[cannadyke]

Just saw this posted on LAist. this really pisses me off. time to get involved people!!! the city attorney is not playing fair w/ our rights to safe access. this is truly disgusting:

City Attorney Urges for Public's Help in Passing His Medical Marijuana Ordinance

City Attorney Carmen Trutanich wants the City Council to pass the latest proposed ordinance aimed at regulating medical marijuana dispensaries (you can read that ordinance in full, embedded below).

After placing a moratorium on new facilitates over two years ago--it didn't work, around 1,000 have opened since--the City Council was supposed to develop and pass an ordinance. That still hasn't happened and this week a sense of urgency was placed on the issue after an Obama Administration policy was set forth and a Superior Court Judge said enforcing an extended moratorium was illegal.

Trutanich's ordinance includes a tough set of regulations, including banning the sale and manufacture of edible marijuana products. The ordinance would also force dispensaries to install a quality web based closed-circuit security system where tapes must be handed over to police at their request, even without a search warrant, court order or subpoena. Collectives must also turn over all records, such as members' (who most call customers) information and activity, to police without a search warrant, court order or subpoena.

This afternoon, staffer Jane Usher sent an e-mail to neighborhood council members urging them to public hearings about the ordinance:

Marijuana advocates who want to legalize retail sales turn out in force for the City Council hearings on this topic. While it is also common for the hearings to include a handful of chronically ill patients who rightfully deserve access to medicinal marijuana, most speakers appear to be profiteers, with little compassion for patients and much concern for their personal pocketbooks. These profiteers are well organized and are confident that they can ride roughshod over this City. Who is missing from these hearings? Missing are the pot shop customers, ranging in age from 14 to 30, who are not in medical need of marijuana but, rather, are recreational users. More importantly, you are missing. It is critical that you and your neighbors be heard. The downside risk is too great that this City will continue to be the lawless Wild West for unregulated marijuana shops and their attendant crime and social ills.

Usher's full letter and the proposed ordinance are below:

Dear Neighbors --
We are writing to provide you with an update regarding medical marijuana in this City. There is considerable misinformation circulating on this topic. We hope to inform you and to encourage you to share your views in this matter with the City Council. We do not have a City Council hearing date, but will write again once the day and time are known. Our proposed medical marijuana ordinance is attached.

1. What is the law? Both state and federal law ban and criminalize the sale of marijuana. California voters created an exception for the seriously ill in our 1996 Compassionate Use Act. This Act and its implementing state legislation immunize "qualified patients" and their "primary caregivers" from criminal prosecution if their only conduct is the collective cultivation of medical marijuana for personal use to treat specific serious illnesses. The Compassionate Use Act ballot argument stated that the Act would not allow the sale of marijuana. The California Supreme Court has confirmed that this is our law. On Monday, the Obama administration also advised us that the federal government will honor California law.

2. What has happened in Los Angeles? California cities are authorized to write their own local regulations governing access to medical marijuana, consistent with state law. Los Angeles has yet to take this step. As Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Chalfant ruled this week, our temporary rules have expired. Even so, to date, they were not being enforced. In this vacuum, as many as 1,000 marijuana dispensaries have opened in Los Angeles for the commercial sale of marijuana. No one knows the sources for the vast citywide quantity of marijuana, but it is apparently not the result of cultivation by patients and caregivers. Unlike for every other product that we consume or ingest, there is no local, state, or federal agency that oversees the quality, content, and potential threat of chemical or foreign matter contamination. Moreover, the increased crime at and around the pot shops is taxing our police force and our neighborhoods.

3. What is the next step? Los Angeles needs to adopt regulations about where and how true medical marijuana collectives can operate. The City Attorney transmitted this office's draft ordinance to the City Council yesterday. The draft enables collective cultivation for compassionate use, but does not allow the outright sales that Los Angeles is currently experiencing. Once the City adopts a permanent ordinance, we can begin to close shops operating illegally and monitor legitimate collectives that lawfully provide medical marijuana to residents in need.

