[Justonevoice]

Los Angeles City Council to rush vote on medical pot law

By John Hoeffel
10:25 PM PDT, October 20, 2009

With its moratorium on new medical marijuana dispensaries declared unlawful,
the Los Angeles City Council is now poised to act quickly on a strict
ordinance that it has struggled with fitfully for more than two years.

On Tuesday, the city attorney's office delivered a draft that some members
want the council to take up within a week. The sudden acceleration stems
from a Superior Court ruling Monday that left the city unable to enforce its
ban and derailed its four-month-old drive to shut down new dispensaries.

"We painted ourselves into a very tough position and now we act," said
Councilman Ed Reyes, who has overseen the drawn-out effort to write an
ordinance. "If we can do this Tuesday, I think we'll be OK."

The city's failure to pass an ordinance or enforce its moratorium allowed
the number of dispensaries to explode. There are now hundreds in the city,
by most estimates, and new ones continue to open almost weekly. Neighborhood
activists have angrily complained that the council has lost control.

The proposed ordinance contains provisions that could make it one of the
most restrictive in the state.

Under the latest proposal, most dispensaries would be required to close
immediately and could not apply to reopen for six months. The 186
dispensaries that registered with the city when it passed its moratorium in
2007 would be allowed to remain open for six months, but then would have to
meet the ordinance's requirements.

The ordinance could effectively outlaw most dispensaries in the city by
prohibiting sales of medical marijuana. Both City Atty. Carmen Trutanich and
Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley maintain that state law does not
allow over-the-counter sales, though they say collectives owned by the
members are allowed to recoup their expenses. Dispensary operators say the
sales, usually in 1/8 -ounce increments, are meant to cover their operating
costs.

Council members have become increasingly frustrated with dispensaries
flagrantly violating the ban and the state's requirement that they operate
as collectively-run nonprofits.

Some of the council members most involved in the issue have begun to press
for the tough measure.

"We are going to ban sales," said Councilman Dennis Zine, who said he has
discussed the issue with colleagues. "The profit margin is what's gotten
them going. They're not in there to help people, they're in there to make
money."

Councilman Jose Huizar, however, said he was studying all the relevant court
cases to try to decide whether to ban sales, a complicated and contentious
issue that has contributed to the council's extended deliberations.

No other city or county appears to have tried to directly restrict sales,
although some require collectives to maintain detailed records to prove
their nonprofit status.

Yamileth Bolanos, who runs Pure Life Alternative Wellness Center and is
president of the Greater Los Angeles Collective Alliance, said dispensary
operators were stunned at the sudden turn of events.

"I understand that they are going to try to rush [the ordinance] through,
but it doesn't work for us. Essentially, it's just going to wipe us out,"
said Bolanos, whose group of 54 dispensaries has worked with the council for
many months to try to reach a compromise. "This is a very unfair thing to
us."

The ordinance requires collectives to keep records on members and suppliers
and to make them available to police, which operators fear could leave them
vulnerable to federal prosecution even though the Justice Department on
Monday formally told its prosecutors not to pursue medical marijuana users
and dispensaries that follow state law.

The draft ordinance also adds a provision that requires collectives to
notify council members and neighborhood councils of their plans to open, and
another that bars anyone who was convicted of a felony within the previous
10 years or who is on parole or probation from managing a collective.

In addition, the ordinance would limit the number of dispensaries by
requiring them to be at least 1,000 feet from schools, parks, libraries,
religious institutions, child care facilities, youth centers, hospitals,
medical facilities, substance abuse rehabilitation centers and other
collectives.

The ordinance also would restrict the dispensaries' operations. They could
be open only between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. They could have no more than 5
pounds of marijuana or 100 plants on hand, and marijuana could not be
consumed on site. They also would not be allowed to sell or manufacture
edible marijuana products.

[BrattonBasher]

1000 feet from medical facilities????? Notify Neighborhood councils??? The Council needs to drug test it's staff.

[pheed]

So basically the really good news from two days ago (the judge's ruling) has now turned into really terrible news.

Seriously, how do they expect a dispensary to operate without any cash flow at all?

