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7.A. - Page 63 <br /> ATTACHN�NT 3 <br /> that the city could look to nearby cities that already have the codes and regulations in <br /> place. He stated that the crime cited in the report had anything to do with dispensaries, <br /> and referred to cases where a large amount of marijuana was being sold for a large <br /> amount of money, not the non-profit dispensaries. He stated that non-regulation leads to <br /> crime, and if people can call the police when a crime is committed against them they <br /> would not have to retaliate violently. <br /> Nicholas Grans, San Mateo County Patient Network, spoke about his work with a soldier <br /> that chose to remain anonymous, because he is afraid of the federal regulations against <br /> him. He used the soldier for an example of using medical marijuana to give him a better <br /> quality of life. He stated that he represents many patients that could not make it out of <br /> their homes to the hearing but wanted their opinions well known. He stated that making <br /> trips to other cities takes a big toll financially, and many are low-income patients who <br /> need regulation to find safe access to their medication. The delivery services don't <br /> come with the quality and consistency of inedication that is really needed. Allowing legal <br /> dispensaries to would eliminate that black market that people turn to when looking for a <br /> safe alternative to pills. <br /> Micheal Resendez spoke about his disability from a military accident and his history with <br /> prescription medicine. He stated that the military gave him medicine rather than surgery <br /> and he was addicted for nine years. After a failed attempt at suicide, he weaned himself <br /> off of prescribed pharmaceuticals and began using medicinal marijuana. He stated that <br /> he was previously robbed for his medicine and called the police, who caught the robber. <br /> He noted that many dispensaries are in less safe parts of towns. He noted that when <br /> buying from a collective or delivery service the medicine is frequently unsafe and <br /> unusable. <br /> Vera Popova, a medicinal marijuana patient, stated that she can't always afford her <br /> medicine and would grow her own, but in her current living situation she is limited. She <br /> suggested opening a public garden for patients to grow their medicine. She stated that if <br /> the ban is put in place then patients will not be able to take care of themselves. <br /> John Cairns spoke about alternatives to placing the ban on medicinal marijuana <br /> dispensaries. He noted that in Denver, Colorado there are sixteen bakeries that furnish <br /> marijuana for patients, and that not all patients need to smoke it. He suggested working <br /> with hospitals and pharmacies to develop a better delivery system. He noted that there <br /> are many misconceptions about medicinal marijuana and Redwood City has an <br /> opportunity to embrace it to help their patients. He suggested tying dispensaries into the <br /> universities <br /> M/S (Schmidt/Radcliffe) to close public hearing <br /> Motion Passed <br /> Chair Borgens asked about the statistics and case history within the marijuana <br /> community regarding crimes. <br /> Acting Police Chief Cesena asked if she meant within Redwood City. <br /> Chair Borgens clarified she meant within San Mateo County. She referred to San Mateo <br /> and San Carlos that currently allow dispensaries and there are none. <br /> Page 11 of 16 <br />