth by the State Attorney
General in August 2008.
Until such ordinances can be put into effect, the Grand Jury is suggesting the enactment
of an immediate moratorium on the opening of additional storefront dispensaries in the
City of San Diego.
The San Diego County District Attorney's Office has coordinated the execution of search
warrants in the current fiscal year on a number of storefront dispensaries allegedly
operating illegally. There are some operators of collectives and cooperatives who are
trying to operate within the law. Consequently, the Grand Jury believes that the District
Attorney's Office should publish a position paper to outline what it considers the legal
and illegal operation of medical marijuana collectives and cooperatives and should also
establish a Medical Marijuana Advisory Council as a forum to engage in an ongoing
dialogue with the operators, patients, and members of the public.
Disclaimer: The report does not endorse or condone the illegal use of drugs. The report
does not address the issue of whether marijuana has any medicinal value. California law
is clear: the cultivation and possession of marijuana is not punishable under State law
when necessary for medical purposes and authorized by a physician.
1
SAN DIEGO COUNTY GRAND JURY 2009/2010 (filed June 7, 2010)
INVESTIGATION
The Grand Jury:
• Researched applicable federal, State and local laws and court cases
• Researched the laws, regulations and guidelines of the fourteen other states that
have medical marijuana programs, with the objective of identifying common
successful best practices
• Researched practices in other selected cities and counties in the State
• Obtained and analyzed regulations for the County of San Diego and each of its
eighteen cities
• Monitored the activities and recommendations of the City of San Diego's Medical
Marijuana Task Force
• Interviewed selected Medical Marijuana Task Force members and elected
officials
• Interviewed community members who have identified possibly illegal
dispensaries in their neighborhoods
• Interviewed operators of marijuana collectives and visited two collectives
• Interviewed County and City health and medical officials
• Interviewed law enforcement personnel and reviewed the 2009 White Paper on
Medical Marijuana Dispensaries published by the California Police Chiefs
Association
• Interviewed medical marijuana patients
• Interviewed four attorneys with experience in medical marijuana issues
• Observed operations of the Medical Marijuana ID Card Program operated by the
County Health and Human Services Agency
• Reviewed and partially adapted the report of the 2004/2005 Grand Jury entitled
The Politics of Medical Marijuana
• Researched the web sites of the Medical Review Board of California and the
Osteopathic Review Board of California
Issues Identified: The purpose of the study is to identify the steps the County of San
Diego and its eighteen cities have taken to implement the State of California's
Compassionate Use Act of 1996. As a result of the Grand Jury's investigation, the
following issues have been identified:
• Lack of uniform guidelines for patient eligibility and identification
• Lack of uniform guidelines for the licensing and regulation of operators of
cooperatives, collectives and "dispensaries"
• Moratoria and outright bans on medical marijuana distribution outlets in many
communities in San Diego County
• Conflicting federal, State and local regulations
• Community outrage and possible criminal activity associated with unregulated
storefront and mobile "dispensaries"
• Large scale cash transactions not subject to audit; potential for tax fraud
• Limited number of physicians prescribing marijuana; incomplete diagnoses based
on patient's reporting of symptoms
• Lack of dialogue between law enforcement agencies and patient advocacy groups
2
SAN DIEGO COUNTY GRAND JURY 2009/2010 (filed June 7, 2010)
DISCUSSION
Federal Law; Marijuana is a Schedule I Controlled Substance
The Controlled Substances Act, 21 U.S.C. 801 etseq., makes it unlawful to
"manufacture, distribute, or dispense, or possess with intent to manufacture, distribute, or
dispense" any controlled substance. It is also a crime to possess any controlled substance
except as authorized by the Act. Persons who violate federal law are subject to criminal
and civil penalties.
The restrictions that the Controlled Substances Act places on the manufacture,
distribution, and possession of a controlled substance depend upon the schedule in which
the drug has been placed. Since the Controlled Substances Act was enacted in 1970,
marijuana has been classified as a Schedule I controlled substance.
According to 21 U.S.C. 812(b) (1) (A)-(C), a drug is listed in Schedule I, the most
restrictive schedule, if the following findings have been made:
"(A) The drug or other substance has a high potential for abuse.
(B) The drug or other substance has no currently accepted medical use in
treatment in the United States.
(C) There is a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under
medical supervision."
Under federal law, it is unlawful to manufacture, distribute, dispense, or possess
marijuana or any other Schedule I drug, except as part of a strictly controlled research
project that has been registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration and approved
by the Food and Drug Administration.
In the case of Gonzales v. Raich, the United States Supreme Court declared that, despite
the attempts of several states to legalize marijuana partially, it continues to be wholly
illegal since it is classified as a Schedule I drug under federal law. The Controlled
Substances Act does not recognize the medical use of marijuana. As such, there are no
exceptions to its illegality. Over the past thirty years, there have been several attempts to
have marijuana reclassified to a different schedule which would permit medical use of the
drug. These attempts have all failed.
The June 6, 2005 Gonzales v. Raich decision upheld the federal ban on the use of
marijuana even where states approve its use for medicinal purposes. The mere
categorization of marijuana as "medical" by some states fails to carve out any legally
recognized exception regarding the drug. The government argued that if a single
exception was made to the Controlled Substances Act, it would become unenforceable in
practice.
SAN DIEGO COUNTY GRAND JURY 2009/2010 (filed June 7,2010)
A dissenting opinion in the Gonzalez v. Raich case stated "a single courageous State
may, if its citizens choose, serve as a laboratory; and try novel social and economic
experiments without risk to the rest of the country."
