Why a Ban on Medical Marijuana Dispensaries in Los Angeles is a Bad Idea

Last Updated on Friday, 24 February 2012 10:16 Written by James Shaw Sunday, 15 January 2012 12:50

The Daily News editorial Jan. 15 called for a ban on medical marijuana dispensaries in the City of Los Angeles, based on arguments put forth by the City Attorney’s office. The Union of Medical Marijuana Patients warned the City Council two years ago that the City Attorney had provided fatally-flawed advice on the then-new ordinance and, indeed, Superior Court Judge Anthony Mohr ordered it to be amended several times before he ruled in its favor last October. Now, we’re asking the Council to be very skeptical about the advice that there is no problem with banning dispensaries.

Let’s start with the fact that Daily News says that according to the recent Pack v. Long Beach decision by the 2^nd District Court of Appeals,

The Dirty Dozen Myths about Medical Marijuana Associations

Last Updated on Friday, 24 February 2012 10:18 Written by The Union of Medical Marijuana Patients Sunday, 8 January 2012 02:27

The great debate that has raged in our city about the regulation of medical marijuana collectives (we refer to them as medical marijuana patient associations, or “PAs”), has been heavy on speculation, rhetoric and assumptions and light on facts.  The confusion has only grown with the recent Second District decision in Pack v. City of Long Beach. Here are the twelve most common misconceptions and the real facts about them:

Critique of the LA City Attorney’s Misinterpretation of Caselaw

Last Updated on Wednesday, 7 September 2011 08:58 Written by The Union of Medical Marijuana Patients Thursday, 7 January 2010 08:51

The Union of Medical Marijuana Patients has written a 20 paged critique of LA City Attorney Carmen Trutanich’s medical cannabis case law review. The document contains omissions of certain key points from classic and influential medical cannabis case law from cases like People v Mentch, People v. Hochanadel, ans People v. Urziceanu.

The critique is also written in such a way that it helps the average person understand easily what the City Attorney is saying and how it relates to the aforementioned cases. Rather than focusing on confusing legal terms and language, it breaks down each part of Trutanich’s case law in easy to understand language that the lay person and the law professional can both read.

Please feel free to read and comment on the critique here.