(BTW, is this for the city of LA only, or does it apply to the rest of the county, Van Nuys etc.?)

[silvercloud]

And how do these genuises figure patients w/'pulmonary' type issues are supposed to get relief w/o "edibles" ?!?!?

[Justonevoice]

Originally Posted by silvercloud

And how do these genuises figure patients w/'pulmonary' type issues are supposed to get relief w/o "edibles" ?!?!?

They do not seem too care, Do something about it and come say your piece, http://www.weedtracker.com/forums/me...ml#post1144703

[SFV]

im just bringing up a point that seems to be a recurring with the city:

the dispenceries and collectives are turning a profit according to the city....correct me if i am wrong but dont other companies that supply such medicines as xanax, prozac, viagra, celebrex, (just to name a few) turn a profit, why should mmj be any different??

why is it ok for big pharma to make money, but not the mmj community, providers, growers and collectives/dispenceires?

im not saying they should im just saying all the other companies that make other kinds of prescription drugs make money. and it seems one underlying fear is that if mmj turns a profit then ther movement will have money to become a competitor of big pharma.

personally i say free yourself, grow your own! fight big pharma i watched my grandfather be addicted to demerol for years before he died, im sure the maker of the demerol made money. (i understand that big pharma drugs have their purpose and in many respects improve peoples quality of life, but i personally folks should only turn to big pharma medicine in extreme duress, i.e. surugery, life threatening illness, heart problems etc.)

i also find it humorous that the status quo pushes drugs like viagra so much. we are the only country (that i know of) who advertises prescription medicine on television. viagra commercials abound, it seems that that powers that be believe that having an erection is important and a must have for society, but that smoking some cannabis for ailments is bad.

personally i dont find having an erection to be an issue, but finding some white widow (my med of choice) is......

jmho

[SFV]

as i read this i can help but wonder if the city would do this walgreens or CVS....oh yeah i forgot they are billion dollar companies, with tons of support from the drug makers....

prescription drug abuse is rampant and causes more than 100,000 deaths a year...perhaps these names ring a bell:

michael jackson
anna nicole smith
heath ledger
d.j. am

feel free to add to the list. all dead from prescription medicine overdoses/cocktails

[jessejames12345]

from elation one day to a swift kick in the rear the next.

Will tomorrow be the only chance to protest this, when do they vote on this new ordanance ?

[ScrewyLewy]

I am so surprised at Dennis Zine and the rest of our fair cities representatives. They must really be secure in they seats to think the people they are about to deny safe access to needed medicine are the people that will vote for them again. You would think reasonable people will try and fix something not right then to break it all together. I am so disappointed at my elected officials and HAVE WRITTEN THEM. HAVE YOU?

[CARE Collective]

How does one go about setting up recall efforts for the entire city council, City Attorney, County DA, etc???

[Mindfury]

iIRC you need 10% of the voters signatures. where do i sign? if i wasn't up here i would go tomorrow and unleash soem mindfury on those dicks.

Peace

[ScrewyLewy]

What I just wrote Council member Zine.

I was so pleased when you became the reprehensive in the West San Fernando Valley. But in reading your new position closing the Medical Dispensaries due to cash sale makes me want my vote back. How can you and the other city council members in good conscious take away safe access to so many dying and infirmed patients that believed in you to help them not suffer so. If the city would have at least tried to come up with regulations there might have been reason for your position.
It would be reasonable if the council sat down with the Marijuana advocates and worked on a way for the citizens to obtain the medicine. Now it is the eleventh hour and the voters' wishes are not being served. To say sick people without the knowledge of how must participate in gardens is unreasonable. No edible medicine in forms of cakes and candies is the only way some people on their death bed can receive relief from the horrible results of things like radiation. I wish you and your co-workers will consider ways for safe distribution before closing the shops that are providing the service.
XXXX X XXXXXX
Viet Nam era Veteran
100% disabled on SSDI
Resident in Woodland Hills
818 XXX-XXXX

[Justonevoice]

Originally Posted by SFV

im just bringing up a point that seems to be a recurring with the city:

the dispenceries and collectives are turning a profit according to the city....correct me if i am wrong but dont other companies that supply such medicines as xanax, prozac, viagra, celebrex, (just to name a few) turn a profit, why should mmj be any different??