While the Drug Enforcement Administration has been very active in raiding medical
marijuana dispensaries in California in the recent past, and arresting and prosecuting their
principal operators under federal law in selected cases, the United States Attorney
General announced in March 2009 a major change of federal position in the enforcement
of federal drug laws with respect to marijuana dispensaries. Only those medical
marijuana dispensaries that are suspected fronts for drug trafficking will be targeted for
prosecution. The Federal Department of Justice has new guidelines that allow for non-
enforcement of the federal ban in some situations:
"It will not be a priority to use federal resources to prosecute patients with serious
illnesses or their caregivers who are complying with state laws on medical marijuana, but
we will not tolerate drug traffickers who hide behind claims of compliance with state law
to mask activities that are clearly illegal."
It remains to be seen what standards and definitions will be used to determine what
indicators will constitute a drug trafficking operation suitable to trigger investigation
and enforcement under these new federal guidelines.
The Grand Jury investigation revealed that law enforcement personnel in San Diego
County attribute the recent spike in the opening of storefront medical marijuana
dispensaries to the apparent relaxation of enforcement at the federal level.
California Law
Proposition 215: On November 5, 1996, the voters of California passed Proposition 215.
This initiative measure added Section 11362.5 to the California Health and Safety Code
and is also known as the Compassionate Use Act of 1996. The purposes of the Act are
"to ensure that seriously ill Californians have the right to obtain and use marijuana for
medical purposes where the medical use is deemed appropriate and has been
recommended by a physician who has determined that the person's health would benefit
from the use of marijuana . . . and to ensure that patients and their primary caregivers
who obtain and use marijuana for medical purposes upon the recommendation of a
physician are not subject to criminal prosecution or sanction." Caregivers have the same
right to legal possession, as does the patient. A primary caregiver is defined by the Act
as "the individual designated by the person exempted under this section who has
consistently assumed responsibility for the housing, health, or safety of that person."
[Emphasis added]
An analysis of the Compassionate Use Act reveals that it did not address several issues
that became problem areas during its implementation. A fundamental weakness of the
Act is that while it exempts qualified patients and their primary caregivers from State
criminal prosecution, it does not address how those qualified patients obtain their
SAN DIEGO COUNTY GRAND JURY 2009/2010 (filed June 7, 2010)
marijuana. Not all patients or primary caretakers are able to cultivate marijuana on their
own due to the nature of their illness and limitations of their housing situation, and so
they need an external source of supply. The words collaborative, collective and
dispensary do not appear in the Act. The Act also does not address limits on the amount
of marijuana that patients or caregivers are allowed to possess. It does not address the
subject of medical marijuana identification cards or other documentation by which
qualified patients could establish to law enforcement personnel their exemption from
prosecution.
The Compassionate Use Act is also subject to differing interpretations in the area of
patient eligibility. Physicians may recommend marijuana for persons whose health
would benefit from the drug in the treatment of such conditions as cancer, anorexia,
AIDS, glaucoma, arthritis and other specified conditions. However, physicians may also
recommend marijuana to treat "any other illness for which marijuana provides relief."
This gives physicians wide latitude and discretion to recommend the drug for patients
who may not meet the description of "seriously ill Californians" that the legislation was
intended to help.
Senate Bill 420: Although the Compassionate Use Act provided no set limits regarding
the amount of marijuana patients may possess and/or cultivate, the California legislature .
adopted guidelines in 2003. The Medical Marijuana Program Act, known as Senate Bill
420 (SB 420), incorporated as Health and Safety Code Sections 11362.7 -11362.83, was
signed into law in October 2003 and took effect on January 1, 2004. It imposes
statewide guidelines outlining how much medical marijuana patients may grow and
possess. Under the guidelines, qualified patients and/or their primary caregivers may
possess no more than eight ounces of dried marijuana and/or six mature (or twelve
immature) marijuana plants. However, SB 420 allows patients to possess larger amounts
of marijuana when a physician recommends such quantities. The legislation also allows
counties and municipalities to approve and/or maintain local ordinances permitting
patients to possess larger quantities of medical marijuana than allowed under the State
guidelines.
The provisions of SB 420 regarding limits on the amount of marijuana a qualified patient
or primary caregiver could legally possess were successfully challenged in the case of
The People v. Patrick Kelly. According to the decision of the California State Supreme
Court on January 21, 2010, the limit provisions of SB 420 have the effect of amending
the Compassionate Use Act, which did not address limits on quantity for qualified
medical marijuana patients. Since the Compassionate Use Act was enacted by ballot
initiative, the Supreme Court (upholding the ruling of two lower courts) ruled that only
another ballot initiative could legally amend it. Article II, section 10, subdivision (c) of
the California Constitution provides the Legislature may "amend or repeal an initiative
statute by another statute that becomes effective only when approved by the electors
unless the initiative statute permits amendment or repeal without their approval." The
decision in the Kelly case did not invalidate SB 420 as a whole, only the provisions
limiting quantities. Federal regulations on quantity limits continue to apply.
SAN DIEGO COUNTY GRAND JURY 2009/2010 (filed June 7,2010)
SB 420 also mandates that the California State Department of Health Services establish a
voluntary medical marijuana patient registry and issue identification cards to qualified
patients and caregivers. The cards are to be issued through County Health Departments
or their designee.
While an official identification card is optional and is not necessary to provide an
affirmative defense, the card is a convenience when a qualified patient or caregiver is
confronted by law enforcement. The system provides for a twenty-four hour telephone
number for verification of patient and caregiver status. Verification can now also be
done immediately on-line by entering the number of the ID card into the State
Department of Public Health data base. Upon verification, there would be no arrest or
citation and marijuana and/or plants would not be confiscated unless legal limits are
exceeded. Such immediate verification is not always possible when the patient is
carrying only the physician's recommendation or no documentation at all.
