In a sad blow to medicinal marijuana users of Consta Costa, dispensaries have been banned from the county.

Medical marijuana dispensaries won't be allowed to open in Contra Costa's unincorporated areas as county supervisors Tuesday unanimously agreed to ban them.

Too often dispensaries are a gateway for people with questionable medical ailments to obtain marijuana and then sell it on the streets, supervisors said.

"While I am empathetic to patients with serious and terminal illness, the marijuana dispensaries have attracted both criminal and nuisance problems to the communities where they operate," said Supervisor Mary Piepho of Discovery Bay."

Demetrio Ramirez, who used to run a Pacheco dispensary in the same area before officals closed it last year, said "Maricare provides care for terminally ill patients. You have signed a death warrant.

I'm not as familiar with the laws and practices surrounding medical marijuana use in California as I should be. And however I may feel about the act of closing a dispensary (against, obviously) but what implications would this have for local patients? How far would they have to travel? Would vending machines be a more viable option?