enforcement of county ban against medical marijuana...

Enforcement of County Ban Against Medical Marijuana Dispensaries

Lance Wong, Head Deputy, Major Narcotics, Office of the District Attorney

Lt. Anthony J. Baudino, Narcotics Bureau, Sheriff's Department

Sari Steel, Principal Deputy County Counsel, Office of the County Counsel

PRESENTED BY

STATUS UPDATE

THREE COUNTY BANS (unincorporated areas only)

NO Medical

Marijuana Dispensaries

(MMDs)

“TEMPORARY” BAN

NO • Cultivation • Manufacturing • Lab Testing • Distribution

“PROPOSED” BAN

“COUNTY” BAN

NO Commercial

Activities SOME

Regulation of Personal

cultivation

MEDICAL MEDICAL MEDICAL & REC

2

SINCE 2011 APR 2016-JUN 2017 JUN 2017

ONLY

“PROP 64”

• Recreational marijuana only

• Adults over 21 may cultivate and

possess for personal use

• Local government may only ban commercial activities and outdoor personal cultivation

• No sales until January 2018 3

THREE COUNTY BANS (unincorporated areas only)

NO Medical

Marijuana Dispensaries

(MMDs)

“TEMPORARY” BAN

NO Cultivation

Manufacturing Lab

Testing Distribution

“PROPOSED” BAN

“COUNTY” BAN

NO Commercial

Activities

SOME Regulation of

Personal cultivation

MEDICAL MEDICAL MEDICAL & REC

4

SINCE 2011 APR 2016-JUN 2017 JUN 2017

“COUNTY BAN” SCOPE:

Bans medical marijuana dispensaries in the unincorporated areas

APPLIES TO:

Landlords and operators of medical marijuana dispensaries

SINCE JAN 2011

5

Pools County resources, strategies, and information to more effectively address the growing problem of medical marijuana dispensaries

EST. MARCH 2016

MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARY ENFORCEMENT TEAM

6

MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARY ENFORCEMENT

TEAM

DISTRICT ATTORNEY &

COUNTY COUNSEL

Seek closure through courts

SHERIFF Investigates dispensaries

REGIONAL PLANNING

Verifies ownership &

Confirms closures

EST. MARCH 2016

PUBLIC HEALTH

Education & outreach

7

8

STATUS OF ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS SINCE APRIL 2016

UNREPORTED DISPENSARIES

106

TOTAL REPORTED DISPENSARIES IN UNINCORPORATED AREAS

DISTRICT ENFORCEMENT MAPS

9

10

5/3/2 3/5/7

13/10/5

4/4/2

1st District

DISPENSARIES CLOSED 25 ENFORCEMENT INITIATED 22 UNDER INVESTIGATION 16 DISTRICT TOTAL 63 SINCE APRIL 2016

11

2/4/1 1/1

3

2 1

SINCE APRIL 2016

2nd District

DISPENSARIES CLOSED 1 ENFORCEMENT INITIATED 10 BEING INVESTIGATED 5 DISTRICT TOTAL 16

1

12

4th District

DISPENSARIES CLOSED 1 ENFORCEMENT INITIATED 8 UNDER INVESTIGATION 3 DISTRICT TOTAL 12

SINCE APRIL 2016

1/8/3

13

5th District

DISPENSARIES CLOSED 4 ENFORCEMENT INITIATED 9 UNDER INVESTIGATION 2 DISTRICT TOTAL 15

SINCE APRIL 2016

3/3/2

1/5 1

MAJOR ENFORCEMENT CHALLENGES

3

1 “WHACK-A-MOLE” PROBLEM

Closed MMDs re-open, new MMDs open despite enforcement efforts

CHALLENGE

2 LUCRATIVE NATURE OF BUSINESS MMDs fight enforcement to stay open as long as possible

CHALLENGE

“PROP 64” EFFECT Assumption that marijuana related activities are now legal

CHALLENGE

14

GAME PLAN

EDUCATION & PUBLIC OUTREACH

ENFORCEMENT SURGE

EXPLORE OTHER EXPEDITED REMEDIES

15

Learn More: www.lacounty.gov/marijuana

16

Report dispensaries:

213-974-6453 (anonymous tip)

marijuana@lacounty.gov

CALL:

EMAIL: zoningenforcement@planning.lacounty.gov