Pubdate: Tue, 19 Jun 2012
Source: Los Angeles Daily News (CA)
Copyright: 2012 Los Angeles Newspaper Group
Contact: http://www.dailynews.com/writealetter
Website: http://www.dailynews.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/246

RESTORE MEDICAL POT POLICY TO WHAT VOTERS INTENDED

Long Beach and Los Angeles are set to discuss the future of medical 
marijuana dispensaries in their cities this week. The Los Angeles 
City Council is expected to weigh the "gentle ban" endorsed by one of 
its committees. The Long Beach City Council is scheduled to hear an 
update today on the state of its medical marijuana outlets.

It's a good time to remind each city that its own legal counsel 
suggests a full ban on dispensaries until the state Supreme Court 
rules on an appeal in a case that could prohibit cities from limiting 
dispensaries once they are opened.

L.A.'s gentle ban would allow users who need the drug for medical 
purposes to continue to grow their own. That seems a sensible solution.

But the gentle ban would prohibit for-profit sales. The fact remains: 
Despite state voter approval of medical marijuana sales, they remain 
illegal under federal law.

Further, despite the fact that the law was never intended to allow 
for-profit operations, outlets are proliferating, and profits can be 
huge - hundreds of thousands of dollars a year at some dispensaries. 
Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster characterized it as the Wild West, where 
anything goes - and grows.

Long Beach City Attorney Bob Shannon, among other city officials, has 
called for a total ban on medical marijuana outlets in the city. In 
February, the council granted a six-month reprieve to collectives 
that followed city guidelines. Currently, 18 are allowed to operate 
until the state court rules on the question of whether a city can 
regulate an activity that is, on the federal level, illegal.

Meanwhile, efforts to regulate the dispensaries in Long Beach have 
frustrated local police. Violations are misdemeanors, and 
dispensaries that are cited consider the fines to be simply part of 
the cost of doing business.

In Los Angeles, a loophole in the 2007 medpot ordinance has resulted 
in hundreds of outlets setting up shop. Some council members, Jose 
Huizar among them, are calling for a total ban on all outlets until 
the state court rules. They have that right.

In the best of worlds, medical marijuana would be available to those 
who need it for health reasons, and not to those who use it 
recreationally. But that is hardly how it has played out.

It's a perversion of the law when police are finding wads of cash at 
the homes of what can only be characterized as pot dealers. These 
dispensers are growing rich on sales to recreational users.

Even if a total ban on shops were instituted, it's important that 
those who need marijuana for health reasons be allowed to grow their own.

The Los Angeles and Long Beach city councils should have some tough 
questions for those who support allowing outlets to continue 
operating in their cities. Such as: What part of "illegal operations" 
and "profits" don't they understand?
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom