The Transportation and Planning Committee of Alameda County's Board of Supervisors will began hearings on a proposed ordinance to regulate medical marijuana dispensaries in the unincorporated areas of the county on Monday, April 11th at 2 PM in the Board's chambers. There has been an ongoing debate between the supervisors and the sheriff about how many dispensaries the county should permit and what kind of guidelines to use to frame operation of such dispensaries.

The issue of dispensaries in the unincorporated areas of the county heated up last October when the San Leandro Homeowners' Association complained about the dispensaries in unincorporated areas. At the Board of Supes meeting, all of the concerned neighbors who were speaking about problems acknowledged that cannabis is medicine and that patients have the right to safe access. They seemed primarily concerned that seven clubs had sprung up in a small region of the county. A moratorium on the opening of marijuana dispensaries in the unincorporated areas was put into place on October 26, 2004. Read more in an 11/1 update | 2/25/05 Update

The discussion about the medical marijuana dispensary coops and collectives led to the San Leandro city council declaring a moratorium on dispensaries. Although there are no dispensaries currently in San Leandro, the dispensaries near San Leandro are on county roads. Americans for Safe Access reported that the San Leandro moratorium was not likely to be resolved until after the County has resolved their moratorium.