Costa Mesa Dispensaries Receive Shut Down Notices From Feds
In the wake of the recent raids on legitimate medical marijuana dispensaries in Costa Mesa, CA this past week, the Feds have sent letters to all land lords who rent to dispensaries notifying them that unless they evict their property will be seized. This has pretty much sealed the fate for the majority of dispensaries still operating in the city. Joyce, the owner of Nutritional Concepts, told me that she expects to be closed by February 4th and that it may be 6 months before they are allowed to re-open (if ever).
This “sweep” of local medical marijuana dispensaries comes after similar raid in Oregon. It is the opinion of many people in the industry that once they use up their resources here in California they will move on to Colorado to do the same thing. This will give people here in California time to re-group.
The state supreme court recently agreed to review the Riverside decision that stated any city/county can not legally approve something that conflicts with federal law. Once the supreme court renders a decision will have much clearer guidance on what any individual city can and can not do. Attorney Anthony Curiale, a specialist in medical marijuana law, told me that because of the supreme courts decision to review the case “we are back back in the game.” He went on to say that “they are not going to be able to put the genie back in the bottle.”
In the mean time, the feds are doing everything they can to try and bankrupt local dispensary owners. In Costa Mesa they did not make one arrest. They just go and take all the plants, lights, medicine, cash and freeze assets. Essentially they force the businesses to start over from scratch. These tactics are far from American and will ultimately make the industry stronger in the long run. More and more patients who are benefiting from medical marijuana will let their voices be heard on election day. I will be shocked if President Obama wins California without the medical marijuana vote (which is HUGE!).
Stay tuned.
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In San Francisco, permitting is moving forward in the city for medical marijuana brick and mortar locations. I hope our actions encourage other actors statewide. In California we stand in solidarity with Colorado residents who will be engaging in a day of action to protest federal action against their state medical marijuana system. Viva Sativa!