SB 420 provides that medical marijuana patients and primary caregivers may "associate
within the State of California in order to collectively or cooperatively cultivate marijuana
for medical purposes." That is the only reference to collectives or cooperatives in SB
420. The term "dispensary" does not appear in the law.
Attorney General's Guidelines: SB 420 does require the State Attorney General to
"develop and adopt appropriate guidelines to ensure the security and nondiversion of
marijuana grown for medical use by patients qualified under the Compassionate Use Act
of 1996." This resulted in the promulgation of an eleven page document in August 2008,
widely known as the Attorney General's Guidelines. Four pages of this document are
devoted to guidelines for the operation of collectives and cooperatives. Those guidelines
are summarized as follows:
• Cooperatives and collectives must be non-profit entities;
• Medical marijuana transactions are subject to sales tax, per a determination by the
State Board of Equalization;
• Cooperatives and collectives must follow generally accepted cash handling
practices, such as maintaining a ledger of cash transactions;
• Each member's status as a qualified patient or primary caregiver must be verified,
either by possession of a valid Medical Marijuana ID Card or by authentication of
a doctor's recommendation through contact with the issuing physician, and be
documented in the records of the cooperative or collective; and,
• Cooperatives and collectives must be self-contained; that is, they cannot distribute
marijuana to or acquire marijuana from non-members.
According to the Attorney General's Guidelines, some of the storefront medical
marijuana "dispensaries" now operating in San Diego can be considered legal, but only if
they are properly operated and organized as cooperatives or collectives and adhere to the
guidelines above. Both medical marijuana advocates and law enforcement officials
indicated during the investigation that the Attorney General's Guidelines are not specific
enough and have been subject to a wide variety of interpretations by local governmental
jurisdictions throughout the State. In particular, advocates have claimed that law
6
SAN DIEGO COUNTY GRAND JURY 2009/2010 (filed June 7,2010)
enforcement agencies in San Diego County have been overly aggressive in raiding
collectives which are attempting to comply with the Attorney General's Guidelines.
Programs In Other States
California was the first state to adopt a law permitting the medical use of marijuana.
Since 1996 fourteen other states have enacted medical marijuana laws whereby, to some
degree, marijuana recommended by a physician to a specified patient may be legally
possessed. These states are Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan,
Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, and
Washington.
The medical marijuana laws in those states differ from those of California in that their
programs are all operated solely on the state level, with little or no interpretive discretion
left to local governmental entities, such as counties and cities. Also many more of the
issues associated with medical marijuana programs are addressed in the other states'
authorizing legislation than are addressed in California's Compassionate Use Act. Ten of
these states have statewide patient registries and ID Card programs; in all of those states,
the state issued card is mandatory for patient and caregiver participation. The laws in ten
of those states are silent on the subject of cooperatives and collectives. New Mexico and .
Rhode Island have state licensed and regulated providers of medical marijuana. The
recently established program in New Jersey proposes to establish a network of
distribution outlets under State management. A medical marijuana patient in Oregon
must list his or her marijuana provider with the State as a "registered site."
The majority of the other states are more specific than California in listing the diagnosed
diseases which qualify a patient as eligible; those states have appeal processes under
which additional medical conditions may be added. The limits for possession vary
widely among the states which have medical marijuana programs.
Local Government Implementation
The 2004/2005 San Diego County Grand Jury published a report dated June 8, 2005
entitled The Politics of Medical Marijuana: A Question of Compassion, many parts of
which have been adapted for this report. Among the major findings of the 2004/2005
Grand Jury was the failure of San Diego County to implement the provisions of the
Compassionate Use Act and SB 420. Their report specifically cited the failure of the
County to establish a program for the issuance of medical marijuana ID cards and the
failure to issue uniform protocols for law enforcement personnel. Recommendations
were addressed to the County Board of Supervisors on those two issues.
ID Cards: Eight months after the 2004/2005 Grand Jury report was issued, the County of
San Diego filed suit against the California Department of Health Services on February 1,
2006 in San Diego Superior Court. The County contended that the State law was pre-
empted by federal prohibitions against marijuana. Therefore, the County of San Diego
did not have to abide by the Compassionate Use Act and SB 420.
SAN DIEGO COUNTY GRAND JURY 2009/2010 (filed June 7,2010)
San Diego County Board of Supervisors claimed that their lawsuit was filed in response
to a threatened suit by the San Diego chapter of the National Organization for the Repeal
of Marijuana Laws (NORML) over the County's objection to implementing the state's
medical marijuana ID card program. Therefore, the case is called San Diego County v.
San Diego NORML. On December 6, 2006, the Court confirmed the validity of
California medical marijuana laws and rejected the County's challenge.
The County of San Diego appealed the Superior Court decision on February 22, 2007.
On July 31, 2008, the California Court of Appeal for the Fourth Appellate District,
Division One, issued a decision denying the County's position on the basis that the
applications for the ID card expressly state the card will not exempt the bearer from
compliance with federal laws. Also, the card itself does not imply that the holder is
immune from prosecution for federal offenses. The card merely identifies those persons
California has elected to exempt from State criminal penalties and thus there is no
conflict with the federal Controlled Substances Act.
On October 16, 2008, the California Supreme Court denied the County's Petition for
Review and the United States Supreme Court denied the County's request to hear the
case on May 26, 2009.
On July 6, 2009, the County initiated its Medical Marijuana ID Card Program. Through
March 2010, the County had received 495 applications for the card. This is a low total,
since there are at least 5,000 (and probably considerably more) medical marijuana
patients in the County. County staff were prepared to receive many more applications.
The ID Card Program is operated on a cost recovery basis, so the fee for the card is $166
($83 for Medi-Cal recipients). The Grand Jury investigation revealed that the high fee
was not as much a cause for the relatively low number of applicants as was the fear by
applicants that their names and addresses would be entered into a data base available to
law enforcement agents. The investigation showed that this is not the case. All
transactions are held in strict confidence; law enforcement personnel entering a suspect's
ID Card number into the State data base would only be able to ascertain whether or not
that card was currently valid.
Members of the Grand Jury visited the County's Medical Marijuana ID Card Program
located in the Health Services Complex at 3851 Rosecrans Street, San Diego. Unlike
other aspects of medical marijuana law, the ID Card Program has definite guidelines for
patients, primary caregivers and staff to follow. Among these are:
• All applications must be filed in person.
