Letter: Community deserves apology

EDITOR,
Last Wednesday’s unanimous vote to ban a dispensary in Scotts Valley marginalized residents who are suffering serious maladies that are assuaged by medical cannabis. This not-for-profit service would have used the net returned earnings from medical cannabis to provide supportive services at a reduced or no cost to its members. Such considered services would have included hypnotherapy, acupressure, acupuncture and grief counseling. A true compassionate service for the community. There are no other dispensaries within 70 miles that offer this type of member support.
Originally, individual council members asserted that this was not a service the community wanted. However, the council received over 10 letters from Scotts Valley residents in support of this service. Additionally, there were five residents that came and spoke in support of the service at the City Council meeting. One of the speakers was esteemed Scotts Valley resident and San Jose State University professor Richard Webb. No participants against this compassionate service attended or sent letters.
Several council members’ conclusion was that they simply “did not want more marijuana in Scotts Valley.” A medical cannabis dispensary is a single-point delivery system to qualified patients. Not allowing this compassionate service will not decrease the amount of marijuana in the city in a county that voted 64 percent in favor of legalizing marijuana.
An additional excuse for the vote by Councilman Jim Reed, echoed by several other council people, was that those who are suffering pain or illness can simply drive 15 minutes to a dispensary in another city, because many people already drive to Costco or 41st Avenue, where dispensaries are located.
We are not talking about average citizens. Unfortunately, we are talking about the very sick, in extreme pain or dying. This comes from a City Council in a city that has two large pharmacies.
I think that the City Council needs to apologize to our community residents who are being denied this compassionate service.
Scott Gates, Scotts Valley
Editor’s Note: Scotts Gates applied to open a medical marijuana dispensary in Scotts Valley.