SoCal Connected: Marijuana Clinics: Up In Smoke
"There are now more medical marijuana clinics in the city of Los Angeles than there are Starbucks. It may seem surprising until you take a closer look at how LA’s city leaders have handled the regulation of these dispensaries.
Since the passage of Prop 215 in 1996, Los Angeles has had an open door policy when it comes to medical marijuana dispensaries. And while many we spoke with applaud and support marijuana for medicinal purposes - and even for recreational reasons - most are upset at the lack of zoning laws when it comes to the dispensaries. It’s now easier to open a medical marijuana facility than it is a nail salon or a yogurt shop. That’s upsetting residents who are seeing 5 and 6 clinics on one stretch of a boulevard. City leaders seem to recognize the need for zoning of the dispensaries, but seem to be unable to pass and enforce such laws. Now, with an estimated five hundred clinics in the city, many are wondering if those clinics will be grandfathered in when and if the new law is passed."