Thursday, July 26, 2012

Medical Marijuana Dispensaries Closing in Los Angeles

Wish I had more time tonight to study this story: The Los Angeles City Council has voted to close its medical marijuana dispensaries.

There are 762 dispensaries, making them more abundant than Starbucks. One councilman said they are twice as many dispensaries as Starbucks. Now, if there are that many, I'd say all that marijuana is not ending up in the hands of just those needing it medically.

What is most interesting about all this is the reason the dispensaries are being closed: too much crime, whatwith all the burglaries, murders and more occuring in the neighborhoods where the marijuana is being sold.

This is most interesting, given those who oppose prohibition say it only leads to an increase in crime.

Well, it would be useful to know more about the crimes they are having near the dispensaries. Are they being committed by those on marijuana? Are people going to their neighborhood dispensary, using the stuff, and then committing the crimes?

Or, are the crimes being committed by those still running from the law? Marijuana remain illegal, albeit it is legal for medical purposes, and, in addition, it remains a federal crime even when used medicinally. So, are the crimes being committed in conjunction with the act of evading law authorities? That would support the theory criminalization only leads to an increase in crime.

I'd guess that isn't what is happening. I'm guessing people are marching over to their neighborhood dispensary, getting high, and then going out and committing crimes.

As someone posted on Facebook, does this mean California's experiment with legalizing marijuana has failed?

If so, this is not a small story coming out of Los Angeles.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0725-pot-ban-20120725,0,3171935.story

http://obrag.org/?p=63655

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