Hemet has made permanent an ordinance that strictly prohibits medical marijuana facilities from operating and soon may move ahead with legal action against those who do not close their doors.

The Hemet City Council voted 4-0 Tuesday to ban the shops in the city limits. City Councilman Jim Foreman was absent.

A temporary ordinance has been in place since April 2009. The two-year limit on the emergency moratorium was set to expire in April.

Five such shops are currently open in Hemet. The city sent cease-and-desist letters in the past month. In closed session, the council gave the city permission to proceed with an injunction against the shops if they do not close by the date specified in the letter.

That date is within the next 14 days.

The ordinance does not prohibit qualified patients from using or growing their own marijuana and is strictly limited to the storefront businesses.

One resident, John Gifford, spoke in support of the ordinance.

He said access to the marijuana was a quality-of-life issue for those who need it, but the storefronts were a quality-of-life issue for others.

Eddy Hooper, partner in the Wellness 951 Collective, made an impassioned plea but then cut himself short, saying "You have already voted, and it is wrong."

Resident John Dodridge said, "Now this town is going to ban people from smoking a little pot while living here. I'm very disappointed in you guys."

After the public hearing segment, no council members spoke about the ordinance. The four council members in attendance voted and moved on with the agenda as much of the crowd in the chambers left.

(Source)