Pro-Access Groups, Patients and Unions Worked to Overturn L.A. Dispensary Ban

The Los Angeles Times reports that yesterday's repeal of the city council's dispensary ban demonstrates the growing clout of pro-pot organizers, unions and patients in the face of the anti-marijuana sentiment of the city's powers that be.

Rather than put the repeal of the ban on the upcoming ballot, the city council voted, 11 to 2, to get rid of the law entirely. (The issue will be voted on again at the next week because the measure did not pass unanimously.)

 The so-called "gentle ban" would have closed all dispensaries and only allow patients to grow their own marijuana, despite the protests and testimony of patients and patient groups that it's not practical for many of them to grow their own pot.

Testimony given by Bill Rosendahl, a councilman and medical marijuana user, also shifted support to repealing the ban.

"Where does anybody go, even a councilman go, to get his medical marijuana?" Rosendahl asked his colleagues.

Despite the support for the repeal, Councilmen Jose Huizar and Mitchell Englander voiced plans to move forward against the dispensaries. Englander, according to Patch.com introduced a motion of enforcement against the storefronts and Huizar commented that the recent federal raids on Los Angeles dispensaries were "our relief."