California: Cities, counties no longer mellow about pot dispensaries

LAT ^ | 11/10/09 | John Hoeffel

[TigerLikesRooster]

Cities, counties no longer mellow about pot dispensaries

At least 120 cities and eight counties in California have banned medical pot shops, fearing crime and profiteering. Some cite the proliferation of dispensaries in L.A.

By John Hoeffel

November 10, 2009

As hundreds of medical marijuana dispensaries have opened this year in a startling rollout across California, unnerved local officials have started to push back aggressively.

Many cities and a few counties have banned them. Others have imposed emergency moratoriums. And some have started to sue dispensaries to force them to close. So far, the state's courts have sided with local officials.

For marijuana advocates, who have seen over-the-counter sales become commonplace and watched the steady drift of California's vibrant weed counterculture into the mainstream, these setbacks are a discordant development.

[glorgau]

Not surprising in quasi-legal endeavors.

[SeeSharp]

It won't make any difference. We still have dry counties in Texas and all it accomplishes is to deprive the local governments of tax revenue because consumers just go somewhere else.

And what's this gripe about "profiteering"? What's wrong with someone making a profit?

[DouglasKC]

At least 120 cities and eight counties in California have banned medical pot shops, fearing crime and profiteering. Some cite the proliferation of dispensaries in L.A.

I guess legalizing drugs increases crime. Who would have thought?

[mysterio]

Just legalize it outright. This quasi-legal BS doesn’t solve the black market problems.

[kosciusko51]

Typical left thinking: Pot = OK; making a profit = bad.

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

I agree 100%. This setup they have now is a farce. The money is still there they just have prosecutorial cover.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

“Anyone who wants to smoke pot can easily get a doctor’s recommendation; “

Of course it’s easy. The Doc’s know it shouldn’t be illegal.

[SeeSharp]

"The prospect of being a regional marijuana hub did not excite city leaders."

Well then they are making a big mistake. Dodge City made the same mistake in the 1870's and now Wichita is a major population hub while Dodge City is little more than a historical marker on the side of the road.

[rhombus]

Gasp! Profiteering! Liquor stores? No problem. Tobacco shops? Problem, but not a huge problem. Coffee Shops? Essential. Ice Cream shops? Yum, yum - sugar’s not a drug! Drug stores? Pass the Viagra and Midol? Pot Shops - Hell in a hand basket, here we come.

[a fool in paradise]

You mean some people are using their medicinal maryjane for purposes other than medicinal?

[a fool in paradise]

Just legalize it outright. This quasi-legal BS doesn’t solve the black market problems.

If it is taxed, there will still be "black market problems" as people grow their own weeds. Can we send the ATF in to collect as we do for alcohol and tobacco tax cheats?

[a fool in paradise]

We still have dry counties in Texas and all it accomplishes is to deprive the local governments of tax revenue because consumers just go somewhere else.

Nope, they bust people for "public intoxication" then. $500 fine with little "proof".

[Lurker]

Can we send the ATF in to collect as we do for alcohol and tobacco tax cheats?

It's perfectly legal to brew your own beer and grow your own tobacco as long as it's for your personal use and you don't sell it without paying the requisite taxes.

It's always about the money my friend. Always.

L

[a fool in paradise]

except the medicinal marihuana is already going “elsewhere”.

Home growers will sell a little on the side. Or are we going to stop prosecuting that?

[mysterio]

If it is taxed reasonably, the black market will be virtually eliminated. It will only pop up again if the substance is taxed excessively. Additionally, I think people should be allowed to grow their own.

As for the ATF, I suppose it could be used, although I'm for eliminating the ATF entirely.

[Lurker]

Home growers will sell a little on the side.

Personally I don't give a crap if they do or not. The drug war is a futile, Constitutionally offensive waste of time and money.

I've been a home brewer for years and I've never once 'sold a little on the side'. I give it away to friends and family, but I never ever trade it for anything of value.

I suppose you think the ATF should be camped out in my living room or something. You know, just in case.

[fr_freak]

"At least 120 cities and eight counties in California have banned medical pot shops, fearing crime and profiteering. Some cite the proliferation of dispensaries in L.A."

