The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors took a major step Tuesday toward banning medical marijuana dispensaries in the county's unincorporated areas.A proposal for the ban in unicorporated areas was unanimously endorsed by the county supervisors and is scheduled to be formally adopted on December 7, officials said. The ordinance would then take effect 30 days later, officials said.Meanwhile, the Orange County Board of Supervisors also approved Tuesday, by a 4-1 vote, a first reading of an identical ban. A second and final reading is scheduled, also for December 7, a spokeswoman said."Attracting crime and other nuisances, these facilities have a negative impact on the communities where they've operated -- leading more than 100 cities and nine counties in California to pass similar ordinances," said Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich. "Since many municipalities in Los Angeles County currently have either a ban or moratorium, adjacent unincorporated communities would become the obvious location of choice for dispensary operators -- creating an undue burden for residents in these areas."Both measures address a growing number of illegally operated medical marijuana dispensaries in unincorporated areas of the two counties. Officials cited health and safety concerns, saying food products containing marijuana that are produced without regulation could contain potentially harmful ingredients, food borne disease and pesticide residue.
