So it Begins: Marijuana Dispensary Ban For L.A. Weighed by Council Committee Today

Categories: Marijuana

marijuana purple Dank Depot.JPG
Dank Depot
Updated at the bottom with what happened (it's not looking good for pot shops). First posted at 7:09 a.m.

Boy have we got an investment opportunity for you. It's called legal weed, and it could soon be a very limited commodity in the Los Angeles area.

That's because L.A. Councilman Jose Huizar has proposed banning all medical marijuana dispensaries within city limits.

The day of reckoning could come sooner than you thought, as the council's Public Safety Committee will begin hashing out the details today:

The Greater Los Angeles Collective Alliance is, well, a bit paranoid. And maybe it should be.

It states:

Moving with uncustomary speed, and skirting propriety in their haste, the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office will address The Safety Committee in closed session tomorrow, January 13, 2012, to recommend a total ban on Medical Cannabis Facilities. If the Safety Committee chooses to do so, they may vote for a ban, and send the motion to the City Council for approval.

Of course, one person's uncustomary speed is another's years and years: The L.A. City Council has been trying to get a grip on the town's 500 or so dispensaries since at least 2007.

It has been a spectacular FAIL, so far.

The body tried to whittle down the number of dispensaries to 100 using a lottery system, but a California appeals court ruling said you couldn't do that. In the meantime, lawlessness seems to reign in dispensaryland and, instead of closing as ordered, many seem to have opened.

The court ruling, Pack v. City of Long Beach, makes it harder for cities to regulate dispensaries. It rules out a lottery system and says permitting schemes are not kosher.

That seems to have inspired former pot-shop supporter Huizar to throw up his hands and call for a complete ban.

The Alliance will be out in force outside City Hall's Public Safety session at 8:30 this morning. Yami Bolanos, its president and founder:

The health and safety of the sick and dying in Los Angeles may be at risk, and that is unacceptable to us.

[Update at 11:45 a.m.]: LA Weekly's Hillel Aron was in the house for this. He reports back that the ban will now head to the city's Planning Committee for a hearing Jan. 26 and could face a possible vote before the City Council soon after.

Special Assistant City Attorney Jane Usher called the proposal a "gentle ban" that would still allow "primary caregivers" to grow weed but, apparently, not sell it in the kind of retail environment L.A. has seen.

Besides the Long Beach decision (above), she said legal costs and potential liability from more than 60 pot-shop related suits against City Hall are also solid reasons for the ban.

[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]

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Seoinnovation3
Seoinnovation3

 We have recently begun to accept new members for 2011-2012 and walk-ins are always welcome. We have lowered our pricing and now offer a 10% discount for Veterans & Students (with valid ID) and HIV & Cancer patients.  (All our TOP SHELF 1/8’s are capped at $40).  Since opening our doors in 2009 our Denver dispensary has stood by our product and offered a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. http://www.tgtree.com/

DEC MED
DEC MED

Every dispensary in Los Angeles will sue the city. You may also see hundreds of patients suing the city. How can 600 lawsuits versus 60 lawsuits make sense to the voters and taxpayers. This ban is so wanton that you may see the State of California sue the City of Los Angeles. Get your potcorn and weed ranchers ready.  :)~

DEC MED
DEC MED

Every dispensary in Los Angeles will sue the city. You may also see hundreds of patients suing the city. How can 600 lawsuits versus 60 lawsuits make sense to the voters and taxpayers. This ban is so wanton that you may see the State of California sue the City of Los Angeles. Get your potcorn and weed ranchers ready.  :)~

John Adams
John Adams

To chris NEAL AND everyone:

I just now {1-19-12, 2:50 P.M. Pacific} saw this article & its thread. So I hope you guys are still reading this!

I am a M.M.U. {Medical Marijuana User} in L.A. {San Gabriel}   I NEED i to Vape It {I don't smoke it}  for a REAL Medical condition that the Medical Field has no treatment,  except VERY Toxic Drugs that become Useless to me after only 5 days of nightly use {due to their extremely fast Tolerance}. I'm not 21 years old any more. So I don't know a lot of Grass smokers any more! I'm in my 50s and I am a Professional.So, I haven't had  a Dealer nor do I know any Dealers now! Without the Dispensaries,  have no idea how or where I'd  buy it.  I ABSOLUTELY CAN'T get busted, even though I can afford the Attorney Fees-- because of the nature of my Work. If I even got arrested, not convicted, just arrested for possession I'd lose my License IMMEDIATELY. That's how California's Law govern my Field. I'd also be unable to be hired to work in my Field-- it's the Law.

