News » Bakersfield, CA Residents Overturn Dispensary Ban

Residents of Bakersfield, CA made a strong showing in support of medical marijuana, overturning a recent ban on dispensaries in the Kern County city.

On August 9, city supervisors passed ordinance G-8191 which made illegal storefront dispensaries, sale of edibles, and limits patients to growing 12 plants. The law would have taken affect last Friday, but the medical marijuana patients and the cities citizens at large still had one recourse – gather 17,350 signatures in opposition of the legislation before the law went into effect.

No small feat in a municipality with a population of 347,483 according to the 2010 census. Nearly 5% of the city’s residents would need to speak up.

An hour before they were due, members of Kern Citizens For Patient Rights turned in 26,335 signatures to Kathleen Krause, the clerk of the Board of Supervisors. More than 50% more signatures were collected than were required to block the ordinance – nearly 7.5% of the populace spoke out in opposition of the ban.

But medical marijuana supports can’t give up just yet.

Kern County Elections Division Chief Karen Rhea is planning to finish certifying over 5,000 new voter registrations so that a count and validation can be performed on the petition. If more than the 17,350 are 26,335 are valid signatures, G-8191 will be dead.

[source Bakersfield.com]

Tags: Bakersfield, California, dispensary ban, G-8191, Kathleen Krause, Kern Citizens For Patient Rights, Kern County