Medicinal Pot on Yuba Agenda

[Respect]

Four months after Yuba County supervisors deferred a decision to consider medical marijuana identification cards, the issue is back on their agenda.

In August, board members agreed to refrain from making a decision until legal counsel could review state and federal laws on medical marijuana. Tuesday, supervisors will consider approving a program that will offer patients the option to obtain a statewide ID to medically approved users.

County Counsel Dan Montgomery said approval would bring the county into compliance with state law. "It's necessary to comply with state law, so that's what we will be doing with this," Montgomery said.

If the program is approved, Montgomery said there will be some costs to the county for implementation. "We will be able to charge a fee, so hopefully that will be able to offset some of the cost," he said.

Aaron Smith, state coordinator for Safe Access Now, a nonprofit organization promoting legal access to medical marijuana identification cards, said he's surprised to see the item is on the consent agenda. "I think it shows this is not a controversial issue and that it is an administrative task the board and the department of health have to perform," Smith said.


Source: Appeal-Democrat (Marysville, CA)
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