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A Tale of Two Cities . . . SAN FRANCISCO
by Rev. Randelyn C. Webster, DSM
S But still, there should be some consideration, some break
eems I’ve heard the word “sanctuary” bandied about a few
times ‘round here through the years. Wait! I know! Wasn’t for the folks in the trenches. After all, there is a Drug War going
it back in 2001 that the San Francisco Board of Supervisorson! San Francisco used to understand this fact, and sought ways
stomped their feet and drew a line in the sand, declaring San Fran- to minimize the danger to patient care providers.
What’s wrong with grandfathering the pre-moratorium ex-
cisco a Sanctuary for Medical Cannabis?
Yep! That’s it! I remember! isting facilities right where they stand, as they stand? Most of them
have been around for a while and have established fairly good
And I’ve got only one thing to ask — What happened?
The San Francisco that I remember was a very different place,relationships within their neighborhoods. Some even belong to
neighborhood and merchants’ associations and take part in pro-
and it wasn’t that very long ago. So again I ask, What happened?
These days it’s all about the permits. (Have you got yours? grams such as the city’s Disaster Preparedness workgroups and
How’m I gonna get mine?) Everybody’s trying to figure it all out — NERT trainings.
and when the reality finally sinks in, the results are staggering! These places existed peacefully with their neighbors for a
Contrary to popular belief, many of the older, patient owned and very long time…nobody heard complaints about odors or park-
operated facilities may not survive.ing. By the way — parking. Come on now! We’ve always had park-
Permit fees are supposed to be structured reasonably, as in ing problems!
affordable. It’s not fair to make the cost of opening a facility so high These establishments have proven themselves vital to the
city’s infrastructure and shining examples of its progressive na-
that the only ones able to do so are the guys backed by big bucks.
But that’s what’s happening. ture. They have done nothing wrong. Why punish them with fees
Between the two professional full size architectural draw-that feel more like fines?
ings (at several thousands of dollars), the permit fees and any up- It was hoped the permit legislation would be a step forward
grades required, a facility could likely spend upwards of betweenin the legitimization process. Instead it may cause many of the
$20,000 and $50,000. . smaller, but longer-established facilities to crumble under the un-
That kind of money just isn’t possible for many of the smaller, bearable weight of permit fees, expensive add-ons like ventilation
long-established places-most of which are patient owned and oper- systems, elevators, sprinklers and 1000 foot rule regulations.
ated. Why?
Contrary to popular belief, running a medical cannabis ser- Why force a long-established facility to go through the ex-
vice organization or agency is not a hand-over-fist money making pense of installing an elevator when they have a perfectly elegant
method of compliance with ADA and their wheel chair patients
proposition. Most are non profit or not-for-profit, with massive
overhead due to inflated rents, insurance needs and legal retain-needs? This method has been working since the late ’90s, why take
ers. It’s hard enough keeping costs down as it is!umbrage now?
Why force a place to install huge ventilation systems when
The majority of patients who frequent these establishments
are low income. Many are SSI recipients, but some have no visible there really didn’t seem to be a major problem with odors? For the
means of support. Some live at home with their families, but most sake of freshness, a couple of air filters from Sharper Image would
do just fine.
live in small Tenderloin SROs, or in doorways, boxes and parks.
Where does the city and county think this money is going to It’s bad enough that many facilities are in danger of being
come from? closed; the real shame is the harm being caused to the patients and
to their own Medical Cannabis Community.
Certainly not off the patients’ backs! That’s just not right!
It’s also not right to force all facilities to be reported and Patients depend upon these places for more than their medi-
permitted as retail models. In the first place, it is federally illegal cine. Medicinal cannabis use is holistic, involving more than ingest-
ing the herb (or its by-products). Many patients come to view the
to “sell” cannabis (read “marijuana”) in the United States. Calling
places as an extension of their home, the staff members as part of
what happens in these places “sales” is incriminating!
Heck, even offering cannabis for free is a federal crime! But their family. Patient-to patient care produces holistic empowerment.
the bottom line is simple; patients need their medicine. The federal Medicinal cannabis use promotes creativity and socialization.
government doesn’t accept compassionate medical use of cannabis. These are very important, healing components.
Medical cannabis lifts patients out of their depressive isola-
Forcing facility operators and staff (some of these places are tion, and opens them up to the possibility of feeling better. Some
owned, managed and staffed by volunteers) to report their activi- of these facilities offer activities, crafts, support groups, educa-
ties as “sales” is forcing them into self-incrimination. The fifth tional/social events and even NA/AA and peer counseling.
amendment says we have the right not to incriminate ourselves.
Where will patients go for these services? Will “Big Pot” pro-
These facilities are providing the service of safe access to vide hugs, a bit of compassion, support groups or a shoulder to cry
qualified medical cannabis patients. There are many variations of on? Will “Big Pot” send anybody to the hospital to visit patients, be
access available to patients. on hand to help as a patient breathes their last, hold memorial ser-
There are counter services, visitation/delivery services,
vices and make a Healing Quilt to honor their memory?
grow-ops, collectives, cooperatives and even community centers. The permit legislation was pushed through too fast, with-
Services such as these are not retail. out proper consideration of all the facts — in a spirit of getting it
These places and the people who operate them are doing done right now rather than getting it done right.
what the city, county and state cannot do. That’s understandable.
Something different has to happen because as things stand
Federal funding is important to many of the programs and projects presently, San Francisco’s Sanctuary will only be for Big Pot, and
Californians depend upon. Loosing these programs would be dev- too darned bad about anybody else!
astating. The sad part is, the patients will suffer most.
