cannabisnews.com: Pot Shop Owners Appeal To City Council for Help
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Pot Shop Owners Appeal To City Council for Help
Posted by CN Staff on September 08, 2010 at 04:56:50 PT
By John Hoeffel, Los Angeles Times
Source: Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles -- Incensed by the city's determination that just a quarter of the registered Los Angeles medical marijuana dispensaries are qualified to remain open, about 80 operators and advocates held a subdued rally Tuesday and then trooped into City Hall to demand that the council intervene.The protest's only speaker was Don Duncan, a Los Angeles resident who is the state director for Americans for Safe Access, an advocacy organization. Standing on a planter next to placards that went unused and donuts that went uneaten, he exhorted those in the small assembly to call their City Council members.
"I say shame on the council for letting this process go on autopilot," he said. "Don't be discouraged. Don't be cynical. Stand up and fight some more, and we're going to win this."The city clerk's office has decided, based on legal advice from the city attorney's office, that 128 of the 169 registered dispensaries applying to remain open are ineligible. Many were eliminated only because they had added managers since they registered with the city in 2007. A little-noticed requirement in the city's medical marijuana ordinance, which became effective in June, requires the same management. Among those hit by the provision were many of the most politically active dispensary operators.The rally's organizer, Yamileth Bolanos, who runs PureLife Alternative Wellness Center and heads a group of registered dispensaries, brought the activists to their feet with an impassioned plea before the City Council. Bolanos, who said she is a three-time cancer survivor, has had a liver transplant and has diabetes, high blood pressure and ulcers, has added managers to help her in the last three years."How am I supposed to run my collective alone? Who in the hell did you guys think was running my collective when I was here talking to you guys, trying to make you understand?" she shouted, her voice shaking. "Do not let us down. I'm begging. I'm begging you. Do not let us down today."Councilman Ed Reyes, who oversaw the creation of the ordinance, said he will meet with city officials to discuss its implementation. "It's a living document," he said. But he said he was wary of interfering with the winnowing process. "Weeding out who is legitimate is very difficult," he said.Bolanos said she was disappointed by the small number of supporters who turned out. "I think it's awful that there's so much lack of concern by the patients of Los Angeles," she said.Heather Boswell, who cradled a Jack Russell terrier she has as a service animal for emotional support, said she uses marijuana for manic depression to balance the medication she takes. "My motto is I don't get high, I get even," she said. She noted that the ordinance restricts patients to one dispensary and said the one she has come to rely on, Cornerstone Research Collective, was declared ineligible because of management changes. If it closes, she said, "I will be in a very bad situation."Michael Backes, who runs Cornerstone in the Eagle Rock neighborhood, predicted that many pieces of the complicated ordinance would not stand up in court. "When this thing ends up being chopped up with scissors by the Superior Court, the City Council is going to have to step up," he said.The city has sued the ineligible dispensaries and asked Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Anthony J. Mohr to rule on whether the city's procedure is legal. About 80 dispensaries have also sued the city.Councilman Jose Huizar, who led the effort to put a cap on the number of dispensaries, said, "There's going to be a lot of kinks in any new legislation." He said the city attorney's office has advised the council to let the court cases proceed."Look, we have to see what the judge rules," he said.He said he believed Los Angeles would end up with sufficient dispensaries. "When all the dust settles, medical marijuana patients will have access," he said, "but we're going through an uncomfortable time."Source: Los Angeles Times (CA)Author: John Hoeffel, Los Angeles TimesPublished: September 8, 2010Copyright: 2010 Los Angeles TimesContact: letters latimes.comWebsite: http://www.latimes.com/URL: http://drugsense.org/url/DpkkWWLGCannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml 
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Comment #6 posted by Sam Adams on September 09, 2010 at 09:15:15 PT
MN story
The story of the 80 year old vet who beat the Nazis only to succumb to Nazism at home is striking.He's probably forced to care for his wife because of our lousy greed-driven health care system. And the fact that we pay an enormous amount of money into the police/military establishment. Essentially Europe and Canada spend the money on health care & education that we spend on wars & cops & prisons.So the paramilitary cops raiding this guy's house are actually the REASON that he's forced to care for his wife.This particular raid should lay bare the moral soul of the USA. The cruelty/barbarism of this action equals just about anything you'd find around the world.  In fact it may be worse. Most dictators and despots leave the older people alone. But no! Not American cops & prosecutors.
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Comment #5 posted by dongenero on September 09, 2010 at 08:59:09 PT
comment #2
80 year old, decorated WWII veteran growing pot.
Now he's facing felony charges?What are we doing with these laws? This is just stupid.
These cops and government officials should be ashamed of themselves. These laws are dumb. Stand up and say it, even if it's your job to be willfully ignorant.Where's the Tea Party when you need them? Well, we know the answer to that one.
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Comment #4 posted by FoM on September 09, 2010 at 07:18:22 PT
Just a Note
I haven't found any news to post so far today. Hopefully something will pop up later in the day. 
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Comment #3 posted by FoM on September 08, 2010 at 18:21:58 PT
Video Link
Martinez Would Repeal Medical Marijuana as GovernorOne of the candidates for governor intends to do away with New Mexico’s medical marijuana law if elected. Susana Martinez is quoted through a spokesperson in the Santa Fe Reporter saying, “I would work to repeal the state’s medical marijuana law.”URL: http://www.kob.com/article/stories/S1735755.shtml?cat=504
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Comment #2 posted by Storm Crow on September 08, 2010 at 13:45:47 PT
 Minn. sherrif busts Octogenarian!
http://www.wkbt.com/global/story.asp?s=13114299#80-Year-Old Army Vet Busted for Growing MarijuanaWINONA, Min. - Police say an 80-year-old Army veteran is accused of growing a large amount of marijuana at his home in Winona County.Winona County authorities raided the home of Donald John Everding on August 24th after a source reported he was growing marijuana plants in his yard.Investigators found an elaborate grow operation just south of Winona near PLA-Mor Campground at 22800 Little Smokies Lane.At the property authorities found an outdoor greenhouse, starter plants inside the home and multiple marijuana plants more than eight feet tall. (snipped) 80 years old, a decorated WWII hero, and still active enough to live independently and grow his own! There must not be ANY real crime in Winona, Minn.- no meth, no robberies or muggings, no car thefts, no murders- if the sheriff can waste tax money on this! I wonder if the sheriff's department got to play with their "toys" (SWAT gear, choppers, etc) to bring down this "dangerous criminal" for unauthorized gardening and use of a safe medicinal herb? 
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Comment #1 posted by Sam Adams on September 08, 2010 at 08:56:23 PT
depressing thoughts
what does this say about us? The rich can make all the money they need off the wage-slaves in China, banking & financial games, and extracting the last of the fossil fuels from the earth. They don't need a healthy economy here, or a middle class, or medicine for the sick and weak. I think we're barreling toward a feudal-style economy with 3 classes: the 1/2% rich elite, the political class (state employees) and a vast underclass of poor.  (the exact same as Stalinist Soviet Union btw)I see these LA actions as the political class (police) basically saying "our jobs are more important than your jobs" to the working classes.  They're not worried about raising taxes or having a functional economy - why should they be? For the last few years the feds have just been printing money off when then need it to pay them (stimulus).In fact just a few weeks ago Obama & Congress cut food stamps for the poor in order to fund police and other state govt. employees for the next year. 
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