LA Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Being Phased Out
July 2nd, 2009 by Rick
On Monday, a City Council committee of Los Angeles advised to deny the moratorium exemptions to 28 medical marijuana dispensaries within the city. Lawyers for the dispensaries complained:
- Notices for the committee meeting came over the weekend or some didn’t even receive a notice.
- Speakers had merely minutes to plead their case.
- Council members seemed to have their minds already made up, in agreement with shutting the dispensaries down.
Graham Berry, a lawyer representing ten dispensaries, said:
I thought the hearings were a farce and a sham.
Planning Committee chairman, Ed Reyes commented:
What you see here today is the conclusion of a long process. [...] The assertion that this is a sham is false.
Councilmen Ed Reyes and Jose Huizar explained the process, pointing out that:
- It was a hearing, not a debate.
- Under state law 72 hours’ notice is needed to place topics on a schedule.
- Hardship exemptions were “carefully reviewed”.
According to Reyes he had to constantly ask speakers to keep within their given time.