• Primary caregivers applying for a card must appear at the same time as the
patient.
• The non-refundable fee must be paid at the time of application.
• A photo identification card and proof of residence must be submitted with the
application.
• A valid doctor's recommendation must be presented with the application.
• Staff must verify whether the recommending physician is currently licensed.
• Staff must verify the authenticity of the recommendation with the physician.
8
SAN DIEGO COUNTY GRAND JURY 2009/2010 (filed June 7,2010)
• Staff determine the validity of a primary caregiver's status in accordance with the
definition in the Compassionate Use Act, cited above.
• Approved applications are entered into the State data base and the card is issued
by the State Department of Health Services within thirty days.
Staff of the Medical Marijuana ID Card Program are currently conducting training
sessions for law enforcement personnel in authenticating the card. Advantages of having
a card include:
• Having the card should prevent arrest or prosecution for patients dealing with law
enforcement and possessing less medicine than allowed by county or state
guidelines.
• Not having an ID card might result in an arrest.
• Possession of the ID card is a now mandatory condition for those patients on
probation.
• The ID card is still an optional program for all other patients, but having an ID
may be useful in a law enforcement encounter.
Law Enforcement Protocols: During the three year period the County of San Diego was
litigating the legality of the State's medical marijuana laws, local jurisdictions in the
County did very little to establish guidelines. This is especially true in the area of
regulating the outlets for obtaining marijuana: cooperatives, collectives and
"dispensaries". There have been a number of undercover sting operations, and
executions of search warrants for allegedly illegal medical marijuana operations.
Operators of some of these facilities have been arrested and charged. On September 9,
2009, Operation Green Rx, a multi-agency investigation targeting fourteen medical
marijuana dispensaries, resulted in the arrests of thirty-three people, fourteen of whom
were medical marijuana patients. This operation was conducted by the Office of the San
Diego County District Attorney and a coalition of federal, county and municipal law
enforcement agencies. Such operations have not reduced the proliferation of storefront
dispensaries in the City of San Diego. Two recent highly publicized prosecutions of
medical marijuana collective owners resulted in acquittals.
Community members opposed to the opening of medical marijuana storefront
dispensaries in their neighborhoods are monitoring them for possible illegal activities.
Operators of apparently legal collectives also acknowledge that many of the newly
opened dispensaries are operating outside the law. The following types of activities have
been observed at some of the alleged illegal dispensaries:
a) glossy advertisements in local publications
b) inducements of free or reduced price marijuana
c) sign twirler advertising
d) patients congregating outside the facility
e) younger customers with no apparent disabilities
f) sales of other drugs and other non-marijuana products
g) selling marijuana to non-members
9
SAN DIEGO COUNTY GRAND JURY 2009/2010 (filed June 7,2010)
h) obtaining marijuana from non-members
i) importing marijuana from outside the County
j) weapons on the premises
k) frequented by members of street gangs
1) large supplies of cash with no ledger or records of transactions
m) doctors associated with the facility giving recommendations, with little or
no examination of patients
n) failure to authenticate recommendations of prospective members
o) operators of dispensaries acting as primary caregivers for multiple
patients
p) profit making dispensaries
Even law enforcement personnel and community opponents of storefront dispensaries
acknowledge that the dispensary clientele includes the seriously ill patients that the
medical marijuana legislation was intended to help. Patients and operators of legally
operating collectives are requesting guidelines from law enforcement so that patients may
have safe access to medical marijuana and so that operators will not be subject to search
warrants and arrests. The United States Attorney General has issued an enforcement
opinion; the State Attorney General has issued guidelines. The Grand Jury is proposing
that the District Attorney of the County of San Diego follow suit by issuing a position
paper on what is and what is not considered a legal cooperative or collective in this
County. This position paper can be developed in cooperation with the San Diego County
Sheriffs Department and in consultation with leaders of municipal law enforcement
agencies throughout the County.
Medical Marijuana Advisory Council: Another area of concern among medical
marijuana advocates is the absence of a forum for the exchange of information between
government leaders and the collective operators and members. This is especially
important at a time when court decisions and the proposed enactment of new regulatory
ordinances by both the County and the City of San Diego are constantly changing the
medical marijuana landscape. The County's web site lists about twenty advisory councils
or committees. Examples are the Older Adults System of Care Advisory Council, the
Parks Advisory Committee, and the Veterans Advisory Council. The Grand Jury is
suggesting that a Medical Marijuana Advisory Council be established in the District
Attorney's Office. This Advisory Council would provide a forum through which the
operators of legitimate medical marijuana cooperatives and collectives, as well as patients
and members of the public, could engage in dialogue with representatives of the County
law enforcement agencies on a regular basis.
Regulatory Strategies:
The County of San Diego and each of its eighteen cities have chosen one of the following
three strategies to control the establishment of medical marijuana dispensaries in their
respective jurisdictions:
1. Enactment of interim moratoria
2. Outright bans
3. No permissible use under existing land use codes
10
SAN DIEGO COUNTY GRAND JURY 2009/2010 (filed June 7,2010)
Just because one of these strategies is in effect in a given community does not necessarily
mean that there are ho cooperatives or collectives currently operating in that jurisdiction.
Moratoria: While in the process of investigating and researching the issue of licensing
marijuana dispensaries, city councils may enact date-specific moratoria that expressly
prohibit the presence of medical marijuana dispensaries and prohibit the sale of marijuana
anywhere within the incorporated boundaries of the city until a specified date. Before
such a moratorium's date of expiration, the moratorium may then either be extended or a
city ordinance enacted allowing for the regulation, licensing and permitting of medical
marijuana collectives and cooperatives.
A county board of supervisors can also enact a moratorium with respect to marijuana
dispensaries within the unincorporated areas of a county. Approximately eighty
California cities, including the cities of Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, National City,
Oceanside and Santee have enacted moratoria on marijuana dispensaries.
