Scottsdale OKs medical-pot permits for 6 applicants

Overlooking legal matters at the state and federal level, the Scottsdale City Council this week granted permits to six applicants seeking to open medical-marijuana dispensaries and cultivation sites in Scottsdale.

The state recently halted the dispensary-application process after filing a lawsuit in federal court to determine whether Arizona's medical-marijuana law conflicts with federal drug statutes.

State rejects pot dispensary application in Scottsdale

Will Humble, director of the Arizona Department of Health Services, said the state will not process dispensary applications until a federal judge rules on the issue.

DISPENSARIES: The City Council voted 4-2 Tuesday to award conditional-use permits to six applicants seeking to open a cultivation facility and/or a dispensary. They are the Kush Clinic, 8729 E. Manzanita Drive; Arizona Natural Selections, 8132 N. 87th Place; MMRX, 15475 N. Greenway-Hayden Loop, Suite C-22; Serenity, 14666 N. 74th St.; Terramedica Natural Pharmaceuticals, 15735 N. 83rd Way; and Organic Medical Group, 7825 E. Redfield Road.

IN FAVOR: Mayor Jim Lane and Council members Lisa Borowsky, Suzanne Klapp and Ron McCullagh voted to issue the permits. Continuing the process will ensure the city complies with the law if and when the legal issues are resolved, Lane said. He is "not a proponent of marijuana usage," but "there is no harm done in us continuing the process." Attorney Court Rich of the Rose Law Group said it could be a violation of state law to vote down or continue the permits to a later date.

DISSENTERS: Vice Mayor Bob Littlefield and Councilman Dennis Robbins voted against the permits. Councilwoman Linda Milhaven was absent. Littlefield thought the city should wait to see how the law shakes out. "I think there is plenty of ambiguity," he said. Robbins questioned whether the conditional uses would be compatible in the area.

WHAT'S NEXT: Though the process to accept dispensary applications is on hold, the Department of Health Services is allowed to award licenses to as many as 126 dispensaries across Arizona, including two in Scottsdale. A lottery could determine what applicant receives the dispensary license. The state will continue to issue user-ID cards for medical-marijuana.

by Beth Duckett The Arizona Republic Jun. 11, 2011 07:19 AM




Scottsdale OKs medical-pot permits for 6 applicants