Interesting L.A. Times article on Marijuana Outlets in L.A.

[ColBatGuano]

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/09/medical-marijuana-in-los-angeles.html

There are 966 of them registered (though at least some of them aren't actually in operation.) I really think this is going to end badly. I'm actually with the squares on this one. Something needs to be done to draw-down this proliferation. It's going to blow-up, and something draconian will be put in its place.

Article includes an interactive Google map marking all of them. It is astounding.

"Alarmed by the rate at which dispensaries were opening, the Los Angeles City Council in 2007 froze the number at the 186 already licensed. No new ones were supposed to open unless applicants received a hardship exemption.
But the moratorium had the opposite effect as would-be pot impresarios rushed to reserve their licenses by filing applications. The city attorney opined that enforcement officials could not shut them down while their applications are pending.
By the time the city cut off the exemption loophole in June, 779 applications had been filed. That's not to say that every one of them is actually selling pot. Many of the registered businesses exist only on paper, apparently filed by entrepreneurs who hoped to get a foothold. Among them are the 58 registered at a single address in Northridge."

 

[johnnyla]

the already 186 pre-ban stores that aren't operating like storefronts will remain.

ummm, can anyone name any? lol.

 

[ColBatGuano]

The Farmacy and the Toluca Lake Collective are two of them I know about. TLC is low-key and compassionate. Farmacy is high-end and expensive--but they do know quality. Weird thing about the map on their site is that it doesn't include the Farmacy's flagship store. That place is a friggin' chain. They've got awesome digs in Venice. The staff at their Westwood shop rocked hardest though. They helped me hook-up with local seed providers.

 

[maxxim]

Can anyone out there in Cali go to a few of these stores and drop off the boards URL and ask them to join us and let us know how they like working in a dispensary? Lets face it dosen`t sound like a bad job....

Any reason they shouldn`t be on the boards here talking to us?

 

[Blue Dot]

Lets face it dosen`t sound like a bad job....

Until someone like Bonnie Dumanis comes and arrests you.

That's what kills me about LA, they think it's just so easy to set up shop and nothing bad will happen to them.

LaLa land. So true.

Any reason they shouldn`t be on the boards here talking to us?

Electronic paper trail of incrimination? lol

 

[DIGITALHIPPY]

The Farmacy and the Toluca Lake Collective are two of them I know about. TLC is low-key and compassionate. Farmacy is high-end and expensive--but they do know quality. Weird thing about the map on their site is that it doesn't include the Farmacy's flagship store. That place is a friggin' chain. They've got awesome digs in Venice. The staff at their Westwood shop rocked hardest though. They helped me hook-up with local seed providers.

"the Farmacy" is awsome..... i enjoy there route 66(santa monica blvd) store, the venice one has an amazing amount of mushrooms (non hallucinagenic(sp?)) and "other herbs" such as ginkoba root really a well run place. there a model for the movement. i cant imagine them being closed down.
there are still raids... some have been shut down, "organica" in venice is one.

 

[Hash Zeppelin]

I think They should keep pushing farther and farther. Overwhelm the government, and force legalization. Over grow the world.

 

[DIGITALHIPPY]

I think They should keep pushing farther and farther. Overwhelm the government, and force legalization. Over grow the world.

there is an insashable desire for cannabis in cali.

 

[Capn]

Something needs to be done about quality control. I've gotten 3 moldy ounces from LA dispensaries in the last month. Top shelf my ass.

 

[Blue Dot]

Something needs to be done about quality control. I've gotten 3 moldy ounces from LA dispensaries in the last month. Top shelf my ass.

That's why they sell a lot of grams.

1. To jack up the price because it's not "volume"
2. Because No one is willing to take the risk of buying much more because of mold, etc.

 

[Hash Zeppelin]

That is why it needs to be legalized. Then people can really get picky. Competition, and capitolism would work nicley for this new thriving market. They could then make quality control laws, and even ratings like in the wine industry.

 

[Blue Dot]

That is why it needs to be legalized. Then people can really get picky. Competition, and capitolism would work nicley for this new thriving market. They could then make quality control laws, and even ratings like in the wine industry.

I agree 100% with that.

The funny thing is Vioxx can kill you but the FDA didn't really seem to care but I guarantee if the FDA found that the manufactuer was shipping out "moldy" Vioxx then the FDA would have swooped in and shut them down in a heartbeat.