4. How can you help? Marijuana advocates who want to legalize retail sales turn out in force for the City Council hearings on this topic. While it is also common for the hearings to include a handful of chronically ill patients who rightfully deserve access to medicinal marijuana, most speakers appear to be profiteers, with little compassion for patients and much concern for their personal pocketbooks. These profiteers are well organized and are confident that they can ride roughshod over this City. Who is missing from these hearings? Missing are the pot shop customers, ranging in age from 14 to 30, who are not in medical need of marijuana but, rather, are recreational users. More importantly, you are missing. It is critical that you and your neighbors be heard. The downside risk is too great that this City will continue to be the lawless Wild West for unregulated marijuana shops and their attendant crime and social ills.

Many thanks for reading. Please let the City Council know your views. Please write or email us back with your questions.

Jane Usher

City Attorney Urges for Public's Help in Passing His Medical Marijuana Ordinance - LAist

[ladyknight]

This is serious! Flood them with emails and phone calls. We only have 7 days to act! Act now or say GOODBYE to Safe Access and Hello to the Street Drug Pusher!

[AnarchyEdiables]

im glad i know now that ms usher is the final word on who is in need of mmj and who is a rec user... and i thought is was me or my dr or my x-rays showing my dart board of spine or something stupid like that...please people act now this is absolute insanity...stand up for your rights or we will all be underground...again...

[1stimer]

Here is a link to actual proposed ordinace
Proposed L.A. Medical Marijuana Ordinace

[codeman420]

BUMP go now

[Masonic Chronic]

I know a lot of us are nervous about this... as was I.


Yet, if you look at the fine print.... and the amount of damage this guy is doing to our constitutional rights... he is shooting himself in the foot with excessive force.

Why does the police need to know who their members are of a certain co-op?

I have a feeling that the city council will look at this and cry foul. The whole "without a search warrant" is completely unconstitutional and cannot be added or aided by Bush's Patriot Act. This is not a terrorist hunt.... these are patients they are dealing with and the city council should recognize this.

[SFV]

no search warrant eh? our forefathers must be rolling over in their grave...there is a word to describe a person who wants to enact searches without a warrant..in fact a couple....

communist
facist
dictator
trutanich?

he scoffs the voters of the state, the federal govt, the state govt, i guess he is going to run his city the way he wants regardless of laws and constitutional rights....

shame on him...facist

[Masonic Chronic]

OK... Seriously. Where does it say I have to buy my medication from a corner pusher? Where in this article does it implicate the sudden absence of collectives? I know we all care about our collectives.. but I don't see anything that says "No More Dispensaries." Why are some of you flipping out like everything is going to be shut down? We all knew regulations like this would pass through to make things tougher.

Don't get me wrong... "without a warrant"... "no edibles/concencrates"... all of that sucks. Yet.. why are some of us acting like this is the end of medical marijuana?

[SFV]

Originally Posted by Masonic Chronic

OK... Seriously. Where does it say I have to buy my medication from a corner pusher? Where in this article does it implicate the sudden absence of collectives? I know we all care about our collectives.. but I don't see anything that says "No More Dispensaries." Why are some of you flipping out like everything is going to be shut down? We all knew regulations like this would pass through to make things tougher.

Don't get me wrong... "without a warrant"... "no edibles/concencrates"... all of that sucks. Yet.. why are some of us acting like this is the end of medical marijuana?

frankly i dont like the abscence of a search warrant in their provisions....it sets a precedent...and search and seizure without a warrant is uncostitutional....i serously doubt walgreens or cvs would agree to such terms.....and i dont think i will get any arguements that the drugs/meds they provide to people arent abused and have their own black market....i personally dont think anyone for whatever reason should surrender their constitutional right against search and seizure without a warrant!

give em an inch they will take a foot..

think about this...you go get some clones....the cops demand to see what you bought at a collective....get your info...knock on your door, and proceed to go through your home....all without a warrant....if you cant see the writing on the wall then i cant explain it any clearer....they want to violate constitutional rights....

