Anytime a court ruling makes it easier on law enforcement, Antioch Police Chief Allan Cantando won’t complain. In fact, he may even smile as was the case yesterday after a California ruling that allows cities to ban Marijuana Dispensaries.
In a 7-0 decision, the State’s high court rejected medical marijuana advocates who maintain local governments cannot bar activity that is legal. More than 180 cities across the state have bans including Antioch, Brentwood, and Oakley. The ruling does very little except ensure nothing changes since cities already have bans in place.
Cantando stated late last night that he is a supporter of those really in need for medicinal marijuana as treatment to cancer and stated they are not “the problem “, however, folks that congregate outside the dispensaries or sell for non-medical purposes create the problem for police.
“It would add an attractive nuisance to the City of Antioch,” said Cantando. “There are other cities that demonstrate an increase of calls for service such as Oakland and Long Beach where marijuana dispensaries have established business.”
Cantando is happy with the ruling and hopes in terms of a regional approach, other cities continue to ban these types of dispensaries.
Below is a statement provided by the California Police Chiefs Association who applaud the ruling along with the ruling to the decision.
California’s Police Chiefs Support Supreme Court’s Ruling on Marijuana Dispensaries”
The California Police Chiefs Association applauds the California Supreme Court’s unanimous decision to give local jurisdictions legal authority to ban Marijuana dispensaries within their borders. “After nearly 17 years of the haze and confusion caused by Prop. 215 and SB 420 the Supreme Court has finally provided the clarity sought by cities on how to deal with medical marijuana dispensaries which were never part of the initiative and are not authorized by any California law,” said Covina Police Chief Kim Raney, president of the California Police Chiefs Association. “Dispensaries became blights on many neighborhoods and magnets for criminal activity which led cities to enact ordinances banning them.
The Supreme Court’s ruling gives cities the authority to enact ordinances they feel are necessary to protect the public safety in their jurisdictions and is a welcome breath of fresh air. This should send a message to the Legislature that the public won’t tolerate legislation that imposes dispensaries on their neighborhoods.”
The ruling came as a result of a legal challenge to a ban the city of Riverside enacted in 2010. Cal Chiefs also participated in submitting an Amicus Brief to the court in this case.
The California Police Chiefs Association represents the state’s municipal police chiefs whose agencies protect over 78 percent of the citizens of California.
A link to the actual decision is below for your information:
http://www.courts.ca.gov/opinions/documents/S198638.PDF
