L.A. ASKS FOR HELP SHUTTING DOWN MORE THAN 1,000 POT SHOPS

Pot profiteers have gone to court and are collecting referendum signatures in a desperate attempt to overturn the city’s ban on medical marijuana clinics

Realizing that the medical marijuana law was being perverted by pot profiteers – growers, sellers and doctors – the LA city council passed a ban on the more than 1,000 pot shops that have sprung up inside the city limits. Each pot shop had become a nuisance to its immediate neighbors. The ban is set to go into effect on September 6.

With more than 1,000 marijuana clinics inside the City of Los Angeles alone, it is easy to see what a joke California’s medical marijuana law has become. You can probably get a doctor to give you a pot prescription for a hangover or a wet dream. Meanwhile the pot growers, clinic operators and pot prescribing doctors are getting filthy rich.

CITY OF L.A. ASKING DA, FEDS FOR HELP SHUTTING DOWN MEDICAL MARIJUANA CLINICS
By Rick Orlov

Los Angeles Daily News
August 22, 2012

Even as the city's ban on medical marijuana is facing legal and political challenges, the City Council on Wednesday asked local and federal law enforcement agencies to develop new strategies to enforce the shutdown.

"We need to get out of the way of law enforcement," Councilman Bernard Parks said of his request asking the Los Angeles Police Department to coordinate with the district attorney and Drug Enforcement Administration on an enforcement policy.

"Federal law is clear. State law is clear," said Parks, a former L.A. police chief. "State law allows collectives. It does not allow for the sale of marijuana."

The City Council recently adopted a proposal to close down all the medical marijuana dispensaries operating in the city as of next month and the City Attorney's Office sent a letter to landlords advising them of the law.

However, a lawsuit has been filed challenging the city measure and proponents of medical marijuana have been working to qualify a referendum challenging the law.

Parks said he tried to introduce a similar measure five years ago, but action was never taken on it.

Kris Hermes, spokesman for the pro-medical marijuana group Americans for Safe Access, said they were surprised by the action.

"This proposal is unsettling to have local government work with the federal government to undermine a state law," Hermes said.

"We have maintained that passing a total ban is illegal and we're in state court fighting that and are collecting signatures on our referendum. We expect to qualify it in early September when the new city law is scheduled to take effect."