Marijuana controversy 2013: Marijuana dispensaries hold "open house"

GLENDALE, AZ - As medical marijuana in Arizona may be headed for another showdown, the owner of the Valley's first dispensary is making an effort to show people firsthand how the operation works.

Bill Meyer of Arizona Organix in Glendale held tours Saturday and even invited legislators to visit the facility. No legislators attended.

Organix has been open since early December and Meyer tells ABC15 they serve about 100 people every day.

Meyer said he has concerns about illegal dispensaries and "compassion clubs" that are operating outside the the law. He also said people often mistake the problems associated with those illegal operations with what is happening at his business.

"There are a bunch of people who do not understand the difference between a state regulated dispensary and a club," he said. " Our mission is to educate. We are regulated, they are not. We pay sales tax and I don't know if they do."

The open house comes at a time where at least one state lawmaker wants to take the medical marijuana issue back to the voters.

Rep. John Kavanagh who represents Scottsdale and Fountain Hills is making a push to get a measure on the 2014 ballot that would allow voters to reconsider their decision to make it legal. 

"Because the program is nothing like it was portrayed and it (marijuana) is diverting to children, I think it is reasonable for voters to get to reconsider especially since it only passed with 4300 votes statewide."

There are about 5 other dispensaries operating in the state and 98 more are expected to open by August.