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by dispensaries are effective for patients with a variety of serious illnesses. Participants active in support services are less anxious and depressed, make better use of their time and are more likely to return to work than patients who receive only standardized care, regardless of whether they have serious psy- chiatric symptoms. On-site consumption is also important for patients who face restrictions to off-site consumption, such as those in subsi- dized or other housing arrangements that prohibit smoking. In addition, on-site con- sumption provides an opportunity for patients to share information about effective use of cannabis and to use specialized delivery methods, such as vaporizers, which do not require smoking. Examples of localities that permit on-site consumption (many stipulate ventilation requirements): • Berkeley • San Francisco • Alameda County • Kern County • Los Angeles County DIFFERENTIATING DISPENSARIES FROM PRIVATE PATIENT COLLECTIVES IS IMPORTANT Reason: Private patient collectives, in which several patients grow their medicine collec- tively at a private location, should not be required to follow the same restrictions that are placed on retail dispensaries, since they are a different type of operation. Atoo- broadly written ordinance may inadvertently put untenable restrictions on individual patients and caregivers who are providing either for themselves or a few others. Example: Santa Rosa's adopted ordinance, provision 10-40.030 (F) "Medical cannabis dispensing collective," hereinafter "dispensary," shall be construed to include any association, cooperative, affilia- tion, or collective of persons where multiple "qualified patients" and/or "primary care givers," are organized to provide education, referral, or network services, and facilitation or assistance in the lawful, "retail" distribu- tion of medical cannabis. "Dispensary" means any facility or location where the primary pur- pose is to dispense medical cannabis (i.e., mar- ijuana) as a medication that has been recommended by a physician and where med- ical cannabis is made available to and/or dis- tributed by or to two or more of the following: a primary caregiver and/or a quali- fied patient, in strict accordance with California Health and Safety Code Section 11362.5 et seq. A "dispensary" shall not include dispensing by primary caregivers to qualified patients in the following locations and uses, as long as the location of such uses are otherwise regulated by this Code or appli- cable law: a clinic licensed pursuant to Chapter 1 of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code, a health care facility licensed pursuant to Chapter 2 of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code, a residential care facility for persons with chronic life-threaten- ing illness licensed pursuant to Chapter 3.01 of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code, residential care facility for the elderly licensed pursuant to Chapter 3.2 of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code, a residential hospice, or a home health agency licensed pursuant to Chapter 8 of Division 2 of the Health and Safety Code, as long as any such use complies strictly with applicable law including, but not limited to, Health and Safety Code Section 11362.5 et seq., or a qualified patient's or caregiver's place of residence. PATIENTS BENEFIT FROM ACCESS TO EDIBLES AND MEDICAL CANNABIS CONSUMPTION DEVICES Reason: Not all patients smoke cannabis. Many find tinctures (cannabis extracts) or edi- bles (such as baked goods containing cannabis) to be more effective for their condi- tions. Allowing dispensaries to carry these items is important to patients getting the best level of care possible. For patients who have existing respiration problems or who other- wise have an aversion to smoking, edibles are For more information, see vwvw.AmcricansForSafeAccess.org or contact the ASA office at 1-888-929-4367 or 510-251-1856. 16