Topic: War on Drugs
Westlake Village puts another nail in the coffin of the suffering In spite of the California voters approval to allow marijuana to be sold for medical purposes, sufferers of debilitating diseases will have to find someplace other than Westlake Village, Thousand Oaks or Agoura Hills to purchase relief.by Raven West, J.D.
(libertarian)
Friday, July 31, 2009
Westlake Village City Council voted unanimously to shut down "Amazing Healing Supply" a marijuana dispensary. (An appeal by is pending). Needed to find a legal way to close a legal business operation, the city relied on their staff's report that the zoning ordinance "does not specifically list marijuana distribution facility as a permitted use or conditionally permitted use in any zoning district. As a result, such use is deemed to be prohibited."
Bottom line is, when a government doesn't want your type of business, they will find something in their zoning ordinances to keep you out.
While the city government representatives shut down cannabis clubs because of unsubstantiated fear that they might cause further "problems", they have no problem approving zoning permits for convenience stores, drug stores, grocery stores and others that sell alcohol on every corner, three within less than half a mile from a local elementary school in Thousand Oaks. Citing "further problems" as a lame excuse, and using out-dated zoning ordinances to force legal dispensaries of marijuana to close their doors, is nothing less than hypocrisy at its worst.
Anyone who has watched a friend afflicted with cancer waste away from the decease, or suffer from chemo treatments, knows first hand the benefits derived from smoking marijuana, for the patient as well as for the caregiver. While it's one thing for a product to be sold legally, it's quite another when the government refuses to allow legitimate businesses to sell that product in their community due to fear of what might happen, when there is no evidence to support their opinion.
Libertarians, lovers of liberty, firmly support the basic rights of individuals to do what they wish with their bodies, provided they do not injure anyone else. We are a long way from eradicating all vice laws, but we are one step closer to allowing those who suffer from disease to purchase a plant which helps relieve their pain, provided they can find a store in their neighborhood to make such a purchase.
Unfortunately, for the time being, that won't be Westlake Village.
Westlake Village City Council voted unanimously to shut down "Amazing Healing Supply" a marijuana dispensary. (An appeal by is pending). Needing to find a legal way to close a legal business operation, the city relied on their staff's report that the zoning ordinance "does not specifically list marijuana distribution facility as a permitted use or conditionally permitted use in any zoning district. As a result, such use is deemed to be prohibited."
Bottom line is, when a government doesn't want your type of business, they will find something in their zoning ordinances to keep you out.
While the city government representatives shut down cannabis clubs because of unsubstantiated fear that they might cause further "problems", they have no problem approving zoning permits for convenience stores, drug stores, grocery stores and others that sell alcohol on every corner, three within less than half a mile from a local elementary school in Thousand Oaks. Citing "further problems" as a lame excuse, and using out-dated zoning ordinances to force legal dispensaries of marijuana to close their doors, is nothing less than hypocrisy at its worst.
Anyone who has watched a friend afflicted with cancer waste away from the decease, or suffer from chemo treatments, knows first hand the benefits derived from smoking marijuana, for the patient as well as for the caregiver. While it's one thing for a product to be sold legally, it's quite another when the government refuses to allow legitimate businesses to sell that product in their community due to fear of what might happen, when there is no evidence to support their opinion.
Libertarians, lovers of liberty, firmly support the basic rights of individuals to do what they wish with their bodies, provided they do not injure anyone else. We are a long way from eradicating all vice laws, but we are one step closer to allowing those who suffer from disease to purchase a plant which helps relieve their pain, provided they can find a store in their neighborhood to make such a purchase.
Unfortunately, for the time being, that won't be Westlake Village.
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The views expressed in this
article are those of Raven West, J.D. only and do not represent
the views of Nolan Chart, LLC or its affiliates. Raven West, J.D. is
solely responsible for the contents of this article and is not an
employee or otherwise affiliated with Nolan Chart, LLC in his/her role as a columnist.
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