Mobile Medical Marijuana Dispensary Target of Police
Stewart Hauptman and Helen Cherry converted their 1985 Pace Arrow motor home into a rolling medical marijuana dispensary, which has become the target of police.
The couple travels in their Pace Arrow motor home around Southern California and Las Vegas serving about 700 members of their marijuana collective, which they say is legal under state law, the Press Enterprise reports.
But the collective, which has been on the road for seven months, was issued a citation by Riverside County police. They were cited for possessing drug paraphernalia and operating a dispensary.
In addition, authorities say it's a for-profit operation.
As previously discussed, California municipalities are permitted to regulate medical marijuana dispensaries. But legal experts disagree over whether cities can ban them.
Americans for Safe Access, an organization that supports medical marijuana recently filed suit in Los Angeles. The group is seeking a seeking a temporary restraining order against the city and its aggressive actions to shut down clinics not abiding by the law, as previously discussed in this blog.
Medical marijuana advocates have been working to overturn the city's medical marijuana dispensary ordinance before it takes effect in May.
In this case, Stewart Hauptman and his wife, Helen Cherry, say they plan to contest the citations and challenge zoning laws in the two cities (Norco and Corona) that ban dispensaries.
In addition, the couple says the Lakeview Collective is a nonprofit serving medical marijuana patients.
However, Norco City Attorney John Harper said the city is seeking a temporary restraining order against what he said is a dispensary.
Harper said selling marijuana out of van is typically is not perceived as a collective.
- LA District Attorney Steven Cooley Targets Pot Shops (FindLaw's Blotter)
- Signatures Could Block Marijuana Dispensary Laws (FindLaw's Blotter)
- Medical Marijuana Dispensary Group's Petition Falls Short (FindLaw's Blotter)
- Marijuana Crimes- California (provided by John W. Thornton, Attorney at Law)
- Drug Charges Overview (provided by The Marks Law Firm, L.L.C)