again i reiterate...if demands such as this were put on walgreens or cvs this would be front page national news...and they along with big pharma would be lawyered up screaming about violating constitutional rights by being forced to turn over documents without a warrant....

jmho.....

you know when they rounded up people in nazi germany in the 30's most went willingly not thinking about their rights and liberties....i see this as being no different....

p.s. how the hell do i find out who my district rep is....i went to the site ...

you would think you simply type in your Zip code and they would pop up.....not the G tho.....

its all color coded, not labled....making it hard for one to ascertain who their council member is....they like things like that....the G....keep things convoluted and difficult so getting answers is like pulling teeth...

i found the list...but some of the reps district maps arent working, etc

UPDATE: found my district....no one is listed...we dont have a rep...311 cannot tell me who it is, the website cannot tell me who it is...so i guess i dont know who represents my area....its like an easter egg hunt....i assume there is an interim rep but i have no idea who it is...and neither does the city website, and neither does 311....

311 advice call in the morning and "try" to find out!

and there are those who will likely wonder why i am agitated at the city attorney and the powers that be....or the powers that dont be if your in my district....

got some phone callin on my to do list tomorroww. this guy wants to jack with constituional rights and my district doesnt have a rep listed (or interim rep)....lol

[systrex]

I hope this doesn't get passed. I'd expect there to be a ton of lawsuits following if it goes through. Anyway here's a decent news article that kind of sums everything up.

New L.A. Medical Marijuana Policy Proposed, but Will it Work? - LAist

[l337m4n]

What a Tru asshole.

[OrigRex]

I'm doing everything in my power to stop Ordinance 4. I'm emailing everyone, calling everyone and I'm even going to make a trip downtown. (I'm a square looking, clean cut guy, someone you would never suspect of being a medical marijuana patient. I'll stand out front of the City Council office with signs if I have to.)

Unfortunately I'm also prone to panic attacks. Could someone with legal knowledge explain something to me? If this ordinance passes does this mean the end of all medicinal marijuana? That would be devastating for me.

I have an illness where I don't produce enough blood. The medications I am on make life miserable. Because of MM I can participate in my family life, be with my friends, and generally contribute to society. Not only that, since I started going to a legal dispensary my blood counts have GONE UP. Who knows what kind of shit I was getting on the streets.

Can someone please tell me the worst case scenario? If this passes does it mean the end of MM? Please respond.

[Mindfury]

All collectives should have a petition for a recall vote that all patients should sign before entering. You don't sign it, you don't go in. Your either part of the solution or part of the problem. i have never seen a 14y.o. patient, not saying there aren't any, but typically, they have to have a parent present when entering. I'm going to wrtie this usher **** a nice little letter tomorrow.
this quote "We are writing to provide you with an update regarding medical marijuana in this City. There is considerable misinformation circulating on this topic. We hope to inform you and to encourage you to share your views in this matter with the City Council. We do not have a City Council hearing date, but will write again once the day and time are known. Our proposed medical marijuana ordinance is attached." should read like this.

We are writing to provide you with an update regarding medical marijuana in this City. We have been giving you considerable misinformation circulating on this topic. We hope to propagandize you and to encourage you to share your views in this matter with the City Council who will disregard any concerns you have. We do not have a City Council hearing date, and we cannot illegally make another moratoreum, but will write again once the day and time are know, and don't have any schedule confilcts with the special interest groups. Our proposed medical marijuana ordinance is attached because the public is finding how badly we have done our job in failure to adopt regulations.


That seems more to the point.
Peace

[systrex]

If this goes through will it only affect LA city or the entire county?

[Apache1]

Man when does it STOP???




The city counsel wants to make it harder for the collectives to operate as a non-for-profit (501A) and they'll make it even harder to make enough to pay the bills to keep open!