20
20
20
20
Marar
Mararch, 2006ch, 2006
Mch, 2006ch, 2006
Mar
A Tale of Two Cities . . . SAN FRANCISCO
by Rev. Randelyn C. Webster, DSM
S But still, there should be some consideration, some break
eems I’ve heard the word “sanctuary” bandied about a few
times ‘round here through the years. Wait! I know! Wasn’t for the folks in the trenches. After all, there is a Drug War going
it back in 2001 that the San Francisco Board of Supervisorson! San Francisco used to understand this fact, and sought ways
stomped their feet and drew a line in the sand, declaring San Fran- to minimize the danger to patient care providers.
What’s wrong with grandfathering the pre-moratorium ex-
cisco a Sanctuary for Medical Cannabis?
Yep! That’s it! I remember! isting facilities right where they stand, as they stand? Most of them
have been around for a while and have established fairly good
And I’ve got only one thing to ask — What happened?
The San Francisco that I remember was a very different place,relationships within their neighborhoods. Some even belong to
neighborhood and merchants’ associations and take part in pro-
and it wasn’t that very long ago. So again I ask, What happened?
These days it’s all about the permits. (Have you got yours? grams such as the city’s Disaster Preparedness workgroups and
How’m I gonna get mine?) Everybody’s trying to figure it all out — NERT trainings.
and when the reality finally sinks in, the results are staggering! These places existed peacefully with their neighbors for a
Contrary to popular belief, many of the older, patient owned and very long time…nobody heard complaints about odors or park-
operated facilities may not survive.ing. By the way — parking. Come on now! We’ve always had park-
Permit fees are supposed to be structured reasonably, as in ing problems!
affordable. It’s not fair to make the cost of opening a facility so high These establishments have proven themselves vital to the
city’s infrastructure and shining examples of its progressive na-
that the only ones able to do so are the guys backed by big bucks.
But that’s what’s happening. ture. They have done nothing wrong. Why punish them with fees
Between the two professional full size architectural draw-that feel more like fines?
ings (at several thousands of dollars), the permit fees and any up- It was hoped the permit legislation would be a step forward
grades required, a facility could likely spend upwards of betweenin the legitimization process. Instead it may cause many of the
$20,000 and $50,000. . smaller, but longer-established facilities to crumble under the un-
That kind of money just isn’t possible for many of the smaller, bearable weight of permit fees, expensive add-ons like ventilation
long-established places-most of which are patient owned and oper- systems, elevators, sprinklers and 1000 foot rule regulations.
ated. Why?
Contrary to popular belief, running a medical cannabis ser- Why force a long-established facility to go through the ex-
vice organization or agency is not a hand-over-fist money making pense of installing an elevator when they have a perfectly elegant
method of compliance with ADA and their wheel chair patients
proposition. Most are non profit or not-for-profit, with massive
overhead due to inflated rents, insurance needs and legal retain-needs? This method has been working since the late ’90s, why take
ers. It’s hard enough keeping costs down as it is!umbrage now?
Why force a place to install huge ventilation systems when
The majority of patients who frequent these establishments
are low income. Many are SSI recipients, but some have no visible there really didn’t seem to be a major problem with odors? For the
means of support. Some live at home with their families, but most sake of freshness, a couple of air filters from Sharper Image would
do just fine.
live in small Tenderloin SROs, or in doorways, boxes and parks.
Where does the city and county think this money is going to It’s bad enough that many facilities are in danger of being
come from? closed; the real shame is the harm being caused to the patients and
to their own Medical Cannabis Community.
Certainly not off the patients’ backs! That’s just not right!
It’s also not right to force all facilities to be reported and Patients depend upon these places for more than their medi-
permitted as retail models. In the first place, it is federally illegal cine. Medicinal cannabis use is holistic, involving more than ingest-
ing the herb (or its by-products). Many patients come to view the
to “sell” cannabis (read “marijuana”) in the United States. Calling
places as an extension of their home, the staff members as part of
what happens in these places “sales” is incriminating!
Heck, even offering cannabis for free is a federal crime! But their family. Patient-to patient care produces holistic empowerment.
the bottom line is simple; patients need their medicine. The federal Medicinal cannabis use promotes creativity and socialization.
government doesn’t accept compassionate medical use of cannabis. These are very important, healing components.
Medical cannabis lifts patients out of their depressive isola-
Forcing facility operators and staff (some of these places are tion, and opens them up to the possibility of feeling better. Some
owned, managed and staffed by volunteers) to report their activi- of these facilities offer activities, crafts, support groups, educa-
ties as “sales” is forcing them into self-incrimination. The fifth tional/social events and even NA/AA and peer counseling.
amendment says we have the right not to incriminate ourselves.
Where will patients go for these services? Will “Big Pot” pro-
These facilities are providing the service of safe access to vide hugs, a bit of compassion, support groups or a shoulder to cry
qualified medical cannabis patients. There are many variations of on? Will “Big Pot” send anybody to the hospital to visit patients, be
access available to patients. on hand to help as a patient breathes their last, hold memorial ser-
There are counter services, visitation/delivery services,
vices and make a Healing Quilt to honor their memory?
grow-ops, collectives, cooperatives and even community centers. The permit legislation was pushed through too fast, with-
Services such as these are not retail. out proper consideration of all the facts — in a spirit of getting it
These places and the people who operate them are doing done right now rather than getting it done right.
what the city, county and state cannot do. That’s understandable.
Something different has to happen because as things stand
Federal funding is important to many of the programs and projects presently, San Francisco’s Sanctuary will only be for Big Pot, and
Californians depend upon. Loosing these programs would be dev- too darned bad about anybody else!
astating. The sad part is, the patients will suffer most.
