Profitable Collectives do Not Violate the Law, California Medical Marijuana Author Says

U.S. Attorneys shutting down medical marijuana collectives in California more often that not use the talking point of "profitability" as if it was a four letter word.

However according to the author of the state's medical marijuana law, former state Senator John Vasconcellos, a profitable collective doesn't mean it's breaking the law. In fact, according to the law he authored, there's no requirement that the dispensary be non-profit, reports the L.A. Weekly.

In a letter to clarify the issue, he wrote:

Nothing in that section prohibits profit. Nothing in that section explicitly authorizes profit, either. But I must point out that nobody is required to obtain an "authorization" from the Legislature to make a profit in California. 

... the language does not in any respect purport to prohibit profit ~ if that had been the intent, the language would have so stated clearly. It obviously does no such thing.