In her latest column for the Sonoma Sun, “If it works for veggie burgers…”, SVCG member Josette Brose-Eichar writes, “Do we need a second cannabis dispensary in the City of Sonoma? My little personal story, I think points out, yes we do.” It’s well worth the read.

Her story is one shared by a large number of cannabis patients.

For many, cannabis is a medical necessity. To date, medical cannabis has been legalized in 37 states and the number of state-registered patients approaches 4 million. If you add unregistered users who self-prescribe cannabis for medical reasons, as well as those who report mixed medical/recreational use, then we’re talking many more millions who rely on cannabis to manage their medical conditions and symptoms.

Unfortunately, not all cannabis products are created equally and not all work the same for all users. A patient may need to try a number of similar products before finding a brand that provides the desired relief.

Product availability is another issue. Dispensary inventories can range widely from shop to shop and from even from one visit to the next.

There is no equity for Sonoma’s medical cannabis patients without competition at the local level. The free market means being free of government intervention. Patients deserve competitive pricing, product availability and services.