If they just do what the Bay Area did and tax it at 10%, then that would solve the money issues for the most. Then Phillip Morris, Proctor & Gamble, etc. get their digs in in 2011, or around there (prediction)
Weeding out the weaklings (literally) is in the process and who has the most money to operate the collectives will be at hand. Folks, where there's smoke there's fire and where there's $$ there's politics so VOTE, VOTE, VOTE and never stop voting! Keep the fire under there asses!

Illegal searches of patients and dispensaries will have to be challenged in court once the city counsel passes the ordinance.. It won't pass unless WE speak up! and stop the cops from following orders that are ILLEGAL... remember, they (the cops) work for US! We as the tax payers.

Some have been targeted already in the last 10 months and more than that will be targeted as we get closer to ELECTIONS in 2010. City council members don't want to look weak with the cops, yet they need a helping hand by the LAPD with endorsements for there election campaigns. Call, email, snail mail,whatever you have to do to voice our power and let our elected leaders know that they will not get our vote if they don't follow what Californians have voted for. Our numbers are huge, we have a lot of power to tap in to... We need to get our endorsement in for our own City Counsel person for the next election!

Peace!

[TylerHudson123]

Here is my unique opinion on the subject:

I do not own a collective but I shop and spend $ at them all the time.

Yes this does prohibit retail sale, but collectives are supposed to be non-profit organizations anyway.

This may be an opportunity for people to grow for the government....!

Who knows, if you have the smarts in business, finance, and growing this may be an exciting time to grow for a profit. Who knows, maybe this will even drive the price of medication down.

You can no longer grow at home though. Tough news.
You also know in good faith Uncle Sam knows you smoke weed and can raid your house whenever they'd like just for suspicion of a grow op.

They could use the money for infrastructure, or other good things. We will see what the new Mary Jane Tax Revenue will actually be used for. Hopefully for good over evil!

I suppose the price you pay today in the United States for enjoying the calming, yet exhilarating effects of THC as well as the sweet taste and aroma of cured flowers, is giving up your privacy/identity/respectability to the eyes of government. But they can do whatever they want. You gotta realize that people!

[fizzer]

Originally Posted by TylerHudson123

You can no longer grow at home though. Tough news.

Huh? Not sure what you're talking about.

[wallawalla]

This is basically what they have been trying to pass. But I do not know how many changes they made to this version?





OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY
ROCKARD J. DELGADILLO
CITY ATTORNEY
REPORT NO. R09-0031
JAI\! :1 6 2()09
REPORTRE:
REVISED DRAFT ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING REGULATIONS
REGARDING MEDICAL MARIJUANA COLLECTIVES
The Honorable City Council
of the City of Los Angeles
Room 395, City Hall
200 North Spring Street
Los Angeles, California 90012
Council File No. 08-0923
Honorable Members:
Pursuant to the request of your Honorable Body, this office prepared and
transmitted for your action a draft ordinance, approved as to form and legality, that
would establish regulations regarding medical marijuana collectives (City Attorney
Report No. R08-0115).
We have prepared and transmit with this Report a revised draft ordinance,
approved as to form and legality, that includes introductory recitals and makes other
non-substantive wording changes. Copies of the revised draft ordinance were sent,
pursuant to Council Rule 38, to the Los Angeles Police Department, the Department of
Building and Safety, and the Office of the City Clerk with a request that all comments, if
any, be presented directly to your Honorable Body at the time this matter is considered.
AN EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY - AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER
200 NORTH MAIN STREET" LOS ANGELES, CA 90012-4131. 213.485.6370 .. 213.847.8082 TOD
The Honorable City COUT._.•
of the City of Los Angeles
Page 2
If you have any questions, please contact Deputy City Attorney Heather Aubry at
(213) 978-8393. She, or another member of this office, will be available when you
consider this matter to answer any questions you may have.
Sincerely,
ROCKARD J. DELGADILLO, City Attorney
By ~~
DAVID MICHAELSON
Chief Assistant City Attorney
DM:HA:lee
Transmittal
ORDINANCE NO. _
An ordinance amending the Los Angeles Municipal Code to implement the
Compassionate Use Act and the Medical Marijuana Program Act.
WHEREAS, in 1996, California voters approved the Compassionate Use Act in
order to exempt seriously ill patients and their primary caregivers from criminal liability
for possession and cultivation of marijuana; .
WHEREAS, the City of Los Angeles has a cornpelling interest in ensuring that
marijuana is not distributed in an illicit manner;
WHEREAS, the Medical Marijuana Program Act of 2003 provides for the
association of primary caregivers and qualified patients to cultivate marijuana;
WHEREAS, the regulation of these associations is essential to preserve the
peace and quiet of the neighborhoods in which these associations are established;
NOW, THEREFORE,
THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES
DO ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. A new Article 5.1 is added to Chapter IV of the Los Angeles Municipal
Code to read:
Article 5.1. MEDICAL MARIJUANA
Sec. 45.19.6. Purposes and Intent.
The ordinance codified in this article, in compliance with California Health and
Safety Code Sections 11362.5, et seq., does not interfere with a patient's right to
medical marijuana, nor does it criminalize the possession or cultivation of medical
marijuana by specifically defined classifications of persons, pursuant to state law.
Under state law, only qualified patients, persons with identification cards and primary
caregivers may cultivate medical marijuana collectively. Medical marijuana collectives
shall otherwise comply with all provisions of the Los Angeles Municipal Code, including
the zoning ordinance, and the California Health and Safety Code. Nothing in this
ordinance purports to permit activities that are otherwise illegal under federal or state
law.
Sec. 45.19.6.1. Definitions.
The following phrases, when used in this chapter, shall be construed as defined
in California Health and Safety Code Sections 11362.5 and 11362.7:
1
"Person with an identification card;"
"Identification card;"
"Attending physician;"
"Primary caregiver;" and
"Qualified patient."
The following phrases, when used in this chapter, shall be construed as defined
below:
"Medical marijuana collective." Qualified patients, persons with identification
cards and designated primary caregivers of qualified patients and persons with
identification cards who associate, as an incorporated or unincorporated association, at
a particular location within the City of Los Angeles in order to collectively or
cooperatively cultivate marijuana for medical purposes, in strict accordance with
California Health and Safety Code Sections 11362.5, et seq.
Sec. 45.19.6.2. Registration. All medical marijuana collectives shall register
with the City Clerk by completing a registration form. Each member of the collective
must sign the form under penalty of perjury. The form shall, at a minimum, contain the
following information: the names of all members of the medical marijuana collective,
the location of the medical marijuana collective, a telephone number, the name and
address of a person authorized to accept service of process, and any other information
reasonably required on the form provided by the City Clerk to show that the medical
marijuana collective meets the requirements of this article. The collective shall also
provide proof that the owner of the property was given notice that the collective is filing
the registration form and also that the owner has received a copy of the information
contained in and with the form. The collective shall file a new registration form within
fifteen days of any changes in the information provided in the original form or any
change in status of compliance with the regulations set forth in Section 45.19.6.3. The
new form shall include the names of any new members and their signatures under
penalty of perjury that the information provided is true and correct. The City Clerk shall
provide proof of registration to the person authorized to accept service of process.
Sec. 45.19.6.3. Regulations.
The location at which a medical marijuana collective cultivates and distributes
medical marijuana must meet the following requirements:
(1) The location shall comply with the provisions of Chapters I and IX of
the Los Angeles Municipal Code;
(2) Exterior signage shall be limited to site addressing only;
(3) The location shall be monitored at all times by web-based closed
circuit television for security purposes. The camera and recording system must
2
be of adequate quality, color rendition and resolution to allow the ready
identification of any individual committing a crime anywhere on the site;
(4) The location shall have a centrally-monitored alarm system;
(5) Interior building lighting, exterior building lighting and parking area
lighting must be in compliance with Los Angeles Municipal Code Sections
