The fact people can legally grow their own marijuana for personal consumption and have been able to legally buy it for years at retail storefront operations in nearby communities such as Modesto hasn’t crippled the Manteca black market.
That’s the conclusion reached based on comments by Manteca Police Chief Mike Aguilar during the City Council’s final vote that approved allowing storefront marijuana sales in Manteca starting in 2022.
Councilman Charlie Halford asked the police chief about the number of illegal marijuana grows in the city.
Aguilar said the department’s street crimes unit is so backed up when it comes to investigating reports of illegal grows that it takes them 90 days from when citizens lodge a new complaint for officers to be able to get around to do a follow up.
Aguilar said his detectives said they could likely identify eight illegal grows in Manteca at any given time. Keep in mind being told of — or even knowing of — an illegal grow doesn’t mean police can act. In order to build a case that holds up in court they must conduct thorough and time consuming investigations.
The police have indicated they will need four additional personnel — a supervising officer, two frontline officers, and a code enforcement officer — to regulate and keep tabs on marijuana dispensaries. The cost of such staffing is expected to be covered by fees and revenue the city receives from the three dispensaries initially being allowed.
It has been noted that when the additional officers are not needed to monitor the dispensaries they will be used to crackdown on the black market in Manteca.
The black market runs the gamut from illegal small grows to homes converted into grow houses. In most cases such operations involve guns, large amounts of cash, and even the movement of illegal substances.
Opponents of legalizing storefront sales contend it will encourage more use and indirectly trigger more black market demand as the stigma from using marijuana further softens. And because the black market is less expensive given it is not taxed or regulated not all of those people will be among those patronizing legal shops.
Given the black market is an all-cash business the assumption is that would increase crime in the community away from legal dispensaries.
The flip side of the argument is the ability to purchase marijuana legally in Manteca is a reasonable thing to allow for law-abiding citizens. As such, those citizens wouldn’t be accessing the black market and instead would patronize the marijuana dispensaries due to safety assurances and the fact they are not — according to other communities that allow them —places conducive to crime due to heavy regulations and security.
Halford accused of abandoning
‘his brothers in blue’ with vote
Halford was criticized during Tuesday’s meets for by opponents of legal marijuana sales who said the retired Manteca police chief was “abandoning his brothers in blue.”
Halford joined Mayor Ben Cantu along with council colleagues Jose Nuño, and Gary Singh in voting for legal storefront sales. Dave Breitenbucher was the only council member to oppose the move.
When the council started exploring the possibility of allowing legal marijuana sales in Manteca more than a year ago, Halford said he wasn’t likely to support it.
He noted his encounters with marijuana as a police officer included cutting green plants seized in large marijuana grows that made him “itch” like crazy.
Halford said his stance changed after inspecting legal storefront operations and observing the tracking of buyers, stepped up security measures, and the exhaustive testing and tracking of marijuana from the growing and processing steps to actual sales.
And while he doesn’t use marijuana and has no intention of doing so, he also made it clear he wasn’t going to say he’d never consider using it as several of his council colleagues said noting if he got so sick that using marijuana was the only way he could keep food down he might just use it to do so. It was a reality he expected most, but not all people, opposed to marijuana would give into.
He made that observation in noting it would be easier for those who are ill in Manteca to be able to buy safe marijuana products locally.
It countered a citizen’s comment that was critical of legalizing marijuana who said she has to drive to Modesto to good a good steak dinner and those wanting to purchase marijuana legally could do the same.
Halford also referenced the 7,000 registered buyers from the 95336 and 95337 Manteca Zip codes that Modesto marijuana dispensaries have recorded as well as majority votes on two ballot propositions regarding state and county marijuana sales received in Manteca.
Several speakers argued someone voting to allow marijuana sales either in the state or county would not necessarily be in favor of similar sales in their own community or near their neighborhoods.
Halford characterized such a stance as being “hypocritical” voting for such sales but then saying you’re against them in your own backyard.
Halford, while noting it is a tough issue, said he believed he is reflecting what the majority of the community wants.
He added most Manteca residents he has talked to are mostly ambivalent about allowing legal marijuana sales in the city.
Manteca will issue a maximum three dispensary permits. Successful applicants will need to pass an extensive vetting and background check as well as adhere to strict regulations that regulations that are being constantly monitored.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