The following provisions of California Government Code Section 65858 apply when a
moratorium is being established:
• The legislative body to protect the public safety, health, and welfare, may adopt as
an urgency measure an interim ordinance prohibiting any uses that may be in
conflict with a contemplated general plan, specific plan, or zoning proposal that
the legislative body, planning commission or the planning department is
considering or studying or intends to study within a reasonable time. That
urgency measure shall require a four-fifths vote of the legislative body for
adoption.
• The legislative body may extend the interim ordinance for ten months and fifteen
days and subsequently extend the interim ordinance for one year. Any extension
shall also require a four-fifths vote for adoption. Not more than two extensions
may be adopted.
• The legislative body shall not adopt or extend any interim ordinance unless the
ordinance contains legislative findings that there is a current and immediate threat
to the public health, safety, or welfare.
• Ten days prior to the expiration of that interim ordinance or any extension, the
legislative body shall issue a written report describing the measures taken to
alleviate the condition which led to the adoption of the ordinance.
The City of San Diego's Medical Marijuana Task Force is currently studying specific
zoning and land use proposals for medical marijuana cooperatives and collectives. Until
the recommendations of the Task Force are adopted into law, the City Council may enact
a moratorium on the opening of any additional "dispensaries" under the provisions of
Government Code Section 65858. The Grand Jury proposes the enactment of such a
moratorium. The failure to enact a moratorium in the City of Los Angeles has resulted in
the opening of an estimated 1,000 dispensaries that officials are now trying to regulate.
11
SAN DIEGO COUNTY GRAND JURY 2009/2010 (filed June 7,2010)
On September 26, 2009 the County of San Diego Board of Supervisors enacted a
moratorium on the establishment of medical marijuana collectives in the unincorporated
areas. The purpose of the moratorium was to allow County staff the time to study how
collectives should be permitted and appropriately regulated. The County Department of
Planning and Land Use published regulatory guidelines and a draft ordinance on March
3, 2010. The draft ordinance marks a major step forward for the County after many years
of challenging the legality of the State's medical marijuana laws. However, the
ordinance was not developed in consultation with patient advocates and is perceived to be
more restrictive than what has been recommended for the City of San Diego by the
Medical Marijuana Task Force. Public comment on the draft ordinance closed on April
2, 2010. The ordinance is on the agenda for the County Planning Commission meeting
on May 14, 2010 and is scheduled to be considered by the Board of Supervisors on June
23,2010.
Bans: While the Compassionate Use Act of 1996 allows seriously ill persons to obtain
and use marijuana for medical purposes upon a physician's recommendation, it is silent
on medical marijuana dispensaries and does not expressly authorize or prohibit the sale of
medical marijuana to patients or primary caregivers. Neither Proposition 215 nor Senate
Bill 420 specifically authorize nor prohibit the dispensing of marijuana from a storefront
business. Also, no State statute expressly permits or disallows the licensing or operation
of marijuana dispensaries. Consequently, over a hundred California cities and nine
counties have prohibited marijuana dispensaries within their respective geographical
boundaries.
In San Diego County, the Cities of El Cajon, Escondido, San Marcos and Vista have
enacted bans on medical marijuana dispensaries. These total bans deny some qualified
patients access to medical marijuana in their communities of residence; they also place
the onus of regulation and enforcement on neighboring cities that either permit and
regulate such establishments or are presently considering the enactment of land use and
zoning ordinances.
The legality of outright bans will most likely be determined by the decision in the case of
Qualified Patients Association v. City of Anaheim, now pending in California's Fourth
Appellate District Court. A decision was initially expected in December 2009, but the
Court requested further briefing to seek clarification on whether the State legislature
meant to prevent local governments from using nuisance statutes to outlaw medical
marijuana distribution.
The plaintiff, Qualified Patients Association, filed a lawsuit shortly after Anaheim
adopted a ban on dispensaries in July 2007. It argued that the clear intent of the Medical
Marijuana Program Act (SB 420), in providing an exemption under the nuisance law, was
to preempt local ordinances and enforcement efforts based on nuisance law. It also
argued that local governments cannot simply ban an activity that has been deemed lawful
by the state. Qualified Patients Association had been in operation for about five months
prior to the ban. An appeal was filed in March 2008 after the Orange County Superior
Court ruled that Anaheim could prohibit medical marijuana dispensaries from operating
within its city limits.
12
SAN DIEGO COUNTY GRAND JURY 2009/2010 (filed June 7, 2010)
The Anaheim case has drawn considerable attention as more and more local governments
confront the issue of access to medical marijuana. Many law enforcement associations .in
the State filed briefs in support of Anaheim, as have about thirty-six cities. The case is
the first lawsuit of its kind to reach the appellate courts in California, and may shape the
issue of access to medical marijuana for patients across the State. A decision by the
Fourth Appellate District Court in the case is expected in the summer of 2010.
Restricted zoning: City and County officials have the authority to restrict owners and
operators to locate and operate "medical marijuana dispensaries" in prescribed
geographical areas, and require them to meet prescribed licensing requirements. The City
of San Diego is considering such an approach through its Medical Marijuana Task Force.
In contrast to the County, the City of San Diego has conducted a much more open and
inclusive process with significant input from patients, business owners, legal experts and
community residents. The initial set of Task Force recommendations dealt with
permitting and zoning regulations; hours of operation; non-profit status; and required
lighting, signage, and security. On March 24, 2010, the City Council's Land Use and
Housing Committee directed the City Attorney to prepare a draft ordinance, based largely
on the Task Force's recommendations, for consideration at a future meeting of the full
City Council.
Other cities have land use codes that do not specifically recognize "medical marijuana
dispensaries" as an allowable use and therefore have a de facto ban on granting permits.