93.0104, 93.0107 and 93.0117 and must be of sufficient foot-candles and color
rendition, so as to allow the ready identification of any individual committing a
crime on site at a distance of no less than forty feet (a distance that should allow
a person reasonable reaction time upon recognition of a viable threat);
(6) Windows and roof hatches shall be secured with bars on the windows
so as to prevent unauthorized entry, and be equipped with latches that may be
released quickly from the inside to allow exit in the event of emergency;
(7) Absolutely no cultivated marijuana or dried marijuana product may be
visible from the building exterior;
(8) No refinement of marijuana, or the preparation of marijuana products,
such as but not limited to hashish, "hash oil" or marijuana butter shall be allowed;
(9) No sale of marijuana or marijuana-enhanced or edible products shall
be allowed, nor shall the manufacturing of these products for sale be permitted;
(10) No persons under the age of eighteen shall be allowed on site,
unless the individual is a qualified patient or person with an identification card
and accompanied by his or her licensed attending physician, parent or
documented legal guardian;
(11) At any given time, no medical marijuana collective may possess
more than five pounds of dried marijuana or more than 100 plants. No medical
marijuana collective may possess marijuana that was not cultivated either on-site
or at a previous location, registered in accordance with Section 45.19.6.2, by that
medical marijuana collective;
(12) A sign shall be posted in a conspicuous location inside the structure
advising: "The diversion of marijuana for non-medical purposes is a violation of
State law. The use of marijuana may impair a person's ability to drive a motor
vehicle or operate heavy machinery. Loitering at the location of a medical
marijuana collective for an illegal purpose is prohibited by California Penal Code
Section 647(h)";
(13) No medical marijuana collective may provide medical marijuana to
any persons other than qualified patients or persons with identification cards and
designated primary caregivers who participate in the collective cultivation of
3
marijuana at that medical marijuana collective. No medical marijuana provided to
a primary caregiver may be supplied to any person(s) other than the primary
caregiver's qualified patient(s) or person(s) with an identification card;
(14) No cultivation of medical marijuana shall be visible with the naked
eye from any public or other private property. No outdoor cultivatlon shall occur
at a location unless it is secured from public access by means of a locked gate
and any other security measures necessary to prevent unauthorized entry;
(15) No medical marijuana collective shall be located within a 1,ODD-foot
radius of schools, playgrounds, parks, libraries, places of religious worship,
licensed child care facilities, licensed youth facilities, including youth hostels,
youth camps, and youth clubs, or other medical marijuana collective(s);
(16) No medical marijuana collective shall cause or permit the
establishment or maintenance of the sale or dispensing of alcoholic
beverages for consumption on the premises or off-site of the premises;
(17) No dried medical marijuana shall be stored in structures without at
least four walls and a roof, or stored in an unlocked vault or safe, or other
unsecured storage structure; nor shall any dried medical marijuana be stored in a
safe or vault that is not bolted to the floor or structure of the facility; and
(18) Medical marijuana cultivated at registered medical marijuana
collectives may not be consumed on-site, in the parking areas, or in those areas
already restricted by the California Health and Safety Code Section 11362.79.
Sec. 45.19.6.4. Exemptions.
(1) The prohibition in Section 45.19.6.3 (8) shall not apply to a qualified patient
or a person with an identification card who resides at the location of the medical
marijuana collective with respect to cooking, refining or otherwise preparing dried
marijuana cultivated at the location for his or her own medical use, in accordance with
the provisions of California Health and Safety Code Section 11362.5, et seq;
(2) The prohibition in Section 45.19.6.3 (8) shall not apply to a primary caregiver
who resides at the medical marijuana collective with respect to cooking, refining or
otherwise preparing dried marijuana CUltivated at the location for delivery to and medical
use by the qualified patient(s) or person(s) with an identification card for whom he or
she serves as primary caregiver;
(3) The prohibition in Section 45.19.6.3 (18) shall not apply to a qualified patient
or a person with an identification card who resides at the location of the medical
marijuana collective with respect to use of marijuana for his or her own medical
purposes;
4
(4) Nothing in this section shall be deemed to authorize the chemical extraction
of marijuana resin or production of concentrated cannabis in violation of California
Health and Safety Code section 11379.6.
Sec. 45.19.6.5 Maintenance of Records.
Medical marijuana collectives shall maintain records reflecting: (1) the full name,
address, and telephone number(s) of the owner or lessee of the property; (2) the full
name, address, and telephone number(s) of all qualified patients and persons with
identification cards and/or primary caregivers who participate in the collective
cultivation; (3) the full name, address, and telephone number(s) of all qualified patients
and persons with identification cards to whom the collective provides medical marijuana;
(4) the designation, by qualified patient(s) and person(s) with identification cards, of any
and all primary caregivers who participate in the collective cultivation; (5) the amount of
compensation, if any, for specified cultivation-related services received by any primary
caregiver in accordance with Health and Safety Code section 11362.765, and; (6) proof
of registration with the City Clerk in conformance with section 45.19.6.2.
Sec. 45.19.6.6. Inspection Authority.
The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety and the Los Angeles Police
Department may inspect every medical marijuana collective location at any reasonable
time to ensure compliance with the provisions of this article and both Departments,
within their respective jurisdictions, are authorized to enforce the provisions of this
article.
Sec. 45.19.6.7. Existing "Medical Marijuana Dispensaries".
Any "Medical Marijuana Dispensary", as that term is defined in the Interim
Control Ordinance (Ord. No. 179,027), must cease operation unless and until such
location is in compliance with this Article. 5