I guess legalizing drugs increases crime. Who would have thought?

Maybe it does increase crime, and maybe it doesn't (I doubt it does). However, you'll notice that the sentence above, from the article, did not say that these cities and counties banned medical pot shops because crime increased. It said that they feared an increase in crime. It cites no evidence that crime had actually increased, statistical, anecdotal, or otherwise.

[a fool in paradise]

Easier return on growing weeds than brewing. They do everything except harvest themselves.

[a fool in paradise]

This president wants to tax sodapop and eliminate all flavored tobaccos except menthol. You really think there will be no regulation?

[Lurker]

Easier return on growing weeds than brewing.

So what's your point?

[a fool in paradise]

Have to have bottles, clean them, get materials to brew, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

Weeds grow wild on their own. Trim some. Put it in the oven. Done.

[a fool in paradise]

If you mess up while brewing, you get skunky beer and fart a lot.

How to do mess up a pot weed?

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

Easier return on growing weeds than brewing. They do everything except harvest themselves.

Yeah, if you want crappy pot. But the trend these days is to high tech growing, cloning, controlling light cycles, atmospheric gases and more producing varieties of pot with different characteristics and brand names. Besides, there are 800 medical marijuana shops in Los Angeles. Every customer has a medical card that allows them to grow their own. Why, then, are the shops busy?

To put it another way, it's easy to make wine. My grandpa did it in his garage, but at the end of the day I'd rather go to the store and buy a decent bottle of Cabernet than drink what my grandpa was giving away.

[Lurker]

It's not as easy as you might think to grow a quality product. It's like any other agricultural endeavor.

And I'll ask again; what's your point? If people want to smoke a weed that makes them dumber than they already are who cares? Not me.

Just keep it in your home and off the roads and I don't care what you smoke or why.

You shouldn't either. It's the worst sort of nanny-State, Constitution trashing, busybody, anti-Conservative behavior I can think of.

L

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

How to do mess up a pot weed?

You get a harsh-tasting smoke that gives you a headache.

[calex59]

Politicians afraid of losing control. The problem is they don’t have total legality. However, the feds have that on the way. The big disappointment to pot smokers will be the taxes imposed on MJ. The high taxes will keep pot growers and smugglers in business and the crime will continue. Just as cigs are now becoming a hot black market item, so MJ will continue to be sold on the black market due to high taxes.

[DouglasKC]

Maybe it does increase crime, and maybe it doesn't (I doubt it does). However, you'll notice that the sentence above, from the article, did not say that these cities and counties banned medical pot shops because crime increased. It said that they feared an increase in crime. It cites no evidence that crime had actually increased, statistical, anecdotal, or otherwise.

If so I'm betting that it's because they see the caliber of people who buy and smoke pot. A bunch of druggies hanging around any business district would scare me and stop me from shopping in that neighborhood.

[fr_freak]

If so I'm betting that it's because they see the caliber of people who buy and smoke pot. A bunch of druggies hanging around any business district would scare me and stop me from shopping in that neighborhood.

That's possible, especially in a big city area like LA. However, from what I understand of the marijuana "co-ops", they generally do their best to maintain a low profile, specifically to avoid harassment by law enforcement. The medical marijuana law in CA is written with such vague language that the whole thing is still kind of a legal gray area. Because of that, the attitude seems to be that the less attention they draw, the better.

I haven't seen how the big city clubs are run, but one club I know of in a small town near me is very strict about people hanging around. They only allow one person inside at a time and no loitering outside. They also post no signs or any markings that would even show that they were a medical marijuana dispensary.

One more note: you'd be surprised at the caliber of some people who buy and smoke pot, medically or not. Some may be dirtbags, but plenty are respectable, productive, otherwise law-abiding citizens. I'm more worried about all of the dirtbags who buy and drink alcohol. ;)

[mysterio]

I'm saying that if it's overtaxed, there will still be a black market, so that's something to be avoided.

It's time to surrender the failed drug war and restore the Bill of Rights from the damage done to it by the drug warriors.