Medical marijuana dispensaries in L.A. go up in smoke

Industry insiders have predicted that Colorado's new medical-marijuana laws might nearly halve the number of dispensaries in the state, and some of Denver's dispensaries are on the hit list. But since new laws were instituted in Los Angeles, the reduction has been far more dramatic, with hundreds of dispensaries required...

By Patricia Calhoun

June 22, 2010

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Industry insiders have predicted that Colorado's new medical-marijuana laws might nearly halve the number of dispensaries in the state, and some of Denver's dispensaries are on the hit list. But since new laws were instituted in Los Angeles, the reduction has been far more dramatic, with hundreds of dispensaries required to close under a city ordinance that recently took effect.

Close to a hundred of those dispensaries have filed for preliminary injunctions against the city in Los Angeles Superior Court, charging that the new ordinance discriminates against shops that opened after 2007.

You can read all about it -- and get a preview of some of the legal action that could be coming here -- in this June 19 Wall Street Journal story.

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Patricia Calhoun is editor-in-chief of Westword, the alt-weekly she co-founded in September 1977. She’s been inducted into the Colorado Press Association Hall of Fame, the Association of Alternative Newsmedia Hall of Fame and the Colorado Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. She’s also received dozens of local, state and national awards for writing, including first place for feature writing and first place for column writing with the Society of Professional Journalists. Patricia is a weekly commentator on Colorado Inside Out, PBS 12's public affairs roundtable, which has won two Emmys.

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