Despite voters in every Venice precinct voting to go ahead with Amendment 2, the city council voted -unanimously- to write an ordinance that will ban medical marijuana dispensaries within city limits. Vice Mayor Rich Cautero and councilwoman Jeanette Gates both cited a lack of local control. That is, the current state law does not allow any local regulation above and beyond what is currently placed on pharmacies. City Manager Ed LaVallee also noted since many dispensaries operate on a cash-only basis because of federal banking laws, he said that “creates another attractive nuisance for prospective crime.” In regards to the voters overwhelmingly passing Amendment 2, LaVallee said a vote for allowing medical marijuana isn’t “the same as saying I want it next door to me.”
