cannabisnews.com: LA Council To Debate Whether To Outlaw Pot Stores
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LA Council To Debate Whether To Outlaw Pot Stores
Posted by CN Staff on November 24, 2011 at 06:37:01 PT
By John Hoeffel, Los Angeles Times
Source: Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles -- With more medical marijuana dispensaries opening in Los Angeles and recent court decisions stirring new confusion, the City Council plans to debate whether to outlaw the stores.A ban would be a major about-face for the council, which has struggled to find a way to allow dispensaries, but under tight control. And it would be a serious setback for the medical marijuana movement if the state's largest city — and one of its most progressive — joins the scores of more conservative cities and counties that have prohibited storefront sales.
On Wednesday, Councilman Jose Huizar called on his colleagues to repeal the city's ordinance and to ban stores, delivery services and commercial cultivation until the state Supreme Court resolves the legal uncertainties. His motion is the second to propose an end to the city's troubled attempts to regulate marijuana. Council members Bernard C. Parks and Jan Perry introduced one last month."This wasn't an easy decision, but I think if we do nothing at this moment and stick our heads in the sand we would be irresponsible," said Huizar, whose district includes Eagle Rock, which has 15 dispensaries in a 1.2-mile radius, according to the neighborhood council. "We're concerned, if we do nothing, we're going to be in an even worse situation than before our ordinance."Los Angeles has struggled for years to reduce the number of dispensaries, which opened by the hundreds when the city failed to enforce a moratorium. It's unclear how many dispensaries there are now, but 372 medical marijuana businesses have filed to pay the city's pot tax.Since it began to consider the issue six and a half years ago, the council has never tilted toward prohibition. But frustration with another uptick in dispensaries could change that. Four council members support a ban, five oppose it and five are undecided, but open to the idea.Council President Eric Garcetti said he would aim to have the council take the issue up next month."I think it's important that we get some council movement on this," said Garcetti, who has doubts about a ban but has not taken a position on it.Los Angeles and other municipalities — even some friendly to medical marijuana — are now taking a look at bans because of several recent state appeals court rulings.Last month, the 2nd District Court of Appeal in Los Angeles ruled that Long Beach, which set up a lottery to choose which dispensaries to allow, violated federal law because the city was, in essence, authorizing the distribution of an illegal drug. The decision, which Long Beach has appealed to the state Supreme Court, called into doubt whether cities and counties can adopt any regulations for controlling dispensaries, even zoning rules setting distances from schools.And this month, an appeals court in Riverside issued two decisions that were the clearest yet to find that state laws allowing medical marijuana use do not block bans on dispensaries.Medical marijuana activists — many of whom have attended council meetings for years to cajole and berate the city into adopting a workable ordinance — turned out at Wednesday's council session and were roiling with outrage."Irresponsible, Mr. Huizar? Irresponsible to do nothing?" said an infuriated Yamileth Bolanos, the president of the Greater Los Angeles Collective Alliance. "For six years, this council has done nothing. We came and told you about the proliferation of the collectives in the city. This council did nothing. Irresponsible to do nothing? Yes, it was very irresponsible to do nothing. And today, calling for a ban is the most irresponsible thing you can do because you're turning over the distribution of medical marijuana to the cartels and the gangs in the city."Although City Atty. Carmen Trutanich will not discuss what advice he has given the council, he and his top lawyers have made clear where they stand on how to interpret the court decisions. "I think it gives us the authority to prohibit but not to authorize," he said. "We're definitely going to have to step very cautiously. This is an area that is fraught with land mines, not only legal land mines but political land mines."Huizar's motion, seconded by Councilman Mitch Englander, would repeal the current ordinance, which would choose 100 dispensaries in a lottery and restrict where they could locate. "As we stand now, we really have an unenforceable ordinance," Huizar said. "We're back where we started."A ban is opposed by council members Paul Koretz, Tom LaBonge, Bill Rosendahl, Dennis Zine and Herb Wesson, the next council president, who said the city must strike a balance. Koretz said he has friends with AIDS who would be dead without marijuana."This is the easy way out," he said. "When people's lives are at stake, I don't think we should take the easy way out."But other council members said they would weigh a temporary ban."I do think it affords us an opportunity to take a step back, take a clean look at it and reload, reboot, and try to come up with