MEDICAL MARIJUANA: Oakland Club Closes
The Oakland Cannabis Buyer's Club, the largest medical marijuana distribution facility in the state, closed its doors yesterday "after the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the club's request for an emergency stay of a lower court's ruling that it was operating illegally." The Los Angeles Times reports that Jeff Jones, director of the club, closed the 2,200-member facility voluntarily "until we are able to reopen with the support of the courts" (Curtius, 10/20). U.S. District Court Judge Charles Breyer last week ordered the club to close, "rejecting arguments by the cooperative that medical marijuana relieves pain and saves lives." Shortly after this ruling, however, Breyer granted the club a "three-day reprieve while its attorneys sought an additional stay from the U.S. Court of Appeals in San Francisco." While the appeals court declined to grant the club an immediate exception, the club's appeal "before the appellate court stands despite the closure." Jones said, "They may have won a battle, but they haven't won the war. We will prevail." The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the Oakland City Council this evening may "consider an emergency declaration that would allow the city to dispense medical marijuana" (Lee, 10/20).
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