Advocate for restrictions on marijuana dispensaries (mobile and stationary).

Through a continued relationship with the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, in 2006 all 22 marijuana dispensaries located in San Diego were closed.  In 2009, the new presidential administration sought to make public comments on the intention of the federal government, through the United States Attorney General’s office, to not assist with state investigations into marijuana dispensaries operating within the confines of state law.  Unfortunately, several of those statements were misquoted and misconstrued, resulting in a proliferation of dispensaries in California, including San Diego County.  As of 2009, there are over 100 marijuana dispensaries in San Diego County, primarily within the city limits of San Diego in their beach communities.

Even prior to this event, our organization had been engaged in conversations with the leaders of the cities of Carlsbad, Vista and Oceanside regarding our interest in prohibiting these types of business.  In early 2009, we were successful in securing passage of ordinances to ban dispensaries in both the cities of Carlsbad and Vista.  Later in 2009, the City of Oceanside passed a moratorium and in 2010 made dispensaries a non-conforming use in the city. We still find these marijuana storefronts opening, but the cities are filing court cases and shuttering these illegal businesses.