a policy that is going to work," Councilman Paul Krekorian said.Huizar's move comes as concern over more dispensaries opening willy-nilly is again angering some city residents. Three neighborhood council leaders stood behind the councilman in a show of support when he announced his proposal at a morning news conference at City Hall.The East Hollywood Neighborhood Council voted unanimously Monday to back a ban."The only other option is chaos, which is what we have," said Doug Haines, the chairman of the planning committee, who noted that new pot shops are opening in the area's vacant commercial buildings. "They're brazen. They don't in any way try to hide what they are doing."Michael Larsen, the president of the Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council, said the area once had 24 dispensaries, which dropped to 10 when the city's ordinance took effect in June 2010, but five have opened since then."That's unacceptable," he said. "We don't want 15 Starbucks. We don't want 15 McDonald's. And we certainly don't want 15 illegal pot shops."Larsen, who said he was not speaking for the neighborhood council, said a ban was "the only reasonable path" to end "this out-of-control farce" until the courts clear up the issue.The South Robertson Neighborhoods Council decided to host a town hall on the issue after two dispensaries opened last month next to two others near a temple and an elementary school. "Having businesses that seem to be completely outside the jurisdiction of the city is maddening," said Doug Fitzsimmons, the council's president.Fitzsimmons said he had heard from other upset neighborhood leaders."This is a widespread problem. It's getting worse," he said. "The current legislative and legal environment is just emboldening people to open businesses because, frankly, the city is overtaxed."But, as a supporter of medical marijuana, Fitzsimmons was torn about banishing dispensaries, noting that some are run responsibly. "If this is the only legal option that the city has, I reluctantly support it, but it's denying people, I think, the legitimate right to medicine."Source: Los Angeles Times (CA)Author: John Hoeffel, Los Angeles TimesPublished: November 24, 2011Copyright: 2011 Los Angeles TimesContact: letters latimes.comWebsite: http://www.latimes.com/URL: http://drugsense.org/url/lPuXmif7CannabisNews Medical Marijuana Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/medical.shtml
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Comment #11 posted by museman on November 26, 2011 at 09:21:50 PT
crop circles
I can't say for sure about crop circles, but I can confirm from my own life experience going back to my teens that there are craft not of earthly design flitting to and fro through our atmosphere.I can tell a few tales...I do have an intuitive feeling about 'the greys' however.Suffice to to say, there are two basic groups of 'aliens'; those who try to stay out of our business, unless there is dire need, and those who are all up in it, and likely have some secret deals going on with ours, and a couple other 'governments.'Then there is a spiritual phenomenon; "Vehicles of Light" also known as 'Merkabahs' -the term 'alien' just doesn't apply.Anybody besides me notice the historical parallel between the evolution of electronic technology, and the 'rumor' of a crashed alien ship in Roswell in 1947? Something to think about. I had an uncle in the Air Force who was an accountant, but he had a top top secret clearance. He once sent me a photograph I wish I still had of something beneath Edwards AF Base.But whether the greys are on our side or not, the 'good' aliens would certainly be aware of the consciousness promoting attributes of cannabis, and the 'bad' ones probably as well. We know that 'those in the know' in our government are well aware of the properties of cannabis, which is why our government -as it currently exists- will never allow us to freely partake.But it is a magical, marvelous gift from our Creator the "Plant of Renown" for the "Healing of Nations."What are the odds that delegations from the new global politic -called 'occupy' could all sit down together and discuss righteous ways to create a people-based government over a 'peace pipe' stuffed with kind bud? Pretty High. (pun intended)AT any rate those crop circles illustrate a good point; The universe is backing us. All the guv has is a bunch of fear and guns, and they have already lost their war.LEGALIZE FREEDOM
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Comment #10 posted by HempWorld on November 25, 2011 at 17:04:55 PT
The GCW and #3
Actually, I asked this question at a hemp symposium in Europe from an English hemp farmer. He got annoyed and angry at me for asking such a question because 'everyone' knows crop circles are a hoax and tried to make me look like the idiot I am.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #9 posted by HempWorld on November 25, 2011 at 16:43:16 PT
The GCW and #3
Your question: Not to my knowledge. Maybe Aliens know that hemp is good and don't mess with it. I find the Alien crop circle image reassuring in that they seem to have a sense of humor and gently point out where our society is stuck.And to the Greys, if you read this, send us some more of those stoney crop circles, very cool!
