Ban Easily Exploited

Los Angeles' difficulty with controlling medical marijuana shouldn't surprise anyone. This problem will continue across America as long as there is a contradiction between state and federal marijuana laws. Since a moratorium in 2007 cannabis dispensaries have spread throughout L.A. at an alarming rate.

"The city of L.A. has failed us on this issue," said Michael Larsen, public safety director with the Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council. "There's a huge loophole. L.A. city's not watching. L.A. city's not enforcing."

No other city in California has seen such uncontrolled growth in dispensaries. As signs featuring the easily recognized saw-toothed cannabis leaf multiplied on commercial strips, neighborhood activists like Larsen began to ask their council members why the city was not shutting down dispensaries that opened after the moratorium.

People can usually recall a situation where they chose to rebel in their life. It has been apparent since we were children and defying our parents, people want things we aren't suppose to have. Ranging from children getting tattoos or piercings, to the mob days of alcohol prohibition. History has proven a ban is an ineffective tool in fighting for prevention.

The moratorium includes a standard provision that allows dispensaries to appeal to the City Council for a hardship exemption to be allowed to operate. Some time last year, medical marijuana entrepreneurs discovered that the city attorney's office was not prosecuting dispensaries that had filed hardship applications, saying the City Council needed to rule on them first. The council has not acted on any of the applications.

So far, 508 dispensaries have applied for exemptions.