Robert Celt
New Member
If residents in Campbell want to lift the city's ban on the delivery and cultivation of medical marijuana, there's only a limited amount of time to act. A group known as Keep Campbell Green has started gathering signatures to get an initiative on the November ballot. The group has 180 days from March 8 to gather signatures of nearly 2,000 registered Campbell voters and turn them into the city.
The initiative is the group's response to the city council's approval of a ban on medical marijuana processing and delivery. Marijuana dispensaries are currently prohibited in the city through a zoning ordinance approved by the council.
"It affects a lot of people," said Alex Smirnov, a member of Keep Campbell Green. Smirnov and other Campbell residents had been speaking at council meetings urging the council to vote against the ordinance.
Several of the council members said at previous meetings the decision doesn't mean they oppose medicinal use of marijuana. Some council members, like Mayor Jason Baker, said that if and when medical marijuana is federally recognized and can be regulated closely, then it may have a place in the city for patients in need of it.
Keep Campbell Green is seeking a new ordinance that would require the city to "prescribe reasonable rules to govern commercial cannabis activity that are consistent with the proposed ordinance and applicable state laws."
The group's proposed ordinance would require an advisory committee appointed by the city manager, an annual permit from the city for anyone engaging in commercial cannabis activity and activity on property to be away from residential areas.
According to NORML, an organization with chapters in states that work on reforming medical marijuana laws, California allows the use, transportation and cultivation of medical marijuana under Proposition 215 and SB420. However, it is still prohibited under federal law.
At the beginning of this year, the state's Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act went into effect. According to the city's Jan. 19 staff report, the act contains provisions that allows local governments to ban cultivating, processing, transporting, testing and distributing medical marijuana.
According to Campbell city clerk Wendy Wood, the group needs to collect valid signatures from at least 10 percent of the city's 19,443 registered voters as of Jan. 6, according to the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters.
However, Wood added that if the full 180 days are needed to gather signatures, the initiative may not make it onto the November ballot since the city and the registrar of voters would still need to review and process it.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Campbell MMJ Initiative Launched To Allow Cultivation And Delivery In The City
Author: Jasmine Leyva
Contact: San Jose Mercury News
Photo Credit: Uriel Sinai
Website: San Jose Mercury News
The initiative is the group's response to the city council's approval of a ban on medical marijuana processing and delivery. Marijuana dispensaries are currently prohibited in the city through a zoning ordinance approved by the council.
"It affects a lot of people," said Alex Smirnov, a member of Keep Campbell Green. Smirnov and other Campbell residents had been speaking at council meetings urging the council to vote against the ordinance.
Several of the council members said at previous meetings the decision doesn't mean they oppose medicinal use of marijuana. Some council members, like Mayor Jason Baker, said that if and when medical marijuana is federally recognized and can be regulated closely, then it may have a place in the city for patients in need of it.
Keep Campbell Green is seeking a new ordinance that would require the city to "prescribe reasonable rules to govern commercial cannabis activity that are consistent with the proposed ordinance and applicable state laws."
The group's proposed ordinance would require an advisory committee appointed by the city manager, an annual permit from the city for anyone engaging in commercial cannabis activity and activity on property to be away from residential areas.
According to NORML, an organization with chapters in states that work on reforming medical marijuana laws, California allows the use, transportation and cultivation of medical marijuana under Proposition 215 and SB420. However, it is still prohibited under federal law.
At the beginning of this year, the state's Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act went into effect. According to the city's Jan. 19 staff report, the act contains provisions that allows local governments to ban cultivating, processing, transporting, testing and distributing medical marijuana.
According to Campbell city clerk Wendy Wood, the group needs to collect valid signatures from at least 10 percent of the city's 19,443 registered voters as of Jan. 6, according to the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters.
However, Wood added that if the full 180 days are needed to gather signatures, the initiative may not make it onto the November ballot since the city and the registrar of voters would still need to review and process it.
News Moderator: Robert Celt 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Campbell MMJ Initiative Launched To Allow Cultivation And Delivery In The City
Author: Jasmine Leyva
Contact: San Jose Mercury News
Photo Credit: Uriel Sinai
Website: San Jose Mercury News