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Comment #8 posted by The GCW on November 25, 2011 at 16:28:13 PT
HempWorld and everyone,
About the crop circles...Government wants cannabis / HEMP exterminated. They know cannabis / HEMP is key. Are there any crop circles in hemp fields?Why not?-0-Very good (potentially important) viewing: Crop Circles: Quest for Truth (2002)
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Comment #7 posted by Oleg the Tumor on November 25, 2011 at 14:28:29 PT:
Afterburner
Thank you.
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #6 posted by afterburner on November 25, 2011 at 12:48:12 PT
Your Federal Tax Dollars At Work!
HuffPost Reports.
Radley Balko.
Cops Target Pot Smokers, Ignore More Serious Crimes.
First Posted: 11/25/11 11:20 AM ET Updated: 11/25/11 12:38 PM ET.
Follow Drug War , Crime , SWAT Team , Violent Crime , Asset Forfeiture , Byrne Grants , Chicago , Chicago Pd , Law Enforcement , Leap , Marijuana Possession , Police , Police Abuse , War On Drugs , Politics News
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/21/drug-war-incentives-police-violent-crime_n_1105701.html
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Comment #5 posted by Oleg the Tumor on November 25, 2011 at 05:36:31 PT:
The problem is not in Los Angeles… The problem is
… not in California. The problem is in Washington DC. City and state officials who run around wringing their hands, wondering and waiting "until the state Supreme Court resolves the legal uncertainties" almost certainly know this.Why José Huizar has such faith in the California Supreme Court to resolve this issue is suspect. He should know better. No California Court cannot resolve the issue, but We the People can and will!
[ Post Comment ]
Comment #4 posted by Richard Zuckerman on November 24, 2011 at 17:19:43 PT:
This is what you have to do:
A big problem we are facing is the federal constitutional interstate commerce clause. I want you to download the PDF of the appellate brief in the case of Montana Shooting Sports Association, Second Amendment Foundation, Inc., and Gary Marbut, Plaintiffs/Appellants, and Steve Bullock, Montana Attorney General, Intervenor, vs. Eric H. Holder, Jr., Attorney General of the United States, Defendant/Appellee, 9th Circuit Docket Number 10-36094, Quentin M. Rhoades, Esq., SULLIVAN, TABARACCI & RHOADES, P.C., 1821 South Avenue West, Third Floor, Missoula, MT, 59801, Telephone: (406) 721-9700, qmr montanalawyer.com. Once you've downloaded this appellate brief, go to the last paragraph on page 22, and start reading until you get to the end of the brief. Its the clear explanation of our problem with the U.S. Supreme Court precedent which has apparently not been changed since the New Deal of the 1940s!! After you have read the pages, then you can call your lawyer and ask him/her to read it. WE NEED THE BAR TO RAISE THE CHALLENGE TO THE OLD PRECEDENT ALL THE WAY UP TO THE U.S. SUPREME COURT, whether it is a medical Marijuana issue, intrastate firearms possession issue, raw milk sales issue (and I side with Mr. McAfee on this!!)!! It is also why I have asked State legislators to introduce legislation for a State Bank which is not affiliated with the federal reserve, such as North Dakota.
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Comment #3 posted by HempWorld on November 24, 2011 at 13:53:58 PT
OT Happy Thanksgiving! Crop Circle Grey Smoking!
THIS IS A MUST SEE!I just discovered this yesterday, it happened in Wiltshire the UK, August 1st, 2011.Are the Greys making fun of us? Or otherwise sending us a message?! I think so, thanks Greys, that is so cool!Btw, I am very sad that the C Cup was raided, things are changing fast, watch thrivemovement.com
What is this Grey Smoking?
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Comment #2 posted by afterburner on November 24, 2011 at 09:58:37 PT
Chaos Avoidance Will Create More Chaos
Banning medical cannabis dispensaries is not responsible. It is cowardly. It is giving the need for supplying medical cannabis patients over to the black market and criminal gangs -- irresponsible!Citizens and medical patients are not computers. You cannot just reboot without creating death!A ban is not the only legal option available. Shame on you. Going from so-called "chaos" of legal cannabis dispensaries to underground criminal suppliers will not reduce Chaos. Banning will create more Chaos!!!
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on November 24, 2011 at 06:56:25 PT
Police Close Down Cannabis Trade Fair in Amsterdam
November 24, 2011URL: http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2011/11/police_close_down_cannabis_tra.php
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