Placer County taking steps to regulate pot

Placer County Board of Supervisors this week voted to enact a placeholder ordinance asserting the county’s authority medical marijuana sales and cultivation.

This comes on the heels of December’s decision to move forward with regulating medical marijuana in unincorporated areas of the county. At that time staff was directed to develop comprehensive regulations for their consideration.

The California Medical Marijuana Regulation and Safety Act set a March 1 deadline for jurisdictions to assert local authority over medical marijuana regulation. If they don’t, the state assumes control.

The Jan. 5 vote affirmed that the county’s permitting process will mirror the state’s and established the Agricultural Commissioner’s Office as the lead county agency for medical marijuana regulation.

The goals for staff to consider as it moves forward with developing the framework include:

• Promoting public health and safety
• Reducing the size of the illicit market for cultivation and retail sale
• Preventing non-medical access and use by youth
• Reducing environmental harm to water, habitat and wildlife
• Providing clear criteria for responsible businesses and patients who wish to operate within the law
• Developing a fair system of regulation and taxation that supports public purposes
• Providing flexibility and authority for modification or adoption of additional measures into the regulatory process to ensure effective implementation

Future public meetings will seek community input on the regulations.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report