why is it ok for big pharma to make money, but not the mmj community, providers, growers and collectives/dispenceires?

im not saying they should im just saying all the other companies that make other kinds of prescription drugs make money. and it seems one underlying fear is that if mmj turns a profit then ther movement will have money to become a competitor of big pharma.

personally i say free yourself, grow your own! fight big pharma i watched my grandfather be addicted to demerol for years before he died, im sure the maker of the demerol made money. (i understand that big pharma drugs have their purpose and in many respects improve peoples quality of life, but i personally folks should only turn to big pharma medicine in extreme duress, i.e. surugery, life threatening illness, heart problems etc.)

i also find it humorous that the status quo pushes drugs like viagra so much. we are the only country (that i know of) who advertises prescription medicine on television. viagra commercials abound, it seems that that powers that be believe that having an erection is important and a must have for society, but that smoking some cannabis for ailments is bad.

personally i dont find having an erection to be an issue, but finding some white widow (my med of choice) is......

jmho

While all that may be true,it is not the battle at hand.

[Justonevoice]

Originally Posted by CARE Collective

How does one go about setting up recall efforts for the entire city council, City Attorney, County DA, etc???

Recalls are very difficult and will not fight the battle at hand. Attend the protest tomorrow with as many of your patients that you can. write a letter to council so that your opinion is on record. see mine here; Write a letter to City Council Today- Here is mine

[solar1]

I'll be there.

[jessejames12345]

alright , well now this story is dropping on the front page of la times

Los Angeles City Council to rush vote on medical pot law -- latimes.com

.. those sneaky bastards are trying to pull a fast one on us !

[Justonevoice]

Originally Posted by jessejames12345

alright , well now this story is dropping on the front page of la times

Los Angeles City Council to rush vote on medical pot law -- latimes.com

.. those sneaky bastards are trying to pull a fast one on us !

Exactly my point

[cephas]

Originally Posted by SFV

as i read this i can help but wonder if the city would do this walgreens or CVS....oh yeah i forgot they are billion dollar companies, with tons of support from the drug makers....

prescription drug abuse is rampant and causes more than 100,000 deaths a year...perhaps these names ring a bell:

michael jackson
anna nicole smith
heath ledger
d.j. am

feel free to add to the list. all dead from prescription medicine overdoses/cocktails

Just to make a point of clarification, DJ AM did not die from prescription medication, he died from abusing a mixture of boiled down (to further concentrate)cough syrup and vodka, something everybody has access to since cough syrup is avalibl for anyone of any age to buy...


These people are acting like fools, how can cash sales be banned?

Case law supports cash sales of MMJ, if we have to we will fight this like everything else......man wouldn't life be easy if it weren't for the idiots in power....

Anyone else remember the days of LA being the best run city in California....what the hell happened?

[VooDoo Chile]

Well I know I'm going to the protest, hope to see all y'all there!

[silvercloud]

A little *"Physician support" would lend a listening ear from media ,constituent base peers ~

When a patient needs relief ,he/she can't wait 3-4 mos on an 'if-come' ~ as was stated ,this is not the commodity futures market ,but a distribution based model which will govern itself thru free market "competition"

Hav a distinct feeling that this last ditch attempt for a showdown will implode before Cooley's re-election ~ that is all

psst* Dr.s' skepticism in the past ,due to federal intervention ,has been neutralized recently in re: MMJ

[Blamethebeatniks]

Wait just a minute. Did I hear an LA city councilman say that the reason this was wrong is because people make a profit?! Well I'll be damned.

[ivi412c]

[joetoe]

These rats can't make up their mind to much stress....they need to all sit in a circle and smoke......problem resolved....

I'm a WINNER CHICKEN DINNER!!

[funinthesun]

This whole this is just sad. I understand most coops are on the up and up and are there for their patients. Once again, using a shotgun to kill a fly? I drive over an hour to get my medications sometimes. Really what is a patient to do?

[sandman315]

when r thay gona learn its been hear since the begining of time just figure a way to tax it and los angeles will be debt free for once in its life time