Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa signed an ordinance prohibiting storefront medical marijuana dispensaries, saying it was the city’s best option to preserve access to medical marijuana.
The Los Angeles City Council collectively approved the ban, which allows caregivers, as well as individuals, to grow and transport marijuana. It also permits up to three patients to collectively grow and share cannabis in residents, but not in storefronts.
The ban also allows hospices and home health agencies to provide medical pot.
“A judge could file an injunction but we think that is unlikely,” Jane Usher, a special assistant city attorney told the AP.
The ban also has the support of Los Angeles police Chief Charlie Beck, who told the City Council last week that the a very high volume of clinics have become for-profit operations that attract crime.
Villaraigosa and other City Council members say a shifting legal landscape has made it virtually impossible to control the number of shops in the city. Poorly written state law have given cities no direction for regulations in the distribution of marijuana, say supporters of the ban.
With the mayor’s signature, the ordinance will go into effect in 31 days—letters will be sent to as many as 900 dispensaries advising them of the ban.
Americans For Safe Access, a medical marijuana advocacy group, vowed to get a referendum on the March citywide election ballot to repeal the law.
“The tens of thousands of patients harmed by this vote will not take it sitting down,” Americans for Safe Access California Director Don Duncan said after the vote. “We will campaign forcefully to overturn this poor decision by the council.”
To get the referendum on the March 5 primary ballot, the group would need to present 27,425 valid petition signatures to the City Clerk by Sept. 21, or on Dec. 7 to make the May 21 general election.
