CHRISTINA CEPERO

CCEPERO@NEWS-PRESS.COM

Bonita Springs wants to make sure it doesn't become the place in Southwest Florida for weed.

The City Council unanimously agreed Wednesday to draft an ordinance to ban medical marijuana smoking in public and work on regulations for cannabis dispensaries and treatment centers to be ready if Amendment 2 passes on Nov. 4 legalizing its use.

"You can get a contact high from it. It's not fair," Mayor Ben Nelson said. "The places that have been successful and haven't had reoccurring problems put the restrictions on distance, where, on how many, how close. Then they never had to address the issue again."

City Attorney Audrey Vance said the city would regulate places that sell the drug similarly to how it regulates the sale of alcohol and location sites of homeless shelters.

After hearings on the public medical marijuana smoking ban at 9 a.m. Oct. 15 and 5:30 p.m. Nov. 5, the City Council will vote Nov. 5. Ordinances go into effect 30 days after approval.

Vance said the purpose of a prohibition on smoking of cannabis in public places is twofold.

"The smell can be very strong and can be a distraction to people," she said.

Vance said the regulation is also a good idea because people visiting from other states may have certification to use the drug that must be recognized in Florida if the constitutional amendment passes.

Medical marijuana would be able to be ingested in other forms in public places in the city and smoked in the privacy of one's home.

The City Council also voted 7-0 to adopt a zoning in progress for medical marijuana dispensaries and treatment centers, which means any that apply should the amendment pass would be subject to any ordinances the city passes regulating them.

Finally, the City Council voted unanimously to instruct city staff to draft regulations that would define medical marijuana dispensaries and treatment centers and limit the number and how close they can be from each other as well as schools, parks and libraries.

Residents weighed in on both sides of the issue.

"I'm not against something that will help people. What I don't understand is if it is a medicine, if it is helpful, let it go through the process of all other medicines," the Rev. Jeff Chitwood said. "It doesn't seem that this has to pursue all those avenues as other drugs that help people with pain. It does place restrictions on its use but also opens the door for abuse."

Daniel Williams said: "Allowing medical marijuana into our community to help replace these opiate drugs, these very addicting drugs, will be a great benefit to our community at large, especially our veterans. There are a number of studies that can be cited and referenced of using marijuana to treat post-traumatic stress disorder."

Vance will work with Community Development as well as the Lee County Sheriff's Office and Bonita Springs Fire-Rescue on regulations and review other municipalities' ordinances.

In Naples, the City Council on Wednesday scheduled the first hearing on a proposed ordinance that would ban medical marijuana dispensaries and treatment centers within city limits.

The law would also prohibit marijuana farms and sales of the drug in Naples.

As a fallback plan, should the amendment be approved in November and state officials decide the city cannot ban dispensaries and treatment centers, these facilities could be located under the ordinance, if variances are approved, in the city's medical district centered around the main campus of Naples Community Hospital.

If the council tentatively approves the proposed ordinance Oct. 1, it would come up for approval at a second and final hearing Oct. 15.

Denes Husty contributed to this report.

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