As San Francisco Medical Marijuana Dispensaries try to open and expand, there is still considerable opposition, particularly in the Sunset District, where patients are left having to travel considerable distances to obtain their medication. District Representative Carmen Chu is attempting to spearhead a San Francisco moratorium against new dispensaries.
This is another example of how our elected officials try to pre-empt Californians' constitutional rights to have safe and reliable access to medications. Chu was one of two votes against creation of a medical marijuana advisory board in San Francisco, designed to have consumer, provider, and public input to develop policy to regulate medical marijuana in San Francisco. Without input from those involved in the industry then the policy created will clearly not respect or reflect not only scientific evidence of the medicinal value of cannabis but the significance of reducing criminal justice costs associated with marijuana possession related arrests and incarcerations.
It’s funny, because I don’t heare Chu complaining about all of the health, criminal justice and lost productivity costs associated with alcohol and tobacco use. Yet, in San Francisco and Chu’s district, bars and liquor stores flourish. There is clear evidence of the medicinal value of cannabis and clear evidence of the exorbitant costs associated with alcohol and tobacco use, yet many of our public officials refuse to develop a policy to address the public's concerns.
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