Pubdate: Thu, 30 Jan 2014
Source: Los Angeles Wave (CA)
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/NLw6QSOb
Copyright: 2014 Los Angeles Wave
Website: http://wavenewspapers.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5491
Note: Seven editions, spread over LA. Printed Thursdays.
Author: Arnold Adler

WHITTIER BANS MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES

WHITTIER - Deciding that once was enough, the City Council Tuesday 
night approved on a 4-1 vote the second reading of an ordinance 
banning all medical marijuana shops in the city. Councilman Owen 
Newcomer dissented. The ban will take effect in 30 days.

A moratorium on such shops, enacted in January 2012, ended last week. 
In a written report to the council Jan. 14, Aldo E. Schindler, 
director of community development, noted that in 2006 the city 
allowed the Whittier Hope Collective to open a medical marijuana 
dispensary on Bryon Avenue in an industrial area of the city. But 
while there were no major problems from the operation, its owner was 
among those indicted last year for marijuana violations elsewhere.

The former owner of the Whittier site, Jack Hunter, was not listed on 
the city permit. Hunter pleaded guilty last April to charges of drug 
trafficking and tax offenses, Schindler said.

While state law allows medical marijuana dispensaries under certain 
regulations, federal law does not, and federal law generally 
overrules state laws. When the U.S. Department of Justice began 
enforcing federal law in 2011, the Whittier collective was among 
those closed, Schindler said.

In light of the conflicting issues, the City Council on Nov. 19 
directed city staff to report back with an ordinance to ban such 
shops. The vote was 4-1 with Councilman Owen Newcomer dissenting.

The Planning Commission recommended approval of the ban Dec. 16. 
Schindler noted that while voters in Oregon and Washington have 
approved recreational use of marijuana, the federal government is 
reviewing actions to add provisions to prevent violations such as 
impaired driving.

During the operation of the Whittier collective there were minor 
problems such as seven false alarm calls, a report of marijuana 
smoking near the building, one credit card fraud reported by the 
business owner and a customer who claimed he was assaulted by a 
clerk, according to police reports.

However, there have been more severe problems in other cities. Los 
Angeles has limited medical marijuana shops while neighboring cities 
such as Bellflower, Norwalk, Santa Fe Springs, Pico Rivera, La 
Mirada, Huntington Park, Fullerton, Downey, Montebello and 
unincorporated Los Angeles County areas have banned them entirely.

Many police agencies believe medical marijuana shops pose a threat 
simply by their existence, as they often generate a lot of money and 
make tempting targets for armed robbery, burglary and assault on patrons.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom