Though still in the early stages of development, the Town of Marana could become one of the local jurisdictions to house a medical marijuana dispensary, to be located at 5390 W. Ina Road.

Unless an appeal is filed, the Town of Marana will become the latest Community Health Analysis Area in the Tucson region to house a medical marijuana dispensary.

Oro Valley could become the second northwest-area town to receive a medical marijuana dispensary in about a month’s time.

The Counter Narcotics Alliance initiated an investigation into the sale of marijuana from the GHCC Care Center located at 3359 North Freeway.

On April 27, the Town of Marana will hear public comments regarding a conditional-use application submitted by Progressive Herbal Care to open a medical marijuana dispensary with on-site cultivation.

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer said last week she would not re-file a lawsuit in federal court that sought clarification on whether or not state employees would be subject to federal criminal prosecution simply for implementing the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act.

Last night, the Marana Planning Commission voted 4-1 in favor of allowing a medical marijuana dispensary at the location of 5390 W. Ina Road. Nature Med, as it is to be called, will be located in a preexisting building that will need renovation for operational purposes.

In August of 2012, the Counter Narcotics Alliance received information of marijuana sales from a business called “Shop 420”. The business advertised as a “Medical Marijuana Certification Center”, offering education and consulting in regards to the Medical Marijuana Act. The business had five locations: four in Tucson and one location in Casa Grande. The month-long investigation revealed that the business was illegally growing and selling marijuana. On September 12, 2012, the Counter Narcotics Alliance, with assistance from the Tucson Police Community Response Teams, served search warrants at the following “Shop 420” locations:

Marana has further tightened its medical marijuana ordinance, adopting language that would prohibit medical marijuana dispensaries or marijuana growing facilities within 1,000 feet of a business "devoted to family recreation or entertainment."

State officials have begun the involved process of writing the rules that will regulate the burgeoning medical marijuana industry.

The board of the directors of the newly formed Southwest Arizona Patient Alliance were introduced to the public in northwest Tucson last week. SWAPA is a program aimed at protecting patient rights as the process to distribute medical marijuana in Arizona moves forward.

The Marana Planning and Zoning Commission approved a conditional-use permit for Progressive Herbal Care to move forward with plans to open a medical marijuana dispensary at 6248 N. Travel Center Drive.

Marana does not want to encourage medical marijuana distribution and cultivation within its town limits, and the town council has directed Attorney Frank Cassidy to move forward with restrictive zoning regulations ahead of the Nov. 2 vote on the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act.

Voters still await the final outcome of a ballot initiative to legalize medical marijuana in Arizona.

Respecting the people’s opinion, and democracy, doesn’t appear to be the strong suit of many of our state’s lawmakers. No, instead, our state’s leaders continue to fight the 2010 voter-approved initiative that has made medical marijuana legal.

The Oro Valley Town Council on Wednesday, Oct. 27, adopted rules to establish where medical marijuana dispensaries would be permitted in the event a statewide ballot proposition passes.

The article on "medical pot" in the Sept. 22 Explorer failed to inform its readers of several key provisions of Prop 203.

Pima County has enacted new zoning regulations in anticipation that voters approve a medical marijuana initiative on the ballot in November.

In anticipation that voters approve a state ballot initiative Tuesday, the Oro Valley Town Council on Wednesday, Oct. 27 approved a set of zoning rules that would govern where medical marijuana dispensaries could locate.

If voters approve Proposition 203 in November, Marana should limit the number of medical marijuana dispensaries within its borders to two, the Marana Planning Commission is recommending to the town council.

A group calling itself the Medical Marijuana Policy Project has succeeded in getting an initiative on the November ballot that would allow use of marijuana to treat the symptoms of illness.

We don’t want pot shops on every corner