Dennis Romero
The city's effort to shut down a Westside medical marijuana dispensary before it even opens is pretty much a done deal:
The L.A. City Attorney's office today boasted that a local Superior Court judge slapped a temporary restraining order on a Mar Vista weed store barring it from throwing open its doors.
This, apparently, is what you get when you try to sell medical bud in the age of L.A.'s new dispensary law:
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Measure D, which city voters approved in May, reduces L.A.'s pot shops from more than 1,000 to less than 130 survivors from the days of a 2007 city “moratorium.”
At least on paper. Shops have opened. And the City Attorney's office has so far cracked down on only 60 or so dispensaries that should be closing as a result of the law.
See also: Westside Weed Shop Told to Close Before It Even Opens.
Truth is, it will take an army to shut down nearly 900 dispensaries. But City Attorney Mike Feuer, at least, is making an example of some alleged bad actors.
Enter the business at 3472 S. Centinela Ave., which prosecutors say planned to open in defiance of Measure D.
The judge ruled …
… that the City, its residents, and voters will suffer irreparable harm absent a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction… enjoining the establishment and operation of an illegal marijuana business at 3472 Centinela.
Feuer is claiming victory:
The Court's order is another important milestone in the work our Office has taken to aggressively enforce Proposition D and uphold the will of the voters.
City Attorney spokesman Frank Mateljan confirmed to us that the LAPD will probably not even have to get involved with this one:
The shop has not yet opened. The court order will now prohibit the operators from opening.
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