Tamara Palmer

Berkeley Grants Permit for Senior Citizen-Focused Marijuana Dispensary, Amoeba Music Could Follow

A proposed marijuana dispensary that caters to senior citizens has been granted a permit in Berkeley.

Sue Taylor, former senior outreach coordinator at Harborside Health Center, was told during a Tuesday city council meeting she will be permitted to open Berkeley's fourth overall dispensary.

The dispensary, called iCann, is proposed for 3243 Sacramento Street in West Berkeley.

When she began the proposal process last fall, Taylor told "The Hash" podcast on East Bay Express that she wants to normalize medical marijuana for older people.

She also told the podcast cannabis-infused creams and tinctures can be particularly helpful for seniors with arthritis and other physical pain. Taylor aims to help those who have never smoked before, pointing to her 89-year-old sister-in-law who experienced relief after she rubbed some cream on her knees.

"I'm gonna eliminate the stigma from this plant and [promote] its healing part," Taylor said. "I am gonna help seniors to live a better quality of life as they age. They can have fun, they can be healthy, they deserve better."

Six applicants were vying for Berkeley's single permit. A proposal to open a dispensary called BC3 at the Berkeley retail store Amoeba Music was acknowledged as a runner-up at Tuesday's meeting by Mayor Tom Bates and three council members.

According to Billy Jam, a writer for Amoeba's website who was in attendance, Bates praised the store for its contributions to the community.

The council will discuss the possibility of issuing an additional permit at a meeting on June 15.

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