During the Grand Jury investigation, both proponents and opponents of medical
marijuana agreed that many of the storefront "dispensaries" were operating outside the
limited definition of cooperatives and collectives as implicitly stated in SB 420 and more
explicitly defined in the Attorney General's Guidelines. There was agreement also that
many patients obtaining medical marijuana from the apparently illegal storefront
operations are truly qualified patients according to the original intent of the
Compassionate Use Act. These are patients who are unable to cultivate their own
marijuana due to extreme incapacity or by the restrictions of their own living
arrangements. The County and every city therein should adopt land use regulations
allowing the establishment of a limited number of cooperatives and collectives within
their jurisdictions, so that these qualified patients are able to obtain medical marijuana in
their own communities.
Facility Site Visits: Grand Jury members visited two facilities that appeared to be
operating in accordance with the Attorney General's guidelines. Both of these operations
blended in with their respective communities; patients were not congregating around their
facilities. Both verified recommendations of prospective patients/members and
maintained records of cash transactions. Both had business licenses and paid sales tax on
their transactions. Both had not-for-profit status. Neither advertises in local publications.
The major difference between them is size of membership: one would be considered a
large collective and the other would be considered a small one.
13
SAN DIEGO COUNTY GRAND JURY 2009/2010 (filed June 7, 2010)
When regulations and guidelines are adopted to govern cooperatives/collectives, there
should be a distinction drawn between a small cooperative/collective and a large one.
Guidelines, when enacted, may direct cooperatives and collectives to:
1) install security measures, i.e., security guards or video surveillance
2) have annual or periodic audits
3) pay a business tax
4) report on payments to growers and suppliers
5) undergo land use processes (process 2 through process 5)
6) obtain business licenses/permits
7) install signage and special lighting
8) pay administrative fee costs
The smaller cooperatives and collectives will be challenged to follow the guidelines
because of budgetary constraints. Cooperatives or collectives that are providing a
legitimate service to qualified patients, and are willing to follow the guidelines for their
small group of medical marijuana patients, should not be forced to close because they
cannot afford to remain in compliance with the new regulations.
Physicians
The Grand Jury's investigation reveals that law enforcement personnel and some
government officials believe that there are physicians in San Diego County whose sole
practice consists of writing medical marijuana recommendations. The Grand Jury has no
jurisdiction over State agencies, such as the Medical Board of California or the
Osteopathic Medical Board of California. We point out, however, that citizens who
suspect professional malfeasance can register a complaint with either agency, as
appropriate.
The Grand Jury investigation revealed that the vast majority of medical marijuana
recommendations in the San Diego area are being written by about twenty-five
physicians, some of whom are affiliated with dispensaries. Advertisements for some of
those dispensaries indicate that a physician is available to write a recommendation for an
advertised fee. Very few mainstream doctors have been writing the recommendations,
although their numbers are increasing.
There are sufficient legal protections for doctors who write recommendations for medical
marijuana. California Health & Safety Code section 11362.5(c) states "Notwithstanding
any other provision of law, no physician in this State shall be punished, or denied any
right or privilege, for having recommended marijuana to a patient for medical purposes."
The Medical Board of California, recognizing that medical marijuana is an emerging
treatment modality, has assured physicians that they will not be subject to investigation or
disciplinary action by the Board if they arrive at the decision to recommend marijuana in
accordance with accepted standards of medical responsibility. The mere receipt of a
complaint that the physician is recommending medical marijuana will not generate an
investigation unless there is additional information indicating that the physician is not
adhering to accepted medical standards.
14
SAN DIEGO COUNTY GRAND JURY 2009/2010 (filed June 7,2010)
These accepted standards, according to the Medical Board, are the same as any
reasonable and prudent physician would follow when recommending or approving any
other medication, and include the following:
1. History and good faith examination of the patient
2. Development of a treatment plan with objectives
3. Provision of informed consent including discussion of side effects
4. Periodic review of the treatment's efficacy
5. Consultation, as necessary
6. Proper record keeping that supports the decision to recommend the use of medical
marijuana
If physicians use the same care in recommending medical marijuana to patients as they
would in recommending any other medication, they would not be subject to license
suspension or revocation.
On the federal level, the United States Court of Appeals ruled in a 2002 decision in the
Conant v. Walters case that the government could not revoke a physician's Drug
Enforcement Administration registration merely because the doctor makes a
recommendation for the use of medical marijuana based on a legitimate medical
judgment, and could not initiate an investigation solely on that ground. These
prohibitions would apply whether or not the doctor anticipates that the patient will use the
recommendation to obtain marijuana in violation of federal law. The Court recognized
that physicians have a constitutionally-protected right to discuss medical marijuana as a
treatment option with their patients and to make recommendations for medical marijuana.
These protections notwithstanding, the majority of doctors are reluctant to write medical
marijuana recommendations for their patients. Some doctors, with a patient's consent,
will share medical records with another physician who will write a recommendation.
More frequently, however, a patient will seek out one of a small group of physicians who
specialize in marijuana recommendations for a fee, usually between $100 and $200. The
Grand Jury does not wish to paint all these physicians with the same brush, but there are
some documented investigations in the files of both the Medical Board of California and
the Osteopathic Medical Board of California of doctors who violated the above described
standards of care when recommending medical marijuana. The Grand Jury's research of
the public records of State medical boards revealed that disciplinary action has been
taken against some physicians for improper conduct relating to medical marijuana
patients. Disciplinary actions have included fines and license suspensions. Types of
improper conduct include issuing medical marijuana recommendations without
conducting adequate medical examinations, failure to consult with primary care or
treating physicians or to obtain a review of the patients' medical records, and failure to
maintain adequate documentation.
FACTS AND FINDINGS
Fact: The number of medical marijuana dispensaries in the City of San Diego has
increased from less than fifty in June 2009 to over one hundred in March 2010.
