There is a big vote this Tuesday in Los Angeles, California that will largely determine the future for medical marijuana dispensaries in the area. Below is a message that I received from my friends in Los Angeles:
On May 21 join Angelenos for Safe Access - a coalition of business, collectives, doctors and patients – in voting Yes on F and No on D.
Proposition D is a fraud that doesn’t work. Proposition D doesn’t protect minors, patients or the public. Ordinance F is the solution to create sustainable and healthy rules that would – regulate medical cannabis collectives in Los Angeles.
Ordinance F Saves Jobs: Proposition D wants to decrease the number of dispensaries, which would result in job loss. The estimated 750,000 legitimate medical marijuana patients in Los Angeles would be forced to crowd into less than 135 dispensaries. Only Ordinance F aims to maintain enough dispensaries so sick patients have easy access to their medicine and 70,000 jobs aren’t lost.
Ordinance F Requires Mandatory Backgrounds Checks On All Dispensary Employees: In the process of legalizing medical marijuana, Ordinance F wants to ensure that dispensaries are operated by law-abiding citizens, and not associated with any criminal activity. By assuring the community that dispensaries are being operated and inhabited by people who have no criminal record in the past 10 years we can eradicate criminals owning and operating dispensaries.
Ordinance F Protects Our Children: Ordinance F is the only measure that prohibits children from entering the premises of dispensaries under any circumstance. Only Ordinance F requires that all dispensaries stay 1000 feet away from schools and 500 feet from parks. Dispensaries are required to relocate if a school were to open up within 1000 feet of its location. Proposition D which doesn’t require background checks and allows minors to enter dispensaries would ultimately allow children to buy cannabis from criminals.
Ordinance F Will Generate 25 Million Tax Dollars For The City: Ordinance F is the only measure that requires audits to ensure dispensaries are paying a 20% tax increase to the city. Currently, dispensaries pay a sales tax that goes to the state, as well as a city business-licensing fee of 5% of gross receipts. Revenue from dispensaries generated $2 million in revenue for Los Angeles in just the first quarter of 2012. If this 5% tax is increased by 20%, it would bring the taxes to the City to 6%, which would generate millions of additional revenue for law enforcement, fire departments and schools.
67,000 voters signed a petition to place Ordinance F on the ballot; to find out more information or how you can support Yes on F, please visit: https://voteyesonf.com
