Today's California Supreme Court Decision Gives Cities the Right to Shut Down Marijuana Dispensaries

The California Supreme Court today ruled that local governments in the state have the right to prevent medical marijuana dispensaries from operating within their jurisdictions, clearing the way for new restrictions in a state known for relatively liberal medical marijuana regulations.

The 1996 "Compassionate Use Act" made medical marijuana legal in the state, and a 2003 bill created an ID program for medical marijuana patients and caregivers. As the Associated Press reports: "Of the 18 states that allow the medical use of marijuana, California is the only one where residents can obtain a doctor's recommendation to consume it for any ailment the physician sees fit as opposed to for only conditions such as AIDS and glaucoma. The state also is alone in not having a system for regulating growers and sellers."