Pubdate: Mon, 27 Oct 2014 Source: San Diego Union Tribune (CA) Copyright: 2014 Union-Tribune Publishing Co. Contact: http://www.utsandiego.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/386 Note: Seldom prints LTEs from outside it's circulation area. Author: Scott Chipman SAN DIEGO LOSING THE WAR AGAINST POT SHOPS Regarding "San Diego shuts down four illegal pot shops" (Oct. 23): The city keeps closing pot shops, but the numbers don't seem to go down. In September 2013 "more than a dozen" were reportedly operating. In May 2014 the number was "at least 54." Now, in October, with four new closures we are down to "around 50." At least two new pot shops have opened in my neighborhood in Pacific Beach since June. At the same time Vista has effectively closed every pot shop and kept others from opening by filing criminal complaints. Selling marijuana is still illegal by state law. Not one Vista case has gone to trial because the operators close voluntarily and quickly. Do we always have to do things the hard way? Scott Chipman Pacific Beach - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom