Business & Tech

Group Delivers Signatures to Put Medical Marijuana Dispensaries on Ballot in Lemon Grove

Citizens for Patient Rights said it had submitted in excess of 3,000 signatures supporting the initiative, and filed a formal request for a special election.

Residents of Lemon Grove may soon be voting in a special election on whether to allow medical marijuana dispensaries in the city.

A group spearheading a petition drive to expand the operations beyond the city of San Diego said late Wednesday night it had delivered more than enough signatures to place the issue on the ballot.

Citizens for Patient Rights said it had submitted in excess of 3,000 signatures supporting the initiative to the Lemon Grove City Clerk, and filed a formal request for a special election. A total of 1,754 signatures were needed to qualify the measure for a regular or special election.

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The group made the announcement by press release, which read in part:

As part of our initiative petition, we have submitted a formal request for a special election, though we hope the Lemon Grove City Council will see fit to enact the ordinance directly or put it to a vote of the people in the November general election, in order to guarantee a quick resolution of the question of whether there will be safe access for the medical marijuana patients of Lemon Grove and the surrounding areas. 

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Our initiative proposal gives patients and caregivers access to medical marijuana, in full compliance with California state law, while allowing the City of Lemon Grove complete oversight to ensure that medical marijuana collectives are run in a lawful, legitimate, dignified and discrete fashion. The initiative includes a supplemental sales tax and cost recovery fees, in order to ensure that medical marijuana access in Lemon Grove has a positive net impact on the city's finances.  

We have full confidence that the voters of Lemon Grow will choose regulation, transparency and oversight, and show compassion for the needs of patients and caregivers in their community.

A representative from Citizens for Patients Rights told the City Council at its June 19 meeting the group’s focus is to provide medical marijuana patients with safe access to the product. Roberto Torres said the city would benefit from a 2.5 percent tax on medical marijuana transactions that could boost the city’s coffers by nearly $97,000.

Lemon Grove is among by the group’s expansion effort. Proposals were also filed in La Mesa, Solana Beach, Encinitas and Del Mar.

Lemon Grove does not currently allow medical marijuana dispensaries.


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