Pubdate: Thu, 31 Mar 2016 Source: Orange County Register, The (CA) Copyright: 2016 The Orange County Register Contact: http://www.ocregister.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/321 GROWING LEGAL POT BUSINESS Santa Ana, to its credit, has been proactive in what seems to be the inevitable end to marijuana prohibition as it continues to fine tune its legalized system for medical marijuana dispensaries in a way agreeable to the city's residents. Still, making legal dispensaries a reality in the city has taken far too long. Now, we come to discover that, nearly a year and a half after Santa Ana residents approved the ballot measure that created a legal framework for dispensaries, "officials say there are up to twice as many unlicensed pot retailers as sanctioned shops in the city," according to a recent report in the Register. "The Santa Ana Police Department has a dedicated task force working on enforcement of the medical pot industry and says it has shut down more than 90 of the 109 unlicensed operations identified to date," the Register noted. The city believes there are about 20 remaining illegal operators. Only three legal dispensaries have opened, while 10 of the approved 20 have made it through the permitting process. But until the pace of opening legal dispensaries more closely approximates the zeal with which illegal operators are closed, issues with the illicit trade will continue, if not in Santa Ana, then in neighboring cities where dispensaries don't have legal competition. As we learned from Prohibition, making something illegal doesn't end demand for it. Be it alcohol or marijuana, until legally permissible options are made available to users, as voters intended in approving Measure BB, users will find other ways to obtain what they want. Only by providing consumers options in the marketplace, through a legal and straightforward process, will the illegal marijuana trade be controlled, and licensing delays are only further enriching the illicit marijuana market. Plus, while the prolonged licensing process harms the legitimate operators, who are placed at a competitive disadvantage against their illicit rivals by agreeing to the regulatory hurdles and hefty fees the city requires, it is also denying revenue to the city. Santa Ana must move faster to grow the marketplace and get its legal marijuana operators open for business. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom