DHS businesses welcome marijuana dispensaries

Desert Hot Springs will now join Palm Springs and Cathedral City in allowing marijuana dispensaries. The City Council voted Tuesday night to overturn the existing ban.

Any where you see a business in Desert Hot Springs is a potential location of a future medical marijuana dispensary. The city council still has a few decisions to make like how many shops it will allow and finalize the application process, but the City’s Attorney Steve Quintanilla says the first doors could open as early as December.

Businesses owners we spoke with say they couldn’t be happier.

“I feel that the marijuana was going to get here eventually and it finally made it,” said Desert Hot Springs resident Gil Sherk.

The six year ban of medical marijuana dispensary in Desert Hot Springs was erased by a unanimous City Council Vote.

“What is good about it is we’ve got a lot of patients here who are driving across the freeway. I talked to one resident who is real happy he doesn’t have to drive all the way to Palm Springs, now he will be able to get it here in our city. And of course of the revenue for the city provided the voters pass the tax measure,” said Council Member Russell Betts.

The tax measure Betts is referring to is a 10 percent sales tax on medical marijuana on the November ballot. If passed, the money generated will go directly to the help the City’s budget deficit. However Betts says finances was not the only reason for the decision.

“I think the way the discussion has gone that yes, we would be opening these up whether or not there was revenue involved or not. There is too many people in the community who need this type of service here locally. It’s very tough on a cancer patient who is very ill to even get in a car much less drive 30 miles to go get their medicine,” said Betts.

Business owners say this could also help the city who is also struggling in economic growth.

“For Desert hot springs we need the business ,” said Vichian Hataitai, owner of Thai Palm Restaurant.

“Ultimately you have to think about it as if it moves in next door, I don’t really have a problem with it. The people seem to have expressed the need to, in the case of some people medical marijuana is really a necessity and it’s a good thing for some people,” said Garfield Smith, owner of Hope Springs.

Especially if empty store fronts get filled, and bring people in from out of town. “I am glad desert hot spring is getting with the flow of things because it is a little out of the way this town and any connection it can make in any shape or form with the rest of the world is good,” said Smith.

The City Council will finalize the regulations and application process at it’s next meeting.