Pubdate: Thu, 13 Jun 2013
Source: Los Angeles Daily News (CA)
Copyright: 2013 Los Angeles Newspaper Group
Contact: http://www.dailynews.com/writealetter
Website: http://www.dailynews.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/246
Author: Dakota Smith

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE CRACKS DOWN ON LOS ANGELES COUNTY POT DISPENSARIES

Federal prosecutors are targeting more than 100 marijuana shops in 
Los Angeles County this week, threatening prosecution if dispensary 
owners stay in operation. Officials also moved to seize two 
properties in Long Beach catering to marijuana users.

Letters from the federal government were sent to dispensaries in Los 
Angeles, Long Beach, Lancaster, and Pearblossom, U.S. Attorney's 
Office spokesman Thom Mrozek said. The letters informed dispensary 
owners they are operating in violation of federal laws.

In Los Angeles, 71 dispensaries in South L.A., downtown, and the 
Harbor area were sent notices, Mrozek said.

The government's actions represent the latest effort to enforce 
federal laws and the newest challenge to California's 17-year-old, 
voter-approved law allowing the sale of marijuana as a medicinal 
treatment. Federal authorities contend the 1996 legislation approved 
by California voters was intended to allow small, nonprofit 
collectives for sick patients, and not result in an explosion of 
storefront pot stores.

"Anyone who has spent any time in a marijuana store can tell these 
are drug-trafficking businesses," Mrozek said. "All the stores we 
have seen are generating significant amount of profits."

The letters sent Tuesday come weeks after Los Angeles voters approved 
Measure D, which allows 135 dispensaries -- those facilities that 
were already open and registered with the city before a 2007 
moratorium -- to stay open. All other dispensaries must shut down.

While the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office is finalizing the list 
of 135 dispensaries, and expects to release the list in about 10 
days, Mrozek said he expects some overlap between facilities ordered 
to shut down and those on the city's list allowed to stay open.

Deputy City Attorney William Carter said his office will be informing 
any dispensary on the city's list they must comply with federal laws.

Such is the confusing state of marijuana laws in California, where 
federal and state rules often conflict with one another as local 
governments take a piecemeal approach to regulating pot.

Kris Hermes, spokesperson for the Americans for Safe Access, a 
medical marijuana advocacy group, criticized the federal government's 
actions Tuesday, saying that he believes stores targeted by the U.S. 
Attorney's Office should be allowed to operate because they are in 
compliance with state laws.

"Thousands of people will be left without safe and legal access to 
medical marijuana," Hermes said.

In Long Beach, where dispensaries have been illegal since last year, 
the city's police chief praised the crackdown, saying that shops have 
been a problem for the city.

"We always welcome the opportunity to partner with federal 
authorities in an effort to address these illegal operations that 
affect the quality of life in our community," Long Beach Police Chief 
Jim McDonnell said in a statement.

The federal government has also filed two asset forfeiture lawsuits 
in Long Beach where officials said marijuana stores are currently operating.

The forfeiture lawsuits allege the owners of the properties allowed 
commercial marijuana stores or growing operations. The dispensaries 
named by the U.S. Attorney's Office are the Healing Tree Holistic 
Association on East Anaheim Street and the Naples Wellness Center on 
East 2nd Street.

Messages left for owners at the two stores were not immediately returned.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom