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The city of Torrance has revoked the business license of a controversial medical marijuana dispensary, officials said Wednesday.
Less than two weeks after federal agents raided the Green Cross of Torrance, the Hawthorne Boulevard co-op was notified shortly after 5 p.m. Tuesday that it no longer had permission to operate locally.
Sword Medical
The decision was made after Police Chief John Neu declared the establishment a detriment to public health and safety.
"Essentially, it was done based on the belief that there was criminal activity occurring at the location," Torrance police Lt. Rod Irvine said.
A mandatory hearing before Torrance's License Review Board is set for this morning. The dispensary can either accept the ruling, argue against it, or ask for a continuance.
"While we have the right to shut them down without a hearing, we have to provide a hearing within 48 hours, and that's what this is," Assistant City Attorney Ron Pohl said. "It's their opportunity to show cause why (the license) should not be revoked."
Green Cross Director Rafael Chavez told the Daily Breeze in July that his facility had more than 600 members and generally served 20 to 30 "patients" a day. All of them, he said, were required to produce documentation from their doctors.
More recently, however, federal investigators have accused Green Cross of selling pot to buyers without medical problems.
Reached for comment Wednesday, Chavez declined to say if he planned to fight the revocation.
"I don't really have a comment right now," he said. "We'll see what happens."
Proposition 215, which was endorsed by state voters in 1996, allows physicians in California to recommend marijuana to patients suffering from ailments such as cancer, anorexia, AIDS, glaucoma and chronic pain.
At the same time, cannabis has no medicinal value in the eyes of the federal government, which just says "no" to growing, possessing or using the drug.
With conflicting statutes, Green Cross began operating from behind a reflective storefront at 22926 Hawthorne Blvd. on April 20. Very quickly, the place attracted the attention of local officials.
In August, the City Council voted unanimously to deny business licenses to co-ops and other establishments inconsistent with federal law. The action did not affect Green Cross's existing license, which was set to expire at the end of the year.
Sword Medical
At that time, Chavez said he had no idea what would happen next or whether his license would be revoked early.
By Oct. 19, however, he was facing more serious problems, as federal agents raided his dispensary and seized roughly 70 pounds of pot, nearly 100 marijuana plants, a shotgun and a small amount of cash.
According to a Drug Enforcement Administration affidavit, investigators suspected that Chavez and his brother, Edward Chavez, were illegally selling marijuana to customers with no medical need for it.
Green Cross reopened after the raid and continued to operate until police arrived Tuesday evening.
Newshawk: user - <A HREF="420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking">420 Magazine</A>
Source: Daily Breeze
Pubdate: 2 November 2006
Author: Ian Hanigan
Copyright: 2006 Copley Press, Inc
Contact: Daily Breeze
Website: Article Here
Less than two weeks after federal agents raided the Green Cross of Torrance, the Hawthorne Boulevard co-op was notified shortly after 5 p.m. Tuesday that it no longer had permission to operate locally.
Sword Medical
The decision was made after Police Chief John Neu declared the establishment a detriment to public health and safety.
"Essentially, it was done based on the belief that there was criminal activity occurring at the location," Torrance police Lt. Rod Irvine said.
A mandatory hearing before Torrance's License Review Board is set for this morning. The dispensary can either accept the ruling, argue against it, or ask for a continuance.
"While we have the right to shut them down without a hearing, we have to provide a hearing within 48 hours, and that's what this is," Assistant City Attorney Ron Pohl said. "It's their opportunity to show cause why (the license) should not be revoked."
Green Cross Director Rafael Chavez told the Daily Breeze in July that his facility had more than 600 members and generally served 20 to 30 "patients" a day. All of them, he said, were required to produce documentation from their doctors.
More recently, however, federal investigators have accused Green Cross of selling pot to buyers without medical problems.
Reached for comment Wednesday, Chavez declined to say if he planned to fight the revocation.
"I don't really have a comment right now," he said. "We'll see what happens."
Proposition 215, which was endorsed by state voters in 1996, allows physicians in California to recommend marijuana to patients suffering from ailments such as cancer, anorexia, AIDS, glaucoma and chronic pain.
At the same time, cannabis has no medicinal value in the eyes of the federal government, which just says "no" to growing, possessing or using the drug.
With conflicting statutes, Green Cross began operating from behind a reflective storefront at 22926 Hawthorne Blvd. on April 20. Very quickly, the place attracted the attention of local officials.
In August, the City Council voted unanimously to deny business licenses to co-ops and other establishments inconsistent with federal law. The action did not affect Green Cross's existing license, which was set to expire at the end of the year.
Sword Medical
At that time, Chavez said he had no idea what would happen next or whether his license would be revoked early.
By Oct. 19, however, he was facing more serious problems, as federal agents raided his dispensary and seized roughly 70 pounds of pot, nearly 100 marijuana plants, a shotgun and a small amount of cash.
According to a Drug Enforcement Administration affidavit, investigators suspected that Chavez and his brother, Edward Chavez, were illegally selling marijuana to customers with no medical need for it.
Green Cross reopened after the raid and continued to operate until police arrived Tuesday evening.
Newshawk: user - <A HREF="420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking">420 Magazine</A>
Source: Daily Breeze
Pubdate: 2 November 2006
Author: Ian Hanigan
Copyright: 2006 Copley Press, Inc
Contact: Daily Breeze
Website: Article Here