So what am I missing?? How does the closing of the M.M.U. Dispensaries benefit people like me??!!??

I'dreally appreciate some answers from everyone!!

Donne
Donne

it will increase the crime rate.

End Prohabition
End Prohabition

Please look into how this will affect the delivery collectives that operate in LA....

It would be great to END PROHIBITION sooner that later.

Cezaroh
Cezaroh

"Instead of war on poverty they got a war on drugs so the police can bother me"

JameUshered
JameUshered

'Politically motivated'> Carmen Trutanich - Trutanich run for Los Angeles County District Attorney lobbyist  toadying ramp up has begun! Another example of a 'gentle words' whispered in Carmen's ear in a cigar smoke filled room from the tobacco, pharmaceutical and liquor based lobby -Running for LA County DA isn't cheap and influence is being pedalled - campaign funds are being gathered. The litigation that Carmen will dismiss by his 'Gentle Ban' (60 lawsuits or so) will seem chump change once the new litigants get going not to mention the cost associated with the voter referendum to reaffirm the right to use dispensaries that will result.But that's ok because Carmen will have his rear parked in the LA DA's chair by then.

mark_abald
mark_abald

Who's up for   a  "Recall  Huizar" campaign??  Hell let's recall the whole fucking USELESS and  BOUGHT council!!!

Aaliyah
Aaliyah

my friend's aunt makes $84 hourly on the internet. She has been fired for 5 months but last month her pay was $7529 just working on the internet for a few hours. Read more on this site... LazyCash10.com

Delportillo
Delportillo

Why don't you fat cats in city hall take a 10 % pay cut and focus on getting Highland Park bicycle patrols. Huizar you are a JackAss. You are the typical stereotype politician that goes with the flow. Jose...you have no BALLS! Resign! 

Vtalbot
Vtalbot

It seems like there should be a grandfather law, one that says that you have the right to be in existence as a medical marijuana dispensary, if you have been there for more than a few years. ESPECIALLY if the dispensary has weathered the laws in Los Angeles!

Tim
Tim

This is another Tactic to stick it to MMJ Patients..Think about it carefully...You, your Spouse, or even Grandma are ill or disabled and have a Doctors recommendation for MMJ... But you have to know someone who grows it or grow it yourself... Because there is no place to get it what so ever...By the way, to Grow Medical Grade Cannabis is and expensive task that takes Experts to do...So if you could find a Grower for you???He would be expected to just give all his Grow away for free with no compensation... Those costs to Run those Lights, Nutrients for Plants, Rent, a Security Guard, and all other Costs including Equipment would be on the Grower..And thats not even logical or make any sense..This Idea that  ((All Patient can just grow their Meds))  or have one Grower for All is so Ridiculous at best....

The Bottom line is that these Official of L.A. have done every trick they can muster to Shut Down Any or all access to MMJ over anf over again.. Spending Millions of Dollars of City Tax Dollars to continue this crap......

Its time and these Folks have to GO.....

Xnewfaces
Xnewfaces

"By the way, to Grow Medical Grade Cannabis is and expensive task that takes Experts to do..."

Actually it is very inexpensive to grow. Cfl's, neuts,soil,fan and clones you could obtainfor less then $200 and no you don't need to be a expert grow. Pot is a weed and practically grows itself so it is very easy and cheap to grow quality meds.

Tim
Tim

This is another Tactic to stick it to MMJ Patients..Think about it carefully...You, your Spouse, or even Grandma are ill or disabled and have a Doctors recommendation for MMJ... But you have to know someone who grows it or grow it yourself... Because there is no place to get it what so ever...By the way, to Grow Medical Grade Cannabis is and expensive task that takes Experts to do...So if you could find a Grower for you???He would be expected to just give all his Grow away for free with no compensation... Those costs to Run those Lights, Nutrients for Plants, Rent, a Security Guard, and all other Costs including Equipment would be on the Grower..And thats not even logical or make any sense..This Idea that  ((All Patient can just grow their Meds))  or have one Grower for All is so Ridiculous at best....

The Bottom line is that these Official of L.A. have done every trick they can muster to Shut Down Any or all access to MMJ over anf over again.. Spending Millions of Dollars of City Tax Dollars to continue this crap......

Its time and these Folks have to GO.....

