Pubdate: Tue, 01 Sep 2009
Source: Los Angeles Daily News (CA)
Copyright: 2009 Los Angeles Newspaper Group
Contact: http://www.dailynews.com/writealetter
Website: http://www.dailynews.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/246
Bookmark: http://mapinc.org/topic/Dispensaries
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?115 (Cannabis - California)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mmj.htm (Cannabis - Medicinal)

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: WHAT SHOULD THE CITY DO WITH MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES?

LOS Angeles has been cracking down on the hundreds of medical 
marijuana dispensaries that somehow flourished in the city during a 
two-year moratorium on new dispensaries.

The new dispensaries that the city is trying to shut down are crying 
foul, noting that use of medical marijuana was sanctioned under the 
1996 state ballot initiative, Proposition 215.

It's a sticky situation made all the stickier because so many 
activities related to marijuana are still illegal. And it will likely 
end up in court.

City officials say the pot clinics are magnets for crime and unsavory 
activities, which is why they enacted a moratorium and are working on 
a city policy regulating them.

The dispensary operators say they have a right to operate in the city 
and shouldn't be discriminated against.

What do you think? Should the city lighten up on medical marijuana 
dispensaries, or crack down even more? Should they be limited to a 
certain amount in the city, or should the free market prevail? Or 
perhaps the city should create certain marijuana commercial zones to 
better keep an eye on the clinics.

Send your thoughts on dispensaries to  
Please include your full name, the community or city in which you 
live and a daytime phone number. We'll print as many as we can in 
Sunday's Opinionated section.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom