[Update:] HASTA LA RASTA !!!

[Update:]

Los Angeles City Attorney Carmen Trutanich claims major victory in court to shut down L.A. dispensaries, L.A. Daily News article here

Los Angeles ordinance sends a clear message:

Los Angeles is not a playground for “legalized” drug-dealers!

On January 26, 2010 the Los Angeles City Council has voted 9-3 on a new ordinance that forces the closure of more than 500 marijuana dispensaries and forces many others presently in operation to pack up shop and move to a destination away from schools or neighborhood residences. The Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office will be busy sending out letters for immediate closure of the dispensaries without delay.

The new ordinance is said to be the strictest in the State and we are glad to hear that, though we would like to see even less dispensaries than the ones which are allowed to stay open. We anticipate Los Angeles joins the 120 California cities where there is an outright ban on dispensaries. Period.

As is to be expected, Marijuana proponents and activists are threatening the city with lawsuits and are considering gathering signatures for a referendum which has recently FAILED.

L.A.P.D. releases surveillance video shows dispensaries are a target for crime

Even today we are still being reminded just how dangerous these dispensaries are and that they are an easy target for crime. The Los Angeles Police Department released this video of a robbery suspect holding a dispensary operator at gunpoint (scroll down the L.A. Times blog, you'll see the video half way down). Why would we want to invite more of this behavior into our communities?

Will legalizing Marijuana place our National Security at risk?

We think so.

How will California defend itself against the enemy both foreign and domestic, in a newly intoxicated condition? - Not very well.

The Department of Homeland Security has the threat level in the airline sector set to level “Orange” or “High.” The next threat level would be “Red” for “Severe.” With marijuana legalization, drug paraphernalia would become yet another source of concern for airline security. We cannot afford to be casual about many items, which are banned from being brought on a plane. Drug paraphernalia would add a long list of items, which we must not be burdened with. -

DHS threat level assessment here