Letter: Regulated medical marijuana is right for Scotts Valley

EDITOR,
I believe that providing medical cannabis to our fellow Scotts Valley residents who suffer chronic pain or a possible terminal illness is not wrong or immoral. In fact, I believe that a community that seeks to provide proven beneficial alternative solutions to pain management shows a caring and compassionate citizenry.
My wife and I have long felt that Scotts Valley is the perfect place to raise our family.  Even in this idyllic location, there are many families that struggle helping loved ones who suffer from physical ailments and illness. For some of these unfortunate folks, there is an alternative, organic, non-pharmaceutical medicine that can provide proven relief. Medical cannabis is professionally recognized by the American Medical Association and the College of Physicians as a beneficial medicine for a list of serious ailments.
A bit of information about our proposed service, which is different from all of the other local medical cannabis dispensaries:
This is a not-for-profit cooperative serving its members with easy access to safe, medical cannabis. Additionally, with the proceeds of medical cannabis, there are accompanying services we hope to offer our members, such as acupuncture, therapeutic massage and grief counseling. 
Since first working with the Scotts Valley City Council, I have advocated for regulation of this service. Some of the basic regulations I have advocated are that the service will be located in a light-industrial area of Scotts Valley, at least 500 feet away from schools and churches. Additionally, unless you are looking for the dispensary, it should be practically invisible and tough to find (no descriptive signs, just the street address should be displayed).
This compassionate service is right for the community of Scotts Valley. Other than spending the time during this moratorium to properly regulate this service, I do not believe we need to force the suffering folks of Scotts Valley to wait any longer.
• Scott Gates lives in Scotts Valley and is owner of the proposed Healing Clinic Cooperative.