Marijuana Dispensary Controls Coming To L.A. May Ballot

patrick_duff2000

The second initiative, sponsered by David Welch, the lawyer who represents hundreds of collectives without any insurance, almost gave me a stroke when I read it. It actually states that all collectives must be authorized and or comply by state and FEDERAL law. Yup, it says, FEDERAL law. Not once, not twice, but several times. I don't know which agent at the DEA or the US Prosecutors office held a gun to David Welch while he wrote this, but if they didn't, it seems he is working for them.

The initiative also gives full power back to the city council to ammend the ordnance by a majority vote. Now I don't know any other voters initiative that has sought to take the power away from the legislature only to hand it right back to them on a platter. It goes against the point of a voters initiatve. Just read section 5 of the initiative, the last paragraph, which most never bother reading. It clearly states what I claim.

Both initiatives are sponsered by groups of owners, not any neighborhood association calling for regulations. Doesn't that say something to you?

bophisto

Yeah that's the problem and the city is doing NOTHING to stop all the shady ,ghetto stores that are hurting property values and bringing down neighborhoods.

L.A should have followed Oakland's model and LIMITED the number of shops from the beginning and charged big license fees to open stores $60,000. When businesses have more skin in the game they have more to lose...they tend to follow the rules a lot better than fly by night operators..

xjereme

Based on past behavior... new dispensaries will open in hopes of squeezing in and making as much money as fast as they can.. good grief- a few more hundred to saturate the market and make it that much more difficult to pay taxes... Give the Pre-ICOs the stamp of approval already and let the rogues receive whats due them...closure. #beenfollowingtherulesfor5yearssir

patrick_duff2000

So how about those that went before those who decided to jump in on the band wagon in 2007? What about those who were raided in the years prior to 2007 and fought like hell against the feds, suffered arrests, siezures of property, stripping them of their children, and jailing them for providing medicine? Why does this initiative make it illegal for people like Eddy Lepp to work in the industry but not for violent offenders or people who committed crimes against children?

This is the same power grab that has been happening since 2007 by a small group of people concerned with their bottom line, not safer communities or providing safe access. I do find it interesting that the GLACA initiative doesn't require the original owner anymore, as they have been trumpeting for years, but maybe that's because Don Duncan sold his place to Montel Williams and many other GLACA affiliates are planning on doing the same.

xjereme

@patrick_duff2000 Its completely horrible what happened to some of the original pioneers. Its true that those with criminal backgrounds are finding easy loopholes because the rules are not defined. Regulation and less dispensaries allows safer access, streamlined taxes, better quality, and balanced competition. Background checks, fingerprints, 10a-8p, 600 ft from sensitive uses/other dispensaries, taxes, and quarterly quality control should warrant the City to issue a bonified Los Angeles Dispensary license providing immunity from Federal intrusion.

patrick_duff2000

The GLACA initiative would make it illegal for anyone on parole or probation for sale of a controlled substance to work in the industry. Not violent crimes, or pedophiles, but the people who were arrested for the very thing these people are asking for immunity from for doing. The head of GLACA, Yami, who really is just one of Don Duncan's pawns, has had her collective about 250 feet from a school since 2006. That's why they give themselves 300 days to move once the initiative gets voted in. The initiative is written to protect a select few. The interesting part is the fact they now leave out the need for the original owner to be involved with the collective. That way Montell and the partnership for a prescription america will be OK to own them all.

xjereme

@patrick_duff2000 @patrick_duff2000 There is a run for mayor and city council seats.....this is a time the city needs Fed grant money. In a recent interview the police chief advised crime has dropped since 1955...so what happened during the 80s crack problem? Really, crime is down because theyve put more boots on the ground. Several crimes take place at dispensaries; being scared of prosecution, many keep details hush hush. The theory is without regulation, crime occurs more so than with regulation. It is fantasy that it will become that cheap because first, it isnt cheap to grow high quality and second, the industry will not survive artificially low prices.

patrick_duff2000

What crime do you see coming from dispensaries? They reduce crime if anything. Ten straight years of violent crime getting lower in Los Angeles. What has changed? The X factor is that marijuana is now readily available. I know many of the 2007 shops that did not even know what Phosphaload was before I told them what to look for. The balance will be when you can get pot for the price of broccoli, then nobody will go to jail or get killed over it.

xjereme

@patrick_duff2000 9.9 million

xjereme

@patrick_duff2000 @patrick_duff2000 A saturation of dispensaries is more difficult to regulate,i.e. less regulation is more crime. Saturation has brought low prices but most of it is junk and the dispensaries since or before 2007 know that the only way to keep in business is to lower prices...yet with this imbalance it is near impossible to not be in heavy debt.....too many dispensaries means the inability to pay taxes or to pay employees fairly

patrick_duff2000

How does less dispensaries allow for safer access? The only thing that allows for is higher prices and congestion. How exactly will limiting the number of access points create safer access in a city with 15 million people?

muzzylu

Unbelievable stupidity of the L.A City council! The state of California is near economic collapse, so it wastes time and money going after legal medical marijuana dispensaries! It's so stupid to fight marijuana; it is effective, safe, and has over a thousand years of use. Marijuana is a very healthy food if taken as an edible, not smoked. There is a great $2.99 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.

joycehong123

Im confused, which ordinance will help patients like myself? Which ordinance will benefit the disabled, low income patients. Once again city hall turns their back on the patients, who is looking out for us. I would like to know.

patrick_duff2000

I am. Vote NO on all of them. None of them are good for patients.

xjereme

@patrick_duff2000 If we dont have any regulation....you may see more of what Devonshire did(close practically every dispensary in the West Valley). Then you will need to get it from the street.

patrick_duff2000

The regulation we need is for repeal the cannabis laws in this state and country. The only thing dangerous about cannabis is the prohibition of it.

Can you tell me what it is about marijuana that deserves more regulation then tobacco or alcohol? You can not, nor can any other rational person when you compare the effects of the three substances.

Why do we need a security gaurd at every dispensary and not every bar? Why not have a person providing breathalyzers to every person exiting the bar who is driving? That would actually be in the interest of public safety and save lives. Having more rules for those that dispense a benign and benevolent substance, such as marijuana, then those who dispense a substance known to kill people makes no sense.

I for one am sick of the lies about marijuana. It is not dangerous. It's the value of any black market item mixed with the fact you can't call the police when someone steals your contraband that makes it dangerous. When was the last time you remember a person getting shot for cauliflower? And by the way, marijuana is much easier to grow then cauliflower....

bophisto

Hopefully all the shady shops that opened after 2007 will be shut down. Most of these shops are a real eyesore. If these places are real selling "medicine" how many pharmacies have you seen that look so tacky and rundown and have shady looking people hanging around them?

Allowing all the unlicensed shops to stay open would send a bad example.

There is no excuse for the city to allow these jobs to stay open for so long. They just add to the blight.