A superhero strain of the sexually transmitted infection, gonorrhea, has been discovered in Japan. Seemingly resistant to all recommended antibiotics, officials say the new strain, H041, could "transform a once easily treatable infection into a global public health threat," according to KTLA. more ›

When you think about effective treatments for pneumonia, chronic bronchitis, COPD, cystic fibrosis, tuberculosis and respiratory viral conditions, you might likely thing that a good place to start is a medical professional. A few years ago, however, you could have been one of Sami Arshak Yanikian's customers, who bought some of his “Sam’s Inhaler Spray For Viral Respiratory Infections” and “Sam’s Universal Oral Spray," or other bogus products claiming they could cure illnesses, including bird flu, tuberculosis and SARS. more ›

Imagine that your cells were taken from you without your permission, and kept alive. Imagine that those cells launched a medical revolution and multi-million dollar industry, but your children and grandchildren couldn't receive even basic healthcare. Science writer Rebecca Skloot (twitter, blog), is speaking tonight... more ›

It only applies to one landlord, but it could indicate what future cases hold. A judge yesterday barred Los Angeles city attorneys from taking action against a landlord of a medical marijuana dispensary who is currently part of a lawsuit challenging the city's medical marijuana ordinance, according to the LA Times. more ›

Los Angeles County's elected Sheriff today upped his fight against marijuana, calling most medical marijuana dispensaries criminal enterprises. "Millions of dollars are being made for profit, and it's all illegal," Lee Baca said, according to the Associated Press. more ›

Long Beach may join three Northern California cities by placing a marijuana tax proposal on the November ballot. The City Council today is expected to consider an item today that would schedule a public hearing in August, which is when the councilmembers would vote to place the tax measure on the ballot. more ›

Marina del Rey, Altadena, East L.A., Topanga, Stevenson Ranch and other L.A. County unincorporated communities could see an all-out ban on medical marijuana dispensaries if a proposal becomes law. Supervisor Michael Antonovich introduced a motion (.pdf) on Tuesday that requests staff to propose revise county code "for a..." more ›

A legal challenge to Los Angeles' medical marijuana ordinance, which limits the number that can operate within the city, thus forcing hundreds to shut down, is still in limbo. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Anthony J. Mohr yesterday delayed his decision until after July 23rd, when briefs he requested are due, according to the LA Times. more ›

Two similar businesses in two neighborhoods with two murders. The LAPD is trying to determine if two medical marijuana dispensary robberies gone awry yesterday are connected. more ›

Of the 187 medical marijuana dispensaries that registered in 2007, 174 have informed L.A. officials they plan to stay open. The notices from dispensaries are part of the process after L.A.'s ordinance on the shops went into effect earlier this month. Under it, some facilities can lawfully stay open, but hundreds of others were deemed illegal and have to close. That, however, hasn't stopped all of them. The famous KFC-turned-dispensary i Palms that was parodied in an episode of "South Park" was served with a warrant by police yesterday and one person was arrested. Of the 174 that plan to stay open, initial review by city officials indicate that under 100 will actually end up being legalized operations. more ›

Many local cities have gotten a handle on brick and mortar medical marijuana dispensaries by enacting ordinances that limit where they can be, but the latest trend are delivery services, which is in legal limbo. Out in Riverside County's city of Norco, a couple with a mobile RV dispensary are facing some heat so they've picked up and moved to an unincorporated part of the county, says the LA Weekly. Problem is, Riverside County also has a ban on dispensaries,but because local bans are based on zoning laws, mobile delivery services face uncharted territory as no laws exist to regulate them, notes the Press-Enterprise. more ›

A L.A. Superior Court judge today said Los Angeles city officials can go ahead with its medical marijuana ordinance, which goes into effect Monday, meaning over 400 dispensaries will have to soon close, says the LA Times. more ›

Statewide, reported cases of whooping cough, or pertussis, have doubled last year's number from the same time period, according to the LA Times. The increase in cases is cause for concern among health officials, who are urging parents to consider seeking vaccination for all those in the family who come in regular contact with babies. more ›

The Orange County city of Lake Forest doesn't allow medical marijuana dispensaries within city limits, which prompted a lawsuit. Today a judge sided with the city, according to the LA Weekly. "State law does not allow or require cities to allow dispensaries,'' an attorney for Lake Forest said. "A lot of cities were waiting for this ruling because a lot of them have ordinances that work the same way. If they're not identical, they're nearly identical.'' In L.A., the city asserted the right to limit how many and where dispensaries could be located. more ›

A valley medical marijuana shop owner says the ordinance set to go in affect next month will eliminate a lot of jobs. As in the thousands. more ›

Of the seven medical marijuana dispensaries within walking distance of LAist's South Valley bureau offices, six are slated to be shut down. That's because an ordinance that will go into effect next month will limit the number of storefronts and where they can be located. more ›