15
SAN DIEGO COUNTY GRAND JURY 2009/2010 (filed June 7,2010)
Fact: The County pf San Diego District Attorney's Office, along with the County of San
Diego Sheriffs Office, the San Diego Police Chiefs Office and other State and local law
enforcement offices, announced on September 10, 2009 that search warrants were served
at fourteen marijuana dispensaries in San Diego County.
Fact: State of California medical marijuana legislation has been subject to variations in
interpretations by cities and counties throughout the State.
Fact: Medical marijuana advocates in San Diego County have been requesting
guidelines from law enforcement agencies for several years.
Fact: Most cities in San Diego County have bans or moratoria (dejure or de facto) on
medical marijuana dispensaries.
Fact: Some community activists and law enforcement personnel believe that the
storefront medical marijuana dispensaries in the City of San Diego are operating illegally.
Fact: The City of San Diego has impaneled a Medical Marijuana Task Force to make
recommendations to the City Council for the regulation of cooperatives and collectives.
Fact: Membership in individual cooperatives and collectives ranges from a few patients
to over a thousand.
Finding #01: The District Attorney's Office has not published guidelines for the
operation of legal medical marijuana cooperatives and collectives in San Diego County
which would address the concerns of operators of those programs who are trying to
comply with State law.
Finding #02: There is currently no forum through which the operators of legitimate
medical marijuana collectives and cooperatives could engage in dialogue with
representatives of the District Attorney's Office on a regular basis.
Finding #03: There are no clear and uniform guidelines for law enforcement personnel
in San Diego County which would protect the rights of legitimate qualified medical
marijuana patients.
Finding #04: The San Diego City Council is empowered by Government Code Section
65858 to enact a moratorium on the opening of additional medical marijuana
dispensaries.
Finding #05: Adopting cost neutral zoning and land use ordinances is an effective
method for the licensing, regulation and periodic inspection of cooperatives and
collectives distributing medical marijuana in the unincorporated areas and eighteen cities
of San Diego County.
16
SAN DIEGO COUNTY GRAND JURY 2009/2010 (filed June 7,2010)
Finding #06: The recommendations of the City of San Diego's Medical Marijuana Task
Force for zoning and land use ordinances for cooperatives and collectives may serve as a
model for adoption T?y other cities in the County.
Finding #07: Annual financial reporting and periodic auditing of cooperatives and
collectives, predominantly cash operations, are not currently required in San Diego
County.
Finding #08: The current ban on the opening of medical marijuana collectives in the
Cities of El Cajon, Escondido, San Marcos and Vista deprives some qualified medical
marijuana patients of access to marijuana in their communities.
Finding #09: The lack of zoning and land use ordinances for the licensing, regulation
and periodic inspection of cooperatives and collectives distributing medical marijuana in
the cities of Carlsbad, Coronado, Del Mar, Encinitas, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, Poway and
Solana Beach deprives some qualified medical marijuana patients of access to marijuana
in their communities.
Finding #10: The current moratorium on the opening of cooperatives and collectives
distributing medical marijuana in the unincorporated areas of San Diego County and the
cities of Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, National City, Oceanside and Santee deprives
some qualified medical marijuana patients of access to marijuana in their communities.
Finding #11: The imposition of regulatory fees and associated costs could create a
financial hardship for the smaller medical marijuana cooperatives and collectives.
RECOMMENDA TIONS
The 2009/2010 San Diego County Grand Jury recommends that the County of San
Diego District Attorney:
10-107: In consultation with the San Diego County Sheriffs Department and
officials of the Police Departments of the Cities of Carlsbad, Chula
Vista, Coronado, El Cajon, Escondido, La Mesa, National City,
Oceanside and San Diego, publish a position paper which contains
guidelines for the operation of legal medical marijuana cooperatives
and collectives in San Diego County.
10-108: In cooperation with the San Diego County Sheriffs Department,
establish a Medical Marijuana Advisory Council as a forum through
which the operators of legitimate medical marijuana collectives and
cooperatives, as well as patients and members of the public, could
engage in dialogue with representatives of County law enforcement
agencies on a regular basis.
17
SAN DIEGO COUNTY GRAND JURY 2009/2010 (filed June 7,2010)
The 2009/2010 San Diego County Grand Jury recommends that the County of San
Diego Sheriff:
10-109: In cooperation with the County of San Diego District Attorney and in
consultation with officials of the nine municipal police departments in
the County, publish a position paper which contains guidelines for the
operation of legal medical marijuana cooperatives and collectives in
San Diego County.
10-110: Adopt clear guidelines for law enforcement personnel so that the
rights of legitimate medical marijuana patients will be respected.
10-111: In cooperation with the County of San Diego District Attorney,
establish a Medical Marijuana Advisory Council as a forum through
which the operators of legitimate medical marijuana collectives and
cooperatives, as well as patients and members of the public, could
engage in dialogue with representatives of County law enforcement
agencies on a regular basis.
The 2009/2010 San Diego County Grand Jury recommends that the County of San- •'
Diego Board of Supervisors:
10-112: Adopt a cost neutral County program for the licensing, regulation and
periodic inspection of authorized collectives and cooperatives
distributing medical marijuana in the unincorporated areas of San
Diego County, and establish a limit on the number of such facilities.
10-113: Adopt regulations which would allow for the closure of all unlicensed
"dispensaries" in the unincorporated areas.
The 2009/2010 San Diego County Grand Jury recommends that the Mayor of the
City of San Diego and the City Council of the City of San Diego:
10-114: Enact an ordinance creating an immediate moratorium on the
opening of additional medical marijuana dispensaries in the City of
San Diego, pending the adoption by the Council of guidelines
regulating such establishments, as recommended by the Medical
Marijuana Task Force with appropriate public input.
10-115: Enact an ordinance to establish a cost neutral program for the
licensing, regulation and monitoring of medical marijuana collectives
and cooperatives, and establish a limit on the number of such
facilities.
