DANVILLE — The Danville Town Council has banned medical marijuana dispensaries for one year.

The council voted 5-0 Tuesday to extend a 45-day emergency ban it put in place in October, said Mayor Newell Arnerich. Tuesday's vote extends that to one year from the initial ban.

The action was in response to recent inquiries that led Danville officials to believe there was interest in opening dispensaries in town. None currently exist.

Many of the battles around medical marijuana have revolved around state laws that allow it, and federal laws that maintain it is illegal. The town's policy is that federal laws override the state's 1996 voter-approved ballot measure allowing medicinal use of the drug and other legislation.

Though President Obama has recently directed federal attorneys not to prosecute medical marijuana patients and providers following state laws allowing it, the town says it remains illegal.

Town officials continue to monitor developments in two Southern California court cases, from Anaheim and Claremont, that address the right of cities to ban dispensaries and adopt urgency bans.

Eric Louie covers Danville and Alamo. Reach him at 925-847-2123.