LA Rapidly Moves Forward To Ban Dispensaries

LAPD testifies before LA City Council regarding dispensary ban.

To:  ALL Medical Cannabis Patients and Caregivers Who Are Members Of
Collectives Within Los Angeles City Limits

From:  Patient Advocacy Network

RE: Los Angeles City Council Rapidly Moves Forward To Ban Dispensaries –
Final Vote As Soon As Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Today the City Planning Commission voted to approve city staff
recommendations (city attorneys, planning department and council staff
[Huizar & Englander – present; Parks & Perry – not present]) to BAN
‘medical marijuana businesses’ in the City of Los Angeles.  The City
Attorney’s office is calling their new law a ‘gentle ban’ because it still
allows for the activities that they think State law intended but bans
storefront medical marijuana dispensaries.

The commission’s vote was transmitted to council today meaning that it
could appear on the next LA City Council agenda for a final vote as soon
as Tuesday, January 31, 2012.


WHO!   WHAT!   WHEN!   WHERE!   HOW!


Who:  ALL members of ALL collectives in LA city limits directly to the LA
City Council


What:   SAVE OUR COLLECTIVES
The LA City Council must hear your voice.  The same 10 – 30 faces have
appeared at City Hall advocating for safe, enforceable regulations for
LA’s dispensaries for the last 6 years.

YOUR VOICE MATTERS!

The only way your voice is counted on any issue in LA is to file a Speaker
Card at the beginning of any council, committee or commission meeting. 
When your name is called, you get 2 minutes to address the council.  When
medical marijuana is not on the agenda, you can speak about the topic
during ‘general public comment.’  When the topic is an agendized item, you
speak your 2 minutes when the item is called to the floor.


When:  This Friday, January 27, 2012, 10:30 a.m.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012, 10:30 a.m. (may be the day Council votes)
Wednesday, February 1, 2012, 10:30 a.m. (if it’s on this agenda instead)
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday is the council’s weekly meeting schedule


Where:  Los Angeles City Hall, 200 North Spring Street (Downtown), Room
340 Public entrance is on the Main Street side of the building.  Have ID. 
You /your bag go through detection devices, like court.


How:  Never done this before?  Don’t know what to say?
You will state your name and then identify yourself as a constituent or
stakeholder in the city. “I work downtown,” “I live in the Valley,” etc. 
You then want to clearly voice your support or opposition to their
proposal.  “I oppose this ‘gentle ban,’ I support my dispensary,” etc. 
Make your story personal.  “I’m a cancer survivor, veteran… Medical
cannabis helps me…. My collective is so important to me because…. I rely
on more than one collective because….”  Remind them you support or oppose
the proposal and thank them for their time and consideration.   Write it
out, read it out loud, time yourself, edit, repeat.

BE PREPARED!  Prepare a 2-minute and 1-minute version of your comments. 
When a lot of people show up to speak, the council may choose to limit
your time to 1 minute.

Contact PAN if you have any questions.

Patients Speak-out Against Further Federal Interference

On July 18, 2011, medical cannabis patient advocates took to the streets of Los Angeles and San Francisco to express concerns about recent statements from Washington DC including the Cole Memorandum. News is that it will be business as usual with respect to federal enforcement of the Controlled Substances Act. Patients are concerned that there will be more hostile smash and grab raids and selective prosecutions.

Patient Advocacy Network has reached out to nearly 90 Congressional offices to discuss medical marijuana, the Controlled Substances Act and continued federal criminal jeopardy for patients. Governors and State AG’s in all medical cannabis states have also been called upon by PAN to help end the federal criminal jeopardy for patients and their cultivators. It is PAN’s contention that cannabis is inappropriately placed in the CSA and needs to regulated more like beer or wine. This is the only legal model that keeps cultivators safe, as safe as those who grow grapes and hops.

While only a handful of patients participated in the LA rally, PAN got the attention of many media outlets: TV, radio, print and internet. “We feel it’s extremely important to be here and express the fear patients and their collectives have over further federal interference BEFORE there are any federal actions this season,” states Degé Coutee to the media during the rally. “The DEA got their funding today on the heels of some very strong statements from Washington. We fear federal raids and prosecutions on non-violent, otherwise law-abiding citizens, some of which are seriously ill or disabled.”

PAN encourages supporters to get involved with its Legislative Education programs and upcoming rallies and street theater by becoming a sponsor. All monetary and in-kind contributions are tax-deductible.