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New L.A. Medical Marijuana Policy Proposed, but Will it Work?
Photo by Lucyrk in LA via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr
Photo by Lucyrk in LA via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr
After the Obama Administration's take on medical marijuana and a superior court judge's ruling against the city's enforcement of a dispensary, City Attorney Carmen Trutanich submitted an ordinance that may be taken up by city council quickly. The newly proposed ordinance--the fourth to be considered--is reported to be the most strict version yet. "Under the measure, the shops will be open only from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., will be allowed to have only five pounds of marijuana on hand and no more than 100 plants," says the Daily News. "Also, all the marijuana provided must have been grown by the collective." Additionally, locations not following city rules will be forced to shut down immediately.
But the proposal is not without potential controversy and lawsuit fodder. Dispensaries would be required to hand over the names of members and providers to police, owners of new locations will have to notify neighborhood councils and the city council, the sale or manufacture of edible marijuana treats will be banned and those with a felony record in the last 10 years, or on parole or probation, will not be allowed to manage a shop, according to the LA Times.
Not only that, they must be located "1,000 feet from schools, parks, libraries, religious institutions, child care facilities, youth centers, hospitals, medical facilities, substance abuse rehabilitation centers and other collectives."
It would also force the closure of all dispensaries that opened after the moratorium to shut doors for six months. The 186 pot shops that were already operating before the ban will have six months to bring their facilities up to code, if the new ordinance passes.
The proposal could be taken up and made law quickly, maybe as early as next week.
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