[Greenbud]

Yeah, flood the gates!

I sent the following to all 15 members of the city council:

Dear Honorable Councilmember NAME,

I am a resident of CD-8, an U.S. citizen and a registered voter and wish to bring a serious misuse of taxpayer dollars to your attention.

According to a recent Los Angeles Times article, there are over 3,100 rape test kits that have to be tested by the LAPD DNA crime lab and there are reports that civilian employees and critical staff may need to be furloughed due to budgetary cut-backs. These rape kits represent 3,100+ victims of violent crimes that remain in fear while their rapists remain at large.

With such few financial resources the city and the LAPD have to work with, I'm flabbergasted that the city and LAPD would choose to allocate precious dollars towards raiding medical marijuana dispensaries when this money should have been used instead to tests many of those rape kits. I understand each LAPD raids costs taxpayers approximately $10,000 which begs the question, just how many rape kits could have been tested using this money? It's reprehensible that the city leadership believes that medical marijuana dispensaries pose a greater threat to the community than rapists at large. For that is the message sent; that the city thinks spending money on raids is money well spent rather than using this money to pay for rape kits.

Think about it, in the halls of power someone decided that the victims of rape, who surely go to bed each night in fear because their rapists remain at large, come second in priority. Someone of conscious, like yourself, should have stepped up to defend these victims of rape and demanded that before a single cent is wasted on medical marijuana raids, a non-issue to President Barack Obama and the rest of California, those funds should have been routed to pay for as many rape kits as a raid would cost. We're talking about the women and children in our community, Councilmember, the mothers, wives, daughters, and sisters who look to your leadership to provide them with protection. Do you honestly subscribe to the belief that medical marijuana is such a grave danger that it deserves priority over testing rape kits, fingerprints in robberies, etc? How can you do so and look at the women in your community in the eye?

Therefore, I urge you to advise the LAPD and the City Attorney and the entire city leadership to not spend a single cent more on raiding medical marijuana dispensaries and route those intended dollars towards paying for the aforementioned rape kits or other forensic tests languishing due to funds to pay for their testing.