The "effects" of many pharmecuticals are dubious at best but at least the FDA does a good job of insuring that these dubious drugs are indeed shipped to us as pure as possible.

I know that sounds crazy but some of MJ's effects are dubious as well so might as well allow the FDA to insure that the MJ is as pure and unadulterated as possible.

 

[mrdizzle]

you kinda gotta be the quality controller yourself, weeds pretty subjective for a quality standard. Ive made it many years without buying moldy herb, on the street and in the clubs, remember your the one with the money in your hand

 

[maxxim]

Do you still feel shady in the shop? Kinda like being at the hydro store talking about your tomatoes....

I would assume that you could talk freely about the product being that your buying it legally. One would assume also that the free market would run them out of business if they continue serving up shit.

 

[Blue Dot]

One would assume also that the free market would run them out of business if they continue serving up shit.

'Um, the definition of a FREE market is one where all can compete.

In other words, if one seller doesn't have what you want anyone else is able to offer that.

How in the hell does the free market apply to cannabis when it's an illegal product?

Anyone cannot offer to sell it. Only other dispensaries, so in essence the market is the number of dispensaries in any given area. in SD if there are a million plus citizens yet like 30 dispensaries then it's pretty easy to see a monopoly.

I mean what are your options? Go back to the street. i guess you consider the street part of the free market also.

There is no free market for MJ.

 

[Omerta]

everyone makes like theres 2 grade street and med. well lets see before shops existed somehow i was still able to get top notch buds from friends who sold buds. now the friends own shops, the real pot guys who own shops are the ones with quality buds. now all these ganjapreneaurs that i keep hearing about, these seem to be the ones with the crap product...guess it still is who you know.....

by the way if pot is fully legal in cali like the richard lees want all it does is put alot of you people out of a supplemental income, unless of course you made multi millions like he did and can afford to open some really big grow show

 

[NorCalFor20]

why does everyone make a big deal about there being almost 1000 dispensaries in LA now... does anyone have any idea how many places in LA sell alcohol - I'd imagine somewhere in the range of 100,000 stores in LA county sell alcohol which is much more dangerous than pot

 

[Blue Dot]

why does everyone make a big deal about there being almost 1000 dispensaries in LA now... does anyone have any idea how many places in LA sell alcohol

Your logic is flawed.

Alcohol sales are allowed by capitalism.

MMJ "sales" do not fall under capitalism.

When are you guys gonna realize that MMJ is DIFFERENT then EVERYTHING else under capitalism.

Voters voted for a LAW that said "affordable" and then SB420 clarified that to mean "NO-Profit" and that's the end of it.

Stop acting like prop 215 was the end of prohibition and that suddenly MMJ became legal like any other capitalistic product. This simply is NOT the case.

If you are unhappy about it, TOO BAD.

 

[Hash Zeppelin]

^I have to agree with blue dot some more. That is why I want LA to over grow the laws and force legalization.

 

[NorCalFor20]

Your logic is flawed.

Alcohol sales are allowed by capitalism.

MMJ "sales" do not fall under capitalism.

When are you guys gonna realize that MMJ is DIFFERENT then EVERYTHING else under capitalism.

Voters voted for a LAW that said "affordable" and then SB420 clarified that to mean "NO-Profit" and that's the end of it.

Stop acting like prop 215 was the end of prohibition and that suddenly MMJ became legal like any other capitalistic product. This simply is NOT the case.

If you are unhappy about it, TOO BAD.

Ok first of all, This is America and this is a capitalistic society everything from water to platinum is bought and sold in this country and everything cost money to make. Non profit's do make money that is how they continue to operate- Non profits are allowed to pay there employees a salary and under prop 215 one can be compensated not for cannabis but for their time and effort, when you make a donation to a cannabis vendor you are paying for their time and effort. Your not donating money for cannabis. Thats how non profits work. If you think for one second anyone is going to give away free cannabis to anyone your crazy.

Do you think that for one second when you donate money to a "non-profit" christian children's fund that every cent you donate goes to those kids, NO it dosn't they have to pay their employees to work there, they have to pay that guy Alan Sader for their commerical, they have to pay for that money to some how get to whatever far away land your sending it to, and they have to pay advertising costs for the commerical you watched to learn that you can send money to starving children in africa....

Secondly, SB420 is an illegal senate bill amendment to a voter-passed initiative that was not voted on by the people who voted for Prop 215