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The San Gabriel Valley's latest medical marijuana dispensary closed its doors this week after receiving notice of a permit violation from county officials.
"This is a bitter sweet good bye!" wrote a representative of California Compassionate Caregivers on ****--****, a Web site dedicated to medical marijuana use. "We put our heart and soul and truly wanted to make a difference but we failed you. We wanted to serve The City of Hope and its cancer patients. We wanted to help the AIDS center located by us."
The Web post goes on to say the outlet was "ordered to close immediately Nov. 6 and \ have no choice but to comply."
Late last week, county officials issued a violation notice to the dispensary at 3682 W. Colorado Blvd. in an unincorporated area just outside Pasadena.
The notice stated the establishment possessed neither a business license nor a conditional use permit, both required since a moratorium approved unanimously in June 2005 by the County Board of Supervisor was lifted in June 2006, according to officials.
Tuesday afternoon, a smiley face sign welcoming visitors to the dispensary remained, but at the top of the stairs a new handmade sign stated simply on
plain white paper, "Sorry, we are closed."
Calls to the business late Tuesday went unanswered.
Owners of the establishment initially sparred with a county zoning inspector, Los Angeles County Counsel Rick Weiss said, claiming they opened in May before the new ordinance went into effect.
"They may argue that," Weiss said, "but even if they opened in May, we believe that they did not open legally because the moratorium was still in effect then."
The new dispensary adds to the controversy surrounding such establishments, which have appeared in area cities including Monrovia, Monterey Park and Rowland Heights since passage of Proposition 215 in 1996 created an exemption from criminal penalties for medical marijuana use.
Pasadena police Chief Bernard Melekian said it was apparent from experiences within Pasadena city limits that such dispensaries are often a sham.
"That's not to say that there is not a medical use for marijuana,because I believe there is," . "I just don't think these clinics fill that need. If society wants to legalize marijuana, I wish they would just do it."
County officials said they remain concerned about such clinics' practices.
"This operator is attempting to circumvent county laws," said Tony Bell, spokesman for county Supervisor Michael Antonovich.
Newshawk: Spliff Twister - 420 Magazine
Source: Pasadena Star News (CA)
Pubdate: 11/08/2006
Author: Mary Frances
Copyright: Copyright © 2006 Pasadena Star-News
Contact: mary.gurton@sgvn.com
Website: Pasadena Star-News: Local News, Sports, Things to Do
"This is a bitter sweet good bye!" wrote a representative of California Compassionate Caregivers on ****--****, a Web site dedicated to medical marijuana use. "We put our heart and soul and truly wanted to make a difference but we failed you. We wanted to serve The City of Hope and its cancer patients. We wanted to help the AIDS center located by us."
The Web post goes on to say the outlet was "ordered to close immediately Nov. 6 and \ have no choice but to comply."
Late last week, county officials issued a violation notice to the dispensary at 3682 W. Colorado Blvd. in an unincorporated area just outside Pasadena.
The notice stated the establishment possessed neither a business license nor a conditional use permit, both required since a moratorium approved unanimously in June 2005 by the County Board of Supervisor was lifted in June 2006, according to officials.
Tuesday afternoon, a smiley face sign welcoming visitors to the dispensary remained, but at the top of the stairs a new handmade sign stated simply on
plain white paper, "Sorry, we are closed."
Calls to the business late Tuesday went unanswered.
Owners of the establishment initially sparred with a county zoning inspector, Los Angeles County Counsel Rick Weiss said, claiming they opened in May before the new ordinance went into effect.
"They may argue that," Weiss said, "but even if they opened in May, we believe that they did not open legally because the moratorium was still in effect then."
The new dispensary adds to the controversy surrounding such establishments, which have appeared in area cities including Monrovia, Monterey Park and Rowland Heights since passage of Proposition 215 in 1996 created an exemption from criminal penalties for medical marijuana use.
Pasadena police Chief Bernard Melekian said it was apparent from experiences within Pasadena city limits that such dispensaries are often a sham.
"That's not to say that there is not a medical use for marijuana,because I believe there is," . "I just don't think these clinics fill that need. If society wants to legalize marijuana, I wish they would just do it."
County officials said they remain concerned about such clinics' practices.
"This operator is attempting to circumvent county laws," said Tony Bell, spokesman for county Supervisor Michael Antonovich.
Newshawk: Spliff Twister - 420 Magazine
Source: Pasadena Star News (CA)
Pubdate: 11/08/2006
Author: Mary Frances
Copyright: Copyright © 2006 Pasadena Star-News
Contact: mary.gurton@sgvn.com
Website: Pasadena Star-News: Local News, Sports, Things to Do
