Switzer, Donna
From: Yoon-Taylor, Grace on behalf of Cannabis
Sent: Tuesday, July 12, 2022 1:17 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: FW: Marijuana
SUPPLEMENTAL
From: Parry, Richard <[email protected]> COMMUNICATION Sent: Tuesday, July 12, 2022 9:09 AM
Meeting .... 7/19/22
To: Cannabis <[email protected]>
Cc: Parry, Richard <[email protected]>
Subject: FW: Marijuana 12(22-1001)
Agenda Item No.*
Dear Sir or Madam,
I read, with considerable interest, Huntington Beach's plans with regard to marijuana as reported recently in the Orange County Register. And, I realize that the e-mail address to which I send this e-mail requested comments long before today's date. I tried to find a current e-mail address but was unable to do so.
Regardless, I strongly urge the city council to consider the information that is presented in several publications. The first publication is entitled, "Who's Really in Prison for Marijuana" by the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
This document is available at: https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/whos-really-prison-marijuana In summary, this document notes that the vast majority of individuals in prison because of marijuana are "violent criminals, repeat offenders, traffickers, or all of the above." I also invite your attention to: www.fda.gov/newsevents/-ublichealthfocus/ucm421163.htm That document notes, "To date, the FDA has not approved a marketing application for cannabis for the treatment of any disease or condition. The agency has, however, approved one cannabis-derived drug product: Epidiolex (cannabidiol), and three synthetic cannabis-related drug products: Marinol (dronabinol), Syndros (dronabinol), and Cesamet (nabilone). These approved drug products are only available with a prescription from a licensed healthcare provider.
Importantly, the FDA has not approved any other cannabis, cannabis-derived, or cannabidiol (CBD) products currently available on the market."
That document also notes, FDA is aware that unapproved cannabis and/or unapproved cannabis-derived products are being used to treat a number of medical conditions including, AIDS wasting, epilepsy, neuropathic pain, spasticity associated with multiple sclerosis, and cancer and chemotherapy-induced nausea. Caregivers and patients can be confident that FDA-approved drugs have been carefully evaluated for safety, efficacy, and quality, and are monitored by the FDA once they are on the market. However, the use of unapproved cannabis and cannabis-derived products can have unpredictable and unintended consequences, including serious safety risks. Also, there has been no FDA review of data from rigorous clinical trials to support that these unapproved products are safe and efficacious for the various therapeutic uses for which they are being used." (Emphasis added).
While the City of Huntington Beach may be looking at increased tax revenue, it will come at a significant cost in terms of long term medical expenses, as well as emergency medical responses to, among other things, vehicle accidents. 1 Consider the following from Boston University: "In a new study published in the American Journal of Public Health, however, researchers are noticing a pattern that suggests alcohol might not be the only culprit of impaired driving.
Researchers from Boston Medical Center, Boston University, and the University of Victoria in British Columbia found that deadly car crashes involving both cannabis and alcohol consumption have more than doubled in the United States in the past two decades, as have car crash deaths involving just cannabis." The link appears to be inactive, but the original document, that was published in December of 2021, may be found at: https://www.bu.edu/articles/2021/deadly-car- accidents-involving-cannabis-and-alcohol-have-doubled/
While taxing marijuana sales may benefit the city in the short term, it will come at a dreadful cost to society in the long run and I strongly urge the city council to reconsider its approach to this subject.
Sincerely,
Professor Richard O. Parry
CSUF
[email protected]
657-278-3410
2 Switzer, Donna
From: Yoon-Taylor, Grace on behalf of Cannabis
Sent: Tuesday, July 12, 2022 1:24 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: FW: Public Comment Re: Cannabis Regulatory Framework From: Jennifer Rojas <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 12, 2022 1:14 PM
To: Cannabis <[email protected]>
Subject: Public Comment Re: Cannabis Regulatory Framework Dear Huntington Beach Mayor and City Council,
My name is Jennifer Rojas and I am a resident of Huntington Beach. I am supportive of your efforts to propose a ballot measure for voters to decide on the future of commercial cannabis businesses in the City. Importantly, I believe that the Mayor and City Council must include a clear 'public benefit fund' tax measure on the ballot, coupled with the regulatory framework. I have been very impressed with the City of Santa Ana's cannabis tax 'public benefit fund' that allocates funds to parks, libraries, and youth services. If the City of Huntington Beach proceeds with commercial cannabis business, I believe a ballot measure or ordinance must be considered to ensure all new tax revenue is allocated to services for the public good. Specifically, I believe the City should create a cannabis tax revenue fund for:
1. Youth services. In particular, the City's Human Relations Committee should be funded to ensure that public high schools in the district have sustained funding for the OC Human Relations Bridges Program, which I understand was recently defunded and removed from Huntington Beach High School.
2. Permanent Supportive Housing projects.
3. Grants for grassroots and community-based non-profits that are providing services to Huntington Beach residents.
4. Public libraries and park programs, such as the Makerspace in HBPL.
Thank you,
Jennifer Rojas
SUPPLEMENTAL
COMMUNICATION
Meeting Date.... 7/19/22
Agenda lem No: 12(22- 401)
1