San Diego resumes pot dispensary offensive

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 28 (UPI) -- Interim San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said he is resuming enforcement of a ban on medical marijuana dispensaries but would like to see the law changed.

The city filed its first civil suit against a dispensary since the retirement last month of Mayor Bob Filner, who had adopted a hands-off approach to the pot shops. San Diego's official policy is that dispensaries are not allowed to operate anywhere under the city's zoning ordinance.

Gloria said Friday he wants to see a new ordinance on dispensaries adopted in the future but allowing them to remain open would be "rewarding bad behavior."

The Los Angeles Times said Filner's lax attitude toward enforcing the zoning rules sparked a rift with City Attorney Jan Goldsmith, which further muddled San Diego's stance on dispensaries.

The City Council passed a zoning ordinance in 2011 allowing marijuana outlets to operate but the ordinance was then rescinded. Goldsmith's office was aggressively pursuing the dispensaries until Filner was elected and threw on the brakes.

Goldsmith said Friday's lawsuit was aimed at enforcing the ordinance on the books.

"The municipal code does not permit dispensaries in any zone and we will enforce the law to close their operation," he said.