LA's District Attorney Vows To Shut Down Marijuana Shops
Last Updated on Sunday, 06 December 2009 00:24 Written by GREG RISLING Monday, 19 October 2009 00:00
Still, he wasn't expecting the phone call one August day when a voice said the police were outside and he needed to open up or they would bust down the door. His first thought, that it was a joke, turned to terror when he opened the door.
Heavily armed officers in helmets, bulletproof vests and, oddly enough, Bermuda shorts stormed his store, handcuffed him, disabled security cameras and seized his drugs before taking him to jail. When he asked why his shop was invaded, an officer responded, "We're closing them all down."
Those words could prove prescient after Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley said last week he wants to shutter clinics that sell pot for profit. Cooley's plan is the latest salvo in a prolonged conflict in California over whether medical marijuana is truly having its intended effect or is being abused by the larger population.
Read more: LA's District Attorney Vows To Shut Down Marijuana Shops
Medical marijuana groups threaten to sue if L.A. bans sales
Last Updated on Sunday, 06 December 2009 00:21 Written by John Hoeffel Monday, 16 November 2009 00:00
Dispensary operators have consistently said they are uncertain they could stay open with such a restriction. Most collectives, which are required to be not-for-profit, sell marijuana to their members, but they consider it a donation to reimburse their costs.
The prohibition on sales was written by the city attorney’s office. In a lengthy analysis of state law and court decisions, City Atty. Carmen Trutanich concluded that over-the-counter sales of medical marijuana are not allowed. Instead, he said, collectives are shielded from prosecution only when they are growing it.
Read more: Medical marijuana groups threaten to sue if L.A. bans sales
