Pubdate: Tue, 26 Aug 2008
Source: Los Angeles Daily News (CA)
Copyright: 2008 Los Angeles Newspaper Group
Contact: http://www.dailynews.com/writealetter
Website: http://www.dailynews.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/246
Author: Brandon Lowrey, Staff Writer
Referenced: The guidelines http://drugsense.org/url/kKMJR2lu
Cited: Americans for Safe Access http://www.americansforsafeaccess.org
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/dispensaries
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/Proposition+215
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Marijuana - Medicinal)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/Americans+for+Safe+Access

DISPENSARY GUIDELINES APPLAUDED

NORTHRIDGE - As California Attorney General Jerry Brown rolled out 
medical-marijuana guidelines Monday, state agents wrapped up a rare 
dispensary bust in which the owner of a Northridge pot shop and an 
associate were arrested.

The guidelines say marijuana dispensaries shouldn't operate for 
profit and ought to keep detailed and accurate records on patients.

The news was hailed by medical-marijuana advocates, who saw it as an 
acknowledgment that dispensaries can be legal under California's 
vaguely worded pot laws and hoped for fewer federal raids, as long as 
they're not operating for profit.

"The top law enforcement officer in the state is saying these 
entities are legal in state law, and that sends a message to the 
federal government that they ought to back off," said Kris Hermes, a 
spokesman for Americans for Safe Access. "Really, this is like the 
final chapter of California's implementation of its medical-marijuana law."

The guidelines aimed to clarify the state's medical-marijuana laws, 
which have caused varied and confused responses from local law 
enforcement, but have led to an aggressive federal crackdown on the 
dispensaries.

Federal law makes marijuana illegal in all circumstances. The U.S. 
Supreme Court ruled in 2005 that the state law doesn't shield 
California users, sellers and growers from federal prosecution.

Brown's announcement came just days after state drug agents raided 
Today's Health Care in Northridge and shut down five related "grow 
houses" in Los Angeles neighborhoods over the weekend.

On Friday, agents arrested Nathan Holtz, 37, and Today's Health Care 
owner Louis Godman, 40. Officials believe Holtz is a middleman 
between Northern California growers and Godman's dispensary.

At the time of the arrest, the two had six pounds of marijuana and 
$9,000 in cash on them. Each has been charged with two felony counts 
of possessing and selling marijuana, said Christine Gasparac, a 
spokeswoman for the Attorney General's Office.

In the grow houses, agents seized 1,100 high-grade marijuana plants 
with a street value of $6.6 million.

The store was not the target of the investigation, said Sarah 
Simpson, an agent with the California Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement. 
Rather, it was sparked by a tip from a confidential source, who said 
Holtz was making a lot of money through his dealings with growers.

Today's Health Care, which sits in a strip mall near Lindley Avenue 
and Parthenia Street, was closed Monday. A sign stuck on the door 
said it wouldn't reopen until Thursday.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Richard Lake