Officials, Experts Say Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Good for Cities

September 06, 2006

WHAT: Press Conference to release report on ASA’s study of medical cannabis dispensaries and local ordinances in California

WHEN: Thursday, September 7, 2006 at noon

WHERE: Steps of San Diego Convention Center, corner of 5^th and Harbor

WHO: Oakland City Councilmember Desley Brooks
Santa Cruz City Councilmember Mike Rotkin
Amanda Reiman, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley
Steph Sherer, executive director, Americans for Safe Access

Why medical marijuana dispensaries are good for local communities will be the focus of a press conference at noon tomorrow at the San Diego Convention Center. The press conference marks the release of a statewide report on local dispensary regulations in California, presented as part of the California League of Cities annual conference.

Two of the state’s leading city officials and a researcher from the University of California, Berkeley will join the head of the nation’s leading medical marijuana advocacy group to discuss what city and county officials have learned about creating ordinances to regulate medical cannabis dispensaries in communities across the state.

Fifth-term Santa Cruz City Councilmember Mike Rotkin and Oakland City Councilmember Desley Brooks will each speak about their city’s experience with implementing regulatory ordinances for medical cannabis dispensaries.

Amanda Reiman, Ph.D., of the University of California, Berkeley will outline her recent research findings on why and how the cannabis dispensaries benefit patients.

Steph Sherer, executive director of Americans for Safe Access, an Oakland-based medical cannabis advocacy group, will speak on the patient experience. A former resident of San Diego, Ms. Sherer relocated to Northern California to get better access to dispensaries.

The report from ASA is based on nine-months of interviews with local officials and other research. Copies of the report will be available at the press conference and to local officials attending the California League of Cities conference, which is starting tomorrow at the convention center. For more information, contact William Dolphin at (510) 919-1498.

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With more than 30,000 members, Americans for Safe Access (ASA) is the largest national member-based organization of patients, medical professionals, scientists and concerned citizens promoting safe and legal access to cannabis for therapeutic uses and research.