Cities need to work, allow safe marijuana access points

It doesn’t make any sense.

Various cities are outright banning medical marijuana access points from operating within their boundaries for the sake of public safety and/or concern for the exposure of children to marijuana.

If the cities are truly concerned about safety and the potential of kids being exposed to this drug, then I think they’d want these access points to exist in order to regulate and monitor the disbursement of the marijuana.

If it is the threat of the federal government that the city officials are afraid of, they need not be afraid – there has not been a single incidence where a city, county or state official has been convicted of any crime in this matter. It is and always has been the professionals in the medical marijuana industry that bear the brutal force of the federal government’s attacks.

Here’s the scoop: The access points provide a location for patients to acquire the medicine in an official and safe setting. They also educate people on safe and responsible use of the drug. Teaching the patients regularly to exercise thoughtful responsibility, discretion, safe use, avoidance of operating machinery while medicated, keeping it locked in a safe place out of public view and far away from children at all times, and so forth.

The pros for allowing and keeping access points far outweigh the cons. If there is going to be marijuana, why not have it in a location that can be an asset to public safety? Without an official access point, the patients may acquire the medication from just about any location. Unregulated, unmonitored and without education for safety. The alleyway behind the local grocery store, the parking lot of a park and ride, a quick exchange at the bus stop – the possibilities are endless.

With official safe access points for medical marijuana patients, these type of occurrences are less likely. Medical marijuana patients will get their medication in a safe place – which means safety for the patient and for the general public as well.

Cities banning medical marijuana access points are in essence encouraging back alley drug deals exposing the general public to unnecessary risks and denying public safety education to the patients who will find and have access to the marijuana regardless of city policy.

It seems some cities struggle with zoning for these type of facilities. Here’s an idea: Keep it in a well-lit commercial zone. No growing of live plants allowed, no closer than 1,000 feet of a school, daycare or public park from property line to property line, and no closer than 1,000 feet to another access facility. Mandatory video surveillance with recording device and alarm systems installed.

With these type of zoning requirements there won’t be facilities popping up on every corner and the city can be certain the facility is a safe and secure location for patients and the public as well.

There is no reason why marijuana access facilities and a city cannot work cooperatively to educate the people and monitor the safe distribution of the medicine.

With the proliferation of medical marijuana (now legal in 17 states and D.C.), it seems time to stop fighting against each other and begin working to monitor safe access and public safety concerns.

– Jeanna Starr