The first medical marijuana dispensary legally approved in Council District 2 under the city’s new ordinance drafted more than a year ago has opened for business in the Midway district.
The Point Loma Patients Consumer Co-Op (PLPCC) at 3452 Hancock St. held its grand opening Aug. 15 after successfully completing a lengthy vetting and permitting process with the City of San Diego.
The Midway District is a hodgepodge of commercial, industrial, office and warehouse land uses, plus limited residential, in a transitional area bordering Old Town, Point Loma, Pacific Beach and downtown San Diego.
“Doing things by the book and with community input was very important to us,” said Adam Knopf, PLPCC owner. “I understand that there have been concerns in the community about dispensaries. But, we are committed to being good neighbors and will demonstrate that our business will have a positive impact.”
In addition to meeting strict permitting requirements, the PLPCC is housed in a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified building, meaning that it meets stringent national standards for energy efficiency and environmental responsibility.
The dispensary will operate Mondays to Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. It will offer a variety of treatment options including concentrates, juices, flowers, vaporizer pens, and edibles. It will also offer delivery service and promotional discounts for first-time patients.
To obtain medical cannabis products from the PLPCC, patients must have a valid California driver’s license or ID, original 8 by 10 doctor’s medical cannabis recommendation, and must become a member of the cooperative.
PLPCC was founded to provide a new model of excellence in medical cannabis. The PLPCC offers an extensive formulary of high-quality medications with varying levels of THC and CBD to meet treatment needs.
The cooperative is known for both the quality and variety of its medical cannabis products and have won a number of awards, including top honors in three categories at the 2015 Cannabis Professional Cup.  
The San Diego Planning Commission voted 4-2 in April to give final approval to the Patients Cooperative.
In February 2014, the City Council passed an ordinance allowing medical marijuana dispensaries, but required them to be no closer than 1,000 feet from one another, schools, churches, daycare centers or other youth-oriented facilities.
The approval for Point Loma Patients Cooperative effectively kills the chances of at least four other nearby proposed dispensaries. A maximum of four dispensaries are allowed in each of the city’s nine council districts. Some council districts, however, do not have zoning which would allow any dispensaries to be sited there.
The battleground locally over medical marijuana and states’ rights versus federal law dates back to 1996 when 56 percent of California’s voters gave the thumbs-up to the Compassionate Use Act.
Despite approval by state voters, the federal government maintains that marijuana remains illegal under U.S. law. Today, about half of the nation’s states allow the sale and use of medical marijuana.
Marijuana has been legalized for recreational use in Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, Washington state and Washington, D.C.  Legalization could be on a California election ballot as soon as 2016.
For more information, visit http://plpcc.org/.