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L.A. council sets dispensary cap at 70 to 137

The Los Angeles City Council just voted to include a cap of 70 to 137 dispensaries in its proposed medical-marijuana ordinance.

After nearly three hours of debate this morning, the council moved to limit the number of dispensaries in the city from “a goal” of 70 to the remaining dispensaries that were operating when the city put a September 2007 moratorium on cannabis clubs in place

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The Los Angeles City Council just voted to include a cap of 70 to 137 dispensaries in its proposed medical-marijuana ordinance.

After nearly three hours of debate this morning, the council moved to limit the number of dispensaries in the city from “a goal” of 70 to the remaining dispensaries that were operating when the city put a September 2007 moratorium on cannabis clubs in place. Only 137 of those “original” dispensaries are still operating.

At the urging of Councilman Paul Koretz, city officials will give preference to the “original” 136 dispensaries when deciding which cannabis clubs will be allowed to operate in L.A. But just how the city will permit dispensaries — at least 800 already exist in L.A. — has yet to be decided. Various suggestions for a selection process have included determining the dispensaries by lottery or by soliciting proposals from potential operators. Council members also cautioned the operators of the 137 pre-moratorium dispensaries that today’s vote means they will only be given “first preference” — whether they’ll ultimately be permitted will depend on whether they can bring their operations into compliance with the numerous provisions of the city’s proposed medical-marijuana ordinance, which the council is still hammering out.

A majority of council members said they want the ultimate number of dispensaries in the city to “start at” a maximum of 70, a number determined by a planning department study of populations in L.A.’s various community planning areas. It’s unclear how the city will seek to attain that goal of 70, but council members indicated it could be done by attrition.

The council is still debating today other key provisions of its proposed ordinance, including how much cannabis would be allowed to be kept at individual dispensaries, and whether to require dispensaries to grow all their medicine on site.

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