More than 80 people have signed up to speak at the OC Board of Supervisors meeting. The agenda will eventually address marijuana sales in the county, but nearly all the speakers are talking about the homelessness in the county. (Photo credit: Andrew Mollenbeck)
Dreams of owning a marijuana dispensary in Orange County have gone up in smoke. A new ordinance passed by the Orange County Board of Supervisors blocks the sale and cultivation of pot in unincorporated parts of the County. Supervisor Shawn Nelson told KFI's Andrew Mollenbeck, the ordinance ignores the will of the people.
"Why would we, as generally conservative pro-business people, why would we even get in the middle of that? Puritanical interests? We're going to prove we're more righteous than someone else?"
California voters overwhelmingly passed Prop 64 last November, which legalized the sale of recreational marijuana in the state. Sales of legal weed are scheduled to begin in January, but many cities in California are still working out regulations.
Last year, Orange County residents in all five districts voted in favor of recreational marijuana with at least 50% or more favoring the legal weed.
"The citizens of our county, and every district of our county, want, by vote of the people, recreational use of marijuana," Nelson said.
However, Supervisor Lisa Bartlett said that voters also passed Propositions 47 and 57, which changed laws governing prison sentencing guidelines. "So, we have to keep that in mind as well, because we're suffering the consequences of those propositions that were passed."