Politics & Government

Huizar's Marijuana Motion Headed to City Council for Approval

In light of Supreme Court ruling, L.A. City Councilman José Huizar said city must go forward with his proposed marijuana business ban.

L.A. City Councilman José Huizar's proposal to ban all medical marijuana dispensaries in the Los Angeles was unanimously approved by the City Planning Commission on Thursday afternoon.

The proposed ordinance, which Huizar introduced in November, would shutter all of L.A.'s marijuana dispensaries, while still allowing authorized patients to grow their own marijuana or have a certified caregiver do so for them.

The motion will now move forward for final approval by the Los Angeles City Council.

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Previously:

Councilman José Huizar has responded to the California Supreme Court's decision to review the controversial Pack v. City of Long Beach decision, saying it was "more imperative than ever" that the city enact a ban of all medical marijuana dispensaries.

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In Pack, the California Second Court of Appeal ruled that Long Beach's medical marijuana ordinance--which included a lottery and permitting rules--violated the law by attempting to regulate a federally banned substance, rather than just decriminalize it.

Huizar has argued that, due to the similarities between Los Angeles' and Long Beach's ordinances, the city should repeal its current ordinance and ban all dispensaries, lest they remain vulnerable to similar lawsuits.

In response to Pack, Huizar has drafted a new medical marijuana ordinance that would ban marijuana dispensaries in Los Angeles, while still allowing authorized patients to grow their own marijuana, or have a certified caregiver do so for them.

Though the Supreme Court's decision had vacated the findings of Pack--as well as --seemingly closing the door on potential lawsuits, Huizar said it was "more imperative than ever" that the city ban dispensaries. 

The Pack ruling also gave permission to the City of Long Beach to move forward with its proposed dispensary ban--a precedent Huizar seems intent to follow.

"We are pleased that the California Supreme Court has decided to weigh in on this matter. We hope that the Court will reconfirm the right of cities to regulate medical marijuana businesses, particularly to control for the maximum amount allowed and to protect neighborhoods from an over-proliferation of medical marijuana dispensaries," Huizar said in an official statement. "We also are pleased that the Court unanimously voted to allow the City of Long Beach to implement its proposed ban on dispensaries during this time of legal chaos. Given that the Court's decision is not expected for another year or more, it is more imperative than ever that we repeal our current ordinance and ban medical marijuana businesses, while allowing patients to grow their own and while we wait for the Supreme Court's guidance."

Huizar's medical marijuana ordinance is set to go before the city's Planning Commission Jan. 26.


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