[Press release] LOS ANGELES, CA – D|R Welch Attorneys at Law, a law firm focusing on all business aspects of the medical marijuana industry, filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Santa Ana Cannabis Association, an association of licensed medical marijuana dispensaries, against 14 illegal dispensaries operating in the city.
On November 14, 2014, Santa Ana voters approved Ordinance No. NS-2864, also known as Measure BB, to regulate medical marijuana collectives and cooperatives. The Measure became effective on December 9, 2014.
“Measure BB was established to provide guidelines for the operation of a medical marijuana dispensary, including the requirements for obtaining a license to operate such a business – a license that all 14 of these facilities fail to possess,” said David Welch, Founder of D|R Welch Attorneys at Law. “Aside from licensing, these facilities do not pay city taxes, provide proper onsite ventilation, which negatively affects the air of surrounding communities, and have not ensured their employees have undergone background checks.”
“These dispensaries’ lack of proper licensing and illegal operations are not only blatant, but are misleading to the City’s qualified medical marijuana patients,” said City Councilman Jose Solorio. “I’m pleased the sole purpose of the Association is to help ensure medical marijuana businesses’ compliance with the laws, and to facilitate safe access to legal medical cannabis to the citizens of Santa Ana. Unpermitted medical marijuana businesses run counter to this mission and directly violate the rules and regulations set forth by the City Council’s sponsored initiative which was approved by our voters.”
The offending dispensaries include: Nature’s Green Collective; Sky Holistic; Live2Love OC, Inc.; Elevated Dreams Collective Inc.; Main Street; LOL; First Choice Organic; Rascals Dab Club; The Sanctuary; Wow, Wax on Wax; 1st Street; Ridiculous; The Broccoli Collective; and Santa Ana Highlife.
The Santa Ana Cannabis Association’s purpose is to support legislation, regulation, ballot measures and other advocacy work with the goal of ensuring safe access to medical marijuana facilities in California, pursuant to California state law.
