Stop Illegal Pot Shops

coalition of concerned San Diegans

Archive for December, 2009

It’s all about selling lots and lots of pot…

Dec 21

Posted by admin in Commentary, Cooperatives?, Marketing Illegal Drugs, Un-Permitted Retail Storefronts | No Comments

Wasn’t one of the intentions of laws regarding medical marijuana dispensaries intending to allow their members to save costs by growing and distributing their own marijuana? So, why is it these co-op’s of sick people are spending so much time and money marketing to gain new customers?

These groups are acting far more like marketers trying to gain walk-in new customers than a cost-saving non-profit trying to save money for it’s membership.

For instance:

  • Lease costs for retail locations, where a significant majority of San Diego illegal pot shops are located, are far more expensive than less-trafficked areas.
  • Add to the expensive lease costs the retail store displays, signage and staffing, security equipment and, in some cases guards, and you can imagine the monthly costs. Here’s a picture of one shop, who’s owner just plead guilty of several offenses:

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Just What is a ‘Pot Shop’?

Dec 21

Posted by admin in Commentary | No Comments

A pot shop is a phrase we use to define the obvious. That is, most if not all of the medical marijuana dispensaries we have seen, operate as retail storefronts – selling highly potent strains of marijuana to people who have an enormous incentive to feign ’sicknesses’. Unfortunately, and no surprise, significant abuses of the well-intentioned law have been uncovered.

Evidence of abuse? The most glaring is that the range of ’sicknesses’ seem to be plaguing young adult men – as, from all observers accounts, are over 95% of the clientele that visit these drug dealers. There are hundreds of such ’sicknesses’ one can use to get these drugs ‘legally’. Isn’t that amazing – the statistical percentage these young men represent who have this wide range of illnesses and that believe marijuana is the temporary remedy? Are women much more healthy or, do statistically large numbers believe marijuana isn’t the answer? Not likely.

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Proponents Say They Have Signatures to Put Pot Legalization to a Vote in California

Dec 14

Posted by admin in California Election | No Comments

SAN FRANCISCO — Proponents of a ballot measure that would legalize marijuana in California said they have collected enough signatures to qualify the initiative for the state’s November 2010 ballot.

The measure’s supporters said they have collected 650,000 signatures, exceeding the 433,971 required for the ballot.

“Today we’re declaring an overwhelming victory in this important first stage of taxing and regulating cannabis,” said proponent Richard Lee in prepared remarks. He runs an Oakland, Calif., school that teaches people to be pot entrepreneurs.

Law-enforcement groups will oppose the measure, said John Lovell, a lobbyist for California police associations. Mr. Lovell said he expected the initiative to make the ballot, but he said it would be easily defeated. “At the end of the day, I think voters’ good sense will prevail.”

Click here to read entire story.

Source: Wall Street Journal (link)

Owner of Two San Diego Marijuana Pleads Guilty in Federal Court

Dec 10

Posted by admin in Federal Enforcement, San Diego Dispensaries, San Diego Enforcement | 1 Comment

December 10, 2009

United States Attorney Karen P. Hewitt announced that Joseph Nunes pled guilty today before Magistrate Judge William McCurine, Jr., to three felony counts of a superseding information: Count One ­manufacturing marijuana plants, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1); Count Two ­renting, using and maintaining two drug-related premises, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 856(a)(1); and Count Three – money laundering, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(a)(1)(A)(I). The plea is subject to final acceptance by United States District Court Judge Larry A. Burns at the time of sentencing.

According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri Walker Hobson, who is prosecuting the case, Joseph Nunes was arrested following a federal search warrant executed at 3415 Mission Boulevard, San Diego, California, known as “Green Kross Collective,” where agents found marijuana plants, marijuana contained in bags and jars, cookies and brownies containing marijuana, sodas containing marijuana, lollipops containing marijuana, and other edible marijuana items. Agents also found $38,915 in cash at that location. Agents further discovered “sales receipts” books revealing that during a two-day period, Green Kross Collective sold approximately $16,000 of marijuana and marijuana products.

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Rx for dope – Pot dispensaries should be police-regulated businesses

Dec 8

Posted by admin in Commentary | No Comments

Union Tribune Editorial

The San Diego City Council today begins consideration of how best to regulate the mushrooming collection of medical marijuana dispensaries. But the council is going about it all wrong.

Consider this stunning comment by Steve Walter, assistant chief of narcotics for the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, as reported in Sunday’s San Diego Union-Tribune: “Based on the investigations we’ve done so far, I’m unaware of any (medical marijuana) storefronts operating legally.” He acknowledged not all dispensaries have been investigated, but his comment mirrors that of Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley, who has said “about 100 percent” of the marijuana storefronts in that county operate illegally.

Given this astonishing circumstance, it should have been obvious that the first question the San Diego council should have asked months ago is whether these dispensaries should operate in the city at all or whether they should instead be banned outright, as in more than 100 other California cities, including Escondido and El Cajon.

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SDUSD Board of Education Opposes Marijuana Dispensaries

Dec 7

Posted by admin in San Diego Leaders in Support | No Comments

Shelia L. Jackson
Board of Education, President

Dear City Council President and Council Members,

Young people in San Diego face many challenges as they work toward high school graduation. As educators, we partner with our students’ families, helping guide them toward that goal, and hopefully, on to higher education and career success.

Marijuana’s potential impact on a student’s progress cannot be overstated. Marijuana use can impair young people’s ability to concentrate and retain information.1 Marijuana is linked to lower grades. A teenager with a “D” average is four times more likely to have used marijuana than a teen with an “A” average.2

The California Healthy Kids Survey shows that by the eleventh grade, one out of three San Diego Unified students has tried marijuana; 13 percent of our juniors who participated in the survey used marijuana within the past month. 3

In San Diego County, nearly three-fourths of juveniles entering treatment for substance addiction indicate marijuana is their drug of choice.4 Forty-four percent of the young people in Juvenile Hall in San Diego tested positive for marijuana.5 And finally, a teenager who uses marijuana is twice as likely to drop out of high school, compared to those who don’t.6

Click here for letter

San Diego DA Wants Rewrite Of Medical Marijuana Laws

Dec 3

Posted by admin in In The News, San Diego Dispensaries | No Comments

SAN DIEGO — The San Diego District Attorney says California needs to revisit the statues that govern medical marijuana. She gave her comments following the acquittal of a marijuana dispensary manager.

Jovan Jackson was charged with illegal sales of marijuana. He fought the charges, saying he was distributing the drug for medical use, and a jury this week found him not guilty. Following the trial, jurors say they found the law so confusing they couldn’t find the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis says the law needs to be rewritten.

“I think what this case shows us is the legislature needs to act to clarify certain parts of the law,” she says.

Jurors said they weren’t sure what the law meant by a “medical marijuana cooperative.” State law says the cooperatives are allowed to cultivate marijuana and give it to its members. Dumanis says she’ll review the Jackson case as she considers charges against other marijuana dispensary managers.

Tom Fudge
KPBS San Diego

Source and audio