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Mitre - Ramirez, Norma From: Magallon, Becky Sent: Tuesday, July 01, 2014 1:20 PM To: Huizar, Maria Subject: FW: Marijuana Dispenseries Maria, Forwarding another email regarding marijuana dispensaries Becky From: Ken May [ Sent: Tuesday, July 01, 2014 12:19 PM To: Pulido, Miguel; Tinajero, Sal; Sarmiento, Vince; Martinez, Michele; Benavides, David; Reyna, Roman Subject: Marijuana Dispenseries Dear City Officials, I just wanted to reach out to each of you to express my concern and ideas for the upcoming ballot measure regarding Medical Marijuana dispensaries that will be up for vote at the Santa Ana City Council meeting tonight 7/1/14. 1 understand and can respect the medical aspect of medical marijuana and think that it is important to have a controlled and taxable way to distribute to those with medical conditions. I am concerned that there is too much focus so far on how many licensed facilities will be allowed in the city and not enough details on exactly where they can be located. I am most concerned with them being located near schools (my children go to El Sol Academy on Broadway where an illegal dispensary very close to the school), parks and residential or mixed residential /commercial zones. There needs to be specific and exact language in the ballot measure that states a physical distance minimum (1/2 mile etc.) from schools, parks, homes and the like. I also think that the sales tax should be high enough to actually bring some money into the city treasury and this money should be used primarily or exclusively for code enforcement of unlicensed dispensaries, police support, and drug treatment and anti -drug use education. The tax though should not be so high that customers are discouraged to use the official dispensaries and go to the illegal ones or street dealers. There also should be strict rules on the signage and advertising style for any official dispensaries as the illegal ones that exist now use street -style artistic airbrush typography that is more cool or hip in nature than informative or medical. The dispensary on 17th street between Baker and Westwood is an example of this. This seems to send a message that marijuana is cool and hip not that it will help medically relieve your glaucoma or cancer treatment symptoms. When I go to the pharmacy to get a prescription I don't need to feel hip or cool but just want to relieve my symptoms /illness and the same approach should apply here. In fact, why are pharmacies not able or permitted to dispense medical marijuana instead of these separate dispensaries? Thank you for your time and consideration of my concerns and ideas. Ken May Santa Ana Resident/Parent/Voter