10-116: Adopt regulations which would allow for the closure of all
unlicensed "dispensaries."
18
SAN DIEGO COUNTY GRAND JURY 2009/2010 (filed June 7, 2010)
The 2009/2010 San Diego County Grand Jury recommends that the City Councils of
El Cajon, Escondido, San Marcos and Vista:
10-117: Enact an ordinance to establish a cost neutral program for the
licensing, regulation and monitoring medical marijuana collectives
and cooperatives, and establish a limit on the number of such
facilities.
10-118: Adopt regulations which would allow for the closure of all unlicensed
"dispensaries."
10-119: Upon the enactment of such an ordinance, rescind the current ban on
the opening of medical marijuana collectives and cooperatives.
The 2009/2010 San Diego County Grand Jury recommends that the City Councils of
Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, National City, Oceanside and Santee:
10-120: Enact an ordinance to establish a cost neutral program for the
licensing, regulation and monitoring of medical marijuana collectives . ,
and cooperatives, and establish a limit on the number of such
facilities.
10-121: Adopt regulations which would allow for the closure of all unlicensed
"dispensaries."
10-122: Upon the enactment of such an ordinance, rescind the current
moratorium on the opening of medical marijuana collectives and
cooperatives.
The 2009/2010 San Diego County Grand Jury recommends that the City Councils of
Carlsbad, Coronado, Del Mar, Encinitas, La Mesa, Lemon Grove, Poway and
Solana Beach:
10-123: Enact an ordinance to establish a cost neutral program for the
licensing, regulation and monitoring of medical marijuana collectives
and cooperatives, and establish a limit on the number of such
facilities.
10-124: Adopt regulations which would allow for the closure of all unlicensed
"dispensaries."
REQUIREMENTS AND INSTRUCTIONS
The California Penal Code §933(c) requires any public agency which the Grand Jury has
reviewed, and about which it has issued a final report, to comment to the Presiding Judge
of the Superior Court on the findings and recommendations pertaining to matters under
19
SAN DIEGO COUNTY GRAND JURY 2009/2010 (filed June 7,2010)
the control of the agency. Such comment shall be made no later than 90 days after the
Grand Jury publishes its report (filed with the Clerk of the Court); except that in the case
of a report containing findings and recommendations pertaining to a department or
agency headed by an elected County official (e.g. District Attorney, Sheriff, etc.), such
comment shall be within 60 days to the Presiding Judge with an information copy sent to
the Board of Supervisors.
Furthermore, California Penal Code §933.05(a), (b), (c), details, as follows, the
manner in which such comment(s) are to be made:
(a) As to each grand jury finding, the responding person or entity shall
indicate one of the following:
(1) The respondent agrees with the finding
(2) The respondent disagrees wholly or partially with the
finding, in which case the response shall specify the portion
of the finding that is disputed and shall include an
explanation of the reasons therefor.
(b) As to each grand jury recommendation, the responding person or entity
shall report one of the following actions:
(1) The recommendation has been implemented, with a
summary regarding the implemented action.
(2) The recommendation has not yet been implemented, but
will be implemented in the future, with a time frame for
implementation.
(3) The recommendation requires further analysis, with an
explanation and the scope and parameters of an analysis or
study, and a time frame for the matter to be prepared for
discussion by the officer or head of the agency or
department being investigated or reviewed, including the
governing body of the public agency when applicable.
This time frame shall not exceed six months from the date
of publication of the grand jury report.
(4) The recommendation will not be implemented because it is
not warranted or is not reasonable, with an explanation
therefor.
(c) If a finding or recommendation of the grand jury addresses budgetary or
personnel matters of a county agency or department headed by an elected
officer, both the agency or department head and the Board of Supervisors
shall respond if requested by the grand jury, but the response of the Board
of Supervisors shall address only those budgetary or personnel matters
over which it has some decision making authority. The response of the
elected agency or department head shall address all aspects of the findings
or recommendations affecting his or her agency or department.
Comments to the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court in compliance with the Penal
Code §933.05 are required from the:
20
SAN DIEGO COUNTY GRAND JURY 2009/2010 (filed June 7, 2010)
Responding Agency Recommendations Date
District Attorney,
County of San Diego
Sheriff, County of San Diego
Board of Supervisors,
County of San Diego
Mayor, City of San Diego
City Council,
City of San Diego
City Council, City of
El Cajon
City Council, City of Escondido
City Council, City of San Marcos
City Council, City of Vista
City Council, City of Chula Vista
City Council, City of
Imperial Beach
City Council, City of National City
City Council, City of Oceanside
City Council, City of Santee
City Council, City of Carlsbad
City Council, City of
Coronado
City Council, City of
Del Mar
City Council, City of
Encinitas
City Council, City of
La Mesa
10-107,10-108
10-109,10-110,10-111
10-112,10-113
10-114,10-115,10-116
10-114,10-115,10-116
10-117,10-118,10-119
10-117,10-118,10-119
10-117,10-118,10-119
10-117,10-118,10-119
10-120,10-121,10-122
10-120,10-121,10-122
10-120,10-121,10-122
10-120,10-121,10-122
10-120,10-121,10-122
10-123,10-124
10-123,10-124
10-123,10-124
10-123,10-124
10-123,10-124
8/6/10
8/6/10
9/6/10
9/6/10
9/6/10
9/6/10
9/6/10
9/6/10
9/6/10
9/6/10
9/6/10
9/6/10
9/6/10
9/6/10
9/6/10
9/6/10
9/6/10
9/6/10
9/6/10
SAN DIEGO COUNTY GRAND JURY 2009/2010 (filed June 7,2010)
21
City Council, City of Lemon Grove 10-123,10-124 9/6/10
City Council, City of Poway 10-123,10-124 9/6/10
City Council, City of Solana Beach 10-123,10-124 9/6/10
SAN DIEGO COUNTY GRAND JURY 2009/2010 (filed June 7, 2010)
22