Los Angeles Marijuana Dispensaries Ordinance

Posted on: January 27, 2010 at 4:28 p.m.

The Los Angeles City Council gave its final approval to an ordinance that will shut down hundreds of Los Angeles medical marijuana dispensaries and impose strict rules on the location and operation of the dispensaries that are allowed.

In a 9-3 vote, the approval passed today without debate. The ordinance has been the topic of discussion amongst the council for more than 4 1 /2 years and would effectively limit the number of Los Angeles medical marijuana dispensaries to 70. The ordinance also states that dispensaries registered with the city in 2007 remain open, raising the number to about 150.

Hundreds of Los Angeles medical marijuana dispensaries have popped up as the City Council debated the proposed ordinance over the past couple of years. The debate made it possible for new dispensaries to open as the City Council failed to enforce regulations on these new dispensaries.

According to city officials, an estimated 500 Los Angeles medical marijuana dispensaries will be forced to close under the ordinance. Some of these dispensaries, however, are not going down without a fight; several are preparing to sue the city and collect signatures to force a referendum on the ordinance.

In addition to the limitation on dispensaries, the ordinance also requires surviving dispensaries to be at least 1,000 feet from other dispensaries and so-called sensitive areas, such as schools, parks and libraries. Among other restrictions, dispensaries will be required to close at 8 p.m. and will not be permitted to allow Los Angeles medical marijuana use at the stores.

Once the ordinance is in place, the city attorney's office will send letters to affected landlords and dispensary operators telling them that they must close immediately. If the dispensaries remain open, the city attorney's office likely will take them to court.

This crackdown on Los Angeles medical marijuana dispensaries has serious implications for those that legally use marijuana for various reasons. The shutting down of marijuana dispensaries will force some to travel further away or find alternative sources to attain marijuana. This can leave some in limbo as far as drug laws in California go. Los Angeles medical marijuana possession laws can be confusing as circumstances dictate whether or not a person can be charged with possession, including the arresting agency, the location and more.

If you find yourself in a situation in which you aren’t aware of the legality of marijuana possession and have been arrested, you need to contact a Los Angeles criminal defense attorney team immediately to inform you of your rights and ensure a fair trial in court. The professional and knowledgeable Los Angeles criminal defense attorney team at Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin, LLP has more than 50 years of courtroom experience and is well versed in drug laws in Los Angeles. With our experience in the field, we are able to come up with a strategic defense that can result in charges against you being dropped or conviction consequences reduced. If you have been arrested for marijuana possession, contact the Los Angeles criminal defense attorney team at 1-877-781-1570 immediately or visit our site at www.keglawyers.com for more information on drug laws in California and how we can help you if you find yourself facing possession charges.

Tagged as: los angeles medical marijuana attorney, los angeles medical marijuana dispensary

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