Pot permits in state of flux

UPDATE 10:53 p.m. SF Weekly ‘s The Snitch is reporting that San Francisco has pulled the plug on dispensary permits once again, with DPH’s Jim Soops saying new permits are on hold indefinitely until The City can “receive assurance that it is in compliance with state and federal law.”

While San Francisco gears up to start issuing permits again for medical marijuana dispensaries, Mendocino County is gutting its program that issued pricey permits to cooperatives to grow up to 99 plants.

San Francisco is firing up its permit machine after the state Supreme Court agreed last week to hear an appeal on Pack vs. Long Beach. The Second District Court of Appeals ruled in October that existing federal laws preempt city and county regulations permitting medical marijuana.

Meanwhile, lawmakers in Mendocino on Tuesday abandoned a permitting process that netted more than $660,000 in revenue for the Sheriff’s department in 2011.

The U.S. Attorney’s office threatened to sue Mendocino County earlier this month over the permits, which had allowed cooperatives to grow up to 99 plants.

Instead, Mendocino will now allow growers up to 25 plants without any permits, a policy similar to neighboring counties. Marijuana prescription holders in Mendocino can now also grow on rental property without notifying their landlord.

Jesse Garnier

Jesse Garnier is the editor and founder of SFBay. A Mission District native, he also teaches journalism as associate professor at San Francisco State University.