To this end, I also urge you to reject the latest proposed ordinance, the fourth presented to you for consideration, and enact a more sensible ordinance that allows safe access to patients to their medicinal marijuana and which allows for cash to be tendered in compensation for the donation requested. As you are aware, this is clearly in keeping with the opinion of the Attorney General of California that store front dispensaries that use cash as a means of remuneration is 100% legal so you must make sure this is a requirement of any proposed ordinance. Since some patients rely on edible cannabis for relief and cannot smoke their medicine for whatever reason or simply do not have access to a vaporizer, I urge that you propose that any ordinance allow for edible forms of cannabis.

If you pass a ordinance that is fair and compassionate, the LAPD no longer need to raid dispensaries and limited resources would be better allocated to investigating and solving real crimes. Please consider the women who are counting on you to put them first.

Thank you for your time and consideration. I respectfully request a response from you in writing or by telephone.

Sincerely,

Me

Best,

GB

[delta9gamma]

I wonder if there would be any support for local tv spots? I'd donate These day's the battle has been taken to the media and thats where it needs to be fought.

We must flood the media outlets with our message and drown out the propaganda our elected leaders seem to be spewing out of their every orifice.

[lucaplakeya]

I have Crones the only thing that kills the pain is medical marijuana, I've have prescriptions to other "LEGAL" medication, Codeine & Oxycodone neither worked. I hate to think that in America the opinion the minority trumps the communitys. Its a shame heavy narcotics are what i'll have to go back to! thank you please forward to as many as possible

[Mindfury]

So if this ordinance passes, we are not allowed to grow our own meds as it states in sb420?

[silvercloud]

Originally Posted by SFV

frankly i dont like the abscence of a search warrant in their provisions....it sets a precedent...and search and seizure without a warrant is uncostitutional....i serously doubt walgreens or cvs would agree to such terms.....and i dont think i will get any arguements that the drugs/meds they provide to people arent abused and have their own black market....i personally dont think anyone for whatever reason should surrender their constitutional right against search and seizure without a warrant!

give em an inch they will take a foot..

think about this...you go get some clones....the cops demand to see what you bought at a collective....get your info...knock on your door, and proceed to go through your home....all without a warrant....if you cant see the writing on the wall then i cant explain it any clearer....they want to violate constitutional rights....

again i reiterate...if demands such as this were put on walgreens or cvs this would be front page national news...and they along with big pharma would be lawyered up screaming about violating constitutional rights by being forced to turn over documents without a warrant....

jmho.....

you know when they rounded up people in nazi germany in the 30's most went willingly not thinking about their rights and liberties....i see this as being no different....

p.s. how the hell do i find out who my district rep is....i went to the site ...

you would think you simply type in your Zip code and they would pop up.....not the G tho.....

its all color coded, not labled....making it hard for one to ascertain who their council member is....they like things like that....the G....keep things convoluted and difficult so getting answers is like pulling teeth...

i found the list...but some of the reps district maps arent working, etc

UPDATE: found my district....no one is listed...we dont have a rep...311 cannot tell me who it is, the website cannot tell me who it is...so i guess i dont know who represents my area....its like an easter egg hunt....i assume there is an interim rep but i have no idea who it is...and neither does the city website, and neither does 311....

311 advice call in the morning and "try" to find out!

and there are those who will likely wonder why i am agitated at the city attorney and the powers that be....or the powers that dont be if your in my district....

got some phone callin on my to do list tomorroww. this guy wants to jack with constituional rights and my district doesnt have a rep listed (or interim rep)....lol

LOL ,at least you got the opportunity to speak to 'someone' ,anyone ~ hav you tried 911 lately ? ~ how about 20 min wait for an answer @ 1100AM/weekday ~ me thinks 'anarchy' is a callin' ,eh ,eh ~ that is all

[kushTheMostEst]

how do us as patients help ths issue

[Apache1]

Originally Posted by kushTheMostEst

how do us as patients help ths issue

Call YOUR City Counsel Person or better yet email and have 10 friends email then have there 10 friend's email or write or call!! Let's make a chain call or what ever let's Ignite the phone lines to the city.. and all your MMJ now is the time to act.

Peace