Report from San Francisco Patient Neighborhood Alliance Town Hall

Dear friends,
Last night's first Town Hall was a huge success! The First
Unitarian Universalist Church held about 40 patients, dispensary
representatives and neighbors attentively listening to the Town
Hall panel, later to break up into focus groups on a Neighborhood
Peace Plan and existing Regulation Models. The star-studded panel
included San Francisco City Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, the Guru of
Ganja Ed Rosenthal, ASA Legal Support Coordinator Kris Hermes,
Director of the Cannabis Consumers Campaign Mikki Norris, and
internationally recognized medical marijuana authority Chris
Conrad.
All attendees were given the opportunity to speak during the
focus groups. The Neighborhood Peace Plan was facilitated by
John Shaw and Stacey Swimme, and resulted in three points of
consensus.
1. Three things you can do as a patient to improve community relations
2. Three things dispensaries can do to improve community relations
3. The creation of a Citizen Review Board modeled after community arbitration
boards
The Regulation Model focus group was a constant exchange of
ideas. The task at hand was to reach consensus if not majority
consensus on at least 3 key issues. While there were 26 points
brought up, we arrived at a majority consensus on 7 key issues.
1. Existing dispensaries should be allowed to remain open providing
compliance with upcoming regulations.
2. Capping the number of dispensaries has failed in other cities and
counties and should not be the model we follow in San Francisco
3. Dispensaries should voluntarily share information on patients without
necessarily looking to law enforcement
4. The Department of Public Health should take lead on the issue and law
enforcement should play a minimal role
5. Regulations should plug into existing agencies and departments
6. Regulations should protect personal medical use, medical dispensaries and
medical cannabis cultivators in San Francisco
7. Dispensaries should provide bathrooms to ensure patient comfort
Everyone took home sample regulations provided by The Vapor Room
and Americans for Safe Access. They will be reviewed at the next
Town Hall, tentatively scheduled for May 9th.
This is your chance to take part in public policy. Open
cooperation amongst all affected parties is the only way to
ensure safe, affordable access and peaceful community relations.
Let's help San Francisco become the leader in Medical
Marijuana!


Alex Franco
San Francisco Americans for Safe Access