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DISPENSARIES PROVIDE MANY BENEFITS TO THE SICK AND SUFFERING Safe and legal access to cannabis is the reason dispensaries have been created by patients and caregivers around the state. For many people, dispensaries remove significant barri- ers to their ability to obtain cannabis. Patients in urban areas with no space to cultivate cannabis, those without the requisite garden- ing skills to grow their own, and, most critical- ly, those who face the sudden onset of a serious illness or who have suffered a cata- strophic illness -all tend to rely on dispen- saries as a compassionate, community-based solution that is an alternative to potentially dangerous illicit market transactions. Many elected officials around the state recog- nize the importance of dispensaries for their constituents. As Nathan Miley, former Oakland City councilmember and now Alameda County supervisor said in a letter to his colleagues, "When designing regulations, it is crucial to remember that at its core this is a healthcare issue, requiring the involvement and leadership of local departments of public health. Apro-active healthcare-based approach can effectively address problems before they arise, and communities can design methods for safe, legal access to med- ical marijuana while keeping the patients' needs foremost." Likewise, Abbe Land, mayor of West Hollywood says safe access is "very impor- tant" and long-time councilmember John Duran agreed, adding, "We have a very high number of HIV-positive residents in our area. Some of them require medical marijuana to offset the medications they take for HIV." Jane Bender, mayor of Santa Rosa, says, "There are legitimate patients in our commu- nity, and I'm glad they have a safe means of obtaining their medicine." Oakland's city administrator for ordinances, said safe access to cannabis is "very impor- tant" for the community. "In the finding the council made to justify the ordinance, they say 'have safe and affordable access'." And Mike Rotkin, the longtime Santa Cruz elected official, said that this is also an impor- tant matter for his city's citizens: "The council considers it a high priority and has taken con- siderable heat to speak out and act on the issue." It was a similar decision of social conscience that lead to Placerville's city council putting a regulatory ordinance in place. councilmember Marian Washburn told her colleagues that "as you get older, you know people with diseases who suffer terribly, so that is probably what I get down to after considering all the other components." While dispensaries provide a unique way for patients to obtain the cannabis their doctors have recommended, they typically offer far more that is of benefit to the health and wel- fare of those suffering both chronic and acute medical problems. Dispensaries are often called "clubs" in part because many of them offer far more than a clinical setting for obtaining cannabis. Recognizing the isolation that many seriously ill and injured people experience, many dis- pensaryoperators chose to offer a wider array of social services, including everything from a place to congregate and socialize to help with finding housing and meals. The social support patients receive in these settings has far- reaching benefits that is also influencing the development of other patient-based care models. For more Information, see vwvw_AmericansForSafeACCess.org or contact the ASA office at i-888-929-4367 or 510-251-1856. 10