While L.A.'s own liberal City Hall often ends up being a lot more conservative than it advertises — some of our leaders turned on the Occupy movement and Mayor Antonio Villaraiogsa pot shops should be banned — the once right-wing city of San Diego is turning out to be a beacon for progressives.

Mayor Bob Filner recently ordered city authorities to stop code enforcement and prosecution of cannabis dispensaries in our neighbor to the south.

Medical advocates are elated:

The group Americans for Safe Access stated recently that its people “applauded” the mayor's actions, which included a directive to city staffers, including San Diego Police Chief William Lansdowne and Neighborhood Code Compliance director Kelly Broughton, to …

… stop targeted code enforcement against marijuana dispensaries in the City of San Diego immediately … [and] stop sending dispensary code enforcement cases to the City Attorney's Office for prosecution.

ASA says the mayor was delivering on a promise he made to a chapter meeting of the group Tuesday.

Filner's letter on marijuana dispensaries. by

Like L.A., San Diego has struggled with trying to regulate pot shops. It also enacted a ban that was overturned after a voter referendum was sent to the council.

ASA executive director Steph Sherer:

The leadership of Mayor Filner is a ray of hope for San Diego patients after years of hostility from local and federal officials. Mayor Filner is the latest in a series of local officials to take a bold stand against federal intimidation.

[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]

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