One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Medical Marijuana Advocates Won't Get Referendum on Ballot
A dispensary in the San Fernando Valley | Photo by mares8 via LAist Featured Photos
In the hopes of getting a referendum on the ballot to counter the city ordinance that will bring about the closing of hundreds of dispensaries in L.A., a group of medical marijuana advocates had until the end of yesterday to collect 27,425 valid signatures, according to the Daily News. But the coalition, headed by Mar Vista's The Rainforest Collective's Daniel Halbert, only came up with about 15,000.
Halbert believes that the shortfall is due to the amount of time they were given to pursue the signatures, noting: "If we had a total of 30 days, we would have achieved (our goal). This is a very popular issue, but the city purposely delayed the approval of our petitions and ate up 10 of our days." Halbert says the coalition will now seek consultation from lawyers "about possible litigation." Other dispensaries have already filed suit.
The ordinance, long haggled out by city officials and approved in late January, establishes "a cap of 70 medical marijuana dispensaries in Los Angeles but grants a reprieve to the 187 whose operators registered with the city prior to a moratorium," though if any of those 187 cease operation, a new shop cannot take its place. Other restrictions include prohibiting dispensaries from being within 1,000 feet of school, parks, libraries, religious buildings and other sites considered "sensitive use."
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