Tim
Tim

This is another Tactic to stick it to MMJ Patients..Think about it carefully...You, your Spouse, or even Grandma are ill or disabled and have a Doctors recommendation for MMJ... But you have to know someone who grows it or grow it yourself... Because there is no place to get it what so ever...By the way, to Grow Medical Grade Cannabis is and expensive task that takes Experts to do...So if you could find a Grower for you???He would be expected to just give all his Grow away for free with no compensation... Those costs to Run those Lights, Nutrients for Plants, Rent, a Security Guard, and all other Costs including Equipment would be on the Grower..And thats not even logical or make any sense..This Idea that  ((All Patient can just grow their Meds))  or have one Grower for All is so Ridiculous at best....

The Bottom line is that these Official of L.A. have done every trick they can muster to Shut Down Any or all access to MMJ over anf over again.. Spending Millions of Dollars of City Tax Dollars to continue this crap......

Its time and these Folks have to GO.....

Tim
Tim

This is another Tactic to stick it to MMJ Patients..Think about it carefully...You, your Spouse, or even Grandma are ill or disabled and have a Doctors recommendation for MMJ... But you have to know someone who grows it or grow it yourself... Because there is no place to get it what so ever...By the way, to Grow Medical Grade Cannabis is and expensive task that takes Experts to do...So if you could find a Grower for you???He would be expected to just give all his Grow away for free with no compensation... Those costs to Run those Lights, Nutrients for Plants, Rent, a Security Guard, and all other Costs including Equipment would be on the Grower..And thats not even logical or make any sense..This Idea that  ((All Patient can just grow their Meds))  or have one Grower for All is so Ridiculous at best....

The Bottom line is that these Official of L.A. have done every trick they can muster to Shut Down Any or all access to MMJ over anf over again.. Spending Millions of Dollars of City Tax Dollars to continue this crap......

Its time and these Folks have to GO.....

Tim
Tim

This is another Tactic to stick it to MMJ Patients..Think about it carefully...You, your Spouse, or even Grandma are ill or disabled and have a Doctors recommendation for MMJ... But you have to know someone who grows it or grow it yourself... Because there is no place to get it what so ever...By the way, to Grow Medical Grade Cannabis is and expensive task that takes Experts to do...So if you could find a Grower for you???He would be expected to just give all his Grow away for free with no compensation... Those costs to Run those Lights, Nutrients for Plants, Rent, a Security Guard, and all other Costs including Equipment would be on the Grower..And thats not even logical or make any sense..This Idea that  ((All Patient can just grow their Meds))  or have one Grower for All is so Ridiculous at best....

The Bottom line is that these Official of L.A. have done every trick they can muster to Shut Down Any or all access to MMJ over anf over again.. Spending Millions of Dollars of City Tax Dollars to continue this crap......

Its time and these Folks have to GO.....

ὀλίγος
ὀλίγος

I just wanna say suck my dick to all the motherfuckers that think they can fuck with the herb. Cali is a shitshow, miami has better prices than retail cali weed. 

Muzzylu
Muzzylu

This is nuts to try to close down all marijuana dispensaries in L.A. It won't work because they will be sued by patients and the dispensaries. It is a great time during a recession to put thousands of people out of work.Great e-book on medical marijuana: MARIJUANA - Guide to Buying, Growing, Harvesting, and Making Medical Marijuana Oil and Delicious Candies to Treat Pain and Ailments by Mary Bendis, Second Edition. This book has great recipes for easy marijuana oil, delicious Cannabis Chocolates, and tasty Dragon Teeth Mints. goo.gl/iYjPn  goo.gl/Jfs61

Muzzylu
Muzzylu

This is nuts to try to close down all marijuana dispensaries in L.A. It won't work because they will be sued by patients and the dispensaries. It is a great time during a recession to put thousands of people out of work.Great e-book on medical marijuana: MARIJUANA - Guide to Buying, Growing, Harvesting, and Making Medical Marijuana Oil and Delicious Candies to Treat Pain and Ailments by Mary Bendis, Second Edition. This book has great recipes for easy marijuana oil, delicious Cannabis Chocolates, and tasty Dragon Teeth Mints. goo.gl/iYjPn  goo.gl/Jfs61

