Los Angeles City Council: Mad at Medical Marijuana

Brian Doherty | June 10, 2009

Or at least mad at what the city sees as a somehow unmanageable provision of storefronts selling it in L.A.--taking advantage of a "loophole" in a 2007 attempt on the L.A. city solons part to ban new medical pot purveyors entirely.

That  loophole (that is, the legal provision that allowed citizens to carry out a perfectly legal business without being shut down arbitrarily by the city) is, the shutdowns could be put in abeyance through filing a "hardship" exemption--and 550 such exemptions were filed. Yesterday, the Council voted to stop accepting such applications. They are expected to soon unveil a new set of regulations on medical pot dispensaries.

More on this at my L.A. news and politics blog "City of Angles" at KCET.org.

See Reason.tv on the maddening trial of California medical pot salesman Charlie Lynch, nailed by the Feds although obeying state law--something he wasn't allowed to mention during his trial.