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Fresno City Council Changes Mind On Medical Marijuana Growing

FLikr- Brett Levin

The Fresno City Council is reversing course on an ordinance that would have allowed limited indoor cultivation of medical marijuana. The deal appeared to satisfy no one.

The ordinance would have allowed people with a medical marijuana prescription to grow up to four plants in their homes, something that is currently prohibited.

It had previously passed the council two weeks ago, but today died on a 4-to-3 vote.

Councilmember Steve Brandau, one of the no votes, says the city should work with Fresno County to have one unified set of growing standards…

“Where are sending a lot of different messages on where you can grow what and where you can’t grow what. And I think it needs to be more comprehensive,” Brandau said.

But limiting the growing to indoors did not satisfy medical marijuana advocates who spoke at the meeting.

Susan Juvay says the city should allow dispensaries and outdoor growing…

“Indoor growing is expensive. PG&E and plant supplements costs thousands of dollars a year. Imposing a financial hardship on a group that is already struggling,” Juvay said.

The vote means the city’s existing ban on all medical marijuana growing will remain.

Jeffrey Hess is a reporter and Morning Edition news host for Valley Public Radio. Jeffrey was born and raised in a small town in rural southeast Ohio. After graduating from Otterbein University in Columbus, Ohio with a communications degree, Jeffrey embarked on a radio career. After brief stops at stations in Ohio and Texas, and not so brief stops in Florida and Mississippi, Jeffrey and his new wife Shivon are happy to be part Valley Public Radio.
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