Carl Johnson
Please explain your position on bringing cannabis dispensaries to Avalon, either for medical, adult-use or both?
Full Disclosure: I am the owner and operator for CJMH Group Inc. d/b/a Catalina Connect, who has been awarded the medical cannabis delivery service license by the City of Avalon. Therefore, in general, I am an advocate for cannabis.
Regardless of my position on cannabis, the risk of liability & the federal government only recognizing protections to state’s medicinal laws, will prohibit bringing “cannabis dispensaries to Avalon, either for medical, adult use, or both”. Avalon requires extra federal compliance, compared to our California counterparts, considering Catalina Island’s unique geographic location.
I have spent many years mastering the regulation & navigating the unique circumstances that have prohibited Avalon from participating in the same cannabis market as the rest of California since 1996, when medical cannabis was first passed into State law. Unfortunately until more laws are changed, the current business model is the only way to service the local community & provide a reliable source of cannabis products to those in need. These other proposed forms of cannabis business in Avalon would be subject to enormous risk, with their license in constant jeopardy, and ultimately would not be in business very long.
I am an advocate for cannabis regulation and would challenge anyone who says the regulated market is worse for our community & would rather enable an illicit market. The legal cannabis industry makes our community and youth safest, by providing a regulated product instead of dangerous products found on the streets & sold by people with no regard to the law.
The Advisory Measures presented on the March 3rd ballot will not effect the change in current laws, but it will provide invaluable data to future Councilmembers. When the laws eventually change, Councilmembers will be able to use the results from the Advisory Measures to understand our community’s true position on expanding “cannabis dispensaries to Avalon, either for medical, adult use, or both.”
Michael Ponce
Please explain your position on bringing cannabis dispensaries to Avalon, either for medical, adult-use or both?
I am in favor of a dispensary in Avalon if done right. The Catalina Island Medical Center has come up with a new model of providing Cannabis that is managed by Medical Professionals. Medical and recreational Marijuana is legal in 11 states and Medical Marijuana is legal in 22 states with up to 7 more states legalizing recreational use in 2020. Consumers currently rely on budtenders who do not have a medical education nor have the support of physicians to help provide direction on their health. With the interactions of over the counter and prescribed pharmaceuticals, a patient’s physician should be involved in the selection of the correct product of cannabis. The model that CIMC is proposing will have the support of a medical director (physician) and access to the science of the human body from medical professionals.