Janey Cakes
Janey Cakes

Usher claims the proposed ordinance is a "gentle" ban because it allows patients and their caregivers to cultivate medical marijuana.  However, the right to cultivate is protected by California State Law, not some proposed municipal ordinance crafted by dimwitted City Attorneys.   The fact that Jane Usher and Trutantich are calling the cultivation exception "gentle" and "cutting edge" is a blatant misrepresentation of the rights conferred by the proposed ordinance.  Make no mistake about it, the proposed ordinance provides nothing other than a ban and obliterates patients' rights to collectively and cooperatively cultivate under the Medical Marijuana Program Act, which was passed in 2003 to increase patient access because not everybody can cultivate due to the inherent difficulty of growing marijuana.   Moreover, the proposed ordinance disregards the will of Los Angeles voters, who expressed their approval of medical marijuana collectives in passing Measure M  -- the ordinance which taxes collectives on marijuana sales.  Let me be unambiguously clear:  The City of LA is not legislating for the will of the people.  They are punting regulation to the State Supreme Court and the Legislature, which will take years for them to resolve.  As Trunanich said, they are putting forth an ordinance that is also meant to make the federal government happy.COWARDS 

Xnewfaces
Xnewfaces

Thank you kindly Dennis for keeping us updated on this possible L.A banand we look forward to the outcome. Please keep us informed.

laresidentguy
laresidentguy

I predict an enormous influx of money for the illicit drug community. Hope that they put it to good use, spending it in the community and such the same way pot shops do. Oh wait, no, they won't. They'll use it for guns and things like that.

Allartisstolen
Allartisstolen

If you're all so worried about Medical dispensaries, the real problem begins with the doctors offices who are making a killing by giving out prescriptions to anyone with a valid or even fake CA ID with cash in their hand.  

Stop the problem at step one, not three or four.  

Xnewfaces
Xnewfaces

Yami Bolanos, its president and founder:

"The health and safety of the sick and dying in Los Angeles may be at risk, and that is unacceptable to us."What Yami really means is their pot shop profits may be at risk and that is unacceptableto them. Yami is grasping for straws and wearing her clown shoes again.

Christopher Neal
Christopher Neal

As a person who smokes huge amounts of high quality happy smoke all the time, it wouldn't bother me at all to see the dispensaries go. The loadies running them, under the pretense of helping people with their so-called philanthropic non-profit, will then have to get a real job instead of getting rich off this crap--as will the doctors "prescribing" the weed.

Mike
Mike

your dealer banks on you, while you have no choice, and while he gets rich tax free

Xnewfaces
Xnewfaces

It's a beautiful thing no doubt! Thank god.

Terin Dickerson
Terin Dickerson

You guys are awesome, this is honestly the coolest conversation I've ever seen on LA Weekly, good job. 

Christopher Neal
Christopher Neal

Not in my situation. With my "dealer" it's more like cuttin' me in on super-cool deals that dispensaries would never consider--most dispensaries I've dealt with are focused on profit, with exception of those up in Berkeley and Oakland who were genuinely interested in helping suffering patients. With my dealer it's kinda more of a hippy scene, not so much some young greedy scammer type getting filthy rich. Dispensaries are convenient for several reasons, but if they go away, I still be smokin'--been smokin' 38 years now and still lovin' it. Oh, and the herb wouldn't be from some mexican drug cartel (schwag anyhoos) but from No. Cal. straight to me lungs mon...

Xnewfaces
Xnewfaces

Very well said Christopher! I am and have been in the exact situation as you for 35 yearsnow and still smokin. We do not need pot shops with their blatant disregard for everything moral. Sooner they ban the shops the better.

ABE
ABE

WHY DON'T YOU BAN ALCOHOL AND PRESRCRIPTION DRUGS WHILE YOUR AT IT YOU ANAL MORONS....THATS THE PROBLEM WITH THIS COUNTRY, YOU DON'T ADDRESS THE REAL PROBLEMS BECAUSE YOUR PROBABLY GUILTY OF COMMITTING SUCH ACTS. mARIJUANA HAS BEEN AROUND FOR CENTURIES, DO YOUR HOMEWORK.

Jamie
Jamie

my buddy's step-aunt makes eighty dollars per hour on the internet. She has been without a job for seven months but last month her paycheck was $9066 just working on the laptop for a few hours. Read more on this site CashLazy.com

Jaarno
Jaarno

not having dispensaries will increase the crime rate for sure.

Areplyforyou
Areplyforyou

Really? How so? Dispensaries have made pot growers out of many who were not doing so before Dispensares came into existance. There are now dozens of new hydroponic supply shops that support this new growing boom and prices for pot have fallen through the floor making it even more easily obtained. How was the crimerate high BEFORE the dispensaries opened up?

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