LOS ANGELES - MARIJUANA IN THE CITY

"Despite neighborhood complaints, most medical marijuana clinics are not dangerous or plagued by crime." - Police Chief Charlie Beck

In this article we aim to inform every Pot smoking Angeleno about the issues that affect them in their La-La hometown. We cover:

• Top MMJ Dispensaries, Products and Services
• Pot Politics - Law -  Police
• How to Legally Buy - Grow - Possess - Transport Medical Marijuana in LA

LaLa MMJ Factoids:

• MMJ ID Cards issued  by 2015  = 7664
• MMJ Recommendations by California Licensed Physicians is estimated at 70,000 (2016).
• Pot dispensaries were about eight times less likely to be robbed than banks!

The City of Angels (literal translation from Spanish) is the second-largest city in the United States with a population of nearly 4 million people.  Greater LA is one of the world's largest metropolitan areas, nearing 20 million inhabitants (2016).  LA has the third-largest GMP in the world - after the Greater Tokyo and New York metropolitan areas - with a gross metropolitan product of almost $1 frickin trillion dollars.

"Marijuana IS important for medicinal use, But if in the future, California's voters want it for casual use, for me, it's not a problem." - LA Mayor Eric Garcetti

LA is also one of the world's most ethnically diverse cities, with huge asian, hispanic, afro-american populations complimenting a generous portion of caucasian persuasion.  The geography is unique in that you can surf in the morning, ski in the afternoon and have a beer in the desert in the evening.  With a GMP of one thousand billion dollars, suffice it to say that LA has and does everything.

The city was officially founded in 1781 by the Spanish. After the Mexican-American war, California, became part of the US. With the discovery of oil in the LA area, the population grew exponentially. The city of Angels was officially incorporated as a municipality in 1850.

Los Angeles and County - MMJ  Law

"It's a mess"

The  City of Angels has wrestled with Medical Cannabis regulations for many years.  

Right now, there are many Medical Marijuana Dispensaries operating legally. If you want to buy Weed from a licensed Dispensary you better have your Medical Recommendation paperwork or MMJ ID Card handy.

In 2013, a bill called Proposition D made the operation of Medical Marijuana businesses illegal;  that is, in theory.  Also included in the Prop-D; using vehicles to transport Medical Cannabis for commercial purposes is illegal. Council members voted 12-0 in favor for a bill which states that no new certificates may be issued for “any medical marijuana collective business activity.”

In January, The City of Los Angeles banned new business registrations for dispensaries in January 2016.  In February 2016 regulations for LA County “put a temporary moratorium on cultivation and to study a permanent ban.”  However Prop. D offers some protection as there is a list of Dispensaries and businesses that have been granted permission to operate.  

Still, the overall situation is a mess. The city is collecting taxes on businesses that are unlicensed.  One supposes that paying taxes is kind of a certificate of approval.

In March 2016, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted 4-0 to crack down on illegal cannabis collectives in unincorporated parts of the county which already proposed in Proposition D  back in 2013.

Find out more about Proposition D from the LA City Site

• "Despite the 2013 voter approval of Proposition D, which banned most medical marijuana businesses in Los Angeles, the city has continued to issue tax certificates and collect taxes from them, illegal or not."

• “They shouldn’t be operating, because they don’t fall within the law, and we shouldn’t be collecting taxes on these businesses that are illegally operating, as much as we try to shut the illegal ones down, they turn around and we issue a BTRC (business tax registration certificate) to them.”  -  Councilwoman Nury Martinez’s

• “What’s to figure out? I believe there is a list of Prop D-compliant marijuana dispensaries. All you need to do is to look at the list, see if they’re on the list, then you issue or renew the BTRC. If they’re not on the list, then you don’t issue one. It’s not that complicated.”  - Nury Martinez’s
  

Disclaimer:  Before taking action, readers should refer to LA County's actual website,  or the original source,  to verify the ultimate accuracy of any information provided herein.

HOW & WHERE CAN I BUY MEDICAL CANNABIS LEGALLY IN LA?

To purchase Marijuana from any licensed Marijuana Dispensary or Club in Los Angeles,  you'll need a Doctor's Recommendation and / or MMJ-ID.  Click here to apply for a legal recommendation, in a few minutes a physician can be evaluating your file.

420EOL Telehealth Online services are 100% online, and are by far the cheapest and fastest way to get a legal MMJ documentation,  These services are guaranteed -  Angelenos don't pay until a medical doctor has approved your case.

TOP RANKED MMJ DISPENSARIES & CLUBS in Los Angeles, CA

CITY HALL AND POLICE DEPARTMENT ON MARIJUANA

Mayor-elect Eric Garcetti said he wouldn't have any problems if California voters decided to legalize recreational marijuana. He suggested that enforcing marijuana laws is diverting law enforcement from more important business.

• "Marijuana IS important for medicinal use, But if in the future, California's voters want it for casual use, for me, it's not a problem."
  
  
• "I want to use the police department's resources for more serious crimes, but they are usually tied up in these crimes that aren't as important, Still, it would need to be decided by a state-wide vote."

Police Chief Charles L. Beck talks about Marijuana in LA

Despite neighborhood complaints, most medical marijuana clinics are not dangerous or plagued by crime, says police Chief Charlie Beck.

• "Banks are more likely to get robbed than medical marijuana dispensaries." - Chief Charlie Beck.
  

Opponents had complained that pot clinics were causing crime, but these notions were disposed of by one of the city's foremost experts, the Chief of Police. A report in 2009 concluded that pot dispensaries were about eight times less likely to be robbed than banks!  - 71 robberies at 350 banks compared to 47 robberies at more than 800 dispensaries.

• "I have tried to verify that because that, of course, is the mantra," said Beck. "It doesn't really bear out. We have looked at reliable statistics."

FURTHER READING -  LOS ANGELES AND MARIJUANA

LAPD chief: Pot clinics NOT plagued by crime

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