Letters were sent yesterday to over 400 medical marijuana dispensaries telling them to shut down by June 7th. more ›

City Attorney Carmen "Nuch" Trutanich today wrote a lengthy response to a lawsuit challenging the city's recent medical marijuana ordinance. It begins as such: "In response to civil lawsuits filed against shops illegally selling and distributing marijuana in Los Angeles, the advocacy group Americans for Safe Access recently claimed that the City Attorney's Office was misreading California law and should dismiss these actions. I respectfully disagree. These lawsuits are based upon the plain language, spirit and intention of these public health and safety laws. More importantly, these actions do not prevent or interfere in any way with a patient's right to obtain medical marijuana from lawful collectives or other means allowed under existing law." He goes on to cite case law and suggests voters expand the law to cover the sale of medical marijuana. more ›

Doctors who work in emergency rooms and in private hospitals will receive less compensation from Los Angeles County for their work with the uninsured, reports CBS2. more ›

In a 9-3 vote, the Los Angeles City Council this morning approved the long-fought-over medical marijuana ordinance, despite protests from members of the public on both sides. During public comment, advocates for medical marijuana threatened to bring lawsuits while advocates for limiting the facilities questioned how the city would afford enforcement. more ›

At its 10 a.m. meeting, the Los Angles City Council is scheduled to put the medical marijuana issue to rest. The new ordinance, which regulates dispensaries on a variety of issues such as location, hours of operation and security, must be considered two times and today is that second time. Although the over two-year debate is coming to an end, some advocates of access have threatened to bring lawsuits to the city, citing how the new code contradicts state law. more ›

Over two years in the making, Los Angeles is still without an ordinance regulating medical marijuana dispensaries. Today, the City Council is slated to discuss and possibly vote on the plan. The current question for members is if dispensaries should be 500 or 1,000 feet from one another and other types of places like schools, parks, libraries, churches, childcare facilities and youth centers, reported the LA Times. At a meeting in Dcember, the Council requested an analysis to determine the effects of such a restriction on the 137 dispensaries deemed legal by the council last month. According to that document (.pdf), several communities like Venice and Silver Lake would have no collectives if restrictions were approved. more ›

Investigation notes and a list of prescription drugs allegedly used by Brittany Murphy and now being speculated as to why the actor suffered a cardiac arrest was leaked to TMZ, angering Los Angeles County Coroner officials. more ›

That's what journalist Charles Feldman is saying the Huffington Post. After going undercover for a documentary on how easy it is to obtain approval from a doctor, he feels that city and county officials have misplaced focus. more ›

Concerned with a proposal to restrict medical marijuana dispensaries within 1,000 feet of residential areas, the Los Angeles City Council today postponed voting the ordinance into law until next week Wednesday when they can examine maps of current legal facilities in relation to neighborhoods. That means issues revolving around collectives will likely be fully resolved in 2010. Yesterday, the group did finalize one aspect of the matter: the number that could legally operate within the city. more ›

A new medical marijuana ordinance is not fully completed, but the Los Angeles City Council today did finalize at least one aspect of the new law: to limit the number of dispensaries or not, and if so, to how many. The cap is 70, but locations legally registered before a 2007 moratorium will be able to stay open, as long as they comply with location restrictions in the ordinance. It appears 137 will be eligible to stay open. more ›

As Los Angeles prepares to dive into their own pot law, Long Beach is already taking it head on. Last night they voted to make some changes to a proposed medical marijuana ordinance, loosening some restrictions, before finalizing the law. "The changes included, among others, allowing collectives in mixed-use areas; removing prohibitions against having collectives within 1,000 feet of libraries and parks; improving patient privacy issues so as to not identify every member of a collective; giving a grace period for existing collectives to comply once the law goes into effect; and allowing collective patients to grow marijuana in their homes," reports the Press Telegram. more ›

As Los Angeles fumbles around with the latest proposed medical marijuana ordinance, the Long Beach City Council is set to examine its own tomorrow. If passed, the law would limit where dispensaries may be located, hours of operation, how it can be distributed and records of every member, according to the Long Beach Press Telegram. more ›

When Orange County's independent TV station KDOC dumped Cannabis Planet, it wasn't too hard for executive producer Brad Lane to find a willing provider. As of August 13th, the half-hour show has been airing twice weekly on another local indie station, KJLA, which reaches around five million SoCal households, according to the New York Times in a profile of the show. more ›

It's safe to say that weed shops are more common than Pinkberry and Starbucks. Thanks to the LA Times, we know that there's about five "collectives" within a five-minute walk of us (how about you?). And look, the people in the Valley can't complain that their not getting their fair share. In fact, one neighborhood prosecutor told the Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council earlier this summer that the LAPD's Van Nuys Division had the most dispensaries than any other in the city. Here are some other interesting facts, via the Times: more ›