by Paul Foreman
The Claremont City Council is preparing to establish a marijuana
dispensary after the year-long moratorium ends.
The Claremont City Council is preparing to establish a marijuana
dispensary after the year-long moratorium ends.
It seems likely that medical marijuana may be sold at a dispensary in
Claremont in the near future.
In a 3-2 split decision in August, Claremont City Council members
Ellen Taylor, Sam Pedroza, and Linda Elderkin passed legislation
directing staff to prepare to make code changes allowing a medical
marijuana dispensary to operate in the city. Council member Corey
Calaycay and Mayor Peter Yao voted against the dispensary.
The City Council of Claremont voted at its last meeting, on Sept. 11,
to enact a year-long moratorium on the existence of a medical
marijuana dispensary in Claremont. The City Council will continue to
debate legislation before passing an ordinance within a year.
Taylor spoke in a phone interview about her vote.
"I voted to have staff come and set up a dispensary," said Taylor.
"There are people who are helped by marijuana. This is not about
anyone just trying to get high."
Taylor said that the City Council would not allow a dispensary without
significant regulation.
"We've talked about regulating the operating hours of the dispensary,"
she said. "We've talked about making it a nonprofit operation."
Taylor also argued that the only effect on campus life will be for
those students who need marijuana for medical reasons. Currently, the
dispensary closest to the College is in Diamond Bar, about 10 miles
away.
"I would imagine that on the campus it's not at all hard for you to
get marijuana now. If there are students who have a need for medical
marijuana, it will be much more convenient for them to obtain it."
In 1996, the California legislature passed Proposition 215, which
allows for the sale and possession of marijuana for medicinal
purposes. Since then, the issue of whether or not to allow sale in
individual cities has been decided at the local level.
"My feeling is that the state should regulate it," said Taylor. "The
state is being very weak in not regulating it."
Some members of the Claremont community disagreed with the City
Council's decision. In an editorial published in the Inland Valley
Daily Bulletin, former Mayor Al Leiga argued that a dispensary would
hurt Claremont's image.
"That decision is not consistent with being one of the top 10 cities
in the nation where people want to raise their children and enjoy a
quality of life," wrote Leiga. "Marijuana is an illegal drug according
to the laws of the United States. Saying that it is for medical use
does not change the law."
In general, Pomona students do not seem to think that medicinal
marijuana in Claremont would translate into more illegal marijuana on
campus.
"I don't know how easy it is to get medical marijuana illegally," said
Laura Krinsky '11. "I don't think it would really affect usage of
marijuana on campus."
"It might make medical-grade marijuana more available on campus," said
Brendan Deiz '09, "but it wouldn't make students buy more pot."
