Dwayne Gilliland, director of the Beneficial Care Collective in downtown San Diego, said of having a licensed security guard on site, “I wouldn’t be able to afford one.”

Marijuana dispensary operators have been characterized as everything from drug dealers out to make a fast buck to law-abiding business owners providing pain relief for seriously ill patients.

In an effort to shift more into the latter category, San Diego city leaders on Tuesday will debate about where, when and how medical marijuana storefronts can operate.

The City Council’s approach differs from that of other cities in the county, including Escondido and El Cajon, which have banned the storefronts.

The council will consider recommendations from an advisory task force to limit hours, require security and ban dispensaries within 500 feet of each other or within 1,000 feet of schools, playgrounds and libraries.

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he Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce has an unlikely new member ---- a licensed medical marijuana dispensary.

Bob Riedel, co-founder of Mother Earth's Alternative Healing Cooperative Inc., said last week he joined the chamber for the same reasons other members join: It's a good way to get involved in the community and to network. The co-op has already signed up as one of the sponsors for Fallbrook's Dec. 5 Christmas parade, for example.

"We wanted to get involved with the community and to let people know who we are," Riedel said of his decision to apply for chamber membership. "We have an actual retail license. We are completely by the book."

Chamber directors said there wasn't any reason to deny the co-op membership, especially given that it's a state-sanctioned business. Chamber Executive Director David Bergeson said the board voted unanimously at its Nov. 3 meeting to grant the dispensary membership.

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