"Sorry, guys, about that," a young man said.
Still, a steady stream of seemingly fit, young men were allowed inside the business at Fourth and Gaffey streets when they rang the bell on the medical marijuana dispensary's door. Each would leave after a few minutes.
The dispensary was among 439 notified last month by the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office to close Monday or face possible legal action, including jail time, fines and eviction.
Under an ordinance that took effect Monday, just 187 medical marijuana dispensaries that registered with the city before Nov. 13, 2007, were allowed to remain open.
"Anyone who is violating the ordinance is subject to arrest," Deputy City Attorney Asha Greenberg said.
A check on four medical dispensaries in San Pedro that were supposed to shut down found that three remained open Monday. A fourth, PR Collective at First and Gaffey streets, was closed, but had this notice posted in the window asking customers to return on Tuesday:
"Dear PRC patrons. We are closed Monday," the letter said. "Please check back Tuesday June 8th as we plan to be open."
At Compassionate Caregivers, a second man said through a security door that customers going inside the business were being told the business was closed.
A woman who entered and exited the business said she thought it was a real estate office.
"I'm not going there anymore," she said.
The Cannaverse was open on Ninth Street, where workers inside ushered a reporter out, saying he was required to have a medical marijuana prescription to be inside. Two men refused to comment.
The sign on the door, however, said, "Yes, we are remaining open."
At Natural Wellness Caregivers Group at 11th Street and Pacific Avenue, a worker named Lyle invited a reporter and photographer inside and said the business would remain open despite the order to close.
He said the dispensary, opened in 2005, had missed the 2007 deadline to register with the city, but was working to correct that, even though that likely was impossible.
He said the business would remain open, even if he had to go to jail.
"If they'll allow us to file it and it takes my arrest, so be it," he said.
One customer said she hoped the business would remain open. The woman said she was a caretaker for ill patients who use the marijuana.
"I think they're great," she said. "It's just like going to the pharmacy."
Source: Daily Breeze
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