Ganjika

CAL: Los Angeles mayor urges limit on medical marijuana dispensaries.
L.A Times
| 11/26/09 | John Hoeffel

The Los Angeles mayor declines to say what the cap should be, but says it should be a level that can be adequately monitored by city officials and the Police Department.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa urged the City Council on Wednesday to adopt a medical marijuana ordinance that would put a limit on the number of dispensaries.

"We have a right as a city to cap the number," he said, saying that a cap was "without question" needed to reduce the number to a level that the Police Department and city officials can adequately monitor. "Communities have a right to protect the character of those communities and the security of those neighborhoods."

The mayor declined to say what he thought the cap should be. "I can tell you that the current number of 800, or whatever, 900, is way beyond what any city should be able to accept," he said.

The council, which debated its draft ordinance Tuesday, instructed city officials to study a citywide cap between 70 and 200 dispensaries, and separate caps, set by population, for each of the city's 35 community plan areas or 21 police divisions. A number of cities have caps, but most of them are much smaller than Los Angeles. Oakland, the largest city to impose a cap, allows four.

Villaraigosa, who has to approve the ordinance, said the council needs to write one that does not allow dispensaries to sell marijuana in a way that violates state law.

Council members decided Tuesday not to ban medical marijuana sales, disregarding the advice of the city attorney and the Los Angeles County district attorney, who believe the law makes any sales illegal.

Instead, the council adopted a provision that allows cash contributions for marijuana, which was a compromise that members believe will allow sales to continue and the city attorney's top aides said would not run counter to state law.

Villaraigosa said he had not reviewed the provision.

Although there is debate about whether the law allows sales, the law is clear that dispensaries cannot make a profit. Villaraigosa said he believed many in the city were violating the requirement. "People are trying to drive a truck through loopholes, and when you have that number it makes it very difficult for us," he said.

__________________
Marijuana Is Only Addictive In The Sense
That All Good Things In Life Are Worth Repeating...

KillerWeed420

I thought America was built on capitalism and free trade? How is having more dispensaries in vilation of that? The best outcome is it gives competition a chance, which means cheaper medicine for petients. And thats a bad thing?

Buds_Of_Steele

i personally think there should be a "business as usual" clause or something, honestly if the market for something is favourable then you have to be braindead not to take advantage as a business owner. besides whats going to go up in place of the dispensary? a McDonalds or a Starbucks?

__________________
It's just one of those days, where you wanna take a Green Hike, you pack everything you need, your trusty pipe, an ounce or two etc. then you get out there and the entire world is your playground.