Democrat officials are using $1,000 a day fines to close down medical marijuana stores.
In the almost totally Democratic city of Sacramento Democrat officials are working overtime to close down every possible medical marijuana store. It would appear that personal freedom and property rights have no meaning to the Democratic Party.
Eight marijuana stores – from as many as 99 dispensaries that opened – are left. Dozens have closed in recent weeks amid fears of federal prosecution and aggressive actions by the county that include litigation and fines for building code violations.
The city of Sacramento has frozen permit applications for existing dispensaries, but has allowed most to stay. Sacramento County's crackdown in the unincorporated areas, by contrast, is having a dramatic effect on California's quickly shrinking medical marijuana industry, reports the Sacramento Bee.
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Eight marijuana stores – from as many as 99 dispensaries that opened – are left. Dozens have closed in recent weeks amid fears of federal prosecution and aggressive actions by the county that include litigation and fines for building code violations.
The city of Sacramento has frozen permit applications for existing dispensaries, but has allowed most to stay. Sacramento County's crackdown in the unincorporated areas, by contrast, is having a dramatic effect on California's quickly shrinking medical marijuana industry, reports the Sacramento Bee.
"There is a high rate of people closing voluntarily," Rush said. "They didn't want to cause trouble for their landlords or they're closing to get a chance to figure out how to come back in compliance."
In San Diego, nearly two-thirds of some 220 dispensaries have shut down amid threatened federal property seizures and city lawsuits.
Three well-known San Francisco dispensaries closed after receiving warning letters from U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag. California's oldest dispensary, the Marin Alliance for Medical Marijuana, is fighting to stay in business and preparing to pull its cannabis products after a federal suit to seize the property. The dispensary offers other services, including magnetic massage therapy, physician evaluations and counseling.
"We need to move the marijuana very shortly. I don't want to get the landlord in any more trouble," said operator Lynette Shaw.
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The Green Temple Cannabis Collective in south Sacramento is among stores selling medical marijuana that are closing. The United Food and Commercial Workers union, which sought to organize medical pot employees, estimates that California has lost up to 5,000 jobs as dispensaries have closed. |
In San Diego, nearly two-thirds of some 220 dispensaries have shut down amid threatened federal property seizures and city lawsuits.
Three well-known San Francisco dispensaries closed after receiving warning letters from U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag. California's oldest dispensary, the Marin Alliance for Medical Marijuana, is fighting to stay in business and preparing to pull its cannabis products after a federal suit to seize the property. The dispensary offers other services, including magnetic massage therapy, physician evaluations and counseling.
"We need to move the marijuana very shortly. I don't want to get the landlord in any more trouble," said operator Lynette Shaw.
In Sacramento County, many marijuana stores had stayed open even as the county collected $91,000 in fines against businesses operating in violation of zoning codes. Two months ago, the county began threatening $1,000 daily fines against property owners for building code violations for unpermitted work that converted rental space to dispensaries.
Faced with monthly penalties of $30,000, "the property owners all of a sudden got interested in evicting their tenants," said Steve Pedretti, the county's director of building and code enforcement.
Faced with monthly penalties of $30,000, "the property owners all of a sudden got interested in evicting their tenants," said Steve Pedretti, the county's director of building and code enforcement.
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