Calif. town votes to ban medical marijuana

GARDEN GROVE, Calif., Oct. 15 (UPI) -- The city council in one southern California town has voted to close down medical marijuana dispensaries.

Garden Grove, Calif., has one dispensary, which opened seven months ago. One of the owners of Unit-D said that the dispensary plans to remain open as long as it can, The Orange County Register reported.

California voters passed a medical marijuana referendum in 1996. While marijuana remains illegal under federal law, under state law clinics can dispense it to patients with notes from doctors.

Councilman Steve Jones said that the city could be sued for poor-quality marijuana dispensed by clinics.

"As a city, we have no control over the quality of products sold in these places but we still have to assume liability for them," he said.

Mark Rosen, who voted against the ordinance, told the Register he had talked to police who reported no problems with Unit-D.

The ordinance, approved 4-1, takes effect in 30 days.