Like L.A., Sacramento Seeks Cap on Medical Marijuana Dispensaries

The city of Sacramento may allow no more than 12 medical-marijuana dispensaries to operate legally, down from 39 currently registered programs, the Sacramento Bee reported March 12.

Under the plan, a lottery would be held to determine which programs survive. The remaining dispensaries would be required to maintain security, would be barred from hiring convicted felons, and would have to label their marijuana stating that the dispensary, not the city, is responsible for any harm stemming from its use.

Dispensaries also would be banned from within 300 feet of neighborhoods and 500 feet of churches, parks, schools, youth facilities, and addiction treatment programs.

Some of the dispensaries currently operating in the city threatened to sue over the proposal, which also would step up regulation of the remaining programs. Robert Shantz, representing the Sacramento Alliance of Collectives, called the proposal “prohibition masquerading as authorization.”