Medical marijuana dispensaries and collectives in the city of Los Angeles must grow their own pot, according to the latest version of an ordinance that will be considered soon by the City Council.

But an earlier proposal to limit pot shops to five pounds of marijuana on-hand at any particular time was shelved, according to a report by City News Service. “Because the Compassionate Use Act did not set a limit on how much you could or couldn't have, I think our view is that to limit the amount would be a violation of the law,'' special assistant City Attorney David Berger said.

Police wanted the limitation because, they noted, pot shops in the city were being targeted by robbers attracted to cash and large quantities of pot.

The new law, which must be approved by the council, states that dispensaries must grow their supplies on-site. Councilman Jose Huizar was concerned about the source of dispensary pot, including the possible involvement of gangs and drug cartels.

The new version of the proposed law has yet to legislate the number of dispensaries allowed in the city or in council districts, and whether pot shops' income can be limited as a result of state rules stating that medicinal distribution of marijuana most be a “collective,” non-profit venture. The council is expected to take a vote Wednesday.

LA Weekly conducted an investigation that found the city has been mostly hands-off when it comes to regulating the pop business. In the wake of the piece's publication, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for the first time came out in favor of reigning in the pot-shop business in Los Angeles.

The Weekly also conducted a survey of the pop dispensaries in Los Angeles and found only 540 appeared to actually be operating, as opposed to the 800 or more that were registered. Find a PDF database of the survey here.

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