More than 170 medical marijuana dispensaries notify city of intent to stay open

Representatives of 174 medical marijuana dispensaries have filednotices with Los Angeles City Clerk, indicating that they intend toremain open. City officials now face the daunting task ofdetermining whether those stores qualify to operate under the newordinance.

The stores are among 187 that registered in 2007 to continue tooperate when the City Council adopted a moratorium. (City officialshave long said the number of registered dispensaries was 186, butrecently concluded one was inadvertently left off the list.) Allother dispensaries in the city were required to stop sellingmarijuana on June 7, when the ordinance became effective. Cityofficials estimate there are about 400 illegal dispensaries. Many,however, have sued the city to challenge the ordinance and somehave remained open in defiance of the law.

Los Angeles officials are reviewing the documentation to ensurethat the stores still have their original owners, operatedcontinuously and moved no more than once. In their initial check,city officials determined that 79 met those requirements andplanned to scrutinize the others. Control of seven dispensaries isin dispute, with competing groups claiming to operate them.

See a map of businesses mailed a closure notice: Map: Marijuana dispensaries toldto close

See "Dispensaries" in a larger map»

Source: Los Angeles City Clerk