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Santa Cruz City Council could debate a ban on medical marijuana dispensaries as soon as Jan. 12.

The Council seems split, with Mayor Cynthia Mathews and Councilmember Ryan Coonerty opposing new dispensaries, claiming that they tend to attract purchasers from outside the city. They would prefer to have other cities open their own dispensaries instead. In contrast, councilmembers Don Lane and Mike Rotkin favor adding two or three more dispensaries, basing their argument on pure economics. A gram of pot generally sells for $10-25 at the existing dispensaries, but can just as easily be bought on the street for $10. Opening more dispensaries, they argue, would promote competition, bring the price down, and reduce the prevalence of street vendors. Read more here.html.

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