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Gardena has become the latest South Bay city to take on medical marijuana, moving to revoke business licenses for two storefront dispensaries.
The city alleges that the proprietors of both businesses -- Nature's Holistic Caregivers on Crenshaw Boulevard and California Caregivers' Association on Vermont Avenue -- lied when they filled out their license applications, stating they were selling "herbal remedies."
Both businesses admit they are selling medical marijuana, but say they are doing so within California law.
"We're helping people," said Virgil Grant, owner of the Crenshaw dispensary. "It was a place that probably hadn't been leased out for quite some time. We've come to bring some money to Gardena."
Under Proposition 215, which California voters approved a decade ago, doctors are allowed to prescribe small amounts of marijuana for chronic pain, AIDS, cancer, and other ailments. But the law conflicts with federal law, which classifies marijuana as a controlled substance.
Cities have been left to resolve the conflict through their zoning laws. Torrance, Hawthorne, Rancho Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach, Lawndale and Hermosa Beach have all issued temporary or permanent bans on dispensaries in recent months.
The Gardena City Council is scheduled to take up the issue tonight. Two members contacted Monday seemed inclined to shut the businesses down.
"I don't think it belongs in our city," said Mayor Paul Tanaka. "Gardena is a small town, a middle-class town. We're not out to be the pioneers on anything like this."
Councilman Oscar Medrano, who suffers from chronic back pain, said he had been offered a prescription for marijuana, but had turned it down.
"Marijuana's an illegal drug," he said. "You start with one and it leads into another. I just think we should shut them down. It should be dispensed out of a hospital."
Both dispensaries opened within the past few months. Gardena police visited both in August, and talked to patients who had bought marijuana in prescription bottles and in brownies. At the Vermont dispensary, they found bongs and an inventory list that included such offerings as "Hindu Kush," "Silver and Purple Haze" and "Organic Purple Urkle."
At the time, the business license application for the Vermont dispensary was still pending, so the city manager denied it. The owner, Kwok Chan of Arcadia, has appealed, and the council is scheduled to hear the appeal tonight.
At the time of the police visit, the city had already granted a business license to the Crenshaw dispensary. Grant received notice last week that the council would consider revoking the license at tonight's meeting. Grant's attorney, Allison Margolin, said she would seek a delay.
Grant said he was not attempting to be deceptive when he filled out the license application. The business, in a storefront a block north of Rosecrans Avenue, has tinted windows. Patrons must push a buzzer to be let in by a security guard. A sign on the window says "members only."
"It takes people off the streets," Margolin said. "It basically eliminates a lot of black market traffic by taking the market from the street to a place where people have to be checked out."
Grant said the business also offers Chinese and African herbs, acupuncture and massage.
The proprietor of a business next door, International Mini Market, said the dispensary does not attract an unwelcome element.
"It's good," said the woman, who gave the name, Beatrice. "They don't give us no problem"
A volunteer at the Vermont dispensary, who also gave only his first name, Tony, said he started using marijuana to treat back pain and insomnia after a car crash.
"It helped relieve my pain, and relaxed my body on nights I can't sleep," he said.
He said he was disappointed that Gardena was attempting to shut the place down.
"Gardena is one of the few cities that still has the dispensaries," he said.
Dege Coutee, an advocate associated with the Vermont facility, said she was urging patients to come to tonight's meeting and ask that Gardena be made a "cannabis safe haven."
Gardena code makes no explicit mention of marijuana dispensaries. City Manager Mitch Lansdell said the city is considering whether to pass a ban sometime in the future.
Newshawk: Spliff Twsiter - www.420Times.com
Source: Daily Breeze, Los Angeles CA
Pubdate: October 24, 2006
Author: Gene Maddaus
Copyright: ©2006 Copley Press, Inc
Website: Daily Breeze: Local News, Sports, Things to Do
The city alleges that the proprietors of both businesses -- Nature's Holistic Caregivers on Crenshaw Boulevard and California Caregivers' Association on Vermont Avenue -- lied when they filled out their license applications, stating they were selling "herbal remedies."
Both businesses admit they are selling medical marijuana, but say they are doing so within California law.
"We're helping people," said Virgil Grant, owner of the Crenshaw dispensary. "It was a place that probably hadn't been leased out for quite some time. We've come to bring some money to Gardena."
Under Proposition 215, which California voters approved a decade ago, doctors are allowed to prescribe small amounts of marijuana for chronic pain, AIDS, cancer, and other ailments. But the law conflicts with federal law, which classifies marijuana as a controlled substance.
Cities have been left to resolve the conflict through their zoning laws. Torrance, Hawthorne, Rancho Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach, Lawndale and Hermosa Beach have all issued temporary or permanent bans on dispensaries in recent months.
The Gardena City Council is scheduled to take up the issue tonight. Two members contacted Monday seemed inclined to shut the businesses down.
"I don't think it belongs in our city," said Mayor Paul Tanaka. "Gardena is a small town, a middle-class town. We're not out to be the pioneers on anything like this."
Councilman Oscar Medrano, who suffers from chronic back pain, said he had been offered a prescription for marijuana, but had turned it down.
"Marijuana's an illegal drug," he said. "You start with one and it leads into another. I just think we should shut them down. It should be dispensed out of a hospital."
Both dispensaries opened within the past few months. Gardena police visited both in August, and talked to patients who had bought marijuana in prescription bottles and in brownies. At the Vermont dispensary, they found bongs and an inventory list that included such offerings as "Hindu Kush," "Silver and Purple Haze" and "Organic Purple Urkle."
At the time, the business license application for the Vermont dispensary was still pending, so the city manager denied it. The owner, Kwok Chan of Arcadia, has appealed, and the council is scheduled to hear the appeal tonight.
At the time of the police visit, the city had already granted a business license to the Crenshaw dispensary. Grant received notice last week that the council would consider revoking the license at tonight's meeting. Grant's attorney, Allison Margolin, said she would seek a delay.
Grant said he was not attempting to be deceptive when he filled out the license application. The business, in a storefront a block north of Rosecrans Avenue, has tinted windows. Patrons must push a buzzer to be let in by a security guard. A sign on the window says "members only."
"It takes people off the streets," Margolin said. "It basically eliminates a lot of black market traffic by taking the market from the street to a place where people have to be checked out."
Grant said the business also offers Chinese and African herbs, acupuncture and massage.
The proprietor of a business next door, International Mini Market, said the dispensary does not attract an unwelcome element.
"It's good," said the woman, who gave the name, Beatrice. "They don't give us no problem"
A volunteer at the Vermont dispensary, who also gave only his first name, Tony, said he started using marijuana to treat back pain and insomnia after a car crash.
"It helped relieve my pain, and relaxed my body on nights I can't sleep," he said.
He said he was disappointed that Gardena was attempting to shut the place down.
"Gardena is one of the few cities that still has the dispensaries," he said.
Dege Coutee, an advocate associated with the Vermont facility, said she was urging patients to come to tonight's meeting and ask that Gardena be made a "cannabis safe haven."
Gardena code makes no explicit mention of marijuana dispensaries. City Manager Mitch Lansdell said the city is considering whether to pass a ban sometime in the future.
Newshawk: Spliff Twsiter - www.420Times.com
Source: Daily Breeze, Los Angeles CA
Pubdate: October 24, 2006
Author: Gene Maddaus
Copyright: ©2006 Copley Press, Inc
Website: Daily Breeze: Local News, Sports, Things to Do
